Power Rangers 2010 Review

Surely everyone is familiar with the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, a TV show from the 90s that has gone on to become a cult classic and milestone in American television. Though the show was made off of stock footage from the Japanese show, Kyoryu Sentai Zyuranger, it was an obsession of many children of the time, including myself. I love this show, and think it is one of the greatest inspirations for many of my stories, but many people had asked me what my thoughts are on the 201o reedit. Well, all I can say is that it’s alright, but it is surely not needed.

The six original Power Rangers

I mean, come on, who needs this stupid comic book appeal. The show was fine just the way it was. Surely they could have cleared it up a bit and made the sound better than it was before, but was there any reason why they had to give it this stupid, useless, comic book imagery. It makes the show look campy, childish, and worse than it was before. It also ticks me off that they have little slides telling us what the zords are (when the Mastodon appears, a yellow slide appears saying “Mastodon). Do we need to be told what they are, come on. Every Power Rangers fan knows that the zords are. No, I know that it is supposed to expand the show to a wider audience, but I think that it’s just dumbing it down.

Despite all that, it is truly magnificent. Seeing the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers on television again is something I’d thought I’d never see. It is good to watch this show and flashback to watching it in your youth. The nostalgia is so strong, it burns. Literally, it burns. But it is so good to see the first and the BEST Power Rangers show once more. But the comic book effects and the girly borders and stuff are unneeded. Other than that, it’s awesome.

But one more think, let’s see a little Green Ranger. Please!

Odd Game Sequels: Zelda 2: The Adventure of Link

The cover of the game featuring the iconic sword

Hi guys, it’s time once again to dive into another odd game sequel. As everyone is aware, Nintendo has a habit of making game sequels very much different than their predecessor. Super Mario Bros 2 was very much different than Super Mario Bros and so was Castlevania 2: Simon’s Quest. But is that a bad thing? Of course not. They both turned out to be very good games and defy the video game industry. However, for such games like Dig Dug 2, released  by Namco, they leave fans with a feeling of disappointment and despair, wishing they were playing the first game. But The Legend of Zelda 2: The Adventure of Link is one of those games that surpasses all. It is one of the first video games I had ever seen or played and everytime I see or hear of the game, I flashback to my youth of seeing my brother play it in the late 90s. But is it a good game, and do others like it as much as I do. Well, that’s a hard question, but by the time I am done with this review, it will all be clear, and the mud will be washed from your eyes.

First of all, I will point out that this game has one of the best video game soundtracks of all time. The overworld theme of this game is iconic, and always brings up found memories of the past. Unlike the first Zelda game, this game is a sidescroller and shows Link as a tall, adolescent boy. He has a lot of weapons in this game, such as his iconic sword, his bow and arrow, and his flute. When you are in deep jelly in this game, the weapons are sure to deliver the some high flying action. Also, the experience points Link recieves helps boost his attack and make it better. The game also has many RPG elements, as like many good games, the more experience you get, the more easier it will be in your combat along the journey.

Though the game has little resemblance to the first game, the overworld view is still present in this game, as well as the iconic theme when Link opens a chess. This is also the first game where Link is depicted as a tall, leisurely figure, rather than a small, stubby elf like character like in the first game. The music playing during a boss fight is also something new. Rather than a single tune playing the whole level, you get some hard core music that really pumps you up for the fight. I also like how unique the villains are from one another. Still to this day, the dragon is one of the villains I had ever faced. This game also allows you to use magic, which you can learn through an old man in the villages you pass in. And you will need to use some of that magic in a majority of the levels because sometimes, they get so befuddled.

The infamous "I Am Error" screen

Speaking of enemies, there are many enemies to irritate yo, such as bits and bots, geldarm, moblin, and skeleton warriors called myu. Everytime you loose, you get a game over screen that says “Ganon Has Returned”, showing the infamous oversized pig wizard himself. I also think that the overlook of the game is spectacular. The castles, the fields, the houses, the underground layers, they are so convincing and so well-made. Shigeru Miyamoto has hit another game out of the ball park, and it’s a hard one. The final levels of the game are the ones I find the hardest. With more enemies and a hard as hell boss, it is surely a challenge, even more challenging than the end of the first game in my opinion.

Overall, Zelda 2 is a great game. Surely, it’s not as good as the first, but it is surely a classic game that I surely enjoy. Not only is it iconic for it’s linear game style and great gameplay, it’s the game that would spawn a lot of the material present in following Zelda games. Listen to the “Palace Theme” in Super Smash Brothers Brawl!

I hope you enjoyed my review, and I will be back with another game review sometime soon. You played a huge part in this review.

My Thoughts on Mario Bros Wii

The logo of the game

A few months back, I described my thoughts on Mario Kart for the Wii Virtual Console. Now, I had recently gotten the newest installment in the Mario games library and it’s called Super Mario Bros Wii. Now, if you liked the first 2 Mario games, you will love this one. It takes all the things that made those games iconic and rolls it into something brand new. This game is not only fun and challenging, but great to play with someone else. If you are breaking your balls at a certain level and need help, have a good friend play along with you, because like they say, more people on the job help get the job done faster.

Now,we all know the story of the Mario Bros, so I will not go into much detail with that, but I will say that like Super Mario Bros 3 and Super Mario World, Mario and Luigi are up against the deadly Koopa Kids, and as any traditional Mario game, they are stomping on Goombas and sending Koopa shells in the other direction to get coins. And trust me, you will need 2 players in this game. Some of these levels are so erratic, you are going to need help from another hand, especially during the final levels of each world. The worlds of this game are also unique from one another. There are polar worlds, desert worlds, grassland worlds, and even some worlds you may remember from previous Mario games.

A level from the game itself

Also like other Mario games, you get new suits. Similar to Raccoon Suits and Frog Suits, you get Helicopter Suits, Penguin Suits, and even a suit that allows you to throw ice, similar to the art of the fireflowers. And it’s just so much fun to use these suits to trick your enemies and guide them in the right direction. The control and over look of the game is flawless. The 2-D nature makes the game stand out in a good way from other games like Mario 64 and Super Mario Galaxy, and some of the 3-D effects seen in the game really make it seem like a traditional 3-D movie. It’s also fun to use Yoshis to kill enemies and find special warps that lead you from one world to the other.

Overall, Super Mario Bros. Wii is a fantastic game. If you love Mario games, this is a must have. As you play the game, you will flash back to playing the other games in your youth, and you will have fun going from one world to another. I have also observed that it’s even more fun to play with a friend. If you have been looking for a Mario game that carries all the fun of the originals and rolls it into a whole new game, I strongly recommend it, because once you start playing, it’s impossible to stop. You will absolutely love it.

Happy Birthday MLK

Today is the day when one of the greatest civil rights leaders of all time was born. Martin Luther King Jr. was born to lead everyone in the right path, to make us realize that no matter what skin color or heritage we have in our blood, we are all equal. No matter what may come upon us, everyone of all skin colors can join together and make the biggest difference.

No person is greater than another person. No skin color is greater than another. We are all part of the same party, the same game, the same family. We are all God’s children, and a person should live in a place where he is treated like a brother, like a friend. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. taught us that. Without him, all people would not have the advantages we have today, and all African-Americans would still be sitting in the back of the bus. it has gone as far to elect our very first black president, Barack Obama, or Shirley Chisholm as the first African-American woman to be elected to Congress. Yes, King has made a big difference, and has taught us that all man are entitled under the name man, and that all white, brown, black, red, yellow, vulcan, kryptonian, jedi, and all the others out there are all the same, and nothing will ever change that.

Who’s the Best: Episode 3

It’s been a hell of a long time since I had an episode of Who’s The Best, a series of blog entries in which I compare the various versions of a certain character. So why not start his new series of entries with a comparison of the man of steel himself, Superman. Superman is one of the greatest superheroes of all time. He is strong, indestructible and not even a human. He’s from the world of Krypton. But either way, there are tons of Supermans out there, so I have decided to go with four. The Comic Book Superman, the 40s serials Superman, the Christopher Reeve Superman, and the Brandon Routh Superman.

Comic Book Superman

Superman, as he appears in the comics

Superman is very much different from Batman. He is somewhat more jolly and outgoing, while Batman is more humble and griddy. Also, Superman has blood powers, while Batman gets all his abilities from gadgets. But Superman isn’t even a man at all, he is a resident of the planet Krypton. Send away to Earth by his father just before the destruction of Krypton, the young hero lands in the town of Smallville where he is founded by Mr. and Mrs. Kent. They raise the boy and call him Clark, and are amazed by his abilities. Soon after the death of his father, Clark sets out on an incredible journey to find out who he truly is, and in the process, becomes the hero we all know and love. The development of Superman is probably the best I have ever seen. Seeing him as the geeky Clark Kent, working for the Daily Planet, and seeing him as the strong, agile Superman, really convinces you that they are two very different people. It’s almost as if you don’t even know Superman’s secret identity. But as we all know, Superman has a weakness. Kryptonite, shattered pieces of Superman’s homeworld can easily defeat him. But he is Superman, so we all know, he will escape one way or another.

He also is known as the first cat in a tree saving hero, and one of the very few heroes that doesn’t wear a mask, but people don’t know who he is anyway. But no matter what problems are thrown at him, he always gets the girl in the end. Lois Lane and Superman have always had an off an on relationship and had many problems in the way, but they always get back together and fly around the city for the heck of it. But Superman had also been ridiculed. He went from court, to going on the run, and even getting killed in the most tragic comic book of all time, The Death of Superman. But Superman is still at his prime, even after 72 years, and will always be one of the best heroes ever to be created.

40s Serial Superman

The poster to one of the serials

In the early 1940s, a series of Superman serials were released, starring Kirk Alyn as the Man of Steel. For some reason, he was credited to be Superman himself, but he proves to be the first man ever to take on the red caped hero. Like most serials based on comic books, they seem to go off the comic book world on go out on their own. In this version of Superman’s backstory, both of Superman’s step parents die, and he is forced to fight a new villain, the Spider-Lady (know, she is not related to Spider-Man). And also like most serials of the time, the fighting is cheesy, awkward, and overly critical. Superman sometimes got his butt wiped clean, but always got back on his feet and continued to fight. Also, the stunts weren’t done by Alyn himself, it was done by a stunt double. Superman’s flight scenes were also animated, similar to the Fleischer Studios cartoons of Superman at the time.

But Alyn probably has the most suitable voice for the hero.  He doesn’t have a sarcastic, innocent voice like Spider-Man, he has a well mannered, lean pitched voice that really  fits the character he is playing. I’m sure he wouldn’t have been so successful if he had a thick James Earl Jones voice. But Kirk Alyn was excellent as Superman, also fit to the punch and ready to help when help is needed.

Christopher Reeve Superman

Christopher Reeve as the red caped hero

Christopher Reeve is probably best known for playing Superman. He had the texture, the body, the voice and the overall look of Superman. Even though the Superman films were cheesy and didn’t make a whole lot of sense, Christopher Reeve still could pull it of, cutting of smart remarks and great action scenes, and giving off the great touch of Superman we all love. If Reeve couldn’t pull it off, know one could. He is so much like Superman, it’s almost like he is Superman, and even after his tragic accident, he was still best known for his role as Superman. He even made an appearance on the hit show Smallville.

Sorry, I don’t watch Smallville. I have never really been a big fan of it and am not so fond of it.

But like the comic Superman, he was always there to do things that not many other people could do. He could spin around the world reversing time or stop 2 missiles from causing mass chaos. He even saved a punk from falling into the water in Superman 2. But as I said before, no one could pull it off like Reeve did. When you hear Superman, you think Christopher Reeve, and he could pull off being Superman anytime.

Brandon Routh Superman

Routh as Superman

Just because he looks like Christopher Reeve, doesn’t mean that he had to play Superman. Brandon Routh was terrible as Superman, clumsy and weak. He got stabbed by Lex Luthor because he was too weak to defend himself. And he isn’t even the same age as when Reeve played Superman. He looks like a kid dressed up in a Superman suit. He was given bad dialogue, bad action sequences, and just doesn’t seem like Superman. He would have been better off playing Spider-Man, but definitely not Superman. I wish that Bryan Singer would have taken Superman Returns a little more seriously, because Brandon Routh just didn’t cut the chord.

And the winner is…..

Christopher Reeve Superman. He is a great guy. He is Superman, and no one could take his place. He was strong, agile and very good when it came to playing Superman. He could take down anyone in his way, and make sure the world is well taken care off. Christopher Reeve, the greatest Superman ever.

I hope everyone enjoyed Episode 3. I will be back with many more entries in the near future, so take it easy and good day.

Spider-Man Being Rebooted!

I was reading something off the internet the other day and came to discover that the Spider-Man film series, directed by Sam Raimi and starring Tobey Maguire is being rebooted, and Sam Raimi and Tobey Maguire are out! I can not believe they are doing this, I think the Spider-Man films are fine they way they are. Even though they are having a hard time developing the next six films, doesn’t mean they have to throw everything away and start from scratch. That ridiculous. Surely there was too much going on in Spider-Man 3, but that doesn’t mean that they couldn’t make another one after that. I was really looking forward to seeing Carnage and Lizard and seeing if Venom or Harry Osbourne return, so why must they do this!

But in a very strange way, this could be a good thing. The Batman movies were rebooted and look at them. But if there’s anything that should be rebooted, it’s the Superman films, not a film series that’s at the top of it’s gain. But who knows what is to come of the new Spider-Man film series. Maybe they will bring out classic enemies like Kraven the Hunter and Vulture, or my personal favorite, Electro. Maybe they will go Japanese with Spider-Man fighting in a giant megazord, or maybe they will tie this movie in with the upcoming Avengers movie. Either way, it’s still disappointing to see Spider-Man go down the tubes. It surely was one of the greatest film series of all time.

The Terrible Earthquakes in Haiti

It’s really a tragedy what has happened over in Haiti a couple days back. The earthquake that didn’t even last 1 minute took thousands of lives and injured many others. Everytime I see the images of the shattered rubble and dead bodies on the news, I am filled with horror and confusion. How could this happen to such a beautiful place? What can we do to help? Where there is lot’s we can do. We can gather food and water and lots of clothes for the people and help them rebuild their demolished homes. We can send others over to help heal the injured and the sick, and we can keep these people in our thoughts and prayers. I surely will, and hope that in the coming days, all those who are trapped are freed and healed from their wounds.

Some of the Best Toys From My Childhood

I don’t know if you guys know this, but I am a huge toy collector. I collect toys based off of Star Wars, Marvel, Batman, and much more. I even have a surplus load of toys in my basement. But their are special toys from my childhood that I remember. These toys’ fates are unknown, either I lost them, sold them to someone, or I still have, but I am unable to find them. So, I thought it might be a good idea to show you guys some of the toys I had, or toys my cousins had that I played with when I visited their home. Maybe some of them you had, or some you have fond memories of. So prepare to scroll down memory lane with me as I show you some neat stuff.

This is a picture of the Ninja Megazord from Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. My cousins had it and I would always come and play with it everytime I came to their house. I have fond memories of playing with the Black Frog (Adam’s Ninja Zord) and using the White Falcon (Tommy’s Ninja Zord) as an airplane. My cousin was annoyed with it, but he would always put together all the animals, the Ape, Frog, Crane, Bear, Wolf and the Falcon to form the mighty Ninja Mega Falcon Zord. It’s really a shame that it’s no longer around, but it was surely a spectacular toy, and I will always have a place for it in my heart. It’s also a shame that the megazords that came out after were not like it.

Here is a picture of a cool Frankenstein toy I had. It was weird and outlandish, yes, but it was still cool. I still remember the Christmas morning where my brother and I got this as a Christmas present. We had so much fun with it. What was also neat about it is that it had an opening in it’s head that you could store things in. I even remember putting some of my old Pokemon figures in it. I forget what the purpose of this toy was, but it was an awesome toy that I played with a lot when I was little, and I will always remember it.

This is a toy that is based off a show that not too many people are familiar with. The Beetleborgs was some what of a Power Rangers, Transformers mix, but still prevailed when it came to toys. This neat Haunted House playset was my brother’s, and even though it broke a lot and required a lot of assembly, ti was still kick-ass. I remember the changing portraits, the declining staircase, and the breaking banister. To this day, I consider it to be one of the best playsets ever to be constructed.

Even some of the toys were from fast food places. Toys like Monsters, Power Rangers, Disney, and many more were from either McDonalds or Burger King. Even though they were only found in Happy Meals, they were still awesome and fun to play with.

And last, but not least, there were many various action figures. There were G.I. Joe, He-Man, Thundercats, you name it. I even had some of the Power Rangers Automorphers figures. One of my personal favorites were the Spider-Man action figures from the hit 90s TV show. I don’t know what happened to them, but I still remember them.

I hope you enjoyed my little blog entry, and hope that you remember some of these toys from your childhood. I sure do and I will keep these toys in my heart as I continue collecting for many years to come.

My Blog Has PICTURES!

Hi guys, I have great news. I was finally able to upload pictures onto my blog, so that means that you can enjoy all of my blog entires with lovely colored photos. That’s right, I have uploaded photos onto most of my entries, so next time you are reading things like movie reviews and game reviews, you can have a look at the game or movie itself. So, I hope everyone enjoys what I have done to my blog, and I will have lots more things to write about in the near future. Thanks a million, and have a good day! May the power protect you!

Holiday Movie Reviews: Santa Claus Conquers The Martians

Hi, guys, I am back to do one final holiday movie review. Sorry I was unable to get his review in before Christmas itself, but I became very busy on the final hours of Christmas and was unable to upload the review until now. But I hope everyone had a very good Christmas and got everything they wanted, and hope that everyone who is celebrating Hanukkah and Kwanzaa are having a good time as well. But anyway, onto the review.

The DVD cover of the film

Santa Claus Conquers the Martians is a very odd and outlandish film with many strange and odd things going on in it, but I still find it very entertaining and magical. The movie begins with a cute animation of Santa Claus putting up the credits, and cute little children singing a song of holiday cheer. There is even a typo in the credits that says Custume Designer. But I will guarantee you that this chant will be stuck in your head for many hours to come. We than cut to Santa Claus being interviewed by a news reporter, totally killing off the magic and wonder of Santa Claus. That’s like in Batman and Robin where Batman and Robin, who in the comics like to avoid spotlight and photography, participate in an auction to see which girl they get. Then, there are the martians with car parts glued to their heads that use tickle rays to torture other martians. That would be cool if they had them on Earth, maybe prisoners would give into playful torture rather than painful.

But anyway, an old wizard appears to the martians saying that Mars stinks because there is no Santa Claus to bring Christmas cheer, telling them to go kidnap Earth’s Santa. The only problem is that they can’t tell who is the real Santa Claus because of all the other people dressed like Santa, so they kidnap two children and make them lead them to the North Pole, as they are attacked by a polar bear and, get this, a giant robot. The robot then breaks into Santa’s workshop where it attacks elves and comes face to face with Santa himself. So Santa is kidnapped by the martians, and you would think that he would conquer the martians like the titles says right. No, instead, he just makes the martians all warm inside and they all have a good laugh.Now, you think the movie would end by this point, but instead a bad martian comes loose and attacks the other martians. Then the other martians attack them with Santa’s toys and go totally haywire on him. This is the scene that really stands out like a sore thumb, because it is just one sick, twisted, mad scene. I have never seen anything like it.

Overall, it’s a weird film, but I still think it’s pretty cool. If you are in the mood for something different, and I mean different, I recommend this film, but if you are not, avoid it at all costs. But  I wonder what the remake of this film would be like. What would the effects be like? Who would be the director? I hope everyone enjoyed my review, and I hope everyone has a good New Year. See you in 2010!