X-Entertainment.com X-Entertainment.com A Proud UGO Affiliate
My dying wish is for an owl/camel hybrid, which I call camowl.
« [Main Index] »

Back in Toyfare…

I'm back in ToyFare with issue #97, with two stories in their Monthly Rag section -- one about new toys from NECA based on The Ring, the other about Comedy Central's brilliant action figure based ad campaign for the new season of Reno 911!. I have to say, it's so much fun to hand over these Word documents and see how nuts their design team goes with 'em -- super slick. Both articles include interview quotes with applicable parties, yadda yadda. Get it while it's hot.

Judging from the comments in the last entry, seems like a lot of you are pretty passionate about the ongoing video game violence/sex/whatever debates -- the latest one regarding The Sims 2 is hysterical, with people arguing that by using a mod that removes the blurring around a nude person's privates, we've opened the doors for pedophiles to have a virtual field day. This is made all the funnier after reading that removing the blur only reveals that the characters in the game have no privates. Granted, I'm only half-informed, but it's enough to spark a survey topic...

Survey: Think back, and discuss some of yesteryear's games that either crossed the line or allegedly crossed the line. I know there were plenty of computer games that featured seriously grisly images -- let's see what y'all come up with. Note: It doesn't really count if the game was marketed as an adults only thing.

We've come a long way. I remember getting Ghosts 'N Goblins for Nintendo and thinking that the opening sequence -- with a half-clothed Arthur having a picnic with his lady friend -- seemed a bit risque.

Posted by Matt on 07/23/2005. E-mail me!



Discussion Thread: 80 comments

The first time I watched my brother play the 1st Resident Evil game, it really scared me! That’s when I thought that maybe video games can go beyond what I always expected of them…

Chestnuts roasted by Muppet Baby @ 07/24/2005 8:11 AM

Did anybody else play "Phantasmagoria" for the PC?

Chestnuts roasted by Brad @ 07/24/2005 12:08 PM

Nah, my computer was never hoss enough to handle something like Phantasmagoria. But I definitely remember hearing about it from my friends. The general impression I got was that it was a dizzying carnival of unimaginable debauchary. With bosoms in it.

Chestnuts roasted by Jedoc @ 07/24/2005 1:20 PM

I don’t play new videogames at all, but the GTA uproar doesn’t really surprise me. The Tipper types have their new rating on the game now, so they should be happier for a while. It’s the same thing every few years…new system, new games…new controversy.

But I would have to say the one that sticks in my mind the most is Mortal Kombat. That was quite the hubbub about the blood. Good thing I only had it for Game Boy, so everything was greenish-gray anyway!! :)

I wish I could find Toyfare around here!!

"Mr. Reeve’s" should only be used when talking about Christopher Reeve. Keanu should have stuck only with the Bill and Ted’s movies! Highlight of the career, baby! Highlight of the career!

Chestnuts roasted by kidneyboy @ 07/24/2005 2:24 PM

Speaking of the NES articles, I have Ring King. fFrst thing Little brother and I said when we saw the between rounds animation was, "Wouldn’t that make you weak in the knees?" Maxim wasn’t the first to recognize Accidental Porn. It’s been around for quite a while.

Chestnuts roasted by kingklash @ 07/24/2005 2:55 PM

Knegative, thanks for the thanks.

http://www.iesb.net/dreamworks2005/072405.php">Producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura on Transformers and a G.I. Joe update

Chestnuts roasted by ME @ 07/24/2005 4:23 PM

Doom 3 crossed the line by showing DEMON ASS!That’s right! Demon ass! i was disgusted, shocked and outraged by that the twisted and perverted creators of doom 3 made it have some demon ass.

Chestnuts roasted by me @ 07/24/2005 4:55 PM

One of the Hamtaro games lets you urinate on other hamsters and live electical wires. As I recall, all Seanbaby said about this game in EGM was something along the lines of "This game sucks so bad, I’m going to cut myself! LOL".

Chestnuts roasted by RewolfJ @ 07/24/2005 6:15 PM

There was a Genesis game called "StormLords," which was more or less a Ghouls N’ Ghosts N’ Goblins N’ etc. knockoff. The difference appeared to be that there were statues of naked nymphs in it, which apparently got it pulled for a while. I have a few old game magazines with ads for the game that declare, "NO LONGER BANNED… AVAILABLE NOW!"

Video games that traumatized me… getting the "Bad End" on Bubble Bobble. That shaming music made me feel like a date rapist.

Chestnuts roasted by G'Tron @ 07/24/2005 7:42 PM

Don’t know if this counts, but how about that nintendo power cover depicting castlevania’s Simon Belmont wielding Dracula’s head. Or that contra or super c commercial where this monster in a business suit shows off the mounted heads of gamers who lost the game. I guess they could’ve shown worse during disney afternoon.

Other than that, we couldn’t play dirty harry at my grandma’s house because she never liked the game’s greeting of "Go ahead,punk! Make my day!".

Chestnuts roasted by cheaptrick @ 07/24/2005 8:12 PM

I don’t know if "Dragon’s Lair" was ever considered to be controversial or over-the-top in any way, but it was the first game that ever gave me a serious case of the heebie-jeebies. I never even played the damn game, but it would always make me uneasy to see the machine’s demo playing in my local arcade. Frankly, ANYTHING drawn by Don Bluth scares the piss outta me. Something about his style just fills me with dread.

Chestnuts roasted by The Yeti @ 07/25/2005 7:25 AM

Definitely, definitely "Leisure Suit Larry". My older bro taught me (the 7 year old innocent) how to get past all the "adult verification" questions.

Kent sent me, don’t flush the toilet, and for the love of gad, buy a condom.

Chestnuts roasted by Missy @ 07/25/2005 11:56 AM

Knegative, I am very amped for "A Scanner Darkly." I’m a huge Philip K. Dick fan. As for your other question, that’s not exactly my specialty. So I could give you my thoughts, but they wouldn’t be backed by anything more than intuition. I am, however, looking into the literature because it’s an interesting question. I’ll get back to you when I can discuss it properly. ;)

Chestnuts roasted by Kieran Alexis @ 07/25/2005 2:53 PM

I can’t believe no one mentioned "Toilet Kids," a little-known title for the turbo-grafx 16/pc-engine. I mean, the opening sequence shows a young boys genitals and then shows him taking a shit.

The game unfolds into a shooter where everything is fecal-related. You fly over buildings made of poop, throw poop, and fight poops.

As far as trauma is concerned… I think Alex Kidd hurt me worst of all… I’ll never play Paper, Rock, Scissors ever again!!!

Chestnuts roasted by gesis @ 07/25/2005 4:08 PM

Night_Trekker, I don’t know how to break this to you but…

http://www.gamespot.com/news/2005/07/22/news_6129609.html">Only click this if you want your soul to be killed by stupidity

Chestnuts roasted by Jeff @ 07/25/2005 9:49 PM

I think Night Trap got conservatives rilled up, because if you didn’t play it effectively while the girls were in the bathroom, they would get dragged off in thier panties.

My parents went out and bought it during it’s controversy just to piss off my grandmother.

Chestnuts roasted by angrycripple @ 07/26/2005 12:40 PM

I told my brother about the "Adults Only" rating on the PS2 "Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas," and said about the recall, but told him his copy was really good (and probably worth some money) because his copy has the "M" rating on it–I worked in a video store over the holiday season and ordered it for him–hard to get considering that it was new. He also has "Leisure Suit Larry," which I didn’t buy. I’m a good sister–I buy him violent video games.

Chestnuts roasted by Allison @ 07/26/2005 10:14 AM

My brother reset "Temco Bowl" because I intercepted the ball. We were 7 years old, and it absolutely upset me that just because I was winning he had to steal my glory. I always hated playing certain games with him, because he was a poor sport. We only got along when we played Super Mario 3 together. I still know the warps and secrets to SMB3. But then again, who has actually forgotten them?

Chestnuts roasted by Allison @ 07/26/2005 10:16 AM

We used to leave the blood control off on MK. My brother and I believed that the game was more fun when it involved blood. And fatalities. Anyone remember the cheat book for Sega’s MK3??? He practiced for days with that book!

Chestnuts roasted by Allison @ 07/26/2005 10:19 AM

I sort of skipped down here, so if anyone mentioned this one… sorry. What about the opening of Double Dragon where Billy’s(maybe) brother gut-punches his girlfriend and throws her over his shoulder. Then he just walks off. That maybe wasn’t sexually charged, but it was pretty screwed up to see violence against women when I was a kid. Man, am I glad my Dad never noticed that part.

Chestnuts roasted by Judd Gregory @ 07/26/2005 4:35 PM

I don’t read (can you tell?) so I just found out Philip K. Dick is responsible for Minority Report, which I loved despite Tom.

I will not be reading ‘Scanner’ as I’m afraid the movie might, subsequently, disappoint me. I’ve never read any Hellblazer and that is probably why I like ‘you know what’ so much.

I’ve always had a soft spot for stuff like Minority Report though. Age of Spiritual Machines is one of the few novels I’ve read and my fav only after Henderson, The Rain King,

Yes, I read books alluded to by musicians in their lyrics :)

Chestnuts roasted by Knegative @ 07/27/2005 1:04 AM

Jeff: :(

Oh man, I just thought of a REALLY strange videogame story… years ago, my friend had just gotten his Playstation (the original) but he didn’t have the cash for a game yet, so he had to make due with a demo disc for a while. And when you’re stuck with a demo disc, you start looking for codes pretty damn quick (I should know, same thing happened to me when I got my Playstation).

Well, one of the game demos on the disc was Elmo’s Letter Adventure. My friend borrowed a code book from someone he knew (the cover was ripped off so he has no idea who published it). Apparently the people behind Elmo’s Letter Adventure were kind of pissed off that they had to program such limp and lifeless software, so they included some STRANGE codes for the game/demo that I can’t find any mention of anywhere online.

The codes were really long and difficult to input correctly. Each code brought out a Sesame Street character in a weird, uncharacteristic cameo. For example, one code made The Count chase Elmo down and appear to drink his blood. Another made Grover (as his Super Grover persona) grab Elmo, carry him high into the sky and drop him.

I know what you’re thinking… "He’s pulling your leg you idiot!" I’ve known this guy for a long time, and I’m sure he isn’t making this up.

I would say, assuming this is true, this would fit pretty nicely into the discussion category.

Chestnuts roasted by Night_Trekker @ 07/27/2005 4:44 AM

Knegative: Tom Cruise is a megalomaniac, but as much as he personally irritates me I have to give him his props: he’s a damn good actor. I watched Collateral for the first time not too long ago, and… well, I knew it was going to be good but DAMN. I can’t believe that flim didn’t attract more fanfare. Everything about it is so unbelieveably tight and well done. Tom Cruise was fucking fantastic (and Jamie Foxx is now on my short list of favorites). A definite 10 out of 10 in my book.

Hmm… maybe Tom Cruise is such a great actor because he’s slightly unhinged?

Chestnuts roasted by Night_Trekker @ 07/27/2005 4:59 AM

I wasn’t trying to attack Tom. I was just stating personal opinion. Feel free to like/love him as you will.

You can read my very out of place conversation with Kidneyboy in the Dracula blog entry for exposition.

Matt, you should exercise your deletion powers to remove my eyesore comments over there. The dracula entry looks like one worth archiving.

Chestnuts roasted by Knegative @ 07/27/2005 1:04 PM

Knegative: No attacking going over here, just letting you know 1) I think Tom Cruise is a crazy bastard who grates on my nerves to no end and 2) I think he’s still a great actor.

Yeah, I really should get over to the next blog entry… but first, the article!

Chestnuts roasted by Night_Trekker @ 07/27/2005 4:40 PM

Add A New Comment!


This entry was posted on Saturday, July 23rd, 2005 at 1:51 pm and is filed under General. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.