Tag: video games

recreation of original Punch-Out

There is a new version of the original Punch-Out!! coming to the Nintendo Wii!  As you probably recall, this was originally released on the first Nintendo, the NES, as Tyson’s Punch-Out!! and was one of the best games on that system.  And, the original game is still fun.

This is a recreation of the original game, using updated graphics and using the Wii’s motion controls, so it has a lot of potential.

Here’s the first trailer for the new Punch-Out!!

Of course, this new version has a lot to live up to, with high expectations.  But hopefully the developers will keep the fun of the original while updating it.

It is scheduled to be released in Spring 2009.

I’m looking forward to it!  I don’t think it can be better than the original, but if they can make it anywhere close to as good as the original, it will be awesome!

the special days of September, pt 2

I’m going to continue my analysis of the special days of September.   In this post I’ll be examining the holidays on individual days.

  • 1 Labor Day (first Monday of month) — Ironically, on a day all about labor, you get off work.   So that’s kinda weird, but I am definitely NOT complaining!
  • 2 National Beheading Day — WHAT?!?   I’m definitely not participating on this holiday!   Who came up with this?   This sounds un-American!  (It also sounds like it’s bad for your health!)
  • 5 Be Late for Something Day — Okay, here’s a holiday I can support!  This won’t even take too much effort for me.  🙂  You even get to pick what you’re going to be late to.  (Ironically, I’m late in posting this series this month, but it’s not the 5th now.)
  • 5 Cheese Pizza Day — Here’s another American-sounding holiday.  Even if you prefer your pizza to be topped with lots of dead animals (meats), surely you can still appreciate the yummy goodness of a cheese pizza.
  • 6 Fight Procrastination Day — Is it a coincidence this is the day after “Be Late for Something Day”?  I’m not sure what to think about this day… I think I’ll ponder this later…
  • 6 Read a Book Day — A comic book would count — it even has “book” in the name of it.   Like discussed in the previous post on the special days of September, there are all kinds of books out there, something for everyone.  Of course, the best book to read is the Bible, because it will change your life.
  • 7 Neither Rain nor Snow Day — Was this invented by the Post Office?   Regardless, I can guarantee it’s not going to snow here on this day.   But rain would be likely, whether from afternoon summer thunderstorms or the remnants of hurricanes which pass through here after going through the Gulf of Mexico.  (I’m in Arkansas, if you didn’t know.)
  • 8 International Literacy Day — If you’re reading this, you’re already literate.   If someone can’t read, then they can’t enjoy the rambling goodness that is Buffet o’ Blog, so you should read this to them until they learn to read.
  • 8 Pardon Day — Today you should grant and request pardons freely.   So if you go up to someone and rip a loud fart, you just have to say, “Pardon me”, and they have to pardon you and not hold it against you.
  • 9 Teddy Bear Day — There have been several holidays already about teddy bears, like hugging them, taking them to work, and going on picnics with them.  So why do they get another holiday?   I figure if you still hang out with your teddy bear, you already know he’s special.  And if you’ve outgrown your teddy bears, all these holidays for them are superfluous.
  • 10 Swap Ideas Day — I reckon this is where I share an idea with you, and you share an idea with me.   I’ll go first.  When you have a job interview, eat a bunch of Oreos just before you go in, then smile a lot.  That way they’ll be staring at your teeth and not your resume.  🙂
  • 10 T.V. Dinner Day — On this day in 1954, the first TV dinner was sold (by Swanson).  Nowadays, the TV dinner aisle at your grocery store is probably running over with healthy, non-flavored microwave meals.   I’m not necessarily against healthy meals — some people enjoy them — but let’s not forget that you want to keep everyone happy, and the average American adult is overweight, so we don’t care about that healthy nonsense.
  • 11 Patriot Day — This is also known as World Trade Center Remembrance Day.   May we never forget…
  • 11 Make Your Bed Day — Making your bed is overrated.  (Can I get a witness?)   If nobody is going to see your bed but you (and your spouse), why bother making it every day?
  • 11 No News is Good News Day — I’ve heard this phrase before, but it’s not always true.  Besides, if this was true, you could just never watch or read the news, thus ensuring it would all be good.
  • 12 Chocolate Milk Shake Day — Of the smaller holidays (meaning the ones you don’t get off work for), this has to be one of the best ones.   Milkshakes are awesome!   And I’m partial to chocolate and/or cookies and creme varieties.  I also enjoy them with malt added.  On this day, all milkshakes should be half price, so people can enjoy them more.
  • 12 National Video Games Day — There was another of this day on July 8, but it wasn’t national.  I don’t know the difference, but I won’t complain that there’s two!  For those of you who don’t appreciate video games, you just haven’t found the right ones for you.  There’s something for everyone!
  • 13 Chinese Moon Festival (15th day of 8th Lunar month) — This is one of the biggest annual holidays in China.  People take off work on this day and watch the moon.   This holiday even goes back thousands of years (to when they worshiped the moon).  People also make and eat mooncakes on this day.
  • 13 Defy Superstition Day — I defy it every day.   I’m not superstitious at all.   In fact, it’s bad luck to be superstitious.
  • 13 Fortune Cookie Day — I’d like to learn to make my own fortune cookies, so I could put my own custom messages in it.  As you can imagine, it would be quite random.   Here’s a few examples: “If a scruffy-looking fellow who you’ve never seen before comes up and offers you a very strange-looking raisin muffin, it’s a good idea to decline, in this instance.”  Also, “Today is an excellent day to fly a kite shaped like a life-sized pterodactyl.   Try to get it to hover just outside someone’s office window.”   You get the idea…
  • 13 National Peanut Day — Peanuts are good in a variety of foods / dishes / candy.  Right now I’m thinking of chocolate-covered peanuts.
  • 13 Positive Thinking Day — Repeat after me: “I’m good enough, I’m smart enough, and people like me.”
  • 13 Uncle Sam Day — Uncle Sam is getting old.   He was born in 1813.  Actually, I haven’t heard from him in a while.   Is he still alive?
  • 13 Scooby Doo’s Birthday — The Scooby-Doo cartoons premiered in 1969.  Scooby and “those meddlin’ kids” solved a lot of mysteries.   Those original cartoons are classics.   The newer ones just aren’t the same.
  • 14 National Pet Memorial Day (second Sunday in September) — Hmm, a memorial day for your pets.   I don’t think this is necessary, but to each their own.
  • 14 National Cream-Filled Donut Day — I’m all about a chocolate-filled donut!   Mmm…

As is usual on these special days lists, this is getting long, so I’m going to finish the list in the next post.  Click here to search for the other posts on the special days of September.

the special days of July, pt 2

Now we will continue our look at the special days / holidays / observances / celebrations of July.

  • 4 Independence Day — The Fourth of July, the day we celebrate the independence of the United States of America.  This is truly a great country to live in! And to celebrate, we get a day off work, and we grill burgers and hot dogs, and shoot / watch fireworks.  That’s fitting, I think, because the celebration of a great nation should be a great time, and this is one of the best holidays.
  • 4 National Country Music Day — YEE-HAW!  Just kidding.  I don’t have much to say about this, except for a quote about country music by Bob Newhart: I don’t like country music, but I don’t mean to denigrate those who do.  And for the people who like country music, denigrate means “put down”.
  • 4 Sidewalk Egg Frying Day — I’ve got better things to do on July 4th than this.  But here in the South, it’s usually hot enough at this time to do that.
  • 5 Work-a-holics Day — Why would this be after a nationally recognized holiday?  Besides, I reckon a lot of people are taking this day off to create a longer weekend.  Also, there shouldn’t even be a day for this.
  • 6 National Fried Chicken Day — This is a good holiday!  I’m all about some fried yardbird.  And do you know what goes great with it?  Mashed taters, biscuits and gravy, and sweet tea.  You just can’t top that.
  • 6 Build A Scarecrow Day — This “holiday” is always first Sunday in July.  I’m fairly certain I’ll pass on this day, because I don’t have a garden, nor do I have any desire in building a scarecrow.  So why am I even mentioning this day?  So I can include this picture.  🙂
  • 7 Macaroni Day — Who doesn’t like macaroni & cheese?  It’s not just for kids.  Even as an adult, I can still make a meal out of just chicken strips and macaroni & cheese.  Mmm…
  • 7 Chocolate Day — There are just so many options for this day!  Chocolate comes in many forms, and they’re almost all good.  So just let your imagination (and appetite) run wild on this day.  Remember that diets don’t apply on holidays!
  • 7 National Strawberry Sundae Day — I’m all about the food holidays, and I’m not complaining about this particular one at all, but why are there three food holidays on the same day?  I think these should be spread out a little more.
  • 8 Video Games Day — Here is proof that it’s an official holiday!  I think all gamers should take this day off work to play video games all day.  Since this is a day to celebrate video games, we should take note of the benefits they provide to society: improved hand-eye coordination, improved reflexes, exercising your brain (much more than just watching TV, for sure), an escape from the stress of reality, and a lot of fun.  Now go rescue Princess Peach from Bowser, or save the world, or conquer the world, or whatever game it is you like to play.  If you don’t have a game, try this tower defense game — it’s easy and fun yet requires strategy to master.
  • 9 National Sugar Cookie Day — I remember being dared in Kindergarten to eat a sugar cookie with mustard on it.  It totally ruined the cookie, because mustard is horrible tasting (not to mention evil).  Fortunately I made a full recovery from that potentially tragic moment in my early years.
  • 10 Don’t Step on a Bee Day — Is this really a holiday?  What makes this special?  I don’t ever step on bees.  I find it’s generally best to leave stinging insects alone (unless they’re trespassing and you kill them).
  • 10 Teddy Bear Picnic Day — The name says it all, but I checked online just to confirm that this is actually listed as a holiday.  It is.  Check out what one site said about it: “Spend the lunch hour on a blanket under a shade tree with your Teddy Bear.”  I will have to pass on this one…  I have been informed that there is a song that kinda goes along with this: “This is the day the teddy bears have their picnic.”
  • 11 Swimming Pool Day — This would be great, if I had a swimming pool.
  • 11 Cheer up the Lonely Day — If you know someone who is lonely, then you should cheer them up, regardless of whether it’s this day or not.  People need to be happy and to laugh more.  If you can’t be there enough, print out this blog and take it to them.  🙂
  • 11 World Population Day — I reckon this holiday includes everyone in the world, regardless of your ethnic, religious, social, or financial background.  So this should be World Partying Day, where everyone in the world gets off work.  Sounds good to me!
  • 11 Cow Appreciation Day — Some lists have this day on the 15th, but Chick-fil-A is putting it on the 11th, so I’ll include it on both.  Chick-fil-A is offering free food if you dress up like a cow and visit a participating store.  For those of you without a cow costume, they have a few ideas on their website for how you can make do with what you already have.
  • 12 Pecan Pie Day — It seems like this should be in the fall, when you’re more likely to see pecan pies.  But I won’t gripe.  I could eat one any time.
  • 12 Paper Bag Day — Seriously, who approves these holidays?  Is this official?  It’s this day because this is when the paper bag manufacturing machine was patented.  But really, who cares?
  • 13 Barn Day — So if you have a barn, are you supposed to throw a party?  Who comes up with this stuff?
  • 13 Go West Day — Go West, young man!  This meant a lot more when the Old West in the U.S. was mostly undiscovered and unclaimed, and people would go in search of gold.  (There’s gold in them there hills!)
  • 13 National French Fries Day — Finally, a holiday I can support.  That is, the fries part.  I refuse to celebrate the French, given what they stand for (or don’t stand for) these days.  But fries are good.
  • 13 Barbershop Music Appreciation Day — How many of you out there have even heard of Barbershop Music, as in a quartet singing in that style (usually a cappella)?  I had a college roommate who sang in one of those groups, and so I’ve heard a number of CDs in that genre.  Check some out online.  Go ahead, broaden your mind.
  • 13 Embrace Your Geekness Day — I reckon this means I should go hang out in Best Buy for a few hours, then go to a video game arcade-type place.  🙂  Really, though, folks should be themselves every day — that’s the epitome of being cool.
  • 13 Fool’s Paradise Day — Ah, a philosophical dilemma!  If fools are there, is it really paradise?
  • 13 International Puzzle Day — I asked a friend about what to put here, and he suggested this day be devoted to solving the world’s most puzzling issues, like how to understand women.  I’m thinking more than a day should be allocated for that challenge.

This is getting long, so I’m gonna split it up again.   Click here to search for the other entries for July.

one way to become a ninja

The Nintendo Wii is good for many things, especially gaming.  But it is about to have a new feature.  There is a new game coming out in March 2008 that trains you to be a ninja!  (Yeah, you heard that right.)  It’s called Ninja Reflex, distributed by Electronic Arts.  As you train and develop your skills with your personal Sensei, you can eventually earn a black belt.  Now you can train to be a ninja in the very comfort of your own home.  But wait, there’s more!  As some of you are probably already intensely hoping for, this game will include multiplayer support, with up to four players.

ninja senseiIt sounds awesome, right?  Not to reduce your expectations any, but, the president and CEO of Nunchuck Games said, “Ninja Reflex channels the accessible multiplayer fun of Wii Sports and the self-improvement aspect of Brain Age into a martial arts universe that is ideally suited for the Wii and Nintendo DS.”  I don’t know if comparing a ninja training game to a combination of Wii Sports and Brain Age is the best strategy for hyping a product.  I’m pretty sure it isn’t.  But nonetheless, this will not dampen my enthusiasm.  Ninja training sounds awesome, especially if you eventually get good enough to beat the crap out of your Sensei (like the third boxing training level on Wii Sports, although you beat him up more when you’re less accurate, which perhaps makes it even more fun).

Now that I’ve given my preview of hype, let me suggest a feature to the people working on the game.  (What?  You mean they don’t visit this site?  Well, they SHOULD!  I’m sharing my tips anyway!)  The game should have an online mode, not just for playing people online, but for when your training leads you to black belt status, the gaming company actually sends you a black belt in the mail.  Somebody should make this happen…