Filthy Casual + Super Game Over Show! = Nerdy Gaming Goodness

It's my own fault, really. I get so wrapped up in the heavy issues of the day like what's happening overseas, airplane crashes, defending Ninja Turtles, and the such that I forget to post updated for two of my very good friends!

Of course, I speak as if I am BZ85, because I am, and Katherine and the Boys (TM) are their respective Youtube channels, because reality is nothing but a portal to electronic social circles! And I don't even know what means!

What I'm trying to say is that I'm sorry for not bringing to your attention the plethora of content available on our affiliates pages. Kat and the Boys (T...I don't even know why I do that joke) have been keeping busy with playthroughs and shenanigans, and I'm here to point you in the right direction.

Feast your eyes on the lovely Filthy Casual as she tackles the city of Khamoon in her ongoing Tomb Raiderseries. As a person that never beat the original Tomb Raider, or any of it's sequels and spin offs, I applaud Kat's dedication. There is no way in hell I would have gotten this far with my sanity intact. Not that hers is...

Meanwhile the three amigos over at the Super Game Over Show simply do nothing in life other than play games for your enjoyment. I can't even begin to keep up with their updates, but here is one of their most recent shows where they tackle WWF Attitude. That's a game I obsessed over as a teen, and now feel queasy whenever I see video of. Oh, God, it's terrible...enjoy!

The New Ninja Turtles Will Be Awesome...Probably

We get in a lot of heated debates at Gaming Grounds. A lot of them revolve around comics and video games, and whenever I bring up something like politics the conversation always seems to steer back to if Superman is better than Batman.

For the record, SUPERMAN IS BETTER THAN BATMAN. Anyone who convinces himself that Batman could take Superman on in a one on fight better check their vitals. They very well may have OD'd on that Kool Aid.

A hot topic at ye olde gaming store right now is the upcoming Ninja Turtles movie. I'm of the personal belief that the movie is going to be a fun filled romp for the whole family, but more than a few of my friends have expressed concern that Michael Bay is going to "ruin another franchise."

Which is an odd statement, because I'm looking at the box office receipts for the Transformers series and everything is solid here. Has anyone actually watched the old Transformers cartoon? Yeah, it was really good when I was 10. So was the Mario Bros. cartoon, and Legend of Zelda's, and a plethora of old programs we remember through rose colored glasses. Go back and watch them now and tell me they still hold up.

I can hear at least half of you saying "they still hold up!" Shut up. You're too kind or too easy to impress.

There are some programs that are still solid. The 90's Batman cartoon is still amazing to watch. Darkwing Duck is still a favorite of mine to go back to. The Simpsons episodes of the 90's were the most entertaining of all animated programs in the history of animation, and that's a statement I will stand behind and defend until my dying breath.

And then there were the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

RAW Review, Ventura Vindicated, TNA Cancelled? Wrestling News & Notes for 7/29

I know what you're thinking.

"Shannon? You've been bashing WWE for months now. You've revitalized your blog on the awful experience that is World Wrestling Entertainment. Bash Raw. Bash it good!"

Well, friends, buckle the fuck in, because here it comes! RAW on 7/28 was a...

PRETTY GOOD SHOW!

I know, right? I'm as surprised as you are. I've grown so accustomed to the awful writing and poor storyline development that I almost skipped the show entirely. I did that for the most part last week, and I missed a seldom seen Zack Ryder victory. Truly, anything can happen on Monday nights! If Zack can beat an A lister like Fandango, who would win this week? Can Cena topple the Beast Incarnate? Does Ambrose have Rollin's number? Will Damien Sandow finally overcome his greatest foe, Vince McMahon?

Whoah, easy there Pokey. It has become official that Damien Sandow is seen in less favorable light than Zack Ryder. The only person he has a chance of beating is Justin Gabriel, and that's in a race to the unemployment line.

To my disappointment, there was no Zack Ryder victory on RAW this week. That's the bad news. The good news is that there wasn't a Ryder match at all, which means he didn't lose, either!

Hey, it's a step in the right direction. Baby steps.

Bootleg Madness - Volume One

Bill Murray never looked so dapper.

My day job is a lot like everyone else's. I stand around, I talk to customers, I have instant access to
thousands of current and retro games with consoles just a stones throw away.

You know, average everyday workaholic. That's me.

It isn't all Blogzilla 1985 all the time, no sir. I have to make a living just like everyone else, and BZ85 is more of a labor of love than anything else. I haven't sold out to the man just to earn a few rupees, and I never will. Although, to be fair, that has more to do with the fact that no one will sponsor me than my own moral standing. I'd sell out in a heartbeat and turn Blogzilla 1985 into a living breathing corporate whore if I knew I could make a buck off of it.

But that will never happen because "the man" thinks I'm too hardcore for a suit and tie.

Never, dear readers. Never. I can't live the button-down life like them. I want it all: the terrifying lows, the dizzying highs, the creamy middles. Sure, I might offend a few of those bluenoses with my cocky stride and musky odors - oh, I'll never be the darling of the so-called "City Fathers" who cluck their tongues, stroke their beards, and talk about "What's to be done with this Shannon Young?"

I'm always looking for an excuse to quote some Simpsons. Or talk about the Simpsons. I'd rather be watching the Simpsons, and it's probably what I should be doing instead of rambling on my free site that doesn't have any advertising revenue.

What the shit was I talking about?

Paranormal State's Ryan Buell Investigated for Scamming Fans

The world of the unknown is not something I write about very often on BZ85, but it is something that I have a great interest in. Those who know me personally are aware of my fascination with all things paranormal and unexplained. This site is a great outlet to pursue those interests of mine, and one of my favorite moments from running this site was when I got to interview Stanton Friedman. He is one of the most famous figures in the UFO culture and somewhat of a personal hero of mine, and you can always read that interview here if you missed it the first time.

It was even cooler than interviewing gorgeous nude model Christine Adams, who I really should catch up with sometime. I bet she has a ghost story or two I could ask about to justify bothering such a busy lady.

My own personal passion with the paranormal started with Ghostbusters, which was a VHS I rented so many times from the local store that the owners gave it to my mother. Like every other kid in the world, I wanted to strap an unlicensed nuclear accelerator to my back and go hunt some dead people. I never got to live that dream, but as I grew older I began to develop a legitimate interest in ghosts.

Call me sensitive, or a medium, or lucky, or just a plain liar, but I saw things, man. I saw things. I remember walking through my old childhood home and almost bumping into someone I thought was my father. I jumped out of the way to avoid him and loudly scolded him for not watching where he was going. I turned around and no one was there. I've seen lots of strange things since then, but that experience was so clear that it will forever haunt me. See what I did there?

Being a believer in the supernatural in the 90's meant not having many resources to study on the subject. The concept of ghosts and ghost hunting were still looked down on as a fake science, which, to be fair, still happens today. There was a show on Fox during that time called Sightings, and I watched that program religiously. It fueled my passion for ghosts, aliens, demons, and all the things that make us afraid of the dark.

Wonder Woman, Godzilla, Daniel Bryan, YOSHIHIKO and more - Random News for 7/26

I had this big huge great article I was going to write about how I just purchased the Criterion collection version of Godzilla on Blu Ray. I was going to go into just how much the big green monster has influenced my own personal life, including but not limited to inspiring Blogzilla 1985.

I find myself kind of strapped for time today, and I want to make sure a personal post like that gets plenty of time to get over the emotional impact of a boy and his radiated giant lizard.

I still wanted to write something though, because I haven't posted anything since Monday! Lindsey has been picking up my slack and I absolutely recommend checking out her latest articles on some swimming anime and that show with the one really uppity woman who judges everyone else. I don't remember the name, but it has Tim Gunn in it and that dude is straight up pimp.

And so, after all that, I decided to just throw a bunch of interesting and random stuff together. Enjoy!

Or don't. It's really up to you.

Return to the Runway

Season 13 of Project Runway is off and running. As usual we never know what to expect from the challenges, designers, or the judges for that matter. 

They are already confusing me, for sure.

The designers and fans alike were thinking "what?" when Sandhya Garg was announced as the first challenge winner.

This season's group was told to create a look that would represent their design vision for a spring runway collection. They were also only allowed to use materials that were given to them in a locked trunk on their work stations. Mixed in with the basic solids and a few fun prints were some night mare fabrics as well. It was a make it work moment for all of them on this one day challenge.

I will admit that Sandhya's look was interesting, but seriously her model looks like she belongs in a zombie movie. The oddly ripped sleeves and frayed cloths added to the harsh make up with sort of messy hair just screams horror film to me.

My favorite look of the runway belonged to Fäde Zu Grau. It was simple but had a nice clean and classic feel. I also really liked the way he blended two different prints to create the skirt. 

Guess I had boring taste this time cause his look was only one of the "safe" ones. So we'll get to see more from him next time.

I have yet to really latch onto any designers yet. It's still a bit early for that. Though I did get to have a little fan girl moment for an entirely different reason during this episode.

Designer Carrie Sleustskaya was rocking a necklace that was pulled from my all time favorite anime, Sailor Moon.

During their final audition I noticed the heart and wings hanging around her neck and had to rewind to verify. Sure enough the charm was Eternal Sailor Moon's broach and wings from the final season of the original run.

That alone made my night. 

Runway and Sailor Moon, all in the same shot!

Just Keep Swimming!

It has been a few years since I've found a new anime to add to my stable of favorites. Back in the 90's it seemed so much easier for me to be absorbed into a fandom. Sailor Moon and Pokemon were both early titles for me. I am still a long term fan of both, seven-teen years later.

Even during college, in the early 2000's, I seemed to have an easier tome getting into new shows. The last major fandom I got into was Ouran High School Host Club, and it has been around for a while now.

Sure I've enjoyed a lot of new anime, but for a long while I was just not having any luck with new titles. I'd enjoy them, but I wouldn't feel the need to track down stuff related to them. I just didn't click with them.

Over the last year however the trend for me seems to have been broken. I've actually added a few more titles to library of favorites.


One of these series is Free! - Iwatobi Swim Club.

I truly enjoy this show 100%, and not just for the obvious fan-girl reasons.

The story, though simple and based around sports, is endearing, entertaining and damn funny at times. I don't think that I've made it through a single episode without giggling loudly at something. The characters all have strong bonds of friendship and rivalry with one another. Though let's be honest here, the suggestive themes of boys' love are rather obvious even to the non-fan-girl. Add that to some insanely detailed muscled bodies, that are usually wet, and you can guess what 95% of this show's fan base consists of.

It's nice to see some fan service for the female anime audience once and a while.

WWE Responds to Lana-gate - It's Not Offensive, You're Just Ignorant

World Wrestling Entertainment finally responded to criticism lobbied against them because of Lana's anti-USA promo from Battleground. 

After the story began to make the rounds on some very big publications (and I'd like to think BZ85 had the most impact), Vince and company had no choice but to come out on the defense.

It's a pretty standard tactic with WWE. I've lost count of how many times they've done something stupid and tasteless, ignored criticism to it, then came out with a half assed apology to shut up the masses while still defending themselves. There was the Katie Vick thing, the Iraqi sympathizer angle, the RTC group, etc etc. 

Today's statement was no different.

I already covered how I feel about this turn of events in two previous articles here on the site, but I still feel like the majority fails to grasp just how despicable this situation is. Even if you buy the argument that WWE wasn't exploiting the MH17 tragedy, they're still exploiting the man responsible for some pretty heinous acts. They're glorifying him every time Lana and Rusev come to the ring, no matter how they try to spin it.

It's making my blood pressure spike again.

Musings on Act 2 of Sailor Moon Crystal

It's been two weeks since the premiere of Sailor Moon Crystal, and this past Saturday we got our second taste.

True to the manga, Sailor Mercury has made her appearance a bit earlier than in the original series.

Much like the first episode, a good chunk of this one can be matched up with the manga scene for scene. My personal favorite part was them actually getting their transformation pens from the Sailor V game in the Crown Arcade.

Still, a couple of small things did bug me.

I don't really mind the sweater look for Ami, but the thing just looked dingy. The uniforms are clearly white on Usagi and her friends, yet Ami's was more of a dull grey. She may be a nerd but she's not a dirty person. Hell, she's rich, so there's no need for her clothes to look grimy.

Secondly Umino is so freakin' short! Usagi is only supposed to be 4'11", but he was shorter than her when they were all standing in the hall together.

I don't like it. I know it's stupid, but I don't like it.

Vladimir Putin is Not a WWE Character

We're a day removed from the "big" WWE Battleground PPV, and all the venom I felt for a lackluster show has evolved overnight into pure disgust over the way the WWE creative team has incorporated real life events into cheap story lines.

If you missed Battleground, and by God I hope you did, you would have seen and heard the lovely Lana gushing over Russian president Vladimir Putin. This isn't an unusual occurrence. It has actually become a source of cheap heat for the character, since the creative team cannot comprehend how to write genuinely interesting characters.

What did change this week was the inclusion of the Malaysian flight 17 tragedy into the story line. Lana blamed the United States for such tragic events, defended Russia, and once again praised Putin as a true leader and visionary.

It's just sickening. I don't know when I became such a prude, but to make light of such a heinous act for a goddamn wrestling show just makes me feel ill.

I mentioned it in last night's PPV wrap up, but I woke up this morning feeling like I was so emotionally drained from the event that I didn't articulate my distaste well enough. I got up today and left my comfy warm bed and lovely fiancee just to bitch about it.

I was happy to see that I wasn't the only one embarrassed by this turn of events. It seems that WWE has caught themselves in a bit of a firestorm of negative publicity, as both the wrestling insiders and mainstream journalists have both condemned them for their poor taste. In fact, the UK Mail Online summarizes pretty nicely right here.

An even sadder fact to consider is that for a lot of wresting fans who bury their head in the dirt when it comes to the real world, they only know Vladimir Putin as some guy on WWE TV.

WWE Battleground - Sponsored by Filler Bunny!

Just got back from the monthly PPV party and am fully prepared to write down my most intimate thoughts. Yes, this time the WWE has pissed me off for the last time with their by the book writing and baffling decisions. THIS TIME, I'm going to come down on them like the hammer of Thor!

The thunder of my vengeance will echo through Titan Towers like the gust of a thousand winds!

I...I just can't do it. What would be the point? No one over there listens. No one cares. If losing millions of dollars, sponsorship deals, and the respect of fans won't change Vince McMahon's mind, neither will I. I just don't have the strength to get so pissed at WWE that blood squirts out of my eyes and my heart explodes in a procession of gore and Woo Woo Woo's.

You want your fucking WWE PPV report? Cena won. That's all you need to know, internet wrestling fan. Go home, hug your children, or more likely your Nascar pillows and Toby Keith CD's, and just forget that this pay per view ever happened.

Can it even be called a pay per view anymore? Most people watching it are using the WWE Network, as the prospect of paying sixty dollars for one PPV when you could be watching the network for ten dollars a month is just insane. But, I guess someone out there is still shelling out for the monthly events, because they spend a good chunk of time during the show promoting the network. It seems completely pointless to those of us who are already paying for the network, but if it gets John Sixpack out of his comfort zone and into the new era of television I can deal with it.

So, aside from the network pimping, what did we really get for our hard earned money at this filler PPV?

Not a lot, friends. And that's why World Wrestling Entertainment is in such dire straits.

James Garner Dead at 86

Another day, another tribute piece to my childhood.

I'll try to keep it short and sweet, which is the exact opposite of the legendary James Garner's career. He was a titan on both the big screen and small screen, starring in both the TV classic Maverick and the hit western film Maverick.

Oh, he also starred in The Notebook, Space Cowboys, The Rockford Files, Fire in the Sky, Support Your Local Sheriff!, and a plethora of movies dating back all the way to the 50's.

Aside from his role as Bret Maverick, I will always remember Garner most for the film My Fellow Americans. It was a little gem from the 90's that never seemed to catch as much attention as it deserved. His role as Clinton-esque former president Matt Douglas opposite his Republican counterpart play by Jack Lemmon was both hilarious and topical.

In a year of difficult deaths for me personally, Garner registers near the top of a very hated list.

Rest in peace, cowboy.

New Filthy Casual & Super Game Over Show Videos!

A plethora of content has been recorded and delivered at our two newest affiliates' Youtube pages, for those of you who tire of print and desire a medium with sounds and whiz bang action.

First up is Kat over at The Filthy Casual, who continues to raid the tombs alongside gaming's first sex symbol, Lara Croft. Bet you thought I was going to say Toad, didn't ya? You sick, sick pervert. This time the duo are taking on the Tomb of Tihocan, which may or may not contain both whimsy and adventure. And probably something to shoot at, as well.

Meanwhile, the Boys (TM) over at Super Game Over Show have posted both parts one and two of their journey with NES classic (?) "The Adventures of Rad Gravity." Not only is it a quirky space romp that I've never even heard, but it's also noticeable for featuring a main character that may or may not be inspired by Bruce Campbell.

I'm not guaranteeing that Bruce Campbell will appear in the video, but I'm not NOT saying that he won't not, either.

The Punisher IS Captain America

I can hear the fanboys collaborating on a researched and learned retort to my header, and that's okay. This piece is purely based on opinion, so like religion before me, I'm telling facts and logic to piss off.

So they announced yesterday that Falcon was taking over for Captain America, who apparently is finally coming off of a seventy year drug high. I guess it's some plan by Marvel to shake up their roster, as it must be incredibly difficult to keep these characters fresh and interesting after so many years and so many adventures. Captain America, in particular, is often cast as bland and held back by his by the books pure good character.

Superman has the same problem, with the small asterisk next to his name that says if he ever turned on humanity it would be an apocalypse. If Captain America ever turned his back on us, it would be more akin to when Sergeant Slaughter turned into an Iraqi sympathizer and feuded with Hulk Hogan. And, just like in those days, I assume the Hulk....ster would put Steve Rogers down with an atomic leg drop and send him back down the ranks to feud with Brutus Beefcake.

We're getting off track here. My natural instinct to praise Hulk Hogan ruins everything!

EPIC Sting Trailer for WWE2k15 Debuts

For those of you who missed it on RAW, here is the awesome Sting preorder trailer from WWE2k15. It isn't explicitly said if the Sting preorder DLC is just from a certain retailer we dare not mention, or if he'll be available from anywhere you slap some pre-money down.

Regardless, this is one of the best WWE videos I have ever seen and it makes me sad that Sting won't be making any appearances inside of a WWE ring anytime soon. We can always dream about what could have been.

Or what could be, since he's already signed with the damn company. I don't know, I'm pissed off now. Just watch the damn video.

Archie - The Most Controversial Comic of All Time?

I talked about this a bit on my Facebook, but the more I think about it the more I feel the need to rant a bit. I never, ever, ever thought I would write an article on Archie.

Here we go.

Reading Lindsey's article on Barbie (right here!) got me thinking about classic characters, and there aren't many who are as beloved as good old Archie.

I mean, I guess he's beloved. I've honestly never cared much for the series, but I respect the fact that they dragged out a simple love triangle into a two hundred years story line. The fact that the guy is still going after four hundred and twenty (snicker) years is a testament to how important your grandparents are to comic sales today.

Well, meemaw and peepaw, I've got some bad news. Actually, they say a picture is worth a thousand words, even if the picture is of Archie.

Blogzilla 1985 Joins Forces with Super Game Over Show

We're adding a handful of pretty faces to give Kat and the Filthy Casual a run for her money when it comes to playing games.

The fellas over at Super Game Over Show have been gracious enough to partner up with yours truly to bring their own spin on vidja games to BZ85.

What better way to introduce them to the '85 community than by providing you access to their show on wrestling games? It's no secret that we're big wrasslin' fans here, as well gaming nerds who spent more time on the NES than any other system in the HISTORY OF LIFE.

It's just my life, but it feels like forever for me. Because it was.

The Boys (TM) take on Tecmo Wrestling (Yay!), Pro Wrestling (YAY!), and Wrestlemania The Arcade Game (crickets and the sound of Scott Hall snorting coke) in their newest video.

Enjoy, and don't forget to subscribe to Super Game Over Show right here.

The Fall of a Fashion Icon?

Something was brought to my attention about six months ago, and it has been bothering me ever since.

It began with a phone conversation with my mom. We were talking about how the past Christmas went and she brought the troubling issue up with me. My cousin's daughter had been complaining about how she didn't have any extra clothes for her Barbies. That alone boggled my mind. We never had a lack of fashions for our Barbies as kids. My mom then pointed out that you couldn't really find any fashions on their own in the stores, and if you did they were rather pricey for something that was arguably mediocre.

I made a point since that conversation to check out the Barbie displays at several stores, including Toys 'R Us, Target, and Walmart.

My mind was blown.

There actually weren't very many extra fashions to buy separately. What I did see was boring and looked cheap, yet they still wanted about $8 for a single dress with no accessories. Even the Disney princess fashion sets come with two looks and extras for only about $10.  Even more depressing about the section was the lack of variety among the dolls. They were all so generic and half of them had the easy out of having their top molded as part of the torso, so the only fabric was a simple tutu of sorts.

What has happened to the doll that was the queen of girls' toys back in the day?

Let's Play! Tomb Raider (The Cistern)

Proving that hard work and playing video games can go together, Kat is back with another adventure featuring the lovely Lara Croft.

Or is it the other way around?

Part eight of the ongoing series sees our heroine spinning, flipping, shooting, swimming, and forklempting in the level affectionately called the Cistern. Whatever the hell that is. Enjoy the newest video below, and if you're new to the show make sure to go back and watch the previous entries, which are also conveniently linked below!

Convenient!

Part One - Caves

Part Two - City of Vilcabamba

Part Three - Lost City

Part Four - Tomb of Qualopec

Part Five - Saint Francis' Folly

Part Six - Colosseum

Part Seven - Palace Midas

Lebron James Goes Back to Cleveland & CM Punk Goes Back to Walmart Because He Forgot Something

Proving that love of ones roots are far more important than money, fame, or being humble, former Heat
player Lebron James is heading back to the city of Cleveland.

It may seem like a case straight out of the "Who Gives a Shit?" files, but this shocking turn of events is legitimately the biggest thing to happen to Cleveland since Bone Thugs n Harmony broke up.

Again.

For like the hundredth time.

It may seem like a mistake to go back to the city that despises you because you abandoned them for a more lucrative deal, but humanity is forgiving if nothing else. Right now thousands of Cavs fans are piecing back their King James posters and sifting through the ashes of his jerseys to see what they can salvage.

And make no mistake about it, this is a labor of love for King James. He had more success with the Heat than he ever did with the Cavaliers. So why would he go back to this hive of scum and villainy we call Cleveland? He did it for the fans. He did it for the kids just like him who had a dream. He's doing it for the ones he loves when it's most convenient for him.

In an interview with Sports Illustrated, James talked about his love of the city that never sleeps...on officially licensed Lebron James sheets.

 "It's where I ran. It's where I cried. It's where I bled. It holds a special place in my heart. People there have seen me grow up. I sometimes feel like I'm their son. Their passion can be overwhelming. But it drives me. I want to give them hope when I can. I want to inspire them when I can."

Fans were quick to forgive James, saying that, in relation to the death threats and celebration of his exit, they were "just playing."

In related news, Cardinals fans still want Albert Pujols to rot in hell.

And somewhere in Titan towers, Vince McMahon is staring longingly at a picture of Phil Brooks.

5 Women to Confuse Your Sexuality -or- Beauty is Beauty

The strangest subjects come up with my comrades and I.

Just lounging around ye olde gaming store and we start discussing girls who were born as boys. You know, it's that old question of what you would do if you found out the person you liked was really a member of the same sex in disguise. I feel like it's a hard question to answer, despite nearly all of my friends rush to dismiss the person in question.

What makes you like the person you like? Is it just their genitalia? Is it inconceivable that you could love someone for who they are and not just for their chromosomes?

Of course, anyone that would hide what they are from you could be deceitful. On the other hand, how do you tell someone something that could be a complete game changer?

I've never been in a position to know, and as far as I'm aware, neither were any of my friends. What I do know is that America is marching towards a future where race and even gender is becoming more and more blurred. With the advancement and ease of access to cosmetic and body altering surgeries, who can be sure what is real anymore?

It is of the official opinion of Blogzilla 1985 that love is love and beauty is beauty, regardless of the small details. In the grand scheme of things, isn't acceptance and equality what we all strive for?

Sailor Moon English Cast Announced

I'm going to beat Lindsey to this one.

Even though we're only one episode into the new Sailor Moon Crystal anime, we're already looking ahead to what the future holds for the franchise.  Episodes from the original series are currently posted weekly on Hulu, and we already know that they plan on dubbing Crystal as well as re-dubbing the 90's anime.

Now we know another piece of the puzzle!

The English cast for the original re-dub was revealed at a Viz Media panel at Anime Expo on Saturday. It's unclear whether or not the cast will also handle the Crystal series, but considering Viz Media now has a stranglehold on everything Sailor Moon, it seems very likely.

The 10 Most Baffling Forgotten Gaming Franchises

It's no secret that video games are one of the biggest forms of entertainment in the world. Even in a supposed slump, the industry more than holds its own with music and movies. What started as an exclusive circle for nerds without girlfriends has now dug its addictive little claws into pop culture.

Quick, what's the biggest franchises in the video game world?

Halo?

Super Mario?

Just Dance?

You're right on all counts. And if you think I'm joking about Just Dance, look up the numbers. That game is a beast.

For all of the new IP's that seem to come out these days, not to mention the countless bland sequels (I'm looking at you, Duty), there are even more that were left behind in time. Sometimes, such as the case of Duke Nukem, there is a good reason for it. Duke is a relic now, and the lame attempt at resurrecting him only hurt his legacy and cursed all future games in the series.

But, at least he got a new sequel! It may have sucked, but history will always remember that players got a new Duke Nukem game, whether they wanted it or not.

But what about the not so lucky ones? There are a plethora of games that never got the sequels they deserved. Some of them were so good that their abandonment is just downright baffling.

And with that smooth segue, here is a list of the ten most baffling forgotten video game franchises as decided by me, some guy that played them!

The Filthy Casual - Let's Play! Tomb Raider

Kat is back with another Let's Play! for Tomb Raider. This time, Lara Croft finds herself in the Midas Palace. You can expect gorillas, blondes, tombs, raiding, tomb raiding, blonde gorillas, gorilla tombs, and blonde...raiding?

Just watch the damn video.

Sailor Moon Crystal - The Other Review

Lindsey beat me to it, but it doesn't mean I'm without opinion on the first episode of the Sailor Moon Crystal anime.

But first, I'd like to give you some history between Sailor Moon and I.

I first encountered Sailor Moon as a teenager when I was trying to download a completely legal ROM for the Super Mario RPG. I came across a file called smrpg and thought I had struck a treasure chest full of gold coins and Goombas. Boy, was my face red when it turned out to be the Sailor Moon RPG - a little gem called Another Story.

I didn't know what a Sailor Moon was, and since it had little to nothing to do with Mushroom Kingdoms I deleted it without hesitation.

Fast forward a year or two and I was a low point in my life. My uncle, a very sweet man who lived with us and who I was very fond of, had just passed away and I had recently broken up with the first girl I ever truly cared about. I slipped into a deep depression and I had little response to the pills that the quacks prescribed to me. I was decked out in all black with long hair and a suicidal attitude. I ushered in the era of emo all by myself.

I also didn't sleep, which is a trait that I unfortunately carry with me to this day. During one of my sleepless days I stayed up and watched Pokemon somewhere near dawn on KTLA out of Los Angeles. We had one of those gigantic satellite dishes that still went by galaxies, so I got some pretty random channels. And on this particular morning, after the adventures of Ash Ketchem and his volt rat, I watched my first episode of Sailor Moon.

And I hated it.

A New Moon Awakens

The moment that all moon fans have been waiting for has finally arrived. The first episode of "Sailor Moon Crystal" has been released for our viewing pleasure. I'm sure that most loyal fans watched the new show as early as they could, even getting up at the crack of dawn to do so. I however had to put in a thirteen hour day at work before I could indulge my fan girl needs. My fiance and a group of friends were even nice enough to wait and watch it with me.

Happy Fourth!

We'll be attending the fantastic fireworks show tonight from some guys backyard. We do that so we lessen the risk of being shot in a town that has become a mirror for the cesspool of violence and insanity that America stands for!

And with that, be safe out there and enjoy the show! It's the greatest country in the world, as long as you avoid the major news channels.

And the local news.

And E! television.

Happy fourth! 

Twitch Streaming with Louie!

Sometimes BZ85 contributor Louie Benson is live streaming Guacamelee on XBox One right now!

Watch it right here! 

Diva Released, Diva Hired, and One Last Ryde...r?

You know who's having an interesting week so far?

If you said me, bless your heart. While I always live the most glamorous lifestyle of the biggest rock star in Southeast Missouri, even I can't begin to understand the absolute chaos that is Emma's life.

You remember me telling you about how WWE diva Emma was arrested on Monday for shoplifting a twenty dollar iPad case at a Wal Mart? Well, I'm not saying that Vince McMahon reads my site, and I'm not saying he doesn't, but something got his attention because poor little Aussie Emma was fired on Wednesday. She got future endeavored around noon, and I was honestly surprised by this turn of events. I assumed she would only get a slap on the wrist for what she did, and I base that on a few good reasons.

1. She's pretty. Pretty girls usually get away with murder, like Rebecca Gayheart and Brandi, who literally got away with murder.
2. She's Australian. I forget whether it was my geography class or the Simpsons, but somewhere I learned that Australia was formed by convicts. Is it so out of the realm of possibility that she inherited some kind of theft gene from one of her ancestors? Well, I asked a scientician, and he said it is.
3. It was just a cheap iPad case! Why would she risk her entire career over an iPad case? Especially when she probably doesn't even have an iPad because they're an inferior product, at least according to my asshole friends who made fun of me when I bought one.

Vince once again proved to me that my reasoning is meaningless, as he does every time I watch wrestling. Poor little twenty five year old Emma was canned, as were the hopes and dreams of sheep herders and kleptomaniacs all over her homeland.

But wait! Here comes an insane WWE swerve!

Filthy Casual Goes Tomb Raiding

We're happy to link you up with Kat, who has her own Youtube channel for gaming with the fantastic title of the Filthy Casual. We're not entirely sure what that means, but we're more willing to follow it than PewDiePie any day of the week. Haha, we joke, but if we ever actually met PewDiePie we would definitely break his legs and feed him his own liver.

And with that said, why not enjoy the Filthy Casual playing the original Tomb Raider? 

You can also check out her Youtube page right 'chere.

WWE News, Notes, and Rants for 7/1

Let's get this out of the way now, because I didn't believe it at first but it has been confirmed by TMZ. NXT star and WWE space filler Emma was arrested in Hartford, Connecticut yesterday. Now we know where she was during that awful Santino/Rose segment!

So what was she arrested for? She stole an iPad case from Wal Mart! I knew these are desperate times in the WWE, but I didn't know it was that bad. I don't care how low you are on the totem pole, a job with a major company like World Wrestling Entertainment should provide you with enough money to buy an iPad case valued around twenty dollars.

In her defense, she did pay for her other items and says she simply forgot to pay for the item in the self checkout line. I've used those lines before, and as confusing and ill working as they may be sometimes, they are designed to detect weight and the number of items you scanned in. There is no way she put it in the bag and forgot to add it in. On the other hand, it wouldn't make much sense for her to pay for everything else and risk her job over an iPad case. This is a strange situation. She's already been through the system and now owes some community service.

So what's the backlash here? Honestly, I doubt she gets anything more than a slap on the wrist for this. It's not like she got busted for a DUI right in the middle of a push, like a certain REAL American. His world title push was quickly demoted into a lower to mid card angle that has somehow grown immensely in popularity. Although, I chalk that up to the wit and ability of Zeb more than Jack. Still, if your choice is either hunt for the title and job out to Cena consistently or be over huge with the crowd, which would you pick?

It's more akin to WWE diva Cameron, who also got busted for a DUI and didn't really suffer much for it at all. There's not much worse they can do to the divas that their poor writing and sexist attitude hasn't already done.

So, did you enjoy RAW? Of course you didn't. No one is reading this hoping I praise that company. You want to know why I'm pissed off this time. Alright then, how about we dive right in?