Kris Randazzo

Joining the Force

August 26, 2014December 13, 2017 Kris Randazzo 0 Comments magazines, Nintendo, Nintendo Force, Nintendo Power, Video Games

Nintendo Power’s legacy is a sight to behold

About 2 years ago, Nintendo Power announced that it was coming to an end, and with it, my lifelong dream of writing for them. Print magazines had been ceasing publication left and right, but even still, the announcement came as a shock. What started as a relentlessly charming glorified ad campaign for Nintendo had transformed over the years into an incredibly thoughtful, intelligent, honest, and fun magazine. It was everything print media should be, and having spent lots of time over the years collecting every single issue, I admired its evolution over the years. Its cancellation hit me hard, but as it turned out, I was not alone.

Articles Lost in Time

Lost in Time: The Twisted Tales of Spike McFang

August 22, 2014December 13, 2017 Kris Randazzo 0 Comments retro games, Video Games

Cute vampires, delicious tomatoes, and magic hats

Vampires have taken on many forms over the years. There’s your traditional Castlevania types, your sparkly Twilight types, and even your Sesame Street Count types. In June 1994, Bullet Proof Software thought Super NES owners could use a new type of vampire: the adorable, tomato juice drinking, magic trick enthusiast type. In a market already flooded with mascot characters with names like Bubsy the Bobcat, Awesome Possum, and Aero the Acrobat, Bullet Proof Software took a chance on a little vampire prince named Spike McFang, and the SNES library is just a little more charming because of it.

Articles Lost in Time

Lost in Time: Blaster Master 2

July 28, 2014December 13, 2017 Kris Randazzo 0 Comments retro games, Video Games

Blasting again

Blaster Master for NES is awesome. With a Metroid-style open world, top notch graphics, and a fantastic soundtrack, there’s little not to love about the original Blaster Master. What most people don’t know, is just how many sequels it got. From Game Boy to PlayStation, Sunsoft has been trying to recreate the success of the original for years. Way back in 1993, while the NES was reaching the end of its days, Sunsoft wanted to make a 16-bit sequel to their flagship title. Blaster Master 2, however, wouldn’t be what fans expected.

Articles Lost in Time

Lost in Time: D/Generation

July 14, 2014December 13, 2017 Kris Randazzo 0 Comments retro games, Video Games

Avoid the bouncing balls

Of all the video games that have slipped through the cracks over the years, Robert Cook’s D/Generation is perhaps the most unjustly obscure. This PC title from 1991 is a wonderful gem that suffered from poor marketing all around. To date, I only know 2 people besides myself that have even heard of D/Generation, and that’s shame. Featuring clever puzzles, bizarre enemy design, and some hilariously weird dialogue, it’s a mystery why more people haven’t played it.