Remember last post when i posted about Twitter going kaput? Could it be today the day? :P
Well of course not, it would be too good to be true.
Ryuichi - 10.03.2025 10:17 am
Ryuichi - 06.03.2025 1:49 pm
Don't worry if i haven't updated the site. I've been overall pretty busy and haven't been very active anywhere else. I haven't even have time to think on another Blender piece, which is unfortunate.
I have a list of themes that i want to develop and talk about here, and i will try to do so in the following days, now that i made updating this site even less cumbersome than it was before.
The other day i said that if Twitter, the only social network that i use now, were to go kaput for some reason (for some Elon-related reason), THIS page would be my last refuge and i wouldn't go anywhere else, not even the Fediverse.
Ah the fediverse... i REALLY have to talk about it one of these days.
I have a list of themes that i want to develop and talk about here, and i will try to do so in the following days, now that i made updating this site even less cumbersome than it was before.
The other day i said that if Twitter, the only social network that i use now, were to go kaput for some reason (for some Elon-related reason), THIS page would be my last refuge and i wouldn't go anywhere else, not even the Fediverse.
Ah the fediverse... i REALLY have to talk about it one of these days.
Ryuichi - 15.01.2025 2:16 am
Back to Fiddling with Blender
The donuts, the first things i created ever on Blender
Recently, I’ve returned to experimenting with Blender, a tool I first began using around four years ago, just as the pandemic began. For me, Blender has always been a hobby, a creative outlet rather than a professional endeavor. If you're interested, you can check out my Pixelfed profile linked in the sidebar, where I upload the things I create. I’m more focused on the process of creating than on gaining recognition, so feel free to use any of my artwork, as long as you credit me.
Before this current iteration of A Ton of Cows, I ran another website where I shared my knowledge base, including a detailed Blender roadmap for beginners. Unfortunately, I had to delete the site (probably due to server issues, i can't remember), and while I salvaged some content, I lost the majority of it. I intended to post the Blender guide here, but sadly, I realized I had only copied part of it, and the Wayback Machine didn’t capture it. So, I think it’s gone for good.
Rather than rewriting the entire guide from scratch, which would be difficult given that I don’t recall every detail and it was pretty lenghty, I’ve outlined the core points of the original guide below:
1. Get Blender
Visit Blender.org to download the software, it's free and open-source. Windows users can also find it on the Microsoft Store or Steam. On Linux, I recommend downloading it directly from the website, as the package from your package manager is often outdated.
2. Follow the Donut Tutorial
Start with Andrew Price's Donut Tutorial series. There are many beginner tutorials out there that are also good ones, but i particularly recommend this one, is a classic, and it’s where many, including myself, first learned Blender.
3. Create Your Own Donut
After completing the tutorial, try making a donut on your own without referencing the video. This will help solidify what you’ve learned. If you get stuck, feel free to refer back to the tutorial, but challenge yourself to work independently first. Keep practicing until you can make a donut from memory.
4. Explore More Tutorials
After mastering the donut, search for additional beginner tutorials to learn how to create different objects. The Blender GUI is packed with features, so it’s essential to explore all its potential. Try a few different tutorials, and then challenge yourself to recreate what you've learned without looking at the videos.
"Game Over" Piece created in mid 2022
5. Start Making Your Own Creations
Although it’s tempting to follow more tutorials, I recommend shifting towards making things independently. Start with simple, real-world objects that you can easily reference, like a thumb drive, a cup, or a soda can. This will help you practice the skills you've learned while keeping the process enjoyable. Don’t worry if things don’t turn out perfectly at first—just keep experimenting.
6. Build a Bigger Scene
Once you’re comfortable with individual objects, challenge yourself by creating a larger scene. It doesn’t have to be complex, but it should include multiple elements, different textures, and a variety of features. For example, try modeling your desk, part of a street, or even a storefront. One of my early scenes was The Music Club Room from the anime K-On!
7. Keep Pushing Your Boundaries
By this stage, you’ll have a good understanding of your strengths and weaknesses in 3D modeling. The next step is to continue challenging yourself to improve. Several subreddits, websites, and communities offer daily modeling prompts that you can use to inspire new projects. You could work on something for a week or try a daily challenge. You can also check past Inktober challenges for additional inspiration.
8. Seek Feedback
Even if you feel confident in your skills, getting feedback is invaluable. It can be hard to assess your own work, so sharing your models with other artists or joining 3D modeling communities on forums, subreddits, or Discord can help you see areas for improvement. While friends and family may be supportive, they might not give the most constructive criticism, so it's important to seek out other artists' perspectives.
9. Find Your Niche
By now, you’ll likely feel more confident with Blender. You can choose to remain a generalist, working on a variety of 3D projects, or you may want to specialize in one area, such as animation, texturing, sculpting, or shader creation. There are plenty of tutorials for these specialized fields, so you can deepen your skills in a particular aspect of 3D modeling.
10. Never Stop Having Fun
No matter whether you’re using Blender as a hobby, to test your skills, or as a stepping stone to a potential career in 3D art, it’s crucial to maintain a playful attitude throughout the learning process. Don’t be afraid to fail, start over, or take a break when necessary. The key is to enjoy the journey and learn from your mistakes.
"Magical Terrarium" First creation of 2025
Having a creative outlet is incredibly fulfilling, and for me, learning 3D modeling turned out to be more accessible than traditional drawing (I didn't had any experience in 3D before of trying it out). Blender’s intuitive interface and powerful tools made the process enjoyable, and I was constantly amazed by the results of my efforts. It’s this combination of ease of use and rewarding outcomes that kept me coming back to it. If you’re looking for a way to express your creativity or pick up a new skill, Blender might just be the perfect place to start.
The donuts, the first things i created ever on Blender
Recently, I’ve returned to experimenting with Blender, a tool I first began using around four years ago, just as the pandemic began. For me, Blender has always been a hobby, a creative outlet rather than a professional endeavor. If you're interested, you can check out my Pixelfed profile linked in the sidebar, where I upload the things I create. I’m more focused on the process of creating than on gaining recognition, so feel free to use any of my artwork, as long as you credit me.
Before this current iteration of A Ton of Cows, I ran another website where I shared my knowledge base, including a detailed Blender roadmap for beginners. Unfortunately, I had to delete the site (probably due to server issues, i can't remember), and while I salvaged some content, I lost the majority of it. I intended to post the Blender guide here, but sadly, I realized I had only copied part of it, and the Wayback Machine didn’t capture it. So, I think it’s gone for good.
Rather than rewriting the entire guide from scratch, which would be difficult given that I don’t recall every detail and it was pretty lenghty, I’ve outlined the core points of the original guide below:
1. Get Blender
Visit Blender.org to download the software, it's free and open-source. Windows users can also find it on the Microsoft Store or Steam. On Linux, I recommend downloading it directly from the website, as the package from your package manager is often outdated.
2. Follow the Donut Tutorial
Start with Andrew Price's Donut Tutorial series. There are many beginner tutorials out there that are also good ones, but i particularly recommend this one, is a classic, and it’s where many, including myself, first learned Blender.
3. Create Your Own Donut
After completing the tutorial, try making a donut on your own without referencing the video. This will help solidify what you’ve learned. If you get stuck, feel free to refer back to the tutorial, but challenge yourself to work independently first. Keep practicing until you can make a donut from memory.
4. Explore More Tutorials
After mastering the donut, search for additional beginner tutorials to learn how to create different objects. The Blender GUI is packed with features, so it’s essential to explore all its potential. Try a few different tutorials, and then challenge yourself to recreate what you've learned without looking at the videos.
"Game Over" Piece created in mid 2022
5. Start Making Your Own Creations
Although it’s tempting to follow more tutorials, I recommend shifting towards making things independently. Start with simple, real-world objects that you can easily reference, like a thumb drive, a cup, or a soda can. This will help you practice the skills you've learned while keeping the process enjoyable. Don’t worry if things don’t turn out perfectly at first—just keep experimenting.
6. Build a Bigger Scene
Once you’re comfortable with individual objects, challenge yourself by creating a larger scene. It doesn’t have to be complex, but it should include multiple elements, different textures, and a variety of features. For example, try modeling your desk, part of a street, or even a storefront. One of my early scenes was The Music Club Room from the anime K-On!
7. Keep Pushing Your Boundaries
By this stage, you’ll have a good understanding of your strengths and weaknesses in 3D modeling. The next step is to continue challenging yourself to improve. Several subreddits, websites, and communities offer daily modeling prompts that you can use to inspire new projects. You could work on something for a week or try a daily challenge. You can also check past Inktober challenges for additional inspiration.
8. Seek Feedback
Even if you feel confident in your skills, getting feedback is invaluable. It can be hard to assess your own work, so sharing your models with other artists or joining 3D modeling communities on forums, subreddits, or Discord can help you see areas for improvement. While friends and family may be supportive, they might not give the most constructive criticism, so it's important to seek out other artists' perspectives.
9. Find Your Niche
By now, you’ll likely feel more confident with Blender. You can choose to remain a generalist, working on a variety of 3D projects, or you may want to specialize in one area, such as animation, texturing, sculpting, or shader creation. There are plenty of tutorials for these specialized fields, so you can deepen your skills in a particular aspect of 3D modeling.
10. Never Stop Having Fun
No matter whether you’re using Blender as a hobby, to test your skills, or as a stepping stone to a potential career in 3D art, it’s crucial to maintain a playful attitude throughout the learning process. Don’t be afraid to fail, start over, or take a break when necessary. The key is to enjoy the journey and learn from your mistakes.
"Magical Terrarium" First creation of 2025
Having a creative outlet is incredibly fulfilling, and for me, learning 3D modeling turned out to be more accessible than traditional drawing (I didn't had any experience in 3D before of trying it out). Blender’s intuitive interface and powerful tools made the process enjoyable, and I was constantly amazed by the results of my efforts. It’s this combination of ease of use and rewarding outcomes that kept me coming back to it. If you’re looking for a way to express your creativity or pick up a new skill, Blender might just be the perfect place to start.
Ryuichi - 01.01.2025 5:49 pm
Well, I had to re-upload the entire site again due to a layout modification.
As part of the changes, I removed the Chattable iframe because it’s no longer working. I’m not sure if Chattable is experiencing issues or if they deleted my instance due to inactivity, but either way, I think the microblog is better off without it.
Instead, I’ve added a link to the recent note-taking app I created, which I mentioned in the previous post, so it’s now easier to find.
But I didn’t want this update to just be about the layout change, so I decided to discuss something that’s been on my mind. I have tons of topics I want to cover here, but today, something else caught my attention.
I stumbled across a video by a YouTuber called Penguinz0. I don’t usually watch YouTube, but the topic of this video piqued my interest. In the video he highlights a note from a blog about the theme he's talking about, and… WTF is this nonsense?
Just look at this: how many ads are on this page?
There are potentially six ads visible at once. I disabled my adblocker to check, and it’s even worse: the page seems to endlessly load because the ads keep rotating. There’s an ad every two three-line paragraphs, so you end up scrolling forever to read a note that’s barely a screenful of text.
This is awful. I honestly don’t understand how people put up with this shit. It’s not just this one page, it’s everywhere. I’ve even seen sites demand money to stop tracking you, and paying them doesn’t even remove the ads!
And then they have the audacity to plead with you to disable your adblocker. When you do, they pounce, trying to squeeze out as much revenue as possible.
Honestly, I think adblockers are essential these days just to filter out the absurd amount of junk on websites. I get that sites need to earn money, they’re not charities, but there has to be a balance.
If their content and user experience were genuinely good, people would stick around to read more, and one or two ads would be enough. Instead of relying solely on ads, why not diversify? Offer premium, ad-free content, merchandise, affiliate links, or other revenue streams.
These kinds of issues make me question the viability of the internet for anything beyond media consumption. We’re living through dark times online, not just because of what companies do to users, but because of what users are willing to tolerate to avoid losing their dopamine fix.
Well the rant ends here! I'll try to post more content now that i finished coding the second version of my app and have more free time, and also will try to squeeze more time too to make something in Blender agein. See Ya!
As part of the changes, I removed the Chattable iframe because it’s no longer working. I’m not sure if Chattable is experiencing issues or if they deleted my instance due to inactivity, but either way, I think the microblog is better off without it.
Instead, I’ve added a link to the recent note-taking app I created, which I mentioned in the previous post, so it’s now easier to find.
But I didn’t want this update to just be about the layout change, so I decided to discuss something that’s been on my mind. I have tons of topics I want to cover here, but today, something else caught my attention.
I stumbled across a video by a YouTuber called Penguinz0. I don’t usually watch YouTube, but the topic of this video piqued my interest. In the video he highlights a note from a blog about the theme he's talking about, and… WTF is this nonsense?
Just look at this: how many ads are on this page?
There are potentially six ads visible at once. I disabled my adblocker to check, and it’s even worse: the page seems to endlessly load because the ads keep rotating. There’s an ad every two three-line paragraphs, so you end up scrolling forever to read a note that’s barely a screenful of text.
This is awful. I honestly don’t understand how people put up with this shit. It’s not just this one page, it’s everywhere. I’ve even seen sites demand money to stop tracking you, and paying them doesn’t even remove the ads!
And then they have the audacity to plead with you to disable your adblocker. When you do, they pounce, trying to squeeze out as much revenue as possible.
Honestly, I think adblockers are essential these days just to filter out the absurd amount of junk on websites. I get that sites need to earn money, they’re not charities, but there has to be a balance.
If their content and user experience were genuinely good, people would stick around to read more, and one or two ads would be enough. Instead of relying solely on ads, why not diversify? Offer premium, ad-free content, merchandise, affiliate links, or other revenue streams.
These kinds of issues make me question the viability of the internet for anything beyond media consumption. We’re living through dark times online, not just because of what companies do to users, but because of what users are willing to tolerate to avoid losing their dopamine fix.
Well the rant ends here! I'll try to post more content now that i finished coding the second version of my app and have more free time, and also will try to squeeze more time too to make something in Blender agein. See Ya!
Ryuichi - 30.12.2024 5:00 pm
So yeah, I've created a Desktop Note-Taking app.
I don't know about you, but for me, it's pretty easy to fire up Telegram and paste interesting stuff I find online into the Saved Messages section. Whether it's something to check later or just quick notes, it’s a fast way to save information.
The Problem
The issue with this system is that it’s easy to get carried away. You end up endlessly pasting snippets, and older stuff gets buried in a wasteland of forgotten notes.
Even though it's fast to save things, there are some big drawbacks:
No organization: Everything is mixed up, making it hard to find specific notes.
Limited tools: Some organizational features exist but are barebones and locked behind premium.
Unreliable search: Telegram's search feature is spotty; even when I know a note exists and type it in exactly, it doesn't always show up.
The Inspiration
These were things I could overlook, but I’ve had time to waste. One day, inspiration struck, and I thought, "What if I make an app that’s just for saving notes that works just like this but BETTER?"
Having worked on more complex projects (like a Fediverse frontend inspired by Tumblr), I figured, why not?
Development
I’ve been using PHPDesktop to create personal apps and tools for work. PHPDesktop combines a Chromium frame with PHP and SQLite, making it as easy to build apps as it is to create a webpage.
Over the last month, I’ve worked on this project, and today I’m excited to release version 2.0! 🎉
Notebubble Official Repository
Alternatively, you can download the package from HERE if Notabug isn’t working.
Check out screenshots of the app in this IMGUR Album.
App Overview
I designed Notebubble to resemble an instant messaging app. The goal was to make it familiar and easy for anyone to use.
Getting Started:
- Download and uncompress the package.
- Open the executable (no installation needed).
- The app creates a folder in the same directory for settings and the database. Keep the executable and folder together, and it will load your notes wherever it’s placed.
- Set up your language and timezone on first launch, and you’re good to go!
Features:
- Create multiple categories to organize your notes (the main reason I built this app).
- Add reminders to notes.
- Use checkbox lists to track goals or tasks.
- Multiplatform, It's for Windows and there's a Linux Package too, but i still haven't uploaded it, check the repository later today.
- Multilanguage: It is available on English, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, French, German and Japanese.
- Among other things.
Detailed help documentation is included within the app.
Syncing Notes Across Devices:
While Notebubble doesn’t yet support internet sync natively, here’s a workaround:
- Move the database to a USB drive or cloud folder (via app settings).
- On another computer, set the database location to the same folder.
- Voilà! Your notes stay synced across devices.
Alternatively, since the app is portable, you can run it directly from a USB drive.
Final Thoughts
This is a small, personal project created for my convenience, but I’m sharing it in case others find it helpful.
If you have questions or feature requests, feel free to:
Contact me on Twitter (link on the sidebar).
Open an issue on the repository, and I’ll check it out right away.
There are many ideas i have for Version 3 and many features that i want to implement yet, so stay tuned here, on my twitter account or the repository for when i release it. Until now, hopefully it is useful to you if you decide to use it.
I don't know about you, but for me, it's pretty easy to fire up Telegram and paste interesting stuff I find online into the Saved Messages section. Whether it's something to check later or just quick notes, it’s a fast way to save information.
The Problem
The issue with this system is that it’s easy to get carried away. You end up endlessly pasting snippets, and older stuff gets buried in a wasteland of forgotten notes.
Even though it's fast to save things, there are some big drawbacks:
No organization: Everything is mixed up, making it hard to find specific notes.
Limited tools: Some organizational features exist but are barebones and locked behind premium.
Unreliable search: Telegram's search feature is spotty; even when I know a note exists and type it in exactly, it doesn't always show up.
The Inspiration
These were things I could overlook, but I’ve had time to waste. One day, inspiration struck, and I thought, "What if I make an app that’s just for saving notes that works just like this but BETTER?"
Having worked on more complex projects (like a Fediverse frontend inspired by Tumblr), I figured, why not?
Development
I’ve been using PHPDesktop to create personal apps and tools for work. PHPDesktop combines a Chromium frame with PHP and SQLite, making it as easy to build apps as it is to create a webpage.
Over the last month, I’ve worked on this project, and today I’m excited to release version 2.0! 🎉
Notebubble Official Repository
Alternatively, you can download the package from HERE if Notabug isn’t working.
Check out screenshots of the app in this IMGUR Album.
App Overview
I designed Notebubble to resemble an instant messaging app. The goal was to make it familiar and easy for anyone to use.
Getting Started:
- Download and uncompress the package.
- Open the executable (no installation needed).
- The app creates a folder in the same directory for settings and the database. Keep the executable and folder together, and it will load your notes wherever it’s placed.
- Set up your language and timezone on first launch, and you’re good to go!
Features:
- Create multiple categories to organize your notes (the main reason I built this app).
- Add reminders to notes.
- Use checkbox lists to track goals or tasks.
- Multiplatform, It's for Windows and there's a Linux Package too, but i still haven't uploaded it, check the repository later today.
- Multilanguage: It is available on English, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, French, German and Japanese.
- Among other things.
Detailed help documentation is included within the app.
Syncing Notes Across Devices:
While Notebubble doesn’t yet support internet sync natively, here’s a workaround:
- Move the database to a USB drive or cloud folder (via app settings).
- On another computer, set the database location to the same folder.
- Voilà! Your notes stay synced across devices.
Alternatively, since the app is portable, you can run it directly from a USB drive.
Final Thoughts
This is a small, personal project created for my convenience, but I’m sharing it in case others find it helpful.
If you have questions or feature requests, feel free to:
Contact me on Twitter (link on the sidebar).
Open an issue on the repository, and I’ll check it out right away.
There are many ideas i have for Version 3 and many features that i want to implement yet, so stay tuned here, on my twitter account or the repository for when i release it. Until now, hopefully it is useful to you if you decide to use it.
Ryuichi - 24.12.2024 1:38 pm
Computer chips are so widespread now that we now take them for granted. They're pretty much everywhere... well, at least not in the milk... yet. But it's pretty common to have highly advanced processors with us all the time. The industry churns out tonnes of all purpose processors not each year, but each DAY, and we often don't stop to think all the work that goes into making them, and also how the technology to make them has progressed over the years.
This video explains in a very simplified fashion how usually a microprocessor is made:
Want to know a bit more in depth how processors are made, follow the link to see the full post:
Click to see full post.
This video explains in a very simplified fashion how usually a microprocessor is made:
Want to know a bit more in depth how processors are made, follow the link to see the full post:
Click to see full post.
Filed under: Technology - Permalink
Ryuichi - 10.12.2024 10:39 pm
I've been a bit absent of the internet in general lately because i've been working on a personal software project, but i'll probably present it in society soon, as soon as i'm done with some formalities.
Ryuichi - 03.12.2024 1:07 am
Crappy videogame review: Ikkitousen, Xross Impact (PSP, 2010)
Ikkitousen Xross Impact is a 2010 action game for the PSP, based on the Ikkitousen anime and manga series. It combines fast-paced, side-scrolling beat 'em up gameplay with a large roster of characters, each inspired by warriors from Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Featuring flashy combat, cooperative partner mechanics, and plenty of fan service, the game is tailored for fans of the franchise while delivering an energetic brawler experience.
Back when I had my PSP some years ago, this was a game that was really hard for me to put down. I could spend hours and hours playing just this game. One of the last times I checked, I had poured like 80 hours into it… and the worst part is that I don’t know why.
I can’t figure out what draws me to this game so much. Despite its "pretty crappy" look, it was incredibly addictive.
The game is a beat-'em-up. If you don’t know what that is, it’s a genre where you pick a character (and there are many to choose from here) and progress through stages, beating the crap out of every copy-pasted enemy you encounter until you reach the boss. In this case, there are usually two bosses per stage, and yes, you beat the crap out of them too.
This particular game is based on the Ikkitousen anime franchise. Back in the day, anime about badass girls fighting until their clothes were barely hanging on was all the rage. It was THE AGE of fanservice. It wasn’t uncommon to see anime featuring girls in skimpy outfits kicking each other around, and it was considered the coolest thing ever. Funny thing is, I never watched Ikkitousen. It felt a little too fanservice-y for me—like it was trying too hard to grab dudes' attention. And while, yes, I do enjoy that kind of thing sometimes, back then it felt too corny for my taste. (I don’t hate it; it’s just not my cup of tea.)
The game also has its fair share of fanservice, but that’s NOT what draws me to it (seriously). It has a story mode where you pick one of three schools and follow their plotline, but here’s the catch: the game was only ever released in Japan. It’s all in Japanese, and no one’s bothered to fan-translate it. So, if the plot isn’t what hooked me, then what did? The mechanics? Probably.
I haven’t played many beat-'em-ups outside of some arcade classics, which are designed to be tough as nails. This game, however, is different. The mechanics are butter-smooth. Each stage floods you with enemies, so you’re constantly mashing buttons to fight them off.
Honestly, the game works like a button-masher fidget toy. (Remember fidget spinners? Those were wild times. Glad they’re gone, but I digress.) The fighting is dynamic and satisfying. You can string together combos by mashing the punch button, jump to do aerial attacks, or use “spirit bombs” to blast away enemies when surrounded. Each character also has one or two special moves activated with a simple button combo, which deal massive damage. Defeat a boss with a special move, and you even get a little surprise.
Whether you play story mode or arcade mode, you always have two characters in a tag-team setup. You control one, and you can switch to the other at any time, either to level them up or to use their unique abilities. Every character has their own quirks, so it’s fun to experiment and see who works best for each stage.
As you play, your characters level up. The more combos you land, the more points you earn, and leveling up lets you improve stats like strength and stamina. But the real fun is unlocking new combo moves. You can extend combos, juggle enemies in the air, and unleash all kinds of chaos.
I think this is what makes the game so entertaining. The enemies don’t put up much of a fight—sure, they’ll get a few hits in, but mowing down hordes of them with combos is so satisfying. Before you know it, hours have flown by, and you’ve been mindlessly smashing everything in your path.
So, yeah, this game is a mindless button-mashing fest, and I love it for that. Some people might prefer a game with more depth in its story or gameplay, but that’s not what this is. Sure, it gets repetitive—most stages throw the same enemies at you over and over—but if you enjoy the mechanics as much as I do, that’s not a bad thing.
The game’s for PSP, so you can play it on your PSP/Vita, or use an emulator on your computer or phone, or even one of those Sony consoles capable of running PSP games. Whatever works for you.
Ikkitousen Xross Impact is a 2010 action game for the PSP, based on the Ikkitousen anime and manga series. It combines fast-paced, side-scrolling beat 'em up gameplay with a large roster of characters, each inspired by warriors from Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Featuring flashy combat, cooperative partner mechanics, and plenty of fan service, the game is tailored for fans of the franchise while delivering an energetic brawler experience.
Back when I had my PSP some years ago, this was a game that was really hard for me to put down. I could spend hours and hours playing just this game. One of the last times I checked, I had poured like 80 hours into it… and the worst part is that I don’t know why.
I can’t figure out what draws me to this game so much. Despite its "pretty crappy" look, it was incredibly addictive.
The game is a beat-'em-up. If you don’t know what that is, it’s a genre where you pick a character (and there are many to choose from here) and progress through stages, beating the crap out of every copy-pasted enemy you encounter until you reach the boss. In this case, there are usually two bosses per stage, and yes, you beat the crap out of them too.
This particular game is based on the Ikkitousen anime franchise. Back in the day, anime about badass girls fighting until their clothes were barely hanging on was all the rage. It was THE AGE of fanservice. It wasn’t uncommon to see anime featuring girls in skimpy outfits kicking each other around, and it was considered the coolest thing ever. Funny thing is, I never watched Ikkitousen. It felt a little too fanservice-y for me—like it was trying too hard to grab dudes' attention. And while, yes, I do enjoy that kind of thing sometimes, back then it felt too corny for my taste. (I don’t hate it; it’s just not my cup of tea.)
The game also has its fair share of fanservice, but that’s NOT what draws me to it (seriously). It has a story mode where you pick one of three schools and follow their plotline, but here’s the catch: the game was only ever released in Japan. It’s all in Japanese, and no one’s bothered to fan-translate it. So, if the plot isn’t what hooked me, then what did? The mechanics? Probably.
I haven’t played many beat-'em-ups outside of some arcade classics, which are designed to be tough as nails. This game, however, is different. The mechanics are butter-smooth. Each stage floods you with enemies, so you’re constantly mashing buttons to fight them off.
Honestly, the game works like a button-masher fidget toy. (Remember fidget spinners? Those were wild times. Glad they’re gone, but I digress.) The fighting is dynamic and satisfying. You can string together combos by mashing the punch button, jump to do aerial attacks, or use “spirit bombs” to blast away enemies when surrounded. Each character also has one or two special moves activated with a simple button combo, which deal massive damage. Defeat a boss with a special move, and you even get a little surprise.
Whether you play story mode or arcade mode, you always have two characters in a tag-team setup. You control one, and you can switch to the other at any time, either to level them up or to use their unique abilities. Every character has their own quirks, so it’s fun to experiment and see who works best for each stage.
As you play, your characters level up. The more combos you land, the more points you earn, and leveling up lets you improve stats like strength and stamina. But the real fun is unlocking new combo moves. You can extend combos, juggle enemies in the air, and unleash all kinds of chaos.
I think this is what makes the game so entertaining. The enemies don’t put up much of a fight—sure, they’ll get a few hits in, but mowing down hordes of them with combos is so satisfying. Before you know it, hours have flown by, and you’ve been mindlessly smashing everything in your path.
So, yeah, this game is a mindless button-mashing fest, and I love it for that. Some people might prefer a game with more depth in its story or gameplay, but that’s not what this is. Sure, it gets repetitive—most stages throw the same enemies at you over and over—but if you enjoy the mechanics as much as I do, that’s not a bad thing.
The game’s for PSP, so you can play it on your PSP/Vita, or use an emulator on your computer or phone, or even one of those Sony consoles capable of running PSP games. Whatever works for you.
Filed under: Videogames - Permalink
Ryuichi - 27.11.2024 11:38 pm
You see? What i was talking about in >>>1726376526 I had to upload the entire site because of a typo.
Thanks obama.
Meaningful updates to follow soon.
Thanks obama.
Meaningful updates to follow soon.