Thank you! What's next? (Patreon)

Thanks so much to my early pledges! I haven't even formally announced it yet in a video or anything and it warms my heart to see you so eager to support the show~ More to come soon, I am still kind of figuring out this Patreon thing but I'm determined to make it the best place for us all to hang out.

I guess I can at the very least give you new patrons a sneak peek at what lies ahead...

I haven't discussed this much publicly, but my plan for the show is to format it in seasons, with each season spanning a different topic. This first season has been about Discovery, or Gateway games, the games that personally are what helped me become a lifelong player. Gaming has been kind of niche for most of its history, so I find it interesting to hear about how people find their way into it and become returning players. Everyone has a different story, and especially if you're a first generation player it can take some surprising titles to reel people in.

So far, I've covered:

- The Powerpuff Girls on GameBoy
  This was really a good jumping off point for me, because it was somewhat topical and a game I was super familiar with. In terms of the Discovery theme, it was one of the first games I ever played that featured a female protagonist, and also one of the first games I ever thought critically about, even as a kid. The complaints I make in the video are ones I really had with it back then. At this point I knew I didn't want to cover just "games for girls," but it was still a title I felt I could bring that perspective to and make unique.

- The Powerpuff Girls Chemical X-Traction
  This was originally meant to be a bonus episode, to be released within two weeks of the first video to finish up a brand deal I had already signed on to. Life got in the way and ultimately two different sponsors dropped it (it happens) and it got released much much later than I intended. This was actually not a game I personally grew up with, but a popular request following the first video. A learning experience for me ultimately.

- Kirby Tilt n Tumble
  Ever since I first started making reviews around five years ago, this was always one I knew I wanted to cover, because I knew it would be a huge challenge and it's a game I love that not many people seem to know about today. In keeping with the Discovery theme, it was my first venture into mainstream titles outside of Pokemon, and my first taste of what was considered "real" gaming at the time. It's probably the video I'm most happy with at this point in time, I worked really hard with the visuals and it is the most solid overall.

- Disney Interactive Computer Games
  Disney is an extremely interesting company when it comes to video games, because they don't treat it like a typical license holder, and they've also been in the market longer than most. So I knew I wanted to cover Disney stuff with licensed games being a major theme this season, and it fits nicely with Discovery since they were literally my first ever experience with gaming, to the point that I didn't know they could be considered games. The hard part was deciding what to cover, because Disney has literally published so many games that there isn't even a way to document them all.

So that's what I've covered so far, and here's what the rest of the season looks like:

- Disney Interactive Edutainment Games
  Part 2 of the Disney Interactive retrospective. I initially designed this as a single video, but felt that I could split it nicely into two without it feeling like the second part couldn't stand on its own. There are some big games in this section that I have a lot to say about, and this way I can give them the time they deserve. This section will also cover more of Disney's history as a games company. Since I've already completed a lot of work on this video, it will likely come out at the end of next week.

- Kingdom Hearts (tentative)
  It would be a big undertaking to talk about this series because it has a lot of baggage that comes with it, being so insanely popular. It may get cut from this line up if I find that I'm struggling with it too much, but if it does it will get covered at a later date because I have some things I'd like to say about it. Will conclude the Disney games section of this season.

- Loopy Game System
  I found this console at Portland Retro Gaming expo in the fall and I knew I wanted to cover it because it's the only console to date that was designed and marketed for girls specifically. Might be a teensy bit loose in terms of the theme, but I think it could make for an exciting and fun season finale. I do like doing hardware reviews because it allows for a broader scope. I'm still kinda figuring out format anyway so I might as well experiment with different topics.

That will just about wrap up the first season. I suppose you could also count the Totally Angelica and Games for Girls videos as a part of this season just as a catch all, since they were pretty similar in format to what I'm making now and the first attempts at moving away from Pokemon stuff. I'm brainstorming topics for next season as well, and I have a couple ideas. But hey if you have any, feel free to share them with me! As patrons these videos are yours too, so I'd love to hear what you wanna see.

Thanks again for your generous support and I'm excited to get my next video out to you super soon!