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Editor's note: This author has a fascinating thought process while critiquing critique-able media. He knows Avatar (the movie) and Dante's Inferno (the game) have problems -- but does that ultimately matter? The answer to that may seem obvious, but trust me -- it's worth reading Brendon's story to see his point of view on how we all "review" movies, games...just about everything. -Shoe

It’s become a running gag.

After a solid five minutes on the phone extolling the virtues of Avatar to my indulgent friend, I can hear her knowing smile: “So, is it The Best Film Ever?”

I pause. I want to say yes, because to me, in the hour since I returned from Pandora, Avatar has set up camp in my heart. I am invaded, overcome. I close my eyes and see the welcoming arms of a thousand blue cat people calling me home.

I compromise: “Yeah. For now.”

We both laugh. We’ve been friends for 10 years. She knows me well enough to know that, in the moment, I am completely honest; through her, I know myself well enough to know that I’ve been here before. I get caught up. My fancy is a tramp.

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Editor's note: Gabriel waxes nostalgic about the Street Fighter series and its influence on his life. I can't believe that Street Fighter 2 is nearly 20 years old now! -Brett

Both players are down to the end of their energy bars. One more hit and they're down, so they're both being cagey. They're hanging back at opposite ends of the screen, waiting for the other guy to make the first move. Leo takes the initiative. He sends off a fireball to force Theo into blocking, then jumps in with a flying kick to knock Blanka's green head off. But as he's moving through the air he hears a soft tapping.... This is the split second before game over."  -Alex Garland, The Beach

Over the last 30 years, I have played thousands of video games. Shooters, fighters, role-playing games, sports games, puzzle games: there isn't a genre I haven't tried and enjoyed. From the highs of Fallout, River Raid, Ninja Gaiden, and Ikari Warriors to the lows of Time Killers, Wet, and E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial, games have entertained me, scored me dates, and in one particular instance gotten me arrested. But no one series has stayed with me as long or had as much of an impact on my life as Street Fighter.

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If you don't already write for Bitmob, we need to talk.

You don't need to want to break into games writing to contribute. You only need a passion for games and the ability to articulate that passion in the written word. While we have a great "About Us" page to get you started, I wanted to appeal to our non-contributing members.

I've been writing for Bitmob for a year and have recently become community manager. It is hard to express what the experience has meant. I can tell you why it has been so important, but how it has affected me is hard to put into words.

Why it has been important: I have found like-minded video and pc game players for the first time in my life, I have had my articles read hundreds of thousands of times, and I know that my opinion is appreciated.

It all started with a very silly article. I posted a fictional story about a Funky Kong, whom I supposed was an openly gay video game character. Bitmob featured it in a spotlight, and it has received over 6000 hits to date.

I'll describe how it has affected me in one word. It has been powerful. "The pen is mightier than the sword" is a phrase that has been kicking around the English language for over 150 years for a reason. You probably won't change games by writing for Bitmob. You will change people, however, and they will change you.

Need more convincing?

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Area 5's Matt Chandronait joins Bitmob's Demian Linn, Dan Hsu, and Brett Bates to discuss the ethics of journalism, developer clout, spring releases, microtransactions, and which games they'd trade to see new titles in a franchise that got cut short.

Have a community topic you want to hear the crew discuss? E-mail your suggestions to letters@bitmob.com, subject: Mobcast.

By the way, we're now using a technology called photography to capture the Mobcast in action. Check out our first photograph after the break, and find it and all future photographs on our Facebook page.

Zune Link (must use Internet Explorer)

Direct Download (right click save as)

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Confession time: I suck at the original Castlevania game.  Well, I suck now.... I used to be quite good. Never in a million years did I expect someone to attempt to play the game with a DDR mat, largely because I didn't realize that they could be used like that [via Tiny Cartridge]:

Man that guy is annoying. That could just be my wounded pride talking....

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This Week in Video Game History marks the beginning of a couple significant eras, but on completely different ends of the spectrum. We will see the date that Nintendo made its first baby steps into the handheld market. We'll also see plenty of irony when a hotly anticipated game is announced, only to have its title become literal. We also observe a solemn occasion for news editors everywhere and an important date for obsessive compulsives.

April 25

1997 -- The Dual Analog Controller for the PlayStation debuts. The Dualshock would eventually replace it, but rumble is featured in the Japanese version of the controller using a single motor. Two analog sticks are virtually an industry standard (even Nintendo is using them), but ironically, the controller first appeared along side two fighting games. Not that fighting game enthusiasts ever wanted to use analog sticks. They have always been content with joysticks and d-pads.

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People are always saying, "This is the best this" and "This is the best that" -- usually it's not. I dare you to look at this artwork for Super Mario Bros., created by deviantARTist lastscionz, and tell me you wouldn't kill to play an anime adventure starring bad-ass versions of Mario, Luigi, and Yoshi the killer dinosaur [via Geekologie]:

Even Bowser looks threatening, something he hasn't been since possibly Mario 64 (even then, all you had to do was throw the guy by his tail three times, and you kicked his ass). The sad part is, prints are sold out. The artist does say he might make more and to check his journal for pricing and availability -- so e-mail this guy and tell him to start making some more, will ya? Check after the jump for the full piece of ass-kicking artwork.

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This post is powered by Darjeeling tea and BC Powder. I recommend never mixing the two if you like having taste buds.

Pokémon: Fix It!
By Stephen De Carlo
The Pokémon series hasn't changed much in the last 10 years. Gold and Silver marked the last real overhaul of the gameplay (via the now-standard day/night mechanic) and Stephen's not happy. With Pokémon Black and White just around the corner, he wants to see several key changes made to the franchise, but he knows the possibility is slim. Nintendo teases a gameplay evolution -- but will it be enough to satisfy?

Call of Duty: the End of a Love Affair
By Dan Garofalo
Dan was an early fan of the Call of Duty series and watched the series grow and change over time, but not necessarily for the better. Modern Warfare opened a door that can never be closed, and it seems it might be too late for Infinity Ward proper to change his mind. But what of Vince Zampella and Jason West's new studio -- could that make everything right again?

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375 video games and more than 425 characters beg the question -- how hardcore a gamer are you, really? It took eight months for DeviantARTist shadow502t to create what seems to be the ultimate challenge for any gamer who thinks they know their stuff better than anyone else. That includes all the time it took to cut out and place all of these guys on a custom 30 x 20" background [via Geekologie]:

Some characters appear more than once, some have been killed off in their respective franchises, and a couple of these games never saw the fluorescent light of a software store. This piece of art is available as a download from his page, or you can buy a print for just $4.95 -- perfect for any home, office, or geek's room. 

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It's not often that a story about soap is found on Bitmob, even if it is related to video games. Geeksoap doesn't settle for just throwing some random game mascots on bars of soap (though they do that too); they have painstakingly recreated Nintendo Entertainment System, Nintendo 64, and original Game Boy cartridges in the form of body cleaner [via Technabob]:

The bars of soap will cost you from $2 to $6.50 and are available for purchase here. Who would have thought that almost 25 years after playing Kid Icarus on your NES you would be wiping your backside with it? Check after the jump for more pics.

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Editor's note: Wow. Did Super Metroid really come out 16 years ago? Jeremy celebrates the anniversary of its 1994 release by discussing how Super Metroid built the foundation for a new genre of game. -Jason

As seen in the latest This Week in Video Game History, Super Metroid came out this week in 1994. Since then, it has garnered praise from every corner of the game industry, often appearing in many "Best of All Time" lists. Future Metroids would go on to receive critical acclamation, but none has seen the love that Super Metroid still receives from fans the world over. But as good as the game is, what is even more impressive is how it defined a genre of game badly in need of a definition.

The term “Metroidvania” has worked its way into the gaming lexicon. It's loosely defined as a nonlinear platformer. It is easy to forget that these existed long before Super Metroid, as evidenced in this GameSpite article on Metroidvanias. But the genre didn't really have a lynchpin.

The original Metroid may be the genre's foundation, but it lacks a certain design focus found in Super Metroid. Most Metroidvanias that came before lacked refinement, which makes sense given that many NES games were fairly rough. Super Metroid is just leagues better, with multiple environments, spot-on mechanics, and tons of secrets. The prime example of what previous games tried to do had arrived.

But the nonlinear platformer couldn't solidify into a top genre until another game repeated its success. Enter Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. Clearly inspired by Super Metroid, Symphony of the Night took that template, mixed it with the Castlevania aesthetic and gameplay, and added an RPG-like leveling system. The nonlinear platformer had finally come into its own, boasting two genre-defining masterpieces.

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