Date Nite – The Super Mario Bros Movie April 6, 2023
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Last night, Maniac and his wife went to go see the 3D XD showing of The Super Mario Bros Movie. Here’s his thoughts on the film, and we promise it is SPOILER-FREE!
Arcade1Up Ms Pac Man 40th Anniversary Head-2-Head Home Arcade Review November 1, 2022
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This one is a user request we are more than happy to fulfill! Ms Pac-Man has always been my favorite arcade game in the Pac-Man franchise and to be honest, my favorite memories playing it were in its cocktail table form factor that Arcade1Up classified as a Head-2-Head version. I was lucky enough to score a deal on one of these at a warehouse sale Arcade1Up hosted for the Red Cross, but what do I think of it? Watch and find out!
Oh and the best part is this video review is going to be in glorious 4K HDR!
Maniac’s Kitchen – PokeBall Popcorn Popper Review May 28, 2022
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Welcome back to Maniac’s Kitchen! Popcorn is one of the staple foods of gamer snacking. Most of us will pop them in special microwaveable bags, but roasted kernels can pop by various methods of heat, including hot air. Today, we’re going to try a PokeBall shaped popcorn popper (perfect size for Pokémon trainers who Gigantamax their Pokémon) and see how it works!
Halo Soap Review May 18, 2022
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To promote the release of Halo Infinite, Microsoft and 343 Industries teamed up with pretty much everyone who makes anything to make special Halo branded products. Today, we’re going to take a look at Halo Spartan Scrub, which is essentially…soap.
I’m game to try some soap out. What do you say we take a closer look at it in glorious 4K HDR?
Halo Infinite is out now for PC, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S.
The Thirteenth Floor (Spoiler-Free) Review December 6, 2021
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Yesterday, Maniac watched a video by Doug Walker where he outright begged to see a film which explores the themes of what could happen if a video game player fell in love with an NPC, and all the emotional weight that entailed. I’m writing this to tell Doug that film exists. Twenty years ago, Maniac watched a film that has stuck with him ever since he first watched it. However, he seems to be of a minority opinion about the film, as it is rarely discussed in film circles. This might be due to the fact when it released, some other films…of a more striking visual language…were also out and have since gone on to become more recognizable.
How do you know if the reality you exist in is real or a simulation? If you knew the truth for sure, what would you do with that knowledge? What if I told you these ideas are not new, and they have been explored in films other than The Matrix? I’m talking about the 1999 film The Thirteenth Floor, which combined a cyberpunk-worthy story with film noir style.
So now that you saw this review, do you want to actually see the movie? Sadly, finding a copy of it on home video has been a challenge for at least the past fifteen years, although the film can be purchased digitally. While it isn’t currently available on any streaming service, it has shifted around streaming services over the past few years, and it is likely to return to streaming at some point.
Have you seen the film? What did you think of it? Write your thoughts in the comments below.
Maniac’s Kitchen – Nerds Rope Rainbow Flavor December 4, 2021
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Maniac has been aware of Wonka’s famous Nerds candy for all of his life, but when he visited the supermarket earlier today he saw something new, Nerds Rope.
Nerds has partnered with Wizards of the Coast, the current publishers of Dungeons & Dragons, to offer free digital modules for Nerds candy buyers who redeem their sales receipts on their website. So, to celebrate this promotion, Maniac decided to try this new Nerds Rope for the first time. How does it compare to regular Nerds? Watch and find out.
Date Nite – Ghostbusters Afterlife Review November 28, 2021
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A movie we’ve been waiting thirty years for, Ghostbusters Afterlife, has been released this past week. Maniac, after just finishing watching it for the first time, is going to give his thoughts about the film. This is a SPOILER-FREE review. In the video below, Maniac discusses his history with the franchise, his feelings about the film, and gives his idea for what he’d like the next Ghostbusters film to be.
Date Nite – Venom: There Will Be Carnage October 11, 2021
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Last night, Maniac went out to finally watch the newest film in Sony’s perspective Spider-Verse franchise, Venom: Let There Be Carnage. Starring Tom Hardy and Woody Harrelson, the film continues the story of Venom and Eddie Brock, as they now must face a psychopathic serial killer that is imbued with Venom’s powers.
What was his initial reaction to the film and how did he feel about the first one? Watch and find out.
Some day, Maniac will get a guest willing to watch a movie with him again.
Maniac’s Kitchen – Pringles Moa Burger Review March 17, 2021
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Something from the world of Halo has just entered the real world. Pringles has teamed up with Microsoft and Walmart to offer an exclusive limited-time flavor based on the beloved ostrich-looking Moa from Halo: Reach. It is called the Moa Burger flavor and we are going to be trying it right now in Maniac’s Kitchen.
Halo: Reach is out now for PC, Xbox 360, Xbox Series X/S, and Xbox One. Halo: Infinite is coming to PC, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S later this year.
Super Meat Boy Forever Review January 6, 2021
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What better way to start the New Year than with some meat?
Super Meat Boy Forever is a sequel to the independent classic Super Meat Boy. I first became aware of the original game when I watched the documentary Indie Game: The Movie, which detailed its development and release (alongside other games like FEZ). While I didn’t have the chance to play the original game back in the day I was charmed by its art style and gameplay, and upon hearing a sequel was being released my interest was peaked.
Ed Note: A review code for Super Meat Boy Forever was given to us by its publisher.
The Story
Meat Boy and his partner Bandage Girl have had their child kidnapped by the nefarious Dr Fetus (who isn’t a real doctor). Now it’s up to the player to guide them around an unbearably unsafe world in their quest to retrieve the little Nugget. Its simple, but effective and reminds me of the stories of classic 8-bit titles like Double Dragon.
Gameplay
The game’s level design is a throwback to classic 2D platformers of the NES and SNES era. Each level’s art style almost looks hand drawn, while interweaving dangerous spikes, pits and saws with the level’s art style.
Danger is everywhere. Your character is always moving forward, but you can control when your character jumps, ducks, dashes and attacks. There are a few tutorial levels at the beginning of the game which explain the mechanics, and you’ll need to learn them fast. This game is HARD. I went into it assuming it would be hard, but even I was absolutely humbled within the first set of levels. Your player character runs very, very fast, and the difference between a successful and unsuccessful jump could be down to one minor pixel. Thankfully, there doesn’t appear to be a limited life meter, but in-level checkpoints can be spaced out pretty far.
New levels can unlock new sections in the game, and there are plenty of unlockable avatars you can earn as you continue your progression. Given the precision accuracy the game demands, you can be sure you’ll be replaying certain sections so many times by the time you finally complete a level you’ll be able to replay it in your sleep.
Conclusion
I know I devoted an entire paragraph of this review to highlighting just how difficult the game is, but I know that many of you out there would consider overcoming that difficulty a badge of honor. If you are a fan of difficult platformers or have fond memories of the original Super Meat Boy and just want to play another game in that universe, you should totally pick up this game.
Super Meat Boy Forever is out now for PC and Nintendo Switch. Review is based on Nintendo Switch version which was played in tablet mode.
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