Benches occupied at gym, so I did 3 sets of 50 pushups. Can’t say I’ve ever done that before…

Spent many years writing about other people’s games; I wanted other people to write about me! Later, I discovered leads tend to manage more than do the actual work. I worked hard to become a good manager - to a point where I could manage a department even when I couldn’t do the work my team does.

Remember, expats, when the US government sent us early-pandemic correspondence, urging us to return home? As if we’d be safer there! It was laughable then & even more-so now. I spent COVID in Tokyo & in hindsight couldn’t have been luckier: no lockdown, gov’t assistance, mask normalization…

Look at this goofy skull! He looks like he’s gonna tell you to collect 30 thingamabobs and then he’ll spit out a gold tooth for you or something!

Text to my sensei of 10 years, who taught me every weapon and many styles: Last Samurai Standing on Netflix. Episode 2, about 40 minutes in. One samurai against 10 gun-wielding troopers. Hell of a scene. (The series is great so far, but as a stuntman/choreographer, that scene…)

Z-Axis was BMX XXX’s dev. Their game Aggressive Inline out-Tony Hawk’d Tony 4 - so much so that Activision bought them, which I believe sabotaged this game in its all-important polish phase. Even still, it was decent; see my review. Not that I’m in any way defending the overabundance of raunch.

Some retro games go up in standings when you replay them; others go down. Recent replays: Zelda: Minish Cap went up Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow went up Metroid Zero Mission went down Metroid Prime 1 went down

Been trying to get my gog PC games to run on my Retroid Pocket 5 (via Winlator). Lots of tinkering. DREDGE crashes a lot; Arcade Paradise a little. Berserk Boy runs flawlessly; God’s Trigger lags a bit. Quake 2’s control is too slippery; Jupiter Strike doesn’t recognize any controller input at all.

I go hard on ocean-themed songs: - Rock Lobster by B-52s - Underwater Rimes by Digital Underground - Mermaider by Dethklok And can’t forget MOD made a whole album, Surfin’ MOD, that was a soundtrack for a fake beach movie.

Pics of stuff I’ve done. I don’t really do as much cool stuff these days; I have a pretty normal (for me) job. ① A wrestling play in LA ② A longterm Converse ad campaign ③ An Amazon Prime comedy ④ A national car commercial

You ever listen to this “music” stuff? I can’t vouch for it all, but the stuff I’m listening to is really good. Like pizza for your ear holes but less messy.

People within the country I currently reside foist their problems onto other people without a whiff of consideration. Meanwhile, people in Japan attempt to be as little an obstacle to others as possible & may even willingly offload your problems onto them to help out. Like a proper island nation.

Fellow editor Kato went to Japan to get a PS2 for GI, along with the (rough) launch lineup. Still, had fun with SF EX3 & Drum Mania. Finally got a PS2 of my own for NBA Street. PS2 goes down as the best video game console of all time, IMO. Such an unprecedented library - both quality & creativity!

I met @theludensatlas.bsky.social via the lovely Death Stranding community. They’re a talented, creative artist. So when they opened up commissions, I leapt at the chance! First one: A creepy package Bridges might deliver to me. Very Higgs! 👍 You can support/get art, too: ko-fi.com/theludensatlas

Rolled credits on Expedition 33 tonight. Brilliant game that will likely make my top 100. That said…Act 3 was weird. It was just: Keep exploring the world then go here to end things. I was so OP, I went unmanaged through final area - despite being far from level cap (highest character was lvl 88).

I sometimes take things as compliments that were not meant as compliments. Talking about protein with a coworker today, I inadvertently flexed. Coworker: Ewww, what?! That’s like a potato! What the hell? A bicep on a bicep. Not meant to be a compliment. Taken as a compliment. 💪

Yo, honeydew. I gotta apologize. I really wasn’t familiar with your game. But you’re FIRE in a protein smoothie!

Great leaders collaborate. Paranoid leaders hoard ownership of anything they can reach. Working with Hideo Kojima on Death Stranding, he regularly conferred with & even deferred to us performers on scenes - allowing me to help shape pivotal moments. If “Big Boss” can do that, any director should!

Blind watched Brad Pitt’s Ad Astra last night. Hmm… I wasn’t mad Pitt’s character was stoic by nature, but it definitely nullified drama & impact. Plus, each harrowing/implausible scenario was leapt into without any consideration of failure or even a need for alternatives. Glad I got it on sale…

Funny when I pop up in random posts. This is when Neversoft used their early face-scan tech to put me in Tony Hawk’s Underground as a skater for the Game Informer cover story I wrote.

I was blown away by KISS as a kid. Had their posters, would pantomime guitar with a bat to their albums. Ace was the true “ace” of the band & their sound. Love how well his solo album sold despite being shoved aside by “leading” members. Didn’t follow him much post-KISS, but his legacy is legendary.

Reminds me of how I figured out a while ago that the Phoenix Suns logo is the same upside down.

Itagaki-san was a one-of-a-kind creative, especially in Japan. Taken way too soon. I got to cover Itagaki-san & his games as a journalist, and I was at THQ whilst they were funding Devil’s Third (I got to see a prototype). Many of his former team also worked on Wanted: Dead, which I did mocap on.

One OK Rock put on One Awesome Rock show!

I can’t really control help how old I am… how many hairs are on my head or wrinkles on my face. I’m grateful I can sit here and lift heavy things then put them down, and my body responds. If only I were so dedicated in other aspects or my life. But sometimes, just lifting weights is enough.

Coming full circle: -Quit Disney Plus -Bought several Simpsons box sets (still have lots in US) -Ordered peak South Park seasons -Bought the whole Futurama series on Apple TV for $20 Remember how promising streaming was at first? What a downfall…

Was interesting talking to a coworker today who is younger than my professional career.

Whoo and weee. Haven’t been this frustrated, upset, and generally pissed since starting this job a year ago. At least I’m taking it out on these weights! 💪😡

I don’t even post gym pics on here. And I took a gym pic yesterday. Sheesh.

We should breathe air. We should drink water. We should write & think for ourselves. These seem like such basic “rules.” Then you think about how many billions are being spent to motivate us to betray them. Selling out humanity.

NBA Street, Def Jam, Burnout. EA was a top publisher in the PS2 era. They were the height of sports games in the 16-bit days, too. Admittedly, it’s been hot and cold the last few generations. But now EA just topped Activision as the hardest game publisher to support in the future.

People who FaceTime or take extended phone calls while at the gym are selfish, stupid jerks. There are no exceptions.

Jack White’s Fear of the Dawn is the best modern album I own. It’s a rare title that finds a place on both my gym and chill-out playlists, and that I easily recommend to anyone.

I’ve spent most of the last 3 months hungry. I tried to see if I could lose enough bodyfat that my appendix scar wasn’t an aesthetic issue. I didn’t succeed. But I did get skinny enough that family, friends & coworkers (and even I) worried. Now we rebuild. More fuel means I can push myself more! 💪

Retro Gamer 277 is out today, celebrating 25 years of the Total War series. Also inside: World Series Baseball, The Chaos Engine 2, Mortal Kombat 3, Heretic, Bully, Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace and much more. Pick it up in shops or buy online at: www.magazinesdirect.com/uk/retro-gam...

Nick and I had a delightful chat here turned into a 6-page interview in his awesome retro mag!

See so many people walking around with full-ass headphones on. Folks: Don’t deafen yourself to a harsh, indifferent world. It will knock you the hell over and not even pause to check on you. That’s me. I’m the harsh, indifferent world. (not really)

Horrible companies will do horrible things. We don’t let them off the hook, but we’re also not surprised. We known who they are. But in Nintendo, we seem to be witnessing a beloved company descent into selfishness and greed. Ya hate to see it.

People sometimes say Brits are friendly. However, I have never lived in a place where receptionists ignore you more. No eye-contact, no greeting. And this is from my workplace & apartment complex! I used to take the initiative to say hi; but they’re the ones being paid to be there, not me.

Here’s the link to me and Ken Anderson and some Scottish lads talking games and wrestling. But to take a page from @maffewgregg.bsky.social, I felt in hindsight like: I talk too much. I never shut up. I said I talk too much. Homeboy, I never shut up… youtu.be/PZbe2ZcQkj4?...

For real this time! Guaranteed fun chat if you like wrestling & video games! 🎙️

Who first made microphones look like dicks, and why has almost everyone else followed suit?

Just blocked 2 people who are prominent collectors of the category I’m selling, for giving me ludicrously low offers. I don’t care for negotiating, so I give very fair initial offers. If someone tries to lowball me, I’d rather just not deal with them period. My stepdad is a salesman; I am not.

Had the news on in the US just long enough to see that Florida is ending all vaccine mandates for children. Because what’s a more retro chic comeback than fucking rubella?!?!

Guess where I am?

If I bought us a Mario Kart Switch 2 bundle and DK Bonanza while in the US, once currency is converted, I’d basically get DK for free. But I’m not ready to pull that trigger. My wife and her Animal Crossing addiction, on the other hand…

My parents have an Alexa speaker, and she just self-censored when I asked her to play Butthole Surfers. “Now playing {BEEEEP} Surfers and similar artists from Amazon music.”

I’ll be on my buddy Ken “Mister” Anderson’s podcast, Mic Check, LIVE this evening discussing wrestling games and stuff. Check it out if you’d like! …Anderson!

Gave this to my dear friend KD because she’s cool and she will enjoy it, which is better than it sitting in my mom’s basement while I’m living 4000 miles away.

The never-released N-Gage version or Virtua Cop, being played on the limited-edition silver N-Gage QD. For maybe the first time in the history of this or any other universe.