Now rappers talking about video games is nothing new. Whether it be Biggie Smalls talking about how he could never dream about having a Super Nintendo or Sega Genesis, The Wu-Tang Clan having their own fighting game and of course those fantastic 50 Cent games. Starting a while back Lil Flip sampled Pac-Man and other Namco sounds then we received the fantastic U-N-I sampling Castlevania and rapping about games, that lead to the 5 track album released for Street Fighter II HD Remix featuring Redman and others. So it was interesting to see Ludacris get in on this action with the release of his new album “Theater of the Mind” and the track “Press the Start Button”. The track is nothing spectacular but still interesting to hear all the game references. I’ve also included the U-N-I video as well in hopes that some of you suckas will pick up their album “Fried Chicken and Watermelon”

Ludacris

Direct Youtube Link

U-N-I

Direct Youtube Link

Jared Moraitis, aka Pop-Monkey, has a really cool style that often incorporates images from the classic arcade games of his childhood.  I think the Q*Bert one is particularly rad.  Jared said of the piece:

Ah, the arcade classic Q*Bert. One of those fixtures of childhood whose memory is tinged with equal parts joy and frustration. I recall fondly the infrequent trips to the local mall, which meant at least three things: browsing at the toy store, having a rainbow sherbet cone melt all over my hand while I furiously licked away at it, and getting to take another crack or two at Q*bert at the arcade. I was never any good at Q*bert. I never had enough quarters at a time to gain any sort of mastery over it, and my height combined with the awkward diagonal joystick control (which completely clashed with my strict horizontal and vertical instinctive movements cemented by Pac-Man, Donkey Kong and Frogger) left me helpless and frustrated in the shadow of Q*Bert’s towering yellow arcade cabinet and alien foul language.

I’ve had a few occasions over the years to take additional cracks at the game, hoping that coming at it from a more seasoned gamer’s level of experience would aid in my quest to help the poor orange fellow finally change the colors on all those doggone pyramids! Well, I certainly am not as bad at it as I used to be, but I’m still no expert. My love for the game and its mix of a simple goal, challenging tactics and bizarre creatures persists, however. I hope to one day own the arcade cabinet so I can perfect my game. I know there have been several console ports and flash adaptations of the game, but I don’t recall any of them being exact reproductions of the arcade, and that’s what I truly want.

Anyway, here’s the final colored version of my Q*BERT piece. As I stated in the previous post, I’ve retooled Q*Bert, Coily, Sam, Slick, Ugg and Wrong-Way to bring them out of the 80’s and more into the Pop-Monkey camp. And, yes, I turned Slick and Sam into pineapples with hands-for-feet. It just made sense to me.

Please check out the Pop-Monkey blog here.

Over the weekend, the Chicago Tribune ran a story about the financial trouble currently facing Chicago-based video game company Midway Games.

The article cites Midway’s continuing stock drop, an unforgiving economic climate, and mounting debt troubles for majority shareholder Summer Redstone, as signs of Midway’s impending doom.  A financial analyst from Wedbush Morgan is even quoted as saying, “How much value is left in essentially a few development studios, the ‘Mortal Kombat’ brand and a library of classic games?”.

Well, I’ll tell you asshole: A lot. Midway releases like Pacman, Mortal Kombat, and the Blitz series are the reason many people got in to video games, (myself included) and their probable closure represents a true Nerd tragedy, particularly for those who reside in Chicago. With the recent shutdown of EA Chicago, the city is sorely in need of developers, and although  Day 1 Studios still fights the good fight, the closure of Midway would represent the end of one  the most important video game companies of all time.

Direct Youtube Link

The really sad thing is that Midway is still releasing great games. Blitz: The League II is super fun, and the underlying commentary on the NFL and sports in general, as well as the gratuitous ultra-violence, makes it a truly unique must-play in a genre commonly known for being generic and overcrowded. The recently released Mortal Kombat Vs. DC is a masterpiece, and represents a wet dream for any self-respecting video game/comic book nerd. The concept alone is worth checking out, and the fact that the game is well-thought out and mechanically sound elevates the title from good idea to exceptionally great game.

Direct Youtube Link

As the holiday season approaches, and scratch is slim, every consumer decision counts. Games consistently represent one of the most popular gift choices this time of year, and it is more important then ever to think about where your dollars are going. Put Blitz: The League II and/or Mortal Kombat Vs. DC on your list not only because the games are good/fun/bloody, but because Midway needs and deserves our help.  So please, support your local video game developer and buy Midway.

Amazing what one can do with a gourd.

SONIC THE HEDGEHOG

PAC-MAN

MARIO

MARIO / BOWSER

LINK

CASTLEVANIA

8-BIT MEGA MAN

and last but not least, 8-BIT MARIO!