Latino Gamer

2020-06-10T14:00:00.000-07:00

1,400+ Games for $5 - Bundle for Racial Justice and Equality

Huge game bundle for a cause.

Over on itch.io, hundreds of game developers have come together to offer the Bundle For Racial Justice and Equality. For only $5, you can purchase this bundle currently with over 1,400 games and more being added as time goes. This isn't even limited to video games. There are PDFs of tabletop RPGs, including Blades in the Dark, which is an RPG I've been meaning to purchase and read up on anyways. Some of the included projects are even resources for game development, such as sprites and tiles.

Once you make your purchase, you will receive an email with a unique link that leads you to a page where you can download each game directly, free of any DRM. According to the bundle page, "All proceeds will be donated to the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund and Community Bail Fund split 50/50." This offer is up until the end of the day on Monday the 15th.

2020-05-18T23:04:00.000-07:00

Similarities between Naruto and Star Wars - by Carlos Jimenez

Some observations from Carlos on these two major franchises.

It is normal for creative minds to be inspired by the works of others and to incorporate that into their own works, and I believe that Masashi Kishimoto may have been inspired by Star Wars, as there are certain elements in the Naruto franchise that parallel or at least seem strongly familiar to tropes from George Lucas’ Star Wars franchise, both superficially and thematically. Here are some of the similitudes:

Clone Armies

During the War Arc, most of the enemies were the White Zetsu Army, clones of Akatsuki member known as White Zetsu.

©2002 MASASHI KISHIMOTO / 2007 SHIPPUDEN All Rights Reserved

In Star Wars we have the Clone Army, clones of the bounty hunter known as Jango Fett.

© & ™ LUCASFILM LTD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

The Japanese chapter of the Naruto War Arc was released on April 21, 2011 according to Wikipedia. Attack of the Clones the movie was released in 2002. I believe that Star Wars is a franchise that is popular enough to reach the general public in Japan, and quite possibly, the attention of one of the greatest mangaka to have ever lived, Kishimoto-san.

A Fictional War that Engulfed the Known World

In both Star Wars and Naruto we see the theme of a fictional world war, thereby showcasing a mastery in world building. In Star Wars we saw various planets that comprised The Galactic Republic join to fight the Confederacy of Independent Systems. In Naruto we see the Shinobi Alliance, comprised of the Five Great Shinobi nations and the Samurai of the Land of Iron, fight the Akatsuki. Although these pairs of protagonistic and antagonistic armies are not completely similar, I cannot overlook how the Five Kage meetings are reminiscent of the Jedi Council, an order in which powerful individuals, lead by one commander (the Raikage in Naruto and Yoda in Star Wars), and have to harmonize their various points of view to lead a massive war effort against a clone army.

The Redemption of a Masked Villain by a Blonde Protagonist

There are other correlations as well that I notice between the Naruto and Star Wars franchise. We can even speculate that Tobi, being the masked ninja who is introduced as one of the main villains but later on switches back to the good guy side, could be inspired by the character Darth Vader, who also lead a war but was later brought back to the light by the blond protagonist who never gave up hope, in Naruto’s case Tobi (as well as Sasuke, Gaara, Nagato, Zabuza, Neji, and other characters), and in Star Wars Luke Skywalker, who was able to inspire Darth Vader to leave the dark side of the force and become a Jedi once again.

Light vs Dark Sides as Metaphors for Heroism vs Villany

In Naruto we see the concept of “the light” and “the dark,” such as when Gaara tries to persuade Sasuke to rejoin the side of light:

NARUTO © 1999 by Masashi Kishimoto/SHUEISHA Inc.

We also see Neji during the Sasuke Retrieval Arc (Season 5, episode 117) expressing gratitude about being brought to the light with what fans call Naruto’s Talk No Jutsu, or motivational speaking, whereas Sasuke was described as being in “the darkness.”

Anger and Hate as the Pathway to the Dark

The concept of struggling against the instinct of anger and hate is common among both series. In the famous Throne Room Scene in Return of the Jedi, Luke has to fight against the urge to submit to his anger, which is a slippery slope to joining the Dark Side. In Naruto Shippuden, episode 277, there is a similar interaction between the 9 Tail Fox and Naruto, where the 9 Tails identifies himself as hatred itself, and Naruto states that not only will he fight the hatred produced during the ninja war, but will then save the 9 Tails from its own hatred. In Naruto Shippuden episode 243, Naruto had to fight his internal dark side by the Waterfall of Truth, which was the personification of his latent hatred resulting from the ostracization his village submitted him to when he was a child due to being a jinchuriki. In that fight, Naruto had to overcome the anger within him.

©2002 MASASHI KISHIMOTO / 2007 SHIPPUDEN All Rights Reserved

Coincidence?

It is difficult to conclude whether Kishimoto was directly influenced by Star Wars. Some of the aforementioned concepts are common tropes in fiction, such as darkness and light, the optimistic protagonist who thinks he can change the bad guy, etc. Perhaps any similarities are just a coincidence... or maybe not. Let us know your thoughts on this matter.

2020-04-16T12:54:00.001-07:00

Healing Anime for a Wounded World - by Carlos Jimenez

Carlos shares some of his thoughts and video recommendations during the current crisis.

The quarantine has many of us feeling lonely and bored, and as our media consumption increases, we see so many news stories that cause panic as Covid-19 generates health, economic, and political problems. In times like these, it’s probably helpful if we treat ourselves to entertainment that reminds us of the brighter side of life, such as Iyashikei, or healing anime, which is designed to relax and lift the mood of the viewer. Many of the anime in this genre have a focus on nature, light humor, and the positive aspects of humanity. The following video shows the science of how this genre makes us feel better:

For our current pandemic situation, in which it almost feels like an unsettling apocalypse that not even our leaders can clearly see the end of, the following video introduces a peculiar oxymoron: a harmonious apocalypse. In it, we can see how anime and manga in the Iyashikei genre can harness a post-apocalyptic setting to produce scenes of undisturbed peace and balance between humanity and nature:

So which of these anime do you think you’ll check out during quarantine? Let us know in the comments below. At the end of the day, we at Latino Gamer wish our readers well in these tough times, and root for us all to make it through with both our physical and emotional health in good state.

2016-08-11T07:09:00.000-07:00

Discover More Pokémon and Meet Team Skull in Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon!

Even more Pokémon love coming our way.

We spoke a few days ago about the previous Sun & Moon trailer and today Nintendo brings us another, revealing more about the upcoming titles. Everyone was exciting to the the ice type Sandshrew and Vulpix last time; this time around, we get a dark type Meowth, a fire-dancing fire/ghost type Marowak and a sky-surfing electric/psychic Raichu! Oh my! We also see a few brand new creatures and the regional villains, Team Skull. These games are seriously shaping up to be some fan favorites. Enjoy the trailer below!

2016-08-02T20:56:00.000-07:00

Pokemon Sun & Moon Trailer and Announcements

Because Pokemon hype wasn't high enough already.

For those of you who have been hiding under a rock for the past couple of days, Nintendo dropped a bomb of a trailer yesterday for the upcoming Pokemon Sun & Moon games. Here's the trailer in case you haven't had a chance to see it, yet.

First things first. When the trailer opens, we see an... interesting new form for Exeggutor, of all creatures. This long-necked variant is now a grass/dragon... for some reason. Okay. We see more alternate forms of gen 1 pokemon with an ice & ice/fairy type Vulpix & Ninetales as well as Ice/Steel Sandshrew & Sandslash. These five pokemon are known as their "Alola" forms. Oddly enough, Vulpix becoming an ice type will make her weak against her normal form, but I suppose the ice/fairy Ninetales will be a dragon-wrecking machine. We don't yet have any info on how exactly these new forms will be achieved, but pokemon fans love nothing if not to speculate over such details. Perhaps all Vulpix and Sandshrew native to Alola will already be in their icy forms? It would be awkward for the fire stone to continue to work on such a Vulpix, so perhaps there will be a new method to trigger their evolution? Maybe any Exeggcute evolved in Alola will attain the new Exeggutor form? Maybe transferred Vulpix and Sandshrew will retain their default typing.

Moving on we see a new bird pokemon, Oricoria, with a dancing theme. It has four different forms, based off the four islands of Alola, with each form giving it a different primary type (while being fying secondary) and a design based on a different type of dance. Similarly, Minior has four different forms. However, it has a default rocky form and only turns into one of its four other forms in battle, so catching one of each is likely to be more involved. Beyond that, we see a couple new pokemon, Gumshoos, with a stance and name suggesting a detective/holmes theme, grass pokemon Fomantis & Lurantis and horse pokemon Mudbray.

As far as features, it seems they'll be expanding on the ability to use pokemon as vehicles, something fans were speculating about since the initial reveal of the games. At one point it seems the player is riding a Sharpedo and having it use Rock Smash to break some rocks in the ocean to move on. Many fans are speculating this may mean the end of HMs, or at least the traditional way HMs have been utilized. I'm more intrigued by the the opportunity to finally ride Charizard!

The next part of the trailer deals with a group of trainers known as the "Trial Captains." Fans were quick to point out the similarities between these and the Orange Island storyline from the anime, which was never officially adapted into a game. Whether these are replacing the traditional gym leaders as a means to obtain entrance into the pokemon league at the end of the game or are an additional challenge more akin to frontier brains, Nintendo hasn't said yet.

Finally, we see something called "Z-Moves," which appear to be... limit breaks? We're told that these are super-powerful moves that can only be used once per battle, a similar restriction as that imposed on mega evolution. There is one Z-move per pokemon type. Does it take up one of their 4 move slots or are they universal moves and any pokemon can trigger their primary type's move when the proper conditions are met?

Well, between everything revealed yesterday and the previous talks of Pokemon's IVs being "trainable" post-level 100, I'm getting really excited for these games. I want those Icy Vulpix and Sandshrew... Pokemon Sun and Moon are set to release November 18th, 2016.

2016-07-31T21:54:00.001-07:00

NES Classic Edition & mini Sega Genesis - Comparison

A quick look at these two consoles.

Veterans of the 90's console wars may find it amusing to see that both Nintendo and Sega are offering up new versions of their retro consoles. People have been talking about the NES Classic lately, Nintendo's upcoming mini console, and there is also newsth of Sega coming out with a mini Sega Genesis.

We'll be discussing both more later on, but if you're curious, here are some quick notes.

NES Classic Edition

One model
$60
Releases November 11th
Includes HDMI cable
30 built-in games
No cartridge slot

mini Sega Genesis

Separate handheld plug-in models
$65 each
Releases in October
No HDMI support
80 built-in games
Cartridge slot/SD slot

At first glance, the Sega console seems to be offering more, but also note that the "80 built-in games" includes 40 actual genesis title, plus 40 not-as-exciting arcade/puzzle games. Still, 40 is more than 30 and this can be expanded upon via an actual cartridge slot (plug-in model) for playing your old collection or via SD Card (handheld model), while the NES is locked in at 30 games.

2016-07-25T18:41:00.000-07:00

Anime Expo 2016 - Los Angeles Convention Center

Our annual outing to the Anime Expo.

The Anime Expo has been growing tremendously over the past several years. This year's expo may have been the most crowded yet, filled to the brim with families, couples and individuals shopping, taking photos, obtaining celebrity autographs, holding large gatherings, attending panels and begrudgingly eating convention center food. Over the years I've noticed that there's something almost therapeutic to spending the day amongst nerds and geeks -- an energy you don't feel elsewhere. As always, my favorite part is enjoying everyone's cosplay and getting pictures with them. Select photos are below and you can check out the complete album on our facebook page. Enjoy!

2016-07-22T17:28:00.000-07:00

LA Cosplay Con - Long Beach Convention Center

Lots of awesome photos from the convention floor!

This year we added a new convention to our schedule with our first trip out to the Long Beach Convention Center for their LA Cosplay Con. This was a much smaller convention than most I've attended and only a one-day event. I admit it felt a bit underwhelming when I first arrived, but I was pleasantly surprised as the day went on. Despite the much smaller space and number of exhibitors compared to the LA Convention Center-based conventions, I found plenty to do throughout the day, including trying out some new board/card games, speaking with some of the artists and even attending a panel on cosplay photography with some big name photographers like York In A Box.

The smaller, more communal atmosphere also made it easier to stop and talk with some of the cosplayers present, some of which I'd met at other conventions. At the end of the night there was even a dance with live DJ. Overall, a great experience, especially considering the low price ($10 with discount code + wearing costume) and a great first outing to Long Beach. I'll definitely keep this convention on my radar for next year.

Check out the photos from the event below, or head over to Facebook to see the facebook album there. Enjoy!

2016-07-19T20:43:00.001-07:00

Yo No Entiendo Nintendo Mini, Just Take My Money

A look at NES Classic Edition

On another nostalgia marketing campaign, Nintendo announced the release of the NES Classic Edition, which is basically a miniature of the original Nintendo Entertainment System which came out in the 80’s. As I had stated in an earlier article, it seems that the present can’t get away from the past, but rather, it actually runs back to it. Can we call this a lack of new ideas? Can we say that this is a result of the low amount of sales of the Wii U? I don’t know, but I certainly do know that this is a very pleasant surprise to me and to others who love classic games. As the Gaming Archeologist of Latino Gamer, I cannot resist the classics of the days of yore. And if you’re reading this article, I assume that neither can you.

Nor should you. This new device will feature 30 built-in NES games with hit titles such as The Legend Zelda, Castlevania, Mario Bros, and Mega Man 2. Unfortunately, you won't be able to plug in cartridges at all: all the games are built-in and that the way Nintendo wants to keep it. I guess you would have to use the Virtual Console in the Wii, Wii U, or the DS for more games, or use an actual NES from the 80s. Overall, I cannot say I mind it, since 30 games is just the right amount for my busy schedule. I would be lying if I said that I was not looking forward to this system, and I have the urge to repeat Fry’s (from Futurama) famous words “shut up and take my money!”

I will continue to follow developments on this game and publish them in Latino Gamer and Latino Graphics, the two main sites I post my techy articles on. I hope that soon I will be able to share my thoughts on the actual game-play and mechanics of the NES Classic Edition, and if I anticipate correctly, I will do so with tears of joy. Meanwhile, please enjoy the following review by Gamester81, who's just as excited as I am.

2016-06-19T10:34:00.000-07:00

My thoughts on The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

The new Zelda game trailer has come out, and I, a long time Zelda fan, give you my two cents for free.

The Legend of Zelda series is getting a new family member: TLZ: The Breath of the Wild. The trailer left me with some positive impressions, namely because I see elements that are hallmarks of the Zelda series. Among them are the following:

The medieval feel. Zelda started with the notion of castles, swords, and princess saving back in 1986 in Japan. I was introduced to the series with A Link to the Past, which featured full armored knight guards in a medieval like castle. Now, in this new game, Link himself gets to wear armor at some point in the game. I love it.

The expansive world. In the trailer you notice such a huge world ready to explore. I think it will give the player a sense of looking into uncharted territories, and not feel as though he or she is forced or guided by the game play. Miyamoto himself was inspired to create the Zelda world while looking at a garden, and imagining the notion of exploration of a vast world (correct me if I'm wrong, I remember reading this from an interview of his a long time ago). So the sense of exploration was the point since the beginning, and to me, as a Link to the Past kid, is that is the most memorable feature of the series.

The notion of waking up. During the trailer, you hear a voice telling Link to wake up. The notion of waking into an adventure echoes in past Zelda games. In a Link to the Past, that is actually how the game begins; Link is woken up with Zelda calling telepathically. In the Adventure of Link, Zelda is the one who needs to be waken up. In Link's Awakening, all characters are members of a dream within the Wind Fish (who is a symbol of the game creator, in my opinion). This metaphor can also extend to the gamer, who himself or herself is Link, and dreams up the world with the help of the game.

The master sword hidden deep in the forest looking as though it hasn't been touched for hundreds of years. At the end of the trailer, you see the Master Sword covered in vines as though it's been there for ages. That is exactly the impression you get when, in a Link to the Past, you walk up to the stone that holds the sword amid animals and nature. It is epic.

I'm glad that these elements are present in the game. I think many games abandon their classic touch as they evolve in the series, but Zelda has managed to hold true to its traditions (I am not acknowledging the Zelda CD-i, which Miyamoto had no part in). I have a feeling that this is thanks to Miyamoto, who in the Hyrule Historia states that his role in the series has been of guardian, "making sure gameplay doesn't suffer." He must've been breathing down the necks of the game designers to make sure that they don't lose the touch that is unique to the Zelda series.

2016-05-06T19:55:00.001-07:00

WonderCon 2016 Cosplay Photos - LA Convention Center

Photos from this year's WonderCon.

This year's WonderCon was held at the Los Angeles Convention Center and Latino Gamer was there getting tons of photos of the cosplayers. There were lots of amazing costumes out this year. You can check out the complete Facebook Album with all 892 (!) photos or scroll down for a partial gallery here. Click any picture to enlarge or flip through the photos. I've also been sharing select photos over on our instagram, twitter and tumblr, so I hope you'll all follow along on your social media platforms of choice. Enjoy the photos!

2016-04-12T22:46:00.000-07:00

Interview with Yeni Alvarez, Latina Voice Actress

Latino Gamer brings you an interview with a Latina voice actress.

Hello, dear readers. Things have been quiet here on the main site, but there has been plenty of activity over on our facebook page and other social media (twitter/instagram), where I am currently sharing tons of cosplay photos from WonderCon. Today we are back home on latinogamer.com to bring you an interview with a very lovely and talented latina voice actress, Yeni Alvarez. You can visit her at her website http://yenialvarez.com/, as well as her social media below. Enjoy!

Hello, Yeni, why don’t you begin by telling our readers a little about yourself?
Hola!!! I’m Yeni Alvarez and I am a voice actor. I am proud to call myself a geek. I am obsessed with Nikola Tesla, Escape Rooms, time travel theories and anything sci-fi. I am the voice of Carmela in Handy Manny, Viperine on Monster High, Lego’s video games’ Wyldstyle, Mystique, and Black Widow, Lt. Morales in Heroes of the Storm, and the female Spanish voice Disney Theme Parks worldwide.

How did you begin your career in voice acting?
I was doing a Garcia Lorca play in Miami and they needed to put together a radio commercial to get people to the theater. The studio guy, Carlos De Yarza, liked my voice and kept calling me to audition for other work. We became great friends, and when I left Miami to “make it” in Hollywood, he put all my work on a demo and said “Trust me, you’ll need this in LA.” And he was right. My voiceover career has been a series of happy coincidences.

Is voice acting, or acting in general, something you have always been interested in?
Absolutely! When I was a little girl in Cuba, I used to think cartoons existed on some other realm. Then I grew up and that realm turned into a far away dream… to be the voice of a cartoon. I used to view voiceover as the perfect career, but because I happen to be Latina and had an accent, (which not many character on TV had a Spanish accent back then) I never thought it could be a reality for me… until I booked my first video game, Freedom: First Resistance.

You recently worked with Blizzard on Heroes of the Storm. What was it like working with such a high-profile company?
Heroes of the Storm and Blizzard are at the top of the video game food chain. Working with Andrea Toyias was a whirlwind. She is a superhuman of a director and as bada** as her heroes. She directed Lt. Morales like a female tour de force, focusing on strength and character rather than boobs and bad words.

Do you consider yourself a gamer?
I was the queen of Frogger back in the day! Then Star Trek came out with a cd rom and it was so bad, I decided to pick it back up when technology caught up with my expectations. Just this past week I discovered Oculus Rift, and I’m obsessed! I can’t wait to get one and then you can ask me this question again. ;)

Do you have any upcoming projects you would like to talk about?
Get Blake! Is coming to Nickelodeon (It’s all over the world - except in the US) and I play Carmen De La Cruz, one of the lead character’s mom. Stay tuned and let me know what you think!.

I understand you’ve worked on other large projects, like Happy Feet and Static Shock. I was a big fan of the Static cartoon. Any fond memories you would like to share about such projects?
I looooved playing the villain. Aqua Maria was half girl – half water, and a bada**! I loved that boys cowered around her. HA! The director was Andrea Romano. She was amazing directing me and even though I started out super nervous, worried about my accent, she made me feel at ease. One of the best animation directors I have ever worked with.

Has it been difficult breaking into voice acting as a minority or is the industry pretty welcoming?
Breaking into voice acting is always difficult. Add to that female AND an accent! There aren’t many Spanish accented characters in games or cartoons, but thanks to projects now specifically calling for diversity (multilingual) and authenticity (cross-cultural), those odds are getting better. Yeah, it was a bit rough in the beginning, but the industry can be very welcoming when you work hard on your craft, behave like a professional, and don’t take yourself too seriously. I have a sitcom acting background and was able to bring that to the table.

During our email exchange, I was surprised to hear you also worked on Freedom: First Resistance, a game based on the late Anne McCaffrey’s Freedom series of novels. She’s my personal favorite author. What was that experience like?
Freedom was my very first video game. I played Angel Sanchez, which I believe is the very first Latina Lead character in a video game. I’ve been trying to find any other Latina leads before then, but no such luck. There have been smaller roles and supporting Latino characters before, but, to my knowledge, this video game was the first to feature a Latina Lead.

I walked in that sound studio like I knew what I was doing, and watched the other actors do their thing. I threw myself into the character, and jumped in a world where Earth had been colonized by aliens. Being a fan of sci-fi, this was a subject I was very familiar with. ;)

Has your family been supportive of your career choice?
My family is incredible. My parents watch everything I’m on and my cousins buy the dolls, and videogames. They love hearing all about my Hollywood adventures in voiceover. I also married a voice guy. My husband, Mark DeCarlo, voices Hugh Neutron. He knows the business and understands the passion. And yes, it’s a loud funny house we live in.

Do you have any advice for people trying to get into voice acting?
How do you get to Carnegie Hall? Practice, practice, practice... There’s work in this industry for everyone, you just have to want it badly enough to be willing to work hard and go get it.

Do you have a message for our Latina readers?
Never give up on your dreams. Persevere. It’s no longer just a boy’s game. ;)

Where can our readers follow you to keep up to date on your current projects?
Twitter: https://twitter.com/yenialvarez
FB: https://www.facebook.com/yenialvarez
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yenialvarez/

2015-12-02T15:28:00.001-08:00

Just Cause 3 Video Game Review - Square-Enix

Our review of Avalanche Studios and Square-Enix's latest title.

I hope you've all been enjoying the Just Cause 3 news we've been covering lately. Today we bring you our review of the game by our newest contributor, Alex Dent, along with a few screenshots of this beautiful game.

In Avalanche Studios’ newest entry of the Just Cause series, Rico Rodriguez brings his grappling hook home to the lush and colorful Mediterranean island nation of Medici, inspired visually by Monaco. This fresh setting has distinctly more Greek flavor than its geographic neighbor Assassin’s Creed, and has the luxurious vibe of a cruise destination. Of course, Rico is not on vacation, as his work has followed him home. A brutal dictator has taken over, so before Rico can relax, he must explosively free the people of his homeland from Di Ravello’s despotic rule.

Explosively is certainly the key word! You are free to find the most creative and spectacular ways to destroy the enemies’ resources to allow your paisanos to hold down friendly territory while you shrink the dictator’s influence. The sound and fury of your revolution has been lovingly crafted for the optimum satisfaction of your senses. Satisfaction is another appropriate word, as the name of the game indicates that all the mayhem is righteous and the evils you must burn are conveniently bedecked in red for guilt-free demolition.

In a world of grey areas and differing perspectives, video games often give us relief from having to discern motives or mince words. As with great books and movies, there are great games that challenge us with the ambiguity of morality. Fallout 4 offers you all the consequences to go with your choice, while GTA V allows you to revel in decidedly more consequence-free catharsis. What sets Just Cause 3 apart from Fallout 4 and GTA V is the additional satisfaction that comes from justification.

If you can imagine an Iraqi James Bond single-handedly leading a revolution against Saddam Hussein, complete with toppling statues, then you have an image of the sort of righteous fantasy this game allows you to have. Our world is complicated and stressful. We’re never allowed the full pleasure of justice, because here it takes time, patience, and often reams of paperwork. But through media, we can project ourselves onto Liam Neeson as he takes out a whole construction site to find his daughter. The freedom from consequences is all the more pleasurable against those who deserve it.

In practice, it does play out a lot like the movie “Taken” as it pertains to infiltration of compounds and executing with extreme prejudice. Of course the game isn’t so limiting. You could also be a heavily armed Spider-Man or even the entire A-Team all by yourself. Blow stuff up, and feel good doing it. Your friend Mario even tells you outright “Whatever you destroy, we will rebuild!” Luckily, whatever you destroy also happens to serve the minimalist narrative. The game does not pressure you to keep the story moving, and yet you never feel like you’re ignoring it either. Your countrymen and women trust you to get the job done on your own time, and Rico certainly makes himself right at home.

For the competitive player, there are constant updates about statistical minutiae that you have accomplished, and who has accomplished it better than you within the last few minutes. If it doesn’t strike you as a challenge, then it may give you a small sense of community, not unlike the people of your homeland themselves. There are also many opportunities to test your own limits with specific challenges in driving, flying, boating, and gliding with the new wingsuit.

Just getting around is pretty fun and makes you wish you could traverse your own world with such agility. Maybe you could parachute into work, or request a helicopter to Vegas from a rebel drop. The verticality of the game adds some challenge to determining the fastest or most convenient way to the next location. It can be easy to get lost in the amount of target distance markers, but luckily it’s plenty of fun along the way. Hunting for all the right things to destroy can be a bit of hide-and-seek in the more sprawling enemy outposts.

If you wish you could go out into the world to right wrongs and save the oppressed without the burden of the law, this game will definitely scratch that itch. If you like blowing things up artistically, or even just cathartically, Avalanche Studios has got you covered too. In the grand tradition of video game escapism, you can kill all the bad guys with impunity, or go for the high score, and everyone will cheer you on.

--Alex Dent

2015-11-18T21:37:00.000-08:00

360-Degree Wingsuit Tour - Just Cause 3 Preview

Take a tour of just cause 3’s world in new interactive video.

Today we have some more news regarding Just Cause 3. As a treat for those waiting for the game's release we have a 360 video and matching app to preview the game's world. When viewing on your phone, you can tilt and rotate your phone to look around in any direction. If you're looking forward to Just Cause 3, enjoy the free peek into its world. Press release with links below.

Following on from the release of ‘THE WINGSUIT EXPERIENCE’ app - and the first 360-degree YouTube video - a second interactive video has been released, showing Rico soaring through the skies of Medici, once again allowing the viewer to control the camera and their view of the world.

If you’re viewing the video on your phone, you can take advantage of your device’s gyrometer to rotate your view of the world by tilting the handset.

Additionally – and a first for the medium - the 360-degree video can also be experienced on Facebook, using the social media platform’s new video embed technology.

Check out ‘360-DEGREE WINGSUIT TOUR: PART 2’ on YouTube here – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=54sF7vcmbKw

Alternatively, join Rico’s skydive on Facebook here (Desktop/Android only) – https://www.facebook.com/JustCause/videos/10153112655106962/

THE WINGSUIT EXPERIENCE, brought to you by Just Cause 3 is available now on both the App Store, and the Android Store for free.

Apple store link: https://itunes.apple.com//app/just-cause-3-wingsuit-experience/id997307920?ls=1&mt=8

Android store link: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.squareenix.jc3companion

JUST CAUSE 3, developed by Avalanche Studios and published by Square Enix, is due for release on PlayStation 4, Xbox One and high-end PCs December 1st, 2015.

2015-11-12T19:37:00.000-08:00

Just Cause 3 Launching December 1st - Square-Enix

Square-Enix and Avalanche Studios release their latest trailer.

Today we have a couple trailers for Square-Enix's upcoming Just Cause 3. You can check out the story trailer below and scroll down for "This is Just Cause 3." Enjoy, everybody!

Just Cause 3: Story Trailer

This is Just Cause 3

2015-11-09T17:55:00.000-08:00

Stan Lee's Comikaze Expo 2015 - Event & Cosplay Photos

Plenty of pictures from our annual outing to the Comikaze Expo.

Last week we headed out to the Los Angeles Convention Center for our annual trip to Stan Lee & Elvira's Comikaze Expo. We've been fortunate enough to attend every year since its inception, making this our fifth outing. I attended a panel discussing diversity in the media as well as a great Power Rangers reunion with many of actors from the show over the years. Comikaze has become one of the highlights of my year. I've continued to work on my photography skills, so today we bring you a selection from this year's photos. Our complete album from this year contains 500+ photos and you can find it over on our Facebook Page. Enjoy!

2015-09-30T21:21:00.003-07:00

Marvel Entertainment Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month

Marvel talk about some of their favorite hispanic characters.

In case you were unaware, we are in the middle of National Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs from September 15th to October 15th. Today we have a video from Marvel discussing a few of their hispanic characters. While many of these are legacy characters, some have managed to make a name for themselves already. Enjoy!

2015-08-05T19:01:00.000-07:00

Why is Mario Italian? He's just as likely to be Mexican

A brief reflection on why the famous Nintendo character is said to be Italian and some additional commentary on Japan and Italy

I was eating at La Terra Mia Ristorante Italiano in Paramount, California, when I came to thinking, "Why is Mario Italian?" I decided to do some research and found this article: Miyamoto explains why Mario is Italian.

In the article, Miyamoto is quoted as saying:

“As a kid, I was a big comic fan and I liked foreign comics as well. So I drew some characters that had more western type features with a little bigger noses and what not. Now with Mario, I think with Mario Bros. we had a setting of course that was underground, so I just decided Mario is a plumber. Let’s put him in New York and he can be Italian. There was really no other deep thought other than that.”

As a child, I didn't give much thought about Mario being Italian. The name Mario, of course, is also used in the Spanish language with precisely the same pronunciation as the Italian. Add the big mustache, and I could have safely assumed that Mario was a Mexican revolutionary from the early 20th Century who lost his sombrero. It wasn't until I saw the following commercial that Mario's Italian heritage stood out to me. The video is a promotion of an old Mario Party game, and in it the police are looking for the endeared plumber. He speaks with the heaviest Italian accent ever, and to this very day, the phrase "It's a me, Mario" still echoes through my mind as Nintendo's most memorable catch-phrase.

Given how Japan and Italy had a bit of a close relationship in WWII,to this very day Italy and Japan have a sort of vague kinship that is noticeable sometimes. Whisper of the heart (1995) is a Japanese film that portrays one of the main characters traveling to Italy to fulfill his dreams to be a violin maker, which would eventually lead to him marrying his crush. Whether or not Mario is a nod to that vague relationship between Japan and Italy, one can only guess. I do believe, however, that it was an interesting move. When I think of Italy I think of pizza, but now Nintendo has me thinking of plumbers as well, plumbers that can dive into pipes and emerge in adventurous worlds full of wonderful creatures and moving platforms. I can't image Mario having any other sort of heritage now.

2015-07-15T15:55:00.000-07:00

Anime Expo visit by Latino Gamer and Gaming Archaeologist

A brief summary of the biggest anime convention in North America

Thanks to Latino Graphics, who subsidized my ticket purchase, I was able to get access to the Anime Expo, North America's largest anime and manga event. Oceans of people dressed up as their favorite video game, anime, or even YouTube character (me and Rafael the Latino Gamer saw a man dressed up as the Nostalgia Critic). Rolls of booths lined up with representatives of stores selling geeky merchandise, as well as independent artists selling their anime illustrations. Previews of video games, discussion panels, and round-the-clock activities kept attendees busy. I certainly didn't regret going and had a blast the whole time.

In this article I will elaborate a bit on my personal experience in the convention, but if you would like to see more pictures that give a bigger picture (pun intended) of the event, feel free to visit other related posts in this website. This year's Anime Expo was especially promoting the new movie Dragon Ball Z: Resurrection 'F'. The badges, which are required to enter the main expositions, had images of Goku, and one side of the hall had a giant, inflatable Shenron the dragon. A car air freshener shaped like a dragon ball was conveniently in every bag that was handed out to all the participants with the dates of the movie's release. In the movie, Frieza comes to earth to get vengeance on Goku, but Vegeta, Krillin, and the rest of the Z Fighters wont make it so easy. It all brought me back to the past to the times in middle school when I would just gleefully anticipate the fight between Frieza and Goku in the classic TV series. Personally, I might just like to see the movie myself for the nostalgia effect of it all.

The convention also featured previews of a new Naruto game and of Red Ash, an original animation, and included guests such as Atsuhiro Iwakami and Ayako Kawasumi. But aside from the promotions and the famous people of the anime industry, it was the regular people who really left an impression. I was walking through the stalls and suddenly a mobile band dished out a memorable Zelda tune as they passed by.

People were wearing the most interesting costumes I have ever seen, such as this one of a man trapped inside a cage and carried around by a gorilla (don't know if that necessarily comes from an anime).

I saw very interesting toys and accessories that are very adorable. Toy swords, baby dragons, funny original cartoon drawings, and the like. I was particularly interested in a stall that featured old games and consoles. The only thing that put me off a bit was that some of the anime drawings featured characters that looked way to racy and way too young. That to me came off as disagreeable. But aside from that, the stalls were filled with wonderful articles that pleasantly surprised me, such as the following Pee Wee Herman doll.

In conclusion, the 2015 Anime Expo gave me a pleasant experience overall. I look forward to going again next year and cosplaying, once more, as a Mexican. Thank you for reading.

2015-07-07T20:52:00.000-07:00

Anime Expo 2015 Roundup - Day 3 & 4 Photos

A final look at this year's expo.

Today we finish up with our photography from the Anime Expo. Here are some of the photos we took during days 3 & 4.

It was great to meet so many cool people this year and see all the amazing cosplay. It's simply amazing what the nerd/geek community can come up with when really inspired. You can check out the complete Facebook Album if you'd like to see all 588 photos from this year!

I look forward to next year's expo. Enjoy now, everyone!

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Day 3 Photos

Day 4 Photos

2015-07-06T19:12:00.001-07:00

Latino Gamer @ Anime Expo 2015 - Day 2 Photos

More Photos from the show floor.

Now that the Anime Expo is over, I finally got a chance to rest my tired, tired feet. Today we bring you more photos of some of the beautiful cosplay from this year's event. If you like what you see here, feel free to check out the complete Facebook Album. Even more photos coming soon!

Have I mentioned that my feet still hurt?

2015-07-03T07:50:00.000-07:00

Anime Expo 2015 Day 1 Photos - LA Convention Center

Photos from this year's expo.

Yesterday, our Gaming Archeologist Carlos and I headed out to the convention center to snag some photos of this year's cosplayers. Select pictures are below and, as always, you can see the complete album over at our Facebook Page. Check back during the week as we continue to post pictures from the event. The album will be updated as we add photos.

2015-06-19T02:01:00.000-07:00

When the old becomes new: Are we running out of ideas?

A look at the endless sequels of classic games

These days it seems that the old is becoming new all over. Take movies for example. Who doesn't remember Jurassic Park? Well now we have Jurassic World. Miss Batman? Now we have a new one coming with Ben Affleck. How about Spider Man? I've lost count of the movies that have come out in the last few years. Let's not get started with X-Men. A similar thing is happening with video games. The mascots and icons of the 90's and 80's still keep coming back for more. Zelda, Mario,Star Fox, and others are having sequels coming for the new Nintendo platform: The Wii U. Let's take a look at a couple of examples.

Starfox Zero brings back the pilot that gave us great flying adventures on the Super Nintendo days

Donkey Kong Tropical Freeze keeps the famous gorilla platforming up the ying-yang

Mario Kart 8 makes sure that the endeared Italian plummer continues to go 0 to 80 in seconds without getting a speeding ticket

So why is it that we don't have much, if any, new memorable and widely known mascots and icons in video games popping up as they did back in the 80's and 90's? I would say the reason is that the kids who grew up with those characters are now grown up, and the industry wants to appeal to those millennials who now have entered the work force relatively recently (and thus have money in their pockets to spend on video games). Of course they are still appealing to kids, but it's just a lucky coincidence that those kids are also enchanted by the very same characters that their older relatives grew up with. With that environment there just isn't much of a need to invent new characters when the old ones recycle flawlessly. It is easy to say that there is a lack of creativity within the industry, or in the world in general. It is easy to say that we just don't have so much imagination as we used to due to our over reliance on technology. I would rather see the phenomenon in terms of economics, and hence, my opinion stands. With that in mind, I invite you to share your own thoughts on this subject. Why is it that there are so many sequels of classic icons? Share your thoughts in the comment section.

2015-06-14T00:44:00.002-07:00

Zeldaploitation: Should we consider playing Zelda clone games?

Part two of our look into Zelda clones

The Legend of Zelda has had many imitations over the years, and this is to be expected. Every time there's a breakthrough, others will echo it. Ford may have made the first car, but now it is not the only producer of cars. After Bruce Lee's passing, there were so many imitators (clones) that the term Bruceploitation was born. I think it is safe to coin the term Zeldaploitation, and we can define it as games that take advantage of the success of The Legend of Zelda franchise by duplicating its base gameplay and looks. I ran into the following video by Boku No Eruption which takes a closer look at the phenomena. It focuses on 2-D clones, and be warned, it uses the F-word every now and then (parents, cover your kid's ears).

As you can see from the video, some of these games look rather interesting. I personally vouch towards giving them a try because I believe that the more Zelda or Zelda like games, the better. Of course, they would never replace the original, but they might just be entertaining enough to be worth the time. Zeldaploitation would then, I believe, not be a bad thing.

2015-06-10T22:09:00.001-07:00

The background of Downey California's Latino Graphics

An introduction to an LA County Latino owned small business

This is Carlos the Gaming Archaeologist. I occasionally post for the Latino Gamer community as I have for other sites, usually on topics that have to do with electronics. I would like to share an article that I wrote for a family business, Latino Graphics. Raphael, the Latino Gamer, has been very kind to allow me to re-post this on his site. It is therefore with gratitude that I share this brief article, and I invite you to visit latinographics.com and explore the resources that may come in handy for you.

Ruben Chávez and Claudia Hernández immigrated to the United States with the goal of acquiring a higher standard of living. Ruben has a BA in Computer Science from Instituto Technológico de Aguascalientes (ITA), and Claudia has clerical experience, but in their home country of Mexico, their ambitions could not be reached. As a newly married couple, they felt the need to explore a new world together in America. In the beginning of their journey they both had to endure many hardships as they struggled to find employment and proper housing. There was even a time when they had to sleep on the floor without a bed. Eventually, Ruben and his wife acquired housing in the city of Anaheim since he found employment washing dishes at the world renowned Disneyland Theme Park. They were grateful for that, but when the opportunity to work for El Clasificado came along, Ruben took the job after much consideration and this allowed him to use his computer skills which he learned while attending college. Claudia, not to be outdone, studied graphic design at Cerritos College. She then used her newfound knowledge to start her own business: Claudia Designer. She designed flyers and business cards, decorated calendars, and organized brochures for businesses. Soon, however, Ruben joined her, and together Latino Graphics was born. Latino Graphics is a local business in Downey, California, that offers services such as:

and many more services that reach all the corners of this beautiful country. With affordable advertising, Latino Graphics is here to help the community and meet its needs. Latino Graphics serves English and Spanish speaking customers with friendly bilingual employees. Ruben and Claudia started with a dream, but with the help of satisfied customers, it is rapidly becoming a successful reality. Discover why so many customers are satisfied with the work of Latino Graphics by utilizing whichever of their resources is right for you. The following is a link to the Facebook page

Latino Graphics Facebook Page

Thank you for reading. The following is a Spanish language translation.

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(Versión en español)

Rubén Chávez y Claudia Hernández emigraron a los Estados Unidos con el objetivo de adquirir un mejor nivel de vida. Rubén tiene una licenciatura en Informática del Instituto Tecnológico de Aguascalientes (ITA), y Claudia tiene experiencia administrativa. Pero en su país natal, México, sus ambiciones no podían ser realizados. Como recién casados sentían la necesidad de explorar un mundo nuevo y ver nuevos horizontes, entonces juntos se mudaron a los Estados Unidos de América. En el comienzo de la jornada, ambos tuvieron que pasar por muchas dificultades. Luchaban para encontrar empleo y vivienda adecuada. Incluso hubo un momento en el que tenían que dormir en el suelo por falta de una cama. Finalmente, Rubén y su esposa adquirieron una vivienda en la ciudad de Anaheim, ya que Rubén encontró empleo en el famoso Disneyland como lavaplatos. Estaban agradecidos por todo, pero cuando la oportunidad de trabajar para El Clasificado llegó, Rubén adquirió el empleo después de mucha consideración y esto le permitió usar sus conocimientos de informática en un ambiente profesional. Claudia, por su parte, estudió diseño gráfico en Cerritos College. Luego utilizó su nuevo conocimiento para iniciar su propio negocio: Claudia Designer. Ella diseñó la presentación visual de folletos, calendarios, y tarjetas de presentación para clientes. Dos años después de que Claudia empezara su negocio Rubén decidió unirse al proyecto y juntos nació Latino Graphics. Latino Graphics es un negocio local en Downey, California, que ofrece servicios tales como:

Y muchos servicios más que llegan a todos los rincones de este hermoso país. Latino Graphics está aquí para ayudar a la comunidad y atender sus necesidades. Latino Graphics atiende a sus clientes mediante empleados bilingües y amables. Ruben y Claudia comenzaron con un sueño, pero con la ayuda de clientes satisfechos, ese sueño se está convirtiendo rápidamente en una realidad exitosa. Descubra por qué tantos clientes están satisfechos con el trabajo de Latino Graphics.