Welcome to Death Vegas - A 1UP classic from January 23, 2009

We've made it to another Friday, hooray! What are your plans for the weekend? Anything fun happening? There's not much going on over here. Just relaxing and sleeping in a little. I did get wind of a new web-based fighter by our favorite indy fighting game developer Scott Stoddard. You might remember Scott better as the creator of the Capoeira Fighter series.

Scott has a new game called Death Vegas. It was created by his studio Spiritonin for Adult Swim. Fans of Metalocalypse and Robot Chicken, this fighter might be up your alley. But calling it a fighting game might be a little short sighted. This game doesn't play like Capoeira Fighter at all. Because of the control scheme and ability to read opponents moves in advance it involves a lot more concentration and faster reflexes than most fighters. If Capoeira Fighter were akin to Street Fighter Alpha then it would be fair to say that Death Vegas plays somewhere in between Killer Instinct and Primal Rage. Those arcade games used unique control schemes that gamers either liked or hated, there was no in between.

   

In addition to a dial-a-combo type gameplay Killer Instinct also incorporated a combo breaker system. A sort of forefather to the parry in Street Fighter III and the Revenge attack in Street Fighter IV. Death Vegas offers a sort of dial-combo move during special attacks yet also offers opponents a chance to block all those strikes. Primal Rage used joystick movements and delayed button releases (rather than presses) to perform moves and combos. Good players of Primal Rage had to be able to plan attacks and counter-attacks well in advance. Mashing buttons wouldn't get you far in either Killer Instinct or Primal Rage. The ability to read and react to every move in Death Vegas means the same thing. Players must be able to concentrate and plan the next few strikes in advance and that might put many gamers off.

The characters in Death Vegas are all unique and are scaled much larger than the characters in Capoeira Fighter 3. They are so large that they remind me of Art of Fighting sprites. Again, taking this game further from the Street Fighter comparisons. An extensive tutoring mode is included to allow gamers to learn the nuances for the game. A plot is used to pull the players through a mystery involving all of the characters they encounter on the streets and back alleys of the city.

Something that you might notice is the distinct character style that Spiritonin used in this game. The characters and game have a decidedly Sin City-meets-Killer 7 vibe to it. Very powerful contrast and carefully marked colors make out the characters and level details. All this adds a layer of detail and originality in this world of cookie-cutter 3D fighters. It also helps Death Vegas stick out in the world of web-based fighters.

Now this game isn't for everyone. The fighting can become very redundant with the computer-controlled opponent blocking almost all of your moves the further you get into the game. It can quickly become a test of concentration and looking for a mistake rather than a full throttle fight. Those that aren't hardcore fighters will want to pass on this title.

   

Death Vegas has some fun things going for it, the scale of the characters and polish of the animation and presentation shows that Spiritonin is only getting better with age. However this isn't likely to dethrone Capoeira Fighter 3 as the best web-based fighter. Check it out and let me know what you think. Oh yeah, and also have a great weekend! As always if you would like to sponsor me please visit my Patreon page and consider donating each month, even as little as $1 would help make better blogs and even podcasts!

The William Birkin Toy Massacre - A 1UP classic from February 16, 2012

Hello friends, as long as we're talking about gaming toys I wanted to share a few more of my favorite figures. These come from the Resident Evil series.

I was always a fan of the boss designs in the first two games, the Tyrant and William Birkin's G-Virus mutation. The figures Capcom released were pretty big. They towered over the hero figures just as they did in the videogame. The cool thing for the Tyrant was a clear plastic heart filled with red dye. Pressing a plastic pump on his back caused the "blood" to pump through his heart.

As for the G-3 version of William, it could stand like the Tyrant, or when placed on the ground with a head swap could fully evolve into the G-4 version of the monster. It was a gruesome figure but not the most gruesome figure they had ever released.

A few years prior I had gotten a boxed set from Japan of the G-2 version of William. The figure was heavy and highly detailed. What made the set unique was a 45 minute video that came with it. It included the commercials directed by George Romero for Biohazard 2 (Resident Evil in Japan), as well as the making of the commercials. George as many of you know was in the running to direct the Resident Evil movie and had even written a script. His was far closer to the game than the action film series which was released later.

This figure is possibly the rarest Capcom figure I have and certainly the rarest Resident Evil item I own. Do you have any rare gaming collectables? I'd like to hear about them in the comments. As always if you would like to sponsor me please visit my Patreon page and consider donating each month, even as little as $1 would help make better blogs and even podcasts!

The Wreck-it-Ralph cameo that almost was - A 1UP classic from July 26, 2012

Here is a bit of trivia that I learned over the San Diego comic con. The film Wreck It Ralph is a nod to the classic arcade games however getting all of the licensed characters on the screen took a lot of hard work from Disney's legal department as well as the directors and producers themselves. The animators and designers were working with placeholder characters when they were framing key scenes in the movie pending approval to use characters from legal. For example, in the trailer Ralph is in a game character support group with villains from various games. The host is Clyde, one of the ghosts from Pac Man, had not gotten approval from the publishers at Namco Bandai. To get around this the animators had a generic ghost figure, a white sheet with eyeholes cut out of it floating in the air. Everyone could tell who it was supposed to represent without raising the ire of Namco. The animation team cited that he looked like the the ghosts featured in the Charlie Brown cartoons. They would create simple animatics of scenes like this to present to the publishers in order to get their approval. What was most interesting was that in many instances the creators of the characters had to approve of the likeness. They would provide the designers with notes on how they should and should not act.

Disney legal had to not only work with publishers but also had to find out who owned the rights for the characters in North America versus Japan. Given the amount of cameos they were planning the legal department was working overtime securing rights for the film's domestic and international release this holiday season. The creators and owners of the most classic characters were very protective of them. The writers were surprised to the response that they got when they proposed who one of the unemployed characters should be.

In the film Ralph comes across Q*bert, Coily, Slick, Ugg and Wrong-Way. The characters from the game Q*bert are begging in game central. Their cabinet was unplugged and they were now unemployed characters. Ralph gives them a cherry from the Pac Man game as a sign of support. This scene was written to show compassion on the part of a character that was supposed to be an apartment-wrecking bad guy. It was also a chance for fans of the arcade classic to remember some long-lost characters and rekindle a sense of nostalgia. The scene probably would not have worked if Disney had tried to insert other characters in the role. Think of all the easily identifiable classic characters and villains from the arcade and imagine which audiences would remember and feel pity for. It was doubtful that Peter Pepper or the dinosaurs Bub and Bob would have elicited the same reaction.

The heroes from Burgertime and Bubble Bobble were not the original choice for the scene and neither was Q*bert. When Disney was trying to get the rights for characters they approached Namco for more than the Pac Man characters. The hero of Dig Dug, Taizo Hori (a play on the Japanese word horitai zo "I want to dig"), was going to be the unemployed character. This stopped the people at Namco dead in their tracks.

The team at Namco looked at the Disney people and said that there was no way that Taizo would ever be unemployed. His job was to dig, it was what he had been doing for the better part of 30 years and what he would always be associated with. They nixed the idea and forced Disney to look for other characters. When the story was relayed to me by entertainment writer Jim Hill I told him that Namco actually had a very good reason for rejecting the Disney proposal. Taizo was a legacy character, it would have been quite an insult to Namco and the Japanese to have him begging for food. While he was not as big as Pac Man, Namco's superstar icon, Taizo actually filled a very prominent role in the Namco library.

Dig Dug was not a one-hit wonder. It had gotten sequels in the arcade and on home consoles. Not to mention that Taizo was the father of Susumu Hori, the arcade hero better known as Mr. Driller. The puzzle games and title characters had become synonymous with Japanese arcades and in some ways with Japanese family structures as well. More than that they had a cult-like following because of how obsessed Namco was in fleshing out the characters and universe of Dig Dug and maintaining canon.

The family included elder son Ataru Hori, younger son Taiyo Toby (not pictured) and mother Masuyo "Kissy" Toby. The latter three actually had an estranged relationship with Taizo. It could be interpreted as a reflection of the relationship between families and one Japanese male archetype. The father would appear tender and compassionate at first but would become aloof and selfish as the family grew, eventually leading to destructive tendencies, see the term Yandere for more specific examples. This archetype was most commonly seen in Japanese soap operas and anime shows. As adult males became part of a salaryman grind in real life they would often mirror the characters from the shows. Adults would spend less and less time with their own families and begin to experience a disconnect with their own children. The love that the parents had for their children was unconditional however, even if they did not readily show it. If and when Mr. Driller gets in a jam he knows that his brothers and both parents would put their differences aside to rescue him.

To further complicate issues for Namco and Disney the wife of Taizo and the mother of Susumu was a hero in her own right. Reflective of the proud Japanese society she would not allow her mate to be caught begging for scraps. Masuyo was the star of the science fiction shooter Baraduke, known better as Alien Sector in some arcades. She was the original sci-fi heroine in videogaming. In fact, her appearance as a female in power armor, hunting aliens and criminals in an underground labyrinth predated the characters and game of Metroid by a full year. Masuyo was a soldier in the UGSF (United Galaxy Space Force) before she mothered Mr. Driller.

The Dig Dug, Baraduke and Mr. Driller continuity actually fell into the larger UGSF Timeline. Namco's long-running science fiction shooter series which was begotten by Galaxian (Galaga) in 1979 had dozens of titles appear in the arcade, home and mobile consoles. Those that know their videogame history would remember that Galaxian was Namco's first hit before Pac Man. The company owes as much of it's success to the UGSF series as it does to Pac Man. Titles like Operation Star Blade were considered spiritual successors to Galaga. Star Blade and Galaxian 3 (Attack of the Zolgear) were actually groundbreaking titles, they were among the first science fiction shooters made out of 3D polygons and used cutting-edge arcade technology for storage like laserdiscs. Namco had a 3D hit four years before Disney released Pixar's Toy Story. Disney was trying to tell a story using icons from a universe they knew little about.

The Hori family were made up of individual heroes from UGSF continuity. They were very popular in Japan even if they were hardly well known in the USA. Reducing the importance and symbolism of the characters so that Ralph could get over with audiences would have been a disservice to Namco. It was possible that the writers of Wreck-it-Ralph were not aware of what Dig Dug meant to the grand scheme of arcade culture and history. Thankfully they found a suitable replacement with Q*bert, more than that he was a character whose unusual language could also be used for comedic effect. Could nostalgia be used for great dramatic effect? There were plenty of great films that had done that. Toy Story 3 was a great example but videogames were something unique. What would Wreck-it-Ralph have to give the game playing audiences in order to win them over? We shall look at this in the future. As always if you would like to sponsor me please visit my Patreon page and consider donating each month, even as little as $1 would help make better blogs and even podcasts!

Where Mickey Mouse and friends are still alive and well - A 1UP classic from October 26, 2012

What is it about Topolio that makes the Disney characters accessible and relevant to audiences? A major part of it is having a monthly series dedicated to all of the characters written and drawn by some of the best creators in Europe. The publisher actually has a series of books dedicated to specific characters, trade paperbacks and even special hardcover editions for collectors. Like Marvel and DC in the US there are Topolino comics written for a very diverse audience. Unlike the comic book publishers in the USA the Topolino readers never feel left out because they missed a major event or story arc like Civil War or the New 52. The Disney characters are all familiar and although they might be set in the far future or fantasy setting audiences accept the story and situations at face value. They might be wizards in one story and then martial arts masters a month later, audiences never ask how or why this happened they simply enjoy the story.

Comic books in the US are rooted in nonstop action, with sometimes violent or even frightening encounters for the heroes. Some of the Topolino stories keep pace with the Western traditions and place the Disney characters in peril month after month without creating a backlash from the community. Nowhere is this seen more than in the adventures of Double Duck. Casting Donald Duck as a super spy enables the character to be given a cadre of gadgets, and in rare cases a gun as well. He is sometimes joined by femme fatale Kay K while going on adventures that would make James Bond jealous.

By making a familiar Disney character an action star it instantly makes Donald more appealing and accessible to adolescent audiences. Every genre explored in the pages of Topolino shows readers that the Disney characters can fill any role and be written for any age. Classic stories like Romeo and Juliet, Dr. Faustus and the Three Musketeers have all worked when cast with Disney mascots. The stories and characters do not have to be "dumbed down" for children, and in fact younger readers may be offended if they do not see their favorite characters act like real heroes in the face of adversity.

It might sound obvious that Disney in the US should follow the Italians if they want to make the mascots more relevant to audiences. The US would actually have a hard time localizing Topolino or even following the template. Topolino has been in publication for almost 80 years. In that time it has never dumbed down the writing or reduced the roles for and of the characters. If anything Topolino has actually done more for the personalities of the Disney mascots than the parent company has in the past 25 years. Unfortunately some people they could never, ever, accept a universe where the mascots handled firearms. The old comic books published in the US and even some of the old cartoons used to feature the characters as cops, robbers, soldiers and western heroes. They were allowed to have shoot outs so long as nobody got hurt or no blood was ever shown. This was how a cartoon like GI Joe got on the air during the 80's.

Public perception of how the characters can be used may be the biggest obstacle in making them relevant in the US. Purists would never imagine an acceptable story in which Mickey or his friends handled a gun. In fact purists would never imagine seeing the character have much of a personality at all. Mickey and his friends should never have too strong of a range of emotions. They should be constantly smiling and ever happy to many in the USA. Topolino has never dumbed down the characters or turned them into simplistic babysitters. Over the decades the comics have tackled a diversity of subjects and have never steered clear of even controversial ideas.

For example over the past decade some extremist fans of European football / soccer leagues had been the focus of sports media. Some clubs tolerated racist chants and iconography at matches. In a way to address this the comics talked about how friendships could be formed despite the differences of color. The books not only spoke out against racism they also let families know that they should speak up against discrimination. By aligning themselves with a progressive stance Disney was instilling very important values to their younger readers and earning the respect of older fans. Currently Topolino is running an anti-bully campaign. The stories teach ways to identify bullies and how to deal with them and what happens to people that are victims of bullying. The issues are able to communicate these ideas to young readers because the universe has many young characters they can identify with. Grade school characters Huey, Dewey, Louie and the slightly older Morty and Ferdie are very rarely seen in the US but are commonplace in Italy.

The comics in Italy go through a range of topics while managing to entertain as well. In one month they may have Donald Duck jumping out of an exploding helicopter and in the next he might be planting a tree in his backyard and teaching his nephews about conservation. Those that can get past the shock of seeing guns in the hands of cartoon icons would see that the books are not only well illustrated but also well written. Audiences identify with the mascot characters because they are written with distinct personalities. They are allowed to explore different genres and entertain readers at every level. Most important the comics are released month after month without exception. Movies and television shows may come and go but there was never a point where the Italians were without the Disney characters in print. Disney in the US could learn the importance of diligence from their overseas counterparts. As always if you would like to sponsor me please visit my Patreon page and consider donating each month, even as little as $1 would help make better blogs and even podcasts!

Why I love games - A 1UP classic from November 23, 2012

Sorry for the lateness of this entry. I had actually messaged this blog to the 1UP team for inclusion in their "Why I love" series. Unfortunately the message didn't go through and my story wasn't published with the rest of the community entries. Anyhow, here is my story.

Why I Love Games…

I have a very early memory of what made me fall in love with gaming, videogaming in particular. When I was in elementary school I didn't interact very much with with my classmates. I was just naturally shy. I didn't mind playing alone during recess. In fact I preferred it. I never liked playing with or against anybody in organized sports. I would always feel flustered when I felt like the world was staring at me. I was uncoordinated and afraid of embarrassing myself or my team. Because of that I tried to avoid confrontation at every opportunity. I remember once checking a basketball out of the PE locker and going to the far corner of the playground to toss the ball into the hoop. It was an overcast day, slightly chilly in Downtown Long Beach. After a few minutes a couple of younger kids joined me. They asked if I wanted to play basketball. I reluctantly agreed.

We took turns throwing the basketball at the hoop and chasing the rebound. Being slightly taller than my classmates gave me an advantage. I remember catching the ball and making a mad dash to the opposite side of the court. I was a good 20 feet ahead of my classmates when I stopped to shoot the ball. The excitement of the chase and feeling that overcame me when the ball went in was indescribable. I had scored my first points against real opponents. I turned around hoping to be met with congratulations. I was hoping that whey would be proud of me, that somehow they would be feeling the same sense of elation. Instead they were laughing at me, all of them. They told me that the shot didn't count. I had "travelled" the length of the court without dribbling the basketball. I told them that I didn't know the rules but it didn't stop them from laughing. They thought that everyone was born knowing the rules, especially someone older and taller than them. It made that cold day sting a little bit more.

A few months later my mom was shopping at the local Sears. I was hanging out in the appliances section when I saw an arcade game in the middle of an aisle. I thought it was very strange that the store would just place a solitary cabinet off to the side. I went to check it out. The cabinet art was bright, and highly detailed. I went over the buttons and throttle. This game was different than the other ones I had seen. There wasn't a joystick or steering wheel. It looked complicated, more like a simulator than game. I had to try it. I asked my mom for a quarter. I wish I could tell you that I was great at it but I wasn't. I was flying all over the screen trying to control the tiny lander before it ran out of fuel. I must have been six years old. I was big for my age but I barely came up to the middle of the screen. It took all my strength to push the throttle forward and slow the descent of the lander. Before long my game was over. I rejoined my mom and dared not to ask her for another quarter considering how short the game lasted. I just kept casting sideways glances at the cabinet the entire shopping trip.

I was smitten. The game did not judge me on how many points I got or whether I was any good at all. When it ended it did not laugh at me. It was fair and impartial, it gave me the same chance that it gave every player. I could actually feel myself getting better as I played. I knew that if I played it enough I could set the high score. The same couldn't be said of any sport I tried. The game was also appealing in the way it was presented. Thanks to the bight vinyl stickers I felt like I was staring at the controls of an actual spacecraft. My imagination went wild. I was certain that this was how astronauts were being trained. I began spending all my free time and allowance at the local arcade. I tried every game and returned to those that I enjoyed.

I began to master many titles, especially the racing games because to me those were also simulator experiences. The love that I felt for gaming never diminished, not over the next 30 years. I was on mission support during the Mars Science Laboratory (Curiosity) landing at JPL earlier this year. This meant I worked over the weekend with a very dedicated group of employees. When I went on lunch break I fired up the MAME arcade emulator. There was only one game I could imagine playing during that momentous occasion, care to guess what it was?

As always if you would like to sponsor me please visit my Patreon page and consider donating each month, even as little as $1 would help make better blogs and even podcasts!

Women Making History with Monster Trucks...

In March 2023 I did a month long series on my Twitter, and Instagram celebrating the contribution of women in the history of monster trucks. As a huge monster truck fan I wanted to share the posts here on my blog as well. I hope you enjoy, and I hope that you are having a wonderful holiday season!

I’ve been keeping this in my back pocket for a while. For women’s history month I’ve always wanted to celebrate the women that helped shape monster truck history. Starting with Ms. Bigfoot, Marilyn Chandler. The wife of the of monster truck innovator Bob “Bigfoot” Chandler. She got tired of him having all the fun, and asked for a truck of her own in 1985. The rest as they say is history.

Amber Walker drove the updated Ms. Bigfoot (2010).

And these days Bigfoot is sometimes driven by Rebecca Schnell. She even lets her husband Darron Schnell drive it from time to time.

There weren't many monster trucks built out of Jeeps. For the obvious safety issues in the event of a rollover. One of the first brave enough to race with one was Debbie Rhoden in the bright red Hot Stuff.

Contrary to popular belief Brodozer was not the first diesel monster truck. Those were in competition for decades. One of the pioneer drivers was Michelle Simpson who piloted the Air Dog, and XDP trucks.

Meredith (May) Doulton, and husband Seth formed Golden State Promotions in the early '80s. They were among the first to get big name sponsors for trucks like the Skoal Crusher, and AM/PM Boss. She competed, and advertised at the same time. It was genius, and she is overdue for the monster truck hall of fame!

Beware the Boogey Man? NOPE! Beware the Boogey Van! Vans were rarely seen in monster truck competition. I can't think of any as quick as the Boogey Van. Pamela Vaters was one of the drivers competing regularly in the USHRA Monster Truck races.

Thunder Chicken was a bright yellow racing truck driven by Karen Pensyl in early televised races. She took on classics like Mad Dog, Wild Hair, and the Carolina Crusher on TNT Motorsports.

Monster trucks run in the family. Kaylyn Migues drives Jailbird. She's the daughter of monster truck owner / driver Darren Migues, and the sister of driver Tyler Migues.

Two awesome women drove two awesome monsters. Miss Behavin, a stock car type monster was driven by Teri Olson, Julie Christensen drove a more traditional truck known as Misbehavin'.

The wild looking Ms. Maniac monster truck was driven by Kristy Edge. She would sometimes compete against the Maniac truck driven by Don Frankish.

Stomper the monster truck, also known as Lethal Threat Stomper goes back to the early '90s. Different owners, different drivers then. Today it is driven by Macey Nichter, sometimes she lets her dad Joe drive it as well.

Not every great monster truck is in big stadium shows. Some are putting in their time in fairs, and local events. They are as important to the history of the sport. A salute to Shelley Kujat, and her gorgeous Shell-Camino monster for putting in the work.

Dawn Creten is a titan of monster truck drivers. Whether a small local show, or a massive stadium tour, she always brings her best. She's known for driving the Scarlet Bandit, but has also driven Knucklehead from time to time as well.

Who says monster trucks can't be inspired by fantasy? Nancy Rose has driven the brilliantly painted Black Knight, and Monster Mission.

Maddie Meyers / Maddie Breaud was the driver of the Muddy Girl. This pink framed monster was the successor to the Eradicator. Maddie stepped down, and the truck was now driven by Anne Streach.

Shannon Quick drives the Girl Power monster truck, sometimes appearing on the No Limits Monster Truck tour. Its reflective foil, and hearts lavender body might be the brightest in the business.

Whether competing in a smaller venue, or a stadium tour the modern crop of drivers knows how to handle any truck. Mikayla Tulachka for example has driven Get Er Done II, and Megalodon.

Once a racer, always a racer. Brianna Mahon cut her teeth racing micro sprint, and motocross before becoming the primary driver for Whiplash. The baby blue, classic body monster truck.

What girl doesn't look up to Wonder Woman? Well if you're Colette Davis then you are her. Well, at the very least she's the driver of the Wonder Woman monster truck.

Amy Perry races out of Texas, and gets what she wants. Otherwise she'll throw a six ton Temper Tantrum in your general direction.

Pretty Wicked might have the most psychedelic paint scheme in monster truck history. Lindsey Rettew drives this technicolor beast.

El Toro Loco has a few different drivers, two that share the distinction are Becky McDonough (she ties a pink bandana over one of the horns when she is driving), and Macey Nichter. Who wouldn't want this wild ride?

Women have made up a huge core of the Monster Jam tour. When teams are racing all around the country you might see different drivers at different stadiums. Here are just a handful of drivers for Scooby-Doo! Nicole Johnson, Bailey Shea Williams, Brianna Mahon, Dawn Creten, Lindsay Read, and Myranda Cozad.

Quad Chaos is a fun monster truck, it's shaped like a gigantic quadracer. One of the drivers is Bailey Shea Williams. She usually sports a pink body whereas a green body is seen when Aaron Cain drives it.

The pink stars and stripes of Madusa is well known on the Monster Jam circuit. There have actually been many drivers to the awesome truck, including Nicole Johnson, Debrah Miceli, Candice Jolly, and Bailey Shea.

Who says monsters can't be playful too? Monster Mutt - Dalmatian has a few different drivers including Candice Jolly, and Cynthia Gautier.

Meet Jocelyn Perrin the driver of Lady Luck, and High Maintenance (Soaring Eagle Casino). She's the monster truck mom with the radical rides.

Myranda Kozad has raced a few different monster trucks, one of most unique is the Zombie Hunter. I'm sure she would come in handy if there was a zombie breakout.

Rosalee Ramer, daughter of Kelvin Ramer was the youngest monster truck driver in the world. There are pictures of her as a little kid helping her father work on his own monster truck Time Flys. Her ride Wild Flower is a work of art.

The next generation of monster truck drivers are already putting on shows in their scaled-down rides. Demolition Diva is driven by Mad Mo Morgan Matheny (Team Kid KJ) or Cassie Berry (Uncle Tod Motorsports).

Dixie Chic is piloted by Kelby Schoenfeld (Lil’ Monster Trucks).

With American Girl by Ally Plenwniak, and Kelby (Lil’ Monster Trucks). The future is in very good hands.

Cynthia Gauthier drives the Lucas Stabilizer. It's one of the newest, and possibly coolest truck on the list. Women have always been a part of this awesome motorsport. Remind your daughters that they can do anything, as long as they work hard for it nothing is impossible.

As I said in the start of this entry that I have always been a fan of monster trucks. If you want to find out about the history of the culture, and how it has appeared in gaming then be sure to check out my previous entries. 

The origins of the Monster Truck 

Power Drive & Bigfoot, the almost great monster truck games 

Monster Jam versus Double Axle, the monster truck showdown! 

American Daredevil, the monster trucks that changed the world, part 1… 

American Daredevil, the monster trucks that changed the world, part 2... 

American Daredevil, the monster trucks that changed the world, final part 

The monster files, when giants roamed the Earth. 

Are there any motorsports, or car cultures that you are into? Like hot rods, lowriders, import tuners, drifting, NASCAR, Formula-1, or associated video games? If so I'd like to hear about it. As always if you would like to sponsor me please visit my Patreon page and consider donating each month, even as little as $1 would help make better blogs and even podcasts!