Jam's Pick of the Week

Continuing with the trend of me completely mispronouncing my Pick of the Week, here's your weekly time waster: Canabalt (not Cabalt, sorry!)


A fun time-waster for your afternoon (with a pretty rockin' soundtrack to boot), Canabalt is a game that follows the trend of "run to the right" games that have kicked up in popularity after the whole "shoot the thing out of the thing" games. Gameplay is simplified with one jump button, and the rest is up to you. Leap over obstacles, jump from rooftop to rooftop, smash through windows and keep running because some buildings will even crumble beneath your feet!

The unique thing about this game is that it was programmed in just five days, and for what you can see if you manage to take your eyes off the runner long enough to notice them, you can spot mechanical stem-legged walkers stomping around in the background, alien dropships will fly past you causing the screen to rumble, shock trooper pods will suddenly land in front of you making you leap over them at the very last moment, and other little touches like that will make your (brief) escape attempt all the more exciting. While I haven't made it to the end of the game, I am determined to beat 5,000m someday.

The game is also available for the iPhone in the iTunes app store for $2.99. If you constantly play with headphones, I strongly recommend this game because it sounds amazing.

[Play Canabalt]

That's it from me, have yourselves a good one!

Otaku 5-0 Season 4: Episode 6

Aloha everybody!

In this week's episode of Otaku 5-0, Maka (Technical Director) returns to the panel after a 2-month break, and we FINALLY wrap up the latest installment of DVD Grab Bag!

And, for the first time since we started Moviematic 5-0, somebody comes up with a movie idea than Jam! Listen in to find out more!

Mahalo,
~Totoro (Executive Producer)

WARNING! Portions of this podcast contain mature language and adult content. Listener discretion is advised.



Click here to download episode.

Show Notes
Otaku 5-0: Episode 4.6

Recording Date: February 22, 2010
Running Time: 89 minutes

Moderator
Mr. A (Executive Producer)

Panelists
Totoro (Executive Producer)
Jupiter (Executive Producer)
Neko-X (Senior Producer)
Maka (Technical Director)
Jam (Contributor-at-Large)
Zyconis (Contributor-at-Large)
Hahen (Contributor-at-Large)

Special Appearances by
Zell (Contributor-at-Large)
DJ Buma (Lord of the Butishake)

Format
1. A Misconception About Hawaii (Totoro)

2. Lead-in (Mr. A)

3. Pick/Fail of the Week

4. Moviematic 5-0 IV: The Pitch - "Exchange"

5. DVD Grab Bag V, Part 2

Hahen reviews Space Cowboys
Jupiter reviews Gettysburg
Zyconis reviews Navy Seals
Jam reviews Das Boot
Totoro reviews Waking Life

6. X Reasons Why... The Empire Strikes Back IS NOT The Best Star Wars Film

7. Moviematic 5-0 IV: The Return

8. Lead-out (Mr. A)

Musical Notes
- Post-Disclaimer Theme: "Gato's Theme" from Chrono Trigger
- Opening Theme: "Kefka's Theme" from Final Fantasy VI
- Interstitial Clips: "I'll Do It Right!" from Naruto, "Subtitle" from Full Metal Panic!, "Frog's Theme" from Chrono Trigger, "Pre-Title" from His & Her Circumstances
- Ending Theme: "Breach of Contract" from Ah! My Goddess

Coming Soon...
The next episode of Otaku 5-0!

Otaku 5-0 Season 4, Episode 5

Aloha everybody!

On this week's episode of Otaku 5-0, we celebrate the return of Mr. A to the podcast panel from his two-week hiatus, and we bring a long-dormant topic (Casting Couch) back into circulation!

However, I regret to inform our audience that we are unable to present to you the closing portion of last week's DVD Grab Bag. But, we include in this episode a bonus topic, for your consideration - A Serious Conversation About Why We Hate Valentine's Day.

Mahalo,
~Totoro (Executive Producer)

WARNING! Portions of this podcast contain mature language and adult content. Listener discretion is advised.



Click here to download episode.

Show Notes
Otaku 5-0: Episode 4.5

Recording Date: February 15, 2010
Running Time: 70 minutes

Moderator
Totoro (Executive Producer)

Panelists
Jupiter (Executive Producer)
Mr. A (Executive Producer)
Neko-X (Senior Producer)
Jam (Contributor-at-Large)
Zyconis (Contributor-at-Large)
Hahen (Contributor-at-Large)
Peeps (Guest Contributor)

Format
1. Totally Random Statement (Neko-X)

2. Lead-in (Totoro)

3. Pick/Fail of the Week

4. A Serious Conversation About... Why We Hate Valentine's Day

5. Casting Couch: The Jetsons

6. Lead-out (Totoro)

Musical Notes
- Post-Disclaimer Theme: "Gato's Theme" from Chrono Trigger
- Opening Theme: "Kefka's Theme" from Final Fantasy VI
- Interstitial Clip: "I'll Do It Right!" from Naruto, "Subtitle" from Full Metal Panic!, "Pre-Title" from His & Her Circumstances
- Ending Theme: "Breach of Contract" from Ah! My Goddess

Coming Soon...
Our next podcast episode!

Otaku 5-0 Season 4: Episode 4

Aloha everybody,

On this week's episode of Otaku 5-0, I am joined on the panel by every other staffer (except Gears, Zell & Mr. A) as we present this season's first installment of DVD Grab Bag, along with a conversation about how we would have made the oft-derided Dragonball Evolution into a better film.

Mahalo,
~Totoro (Executive Producer)

WARNING! Portions of this podcast contain mature language and adult content. Listener discretion is advised.



Click here to download episode.

Show Notes
Otaku 5-0: Episode 4.4

Recording Date: February 8, 2010
Running Time: 78 minutes

Moderator
Totoro (Executive Producer)

Panelists
Jupiter (Executive Producer)
Neko-X (Senior Producer)
Jam (Contributor-at-Large)
Zyconis (Contributor-at-Large)
Hahen (Contributor-at-Large)
Peeps (Guest Contributor)

Format
1. Pearl of Wisdom (Jupiter)

2. Lead-in (Totoro)

3. Pick of the Week

4. DVD Grab Bag V, Part 1

Hahen selected Space Cowboys
Jupiter selected Gettysburg
Peeps selected Repo! The Genetic Opera
Neko-X selected Before Sunrise
Zyconis selected Navy Seals
Jam selected Das Boot
Totoro selected Waking Life

5. How We Would Have Done It: Dragonball Evolution

6. Good Sequel, Bad Sequel

7. Lead-out (Totoro)

Musical Notes
-Post-Disclaimer Theme: "Gato's Theme" from Chrono Trigger
-Opening Theme: "Kefka's Theme" from Final Fantasy VI
-Interstitial Clips: "I'll Do It Right!" from Naruto, "Subtitle" from Full Metal Panic!, "Frog's Theme" from Chrono Trigger, "Pre-Title" from His & Her Circumstances
-Ending Theme: "Breach of Contract" from Ah! My Goddess

Coming Soon...
Our next podcast episode & the return of Mr. A!

Otaku 5-0 Season 4: Episode 3

Aloha everybody!

After a week-long absence, I triumphantly return to moderate this week's episode of Otaku 5-0, which included on the panel my fellow staffers Jupiter (Executive Producer), Kira (Contributor-at-Large), Jam (Contributor-at-Large), Zyconis (Contributor-at-Large).

I would also like to take the opportunity to announce a few staff changes here at Otaku 5-0. First, allow me to welcome Hahen (a.k.a Zell's wife) into our podcast family. She participates in two topics in this episode (A Serious Conversation & Moviematic 5-0), but we look forward to working with her as a panelist on future episodes.

Secondly, I would like to bid a very fond farewell to Kira (Contributor-at-Large), who is moving to Maui at the end of this month due to work obligations. We wish him all the best in his future endeavors, and he is welcome to sit in on any episode whenever he is back in Honolulu.

Finally, I have included as a special download the final preview episode of Otaku 5-0, which was recorded before the airing of our first episode!

So, please enjoy the fruit of our labors. We had as much fun recording this as you will listening to it.

Mahalo,
~Totoro (Executive Producer)

WARNING! Portions of this podcast contain mature language and adult content. Listener discretion is advised.



Click here to download episode.

Show Notes
Otaku 5-0: Episode 4.3

Recording Date: February 1, 2010
Running Time: 89 minutes

Moderator
Totoro (Executive Producer)

Panelists
Jupiter (Executive Producer)
Kira (Contributor-at-Large)
Jam (Contributor-at-Large)
Zyconis (Contributor-at-Large)
Hahen (Contributor-at-Large)

Format
1. A Word From Our Sponsor (Mr. A)

2. Lead-in (Totoro)

3. Otaku 5-0 Announcement
-Kira's departure from Otaku 5-0
-Kira's panels at Kawaii-kon 2010

4. Moviematic 5-0 III: The Pitch - "Scrimmage"

5. Topic From The Past - The Top 3... Sci-Fi Characters (Episode 2.4)

6. A Serious Conversation About... Anime In America: How Long Will It Last?

7. Moviematic 5-0 III: The Return

8. Lead-out (Totoro)

Musical Notes
- Post-Disclaimer Theme: "Catch" (cheen) from Ah! My Goddess
- Opening Theme: "Kefka's Theme" from Final Fantasy VI
- Interstitial Clips: "Pre-Title" from His & Her Circumstances, "I'll Do It Right!" from Naruto, "Subtitle" from Full Metal Panic!
- Ending Theme: "Breach of Contract" from Ah! My Goddess

Show Notes
Otaku 5-0 Preview Episode 3

Recording Date: July 31, 2008
Running Time: 37 minutes

Moderator
Totoro (Executive Producer)

Panelists
Cupid/Mr. A (Executive Producer)
Cetic (Executive Producer)

Click here to download episode.

Coming Soon...
Our next podcast episode!

Jam's Pick(s) of the Week

Hello everyone and welcome to my Pick(s) of the Week (parenthesis s because I didn't post the previous week, my bad!) On our season premiere I chose an online game you can play right in your browser, and the following week I chose another game you can download to your computer and play at your leisure. So tonight, as a way of giving you something to do before our next episode (which I think is pretty epic! plug plug plug), I'll show you my picks and give you your daily time waster.

CONTINUITY

This game plays out partly like a platformer, partly like a slide puzzle (as you can see above from this screenshot). Your goal as a little stick figure is to progress from room to room by lining up the tiles so that the borders align with the next, get the key, and then get to the door. No time limit, no gold to pick up, just get there. It's fun and easy to get into, and before you know it you'll be making jumps, freezing the action in mid-air to line up tiles and getting right back into it. A nice new twist on puzzle games, I'd like to see this ported to handhelds and phones with more levels and a level creator.

TRILBY: THE ART OF THEFT

"Trilby: The Art of Theft" is a side-scrolling platformer game inspired by games like Elevator Action, Bugs Bunny's Crazy Castle and Bonanza Bros, with a large heaping of stealth thrown in for good measure. In it, you play as professional thief and cat burgular Trilby as you make your way through a building collecting loot, disabling alarms and avoiding detection by cameras and human guards.

Here, you can see Trilby on the third floor shocking a guard with the taser built into his umbrella. Yes, he's that dapper. Looking at the level layout, you can see the darker parts of the level away from the lightbulbs, cameras pointing towards points of interest in certain rooms (sometimes they swivel around, so watch out for that!) and the elevator shaft and stairs that you have to use to get from floor to floor. Until you collect a certain amount of loot, you're not allowed to complete the level and leave the way you came in, so make sure you check every desk, drawer and safe that you can find. As you progress through the game, your performance is ranked on how much loot you collect, how many times you used your taser, and other factors, and earn cash based on that you can use to purchase new abilities such as rolling across the floor or sticking to the ceiling like Spider-Man to avoid detection in bright light. You can even go back to earlier levels with your new abilities to improve your score and earn more cash. It's a fun game to play and another title I would fully support on a handheld system.

Well that's it from me for this post, I hope you guys enjoy these games as much as I have, and I'll be back to bring my findings from the far reaches of the internet for your entertainment. See ya!