Top 5 Most Devastating Video Game Fireballs

Fireballs.The mere mention of it sends a shiver down my spine.For two reasons.One,for being the most overused power for the protagonists of almost all video games,courtesy of a bunch of lazy and unoriginal designers.Two,for allowing me to unleash my inner arsonist without facing the wrath of the law.Below,I bring you my choices for the most devastating video game fireballs of all time,each of them sure to bring you tiny jolts of orgasmic joy.

#5. Incinerate Plasmid(Bioshock)

Bioshock is an RPG in the guise of an FPS.EVE is nothing more than an updated version of mana.C'mon,the red health and blue EVE bars are dead giveaways to the genre that the game lends from.And you can never have an RPG without a fire spell.In Bioshock's case,it's Incinerate.Sure,there are other Plasmids like the one where you summon a swarm of angry bees and the one where you make a Big Daddy fight on your side,but nothing beats the sheer adrenaline from blasting an enemy's face with a fistful of flames up close.

#4. Hellish Enemies' Fireballs(Doom series)

It's remarkable how much I remember this game despite the fact that the last time I played it,Windows ME was the fastest OS on the market.And the thing that stuck with me the most was frantically evading a screenful of fireballs while trying to sneak in a few attacks of my own.For a whole session,I did not care for the story or the level design or the eerie soundtrack.All I gave a damn about was surviving long enough to advance to the next area.

#3. Firaga(Final Fantasy series)

I never used magic during my first few levels in any Final Fantasy game,and for good reason.You start off with a few spells like the puny Fire,which barely registers enough damage to replace the much more reliable Attack.But then,you learn Firaga,and spam it for all it's worth.


#2. Mario's Fireball(Super Mario Bros series)

You can't have any video game list without including Nintendo's mascot.Jumping on your foe's head is funny the first time around but when you keep dying from the more advanced enemies,you'd wish for something a little bit safer.Never in my life have I been more grateful to see a flower pop out of a block.

#1. Hadouken(Street Fighter series)

Can there be any other winner for this category?Street Fighter,without a doubt,started the gaming world's obsession in these flaming balls of doom.Since it's creation,the move has been copied by every fighting game developer out there.But the blue Hadouken reigns supreme over the rest.Not only is it high in damage,later editions of the game allow the fireballs to engulf the challenger in flames.How's that for incinerating the competition.




If you have any suggestions for future topics,please leave them in the cbox or comments box.Your help is much appreciated.

Hari Raya Buffet Lunch At Corus Hotel:Review

Despite my constant reminders of our race,the mum's decided to celebrate Hari Raya.And she's dragged the family along with her.Earlier today,she booked a table for four at the lobby restaurant of The Corus Hotel for a Hari Raya buffet lunch.In the spirit of this holiday which we do not celebrate(and some syok sendiri-ness),here's a quick review of the spread.

But first of all,the judging criteria.The maximum points are 10,divided into 4 groups of 2.5 points.The groups consist of chicken and fish,beverage,dessert and soup.The food would be judged based on availability and taste.

Oh by the way,Corus Hotel gets a bonus 1 point simply for having fat chefs.Fat chefs are good.They show that they enjoy food and eat them.I don't trust skinny chefs.

#1.Chicken and Fish Test

Availability-Okay so all the typical Malay fare mainstays are here.There's Ayam Kapitan,Rendang Tok and Ayam Tandoori.But only 1 fish dish?!I kid you not.There was no other dish that consisted of the animal.What's the matter?Are the chefs allergic?

Taste-Ayam Kapitan taste just like any other curry chicken out there.There's nothing unique about it.In fact,it is bland.It was as if the chefs just cooked the chicken and dumped it into pre-bought gravy.The rendang was pretty good,not too salty.Ayam Tandoori was the worst of the lot.Not much meat,and goddamn was it hard to slice.Thus,the loud clanking of knife and plate emanating from our table.As for the fish,what it lacked in variety made up for in quality.So far,my favourite spot to collect food from.

Score-1.5
#2.Drinks Test

Availability-Other than the complicated to use coffee machine tucked at the corner of the table,the usual suspects are all present.There's the teh tarik,tea and the aforementioned coffee,although it does come in 6 forms.Had my sister not proclaimed it,I wouldn't have noticed that there was no juice,air sirap or air bandung.

Taste-Like what you expect.

Score-1 for no air bandung

#3.Desserts test

Availability-Cakes,scones,ice cream,rolls.I look around,I look around but there's not a single kuih in sight.C'mon,it's Hari Raya damnit!Ooh,an ice kacang machine.And...and...tau fu fah!I forgive you Corus Hotel.

Taste-Tau Fu Fah is the king of all desserts.You can take that to the bank.

Score-2

#4.Soup Test

Availability-Here's where the hotel gets it right in terms of the holiday.There's ample amounts of curry laksa and even miso soup.Shame about the absence of bubur lambuk though.

Taste-I think I'm the only person who cares for curry laksa.Because the condiment bowls and soup ladle were untouched.It's the diners' loss for missing out on one of the best laksa I've tasted in a while.Thank god my granma is computer illiterate,coz I'm going to say that it is better than hers.

Score-2

Which brings a total score of 7.5-So is it worth checking out?Only if you're a fan of laksa.

In a totally unrelated topic,I tested my Pentax Optio M30 after the meal.Since I am a fan of Chinese temples,I decided to visit the one just opposite the hotel.

If there ever was a bad time to not understand the Chinese language,this is one of them.I was the only English-speaking person there.The rest obviously had Mandarin as their mother tongue.Therefore,I couldn't get them to tell me what the name of the temple was.My inability also diminished my wish to pray,as I've forgotten the correct steps.

I was trying to be artistic and deep in the above and below photos.And I failed epicly.I can't take good photos to save myself.I have no idea how to use different flash or positions for different situations.So all you get here are pics taken with soft flash.

My best so far,which is not saying much.The colour's off,and the angle ain't that clever.I realised later that I should have taken it closer to the first figure's face,getting rid of the row above.

Key donators to the temple get their names placed on these tiny figures which are displayed on the cylinder thingies bordering the deity in the pic above this one.I donated RM2.Don't judge me.

Avast ye,it's International Talk Like A Pirate Day!

Call it inadequate promotion or just plain public ignorance,but most people do not realise that they have missed one of the best holidays ever thought of.Yesterday on the 19th of September,closet pirates all over the world celebrated International Talk Like A Pirate Day.Heck,there's even a Wikipedia page paying homage to it.

The holiday was created by long time friends John Baur (Ol' Chumbucket) and Mark Summers (Cap'n Slappy) in 1995 just for laughs.It was a result of an inside joke between them during a racquetball game,when one of them got injured and shouted "Arrrr". The game took place on the 6th of June.As they do not want to have their newly invented holiday to clash with the anniversary of D-Day,they moved the date to the 19th of September.Another reason was because it was Mark' wife's birthday,and he did not want to forget.

The holiday gained momentum when John and Mark sent a letter describing it to popular humour columnist Dave Barry.Dave loved it so much,he featured it in his next column.The media picked up on the story,providing coverage at first to US citizens,then globally.Which was why John and Mark added the word 'international' to the name.

The holiday has since been adopted as a major religious event by the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster.Wiki it,I know you want to.The holiday is also celebrated by notable companies like Google,which released a pirate themed homepage last year,and Facebook which allowed its members to choose the language option English (Pirate), which incorporated many pirate terms into the Facebook layout (for example, 'Write on Joe Smith's wall' became 'Scrawl on Joe Smith's plank').The site now offers the option year round. Malaysia unfortunately does not have this feature.

The holiday draws inspiration from pirate films and books like Treasure Island and Long John Silver.Like the characters,participants must talk or act the way a pirate does.The hardcore even go as far as dressing up in pirate gear.

So now that you are aware of such a thing,mark it in your calendar for next year.You do not want to miss out.Just don't mind the finger pointing and laughs when you step outside.

Top 5 Worst Video Game Fashion Faux Pas

They may be the heroes for saving the day from whatever cataclysmic event that shatters the peace,but when it comes to dressing for the occasion,these video game characters just haven't thought it through.Here are my top picks for the worst dressed video game characters ever to grace our television screens.Prepare to get your eyes burned.

#5. Jill Valentine(Resident Evil)

At first glance,there might be nothing wrong with her outfit...if she's spending a day at THE MALL.But when your town's overrun by hordes of brain-hungry zombies,the last thing you'd wear is a tight tube top and short mini skirt to limit movement.Imagine trying to escape the clutches of the undead in this getup.They'll be chomping her down in no time.Come to think of it,that might be a good thing,if only to spare us the sight of such travesty.

#4. Mai Shiranui(Fatal Fury & King of Fighters series)

I read somewhere that in ancient Japan,female ninjas,or kunoichi,dress scantily in order to distract their targets long enough to go for the kill.In that case,Mai must have had killed a lot of people,right?Wrong.When you're spending most of your time trying to not let your clothes fall off of you during battle,something's just not right.Also,I blame her for the negative views held by most quarters of society that gamers are a horny bunch of losers.

#3. Tingle(Legend of Zelda)

He is not a well-known character,and we should keep it that way.Tingle looks like what would happen if a crossdressing midget and an Irish wrestler mated.Which was why he never saw the light of day in any future LoZ games again.

#2. Bridget(Guilty Gear XX)

If Japanese videogames have taught us anything,it's that it's okay to have the hots for a young nun.Until you realised that Bridget is actually an underaged BOY.Guys have not looked the same way at Guilty Gear again.

#1. Tidus(Final Fantasy X)

It says a lot when there are only two pictures of Tidus in his original outfit on the first page when I searched him on Google Images.The rest are fanmade artwork of Tidus in clothes lightyears better than what the developers had in mind for this protagonist of the immensely popular FF10 video game.Fans were filled with mixed emotions when he sacrificed himself in the ending to the game.Sorrow,for losing a great lead,and joy,for finally having him leave the screen for the rest of the FMV.

So there you have it,5 of the worst fashion ideas in video games ever.And did anyone realise that all the characters featured above are from Japanese video games?Hmmm......




Beginning from today,I'll be bringing you the Top 5 Best(or Worst) of anything that's related to our favourite interactive pastime.So if you have any suggestions for future topics,do leave them in the cbox.Thanks.

Youth Writers Awards Asia 2010

So yeah,the Youth Writers Awards Asia is back for it's 2010 edition.The theme of the competition this time around is “Dare to Dream: Stories of Imagination, Passion and Sporting Excellence". The comp is open to all Asian residents born between 1992-1996.So if you dug your way out of your mother's womb anytime during those years,you're eligible.

As always,everybody enters this kind of comps for it's prizes.Admit it,you wouldn't even lift a goddamn finger if all you get is your name on the website and some pleasantries printed on a piece of fancy paper.This year,the organisers are offering the following incentives for your hard work,besides featuring the top 30 best short stories in a special book commerating the Youth Games which no one really attends.

Top 5 winners who are either:
a) Non-Singapore resident : A 5D/4N all expense-paid trip for 2 (winner + guardian) including return trip + hotel accommodation in Singapore. Also tickets for 2 to attend the Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games

OR


b) Singapore resident : A return air trip for 2 (winner + guardian) to a destination in Asia. Also tickets for 2 to attend the Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic.

The other 25 selected entries for publication will receive a Reader's Digest book.

Ignore the subtle racism.Though the comp is called the Youth Writers Awards "Asia",our neighbours down south get extra stuff and probably bonus points from the judges just by adding Singapore under their nationality.You can't blame those kiasu buggers.Malays and Indians only make up less than 10% of their total population.

Since this comp is partly organised by Reader's Digest,a magazine known for it's sappy articles of hope and all that Hallmark crap,participants must write a "short story(fictional or non-fictional) in English describing the nature of individual love and passion for sport(s) including values such as friendship, the will to go the extra mile, honesty, fair play, hard work, respect for everyone regardless of differences etc. They can share their dreams, true feelings, joys, frustrations or special memories they may have about sports through the medium of the short story."

The above was lifted off the website,mkay?

If in any possibility you're still interested,deadline's 31 October 2009.The short stories should be between 500 and 800 words, double line spaced in digital or word processed copy and be legible and written in English. All entries must include complete identifying information from the Official Entry Form (photocopies are allowed). You can submit it online at the website(rdasia.com.sg) or by snail mail to:


Youth Writers Awards Asia 2010
Reader's Digest ASIA Pte Ltd (RDA)
10 Eunos Road #07-02A
Singapore Post Centre
Singapore 408600
(Attention to: Ms Karen Chan)

A Street Fighter 4 In Street Fighter 3 Clothing

So yeah,I know I am supposed to be studying as my SPM trials are currently ongoing at school.But I just could not resist the temptation to log onto the Internet with the blasted computer staring at me in my room.Good thing too,or I would have missed out on these gems online.

First things first,I am a gamer.I neither am ashamed to be one,nor would ever stop being one.I started on this hobby when I got hooked to playing Snake on the old black-and-white Nokia phones,and have never looked back since.Nowadays,it isn't surprising to find me playing games,PS2 or even Flash,during my free time.And one of my favourite franchises is Street Fighter.

While trolling Gameaxis recently,I came across this little post that caught my eye.An ardent fan going by the username of steamboy 33 created 2D sprite versions of Street Fighter 4 characters battling it out on the arenas of Street Fighter 3.And what a job he did.Even if you're not a fan,surely you could appreciate the beautiful "handpainted" backdrops and the brilliant details done on the sprites.

Below are the work that steamboy 33 has finished,with more to come.

Arsonist Wreaks Havoc In City

The only image of the elusive criminal,seen here preparing to throw a Molotov Cocktail at riot police.


SUBANG JAYA:The police are on the lookout for a 17 year old Chinese male in connection to the violent attacks on city folk late yesterday.The suspect is currently on the run,after the police identified the licence plate of his vehicle and traced his address.Except for a few empty drawers,nothing else was taken by the suspect for his escape.The damages he caused to the city are estimated to be in the millions of ringgit.The suspect torched cars,shophouses,passers-by and trees.Several stray dogs were also seen with burn marks all over their bodies.In a statement by the superintendent of the precint,he assured residents that the police will go all out in order to bring the criminal to justice.If you have any information in relation to the suspect,please call 1-300-COPS.

In unrelated news,Tristan Toh did not perform well during his SASA interview yesterday.Whereas other applicants received sessions of between 10 to 30 minutes,he only spent 5 minutes in the room.Moments after the interview was over did he realise that he should have abused his involvement in BRATs a little more.Tristan Toh was last seen storming out of the premises with a box of matches,a can of kerosene and a crate of empty beer bottles.

My First Published Work!

This post might be a little slow compared to the ones made by my fellow BRATs,but it's better to be late than never.Last Sunday,an article I wrote for the BRATs pullout was published!Though not many read,or even heard of this pullout,this is still a significant achievement for yours truly.Not counting my poem which was featured in Kuntum when I was 9 and the article my group wrote in the March pullout,this is my first ever credited work and hopefully not the last.May this signal an impending career in print journalism,a longtime ambition of mine.I got my fingers crossed!

To read the full article,click this:http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/8/30/ah1n1flu/4590190&sec=ah1n1flu

This Blog Post Will Change Your Life

I kid you not.What you are about to read is of epic proportions.The answers to two of life's biggest questions will be revealed right here.For centuries,Man has scoured the Earth in search of the truth but to no avail.Yet,I,Tristan Toh,has had my eyes opened and learnt two of the most well-hidden secrets that have the power to change the course of history.Scroll your mouse downwards if you dare!



Are you sitting down?

Question 1!
How much wood can a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck can chuck wood?

The answer!
A woodchuck can chuck as much wood as a woodchuck can chuck wood.

Hello,still breathing?I must admit,you are a person of great courage to continue.But please,do not hide behind pretenses.If you are afraid of finding out too much,I beg you,close this window.


Question 2!
How many pickled peppers did Peter Piper picked?

Answer!
None.Peppers are pickled after they are picked.Therefore,Peter cannot pick a pickled pepper.By the way,Peter is a piper not a pickler.

I have just wasted three minutes of your life which could have been spent on something more productive.Hooray!