Samurai Jack, Bill Nye, and Ms.Frizzle On Your Screen

Good evening everyone and welcome to The Magical Mystery Blog.

This year is going to be explosive for sentimental people. Some of television’s best shows that kept us hanging on the edge of our seats or educated us in our childhoods are making a comeback.  It’s funny in knowing that the shows we grew up with will now also entertain a whole new generation. 

“Samurai Jack” will return on Adult Swim on March 11^rd, 2017 at 11 pm. The limited series picks up fifty years after the original final episode, wherein time no longer has any effect on Jack. The world still suffers from Aku’s wrath in the past, present, and even the future. Aku now has a cult with the sole mission of eliminating Samurai Jack who must return to the past.

Following the return of the iconic samurai is a certain science guy reinforcing global warming, science, biology, and a ton of other topics. “Bill Nye Saves the World” will be appearing on Netflix on April 21^st, 2017 and feature guest celebrities joining Bill Nye in a scientific conquest. Some guests will be Donald Faison, Zach Braff, Wil Wheaton, and many others.

Lastly, “The Magic School Bus:  Rides Again” is back to take us for an animated knowledgeable journey. Kate McKinnon will give voice to Ms. Frizzle later this year on Netflix.

As soon as these shows come on my inner child will go wild with elation and nostalgia. Here’s hoping the new generation will enjoy these shows as much as we did.

Thank you for reading tonight’s entry. If you enjoyed it, feel free to share, subscribe, comment, and critique.

So tell me, what show are you most excited for?

Pokemon Go: Coming Full Circle

Good evening everyone and welcome to The Magical Mystery Blog.

Good God on a roller coaster, so much has happened in this past week.

For starters, Pokemon Go has launched in the USA and with it came glitches, strange locations, and some rather hilarious findings. Pokemon Go has motivated people to explore unknown areas, exercise, and befriend others who want to be the very best.

This game has caused the franchise to come full circle and it’s absolutely wonderful.

When Pokemon first appeared in my childhood, everyone befriended each other over these creatures. The playground was filled with children trading cards, kids battling or trading over the cable link, and others gushing about how Mewtwo was better than Mew based on the first movie. I was one of those children; my first holographic card was a Mewtwo and my first card ever was a Ponyta given to me by a dear friend who moved away. I chose Squirtle because I loved the Water type, clung to streetlights’ glow for driving in the dark and past my bedtime, and hated Lance’s Dragonites terribly. The graphics didn’t matter to me as long as my Blastoise won the battles.

My childhood gave way to my teen years where my love for Pokemon waivered. I was an adolescent “too old” for Pokemon, but still had the guilty pleasure of whipping out the DS and training my Totodile to be a mighty Feraligator. The very few geeks I knew still clung to this game and we fought over a strange new feature called wireless combat. The cable links were tossed into the basement, no longer needed and the cards were stored away in the attic. The last card I ever collected was a promotional card of Entei from “Pokemon: Secret of the Unown”.

For the longest time I stayed away from Pokemon, keeping true to my attitude of being “too old” for the franchise. When I entered college my mind was absolutely blown at people my age (18 (if not older)) playing a game that was originally designed for children. I was unsure of how to respond to this, but I knew that I couldn’t keep away from the nostalgic franchise. I started to bring my DS more and learned about IV/EV teams and crafted my dream team that would have made my younger self awe at its power.

I’m now an adult. I have XY, Pokemon Go, and ORAS and plan on purchasing Pokemon Moon when it releases. On those games I have more shinys than my younger self could have ever dreamed of, a wonderful team, and the fantastic ability to play with Pokemon as those they were pets in real life. I treat them well and in turn, they help me bring my opponents ‘ HP to 0.

Other adults like me were introduced to Pokemon at a young age and I’m sure the majority of them have Pokemon Go. Because of this app, they can explore the world they never knew and make friends along the way. Some people have eliminated their depression, anxiety, or even learned to cope with their lives because of this app. It’s such a simple, wondrous thing that’s helping so many while broadening the virtual/augmented reality world.

Thank you, Pokemon for coming full circle from my childhood into my current adulthood and exposing me to this world we live in, the friendships I’ve culminated with people and Pokemon alike, and for crafting me into the woman I am today.

Thanks for reading tonight’s entry. Feel free to comment, critique, share, and subscribe.

So tell me, what do you think of Pokemon Go?

Luigi's Mansion: My Unconventional Valentine

Good evening everyone and welcome to The Magical Mystery Blog.

With Valentine’s Day nearly a week away, I might have found an old flame to connect with. It was only Saturday where I reunited with my long lost love: Luigi’s Mansion.

Luigi’s Mansion is a game that released for the Gamecube in 2001. It focused around Luigi who busts them ghosts in a mansion he supposedly won from a contest that he never entered. Mario is also missing in this game, so it’s up to Luigi to find and rescue him.

Back in 2001, I was honestly scared of my own shadow and detested this game and sold it to Gamestop. Since 2005, I have regretted my decision and been on the hunt for this game. Finally after eleven years, I managed to find it and my love for it has never been stronger. Needless to say, I’m reunited with Luigi’s Mansion and it feels so good.

Here’s why I love Luigi’s Mansion.

5. It’s Luigi’s Game

How many games does Luigi have to himself? Very few, but most people remember this as being Luigi’s game. There was barely any Mario involved or Peach or Daisy. At best it was just Luigi, Toad, a bit of Bowser, and an old scientist who wanted to capture ghosts with a vacuum backpack. It was a game perfect for Luigi because it encompassed a unique concept and a grand sense of adventure – just like a Mario game would feature.

4. The Puns

I am a stickler for puns and this game does not disappoint. Professor E. Gad? The Game Boy Horror? The names of the Boos? These little puns provide comedy relief to a game filled with spooky scary spirits.

3. The Ghosts

Each ghost is different and provides their backstory in their portraits. Even their personalities shine through their stories and how they appear overall. For example, Madam Clairvoya is very helpful and willing to be sealed away in a portrait and find peace. She differs greatly from other spirits like Shivers, Miss Petunia, and even Chauncy.

2. The Music

The music for this game is well done; so much so the main track constantly gets stuck in my head. It’s a simple little tune that I’ve remembered for all these years and every time I hum it, it makes me smile. It’s also a simple melody that definitely sets the spooky, eerie feeling of Luigi’s Mansion. It’s the perfect score for a fun game.

1. Ghostbusting

When there’s something strange in the Nintendo world, who ya gonna call? Ghostbuster Luigi. Basically, you’re busting ghosts and showing that you’re not afraid of them. While Miyamoto has claimed on numerous occasions that Luigi’s Mansion wasn’t inspired by “Ghostbusters”, I like to think otherwise.

The controls for ghostbusting require the player to have a firm grip and watchful eyes because Luigi flails with the ghost while trying to capture it. Should the player’s fingers fumble, the ghost escapes. The ghost can easily be recovered and attacked again, but it’s fun to try and suck the spirit up in one go.

Thank you for reading tonight’s entry. If you enjoyed it, feel free to subscribe, share, comment, and critique.

So tell me, who or what has stolen your heart this Valentine’s Day?

A Nostalgic Halloween

Good evening everyone and welcome to The Magical Mystery Blog.

Halloween is next weekend and what better way to remember the holiday than to watch some nostalgic Halloween movies? Think of this as yet another flashback entry – back to a time when you were a child getting ready to trick or treat in a costume either your parent made you or you bought from the store. It was probably something significant to you like Cinderella or a cowboy. With the spirit of Halloween throughout the month of October you couldn’t help but to watch some films pertaining to the season. Maybe some scared you and maybe some didn’t, but they are memorable programs. These Halloween films and specials are the same way for me and if you haven’t heard of them, by all means check them out.


5. “Scooby Doo on Zombie Island” (1998)


Because it can’t get any better than Hanna-Barbara’s classic animated series. To be honest, it was either “Scooby Doo on Zombie Island” or “Scooby Doo and the Alien Invaders” that made me so indecisive. But then I remembered one redeeming thing about this movie that not even aliens could replicate: zombie Shaggy and Scooby Doo.

The movie starts with Mystery Inc. finishing up a case and going their separate ways because they’re frustrated with not finding any real ghosts and monsters. They eventually reunite and after a series of mysteries, they get invited to investigate Moonscar Island home of the pirate Morgan Moonscar. From there onward, the gang realizes they get more than they bargained for and aren’t met with fake masks and cheap monster costumes. They encounter werecats, zombies, undead versions of their friends, bats, and oh so much more that make it all a perfect movie for Halloween.


4.  “Garfield in Disguise” (Garfield’s Halloween Special 1985)

Oh Garfield, I’ve read your comics in the paper every single Sunday morning when I used to get up early – even on the weekends. Yeah, I pretty much had no life back then. Regardless, this was a special I only recall seeing once in my childhood, but thank God for Youtube.

The plot is that Odie decides to trick or treat for extra candy and convinces Garfield to join him, causing him to fashion a pirate outfit. The two roam throughout the neighborhood getting as much candy as possible before going across a river and stumbling upon a haunted house. If that plot doesn’t scream Halloween then frankly, I don’t know what does.

3. “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” (1966)

Yes, most of you have seen this and at this point in your life you may be sick of it or still embrace it to satisfy the inner child. For me, it’s a tradition to watch this special every single year. Albeit, there were times I missed it due to life, but when I did manage to watch it, it reminded me of why I loved this special.

The plot is that Linus believes in a Santa Claus like figure called The Great Pumpkin who shows up on Halloween in a pumpkin patch to deliver candy to all. Everyone (except for Sally) doesn’t believe in The Great Pumpkin and go trick or treating and to a Halloween party.

It’s a plot that no other special has. Although The Simpsons did a parody of this in one of their Treehouse of Horror specials, it was nothing more than a parody. Thus the program adopted the special’s aspects and beliefs and gave it their own twist. Other specials do not share a plot reminiscent to this and if they do, then the main character(s) usually sees the rumored being. For example, in every retelling of “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow”(a classic Halloween story) the rumor is addressed (there is a Headless Horseman) and someone (usually Ichabod Crane) sees it. The same formula applies to most ghost stories and other Halloween specials, giving the media an overall air of eerieness. None of them have an outcome where the main character doesn’t see what they’re chasing and lacks the reality that “It’s a Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” delivers. 

2.  “The Simpsons: Treehouse of Horror” (The original, 1990)

By now this is something every Simpsons fan is familiar with. The Treehouse of Horror is a long standing Simpsons tradition in which three horror stories are performed by the show. I actually used to be scared of these when I was kid, especially the original. While there were three segments in this special, I always keep going back to “The Raven”. “The Raven” (the iconic Edgar Allen Poe poem) has been depicted and spoken by many voices, but this one combines the lovable nature of The Simpsons with something as strange as “The Raven”.

James Earl Jones (Darth Vader’s voice for all you “Star Wars” fans) read the narration of the poem. His vocals were soft but stern, addressing each word and verse with caution. His voice framed the literature’s eerie but serious nature, while allowing the Simpsons to go about their silly antics. It’s a timeless piece of animation that still makes me smile to this day in appreciation for a classic piece of literature and animation.

1. “The Addams Family” (1991)

The Addams Family is a family that every single person on this planet knows because of their iconic appearance and catchy theme song  (*snap snap*).  The original series was based off cartoons that Charles Addams had drawn and wanted to bring to life. When Charles drew these pieces, it was during a time when the typical American family was wholesome and too goody goody. Needless to say, his idea of a family was far from the norm.

Flash forward to the future and the trope still holds true in a society where families are “reality tv” or are branching out to different races or lifestyles. The movie is no exception – showing how The Addams Family engages with the real world while living in their own world which seems far more interesting than reality.  In the film, Gomez laments the falling out between himself and his brother, Fester. Gomez’s lawyer, Tully Alford attempts to loan shark a woman named Abigail Craven whose son looks exactly like Fester. The three team up to reunite “Fester” with Gomez in an attempt to infiltrate the Addams’ vault where unimaginable wealth is stored.  Along the way “Fester” initially detests Gomez, but begins to question if he really is Gordon as he slowly starts to remember the Addams’ way.

I’ve watched this movie since I was a child and every year it still manages to make me smile. The nostalgia I receive from this flick combined with the wondrous acting and the lovable characters makes it a fantastic film that I hope you will (or do) enjoy.

 Thanks for reading tonight’s entry. If you enjoyed it, feel free to share, subscribe, comment, and/or critique.

So tell me, what’s your favorite Halloween movie?

Goosebumps: The Movie

Good evening  everyone and welcome to The Magical Mystery Blog.

I apologize for the rather late entry, something unexpected arose yesterday and by the time I was finished with it, it was too late and I didn't write anything for the blog. Anyway, without further ado, here is the belated entry.

Remember how Hollywood is remaking all of your favorite childhood classics or turning things you loved so dearly into movies? “Ghostbusters”, ”Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark”, and “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” are just to name a few, but now we can add “Goosebumps” to the list.

“Goosebumps” was a seemingly endless book series written by R.L.Stine. Having read “Goosebumps” from time to time, the book was written in the horror genre to promote fears of the unusual and otherworldly type. My favorite books of the series in particular were ‘Choose Your Death’ stories where you followed a main plot that offered you different options. For example, the book I read sent the reader into the Medieval Era and every so often a page would instruct you to turn to various pages to receive different outcomes. I think I wore those books out because you would never obtain the same outcome.

Eventually the book series turned into a television series. It was a pretty decent series, but it didn’t last for long and afterward, only popped up in October on select stations. We now have a movie debuting this October that seems to go off on its own, avoiding the eerie mood that the books had initially sparked.

From what we can tell about this new “Goosebumps” trailer, a new boy moves into town and him and his friend help their neighbor who is in trouble. When they go to help her, they discover that someone has a raging obsession for “Goosebumps” because there’s a ton of manuscripts in the basement pertaining to iconic monsters from the book series. One of the kids accidentally opens a manuscript and a monster pops out. Many more creatures emerge from the manuscripts once they are opened and soon, the entire town is surrounded by these nefarious beings. The characters set out to capture the monsters and return them to their manuscripts.

To be frank, this isn’t the “Goosebumps” I grew up with and rather, it appears to be more of a comedy/supernatural movie as opposed to the horror based genre it was initially set in. Yes, it did have its supernatural themes at times, but it was more so a collection of horror stories intended to instill some fear into its readers.  The idea of monsters emerging from a book is something bizarre and magical, but despite using all of the “Goosebumps” creatures, it really doesn’t feel or look like a “Goosebumps” movie to me.

It honestly makes me wonder why exactly Hollywood is remaking our childhood past times and why they aren’t doing the best that they can with them. It’s Hollywood, it’s cranked out incredible movies such as “Gone With the Wind”, “The Blues Brothers”, and so many others. Why is it when it comes to things we mostly love and adore, Hollywood just seems to be treating them terribly?

Thanks for reading tonight’s entry. If you liked it, feel free to share, comment, critique, and subscribe.

So tell me, what do you think of the “Goosebumps” trailer?

Gamestop + ThinkGeek = GameGeek!

Good afternoon everyone and welcome to The Magical Mystery Blog.

Remember how most of you probably dreaded Hot Topic buying Thinkgeek? Well your dread can easily be put to rest.  Gamestop has managed to purchase Thinkgeek at a $20 common stock share, as opposed to Hot Topic’s $17.50 offer.

Gamestop is a video game store that has been around for years and has been noted as a gamer’s paradise. To merge with Thinkgeek will mean that the store will be able to broaden its collectibles merchandise. This means that we’ll be seeing more Thinkgeek toys and games in Gamestop stores.  The merge could also enforce Gamestop to start selling retro video game consoles because of Thinkgeek’s nostalgic items they sell.

Thank you for reading today’s entry. If you enjoyed it, feel free to comment, share, and critique.

So tell me, what are you excited to see from this new business venture?

Ghostbusters 3: We're Ready to Believe

Good evening everyone and welcome to The Magical Mystery Blog.

Since “Ghostbusters 2”, audiences everywhere have been itching for a sequel. Some imagined that the original cast would rise up once more to eliminate any lethal, supernatural events. However, over the years the original troupe went their separate ways, never discussing the idea and when approached about it, would consider it as a rumor. Dan Aykroyd (Ray Stanz) always held hope for a third Ghostbusters movie as the years rolled on and was in the process of gathering the original cast together. With Sigourney Weaver, Harold Ramis, and Ernie Hudson ready for another ghostbusting adventure, Bill Murray wanted nothing to do with it because of the crazy, bizarre plot.

In Aykroyd’s original Ghostbusters 3 plot, Peter Venkman (Bill Murray) was going to appear as a ghost haunting Ray Stanz, Egon Spengler (Harold Ramis), and Winston Zeddemore (Ernie Hudson). Another plot Aykroyd imagined was the Ghosbusters traveling to an alternate dimension (a Hellish Manhattan called Manhellton) and fighting off demons. It was going to be titled “Ghostbusters 3: Hellbent” and it sounded wonderful. Yet Aykroyd’s plans fell apart with the passing of Harold Ramis and Murray refusing to sign on for the third movie.

Instead Aykroyd was joined by Paul Frieg (director of “Bridesmaids”) and Katie Dippold. Together, they transformed Aykroyd’s plot into a reboot of the original movie with an all female cast. Our leading ladies are Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon, and Leslie Jones. They will be taking on the female versions of Stanz, Venkman, Spengler, and Zeddemore. The movie already has a set date for July 22,2016.

Personally, I love an all female cast that works well together and shows the strength of women. Together with the remaining original Ghostbusters returning for the third film, it’ll be interesting to see. The only women we’ve ever known in the Ghostbusters franchise were Dana Barrett (Sigourney Weaver) and Janine Melnitz (Annie Potts). We’ll now have the opportunity to see more women in a popular movie series.

Honestly, I think it would be interesting if the new women of “Ghostbusters” were a part of an alternate universe and the original crew stumbled upon them. They would discover this different dimension by finding notes for it in Spengler’s old studies or in another fashion. The two teams would hate each other at first, but band together and take down demons and Satan who would try to use Manhattan as his base while trying to conquer the world. During their time in this Hellish environment they could face off against a zombiefied Staypuft Marshmallow Man and possibly endure the wrath of Vigo, the Scourge of Carpathia.That way we would get to see the best of both worlds: the original Ghostbusters and the new, rebooted Ghostbusters with women.

I’m curious to see how this reboot will be done. After all it could be a flop (like some original movies being rebooted by Hollywood) or it could be a success because of the franchise’s popularity. It wouldn’t surprise me if people enjoyed this new Ghostbusters because it’s such an iconic movie and it’s extremely nostalgic. With Frieg wanting to update the technology, times, and monsters, we can only wait to see what July 22^nd, 2016 will have in store for us.

Thank you for taking the time to read today's entry. If you enjoyed it, feel free to comment and share it.

So tell me, what do you think of the new Ghostbusters?

Pokemon: My Past and Present

Good evening everyone and welcome to The Magical Mystery Blog.

If you’ve seen my blog or my Tumblr, then by now you know that I love Pokemon. Pokemon is a nostalgic staple of my childhood and was one of the first animes I remember seeing next to “Sailor Moon” and “Dragonball Z”. I was addicted to the original Pokemon Red and Pokemon Blue on my Gameboy and over the years I evolved to the GBA and DS systems. Throughout my life, I’ve encountered well over the original 150 Pokemon and to this day, I find that I’m discovering Pokemon that I never knew existed. Then again, I might have skipped a few generations. Anyway, here’s a list of my top ten favorite Pokemon.

10. Cherubi

Image from pokemon.wikia.com

At first when I saw this Pokemon I loved how adorable it was. Two little cherries with smiley faces; it’s practically the epitome of happiness. I managed to stumble upon it during a Wonder Trade and since then, I kept that smiling little cherry bomb by my side. I'll admit it's cheered me up on some bad days in my life. I suppose seeing its little smiles is enough to make me happy again.

9. Gourgeist

Image from bulbapedia

Halloween is my favorite holiday and I love everything about it; ghost stories, jack o lanterns, candy, costumes, and so much more. When I heard that Pokemon  XY would have a new creature based on a jack o lantern I fangirled. While Pumpkaboo was adorable and I raised mine dearly, I managed to receive a level 65 Gourgeist in a Wonder Trade. Needless to say, I took it with me into battle, and it actually carried me throughout the Elite Four. It was a vicious, adorable pumpkin who still resides on my main team.

8. Dratini

Image from pokemon.wikia.com

In the first generation of Pokemon, the Safari Zone was home to extremely rare Pokemon like Kanghaskhan, Chansey, Scyther, Pinsir, and so many others. But the rarest of them all was the tiny dragon Dratini. Dratini was like the hard to get prize at some carnival fishing game, but when you got it, you felt like nothing could stop you. Plus, it was cute which immediately made me fall for the little dragon Pokemon.

7. Zebstrika

Image from bulbapedia

Electric types are fun and when everyone hears electric type they automatically think ‘Pikachu.’ I used to think the same thing for a long time until I stumbled upon this electric horse. I managed to obtain Zebstrika in Pokemon Alpha Sapphire through Wonder Trade and since I needed an electric type, I figured I might as well keep it on my team. Overtime, it grew on me. It was an electric zebra who could summon Thunder to rain down upon your enemies and deal out some heavy hits. It was awesome and it won its way into my heart.

6. Volcarona

Image from bulbapedia

To be honest, I never wanted a bug type on my team. I knew they were weak to almost everything and therefore, I considered them useless. It wasn’t until I played Pokemon Alpha Sapphire that I received a level 38 Larvesta by Wonder Trade. What interested me was its bug/fire typing because fire usually kills bugs and I thought it was a contradiction Pokemon. However, its unusual typing urged me to bring Larvesta into battle to see how it would do. Needless to say, I was completely blown away by its high special attack and special defense. With every level, it became a bug tank of annihilation which evolved into Volcarona and helped me through the Elite Four and Champion battle. Nearing level 100, it is the destructive force of my team and I love it to bits.

5. Azurill

Image from bulbapedia

I have no words for Azurill being one of my favorites other than: look at how cute it is! It’s a little mouse fairy balancing on a ball and just bouncing about. Whenever I see its Generation V face of sadness, it makes me want to hug it until it smiles. To this day, I wonder why they made Azurill so sad looking in Generation V as opposed to the other generations. Regardless, I immediately fell for its charm when it was first released and to this day, I’m still smitten by how adorable it is.



4. Haunter

Image from imgur

Remember how I said I love ghost stories? Well, I love ghost Pokemon and Haunter is no exception. Haunter is a mischievous prankster which works well with its typing. For the longest time as a kid I hated Haunter, but somewhere in time my feelings changed. I have a Haunter on my team whenever I can and most of the time, I don’t evolve him. As fantastic as Gengar is , he just lacks something that only Haunter has. Maybe it’s that toothless grin or his ghostly levitation or how I can still hear his laughter from the original Pokemon show whenever I summon him.

3.  Mawile

Image from bulbapedia

Mawile is a quirky little beast and I had one in Pokemon Ruby.  Originally, I wasn’t too fond of her, but the more I used her in battle, the more she grew on me. In Ruby, I named her Chomper because of the jaws behind her head. When Pokemon XY released, I knew I had to have her on my team, especially with the Fairy typing. I originally captured Mawile, but I forgot to save to game when I turned it off. Panicking, I managed to go back and capture Mawile once more and raised her with poke puffs and endless hours of playtime. When she Mega Evolved I was blown back by her power, her devotion to me as a trainer, and how amazing she looked.

2. Entei

Image from pokemon.wikia.com

Anyone remember Pokemon 3: The Movie where this legendary beast was introduced? I do and it’s my favorite Pokemon movie because of this legendary pocket monster.  Seeing his power on screen and in the game was amazing. For every game I played I had to have Entei on my team because of how it so easily dominated my opponents and he looked fantastically majestic. When I got my hands on Pokemon Y, Entei wound up becoming my first shiny legendary. At level 100, he’s the powerhouse on my Pokemon Y team.

1.Ponyta

Image from pinterest

Ponyta is another sentimental Pokemon for me because it was my very first Pokemon card. It was given to me a boy who was my best friend in second grade before he moved away. I have not heard from him in years and wonder how he’s doing. Since I received this card, it has been my mission to obtain a Ponyta in every game in memory of him. In Pokemon XY I managed to find a Ponyta who I raised to be the best fire type on my team. When she evolved into a Rapidash, she annihilated the Elite Four and Diantha’s Gardevoir. She also wound up being my very first level 100 Pokemon who still holds a spot on my team.

Thank you for reading this entry. If you enjoyed it, feel free to comment and/or share it.

So tell me, what’s your favorite Pokemon and why?

Something Old, Something New

Good afternoon everyone and welcome to The Magical Mystery Blog.

We live in an updated, modern society where we can obtain information at a mere touch, where solar energy is powering our buildings, and where robots are cooking our food. We are constantly being informed of new technological tools in the works that will aid us with our daily lives. Every day we are discovering new ways to embrace the future and all its modified, minimized glory.

Yet despite our evolution, why do we still love things from the past?

Image from eliteauction.com

3. Thought Provoking

The past is a time that we only know about through movies, education, stories, and many other formats. It’s a strange thing that we can’t physically visit (unless we have a Tardis or DeLorean), but only examine and wonder.  We have artifacts from the past in museums and in antique stores. While we are familiar with some of the objects’ functions, others we are not. This allows us to tap into our imaginations and question how the item worked, what it was used for, why was it used, and compare it to something we have in our modern time to help understand it better. By asking these questions we exercise our minds, attempting to discover the item’s purpose, and create a story (or many stories) for something unique and old.

2. Aesthetic

Artifacts are so different from what we have now. Today’s music players are slim and small, offering us the ability to take music with us wherever we go. In the past there were gramophones and record players and but today, they are rendered obsolete. However, we are spellbound by their rustic charm. The same goes for clothing; every day we are reinventing fashion to fit our modern tastes, but we are wonderstruck by the fictional Steampunk eras, corsets from the Victorian times, the intricate detail of the Edo era, the flashing glamour of the roaring 20s, and so many other decades.  People are even pleased over how an antique tea set appears as opposed to a modern day tea set. These items have an alluring appearance that goes against the sleek, modern aesthetic. We are drawn to these artifacts and are awed by the beauty of the past.

1. Nostalgia

But of course, we have our own past. The things we grew up with that when remembered have a sentimental feel. We still cling to these objects for the comfort they give us and to remind us of better days. There are people who use items from the past to immerse themselves in some blissful memories as opposed to using the updated version of that item (ex.: using vinyl records and record players over mp3s and ipods). We’ve even created a day of the week (Throwback Thursday (#tbt)) to celebrate toys we’ve had from the 90s, music from the 80s, and so many other things from the past that we still adore to this day.

The past is a gorgeous, mysterious thing that people attempt to understand on a day to day basis. It takes days, months, and even years to fully comprehend the past, but it only takes a mere moment to enjoy it.

Thanks for reading today’s entry. If you have any feedback or want to share it or review it, feel free to do so.

So tell me, what is a sentimental item from your past?

Let's Go Back to Hoenn: Pokemon ORAS

Good evening everyone and welcome to The Magical Mystery Blog.

Once again, Nintendo has outdone itself in the past year. For Christmas I received Pokemon Alpha Sapphire, having played Pokemon Ruby as a kid.

Image from http://images.eurogamers.net/2014/usgamer/omega-820x420.png

No sooner I started the game, I smiled at the years gone by and how this franchise still stuck with me. To think it had such an impact on who I was, who I’ve had the honor of meeting in the past, and the mere pleasure I still get from this series. To add fuel to the fire, the game welcomed me with the original graphics as Professor Birch began his spiel. It was definitely a blast from the past as I watched these old graphics work alongside the newer graphics.

From there, the game ran smoothly with the original gameplay modified with today’s graphics to suit the 3DS and 2DS.  What I loved the most was the specific details given to every gym leader, Team Aqua member, and major characters of the game. It was obvious the game developers had fun making each important character unique, which is what makes this game so much more fun. Flannery as a nervous gym leader trying to be bold and brash was hilarious, especially with facial expressions to match. Archie and Max are the complete opposites of each other with body language and expressions. Archie is a pirate captain of insanity and dominance (which fit Team Aqua nicely) and Max is a stoic, civilized man. When I originally received this game as a kid, we didn’t have these luxurious graphics to help us understand the characters better. We had our imagination and what the tv series showed us.

What I also adored about this game was the secret bases and how they added onto their original concept. The new secret bases allow players to transform their humble abode into a gym and gather friends to do so, play capture the flag with other bases, and share bases with many others all over the world. From these new features, players can obtain new furniture and plushies for their base.

The idea of summoning Latios (or Latias depending on what version) was thrilling, especially being able to control the flight and destination. It also helped eliminate the use of HM 02 (Fly) and gave me the ability to utilize more of the HMs in this game. I honestly forgotten how many HMs there were in this generation and I was disappointed to find that I had one or two HM slaves. By having these one or two HM slaves on my team, it messed up how I have my party. Speaking of parties, Brendan was adorable yet ambitious as a rival, but I wasn’t too fond of joining him to visit the next location. While I’m sure many enjoyed this feature of him taking you to Petalburg to fight your father because it saved time and moved the story along, I’m a type of gamer who likes to explore and take in the scenery, possibly train some more.

Along with playing just like the original Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire did, some new features from Pokemon X and Y were included in the game. Players are able to use Pokemon Amie, Super Training, Wonder Trading, and the World Trading System in this game. However, the one feature I missed from this game was character customization, the ability to shop for outfits that you can dress your player as. While I don't understand why they didn't include this fun option, I'm still content that I can play with my Pokemon in Pokemon Amie.

What sealed the deal for me though were the new legendary features and the overall ending to the game. The legendary features were usable once Latios joined my party and started to fly around Hoenn, encountering mirage locations, the Nameless Cavern, and the Pathless Path. Overtime, more legendaries and places will open up based on requirements, days, and times.I also enjoy the fact that you can capture so many legendaries and are open to a diverse collection of super powered Pokemon; which leads me to discuss the overall ending of this game.

Image from Google

Video game endings are possibly the best victories ever because of the feeling of accomplishment that comes with it. The bosses are defeated, the world is saved, the creatures are captured, it’s a fairy tale ending that everyone loves. But this game not only finished and gave me a sense of triumph; as a reward it threw my player onto the back of Rayquaza, launched me and the mega evolved legendary beast into the atmosphere, annihilated a comet, and gave us a chance to capture the elusive DNA Pokemon, Deoxys.

This ending made up for anything I disliked about the game because it stunned me. Never before have I dreamed that this would be the future of a classic childhood game. Back then I was blown away by the fact that we could catch monsters and use them for combat. But now, Nintendo has really stepped up their game and remade a classic. I easily give this game a 10/10 for those who have never experienced Pokemon and want to jump into it or for those or are replaying an old, redesigned classic.

Feel free to comment and follow me, and if you really liked this entry go ahead and share it. If you'd like to befriend me on Pokemon Alpha Sapphire and Pokemon Y, here is my friend code: 4313-1750-2509. :)

So, tell me what did you enjoy/dislike about Pokemon Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire?

Gaming in the New Year

Thank God it’s Friday here at The Magical Mystery Blog.

A new year is upon us to accomplish many things, do activities we always wanted to do, and make our lives as interesting as possible. Yesterday I managed to achieve something I've wanted to do since Christmas Day: defeat Pokemon Y. Pokemon Y is the latest game of the Pokemon franchise and hosts the sixth generation of Pokemon. This new generation includes Pokemon you grew up with as well as seventy new creatures which is a total of over 700 pocket monsters to capture, train, and play with.

I honestly wanted this game for nostalgia, the incredible graphics, the fantastic gameplay, and to see how my favorite childhood game has advanced over the years. This game did not disappoint me on any of those levels and I was satisfied through and through. Here are a few things I specifically love about Pokemon Y.

5) Music

At first, the music for this was all right. It was your typical battle jingle and victory music. But as you face the gym leaders, Team Flare, and the Elite Four, the themes transcend and evolve into excellent tunes. From what I’ve seen and heard, tons of fans seem to enjoy Lysandre’s battle theme the best. Frankly, I can see why: it’s a mix of wayward insanity, jarring evil, and badassery.  As for myself, I enjoy the Champion’s combat music because it pumps you up for the battle to end all battles, it beckons you to strive towards victory, and it fits the Champion’s character perfectly.

4) Mega Evolution

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Behold the ultimate power of Blastoise with three cannons!

One of the most anticipated features of this game prior to its release was mega evolution. This concept is given to only a few select Pokemon in which they hold a stone that temporarily enhances them. In this advancement, they have the power of a t-rex tearing through an enormous cube made of titanium bricks and bacon (which is epically powerful). They also get a new look so Blastoise becomes Mega Blastoise, Gardevoir becomes Mega Gardevoir, and so on.  As a long awaited feature of the game, it made me feel like I had the power of the Pokeworld in my hands and nothing could stop it.

3) Pokemon Amie

In the Pokemon movies and shows we see trainers interacting with their Pokemon outside combat. As a child, we probably wished for something like this to happen to us. To be able to play with a Vulpix or surf on the back of a Lapras, it would have been excellent. Some of us to this day still wish for that fantasy to become a reality. In Pokemon X and Y, we are presented with Pokemon Amie, a program that allows us to play with our Pokemon. The more you play with your Pokemon, the more they will interact with you in combat. This is the closest we have ever gotten to fulfilling our childhood wishes and it’s heartwarming. We get to pet our Pokemon, feed them, and even play mini games with them.  We are given the opportunity to see our Pokemon smile and feed them as they cry in content.  What’s even better is if you have Lapras use Surf, you will actually ride a Lapras on the water, and not some cluster of pixels.

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Surfing on Lapras before....(Pokemon Ruby/Sapphire)

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Surfing and fishing on Lapras after....(Pokemon X/Y)

2) The Graphics

These aren't your 1996 graphics where everything was one primary color in variant shades. Pokemon’s graphics changed with the years and for their new game, they took no chances. They spent hours creating 3D models for each Pokemon and making them move. On top of that, the settings they had to design for this game took days, hours, minutes, and nanoseconds. The results are utterly beautiful and by far, some of the best graphics I've seen. 

1) The Memories

As I've mentioned before, I bought this game for nostalgia. I’m a nostalgic and sentimental person even though I know it’s unhealthy to live in the past and that life only goes forward.  While I do move on with life, there are just some things that never leave me. One of those things happens to be Pokemon. The games always intrigued me because they drew me in, allowed me to combat without the sight of blood or be extremely violent, and gave me some wonderful memories. When I play Pokemon Y, I’m reminded of all the reasons why I fell in love with Pokemon.

How do you feel about the new Pokemon X/Y game? Love it? Hate it? Would never play it? Feel free to leave your thoughts below and as always, feedback and followers are welcomed.

Also if you like what you see here and want to get to know me better, check out my tumblr at #vannillafudge or this link: http://vannillafudge.tumblr.com/. 

I SPY With my Little Eye

Greetings, fellow readers and welcome to yet another Monday here at The Magical Mystery Blog.

As children, we were introduced to Halloween by way of urban myths, television specials, and our parents dolling us up in costume. Some of us were eased into the holiday by way of books such as the Goosebumps series and I SPY: Spooky Night.

I SPY is a hidden object book where the reader is given riddles to find all the items on the pages. Some of the books tell stories while locating the objects. For example, I SPY: Treasure Hunt tells the tale of you, the reader, finding all the items that will lead to Captain Kidd’s treasure.  Not only do you sharpen your brain with these books but you go on an adventure as well.

Over the years, there have been many variations of the books ranging from computer games to miniature books. But now is the age of technology, where children learn through Leapfrogs, and kid friendly Wii games. To keep up with its young audience, I SPY began to aim its riddle filled fun to game consoles such as the Wii and DS systems. A while back, I SPY took one of its classic books, and adjusted it to fit the Wii. This book is none other than I SPY: Spooky Night.

I picked up the I SPY: Spooky Mansion (same theme, different title from the book) game during the summer time and due to my work schedule, I just finished it. Originally I bought the game for the sake of nostalgia and my inner child insisting that I buy it. I was also curious to see how they took my old childhood favorite and spun it to meet the modern day needs of a fun video game. With a price tag of twenty dollars, the game was practically a steal.

The game itself is extremely enjoyable and quickly gobbles up time. Skelly the Skeleton, the owner of the mansion, decides to play a little game with you no sooner you enter the house. You cannot go out the way you came in. To exit the estate, you must solve thirty two riddles. Only then will you escape from Skelly’s mansion.

The ambiance of the game is spooky but not so frightening that it will give children nightmares. It’s a gentle play on Halloween based concepts like snakes, spiders, and other mildly creepy aspects. As for myself, I find the light humored concepts to be comical and cheesy. Details are found throughout the game, especially in the board game riddle. With nearly every riddle, there are mini games to be played such as feeding a spider, sending bats to sleep, and other fun games.

One of the downsides to the game is the visuals. Since everything is supposed to be spooky, it’s shaded in dark tones of brown, black, and other eerie colors. However, this can easily be remedied by going into the game’s menu, and changing the contrast. By doing this, the dark shades will fade away, allowing for the player to see more of the details the game has to offer; as well as the objects they’re looking for.

The visuals in this game feel more cartoony, which suits nicely for children. Yet for those who play the game for nostalgia, it’s different from the original PC game and book. Growing up, I played the PC game constantly and I remember the realistic graphics that made the game more entertaining and believable. It felt as though Skelly was right there in front of me, taunting me with another piece of the mysterious message. Even the ghost machine labs in both games are styled differently. As to where the PC game looked as though everything could be physically experimented with, the Wii version looked like a bunch of wires that could lead to quite a shock.

I’m glad that kids today will be able to experience the fun and learning aspects of I SPY by way of a Wiimote and a great game. I give this game an eight out of ten, with its endless fun and its modern take on a classic. While I’m not too fond of the graphics, the game was designed for children, and probably not nostalgic people like myself.

What are your memories of I SPY? Have you played any of the games yet? If so what ones and did you enjoy them? Feel free to leave a comment and as always, followers are welcome.