The Game Dame™

Archive for December, 2008

Harmonix Should Start a Record Label

Posted on December 17th, 2008 in Video Game Music.
7 Comments so far

So Pearl Jam is joining the DLC train by bringing Ten – their first album from 1991 – to Rock Band on March 24, 2009. I think it’s great that we’re starting to see more and more bands bring their songs to Rock Band, but above the popular artists, I really want to start seeing more local bands featured… bands that haven’t necessarily made it big, but could through Rock Band. In issue 188 of Game Informer, editor Andy McNamara wrote an editor’s letter that I totally agree with. Here’s a little blurb:

Use the influence of these games have on the music industry to help local music around the world, and maybe – just maybe – you might make a pretty penny while doing it. I would gladly purchase a San Francisco Scene Pack, or a selection of local country from Nashville. I know Minneapolis has bands I would absolutely love to see immortalized in one of these amazing games. But more importantly, lots of great music never makes it outside of its local city. If it had an opportunity to leak out into the world, it just might make music (and music games) better for everyone.

So how bout it, Harmonix? Why not start a Rock Band record label? You’ve got the audience. You’ve got the influence. You’ve got the money. And you’ve got a group of gamers who LOVE to give their opinions on everything game-related. Hold a contest on your site and invite musicians to audition for a chance to be featured in Rock Band 3. Let the people vote for their top five choices. The band with the highest votes gets on your label. You can have your artists perform at Rock Band concerts. Put them on the main stage. Put Nerdcore artists on the other stages. Hold a Rock Band tournament. Partner with Nerdapalooza so they can help you out AND you can call the event Nerdapalooza because that’s the best name ever. Now all you need to do is hire me and pay me lots of money to organize the campaign. Deal? Deal.

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Tetris With Lyrics

Posted on December 15th, 2008 in Video Game Music.
2 Comments so far

I love BrentalFloss. He’s got some mad skillz. This is his latest creation: Tetris with lyrics. And if you’re a girl and like Tetris (like me) don’t get all pissy that he’s making fun of the fact that you like Tetris. Just enjoy it for what it is – awesome and pretty damn true.

AND… if you really dig Brent’s stuff and you’re trying to get the perfect nerdtastic Christmas gift for that friend that has it all, he is offering to write you a tune and post it on YouTube. Get the scoop here.

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Dual Core: Lost Reality CD Review

Posted on December 9th, 2008 in Pre/Reviews.
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I’ve been a fan of Dual Core for awhile. I really dug their first two albums, Zero One and Super Powers, so I was really looking forward to checking out the latest: Lost Reality. This disc has 15 tracks and I can honestly say that there’s not a single one on there that I don’t love. And when you consider the fact that this is Dual Core’s third album since 2007, that makes it all the more impressive.

Out of all the times I popped in Lost Reality, the best was last week when I was moving. I’d just collapsed into the truck on the verge of tears after moving a sofa sectional that seemed to weigh somewhere around 500,000 pounds when track 4: Hold On came on. Now, I don’t know that Dual Core intended for this song to provide the motivation I needed to move about 75 more boxes of shit, but it did.

One of the things I admire most about Dual Core is the fact that their beats are original. A lot of Nerdcore artists mix up original video game tunes and rap to mildly modified beats, but Dual Core raises the bar by sampling very little – typically not even video game music – to create the beats that make your car go boom. int eighty is the one responsible for writing the lyrics to c64’s beats and in the liner notes, he even comments that c64 “put so much personality and soul into the beats of the album that it required the songs to be introspective.”

Then there’s part two of why I really like Dual Core: their appreciation for their fans. Track number 11 is completely dedicated to those who have supported the band over the years. I even get a little shout out in there at 2:10 (thanks, guys.)

The album has a wide variety of tracks with well written lyrics that really make you think. It’s not just rap about video games and jokes for geeks (although those are in there, too.) Track number 8 – Lost Reality gives us a little anti-Bush greatness and challenges listeners to wake up and start paying attention to what’s going on around them.

It’s hard to pick a favorite from this disc – which is good… but if I were forced to choose, I’d have to say it’s “My Girlfriend Is…” a true love story about int eighty’s lovely lady who – on Valentine’s day – used her mad hacker skills to post a love note on the top of each site in his RSS reader. Nerd love!!! Nothin’ quite like it.

If YOU haven’t experienced nerd love yet, grab yourself a copy of Lost Reality. There’s not a bad track in the bunch. There’s not even a “meh, ’sokay” track in the bunch. It’s strong from beginning to end and something you should be proud to add to your collection.

Check out samples from all album tracks»
Buy Lost Reality for just $10»
Add Dual Core on MySpace»

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Real Life Mario Kart

Posted on December 8th, 2008 in Videos.
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MARIO KART (REMI GAILLARD)
Uploaded by nqtv

I LOVE this video. Great stuff. I wonder if Mario/REMI was actually getting arrested or if he set something up with the cops. I like to think he was actually on the run.

[Thanks to Mike for the link. I will never throw banana peels at your car.]

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Mario Kart Love Song

Posted on December 4th, 2008 in Video Game Music.
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I have a special place in my heart for Mario Kart. I remember drinking beers and kicking ass in unofficial tournaments in tiny college apartments. I have wonderful memories of sitting around with one of my best friends in the world playing while listening to Tom Waits. (Why? Why not.) And with Mario Kart for the Wii, there are all sorts of new memories being made… like getting my ass kicked by a four year old over Thanksgiving. That was fucking embarrassing.

Anyway, Mario Kart has been a big part of my life, and apparently, YouTube user blinktwice4y feels the same way. He wrote this love song for the game and it’s freaking genius.

Check out the YouTube post for the lyrics»

[Big ups to Ted for sending me the link. I'll take the blue shell for you any day.]

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A Day In the Life of IT

Posted on December 3rd, 2008 in Videos.
2 Comments so far

A game of Halo is interrupted by some dumbass colleagues. Fake, but funny.

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What Creates Violent Gamers

Posted on December 3rd, 2008 in Videos.
4 Comments so far

It ain’t the games, man… it ain’t the games. This video literally made me tear up. This is quite possibly the meanest thing I’ve EVER seen parents do to a kid on Christmas:

The Worst Parents In The World – Watch more Entertainment

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Archive for December, 2008

Harmonix Should Start a Record Label

Tetris With Lyrics

Dual Core: Lost Reality CD Review

Real Life Mario Kart

Mario Kart Love Song

A Day In the Life of IT

What Creates Violent Gamers

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