avatar!

It looks like the unopened Day of the Tentacle market has just exploded!

I thought about getting a turbo everdrive. Good to know it doesn't work... or I should say, it's unfortuante it doesn't work -- I had heard it did

Wifey and I are binging one of the best shows of all time...

Sweden is exactly what the West needs to counter Putin's underhand tactics https://www.businessinsider.com/sweden-exactly-what-west-nato-needs-to-counter-putin-russia-2024-2 Russia's President Vladimir Putin has long harbored an obsessive grudge against NATO expansion. He's claimed the invasion of Ukraine was a way of preventing the growth of the alliance close to Russia's borders and threatening its security. But in the end, the Russian president seems to have achieved the exact opposite. On Tuesday, Hungary's parliament voted to approve Sweden's NATO membership in a move that may be exactly what the West needs to counter Putin and his underhand tactics. Its membership brings to an end its decades-old military nonalignment policy. It also means the post-Cold War era, where Sweden reduced the size of its military and sought better trade and diplomatic ties with Russia, is closed.

I heard it's much better. I gave my Diablo III cartridge away, can't see myself playing it again, honestly my character was overpowered and the gameplay was not exciting nor interesting for the most part, and the secrets were far and few between. Also, the plot was a bit wacky, and there were definitely plots holes despite the fantasy setting. If the developers had done a decent job they could have made the game far deeper and worth a second or even third, fourth, go-around. From what I've read, the developers were too busy insuring that they could monetize loot, such as their ill-fated auction house --

What did your kids think of the controls? Again, I wonder if it's that you're used to the older controls and perhaps the newer controls are something you're not accustomed too? I think I'm just going to have to try it myself... although I heard it's very hard, and I might be prone to just rage quitting

I actually never played the originals. So it may be a case where you're just used to the original controls. I looked this up, and there seem to be threads saying the controls are terrible, and other threads saying the controls are fine -- The controls are fine.... https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/boards/191634-crash-bandicoot-n-sane-trilogy/75520624 First of all as far as crash 1 goes you have to use the d-pad as long as you do that controls are fine. Plus I think kids are not used to hard games crash 1 is hard and it's not because of controls.

Is that true for all ports? IGN thought it was great -- https://www.ign.com/articles/2017/06/29/crash-bandicoot-n-sane-trilogy-review Update: The Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy is now available for the Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, and PC. I've gone back and played the N. Sane Trilogy on each system and am happy to confirm the challenge, fun, and updated shine of the N. Sane Trilogy remains intact across the board. The Switch's version doesn't look quite as good as the PS4 or comparable Xbox One versions, but still plays great. And Crash looks even better on PC with a 60 fps framerate option. Over 1500 reviews on metacritic give it an 8.4 which is fabulous. https://www.metacritic.com/game/crash-bandicoot-n-sane-trilogy/ It just seems like if the controls truly are "garbage" across the board the score should be much lower?

It looks like the unopened Indian Jones and the Fate of Atlantis market has just exploded!

Ordered! I think (can someone verify this?) that this edition includes the SUNSOFT 5B audio chip music?

What I'd like to know is to whom I can send my Duo so that they can do their stuff and I can play my Turbo Everdrive on it

The second thought that pops in my head is "I wonder how many cracks are on each case?"

Heh, I had an admin once send out an announcement to the effect of "I know all of you have noticed we have been out of coffee, well good news! We now have Cock full of Nuts!" Yeah...

I'm going to get the collection regardless, because I love classic gaming, and I appreciate the updates such as quality of life features If you do find the article, please share, I'd love to read it. And heck, if I'd probably be doing the same if I was part of LRG, more classic collections is the way to go, especially releasing something that has never had a release outside of Japan, such as --

They do put some work into the ports -- obviously the biggest "change" from the originals is that they are now in HD. Other than that, a number of news channels noted "quality of life fixes", as well as a rewind feature and save at any time feature. Also, considering an original NES Felix cartridge (just cartridge) sells for around $100, this is a wonderful way to get the game, as well as the GB edition, for cheap -- $35 -- well, assuming you're in the USA.

To be fair, shipping is super expensive. I sent someone just one CD a few weeks ago to the UK, and shipping was indeed $20, and that was the lowest price-point. LRG doesn't have any control over VAT, which it looks like you're getting charged a whopping 38% on a single game? Damn, time to relocate

I personally appreciate ports of older games! The fact that you can actually purchase a physical copy instead of a digital copy makes me happy I think the recent slew of ports is not so much an LRG thing as it is that there is enough interest in classic gaming. It was Konami that released the Felix the Cat Collection for the PS Store and Switch Store -- https://store.playstation.com/en-us/product/UP0101-PPSA19225_00-0159266583099383 Also, the digital copy is $25 -- and LRG is charging $35 for the physical edition. A no-brainer decision to me!

NJ Cop Slams His Own Police Chief Onto Car Hood After He Showed Up 'Drunk' at a Crash Scene The chief and sergeant ended up on the hood of a patrol car during the altercation, with someone heard saying, "You grabbed me." Sgt. Major is also heard on video saying, "He's drunk again ... Chief, get out of here or you are going to get locked up." The chief then is heard telling Sgt. Major he's relieving him of his duties, saying, "You're suspended." Sgt. Major was later allowed to resume his full job responsibilities. After the Monmouth County Prosecutor Office's investigation, Guida was placed on paid administrative leave. His position as chief pays a salary of $202,500, according to state pension records.

Irate woman tossed out of NYC pet store for kicking puppy kennel ‘slaps the s–t out’ of tourist: ‘Welcome to New York’ https://nypost.com/2024/02/20/us-news/nyc-woman-slaps-tourist-after-kicking-puppy-kennel-in-pet-store-video/ A deranged woman ferociously slapped a tourist inside a New York City pet store over the weekend after she was told to leave for kicking puppy kennels, according to shocking footage and cops. Video captured by store manager Emilio Ortiz shows the disputative woman walking toward the exit before briefly turning to the tourist and smacking her on the side of the face. She then appeared to spit in the direction of the victim, the video shows. “As she’s walking out, she slaps the s–t out of this lady,” Ortiz told The Post Tuesday. “Like, she slaps her really freaking hard.” “Her friend was there, too, and her friend called her husband, who’s a cop in Texas, and I was kind of like tongue-in-cheek saying to her even if they arrest this lady, they’re probably going to let her go tomorrow. This is the way New York has been operating right now,” Ortiz said in reference to the Empire State’s lax bail laws. “And they were kind of like, ‘Oh hell no. In Texas we don’t let people get away with that.’ And I was like, ‘Well, welcome to New York.’” I used to love to visit NYC -- always felt safe. Lots of police, low crime. Now, I'd rather not risk it. In fact, I feel like somehow I would end up being arrested for defending myself -- that happens far too often, and hey, it's NYC. As the store manager noted "welcome to NYC where you're in and out of jail in 24 hours or less, or your money back"

Update: first post -- added Forever Physical and noted that SRG (sadly) is gone

Almost certainly a scam, and if not truly a "scam" I'd be willing to bet they are one of those predatory loaning service which takes advantage of people.

Oh yeah, number is on the do not call registry, does not seem to stop them. I know the FCC does fine scammers/robocallers but who the heck knows if they ever collect?

I seem to be getting these like 5 times a freaking day!! https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/us-consumers-received-just-under-4-3-billion-robocalls-in-january-according-to-youmail-robocall-index-302057113.html The other campaign of interest for January was a largescale telemarketing campaign that appears to be from One Street Financial and consists of robocalls like this one related to loans for consolidating debt: This is Sarah from One Street Financial. I'm calling to follow up on the letter we mailed you. You've been pre-selected for our economic release personal loan because of your current financial situation. This loan is ideal for consolidating high interest credit card and personal loan debt into one easy payment. We manage this offer because you or someone in your household qualifies for this program. Remember this offer and the program are about to expire at the end of 2023. Please call me back at 833-431-2961 to discuss how this can work for you. Your reference code is going to be PR 72383. I'm here to help and assist. The overall volume appears to be in the tens of millions of calls, and some consumers reported that they never gave consent for these calls and they are unwanted. However, these calls come from a limited set of toll-free numbers, making it relatively easy to block for both consumers and for call-blocking apps like YouMail. Easy to block? Yes, but they seem to be constantly changing their 888 numbers so not as easy to avoid. I do report them to the FTC -- https://www.donotcall.gov/ But obviously that only works once the government works... which is rarely. I've read some people say that the best thing you can do is when they call, to actually answer the call. That way, if you keep them online for a few minutes (you don't have to speak to them even) they have to pay for the call. If millions of people did this, they would be forced to quit since it would cost them millions -- well, at least that's what some people claim. Sounds logical, but who knows.

As Putin Threatens, Despair and Hedging in Europe https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/18/world/europe/europe-russia-munich-conference.html Vladimir Putin had a message for them: Nothing they’ve done so far — sanctions, condemnation, attempted containment — would alter his intentions to disrupt the current world order. Russia made its first major gain in Ukraine in nearly a year, taking the ruined city of Avdiivka, at huge human cost to both sides...And the American discovery, disclosed in recent days, that Putin may be planning to place a nuclear weapon in space — a bomb designed to wipe out the connective tissue of global communications if Putin is pushed too far — was a potent reminder of his capacity to strike back at his adversaries with the asymmetric weapons that remain a key source of his power. ...almost every available sanction has been imposed, and it was unclear if the United States and the Europeans would be prompted to seize the $300 billion or so in assets that Russia unwisely left abroad before the invasion. When a senior U.S. official was asked how the United States would make good on President Joe Biden’s 2021 pledge of “devastating consequences” for Russia if Navalny died in prison — a statement made in Putin’s presence at a meeting in Geneva — the official shrugged. “I feel underwhelmed and somewhat disappointed” by the debate here, said Steven Sokol, president of the American Council on Germany. “There was a lack of urgency and a lack of clarity about the path forward, and I did not see a strong show of European solidarity.” He and others noted that French President Emmanuel Macron did not attend. ...the warning did not appear to generate an urgent discussion of how to prepare for that possibility. The conference celebrated the fact that now two-thirds of alliance members have met the goal of spending 2% of their gross domestic product on defense — up from just a handful of nations 10 years ago. But a few acknowledged that goal is now badly outdated, and they talked immediately about the political barriers to spending more. Wow, how can anyone not read this and not think of Europe pre-WWII

Clearly, I'm playing "can't post in the right thread " Did finish Diablo III -- Eternal Edition yesterday. It was... okay. I don't know, just seemed like a let-down after Diablo II, which was released nearly 25 years ago!