Detective Pikachu (2019) – Why I Loved It October 16, 2023

Time for a new video series! Welcome to Why I Loved It, where we’re going to talk about gaming documentaries or gaming related movies that I…loved. In 2019, Warner Bros released Detective Pikachu, a film adaptation of the 3DS-exclusive adventure game set in the Pokémon world. Reviews on the film were mixed at the time, but despite being the first live-action adaptation from the most dominant consumer franchise on the planet with a unique art style no other movie had at the time, not too many people have spoken about it over the past few years.

The film followed the story of Tim, a boy who discovers his father has gone missing while working on a case in Ryme City. When examining his father’s apartment, he discovers a Pikachu who was his father’s Pokémon partner, and Tim (and only Tim) can understand everything he’s saying as if he’s speaking english. Only together can they discover what happened to Tim’s father.

Since the release of The Super Mario Bros Movie, Hollywood has decided that video game adaptations could become the next major phase of Hollywood, just as superhero films were for the past twenty years. However, despite Detective Pikachu coming at just the right time, and the film being four years old, and a new game in the Detective Pikachu franchise recently getting released on the Nintendo Switch, not too many people have been speaking about this movie. So why did I love it? Well, here’s an unscripted thirty-five minute video where I tell you why I believe it is the gaming generation’s Who Framed Roger Rabbit. Just be aware, there will be spoilers.

Detective Pikachu can currently be watched on Freevee.

Attack of the Friday Monsters – One of My Favorite Games of All Time August 29, 2023

Yesterday, Maniac spent nearly a half hour discussing all the technological and cultural advancements Japan has contributed to the world. Today, he’s going to be talking about one of his favorite games of all time, a game that sadly can no longer be obtained.

Attack of the Friday Monsters – A Tokyo Tale was released exclusively for the Nintendo 3DS.

Arcade1Up Ms Pac Man 40th Anniversary Head-2-Head Home Arcade Review November 1, 2022

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!

Halo Soap Review May 18, 2022

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

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.