The Daily Daze

The Blue Blur. The Blue Dude. The Blue Buzzsaw. Yep, the Hedgehog has returned, but this time it's a sprint to the screen as Sonic enjoys his first theatrical film. Yet, thanks to a horrific early trailer, this is a movie once surrounded by controversy. "Dumpster fire!" many were eager to say. Fortunately, the movie now seems to proving the naysayers wrong, but...is it really as good as others are...

Dragon Ball, that long loved series, returned after years of hiatus with Dragon Ball Super, a series that both entertained and disappointed the fanbase. Being a self-proclaimed "amateur" disciple of the series, Mr. Pacario uses this episode to share his thoughts regarding Super's finale, the epic Tournament of Power. Does it satisfy and redeem the series as a whole, and more importantly...is it go...

The advent of digital media has brought many gifts, including the ease of convenience and more games than anyone could ever play. But the sacrifice? Physical copies of our favorite games--carts, cards, and discs, not to mention manuals and other amenities--look doomed to disappear. In this bite-sized 'sode, Mr. Pacario examines the pastime's slow crawl away from tangible media and into a digital f...

To celebrate Sonic's first theatrical film, it's only natural to present a new Great Gamer's Quiz, this one dedicated to everything blue and blurry. Are you a true Sonic fan? Do you count hedgehogs in your sleep? Do you have an uncanny need for speed? Then take a quick detour and give this quiz a listen--and see where you stand in Sonic's pantheon of fans. Check out Pacario's occasionally updated...

This week's show is a splash of animated favorites from ages past. Classic shorts, huge Disney epics, anime, and the sadly underrated are among those Mr. Pacario has yanked from his memory banks. As we old-timers love to say, "They don't make them like they used to!" Check out Pacario's occasionally updated blog here: https://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Pacario Thanks to Decktonic (www.decktonic.com...

Games, like any art form, can prove to be a weird window into its creator(s)' soul. Indeed, even the most conventional genres can be bent into something wildly unexpected. Enter Pooyan, a certainly offbeat title that takes the basic gameplay of, say, Galaga, but turns it sideways and adds a dash of pork! For this mini-episode, Mr. Pacario describes this oft-overlooked but worthy shooter. Check out...

Get ready, all you gaming collectors! Indeed, with gamers often spending more time hoarding and displaying their vast libraries than actually playing them, this Gamer's Quiz is strictly devoted to that facet of the hobby. Yep, from the rarest Atari games ever released to obscure Nintendo amiibos, this test will determine just how much one actually knows about the high-dollar world of obscure game...

Another year, another chance to reflect on the state of game collecting--is it still worth hunting down all those hidden treasures, from sealed NES games to multiple copies of Luigi's Mansion 3, and then hoarding them for twenty years or more? Mr. Pacario provides his best insight into these matters, then goes into lighter fare as he drools over Arcade1Up's most recent CES announcements. It's an i...

'Tis a two-prong show this week--first, Mr. Pacario provides his thoughts on Numskull's recently released Galaxian 1/4 scale arcade machine. From there, he proceeds to analyze the entire home arcade market that has seemingly sprung out of nowhere. Indeed, how many of these nifty but hefty attractions can people collect before they simply cannot find room for more? Is this a market facing an inevit...

Being a gamer in the '90s wasn't easy--for every great game we got here in the West, there was another cool title left abandoned in Japan. And in some cases (*ahem* Saturn Bomberman), even the games we did get now command price tags that far exceed what most can afford. The solution? Importing! And in this episode, Mr. Pacario reviews some of his recent acquisitions from that marvelous wonderland...

As impossible as it seems, the original PlayStation has just shot past its 25th birthday. Yep, for over a quarter of a century, the PlayStation has been there, brightening lives with what is now a seemingly endless array of entertainment. And so, to both celebrate and pay our respects, this hereby Gamer's Quiz focuses on everything PS1 circa the 1990s. How well do you know this little gray box tha...

'Tis time for another round of Dragon Ball; with too many arcs to cram for a single show, Mr. Pacario, the self-proclaimed novice of the franchise, narrows his focus to the middle arcs, including the outrageous Goku Black/Future Trunks storyline. Is Super finally finding its path, inching closer to the legacy of excellence that was Dragon Ball Z? Mr. Pacario tries to decide... Check out Pacario's...

After taking a short break, Mr. Pacario returns with some thoughts concerning Dragon Ball Super, the long-awaited revival to the venerable Dragon Ball Z. Is this new series a proper continuation to what made Z so dramatic, epic, and endearing, or is it just the same old, same old? Or worse, does it betray the very foundation that made Z so great? With no preconceptions, Mr. Pacario tries to decide...

Taking a break from everything Dragon Ball, this week we venture back into gaming's domain with a stirring Great Gamer's Quiz. As always, the idea is to score a perfect '10'--or, at least, to beat your friends as a stream of questions are funneled your way. And this time, the theme is music; ten of gaming's top musical scores will soon greet your ears, so...even if you fail miserably, this should...

Part 2 of a newb's journey through the bombastic world of Dragon Ball, GT-style! Yes, after hopscotching around Z's greatest moments, it's time to endure its strange off-shoot, a series some love, but many more love to hate. Is GT really so awful? Having no serious attachment to Goku and company beforehand, maybe your humble host can uncover the truth, or at least a compromise between the extremes...

No gaming talk this week--instead, it's all about Dragon Ball! Or rather, my late entry into the series. That's right, I'm just now really appreciating a show many have adored now for over a generation. So take this episode as you will--a newb sharing his thoughts on an epic he's just beginning to understand...but can't wait to talk about! Check out Pacario's occasionally updated blog here: https:...

Anxious to prove your gamer cred? Need to prove your Nintendo devotion? Desperate to prove your Game Boy expertise? Then behold this handy quiz, designed to let you, gamer extraordinaire, to outshine the rabble with your gaming brilliance. Good luck, and may the pasta be with you! Check out Pacario's occasionally updated blog here: https://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Pacario Thanks to Decktonic (www...

Collecting miniaturized arcade games has become all the rage as of late, and New Wave Toys with its Replicade line of classic minis has been at the forefront of the movement. Indeed, after a couple of stumbles, the company has just released its latest creation--a remarkable "tinyfied" take on Street Fighter 2 Champion Edition. Is it worth a collector's dollars? Tune in and see! Check out Pacario's...

Time is perhaps a game's greatest enemy--a title once heralded as an "instant classic" or a "perfect 10" can often seem surprisingly average, even lackluster, a mere decade later. So, in this episode, Mr. Pacario picks out some of these games that "haven't aged well" and defends their once good name. Check out Pacario's occasionally updated blog here: https://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Pacario Than...

Unlike most art forms and hobbies, gaming is always changing--always caught in a constant state of flux, which can be a good or bad thing. This week, there's a lot of news to unravel concerning Nintendo and some exciting home arcade developments. So, yeah, a double whammy of "Mama Mia!" and "Cowabunga!" awaits ya! Check out Pacario's occasionally updated blog here: https://www.destructoid.com/blog...

Gaming is perhaps the world's most celebrated hobby today, but once upon a time, most hadn't even seen a video game before. What broke that barrier? Many would claim Pong, Pac-Man, Donkey Kong, or Super Mario, but there's another title instrumental to gaming's monstrous success--Taito's Space Invaders. In today's episode, Mr. Pacario examines the crucial influence this one game had on the budding...

'Tis time to test your gaming expertise once again, this time with a Contra-style, machine gun bevy of tricky trivia. In other words, a perfect test while you drive to work, run errands, or are just hanging around bored with your friends. Good luck getting a perfect score, though! Check out Pacario's occasionally updated blog here: https://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Pacario Thanks to Decktonic (www...

The Dreamcast celebrates its 20th anniversary this month, which means a mountain of memories and some wistful tears for those who know the system well. Hence this brief retrospective, which reminds gamers, one more time, why Sega's final system may well have been its greatest. Check out Pacario's occasionally updated blog here: https://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Pacario Thanks to Decktonic (www.dec...

For twenty years, Doug Walsh was the king of his domain, pumping out over 100 video game strategy guides during the course of his illustrious career. And then, like waking from a dream, it was suddenly over--this off-kilter offshoot of the gaming biz had cast its final secret. Now wincing in the aftermath, Mr. Walsh provides a sobering look into the peculiar world that was the strategy guide indus...

This episode is dedicated to all those who remember blowing into cartridges, fiddling with fussy memory cards, poring over stacks of Nintendo Powers, and completing various other strange, game-related rituals. Yes, for those who remember, this episode will be a sublime flight to the past. And for those who have never touched a cart or written down a password...be prepared to have your minds blown....