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Retro Maggie: Building a Gaming Room from the ground up!

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YouTuber Retro Maggie – Gives us a detailed look at her killer Gaming Room!

Imagine a sacred space in your home where the only responsibilities are leveling up, saving the world, and maybe remembering to hydrate. A dedicated video game room is not just a luxury—it’s a necessity for anyone serious about their digital adventures. No more fighting for TV time or awkwardly explaining to guests why there’s a tangled mess of controllers in the living room. Instead, picture a throne-like gaming chair, ambient LED lighting that makes everything feel just a little more epic, and shelves lined with carefully curated game collections. It’s your personal command center, a place where you can rage in peace when that boss fight gets the best of you, without judgment or side-eye from your family.

Plus, a gaming room is basically an investment in your well-being—science probably backs this up somewhere. It’s a stress-relief zone, a social hub for co-op marathons, and a fortress of solitude when you need a break from the real world’s side quests (like work and taxes). With a dedicated space, you can crank up the surround sound without worrying about waking the baby, immerse yourself in a VR world without crashing into the coffee table, and even display your gaming trophies with pride. It’s not just a room; it’s a lifestyle, a sanctuary, and let’s be honest—probably the best decision you’ll make for your happiness, short of installing a snack fridge right next to your setup.

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The Unofficial, Slightly Sarcastic List of Obsidian Games

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Obsidian Entertainment have made some amazing games….and others that were probably released a bit before they should have been.

  1. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II – The Sith Lords (2004)
    This sequel cranked up the existential crisis, filled it with cut content, and made us question everything we knew about Star Wars morality.
  2. Neverwinter Nights 2 (2006)
    An RPG where you collect weirdos, bicker with them, and somehow save the world—classic Obsidian. Also, that stronghold management? Peak real estate simulator.
  3. Alpha Protocol (2010)
    What if Jason Bourne had dialogue options that made people hate him instantly? A spy RPG where your greatest weapon is awkward small talk (and also guns). Woefully unbalanced in some of the boss fights unfortunately, so follow a guide if you play it today!
  4. Fallout: New Vegas (2010)
    The greatest argument for why gambling should always be a dialogue skill. Also known as “The Best Fallout Game (Don’t Argue)”.
  5. Dungeon Siege III (2011)
    The Dungeon Siege game that no one remembers, including Dungeon Siege fans. It existed, and that’s what matters.
  6. South Park: The Stick of Truth (2014)
    An RPG where your weaponized flatulence determines the fate of an entire town. Highbrow humor at its finest.
  7. Pillars of Eternity (2015)
    Baldur’s Gate, but make it so Obsidian it hurts. Deep lore, tactical combat, and enough text to qualify as a novel.
  8. Armored Warfare (2015)
    Obsidian making a World of Tanks competitor? Sure, why not. Unfortunately, it tanked (pun intended).
  9. Tyranny (2016)
    What if you played an RPG where you’re already working for the bad guys? Basically, middle management simulator but with more fireballs.
  10. Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire (2018)
    Everything you loved about the first game, but now on boats. Also, you can be besties with a talking ghost pig.
  11. The Outer Worlds (2019)
    Fallout in space, but with even more corporate satire. Where your biggest decision isn’t good vs. evil, but which megacorp is the least terrible. They released a The Outer Worlds: Spacer’s Choice Edition with improved graphics, all the patches and add-on missions. Great game!
  12. Grounded (2022)
    Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: The Game! Survival mechanics, terrifying spiders, and realizing that ladybugs are actually hardcore.
  13. Pentiment (2022)
    What if an illuminated manuscript was a murder mystery? A game that proved you don’t need combat when you have the crushing weight of historical guilt.
  14. Avowed (Upcoming)
    The Elder Scrolls game Todd Howard would prefer you not look at too closely. I have high hopes for this one!
  15. The Outer Worlds 2 (Upcoming)
    Expect more space capitalism, more snark, and hopefully more planets where everything wants to kill you.

Obsidian: Masters of the RPG genre, champions of “deep lore,” and forever the kings of “We Would’ve Needed More Time for That Feature.”

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Big Helmet Heroes – New 3D beat’em up for Castle Crasher fans!

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Big Helmet Heroes is a brand new hilarious 3D beat em up game. You smash, bash, and crash your way through battles with oversized helmets and weapons so ridiculous they’d make a blacksmith cry. Play as four different character types and unlock 29 hidden heroes on this epic adventure. Check Out Big Helmet Heroes on Nintendo Switch, PS5, Xbox Series and Steam: https://tinyurl.com/4b73zkmn

The “beat ’em up” genre of video games is essentially the digital equivalent of a chaotic bar fight, but with more dramatic flair and significantly fewer legal consequences. These games drop players into the streets, alleys, and sometimes intergalactic prisons of fictional worlds, handing them one simple mission: punch, kick, and occasionally suplex everything in sight. Whether you’re a muscled-up vigilante in a sleeveless leather jacket or a mutant turtle with a grudge, the gameplay remains consistent—walk right, beat up identical goons who seem to have come from the same cloning facility, and continue until you reach a boss who’s roughly the size of a minivan. There’s always a street hot dog or inexplicably placed turkey dinner lying around for health, because apparently, consuming questionable floor meat is the key to superhuman endurance.

But what really makes beat ’em ups a treasure trove of ridiculous fun is their complete disregard for realism. You can suplex a shark, throw a motorcycle at a gang leader, or take down an entire army with nothing but your fists and a denim vest. The enemies arrive in predictable waves, politely waiting their turn to get knocked out, and they’re always color-coded so you know exactly how tough they are (because fashion equals strength, obviously). Whether it’s classics like Final Fight and Streets of Rage or more modern takes, the genre never fails to deliver the timeless joy of solving every problem with excessive force. After all, diplomacy is overrated when you can just button-mash your way to justice.

Music

Review: Dream Theater ‘Parasomnia’ (progressive metal)

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Sea of Tranquility reviews the brand new Dream Theater album Parasomnia!

Dream Theater is what happens when a group of virtuoso musicians decide that regular rock songs just aren’t complicated enough. Why play a simple four-minute track when you could write a 24-minute epic with seven tempo changes, three guitar solos, a keyboard duel, and a drum fill so intricate it could summon another dimension? These guys treat time signatures like a buffet—sampling odd meters at will and stuffing them into songs with the reckless abandon of a prog-loving mad scientist. Their music is equal parts mind-melting technicality and unapologetic melodrama, with lyrics that range from deep existential musings to full-blown fantasy sagas. If you’ve ever wanted to hear a song that sounds like a calculus equation, Dream Theater is your band.

Their live shows are like watching five guys attempt to break the laws of physics while looking suspiciously calm about it. John Petrucci shreds so fast his beard is rumored to be the source of his power, Jordan Rudess treats his keyboard like a sentient spaceship console, and Mike Portnoy (or Mangini, depending on the era) plays drums with enough limbs to make an octopus jealous. Meanwhile, James LaBrie belts out operatic vocals that could probably be heard in space, and John Myung quietly dominates the bass with the precision of a man solving quantum mechanics in his sleep. Dream Theater fans are a special breed, capable of air-drumming in 13/8 and debating album concepts with the seriousness of a Supreme Court case. Love them or get lost in their 40-minute song structures—either way, Dream Theater is prog-metal royalty, and they’re not here to play three-chord radio hits.

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Five Lesser-Known Facts About the Nintendo Switch

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Five Lesser-Known Facts About the Nintendo Switch

1. The Cartridge Taste Test Challenge
Nintendo made Switch cartridges taste awful on purpose. Seriously, they coated them with a bitter substance called denatonium benzoate to stop kids (and overly curious adults) from swallowing them. If you’ve ever wondered what disappointment tastes like, give one a lick—just don’t blame me when your tongue regrets it.

2. The “Forgotten Feature” IR Camera
The Joy-Con’s right controller has a fancy infrared motion camera that’s criminally underused. Nintendo originally showed it off by letting you play a rock-paper-scissors game… and then promptly forgot about it. It’s like the Switch’s third wheel: cool, but no one invites it to the party.

3. It’s a Fitness Guru in Disguise
The Switch secretly wants to be your personal trainer. Between Ring Fit Adventure, Just Dance, and random Joy-Con waggling, you’re likely burning more calories than you’d expect. Nintendo knows how to make you sweat while convincing you it’s fun—take that, boring gym memberships.

4. It Has a Screenshot Addiction
The Switch is so eager to show off your gaming prowess (or failures) that it gives you a dedicated button for screenshots. One press and boom—instant photo memory. Accidentally hit it during intense boss battles? No worries, now you’ve got 47 blurry images of you getting owned.

5. It Tracks How Long You’ve Been Procrastinating
The Switch keeps a creepy-good log of how many hours you’ve spent on each game. Sure, it’s fun to see you’ve clocked 300 hours in Animal Crossing, but it’s also a brutal reality check when you realize you haven’t spent nearly as much time on life goals.

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Here are 5 Lesser Known Facts about the PS5

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Five Lesser-Known Facts About the PS5:

1. Hidden Easter Egg on the DualSense Controller
The textured grip on the DualSense controller isn’t just random—it’s made up of tiny PlayStation symbols (the iconic square, triangle, circle, and cross). This intricate design adds both functionality and a nod to the brand’s legacy, but it’s so small that it’s easy to miss unless you look closely under a magnifying glass.

2. Backward Compatibility Includes Boost Mode
While it’s well-known that the PS5 supports backward compatibility with most PS4 games, many people don’t realize that it also has a “Boost Mode.” This feature allows certain PS4 games to run with enhanced frame rates, improved load times, and better visuals, giving older titles a fresh lease on life.

3. Customizable Game Help Feature
The PS5’s UI includes a built-in “Game Help” feature, which is often overlooked. This feature provides hints, walkthroughs, and tips directly from the system for supported games. It’s designed to help players avoid spoilers by offering just enough guidance to get through tricky sections.

4. Ultra-Fast Suspend/Resume Feature for Multiple Games
While Xbox’s Quick Resume feature gets a lot of attention, the PS5 quietly boasts an impressive suspend/resume capability for multiple games. With the system’s ultra-fast SSD, players can jump back into recent sessions nearly instantly, although it doesn’t apply to as many games simultaneously as Xbox’s version.

5. Built-In Microphone with Voice-to-Text
The DualSense controller includes a built-in microphone, which is well-known for chatting. However, a lesser-known feature is its voice-to-text capability. You can dictate messages using your voice instead of typing, which is especially handy for entering text or sending quick messages during gameplay.

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Battle of the Ports – Gunbird (ガンバード) – Arcade / Saturn / PS1 / PS2 / Android

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Gunbird is like stepping into an arcade fever dream where the only rule is “fly fast, shoot faster, and try not to question why a witch on a broom is battling robots.” This classic vertical-scrolling shooter drops you into a world where ancient treasure hunters don’t bother with shovels; they prefer high-powered airships and endless waves of absurdly hostile enemies. You’ve got a roster of eccentric characters, from Marion, the aforementioned witch with zero chill, to Ash, a grumpy adventurer whose solution to everything is “more bullets.” The plot? Something about gathering magic mirrors to summon a wish-granting bird. But let’s be honest, you’ll be too busy dodging neon death rays to care.

The gameplay is pure chaos—screen-filling explosions, relentless bosses, and enough flying projectiles to make you wonder if dodging should be an Olympic sport. Power-ups drop like candy, giving you temporary godlike firepower before the game humbles you with a well-placed laser to the face. And the humor? Top-notch. The bosses shout ridiculous one-liners, and your characters respond with quips that make you question their life priorities. It’s the kind of game where you’ll laugh, cry, and probably scream when you lose your last life to a pixel-sized enemy you swore you dodged. Gunbird doesn’t just test your reflexes—it tests your ability to survive pure, unadulterated mayhem with a grin.

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Wii U: Most Expensive Games in Our Collection | Nintendo Wii U

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The Wii U, while not Nintendo’s most popular console, has developed a cult following—and with that comes a booming market for rare and pricey games. Here are the top five rarest and most expensive Wii U games that collectors are hunting down (and their wallets are regretting):

1. “Hello Kitty Kruisers”

This is the holy grail of obscure Wii U games, often fetching hundreds of dollars. On the surface, it’s a cute kart racer featuring Hello Kitty and friends cruising through colorful worlds. But its astronomical price has less to do with gameplay and more with its limited print run. Most people probably didn’t even know this existed until collectors went on the hunt, leading to its meteoric rise in value. Turns out, everyone underestimated Hello Kitty’s power in the collector’s market.

2. “Devil’s Third”

This game lives in infamy—not for its quality but for its rarity. It was a late release for the Wii U, and its U.S. production run was hilariously small. While the gameplay, a mix of action and third-person shooting, received mixed reviews, the scarcity of physical copies made it a collector’s dream. It’s a rare mix of “meh reviews” and “you’ll still pay a fortune for this.”

3. “The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD (Limited Edition)”

This special edition of Wind Waker HD includes a gorgeous Ganondorf figure in the box, making it a must-have for Zelda fans. The standard version is easy to find, but the limited edition has become a pricey collectible due to its high demand and limited release. It’s the perfect blend of nostalgia and plastic Ganondorf awesomeness.

4. “Wii Sports Club (Physical Edition)”

Though it was primarily a digital release, the physical version of Wii Sports Club was produced in small numbers. It updated the classic Wii Sports games with HD graphics and online multiplayer, but most people stuck to their Wii instead of upgrading. As a result, this physical edition became one of the hardest-to-find Wii U games and commands a high price among collectors.

5. “Game & Wario”

While not as rare as others on this list, Game & Wario has steadily risen in value due to its quirky minigames and the fact that most people skipped it entirely. With only a modest print run and increasing demand from collectors, this oddball title has found its place as one of the pricier games for the console. It’s essentially Wario’s way of laughing at you for spending so much to play his bizarre antics.

In short, the Wii U has gone from being the awkward middle child of Nintendo consoles to a treasure trove for collectors—proof that even the underdogs get their day in the sun.

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The Thing – PC Retro vs PS5 Nightdive Remaster – A Huge Improvement

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The Thing video game is what happens when someone takes the paranoia-filled horror of John Carpenter’s classic film and says, “Let’s crank up the trust issues to 11 and throw in some flamethrowers for good measure.” Released in 2002, this survival horror sequel picks up right after the movie’s infamous cliffhanger. You play as Captain Blake, leading a squad of soldiers and scientists who are supposed to figure out what happened at the Antarctic base. Spoiler alert: what happened is bad, and it’s about to get worse. Between gruesome alien transformations and teammates who might spontaneously sprout tentacles, every step feels like a death lottery. Don’t trust anyone—especially not that one guy who’s been suspiciously quiet since you handed him a flamethrower.

What really sets The Thing apart is its “trust/fear” system, which is a fancy way of saying your teammates are just as paranoid as you are. Give them ammo or a medkit, and they might stick around. Accuse them of being an alien, and they might shoot you in the face. Oh, and don’t forget to manage their fear levels, because nothing screams “teamwork” like calming a panicking soldier while aliens are trying to eat your face. The game brilliantly balances moments of tension, horror, and accidental comedy—like when you give someone a blood test, they pass, and then they still try to kill you because they don’t trust you. It’s a stressful, hilarious, and utterly chaotic experience that perfectly captures the spirit of the movie. Just remember: in The Thing, the scariest monster is teamwork gone wrong.

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Why is Nintendo 64 emulation still a broken mess in 2025?!?

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The Nintendo 64 is a beast to emulate because it’s essentially the Frankenstein’s monster of gaming consoles, built with hardware that seems to have been designed more to confuse engineers than to run games. Its custom Reality Co-Processor (RCP), which handles both graphics and audio, is an enigma wrapped in a silicon mystery. The RCP’s architecture is unconventional, with quirks like pixel-accurate rendering and obscure microcode that developers could modify to squeeze out performance. This means every game is practically its own special snowflake, requiring emulators to juggle endless tweaks just to make Mario’s mustache look right in Super Mario 64. Throw in the N64’s unique use of a 64-bit CPU paired with some clever, if weird, memory management tricks, and you’ve got an emulator developer’s worst nightmare.

Then there’s the controller. Oh, that iconic trident of confusion. Emulating its analog stick—an early adopter of 360-degree movement—is tricky enough, but then you have to account for the fact that developers used it in wildly different ways. Some games, like GoldenEye 007, were built around its unique button layout, making it tough to map cleanly to modern controllers. Plus, the N64’s cartridge-based games could bypass normal hardware constraints, doing bizarre and creative things that push the limits of emulators. Combine all this with the need for high-performance hardware to mimic the N64’s quirks at full speed, and you’ve got a console that still keeps emulator developers burning the midnight oil decades later.

Retro Gaming with a Heavy Metal Soundtrack