Now-stalgia on Disney+ Part One

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Reviews by Joshua Jordan

Since the launch of Disney+ back in November Disney fans of any age have been able to get access to a lot of the vast content Disney owns both new and old Revisiting their childhood favorite shows and movies is what made older fans excited. That especially included the ability to pass that love down to the next generation. Yet, even though diving back into those shows and movies would give me joy too, I am just as enthusiastic about catching up on some of the more modern Disney shows. Starting with Kim Possible then going to Phineas and Ferb, Gravity Falls, and beyond I feel that Disney is doing a good job at creating modern, hit animated shows. Below are a few shows that I have watched in the last few months since the launch of Disney+. Please bear in mind that these are my personal opinions based on my tastes. 

Milo Murphy’s Law (2016) 

Milo Murphy, descendant of the man who discovered Murphy’s Law which states “whatever can go wrong will go wrong.” This also means that a lot of stuff goes wrong around Milo. Which means being his friend can turn a mundane day into an adventure. With Weird Al voicing the main character and the creators of Phineas and Ferb behind the concept was a recipe that automatically made me want to watch it and from the very first episode I was not disappointed. Milo is just like its predecessor smart, funny, and entertaining. I especially love the humor as it is very sarcastic and self-aware. I would say the only downside is that it had a lot to live up to with Phineas and Ferb and unfortunately it doesn’t seem to hit the same cord as Phineas and Ferb did as it only had two seasons. It is a shame that Milo never got the chance that it’s predecessor got Because it is a good show.

Review grade for the entire series: A+

Big Hero 6 the series Season One (2017)

In 2014 The Walt Disney Animation Studio released a movie based off a Marvel Comic called Big Hero 6. The story of the movie was about 14-year-old genius Hiro who after his brother’s tragic death discovers a robot he created as a health companion. Around the same time a mysterious crime wave is happening around the city and Hiro recognizes the tool the criminal is using as some tech that he created. So enlisting the help of Baymax and a few of his friends they join together to make a superhero team to find the criminal and bring him to justice. I won’t go into spoilers here but the series takes place after the events of the movie and deals with its aftermath. One of the things I like about the series is that it has a very Teen Titans vibe (the original not Go) but where the Titans are always superheroes Big Hero’s characters have to balance going to school and being superheroes. Another aspect of the show I like is the villains, the rogues gallery is very interesting and a bit weird. However the stand out of all of them is the major villain of season one. I really like the story they set up and how it connects to the main characters. All in all, Big Hero 6 the series is a great companion piece to the movie and I hope this continues into season 2.

Review grade for season one: A

Coin Up Review Of Astro Blaster!

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Hello Arcaders!

Welcome to the latest issue of COIN UP! This is the review series where I go back in time and review those arcade games of the past that you probably remember or or have a memory vaguely playing at the local arcade- the game tucked away in a corner while you’re waiting for your turn at Space Ace. If you have a favorite game you would like to see in a review- let me know in the comments section below! We have our first sequel and it will be a part of our Shmup series!

If you didn’t read the last issue- WHAT ARE YOU DOING? go back and read the Coin Up review of Astro Fighter! If you have-great! You know its a shortened name for Shoot Em’ Up- a genre of game that involved a space fighter or jet moving in a direction (or all, as we’ll see later in this series!!!) Shooting enemies who move in a pattern (or random as well…) trying to shoot you down. My favorites tend to be space shmups (or space shooters!) And this one tops it’s predecessor in every way!!!! Continue reading →

Gremlins Animated Prequel On The Way!

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Hey Arcaders!

I love the Gremlins movies. The wonder and horror of the first film was a part of the ratings change in 1984 (Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom helped as well).  That lead into the amazing sequel- that PARODIES the first! Gremlins 2- The New Batch was the perfect follow up to a movie that Joe Dante didn’t want to copy- so he made fun of it instead. That’s why Gremlins 2- The New Batch is still held as one of the best sequels in history. Move ahead almost three decades, and we have had rumblings about a new Gremlins remake/prequel/sequel/re-imagining have been rumored for a few years now. But last week, the HBO Max media platform announced that we are getting a animated prequel series- Gremlins- Secrets of the Mogwai.  We have a synopsis from the Amblin website- 

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Set in 1920s Shanghai, the series will tell the story of how 10-year-old Sam Wing (future shop owner Mr. Wing in the 1984 movie) met the young Mogwai called Gizmo. Along with a teenage street thief named Elle, Sam and Gizmo take a perilous journey through the Chinese countryside, encountering, and sometimes battling, colorful monsters and spirits from Chinese folklore. On their quest to return Gizmo to his family and uncover a legendary treasure, they are pursued by a power-hungry industrialist and his growing army of evil Gremlins.

Gremlins Secrets of the Mogwai is produced by Amblin Television in association with Warner Bros. Animation. The series is being written by Tze Chun and executive produced by Darryl Frank and Justin Falvey (The Americans, and the Animaniacs and Amazing Stories revivals) and Sam Register (the upcoming Animaniacs revival) with Chun and Brendan Hay serving as co-executive producers. Dan Krall will serve as supervising producer. The series will premiere on HBO Max in 2021.

I have mixed feelings about this. I wanted to see a Gremlins animated show back in the 80’s- you know, a Hanna–Barbera or Filmation 1/2 hour series that was relevant to the source material of the time. I like the prequel aspect- but it sounds like it will have some environmental tones in it- I hope it isn’t too preachy, and will give us a look at the Gremlins mythos we haven’t seen yet, but give us the action and scares the movies gave us. Perhaps giving us a lead in to a new film. Animation should be great- Warner Bros. Animation has given us some of the best cartoons and animated feature films over the last 30 years.

So- what do you think? Are you up for a Gremlins animated series? Or do you think too much time has gone by to care about the Gremlins stories to be relevant today? We will keep and eye on this project and post more info as it is released. Let me know what you think in the comments!

Keep Playin’ Like It’s 1981!

Return To Dark Tower Board Game Exceeds Kickstarter Goals!

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Hey Arcaders!

This is a sequel I’ve been waiting for.  A sequel to one of the greatest board games ever- Dark Tower. What?  You have never heard of Dark Tower? Well, Squire- sit back, grab a cold grog, try not to get any mutton on your tunic, and I’ll tell you the story of the Dark Tower.

We have to start out tale back in 1981…

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Dark Tower is a 1981 electronic board game by Milton Bradley Company, for one to four players. The object of the game is to amass an army, collect the three keys to the Tower, and defeat the evil within. The game came out during the height of the role-playing game craze in the early 1980s. Advertising for the game included a television commercial featuring Orson Welles.- Wikipedia

As a avid D&D player- I wanted this game. but it was pricey for a board game in that day- $40.

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And that year, it was either Dark Tower- or the Atari VCS. I think we know what I chose.

I always WANTED this game- But today, a working version of a almost 40 year old game can fetch $100.00 or more.

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Let’s take a look at this game in action- you will see what the excitement was about!

 

You can EVEN PLAY THIS ON STEAM!

 

 

Well- That is the History Of Dark Tower. But what of the sequel- Return To Dark Tower?

Check this out!

 

Its now on Kickstarter– Let’s just say… it’s backed. A lot. Like $2,699,723 a lot. it was backed 317%! And as of this article’s post- it has 13 days to go! That’s impressive! Now- I’ve heard this game will fetch a hefty price tag- around $200.00 I believe. The game looks amazing. But that much… I don’t know if I could let go of that much scratch.

Would you pay hundreds of dollars for a board game? Even as cool as this one?

Let me know in the comments!

Keep Playin’ Like It’s 1981!