Friday Nerd Links

I recently stumbled across a couple of really neat websites that I think I ought to tell you folks about....
Now, keep in mind that I may be be doing so with a degree of personal risk, as it is conceivable that these particular web destinations are not what some would call "totally legitimate." See, I'm no expert in such issues, but I suspect that there's a chance the sites I'm about to present take a few liberties with certain intellectual property procedures. And I'm doing this all for YOU, friends -- putting myself on the line for the sake of disseminating vital information to those I appreciate most. I must take this stand, even if it means that, at any time, the Internet Police could break down my door, smash my face in, and track mud all over my carpet as a consequence.


Really, though -- these two websites are amazing finds. A fella like me (and, I hope, you) could derive great amusement from either of them. If you're a gamer -- in particular, one who grew up in the 1980s -- prepare to have your world rocked. Yes, I give you two (apparently-safe) websites where it is possible to play basically-perfect Flash emulations of classic Atari 2600 and Nintendo Entertainment System games. Honestly, there are hundreds of them to enjoy, no download required.


I started seriously gaming with the original Nintendo mentioned above. I had been exposed to games before that, but didn't really take to them. See, my dad had an Atari 2600, and I distinctly remember neighborhood kids showing up to my house on a fairly regular basis and begging me to play it with them when I was around five or six. I couldn't quite get why they were so blown away by things like Battletank and Space Invaders, though. I mean, sure -- the games were vaguely entertaining...for about three minutes; but why just sit there pushing one button over and over again to make a non-distinct block on your TV screen blow up another non-distinct block? The Atari was too primitive -- you could barely tell what you were looking at, and the gameplay was unbearably repetitive (if you could even figure out what the player was supposed to DO in the first place). Some titles could get me interested for a while -- like Pitfall or River Raid -- but, for the most part, the Atari 2600 in the end only left me able to understand why so many old people maintain an ignorant prejudice against gaming. To them, "video games" will always be Pacman and Donkey Kong. They'll never be capable of accepting how much the medium has evolved and why anyone takes it seriously.


Anyway, my true understanding of video games didn't actually start until the fateful summer day when I played Super Mario Brothers for the first time on the eight-bit NES at my friend Nick's house. The moment I saw that Mario game, I was hooked. It was incredible and amazing and imaginative and exciting! The title had a logical and linear structure with clearly defined worlds and objectives. Its visuals were leaps and bounds above anything on the Atari, and there was also the possibility of finding alternate paths and clever secrets all over the place. Plus, it had music, and you could PAUSE it if you so desired! I wanted to play Super Mario Brothers all day and all night forever. It defines my childhood more than anything else.


SO, I lived for the NES as a kid, and that's why I'm blown away by this website: http://nintendo8.com . Look -- you can play a TON of real Nintendo games there! They've got all of the heavy hitters (Mega Man, Zelda) in addition to a robust collection of second and third-tier titles (Yo Noid, Felix the Cat -- both good, by the way).

And I have no moral qualms whatsoever about telling you how to experience all these games for free, either. You know how come? --Because the companies who designed them in the first place CHOOSE to prevent them from being made available again legitimately. I say, "Yo, Capcom -- I'd be perfectly WILLING to pay for Ducktales and Rescue Rangers if you offered them somewhere, but since YOU DON'T, I'll just go ahead and explore unofficial sources." Know what I'm saying? I'm just a guy who wants to play some games; where they come from is of little concern to me.

(It's a little awkward using a keyboard for the controls, but otherwise, all is well.)

And to you oldsters out there who may have more Atari nostalgia, here's THIS: http://www.2600online.com . Check it out, and play yourself some Adventure before it disappears forever.


Hey, as long as we're being old school, here's a movie that harkens back to the ghost stories of the 60s and the teen fare of the 80s. Enjoy!

Dead End (2003)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0308152/


Netflix description:
Dreading the annual family road trip to Grandmother's house for Christmas, Frank (Ray Wise) and his wife (Lin Shaye) opt for an unfamiliar route through the forest. They'll wish they hadn't when they stop to help a mysterious woman who seems to be holding a dead baby. As the bodies pile up, a hearse with an invisible driver arrives to cart away the victims, and those who survive descend into madness.

Dead End is about a slightly-dysfunctional family that gets lost on a mysterious country road while on their way to a relative's house for Christmas. Let's see -- we've got Dad, Mom, daughter, son, and daughter's boyfriend. They're driving along the highway when Dad decides to take the scenic route on some backroad; a near-collision occurs; the fam runs across a creepy woman carrying a dead baby; and a night of terror ensues.

Our heroes soon find themselves trapped in a sort of metaphysical loop -- driving down the same road endlessly, encountering no intersections or towns. With little warning, different members of the family start dying off. They get killed in frightening ways at random stops along the path, and the survivors continually opt to keep pressing forward. WILL they ever get off this road? WHO is the mysterious woman in white with the baby?? WHAT the heck is going on here, anyway???


Dead End actually surprised me. See, it starts off sort of hokey -- the family is annoyingly stereotypical, with the overbearing dad, the pill-popping mom, and the snotty teenage son. In the beginning, many of their actions make no sense. For instance, the teen son at one point sneaks off into the woods during one of their pit stops to...erm..."have some fun with himself." I mean, he does it right in the middle of a CRISIS! Funny, maybe...but still a little over-the-top. Not even the most depraved teen, I think, would stop for a few quality moments with his favorite Penthouse in the middle of a ghost attack that's already killed at least two people. Does this kid have no self-control? It's like, DUDE -- step back and consider the seriousness of your situation!!!

It doesn't take long for Dead End to dig into us, though. Tension rises quickly, and we begin questioning everything we see. You know, there's some pretty well-crafted drama going on in this one. As the family's sense of panic grows, their unity nearly unravels several times. They fight, swear, shout, weep, and even resort to alcohol consumption, not knowing if they'll ever get off this hellish country road. We, as viewers, are compelled. Plus, we learn more about each member of the family's background, and can even like them a little. There's some interesting stuff happening.

I don't want to spoil it for you, but Dead End does have somewhat of a mind-twist ending. My wife and I actually had to stop and discuss it for about 15 minutes before we came to a conclusion about what just happened. I like it when a horror film does that to me (assuming that there IS an explanation for the mind-screw). Lemme THINK about what I just saw!

Well-acted, well-paced, nicely shot, and very suspenseful, Dead End is a good little horror movie. It gets us in; gets us out; and leaves us with something to talk about for the rest of the evening. I say go ahead and give it a rental.

4 out of 5.

b.