Tiny Pikmin, Big Impact
The Pikmin series features some of the most unique protagonists in all of gaming… these tiny beings are individually pretty weak and helpless, and at first glance the world around […]
Mega Man and a Perfect Plan
My original console gaming experiences were pretty linear affairs… games like Mario simply took me from one level to the next, while Zelda gave me a rudimentary feeling of exploration […]
Metroid and Surprising Answers to Prayer
In the early days of gaming, strong female protagonists were virtually non-existent…so the reveal of Samus Aran at the end of the first Metroid game was a pretty big deal. […]
StarFox and Doing a “Barrel Roll?”
When a supporting character in a video game gives us advice, it is typically designed to be helpful… but when it is given in a demanding, repetitive manner, it only […]
Anakin and “Pride Before a Fall”
As the “Duel of the Fates” between Anakin and Obi-Wan reached its climactic crescendo, the full truth behind Anakin’s fall to the dark side was exposed… it wasn’t just a […]
It’s a TRAP!
There are few lines in cinema more iconic than when Admiral Ackbar suddenly realized that he and his fleet had been lured into a dogfight with a FULLY operational Death […]
Compromise and Lando’s Changing Deal
Lando’s friendliness and hospitality in “The Empire Strikes Back” hid a dark secret… he had made a “deal with the devil” to surrender Han and Leia to Darth Vader in […]
Anakin’s Undeserved Redemption
The journey of Anakin Skywalker from a simple child prodigy, to a Jedi hero, to the scourge of the galaxy, to finally fulfilling his destiny and bringing balance to the […]
Plan 99: Tech’s Sacrifice
Star Wars characters making a final sacrifice is certainly nothing new, but if I’m being truly honest, losing Tech was the one that hit me the hardest. I could never […]
Bo-Katan, the Death Watch, and “The Way”
Many of the most memorable characters in the Star Wars franchise started with a problematic background painted in shades of gray… such as Bo-Katan Kryze, a Mandalorian warrior who errantly […]
Finding God in Video Games 