Charlie Nash Is A Total Badass In Street Fighter V!

This is his happy face.

The fine folks at Capcom Unity have just released a new Street Fighter V gameplay trailer! This time, the previously teased character Charlie Nash gets the spotlight. Though formerly deceased in the series' storyline, clearly nefarious means have brought forth his resurrection.

No longer the heroic sort fans grew to love during the 1990s' Street Fighter Alpha series, Nash now comes across as a villainous badass. The corresponding gameplay looks quite promising. His classic moves have returned alongside some slick new tricks. The trailer is quite effective in making him look like an absolute powerhouse.

Shotaro Ishinomori's Legend Of Zelda Comic Returns This May

Link, with the Pendant of Courage

Good news, everyone! Viz Media recently announced a reprint of Shotaro Ishinomori's classic Legend of Zelda comic originally seen in Nintendo Power! All twelve chapters will be available in a single 196-page volume set to hit shelves on May 5, 2015.

The Targeted Ad Experience Of Castle Geek-Skull

Action figures, video games, and...cat food?

During my routine bouts of frenzied internet browsing, I've noticed more and more targeted ads creeping their way into the margins of each page. I shouldn't be surprised, as pretty much everyone is bound to get bombarded with advertisements related to their recent search history these days. Still, it seems more prevalent than ever, and I've become increasingly amused at the niche various networks have filed me under.

So, in a classic display of over-sharing (and posting shit no one cares about), here are a handful of the targeted ads recently thrown my way!

Let's Kickstart The TruForce Mega Man X Action Figure!

One hundred percent of my want.

If you know me, you should be well aware that Mega Man X is a longtime favorite of mine. I spent the first few hours of 2015 in a strange trance where I couldn't stop watching videos of it, and a couple of weeks later I actually interrupted important work I was doing just to check out a four-man race to finish it first. Somehow, my appetite for this game never seems to be fully satisfied.

There's not just one thing I enjoy about it. The gameplay itself is classic, the soundtrack is absurdly memorable, and the visual aesthetic falls on a unique balance between slick anime sensibilities and the round, oddly friendly look of earlier Mega Man titles. I'm also a big enough fan to extend beyond merely appreciating the game itself. If I come across some form of Mega Man X collectible, it might be difficult for me to resist.

I Want To Collect Skylanders Now. Thanks, Krypt King.

He's got the edge!

During my latest visit to a local retail store's wall of Mario amiibo, I did an amazing thing. I turned around.

Arranged before me was a beautiful display of Skylanders with a degree of variety I no longer thought possible. While I've found plenty of items in the line's history intriguing, I've always been more than happy to admire them from a distance. I'm afraid that might be out the window now. I have witnessed the full glory of Krypt King, up close and personal. I have the sneaking feeling that his allure may be inescapable.

I think I'm going to finally buy a Skylander. I think I'm going to buy a Krypt King.

Street Fighter V Might Be For Younger Audiences? So What?!

Eww, kid stuff.

In a recent interview, Street Fighter V producer Yoshinori Ono mentioned hoping the title would bring younger players into the series. The statement pretty much ended there, but it still managed to spark several discussions online. Some have had a sense of respectable back and forth, with various viewpoints and overall grounded opinions being shared. Of course, there were also overly-reactionary responses that assume the quote means the game might be "aimed towards kids."

Mortal Kombat X's Gameplay Continues To Impress

Princess Kitana from MK X's latest gameplay trailer

Even from the earliest glimpses at E3 2014, I thought Mortal Kombat X looked like a promising progression for the franchise. My last real MK experiences were with the clunkier PlayStation 2 era games like Deadly Alliance, none of which really did it for me. I find the faster paced 2.5D approach of the upcoming installment much more appealing. MK X has only looked better with each new reveal.

Perhaps I'm being too easily swayed by the editing, but the latest trailer featuring Kung Lao and Princess Kitana has some of the best looking Mortal Kombat gameplay I've ever seen. If you look past the goofy story bits and ridiculously violent Fatality teases, the characters appear to have tons of maneuverability with a decent sense of momentum in tow. Feel free to check out the footage below if you're curious:

Affordable GameCube To Wii U Adapter Options From Play-Asia

Motivational word of the day: ADAPT!

With Super Smash Bros. for Wii U all the rage, there's more demand than ever for Wii U GameCube controller adapters. Unfortunately, many of the listings from various online retailers and third party sellers veer well into "overpriced" territory. Ever the penny-pincher, I recently stumbled across a variety of affordable and thus-far well reviewed options from Play-Asia. If you've also been on the look out, you might want to consider one of the following:

Mayflash 4-Port GameCube Controller Adapter for Wii U and PC - $19.99

Awesome Games Done Quick 2015 Highlights

List-post incoming in 3, 2, 1...

Awesome Games Done Quick 2015 is now behind us. Over 160 games were played over six days, and the donation drive was a great success. I wrote before about not having the time to check it out live, but I've finally been able to catch some highlights via Youtube. Let's go through a few of them below!

It only seems fitting to start off with a four-way race to finish Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. This is easily one of my favorite games and I still love seeing it. Skip to around 7 minutes in to get to the good stuff!

I Love The Duck Hunt Dog More Than Ever Thanks to Smash Bros. 4

hhhehehe

The Duck Hunt dog is often considered one of the most annoying video game characters ever. After every failed shot, the little devil famously pops up on screen to laugh at your ineptitude. This two frame animation has haunted millions:

Your suffering is delicious.

I'm Going To Admire Awesome Games Done Quick 2015 From Afar

The ever-handsome logo of GDQ.

If you pay attention to any sort of social media buzz, you've surely seen that Awesome Games Done Quick 2015 is now underway. For the handful of you in the dark, this is a bi-annual event with a nonstop barrage of video game speedruns held to raise funds for charities such as Doctors Without Borders and the Prevent Cancer Foundation. An ongoing Twitch stream shows off the gameplay (complete with commentary) and the status of the donations so far.

Games Done Quick events tend to have a lot of entertainment value if you care about seeing the likes of Super Mario Bros. and other classics played on an expert level. There are also a lot of runs that take advantage of oddities like super specific glitches, offering up strategies you may have never seen before. Every now and then the runners or commentators are pretty humorous as well. There might be some awkward moments here and there, but the positives (such as helping raise millions of dollars for great causes) outweigh such issues significantly.

The Plumber-Filled Pegs Of Nintendo Amiibo

A mob of Marios.

While the limited availability of various amiibo figures helped draw me towards the craze, staring at pegs filled with nothing but Mario is really starting to wear me out. Online retailers like Entertainment Earth and Amazon have helped pick up the slack, but I can't shake the preference of tracking down collectibles in person. It's a shame that there's no variety in my local stores right now.

I know amiibo figures are only two waves in, but there are plenty of characters that feel completely mythical at this point. I'm not only talking about the elusive Marth, Wii Fit Trainer, and Villager either. I've seen Peach and Pikachu around...and that's pretty much it. Otherwise, I'm drowning in a sea of Marios.

The PlayStation Store's "Just For You" Recommendations Need Work

How thoughtful~

I'm sure I'm the last person alive to notice given the scarcity of my sign-ins, but PlayStation Network's store has a "Just For You" category now. It looks to be inspired by the practices of online retailers like Amazon that suggest products based on recent orders. Whereas the big A-Z is usually spot on, the PlayStation Store recommendations need a bit of work.

When parrying Hadokens in Street Fighter III, I've often wondered what it'd be like if snails were fast.

I Kicked Off 2015 With A Mega Man X Marathon

Yatta!

While most people were out having fun or enjoying the company of their loved ones, I spent New Year's Eve at home trying to sort some personal affairs. Ever the party animal, I figured I may as well go to bed shortly after midnight struck. It'd be great to start off a new year with some sort of respectable schedule, right?

I followed this idea by brilliantly firing up Youtube, telling myself I'd watch a "handful" of videos while trying to relax enough to fall asleep. The recommended video section had an alluring Mega Man X playthrough that seemed like the perfect choice. I've played and watched enough of the game and its sequels to feel a strong sense of familiarity and comfort. I was sure I'd be yawning as soon as the Chill Penguin fight, but I ended up completely invested. I watched the whole thing.

Castle Geek-Skull's Video Game Highlights of 2014

I almost beat Mega Turtle at the end of Level 3!

I couldn't find the time to play everything I wanted, but I definitely had some good times with video games this year. As 2015 looms on the horizon, there's no better occasion to look back on some of the titles I enjoyed the most. Due to what I'm sure must be extremely popular demand, I've compiled 14 of my personal gaming highlights of 2014 below! Let's get to it.

Disclaimer: Forgive me if I leave off something you found amazing; I promise I'm going to get around to catching up!

Mega Man's Final Smash from Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U is pure bliss. I'm a huge fan of the Blue Bomber, so you can imagine how bummed I've been that he hasn't gotten the best treatment in recent years. His inclusion in the latest SSB did a lot to heal those wounds.

14 Unexpected Surprises from TV, Movies, Games, etc. In 2014

Surprise, Mr. Falcon!

In my attempt to keep up with pop culture goings-on this year, there were a lot of developments I never could have predicted. It seems awesome television announcements or crazy character appearances were turning up all over the place. Take my silken hand as I lead you down the path of 14 of my favorite unexpected surprises from 2014!

Community's "G.I. Jeff" lovingly parodied the 1980s G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero cartoon, complete with corresponding action figure commercials.

FanArt Frenzy - 14 of My Favorite Pieces of Fan Art From 2014!

2014 Retrospective Edition!

As we prepare to say our goodbyes to 2014, I feel it's the perfect time to dip into the FanArt Frenzy well once more. Below you will find 14 of my absolute favorite illustrations from the year. You're here for pretty pictures, so let's skip the blabber and get right to it!

Three of my favorite Transformers designs: Galvatron, Cyclonus, and Scourge by Golby2

Castle Geek-Skull's Santa Hat Party - Christmas 2014

Ahoy there, jolly internet users! Let's celebrate the Christmas season with 25 pictures of iconic pop-culture characters wearing Santa hats! Hit it, Google Image Search!

Santa Doom from What The?! Vol. 1, #10

The Only Christmas Video Game I've Ever Played Is Elf Bowling

AHHHHHHHHHH!

Somehow, I've only recently learned that there are a metric ton of Christmas themed video games out there. I'm not even exaggerating. There's even a Christmas Shopping Simulator! Their ubiquitous nature is hardly surprising, but they still managed to fly under my radar aside from one: NStorm's Elf Bowling from 1998.

I'm certain that Elf Bowling is one of those games that just about everyone found themselves sitting in front of at some point or another. I even saw my grandfather playing it at once. I know for sure that I didn't spend too much time with it, but its cartoony graphics and silly voice-overs remain memorable many years later.

Nintendo Amiibo: You Want What You Can't Have

Such cruel temptation.

When Nintendo amiibo were first revealed at E3 2014, I found myself thinking they'd make for a neat shelf display if nothing else. Their game compatibility was of little concern. Even so, I was well into a sabbatical from amassing plastic whozits and whatzits at that point. I still tend to want everything under the sun, but I was certain I'd be able to walk away without much of a fight.

Upon their initial release in late November, I still got a bit of the familiar "these are pretty freakin' cool" tinge that fueled many of my past plastic-crack purchases. The drop in quality from the prototype stage may have been off-putting for some, but I'm more than well-versed in the inevitability of such things. Regardless, my initial tune didn't change. I was happy to leave them behind, figuring that I'd have plenty of time to start up an amiibo collection.

Oh, how things change.