There are all sorts of Pokémon! Weird looking ones, ugly ones, bad*ss looking ones; then there are the cute ones that look so cuddly you wish they were real, so you could have them as a pet. As a kid (well even now) I always wished Pokémon were real. I mean some are just so darn cute! While most baby Pokémon are created to look adorable, a lot of first chain evolutions share the cuteness factors.

This week's community blog challenge, hosted by Lost_in_Translation, was to create a "Top 10" list.

The Challenge:

"What I'd like people to do this week, is create top 10 lists! In case you hadn't noticed, this is the 10th week of these blog themes.  I'm a big fan of symbolism, and I also like having a little fun with things, so this time around I want people to make a top 10 blog.  What that top 10 blog is about is entirely up to you.  I strongly encourage you to come up with something different and unique, though.  Don't just do "top 10 videogames" or "top 10 movies."  Maybe analyze the top 10 Fire-themed levels in gaming," or come up with the "Top 10 greatest twists in TV history."  Something like that.  More importantly, add some descriptions to your top 10 list.  Anyone can just list 10 things off, but the truly great blogs list things, and provide a sweet reason why."

Simple enough? WRONG! I actually had a whole 'nother blog written, but then scratched the idea half way through, instead I'm going to turn it into a separate blog which will come out whenever. Hence, I went with my go-to write about Pokémon! I love Pokémon. I could have done, Top 10 cool looking ones, top 10 most destructive, 10 top that make the less sense, etc.

I wanted to kill everyone with cuteness, so with no further ado here are the Top 10 Pokémon that I think are just too cute!

 NATIONAL NUMBER: 403

 CLASSIFICATION: Flash Pokémon

 TYPE: Electric

 EVOLUTION CHAIN: Shinx → Luxio → Luxray

POKÉDEX ENTRY: The extension and contraction of its muscles generates electricity. It glows when in trouble. All of its fur dazzles if danger is sensed. It flees while the foe is momentarily blinded.

 NATIONAL NUMBER: 037 

 CLASSIFICATION: Fox Pokémon

 TYPE: Fire

 EVOLUTION CHAIN: Vulpix → Ninetails

POKÉDEX ENTRY: When it is born, it has just one snow-white tail. The tail splits from its tip as it grows older. While young, it has six gorgeous tails. When it grows, several new tails are sprouted.

 NATIONAL NUMBER: 492

 CLASSIFICATION: Gratitude Pokémon

 TYPE: Grass & Grass/Flying

 EVOLUTION CHAIN: Legendary

POKÉDEX ENTRY: It can dissolve toxins in the air to instantly transform ruined land into a lush field of flowers. The blooming of Gracidea flowers confers the power of flight upon it. Feelings of gratitude are the message it delivers.

 NATIONAL NUMBER: 231 

 CLASSIFICATION: Long Nose Pokémon

 TYPE: Ground

 EVOLUTION CHAIN: Phanpy → Donphan

 ♥

POKÉDEX ENTRY: As a sign of affection, it bumps with its snout. However, it is so strong, it may send you flying. It is strong despite its compact size. It can easily pick up and carry an adult human on its back.

 NATIONAL NUMBER: 037 

 CLASSIFICATION: Puppy Pokémon

 TYPE: Fire

 EVOLUTION CHAIN: Growlithe → Arcanine

 ♥

 ♥

POKÉDEX ENTRY: It is very friendly and faithful to people. It will try to repel enemies by barking and biting. It has a brave and trustworthy nature. It fearlessly stand up to bigger and stronger foes.

 NATIONAL NUMBER: 300 

 CLASSIFICATION: Kitten Pokémon

 TYPE: Normal

 EVOLUTION CHAIN: Skitty → Delcatty

POKÉDEX ENTRY: It can't stop itself from chasing moving things, and it runs in a circle, chasing its own tail. It shows its cute side by chasing its own tail until it gets dizzy.

 NATIONAL NUMBER: 427 

 CLASSIFICATION: Rabbit Pokémon

 TYPE: Normal

 EVOLUTION CHAIN: Buneary → Lopunny

♥

♥

♥

POKÉDEX ENTRY: Its ears are always rolled up. They can be forcefully extended to shatter even a large boulder. When it sense danger, it perks up its ears. On cold nights, it sleeps with its head tucked into its fur.

 NATIONAL NUMBER: 133 

 CLASSIFICATION: Evolution Pokémon

 TYPE: Normal

 EVOLUTION CHAIN: Eevee → Vaporeon, Jolteon, Flareon, Umbreon, Espeon, Leafon, Glaceon, Sylveon

♥

POKÉDEX ENTRY: A rare Pokémon on that adapts to harsh environments by taking on different evolutionary forms. Thanks to its unstable genetic makeup, this special Pokémon conceals many different possible evolutions.

 NATIONAL NUMBER: 025 

 CLASSIFICATION: Mouse Pokémon

 TYPE: Electric

 EVOLUTION CHAIN: Pichu → Pikachu → Raichu

POKÉDEX ENTRY: It raises its tail to check its surrounding. The tail is sometimes struck by lightning in this pose. It has a small electric sac on both its cheeks. If threatened, it releases electric charges from the sacs.

 NATIONAL NUMBER: 385 

 CLASSIFICATION: Wish Pokémon

 TYPE: Psychic/Steel

 EVOLUTION CHAIN: Legendary

POKÉDEX ENTRY: Generations have believed that any wish written on a note on its head will come true when it awakens. It is said to have the ability to grant any wish for just one week every thousand years.

CUTENESS OVERLOAD, I THINK YES! ♥

So tell me,

Which Pokémon do you think has the cutest design?

.. if you're not into that

Which Pokémon is your overall favorite design?

Thanks for reading!

Have a nice day.

◊ Marissa Intrieri ◊

eSports, or electronic sports, is a complete contradiction. They're like those starburst commercials. By definition a sport is "an activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others for entertainment" and electronic is "(of a device) having or operating with the aid of many small components, especially microchips and transistors, that control and direct an electric current". You can't do both, the most physical activity eSport competitors do is fast twitch their fingers, I'm sure they all have thumbs of steel! I don't even play competitively, yet I have a callus on my middle fingers because of how I hold my controller. Regardless, the term eSports is just not catchy.

This week's theme by Lost_in_Translation was about eSports ... to be clear LiT I am not hating on your theme choice!

The Challenge:

"What I'd like people to do this week, is discuss their thoughts on esports! Anyone not living under a rock can see that esports are growing in popularity in the gaming industry.  With that in mind, and with competitions like EVO and TI4, or the Smash Invitational at E3 highlighting its popularity, I want to hear your thoughts on esports.  It can be whether you're interested in it or not (and why), or if you've got some actual knowledge or experience with them, perhaps you might want to write a blog explaining what esports are all about, why people are so into it, etc.  It doesn't have to be some technical blog or go too deep into all the minute details of esports, but I think we could all learn some cool things about this latest craze.  So let's see some blogs on DOTA, LOL, MOBA, and everything else under the sun!"

I am not against Video Game competitions at all. Like any competition or tournament we see teams or individuals go up against each other to prove they're the best. There is nothing wrong with that and in fact shed's a nice light on video games, to show that they are taken seriously just like any other hobby. However, the label eSport it still ridiculous. A tournament can take place without having to put a label on it, just call it what it is, a video game tournament! Like Chess Tournaments, Poker Tournaments, Art Competitions, etc. You don't see any fancy name for those things. Then again, tournaments like that usually don't have such a huge crowd. Like regular sports, millions of people will pay to see live tournaments or live stream it now in days.

Even with such large turn outs, video games will never be a true sport. Unless you are participating in a Just Dance or some form of Kinect or Wii competition that actually involved physical activity, it will not be a sport. Video games, like any activity done competitively, requires skill and practice. These are admiral traits at with anyone who plays in the "major leagues". I mean Major League Gaming (MLG) is a thing too, a profession actually. Most teams in the MLG compete in eSports to win money and title (since that's their profession). It's a great accomplishment if they do, obviously, like any competition you enter to win.

OpTic Gaming won Call of Duty: XP 2011

Now there are countless tournaments going around, ones of smaller scales and such, that aren't noticed by ESPN or really broadcasted. This is normal, in order to make money teams have to compete; every win brings them up the ladder leading to the championships. The idea of eSports has been around for ever, competition is normal for anything that is PvP. The only sad thing is that in order for video games to be noticed or to be taken seriously, this contradictory label had to be slapped onto it.

To summarize, I am not against video game tournaments (they're great actually), just totally dislike the label of "eSport". It is not needed for video games to be taken seriously.

So tell me,

What do you think of eSports?

Thanks for reading.

Have a nice day

• Marissa Intrieri •

...what would they look like?

Would they be small and cute like in the game/anime? Some of them after all would make great domestic house pets. Just imagine, instead of Pet Stores we had Pokemon Stores! Instead of goldfish in a tank we could buy Goldeen and Seaking. When we go to adopt a canine from the animal shelter, we see cute little Growlithe and Houndour or their evolution. When we got to outdoor parks, in the trees we hear Pidgey and Taillow chirping away or when we go to tropical islands hear Chatot mimicking everyone. I imagine that in real life Pokemon would be localized as well due to environmental living conditions. It would be quite nice to have Pokemon around...

[Pidgey] They would be just as annoying as regular birds!

[Starly] Seriously, they'd be everywhere!

[Plusle & Minun] Still would be cute bunnies!

...then again, a lot of Pokemon would be extremely dangerous to those not seeking to capture or battle them. That's probably why in the anime a lot of characters would use guns and such to keep safe. While sure, there are a ton of Pokemon that would help the world and make a lot more things easier, they are quite as many that would be a danger. On the most basic level, the wildlife would be much more aggressive for now they would be able to attack you with special attacks, rather than just physical.

[Feraligatr] Much quicker than your average gator!

[Luxray & Shinx] Now they don't even have to maul you.

[Ninetails] ... what the fox?

But still, Pokemon would be extremely useful! I mean, then everyone could seriously just relax. There might be job decline due to Pokemon innovation, but I'm sure the economy would stabilize. People and Pokemon would work together to keep the world running. For instance, the post office would transform into a fast flying delivery system, 'cause you know planes take to long and harm the environment. We'd have Pelipper to deliver local mail and could have larger Pokemon, like let's say Flygon or Dragonite to get those quick shipments done. If not, planes and ships would still be used. We could have electric Pokemon working in power plants and really wouldn't need cars because we'd have Pokemon, thus saving the environment some more and not wasting space on parking lots! Pokemon would be very useful!

[Pelipper] Next rate air mail!

[Magnemite] We'd never run out of batteries!

Useful, but could also be totally disastrous! While there are many small Pokemon, there are also many large Pokemon! Many legendary that could literally destroy the world in an instant if they wanted to or at least wipe out the human race! I really don't understand why Pokemon listen to their Pokemon trainers, even yet don't rule the Pokemon world, they hold so much more power. I guess they are just nicer than human beings and aren't constantly trying to be the best. That's not all Pokemon though, I mean...the Godzilla of Pokemon, Tyranitar, probably wouldn't have a problem rampaging through town stirring up a sandstorm. Even in the anime, one episode featured an angry Tentacruel that wanted to destroy the human race because they destroyed their home, he was easily doing so too with its army of little Tentacool. Even a military tank didn't slow it down! However, just because one little girl (Misty) talked some sense into it, it left and went to live in peace. Strange, if only people would be as understanding.

[Tyranitar] We can only imagine what it'd look like.

[Articuno, Zapdos, Moltres] Legendary Trio would be the cause of climate change.

All in all, I don't think Pokemon being real would be such a bad idea. I mean we clearly see them living in peace in the anime and in the games, so I think the human race would be fine. ... Too bad they're not real, instead we're stuck with the millions of creatures that walk this planet. They may not have elemental attributes, but most animals and organisms are pretty amazing. But we really don't put animals up against each other, we've got lots and laws and stuff to protect our wildlife and precious pets.

But wouldn't it be awesome if we could all do this:

Seems pretty legit to me

Let our imagination run wild, the games are great and trainers know what it's like to love their Pokemon, yes even if it's just a game. Pokemon is a strange phenomenon that still is going on today. The series is a part of a lot of our childhoods and is so friendly that anyone can join in at any generation or any age. It's not just child's play as many assume, there is a competitive side along with a leisurely side. 14 years later and I still like the games, haven't watched the recent anime, but I hear it's better than last seasons. Regardless, Pokemon still has a long life ahead of it.

Gotta catch em' all!

Tell me,

How would you feel if Pokemon magically became real?

Thanks for reading.

Keep the imagination going!

♥ Marissa Intrieri ♥

A great thing about video games is variety. For even if game play feels similar between genres, they almost all look different. Especially with RPGs and non-realistic FPSs. A game's armory really improves the overall impression of a game, for who wants to be using weapons that look totally lame. While some weapons are simple, like the Master Sword from Zelda or the Hidden Blade from Assassin's Creed; they are a staple image to that franchise. However, most weapons do not hold as much value in a game.

Regardless, whenever someone plays a game, they typically will find that one weapon (if given the choice) that they will use for the majority of the play through and or revert back to it when necessary. Basically the safe zone weapon the you will use because you like it, because it looks cool, or because it totally just decimates everything! I find myself using weaker weapons just because I like the style, hence when I find one that looks awesome and is powerful, it is like the best of both worlds! This is not all players, a lot of people love trying out different weaponry!

This week's community MyIGN theme by Lost_in_Translation is Video Game Weapons!

The Challenge:

"What I'd like people to do this week, is write about their favorite video game weapons! There are so many different and unique weapons in gaming.  From firearms to swords to everything in between (Boogerman, anyone?). This week, I'd like people to write about their favorite weapons in video games. You could either write about a particular favorite weapon, a game that contains the best weapon set, or a general look and analysis on the types of weapons you see, why they work, why they don't, etc. Or...you could come up with some completely different weapon-related topic! The choice is completely yours!"

There is a large amount of weapons, so here are some of my favorites below either due to design, innovation or use in games.

In no particular order here are some weapons:

» FAEBLADES «

Sheathed Fate-touched Faeblades

Unique to the game Kingdoms of Amalur; Faeblades are 1 of the 9 weapon choices. Preferably used by the Finess class, because the Faeblade skill tree falls in that category. Faeblades consist of two curved daggers put together and placed in one hand. They are a weapon created by the Fae in order to inflict mortal wounds. However, they are weaker than daggers, yet allow for 360 coverage. Faeblades rely on critical chance and critical damage. Like all the other classes, there are special abilities that can be learned. There are also an assortment of designs for the blades, each unique one granting something different. While I prefer to use daggers, I love the Faeblade designs and would wear them because they look like wings!

» CHAKRAMS «

Stormscythe Chakrams

Chakrams are another unique weapon to Kingdoms of Amalur and again are 1 of the 9 weapon choices. Chakrams are typically used by the Sorcery class because they deal physical and magical damage, and the Sorcery class hold its skill tree. Chakrams are ring-shaped short-range weapons, although are perfect for mages who want to fight at medium distances. They are imbued with magic so you toss them to attack, but they will come back to you like a yo-yo. The skills unlocked for the Chakrams allow for great versatility; one move unleashes a complete 360 spin sweep, obvious good for when you're surronded. They allow for easy movement, although in a the middle of a move, dodging is disabled because the Chakrams have not returned! Like the Faeblades, there are many unique designs. In my play through Chakrams were my weapon of choice. They deal a sufficient amount of damage and look awesome!

» SPINNERS «

Used only by the protagonist Marta Lualdi. The spinner is pretty self explanatory; Marta wears it like a glove where the top spinner can freely spin and slash through things. Just imagine a pinwheel, on your arm, with razor sharp blades! The spinners come in a bunch of different designs, each is a weapon upgrade and some grant special stats against specific types of creatures. There are 20 different spinners to be found throughout the game. While a neat design, Marta herself is pretty useless in combat, so I would just use 3 monsters. Spinners deal physical damage, yet Marta did not have great physical attack strength, leaving her weapon of choice very inefficient.

» F.L.U.D.D. «

Flash Liquidizer Ultra Dousing Device, aka F.L.U.D.D. aka FLUDD! FLUDD is a tool used by Mario created by Professor E. Gadd. FLUDD's main ability is that it is able to squirt water mouth of it's nozzle like a gun! FLUDD is is able to change it's nozzle, so it doesn't have to remain a squirt gun, it can attach a hover nozzle, rocket nozzle or a turbo nozzle. Each one of the nozzles performs a different task, each one is pretty self explanatory. FLUDD is there to assist Mario in combat and help him navigate Isle Delfino. FLUDD appears in a few of Mario's spin-off games, like Super Smash Bros. Brawl as one of Mario's specials moves. There it utilized its water gun mode to combat enemies. It has a mind of it's own, but ultimately is kind and extremely useful! As long as FLUDD is filled with water, you'll always have a trusty pal with you!

» MEHRUNES' RAZOR «

Mehrunes' Razor Prop

Pretty much all weapons are designed awesomely in Skyrim, but my all time favorite is the Daedric Artifact Mehrunes' Razor. Simple design YES! Deadly YES! This tiny razor is lightweight and fast, and has a little bit less than a 1.98% chance to instant kill. It also has infinite charges, so its enchantment never needs to be restored. It appears in all the past Elder Scrolls games, but I enjoy the design in Skyrim the best. The razor is a reward for completing "Pieces of the Past" if you choose option A. If you choose option B, the razor will never form together. The quest tasks you with hunting down it's three parts; the hilt, pommel and shards. The fourth and final piece is held by the quest giver. Like I said, if you chose option A you will receive the reward, the Daedric Prince Mehrunes Dagon appreciated your choice.

» Poltergust «

Poltergust 5000

Who would of thought a vacuum cleaner would be able to destroy ghosts?! This innovation of an everyday house hold appliance is created by Professor E. Gadd and used by Luigi. The original Poltergust 3000 looks like plain ole' vacuum cleaner you would use to vacuum your floor, nothing really special about it. 12 years later it's upgraded version, Poltergust 5000 (Dark Moon), still looks like a simple vacuum. Alas it is not so simple, a vacuum combined with a flashlight makes a great weapon to defeat the supernatural and at the same time clean up some dust!

» RETRO LANCER «

Gold Mark 1 Lancer Assault Rifle

Prior to the Locust War, the Mark I Lancer Assault Rifle (Retro Lancer), was the standard gun for the COG army. They were created for the COG army during the Pendulum War. A year after Emergence Day, the Retro Lancers pretty much became obsolete, however they began to resurface again after the Sinking of Jacinto. In order to combat the new tough skinned Locust, the Mark II Lancer Assault Rifle became the standard COG weapon. Personally, the Retro Lancer is actually my weapon of choice in Gears of War 3, while the regular Lancer is great (it's a chainsaw gun, what is cooler than that?!), I much prefer the ease of just being able to charge and stab my enemies.

» ZELDA'S BOW «

Unlike in Wind Waker and Spirit Tracks, this is actually Zelda's Bow. Forged by Light Spirits the bow also wields to power of light, which helps aid in the fight of Ganondorf. She can materialize Light Arrows at her will, hence no quiver is needed. Her light bow is used in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, the upcoming Super Smash Bros. and Hyrule Warriors. It is her final smash; the light arrow will literally pierce through all enemies. However, in the actually Zelda series, light arrows are only able to damage Ganondorf. I really like the heavenly design of the bow itself, it shows how pure and magical Zelda really is.

» BANE «

The Bane is a ...unique... SMG produced by Hyperion...I don't really have words for it, so I'll conclude with a video of showcasing this weapon. It is pretty much a gun gone wrong!

How many was that? 9 different weapons, I think I'll stop there. I tried to keep it versatile, but there are just SOOOO many weapons. I was going to write more, but I came down with this fever and feared I would not make the deadline, so I cut my blog short. Other weapons I was going to include was the "Hookblade" from Assassin's Creed: Revelations, "Reflector" from Ōkami, and the "Flashlight" from Alan Wake.

So tell me,

What one of your favorite weapons and why?

Thanks for reading!

Have a nice day!

» Marissa Intrieri «

Brains > Brawn, a community blog challenged issued by NerdExp. I have one simple answer to this...and yes it is Pokémon related. Whenever I think of the most intelligent being, I think of none other than the original God of Pokémon. Small and cute, this Pokémon's DNA created every single other creature (or so it's said to be). There is no other Pokémon like it.

That Pokemon is Mew.

#151 Mew

The Challenge:

"Who do you think is the smartest characters in media? Who has the capability, knowledge and intuition necessary to outwit their opponents but isn’t capable of defeating them in combat? Only heroes or villains, or the in-between guys, who are mentally gifted but physically weak should be included."

In the first Pokémon film, Mew compared to Mewtwo was the underdog. It was cute and carefree, while Mewtwo was vicious and organized. Yet, Mew was able to combat everything with ease. It out smarted it's opponent in almost every move. Possibly because Mew is capable of learning every single Pokemon move known, even transform (a move exclusive to Ditto, another character I would fear).  Mew is classified as the "new species Pokémon", hence targeted by a lot of scientists. Mewtwo is it's only successful clone and Ditto (perceived by the fan base) is a failed clone.

Mew vs. Mewtwo

Mew acts as if it has no idea what is going on, yet it knows exactly what is going on. As a psychic type Pokémon telepathy is one of it's strong points. Not only that, but Mew is a fast Pokémon giving it the ability to flee or fight at will. I bet Mew can predict what is going to happen before it happens, hence how the entire movie it remains practically unscathed.

Mew has both capability, knowledge and intuition necessary to outwit opponents. It also has the ability to totally annihilate them with attacks if necessary. Mew is pretty much a jack of all trades. It may seem like a dumbfounded Pokémon, but don't let it's cute looks fool you, it is literally capable of doing anything!

If you want to see Mew in action watch the first Pokemon film "Pokémon: The First Movie" and/or "Lucario and the Mystery of Mew". Which both are fully available on YouTube...

Thanks for reading!

Have a great day!

Pokémon © The Pokémon Company

◊ Marissa Intrieri ◊

Style? What is style? Is it the way one walks? The way one talks? The way one looks? Style leaves an impression of a person, since it after all is just a manner of doing something. Many aspire to be the most iconic or the most fashionable, but that's just outer appearance. What matters is on the inside, and typically the personality will glow. It's always refreshing to see someone chipper and happy, being positive, even in times when it seems so grim.

This week's theme by Lost_in_Translation is Style!

The Challenge:

"What I'd like people to do this week, is write about their favorite character or type of style in movies, TV, or video games! This could be anything from a character's general personality, to the things they wear, to how they go about doing their business. I'd like to hear what people think makes these characters stylish. More importantly, what's so unique about them that sets their style apart from others? Or if you don't want to talk about a specific character, talk about a film or game that had a particularly unique style. It doesn't mean the game had to be the best ever to you, but I do hope you have some unique choices and titles that you really loved in part due to how stylish it came off."

My favorite style would be those who walk with positive attitudes. That even in the darkest hours, they shine bright! The optimistic style sometimes is a rare case. I tend to run into a lot more negative people than positive, hence why seeing such a jolly style is uplifting. Whenever a happy person walks into a room, the mood is generally lifted to a better place.

Oerba Dia Vanille

Final Fantasy XIII (2009 JP)

Oerba Dia Vanille

"Wishes can come true, but not if you just wait for miracles. Miracles are things we make for ourselves, here and now."

Lara Croft

Tomb Raider (2013)

Lara Croft

"A famous explorer once said, that the extraordinary is in what we do, not who we are. I'd finally set out to make my mark; to find adventure. But instead adventure found me. In our darkest moments, when life flashes before us, we find something; Something that keeps us going. Something that pushes us."

Agnès Oblige

Bravely Default (2013 JP)

Agnès Oblige

"Unacceptable!"

Now these 3 aren't my favorite characters ever, but I like their attitudes. Not only that they are quite fashionable. Vanille wears my favorite Final Fantasy XIII outfit, it's just so cute and fun! Lara Croft sporting the tattered worn out work, obviously from the hardship she endured and Agnes, her normal garb is plain, but all her different job outfits make her look fabulous!

Thanks for reading!

BE POSITIVE!

♠ Marissa Intrieri ♠

The Xbox One features the ability (if you have Kinect set up) to easy just say "Xbox Record That" and it will get the last 30 seconds of whatever you just played. Some games will also just auto record for you when something happens. I have been able to record epic and funny moments from all the games I play. I can't wait for more games to drop later this year, so I can record more stuff, because being able to look back on some things that happened is just fun! Then I can make it all fancy in Upload Studio for you all to see.

♣

First up some of my favorite Call of Duty: Ghosts moments, I find using the "Xbox Record That" moment the most in this game! I added voice over to explain what was happening and so you all can hear my lovely voice I apologize that I say "this time" a lot in the video, didn't really know how to start the sequence! These clips are placed in chronological order, so the ones you see first are the oldest and one's you see last are the newest.

Second, more FPS action with Battlefield 4. Had some crazy kills and then some really bad luck, like really bad luck! These clips are also in chronological order by oldest to newest.

Third, 5 ways to fail in Trials Fusion. The beauty of this is that it will auto record my bike trampling me and label it as "That's Just Wrong". I have so many failures it really isn't even funny. Here are the 5 that I liked the most. Also, correcting my own speech, the last two clips are taken place on the Riders of the Rustlands DLC pack. Again, these videos are from oldest to newest.

Lastly, are some Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag multiplayer moments. I actually never really played any of the Assassin's Creed multiplayer features in any of the past games because it was unnecessary, still kind of is. I have no care that PvP won't be in the upcoming Assassin's Creed: Unity. I'm actually happy it's just co-op.

♣

So tell me,

What are some of your favorite multiplayer moments?

Thanks for reading/watching!

Happy Gaming!

♦ Marissa Intrieri ♦

All video games are a piece of art. Each player takes away something different from them and interprets them in various ways. However, a game to a developer is pretty much their masterpiece. It is something they put time, effort, dedication, money, etc. into. This week's theme hosted by Lost_in_Translation is Video Game Art!

The challenge:

"What I'd like people to do this week, is blog about their favorite pieces of video game art ! We haven't really given artists their due yet on these blog themes.  This week, I'd like to show them some love. I'd love to see the community put some blogs together on their favorite videogame art and artists.  It could be a collection of drawings from one artist, a variety of art from one series/franchise, or just a collection of great pictures. In fact, if some of you want to get truly creative, I'd love to see some blogs with people's own persona drawings.  Either way, let's celebrate art for art's sake!"

Some of my favorite video game art is level and character designs. Now, I typically like the final product, but I like to appreciate artwork in their concept stages. This is before the characters we seen on screen exist, and while concept art typically looks like the end result it is always different. I want to appreciate these early stages of an idea because from it stems the greatness we see on screen.

My favorite video game franchise is Pokémon. I like seeing a lot of people's fakemon or fan art of it, but the original drawings are just so great. I mean sure some of the Pokémon ideas are kind of like "are you kidding me", but they work, so really no complaints. One great concept art I absolutely love by Ken Sugimori, the illustrator of the original artwork of Pokemon  games, is the Pokéball design.

Ken Sugimori's original Pokéball design

We are so used to now the Pokéball being a capsule that opens on a hinge, not a slid open design. We're so used to the bottom lying on the seem where red meets white and opening like a clam. Can you image if the Pokéball's went with this design? We would obviously be accustomed to it, but now it's official design is so different. However, the current idea may have never became if this original idea never surfaced. Hence, why I love concept arts, because great things come from them!

All the current Pokéball designs!

♦ ♥ ♦

The Pokéball is just an item, a very central item. Moving onto larger designs now such as landscape. Video games are pretty much drawings brought to life. They are giving depth and texture, and with today's technology, pretty much makes them life life. Pacing up to recent news, a few months ago (I think) some Dragon Age: Inquisition concept art arose and it was stunning. The artwork was gorgeous and we as consumers were able to image what it would look like in a game engine. Most, if not all, of the concept art is created by Matt Rhodes, the Lead Concept Artist of Dragon Age: Inquisition at Bioware.

Dragon Age: Inquisition Concept Art

Dragon Age: Inquisition

I actually haven't played either of the Dragon Ages, but graphically Inquisition looks gorgeous. Just looking at the original concept of whatever this area is and seeing the 3D creation of it is like magic. Literally bring one picture to life. That is something video games and movies/TV shows do well (storyboards and all). Development teams take an inanimate painting and adds more life to it. The original artist's work is already moving, just look at it, all the feels. Time, practice and skill is needed to make something that maginficent.

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Now moving away from level design, one of the most, if not the most, important design aspect is character. Character art is ideal. It is not just about looking cool, it is about giving the character depth and meaning. A character will typically go through many different stages. While most artist have an idea in their head, it may take a while to find that perfect character design that will sit just perfectly in the game. I love looking at early concept art of characters because sometimes they are so different than the final product. While generally they will share similarities, it's nice to see that the character had options.

Midna's concept art featured in Hyrule Historia

Midna's Final Concept

Midna was illustrated by the talented Yusuke Nakano. Just look how many different Midna, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, designs there were. While they all wore a mask and had long pointy ears, they were all vastly different. However, I couldn't imagine Midna in any other design than the one she is finalized in. It fit perfectly for the dark tone Twilight Princess had. Character concept art is so critical, because we don't want to be playing with a character that looks or feels out of place. I like appreciating the different styles characters might have been and all the hard work the designs put into the characters. It's a reminder that illustrators and designers have to make hard choices in finalizing a character, and we shouldn't just instantly criticize what we think is a poor design. A lot of effort goes into these characters and they pick the one they feels is just right.

While it may be harder to come across concept art, I find it's something nice to look up. Sometime developers will post them otherwise they will pop up randomly. Either way it is nice to appreciate pre-designs before they are finalized. These are the core ideas in which what we see stems from. Hence, why I always say game's are art. Even if a game seems crappy so much effort goes into them and developers do what they think is best for their idea. It's sad to constantly read comments like "this game looks like crap" etc. because those people probably have trouble drawing a straight line. Everyone should just appreciate games!! Be happy, appreciate art!

So tell me,

What are some of your favorite video game concept artworks?

Thanks for reading!

Art appreciation ♥

♦ Marissa Intrieri ♦

Exactly 1 year (and 1 month) ago I bought this wonderful game called Animal Crossing: New Leaf. I already knew I was getting into a real time game that required dedication, I played the past version on GameCube, DS and Wii. However, this one has maintained my attention the longest. There is always so much to do now that we are the mayor of the town. So I will like to reflect on the accomplishments and transformations I made over the course of the year, as told in pictures (one of the best aspects of New Leaf)! Spoilers of what your town may become!

♦♥♦

JULY

7/25/13

I built my first public works project!

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AUGUST

8/17/13

I visited another town for the first time! My good friend Ronnie and I got to listen to K.K.'s acoustic session!

8/19/13

I built a Modern Police Station!

8/20/13

I built the Roost Café!

♦

SEPTEMBER

9/11/13

Built a bonfire!

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OCTOBER

Halloween 2013

Happy Halloween!

♦

NOVEMBER

11/24/13

Traded a scallop for wise words from Pascal!

11/28/13

Thanksgiving!

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DECEMBER

12/10/13

Winter's first snowfall!

12/13/13

Animal Crossing's version of Santa Con!

12/24/13

Merry Christmas!

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JANUARY

01/01/14

01/01/14

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

01/09/14

Fully upgraded little Timmy and Tomm's shop to T&T Emporium with Gracie Grace on the top floor!

♦

FEBRUARY

02/28/14

02/28/14

Happy birthday to me! My villagers through me a party! How sweet! This was also the day I wrote my first official MyIGN blog!

♦

MARCH

03/07/14

Finished my diving collection!

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APRIL

04/01/14

April Fools? I failed to recognize all my villages, but one!

04/04/14

For 2 weeks we get pink cherry blossom trees!

04/20/14

Easter Bunny!

♦

MAY

05/26/14

 I tripped for the first time, had such bad luck that day!

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JUNE

06/18/14

I StreetPassed a bunch of people!

06/22/14

I learned how to dance!

♦

JULY

07/17/14

07/17/14

No more debt! Tom Nook sang me a nice song in Raccoonish.

 ♦

AUGUST

08/01/14

Overcame internet issues, finally connected with StarSeeker94! Look at his snazzy town.

08/01/14

Fabulous. I was able to pull off my town flag as a shirt and StarSeeker's MasterBall design as a hat!

08/10/14

Summer fireworks!

08/15/14

Finally caught a fly and completed my bug collection!

♦ ♥ ♦

There you have it, my life in Animal Crossing. I have had villagers come and go; I've had them place their houses on my land without my consent and also leave without my knowing. Seriously, sometimes villagers just do what they want and don't even consult the mayor! I still have lots to do, there are still public works I have yet to unlock that I want. I still need to unlock Katrina's store on Main Street. I still need to finish the art exhibit in the museum. I need to catch a Stringfish to finish my fish collection. I would like to get better at designing clothing, so far I have only made 1 pro design that I actually like. There is still so much to do in this game. I have invested more than 400 hours and probably don't plan to quit anytime soon. As I said before, there is so much to do!

Thanks for reading!

Animal Crossing time!

♦ Marissa Intrieri ♦

This game get's a lot of love here on MyIGN, but Kingdom's of Amalur: Reckoning got solid critic reviews, but didn't meet sales expectations. Most likely due to poor advertisement and odd release date (February 2012). It's a western RPG developed by 38 Studios and Big Huge Games, published by EA. It's a shame that both development studios went out of business because this game did not sell well.

This week's community theme by Lost_in_Translation is Underrated Entertainment!

The Challenge:

"What I'd like people to do this week, is blog about something they feel is underrated! It could be an underrated videogame, movie, TV show, band, book...whatever, really. The only requirement is that it has to be something or someone you feel deserves more recognition for what they do. Simple enough, right?"

I have this game for Xbox 360 (it is also available on PS3 and PC). I have put over 110hrs into this game, it honestly isn't that long, but I enjoyed every hour. Graphically the game is more mystical and cartoonish. It's kind of like if Skyrim and Fable had a baby (at least in my opinion.) The game is a solid RPG, yet some say it didn't add anything new. While it has the standard RPG formula, I like how they executed the destinies (classes) and fighting mechanics. The game wasn't all that difficult and I only encountered a few glitches. This game had a strange charm to it, yet isn't the most preferable compared to other RPGs on the market. A lot of effort went into this game, and one of the best aspects is the artistry. Especially of all the unique weapons. Not only that but they added unique weapons like magic charms and sharp faeblades. The combat system was not complicated but allowed for versatile game styles. Standard to RPGs are skill trees and abilities, which were based on leveling rather than experience with a specific attribute. I just feel this game deserved more loved from the public, it kind of flew under the radar.

♦

Short and sweet. Spread the love.

Thanks for reading,

Happy Gaming!

♠ Marissa Intrieri ♠

Pretty much in every type of entertainment; TV, books, movies, video games; there is a main character and then their sidekick. That person who is always there, but isn't really the central character. While in Television and Movies they may be credited as series regulars or high on the credit role, we all know as an audience that they are not the center of attention. Sometimes we watch movies or play games are like "the side characters are more interesting than the main characters!" So this blog is to play homage to those important sidekicks!

This week's theme hosted by Lost_in_Translation is Sidekicks!

The Challenge:

"What I'd like people to do this week, is blog about your favorite sidekicks! Sure, leads are great, but for every Batman on TV, movies, comics, books, or videogames, there's a Robin, the partner that provides the quips, support, and general awesomeness that makes you love them no matter what!  Pick one you love, and write about it, or why they complement their main hero so well!"

♥

The bottom line is that...the best sidekick ever is Pikachu. Yes. That little yellow electric rat Pokémon that sit's on the central character's shoulder. Ash Ketchum received Pikachu as his starter Pokémon. Pikachu was always a rebel, but eventually created this deep friendship bond with Ash. Pikachu obviously cannot speak human language, but that does not stop him from being hilarious and just badass in general (not to mention adorable!)

Pikachu is technically Ash's sidekick, partner in crime, best friend etc. They do everything together. Pikachu travels with Ash to every region participating in several battles. He also had his fair share of contests. Pikachu provides support by being one of Ash's main battlers. Although Ash himself isn't the best trainer...hasn't one a single league battle...Pikachu can hold it's own!

Besides from battling, Pikachu is also hilarious and will add his Pika quips here and there. Like his love for Ketchup and Pecha berries. Pikachu is also caring and forms deep bonds with almost all other Pokemon as well. Remember the Pikachu short from the first movie? Well if not, I'll share it with you:

Pikachu is ultimately the mascot of Pokemon. Probably one of the most well known video game characters in general. Typically if you ask someone if they know who Pikachu is, they'll associate it with Pokemon or the yellow creature. I think all cities should have Pikachu parade to commemorate how awesome he is!

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Thanks for reading! Sorry I haven't been as active in these past few days. School has started once again, even though I only have classes three times a week they are time consuming. Instead of reading and commenting on blogs, I now read my textbooks and write notes lol. When I do get time off, I find myself playing video games. Most recently Diablo III: Ultimate Evil Ed. I've been binging on the game and with Destiny coming out next week, I'll probably be playing that a lot. But don't worry, I'll still read and comment blogs, best to just post them on my wall!

Also, I had a fallout with Disqus and it deleted almost all of my July-August (yup super lame). Now they just say "Guest". I guess not all merged at the time, so my older comments were saved. #firstworldproblems. Now when I look back at my blog archives for 2014's summer, I see my comments as anonymous. *sigh* oh well...Nothing I can do about it now.

Thanks for reading!

Peace!

‹ Marissa Intrieri ›

There is already a national holiday literally called 'Teacher's Appreciation Day', but really, everyday should be that day. People who take the time to spread knowledge to our young minds, how thoughtful is that. This week's theme by Lost_in_Translation is Teachers/Mentors/Inspirers/etc! Sometimes video games themselves can teach us things or help create some habits (good and bad).

The Challenge:

"What I'd like people to do this week, is blog about their favorite teacher in videogames, movies, tv, or all of the above!  Some of us are still in school, while others left many moons ago.  But there was likely that one teacher from media that inspired you far more than any academic, real world teacher ever could.  OK, maybe not, but there have been some great teachers throughout the various forms of media.  Whether you want to highlight a sexy teacher, a mentor-like teacher, or just things you've learned/been taught from videogames, the choice is yours!"

I only have a nice littler blurb for my teacher appreciation.

♥

I Will Always Remember

Dear Miss Clefairy,

Thank you for teaching me the importance of video game button remembrance. At the ripe age at 5 years old, I was no star student. You corrected me when I was wrong, even though most of the time it would just give me a concussion. I was able to learn pattern recognition as a must faster pace. My short term memory was on point. Putting the most of 12 symbols on the board for me to memorize in a few seconds and then remember them was quite the task! However, it has well paid off! My quick sense of being able to memorize patterns is all thanks to you!!!! I will always remember Clefairy Says!

Thanks,

Missy Mee

♥

I don't know why, this is the first thing that came to mind when I thought of teachers haha! For those of you that don't know, Clefairy Says is a mini game in Pokémon Stadium for Ninendo 64. I remember being a kid, this game was so hard for me. Put then practice after practice, I got better at memorizing the patterns. I would get so mad at myself when I would mess up.

So thanks for reading! Sorry if i'm not as active. School requires a lot of attention. Then on my free time I like to play games, with Destiny coming out tomorrow, I'll be whisking hours away into that. Just like how I did with Diablo. Fighting and looting stuff, my favorite types of games!

♥

So tell me, for those of you that have played,

What is your favorite mini game in Pokémon Stadium?

Easily, mine is Sushi-go-Round.

Thanks for reading!

Have a great day!

Marissa Intrieri

Games. There are plenty we cannot be more excited for! Whether there is universal hype or not, there is typically a game that is bound to come out that you just wish the release date was closer. Nothing feels better than being able to play that game for the first time it what probably felt like forever. My fellow friend mikeerik tagged me in his blog challenge. He created this nice blog challenge about games we are/have anticipated. The rules go as followed:

1. 2014 Anticipated Game
2. 2015 Anticipated Game
3. Extra Anticipated Game
4. Most Anticipated Game Ever

At least that's how I interpreted the rules. You can check our the original challenge and blogs here: Community Blog: Most Anticipated Games.

Surprise? Probably not, I love Pokémon. When I specifically say Alpha Sapphire, I mean Alpha Sapphire, don't care about Omega Ruby (even though they're practically the same.) Sapphire back in 2003 was probably my most played Pokémon game (either that or Diamond, I can't remember). However, this specific generation introduced so many new mechanics and activities. It introduced Secret Bases, the Battle Frontier/Tower, and my favorite Pokémon Contests! Not only that, but their cities/towns were the most diverse and different. I can't wait to see everything in 3D glory along with all new Mega Evolutions. Still disappointed no Mega Flygon was confided, but all in all this is my most anticipated game for 2014!

I was torn between who to write about either Tom Clancy's The Division or Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Siege, both games being published/developed by Ubisoft. While The Division is a new IP that I am looking forward too, I love the idea of Siege. I played Rainbow Six: Vegas when it was free on Xbox Live and fell instantly in love with it. I am a sucker for cop games, but not only that, it's a co-op cop game. I am all for teamwork and that game looks like it heavily relies on it! Can't wait to hear more stuff about this game.

Ah another November 2014 game and another game by Ubisoft. I actually have a lot of anticipated Ubisoft titles. However, Assassin's Creed is by far my favorite series by them. I played the first one, and the second one, and brotherhood, and revelations, and three, and four...and now I will play Unity and someday Rogue (I like being an Assassin, not really interested in being a Templar). While many people have got bored of the series, I still enjoy it. I like every story and the characters. The only game I didn't finished was III because the mechanics were such a struggle that I gave up on it. I am extremely excited for Unity. This is my most anticipated console game for the year. I know this series is annualized and I am honestly fine with that. These mechanics look extremely smooth and next-gen ready. But of course my favorite selling point is co-op! I love cooperative games. Working together and going back to the beautiful landscapes of Europe is extremely exciting. The characters introduced so far, Arno and Elise, seem like they'll have some Romeo & Juliet love story going on. I dig that, romance is cool lol. Besides that, I am truly just a fan, I have yet to be disappointed by an Assassin's Creed.

Zombieeesss! Ha wait what, bet you all weren't expecting this to be my all time most anticipated game ever. When I played Left4Dead back in 2008 then heard of the second one about to be released, I was ecstatic. Co-op zombie slaying/survivor hunting. This game was number one on my list. When it finally released, I pretty much played this game for like 2 years straight and still play it every now and then today. I made friends that I still play with today. Too bad the Xbox 360 servers are crap, this game is a gem. I really can't remember my super excitement since this was 5 years ago, but I can tell you I was pretty hyped. I think at the time I didn't actually have my own Xbox, but I was getting one for my birthday that year and this was like the 2nd game I bought for my console (pretty sure the first was Left4Dead, although I think I nought them at the same time). Regardless, this game was on my watch list for some time and it did not disappoint me at all.

So yup that's it. I'm not going to tag anyone, in fact the two people I had in mind mikeerik already tagged them :p

Again you can check out the original challenge here: Community Blog: Most Anticipated Games.

Thanks for reading!

Totally sitting in class and should be paying attention...oops!

♦ Marissa Intrieri ♦

Fall season is my favorite season. Not only because I live in the Northeast and I get to experience, what I think, the most beautiful season. As leaves start to change from green to orange, the entire mood of my suburban environment changes. The hot, humid weather starts to leave and the cool breezes start to move in. Later in the season the trees will start to go bare, leaving lovely piles of leaves to play in! Apart from the lovely outdoors, my much loved indoor TV shows will start emerging. This theme marks the 20th weekly blog hosted by Lost_in_Translation and is all about 2014's Fall TV Season! I love my TV shows. Coming him after a long day of school just to relax and watch my shows. I pretty much have my show schedule down pact and for the ones I miss, I'll just watch them the next day online or on the app!

The Challenge:

"What I'd like people to do this week, is blog about the Fall TV season! This week marks the unofficial start of a brand new Fall season of TV shows.  So I'd like people to write about their favorite shows returning (and why they love them!), what shows you're looking to check out that you've never seen before, and what new shows you think will be the next big hits on TV!"

With no further ado let me divulge you all in my TV schedule. I'll in order by day of the week and time! Just FYI, I really like CW shows :p

♠

♦ MONDAY ♦

Show: The Originals

Season: 2

Network: The CW

Time: 8:00pm EST

This show is much darker than it's parent show, The Vampire Diaries. As a spin-off, this show really held it's own and picked up the pace for gruesome epicness in it's later half season. Always a rivalry between brothers, must be a thing in the TVD universe and of course over a girl, but not as teeny-bopper dramatic. Plus, every so often blood is spilled and there are some dark themes, especially some really deep rooted family issues.

♦ WEDNESDAY  ♦

Show: Arrow

Season: 3

Network: The CW

Time: 8:00pm EST

I skipped watching the first season of Arrow, then binged watched it on Netflix. Naturally I got hooked and watched it on prime TV. Season 2 was amazing, mostly due to Deathstroke's actor, Manu Bennett, done a fantastic job. I'm excited to see where the show takes Thea Queen and Roy after season 2's finale. Each season their acting I think improves as well, so I'm not quite sure what to expect this season because season 2 put a pretty high standard for me. Whichever, I'm sure the cast and crew can pull it off. Except, for Laurel, I hope she dies.

♦

Show: The 100

Season: 2

Network: The CW

Time: 9:00pm EST

This show was a mid-season show, making there first season have merely 13 episodes. It was received well, so it was greenlit and I am extremely happy about this. The show has great potential. Acting can be polished, but the premise is good. It's pretty much like The Hunger Games meets Lost, at least in my eyes. These poor rejected rebel kids are shot down to Earth to see if it's survivable. Of course, there is already life down there which automatically turns into war. More gruesome and gritty stuff, my fave! By the end of the first season there is definitely less than 100 people from the group, and the people remaining are in quite a predicament. I'm excited to see where it goes/where they're at!

♦

Show: Criminal Minds

Season: 10

Network: CBS

Time: 9:00pm EST

My favorite crime TV. I have watched every episode of all 9 seasons. Netflix also just put every episode on, hello binge watching!!! It amazes me how after 9 full seasons the writers can still come up with twisted stories. I love the core cast as well, each one brings something different to the table. Jennifer Love Hewitt also joined this season, that shall be interesting, all I can think of is her role in Ghost Whisperer. Since this show is in the same time slot as The 100 I'll probably watch it the next day, due to The 100 most likely needing more support/viewers since it's new. 10 seasons is a long time for a show to be on, yet I really do not get bored of this show!

♦

Show: American Horror Story

Season: 4

Network: FX

Time: 10:00pm EST

I absolutely hate clowns! This season of the AHS anthology is called 'Freak Show' where the villain is a clown named Twisty the Clown (just great lol). AHS is by far my favorite TV show. It is always fully in depth, with themes and issues to be explored. There is constant use of filming techniques and the scripts are pretty messed up. The actors and actresses get to change faces once again and take on a new role. Leading lady Jessica Lange always does a phenomenal job, along with the rest of the cast. Each one has their own role and pretty much executes theme flawlessly (A+ acting in my opinion compared to many of the other shows I watch). Last year the creators toned down the craziness, which I enjoyed, because season 2 was like an eye seizure. I can't wait to watch all the terrifying twist and turns this season will have!

♦ THURSDAY ♦

Show: The Vampire Diaries

Season: 6

Network: The CW

Time: 8:00pm EST

Unfortunately for me I have a university class that runs until 8:40pm, so I'll have to watch this the next day. The Vampire Diaries in my opinion got progressively better throughout the season. Relationships are all over the place like always, but I am happy that at the end of season five they brought a beloved character back. Along with killing another one, who I wish would just stay dead, but no she won't. This season is pretty much about reuniting with each other, that's nice. Not sure what type of villain would fit in here, but I think the season will be entertaining like all the other ones.

♦

Show: Reign

Season: 2

Network: The CW

Time: 9:00pm EST

Reign had it's first season last year (to be honest I'm surprised it go renewed, but I'm glad it did). I like this historic drama a lot, about Mary Queen of Scots. She is portrayed by Adelaide Kane who does a great job, don't care much for Francis though. I enjoy all the twists and conspiracies the show brings. A bit of history and a bit of magic. I'm excited that I think this season Mary will really step up her game, be more devious like the Queen of France is. Show has a lot of potential, if written and executed well, it can go great lengths. Plus, the costume design always looks fab!

♦ SUNDAY ♦

Show: Once Upon a Time

Season: 4

Network: ABC

Time: 8:00pm EST

Season 3 was by far my favorite OUAT season, twisting the Peter Pan lore and bring Wicked to the town. I felt like season 1 and 2 kind of just set the roots. It's pretty much like watching my childhood fairytale stories come to life on the TV, but with twists. I like the characters each one being vastly different than the other. Since ABC is actually owned by Disney, it doesn't surprise me that almost all Disney princesses, princes and villains have appeared in some way, shape or form. Most recently adding the phenomenon of Frozen to the cast of season 4. Should be a great season!

♦

Show: The Walking Dead

Season: 5

Network: AMC

Time: 9:00pm EST

Zombies and possibly cannibals, 'nuff said.

♠

That's my TV line up, so tell me, what shows are you looking forward to?

Thanks for reading!

May we all be couch potatoes this season :p

♠ Marissa Intrieri ♠

Yesterday, Friday October 10th, I went to New York Comic Con. No, I did not have a fancy cosplay costume, although I wanted to, school has been very consuming this semester. I have never been to Comic Con before, but my friend (lucentsilver) has gone 3 times before. Friday was a great day to go, Saturday is always the busiest, but Friday still seemed pretty crowded to me! It was a nice day out too, kind of on the cool side, but doable, especially for all the cosplayers. I didn't go to any panels because I really didn't care much for them (and of course the lines.) It took almost all day anyways to fully walk the show floor and artist alley, so I didn't really mind not going to any.

Here I'll share some of my photos. They aren't the best, I'm still getting used to my camera. I used a Canon EOS600D (18-55mm lens), but I only got it two weeks ago as a gift, so I don't know all the proper techniques yet. Sorry no pictures of me, photographer rarely get's a shot of themselves which I'm cool with 'cause I virtually had no costume beside my custom Pokémon shirt I got on RedBubble haha! The camera did it's job and took pictures of some awesome crafty costumes!

When I first entered the show room, there were obviously a lot good costumes. I'm upset I didn't get a picture of the characters from Call of Duty because I didn't ask. "Cosplay is not Consent", if you want a picture you have to ask. It's always nice to acknowledge people who work hard on their costumes. The first cosplayers I took a picture of were these two guys dressed as Tyson Rios and Elliot Salem from the video game series Army of Two. I love this series and their costumes were awesome, so I had to ask!

Tyson Rios and Elliot Salem

Walking along the aisles my friend and I would mark places we'd come back to. Information is valuable, so we were inquiring about prices amongst similar vendors. I'm pretty sure we were walking down the book publisher's aisle when I spotted these Borderlands characters just standing around. I think their friend was on the phone, so Zer0 and Moxxi were kind of just posing. Courtesy I still asked because that Zer0 costume was pretty sweet! I saw a lot of Psycho's walking around too, but didn't manage to get their photos.

Zer0 and Mad Moxxi

Moving along, one of my favorite things was seeing all the cute kids dressed in character costumes! For instance, this one kid saw this really good Arrow and Roy cosplay and was like mesmerized. So the dad was like "go get a high five". Heck, I wanted a high five from these people, there Arrow costumes (from the TV show) were one point! Anywho, in the middle of the picture a "real" ninja turtle came into the picture and all the kid would do was stare at him. This picture below actually captures the kids face that he held for like a full 2 minutes in amazement. Kids are so cute sometimes haha!

This kid having his dreams come true.

Moving along, probably the best thing about the con was they had a Just Dance 2015 (Ubisoft) stage!! I love using my Kinect to play Just Dance and I am super excited for the new one to come out. I won't but it right away (releases October 21st, 2014), but hello Christmas, this is like top of my list. It's like the best party game/work out! I like dancing, but when my friend and I first came across it there was a short line. However, it was just us 2 and you had to have 4 people. That's okay because everyone is nice though, 1 person teamed up with us because her friend didn't want to dance and then another soloist joined in, so we had 4 by the time it was our turn. Ubisoft had the Wii U version of the game, but nonetheless super fun! However, we picked like the hardest song in the entire game, I swear!! So many arm movements I literally couldn't comprehend haha. We picked the song "I Love It" by Icona Pop because we figured it's a fun song that everyone would know, but the struggle was real on stage. This picture is not of my group, but this group was killing it!

This little Iron Man was also doing the dance floor justice! The kid fell too, but that didn't stop em' from hopping right back up and dancing! So fricken cute!!!

After we finished our Just Dance dance...which was embarrassing because it was so hard, but totally fun NO REGRETS! lol we kept walking. Apparently there was more show floor this time than last time. The con took place at the Javits Center in New York, where pretty much all conventions are held, and the place is pretty big. The entire second floor was all show! Anywho, as we walked into a new area I came across my costume of the night. Literally, I don't even have words for how creatively awesome this costume is. My top costume award goes to this guy!

Ronald McDonald ... Thor edition?!

I mean, I hate clowns. Gosh, when I was watching American Horror Story on Wednesday, the clown literally traumatized me. But this costume was just so creative! Thor, but Ronald McDonald edition (or vice versa), so creative! His Mjölnir hammer is literally a 20 piece chicken nugget box, so cool! I literally said that too him "You're costume is awesome!" with just as much enthusiasm.

Here are some other costumes I liked:

Ace Attorneys' Phoenix Wright VS. Futurama's Bender:

Phoenix Wright VS. Bender

The three evil witches from the manga/anime Soul Eater:

Eruka, Medusa and Mizune

My friend went cosplaying as Ash and tried to catch them all. She actually bought that hat at one of the stands, it was the last one but totally completed the outfit. Even though her outfit was so simple, many people asked for her pic...it must have been the hat, I swear! She also had a Pokedex with her, so we tried to take a picture with everyone Pokémon we saw. We tried to find all the Eeveelutions but not all were there At least we got these three awesome people and two of them had there plushies as well!

Sylveon, Ash, Glaceon and Umbreon

We later found Flaeron!! (Also had the plush!)

Flareon and Ash Ketchum!

That was pretty much it. We just explored the show floor and artist alley. Pretty much from open to close, there was so much to see! Lots of fun!

Onto the stuff I bought:

My first purchase was a cute little dress. It was Bee's apron from "Bee and Puppycat" by Cartoon Hangover. The vendor I bought it from is called WeLoveFine. I got it for $40 (USD) which is pretty good. I like the quality and when I got home and tried it on it literally is the perfect fit. I'm pretty tall so I typically buy 1 size up just for length purposes and the sale rep said they run small. I will most likely wear it on Halloween, so I think it was a great deal, most adult Halloween costumes are like $50-$60 anyways. Plus, I can always wear it to another con (whether the show is still popular or not!) I loved the short "Bee and Puppycat" and can't wait for the series to start up on November 6th, 2014! If you haven't seen the short check it out, I find the cartoon quite funny!

I bought a special Animal Crossing print set by Finni Chang in Artist Alley. The set was $20, which is pretty awesome since the prints were 12"x12" and I love Animal Crossing: New Leaf, so it was totally worth my money. Unfortunaetly, I did not have a poster holder and even though I was careful, between walking around the con, walking to the shuttle bus, walking through the train...I got the littlest tear in both drawings Her artwork is truly amazing, so amazing that I had her sign both. Typically if I buy art I want the artist to physically sign it. I don't think these two illustrations are available for sale online, but she does have a whole Animal Crossing anthology art book called "Artisan Ordinance".

My last item, thought I'm not Legend of Zelda fanatic nor have I even played Ocarina of Time, I bought myself a little ocarina for $20. It's a tiny one from Songbird Ocarina, apparently called the TriForce Pendant Ocarina (in B-Flat). It's small and compact, literally looks like a chestnut with a triforce on it. Too bad, the neck string isn't adjustable because I can't wear it like I was hoping. Either way, it's a nice little token. Currently all I can play is the traditional "Happy Birthday", "Mary Had A Little Lamb" and "Jigglypuff's Lullaby"! I linked the tabs for the songs and if you look they're all very easy to play haha!

That's it! I bet most did not read half, but looked at all the pictures! And that's okay because pictures are worth 1,000 words (probably more!) If you ever get to go to Comic Con, wherever it is, whether it be San Diego, Chicago, New York, or another place; it is definitely worth it. There is lots of stuff, everything ranging from comics to anime to TV to video games to movies, pretty much an epic place to geek out with a whole bunch of other people who share those same interest. Everyone is also super nice and it's just a great environment.

I forget to mention how many people I StreetPassed with my 3DS! I literally completed 3 puzzles, I had to keep clearing the Mii Plaza. I also kept clearly my Super Smash Bros. Street Smash (or whatever it's called). I wish I brought my other games, everything reached maxed passes within the first 1hr. It was literally Nintendo 3DS/2DS galore!!

I am glad I got to go this year and I hope I get the chance to go again next year!

Thanks for reading!

Have a great day/night!

♠ Marissa Intrieri ♠

Card games have been around for what feels like forever. They are a basic games that anyone can play and they also come in a different forms. A standard playing card deck contains 52 cards with 4 different suits containing 13 cards each. While there are simple games like "Go Fish" there are also more mind empowering games like "Bridge". Then there are the games played for money like "Poker" and "Blackjack". There literally are so many card games, some probably can be made up on the spot, however whatever the form, in order to win it all comes down to playing one's cards right.

Moving away from basic cards, when I was a kid, trading card games were all the rage. Especially, the "Pokémon Trading Card Game (TCG)". Originally, when there was only 150 Pokémon, it was a lot easier to collect them all; now with over 700 Pokémon there are tons of different cards with different artistic designs and abilities. There are multiple cards of the same Pokémon, but in a variant form. Pokémon TCG wasn't the only popular card game in the late 90s/early 2000s, it's just the one I actually played, so I know more about it! Like regular card games, these were to be played against other people, but added more spice to the typical game. Since, everyone's deck could be unqiue, they were not restricted to the same deck of 52. In fact, all TCG have their own unique rules making them so fun.

This rave of the Pokemon TCG caused strange problems like the primary school Pokemon TCG ban. Many schools banned the activity of playing TCG, it wasn't just Pokemon...Yu-Gi-Oh and pretty much any other "game" was banned. Most of them were banned because of card stealing and cardsharking (pressuring into doing a bad trade), pretty much bad sportsmanship and out of control competition. There was a lot of issues, but like all things I don't really see why they should ban a card game, instead teach the children to be civil and have manners. They're not weapons or a threat to children, it is property and like most items if they are stolen you brought it to school at your own risk. Of course, since it was mostly little children bringing their cards to school it would in turn end up in tears and tattle-tailing. By now this rule has faded and new fads come and get to be banned. The most recent case of a 9 year old boy writing a letter to overturn the Pokemon TCG ban in 2011. Only 3 years ago and this card game still holds so much power.

All card games a skill based, although many people (especially parents and teachers fail to see that value.) Instead, they see it as a silly distraction with no value. However, most card games, have mathematical values to it and require quick thinking. Not only that, but most cards will have some type of description, help those youngsters learn to read! It also encourages imagination and creativity, usually a healthy sense of competition, social interaction, and amongst all having fun!

Physical games are still popular, but when virtual card started to surface it opened a whole new door for the card game industry. The GameBoyColor and it's successors, had a plethora of card games. For some reason, simply just playing against an AI was just as satisfying as playing against a real person. Games like "Pokemon Trading Card Game" for the GBC and "Yu-Gi-Oh: The Sacred Cards" for GBA were extremely popular. In a way, virtual card games were a good thing for people who didn't have enough money to invest in the little packs of cards or for those who had no one to play the physical card games with.

Trading card games continue to be popular, however now in days online card games have become extremely popular. When the tides turned to the digital age, virtual card games were (and still are) all the rage. There is literally a virtual card game for pretty much every standard card game. Games like "Magic: The Gathering" (MTG) created an online version of itself in 2002, but also has simple dedicate video games with it's current series "Magic: The Gathering - Duels of the Planeswalker" still going strong since 2012. Having PvP as easy access has made card games a hit. Not only that, but it is still a game that requires patience, time, and skill. Card games are not only about who has the better deck, but about who knows how to play their cards to their advantage.

If you're one who likes playing online casino card games, well then that is mainly luck just like in real card games. However, it is possible to do mathematical calculations to predict the next card. Virtual casino card games also require time, patience and skill. However, a lot more people feel safe playing the online version because it is not real money. There is less of a commitment or fear of losing everything, pretty much there are no repercussions for losing besides not being able to play for a bit. Note that not all virtual casino games use fake currency, there are plenty of online tournaments for real cash.

Moving onto today's card game industry, it seems PvP card games have been revised. I'm not sure the genre ever really died out, I may just not have been into it. For instance, Magic continues to be around both virtually and physically and kids still collect Pokémon cards. However, now there is even more technology than a decade ago. When Blizzard's "Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft" came out, it was an instant success. Why? The game had an addictive approach like most card games; collect them all, build the best deck, test out other people's skills to see who's the best. The basic foundation has been around since the beginning of card games, but Hearthstone adds flare to it. I cannot compare to MTG for I have not played it, but many people argue that Hearthstone is a lot more simplistic. Simple or not, there are still playing factors that people have to recognize. Like any collectable card game, once one understands how to play and trusts their deck, the game because pure fun rather than frustration.

Following the release of Hearthstone, other companies tried to appeal to the card genre frenzy. Looking at large publishers like Ubisoft who released "Assassin's Creed: Memories" and The Pokémon Company who released "Pokémon TCG Online" for mobile play. More cards to collect and more people to play against. Both are free-to-play games that most likely rely of micro-transactios in order to get more cards. Consumers will be able to pick one that suits them the best. For instance, I used to play Pokemon TCG physically with my sister, I had the mat and everything, but eventually she stopped playing with me so I upgraded to the GameBoy version of it; now even though there is an online version, I have come to prefer playing Hearthstone rather than trying to catch em' all again. Though I love and understand how to play Pokémon TCG, I really like the mechanics of Hearthstone. But that's just me, I have a friend who doesn't play any online card game and still gets together with his old high school friends to play MTG.

Card games will be around forever since there are so many variations of it. Each one requires a different skill which is admirable. Obviously the main skill is trying to predict the next card or your opponents plan; a tactician'e eye would be helpful indeed.

So tell me,

• What are some of your favorite card games?
• What do you think of card games in general?

I started writing this in July 2014...but for some reason never finished it. I apologize for this, but I don't remember what my actual point of the article was supposed to be! Not sure if it was suppose to be a history lesson on the evolution of cards, a statement about card games today, or what...so sorry about that!

Also, sorry I haven't posted anything since October. The Fall school semester was a harsh one and wintertime I always just want to be in hibernation mode. I've been playing a lot of games lately like "Pokémon: Alpha Sapphire" and "Sunset Overdrive" and just enjoying my new WiiU! Also, I've been binge watching the anime Fairy Tail that my friend got me hooked on. Hopefully, I'll get back into the swing of writing things.

Thanks for reading!

Happy New Year!

♠ Marissa Intrieri ♠

I have not participated in the weekly theme in months, the last one I wrote was at the end of September 2014. I know, shame on me, but I got busy with school, life, gaming, blah blah the usual stuff. This week's blog hosted by Lost_In_Translation is all about sacrifice! I have a nice personal gaming story about sacrifice, but first;

The Challenge:

"What I'd like people to do this week, is write a blog about sacrifice! The sacrificial trope is a common one in media, but when done properly it can be one of the most effective uses of ethos in existence. People build up relationships, you invest time in characters, only to see one of them make a noble gesture of selflessness, all for the sake of others. This could mean something small, or it could mean something big, even life changing. This week, I want to read your thoughts about sacrifices in gaming, tv, and other media. What are some particularly effective sacrifices you've played, watched, or sat through over the years?"

Sacrifices done for the greater good can be brutal. Sometimes they can be selfish, completely unnecessary, preventable, etc. but sacrifices are needed because it provides motivation and usually a benefits the "greater good". I have watched so many TV sacrifices where I'm just like "that was totally not even needed" and then I've seen some where I just shed tears because it was so touching. Either way, depending on the situation, sacrifices will happen and there will be a chain effect.

My sacrifice story is a gaming one that happened during a session of Diablo III: Reaper of Souls. I love this game, I have three level 70 core characters and am at paragon level 250, non-cheated, because cheating is lame. However, this event revolves around my hardcore character which only has one life to live.

I am typically not a selfish Diablo player and really believe in sharing is caring, but there is some backstory to how this turn of events went down. Back in March 2014 I wrote a blog called "Most Memorable Online Gaming Experiences" where I had one terrible mishap with the game Civilization. My first time playing and my friend dropped a nuke right onto my city of Beijing. I swore I would get revenge someday.

Finally, that day came in the event of Diablo. We were playing with our hardcore characters and accidentally entered the "Crumbling Vault" which is a timed dungeon. Not really sure why we walked in there because we really should not have. Any who I was using a Monk and my friend was using a ... wizard maybe, I forget. We entered the dungeon together and immediately saw impending death, yet we did not retreat. So, we tried to push forward, but unlike me, my friend could not teleport through the enemies. I heard him scream out "Missy help me", so I looked back, evaluated the situation, saw that I would not be able to do anything, and decided that he would be sacrificed in order for me to live. Perhaps this was my conscience getting my revenge on the Civilization moment because he swore I could have helped him. He did not die in vain though, for he distracted many of the enemies, allowing for me to find the exit and move along. Now, obviously that was not a willing sacrifice, nor did he even see it as a sacrifice, but for me it was. I honestly used that man as a sacrificial lamb in order to save myself. I do not deny this and it was selfish of me, but YOLO!

This incident resulted in my friend selling his copy of Diablo III.

Now back to the topic of sacrifices. Nobody wants to be a sacrificial lamb because that would me the choice to die is not willingly. (A sacrificial lamb is a metaphorical reference to a person or animal sacrificed for the common good.) Most of the time the person sacrificed is discredited or not even remembered, which is a shame, because their death is what brought good. A prime example of that would be in [SPOILER -- SEASON 2 THE WALKING DEAD -- SPOILER] when Shane shoots Otis in the leg to use as a distraction to get the medical supplies back to town. He later lied about how Otis died. This act of cruelty was done so Shane could get the supplies to a dying Carl, but also because Shane was selfish. The sacrifice benefited the group at the cost of another. [END SPOILER] If you're going to be sacrificed you most likely want to do because you want to be the savior. You want to be the one who helps everyone else out. Its not for the glory, its just because you're a good hearted person.

Unlike me in that Diablo case, I wanted to live, I also know that if the roles were reversed I would have been left for dead as well. Probably one of my most cold hearted moments, but what's done is done.

So tell me,

In gaming, have you ever been used as a sacrificial lamb?

In gaming, have you ever sacrificed someone against their will?

In real life, what situation would you even consider using someone else as a sacrificial lamb?

For me, I probably couldn't bring myself to willingly kill or incapacitate someone for the "greater good" because what is the "greater good"? Plus, I'd have a guilty conscience for the rest of my life and it would just be morally wrong. Even in a zombie apocalypse...well I'd probably be the lamb if that was the case 'cause I'd be pretty damn useless haha!

Thanks for Reading!

Happy Lunar New Year

♦ Marissa Intrieri ♦

So my artistically talented friend, Alyssa, drew my inquisitor lady from Dragon Age: Inquisition. Though she claims these are just "doodles" these "doodles" are far better than anything I can draw. I love artwork, I'm just no good at creating any, so I am very appreciative that my friend drew my character. She actually turned it into a little comic panel because why not!? Artwork with a backstory is even greater.

Before I post her artwork, here's what my lady elf inquisitor looks like:

My friend was telling me that her Templar pretty much has no social boundaries. I recently complained that I made my inquisitor look sad looking and has too pointy ears. So she said she'd draw something about that. Then I was like, I had my girl romance Cullen; so all three of those ingredients led to this:

Derpy Dorian in the background gets me laughing every time. Any who, just wanted to share this lighthearted panel with you all. My friend also started to make me a cute couples drawing with my inquisitor and Cullen. Valentine's Day was around the corner and what better thing to draw than love <3 So cute;

Sometime during the coloring process her ink pen exploded and that messed up the coloring...it also made it look like my inquisitor was doing a naughty thing with Cullen. Unfortunately, the drawing had to be scrapped. At least my friend and her girlfriend got a great laugh out of it.

Oh so sad, the coloring was going so well too. Oh well, it happens.

Speaking of coloring that went well, check out this fire Pokémon drawing she made for lucentsilver's birthday! I remember my friend texted me and was like "OMG look what Alyssa drew me" and my mind was pretty much blown.

All Fired Up!

A link to my friend's art blog: http://runsabre.tumblr.com

Contains a lot of Dragon Age works and other cool artsy stuff!

Check it out if you have some free time!!

So tell me,

Have you've played Dragon Age: Inquisition?

I haven't played Dragon Age Origins or Dragon Age 2, but I really enjoy Inquisition. Perhaps someday I'll get around to playing its predecessors, I hear they are a lot more story driven. Plus, then I can understand some of these characters more!

Thanks for reading!

5 more days 'till my birthday!

♥ Marissa Intrieri ♥

Dear Trash Talking, Rude, Sexist, etc. Gamer,

You know who you are.

I've been wondering, for what seems like forever, what you get out of being a complete jerk to other players. Do you get some sense of pride out of it? Does it boost your ego? Does it make you feel good degrading other people? Does it make you feel like a cool kid? Does it put a smile on your grim face knowing you're making someone else feel bad?

Or do you just want someone to blame for your mistakes or for you team's lack of teamwork? Maybe being a mean troll to others is the only way people will notice you. Perhaps you just bully behind the screen because you lack the self confidence in real life. Maybe your home life or school life really is horrible and being mean is the way you deal with it.

Though in the latter of the reasons I feel for you. I don't know what goes on in your home life, nor do I need to.

Regardless, whatever the reason may be, JUST STOP!

It is utterly unnecessary to behave in such an adolescent way. There really is no excuse. Statistically proven most gamers are adults between the ages of 18-35, so by now you should know right from wrong. I'm not going to discriminate gender wise either, while yes most of the trash talkers I come across are male, females are just as vicious. All through grade school we are taught the Golden Rule "treat others the way you want to be treated", and unless you're a masochists, I'm sure you wouldn't like to be pain constantly. Even in the work world, discrimination and hate is prohibited. Words do affect people. We see it on the news quite often, that cyberbullying correlated to suicides are attempted suicides. Now that is the extreme case, but seriously, it's juvenile to act so aggressive with no real reason behind it rather than "just because I can". Thus the argument of freedom of speech arises, but in doing so you are letting your immature actions undermine your moral and ethical responsibilities. Perhaps you don't care about that, perhaps you don't care about anything; if that is the case then I feel sorry and pity for you and whatever led to such a negative way of life.

I will not be surprised if there are trash comments after reading this, probably going to tell me to "stop be such a pussy" or "toughen up", or some other hateful comments. To be honest, I am relatively numb to when people trash talk now because it is so often and that is the saddest thing of all. It is sad that I am indifferent to something that should bother me. Trash talking just doesn't bother like how it used to; now it's just like an annoying itch I can't reach. It doesn't boil my blood, my feelings don't get hurt, I don't go cry in a corner; I just laugh at how sorry I feel for you that you felt the need to be so mean. It is such a norm now for people to be negative and rude online that its a joke most of the time. Like, do you really have nothing better to do than spread hate? Then I wonder how people like you have friends, however I concluded that like minded people usually flock together, so there is probably a group of friends spreading hate. You probably all feed off of each other's negative actions. Even if one of you doesn't really approve of it, you go along with it just to belong or because you think its fun. Trash talking reveals just what kind of horrible person you are.

Thankfully, some games add a vote to kick button. So groups can get rid of people like you. Strangely, being kicked doesn't stop you from hating, it just boils your blood more, but at least you're gone. Going out of your way to message a player after you've already been removed is just silly. In the game Neverwinter you can actually write the reason for kicking a player. Yet, you assholes still find a way to ruin that too by writing rude reasons like "tard" or "garb eater". Also, you people find it nice to just spam the text box with hate and complaints. For instance, a few days ago I was playing Neverwinter; doing dungeons requires a team of five, so three of my friends got randomly queued with two other friends. One of those people just kept trying to rush us through the damn map. That is no fun, why play the game at all if you're going to speed run through the whole dungeon? His complaining and rudeness was annoying, kept popping up in the left corner text box, so we voted to kick him and because of that he goes and sends my friend a hateful message and reports her. Just wow dude. You got kicked because of your rudeness and you're going to report us. Laughable. His friend stayed in the game and even though we completed the dungeon, he still felt the need to be mean. Thus, reaffirming the idea that rude people are friends with each other; most likely because no one else will be.

*sigh* I feel like I lose brain cells listening to your idiocy. I confidently feel I can speak for a large portion of the gaming community, but we are tired of the trash talking. Play the game to have fun, that is why games exist. Stop being so serious all the time or butt hurt when losing. Stop trying to point the blame to other players, yes, even if one player is clearly the weakest link, there is no reason to harp on them for they probably already know they didn't do that good. Remember when you point one finger there are three pointing back at you. Calling players "noob" or "newb" does not make you anymore cool. New players, or inexperienced ones, definitely don't deserve to receive hate. Telling them they suck and whatnot is not going to make them any better. At one point in time you were that newbie player, the only way for them to get better is by playing, but your hate is probably just going to scare them away. I heard the League of Legends community is complete trash, yet my friend and her dormitory decided to start playing for fun, so she asked me to join. I said I would because why not, sounds fun! She's only had the game for like three days and has already received hate for being bad. Reality check, many people picking up the game for the first time are not going to instantly be professionals! When she texted me what happened, I just laughed and reassured her to not take anything those people say seriously. Also, I find an efficient way to combat the trash talk is either with sarcasm or killing them with kindness. For some reason, when you're nice or unfazed by a trash talker it makes them angrier. Yes, that is fueling the fire, but we on the other end of your hate need to have some fun too. Though, the best way to combat a rude gamer is to just ignore them, wasting your breath or energy typing to them is, well, a waste.

Is it that hard to just play the game for fun? We're all the same, playing the game just to enjoy ourselves, meeting other people who like to play the same game, why do you have to go and spoil that fun? It's just rude.

So tell me, why do you do it? Why do you trash talk?

I understand if you don't want to actually speak up about why you do it, because then everyone will know you are a terrible person. But if you do, good for you, at least you're giving everyone some insight about why you're doing what you're doing!

If you're one of the decent gamers out there, why do you think people do it? Also, why don't you trash talk?

Sincerely,

Missy Mee

P.S. The book "Dear Asshole" has a special page dedicated just for you guys/gals

Thanks for Reading!

#StopCyberbullying

♦ Marissa Intrieri ♦

Hello MyIGN! I haven't participated in a community blog in a while, my apologies. Have been busy with school, work and just playing games. I know I kind of just pop up every once in a while now, but I have a "nice" memory to share with you all. This blog is totally going to be Pokémon related, because I love Pokémon, though my first experience with the game wasn't all that amazing.

This week's theme, hosted by Lost_in_Translation, is about Your First Gaming Memory!

"What I'd like people to do this week, is write a blog about your first gaming memory! We all (well, most of us) started gaming somewhere! This week I'd like to learn about the first memory you have playing video games  It could have been something from an arcade, or a console your parents bought you for Christmas. What did you play? How old were you? Do you still enjoy the game you played, or have you played it recently?"

So the memory goes;

At the ripe age of about 5, my mom and dad bough me a yellow Gameboy Color. They even bought me a cute Pikachu and Pokéball tassel. With that came Pokémon Yellow! Oh this game, I have so many fond memories with it. My favorite with being that PIKACHU WOULD NEVER LISTEN TO ME! I will forever remember Pikachu just not listening to me. He would just loaf around, ignore me, not attack, etc. So rude! My 5 year old brain did no understand how Pokémon worked, I just liked capturing monsters. I did not know that I needed more badges to get Pikachu to listen to me. So, instead, I continued on with a Pikachu who had no respect for me.

And that is my first gaming memory. Simple and sweet. Pikachu from Pokémon Yellow will always remain to be the most evil Pokémon ever. I mean, look at its face on the box art!!  Such a rebel!

So tell me,

Have you ever played a Pokemon game, where your Pokemon didn't listen?

Thanks for reading!

Gotta Catch 'Em All!

♠ Marissa Intrieri ♠