Lurker > Nelson_Mandela

_SecretSquirrel posted...

KamikazePotato posted...

http://www.gamefaqscontests.com/gallery/albums/spc2k5/b06.jpg

I love the sheer laziness of CJayC using a calendar wallpaper, and not even bothering to clone stamp out the calender portion on Vergil.

https://www.wallpaperist.com/wallpapers/Games/Devil-May-Cry/Devil-May-Cry-3/Vergil-1600-1200.jpg

Lmfaooo
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"A more mature answer than I expected."~ Jakyl25
"Sephy's point is right."~ Inviso

Tidus/Melee probably earned more FFX votes than it lost. That pic is the GOAT.
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"A more mature answer than I expected."~ Jakyl25
"Sephy's point is right."~ Inviso

transience posted...

It was also a hint that maybe FF7 could beat Ocarina -- but also maybe not

Bruh FFVII was the runaway favorite the entire time
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"A more mature answer than I expected."~ Jakyl25
"Sephy's point is right."~ Inviso

Hype
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"A more mature answer than I expected."~ Jakyl25
"Sephy's point is right."~ Inviso

charmander6000 posted...

https://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2002/08/23

Scorpion/Pac-Man was on August 22nd so it was a day late...

Ha, that's not bad
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"A more mature answer than I expected."~ Jakyl25
"Sephy's point is right."~ Inviso

LeonhartFour posted...

yeah but doesn't that mean Pac-Man should be stronger

Yes, I'm saying that's why the match didn't really indicate any trends
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"A more mature answer than I expected."~ Jakyl25
"Sephy's point is right."~ Inviso

LeonhartFour posted...

It's just seeing Scorpion obliterate a gaming icon more than anything else.

But then again, I wasn't here then, so I don't know what the live reaction was.

I'm not sure that proves anything either though. If anything, personality-deprived icons like Mario and Link fare better than actual characters.
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"A more mature answer than I expected."~ Jakyl25
"Sephy's point is right."~ Inviso

So it's come down to Donkey Kong Country 2 and Super Mario Bros. 3 for my "All-timers" tier. SMB3 and DKC2 are not just the two best platformers I have ever played, but 2 of the top 10 games of all time.

Before I write these up tomorrow, I want to say that this has been a very difficult decision and I've actually gone back and forth on it once since I thought about doing this topic. On one hand, DKC2 provides unrivaled emotion for its genre. Between the music, the atmosphere, and the co-op nature of the game, I am genuinely moved when I play it. It's something that few other games can do for me and is a staple characteristic of most of my top 10-15 games. And on the other hand, you have what I consider to be the the most mechanically perfect game ever made. Not the most mechanically perfect NES game, not the most mechanically perfect platformer. The most mechanically perfect game, full stop.

One thing these two games do share in common, however, is that mastering both of them can only be described as one thing: sublime. Between the emotional pull of being locked in to DKC2 and the purity of running through SMB3, both games are unlike any other skill-based, high intensity gaming experience I've ever had. Both are worthy GOATs--but I promise there will be only one.
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"A more mature answer than I expected."~ Jakyl25
"Sephy's point is right."~ Inviso

lordjers posted...

There's also the fact that the aiming mechanic isn't nearly as much fun as classic jump and stomp, or even classic grab and throw.

These are fair points and part of the reason why I understand the polarization. If you don't like the aiming, you won't like the game. Especially if you really want it to be of the jump-and-stomp variety.

But I really got used to the stopping and aiming, and I think it opened up a ton of depth to the game. Part of me wonders if it was just called "Yoshi's Island" and didn't have the Mario World branding attached to it if people would have received it better.
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"A more mature answer than I expected."~ Jakyl25
"Sephy's point is right."~ Inviso

WarThaNemesis2 posted...

Nelson_Mandela posted...

Serious question for those who hate it: why?

Some people get very upset that they are punished for getting hit.

Literally just the crying? I mean, it was annoying for sure. But unless you're 100%ing it, this was also the easiest game on a the list by a fairly decent amount.
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"A more mature answer than I expected."~ Jakyl25
"Sephy's point is right."~ Inviso

Serious question for those who hate it: why?
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"A more mature answer than I expected."~ Jakyl25
"Sephy's point is right."~ Inviso

KingButz posted...

Yoshi's Story > Yoshi's Island

lol no
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"A more mature answer than I expected."~ Jakyl25
"Sephy's point is right."~ Inviso

Not good
11. Sonic the Hedgehog

Fine
10. Sonic the Hedgehog 2

Great
9. Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!
8. Super Mario Bros.
7. Donkey Kong Country

Excellent
6. Super Mario Bros. 2 (US)
5. Super Mario World

Spectacular
4. Sonic 3 & Knuckles
3. Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island

All-timers
2.
1.
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"A more mature answer than I expected."~ Jakyl25
"Sephy's point is right."~ Inviso

#3. Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island
https://coubsecure-s.akamaihd.net/get/b82/p/coub/simple/cw_timeline_pic/2047f9ec869/c2f34affccc957b0fa4a6/med_1485675700_image.jpg

Yoshi's Island is the only game on this list that I had absolutely no prior experience playing. I somehow went through my entire life without ever touching this game, but of course had to purchase it as soon as I realized I was really going to get through every title in the series.

I can see why this game is so polarizing. The first time I played it, I noticed a few things that I knew would be love-or-hate. The overall style is obviously a departure from the previous Mario games. On the surface, it looks like it was intentionally designed for babies--the coloring book aesthetic, the goofy character models, the literal babies... Not to say Mario was ever "badass" or anything, but in an era when Sega's marketing strategy was to make Nintendo kids feel insecure about their maturity level, I can totally see how this game could only compound that feeling. The other major love-or-hate element is controlling Yoshi itself. Right from the get-go, you understand that this is not a Mario game--it's a Yoshi game. The platforming takes a back seat to the egg mechanics, and it actually functions more like an action platformer than anything else. There is a reason why there are tutorials for basically the first 25% of the game.

As a 30 year old with some better perspective, I can look at Yoshi's Island a bit more objectively. The cartoony "childish" aesthetic not only makes sense narratively, but this is very likely the best looking game on the Super Nintendo. The hand-drawn backgrounds are gorgeous, creative, and supremely varied. And despite shifting to a more uneven plane from the very flat grounds of Super Mario World that promote superbly slick handling, the game very rarely suffers from any pitfalls you'd expect from this kind of style. There are no false platforms or poor landing detection; and only in a few instances are some of the numerous graphic elements obfuscating to enemies or obstacles. It's honestly remarkable how they were able to pull this off. The fact that this is not a "Mario" game also did not bother me once I got used to the new controls for Yoshi. In fact, the floating jump becomes quite enjoyable to play after a while and began to remind me of Dixie Kong's glide. In other words, it was really fucking fun.

I could go on and on about what this game gets so right. If anyone remembers my recent playthrough topic, the music really floored me at first. While there probably should have been double or even triple the tracks, what is in the game is some of the best on the SNES and a welcome change from the chiptuney songs of the other Mario games. The boss battles, though incredibly easy, were super fun and creative and provided some of the best 2D visuals I've ever seen (Prince Froggy, Raphael the Raven, and Bowser were particularly amazing). And while I did not subject myself to 100%ing the game, the collectibles in Yoshi's Island were done so well and absolutely would encourage me to go back every now and then when I want to just feel how well the game plays again.

In all, I am glad to say that Yoshi's Island actually lives up to the board 8 hype, which has a tendency to incorrectly single out a black sheep game and elevate it to "best ever" status (see: Crash Team Racing, et al). But Yoshi's Island is a truly unique experience that has never been replicated to my knowledge, and its sheer creativity and mechanical smoothness makes it one for the ages.
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"A more mature answer than I expected."~ Jakyl25
"Sephy's point is right."~ Inviso

Zylothewolf posted...

1: Sonic 3 & Knuckles are two seperate games. I had to convince my parents that I had to spend my money on a fourth Sonic game instead of a different kind of game. And it's not like you miss more than like two fun zones if you just play Sonic 3 anyway. Also Sonic 2 is better in every way. :P

Sega was pretty brilliant by basically charging $100 for one game! And the way the stages are set up, you absolutely do need to play the games locked-on for it to be cohesive.

2: Yoshi's Island is the worst game of all time.

My rebuttal in the next post:
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"A more mature answer than I expected."~ Jakyl25
"Sephy's point is right."~ Inviso

#3 today
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"A more mature answer than I expected."~ Jakyl25
"Sephy's point is right."~ Inviso

Tag
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"A more mature answer than I expected."~ Jakyl25
"Sephy's point is right."~ Inviso

Brawl
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"A more mature answer than I expected."~ Jakyl25
"Sephy's point is right."~ Inviso

Jakyl25 posted...

Resident Evil games?

Yes they have a plot but come on

You can't really leave those games for a week. Also I've beaten half of them already!

Mega Man games could be interesting... I'd rather get the collection on the Switch though.

I might give the 3D Mario games a go. Or the Kirby Anniversary Collection on the Wii.
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"A more mature answer than I expected."~ Jakyl25
"Sephy's point is right."~ Inviso

Mr Crispy posted...

rank the lucasarts adventure games (so monkey island, fate of atlantis, sam and max, day of the tentacle, full throttle, the dig, loom, grim fandango, etc.)

I adore Grim Fandango but I don't have a PC that can play games right now :(
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"A more mature answer than I expected."~ Jakyl25
"Sephy's point is right."~ Inviso

Jakyl25 posted...

So nothing too storyline intensive...

KINGDOM HEARTS

I tried and I thought it was the most bizarre thing I'd ever seen. Reminded me of a David Lynch movie but I think it was unintentional.
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"A more mature answer than I expected."~ Jakyl25
"Sephy's point is right."~ Inviso

So for real, what should my next little foray into must-play games be? Happy to choose from:

NES
SNES
N64
GC
Wii
SMS
Genesis
GB/C
GBA
PS1-3
360

Ideally it would be a relatively quick playthrough where I could put the game down for a week or two at a time and pick right back up where I left off.
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"A more mature answer than I expected."~ Jakyl25
"Sephy's point is right."~ Inviso

Smash Ultimate but probably not really

Maybe if Half Life 3 comes out next year and it's the GOAT and on every system and gets a rally
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"A more mature answer than I expected."~ Jakyl25
"Sephy's point is right."~ Inviso

How are people not embarrassed to say "tickets for bumblebee please"
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"A more mature answer than I expected."~ Jakyl25
"Sephy's point is right."~ Inviso

LeonhartFour posted...

I just hope FFVIIR doesn't suck at this point

It will, if it ever is fully released
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"A more mature answer than I expected."~ Jakyl25
"Sephy's point is right."~ Inviso

I think MGS4 and Brawl would have fallen way further than any character if they were put in another contest. Maybe Starcraft as well.
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"A more mature answer than I expected."~ Jakyl25
"Sephy's point is right."~ Inviso

Jakyl25 posted...

DKC3 even hit AFTER THE N64

I knew DKC3 was '96, but my god those three games coming out within 2 years of one another is godlike productivity by Rare.
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"A more mature answer than I expected."~ Jakyl25
"Sephy's point is right."~ Inviso

But more on that to come...
---

"A more mature answer than I expected."~ Jakyl25
"Sephy's point is right."~ Inviso

oh god I go back and forth all the time... a VERY quick top 5 of mine would look something like:
Stickerbush Symphony [this is the "Bramble Blast" level theme]
Forest Interlude
Mining Melancholy
Aquatic Ambience
Hot Head Bop
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"A more mature answer than I expected."~ Jakyl25
"Sephy's point is right."~ Inviso

Jakyl25 posted...

Nelson_Mandela posted...

after the release of games like Donkey Kong Country

DKC came out after Sonic & Knuckles <_<

Did it really? Oh well haha
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"A more mature answer than I expected."~ Jakyl25
"Sephy's point is right."~ Inviso

#4. Sonic 3 & Knuckles
http://www.vgmuseum.com/end/genesis/b/s3nksseend3.gif

After the disappointment of Sonic 1 and 2, you can imagine that I went into S3&K with trepidation. After all, outside of this board, I had almost always seen Sonic 2 listed as the best of the trilogy, and Sonic 3 was somewhat of an afterthought. But my god was this notion proven wrong.

Let me first start by saying that Sonic 3 & Knuckles is one game. I don't know why there was ever any controversy about it with regards to games contests here, but it is very clear that Sonic 3 and Sonic & Knuckles were designed to be a unified experience, and Sega just forced them to release it in two parts. There is nothing you can say that would ever convince me to rank these games apart.

S3&K represents a new direction for the series that was so desperately needed after the release of games like Donkey Kong Country, Super Mario World, and other contemporary 2D side-scrollers. For the first time, S3&K tried to construct a real narrative to the game that the aforementioned were able to build through the use of an overworld map and tonally consistent atmosphere. Where the levels of Sonic 1 and 2 were essentially non sequiturs, S3&K successfully transitioned stage-to-stage and built up toward a satisfying arc. I remember being taken aback when the first zone changes after being bombed by Robotnik, and for the first time in the series, you felt a sense of purpose behind the level design.

These transitional elements set the stage for why I loved the spectacle platforming of S3&K so much. There are so many moments in this game that are both fun to play and are amazing to witness--the introduction of Knuckles, the iconic snowboarding level, right up through the space battle with Hyper Sonic--which, by the way, is the greatest endgame of any game on this list.

The gameplay is also vastly improved over the other games in the series. Adding the elemental power-ups changes the dynamic of the levels in the best way possible. The bosses are amazingly huge and more dynamic than ever before. The addition of Knuckles makes exploration genuinely fun instead of a tedious search for all the rings. And I could be wrong, but game also feels faster than the previous iterations--or at least less punishing when you do try to speed through it.

If not for this game, I would consider the 2D Sonic series a bust. But S3&K redeems it in every way and, to me, represents everything that the series should be. If Sonic Mania is anything like it, then sign me up.

Not good
11. Sonic the Hedgehog

Fine
10. Sonic the Hedgehog 2

Great
9. Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!
8. Super Mario Bros.
7. Donkey Kong Country

Excellent
6. Super Mario Bros. 2 (US)
5. Super Mario World

Spectacular
4. Sonic 3 & Knuckles
3.

All-timers
2.
1.
---

"A more mature answer than I expected."~ Jakyl25
"Sephy's point is right."~ Inviso

I'm still convinced Sonic could have gone toe-to-toe with Mario around that time
---

"A more mature answer than I expected."~ Jakyl25
"Sephy's point is right."~ Inviso

So how would you all order the remaining 4?
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"A more mature answer than I expected."~ Jakyl25
"Sephy's point is right."~ Inviso

No more hints because it'll ruin the fun; however, I will say that these top 4 are so good that I would be able to buy an argument for any one of them being the best 2D platformer ever made.
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"A more mature answer than I expected."~ Jakyl25
"Sephy's point is right."~ Inviso

SexThaNemesis posted...

SMB3 is the best game ever so

I can never tell if this is ExTha or an ExTha parody!
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"A more mature answer than I expected."~ Jakyl25
"Sephy's point is right."~ Inviso

VectorAgent posted...

Here's the real question, though: where you you rank Super Mario Maker amongst other 2D Mario games?

Never played it!
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"A more mature answer than I expected."~ Jakyl25
"Sephy's point is right."~ Inviso

lordjers posted...

SMB3 levels are too short.

Too short? There's no checkpoints!
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"A more mature answer than I expected."~ Jakyl25
"Sephy's point is right."~ Inviso

KommunistKoala posted...

all smb3 > smw acolytes

Give me your rebuttal
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"A more mature answer than I expected."~ Jakyl25
"Sephy's point is right."~ Inviso

KommunistKoala posted...

no salvation for you

me or jakyl?
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"A more mature answer than I expected."~ Jakyl25
"Sephy's point is right."~ Inviso

The first thing I noticed with SMW is that it's significantly slower than its forebear. Both in terms of obstacle speed and the freedom to blitz through a level, SMW forces you to really pace yourself in comparison. The dev team surely had logic behind this--given the branching paths, secrets, and the addition of new actions you can perform, it's necessary to allow the player to take the time to explore and figure things out for themselves. But at the end of the day, this doesn't feel as fun for me as building my expertise and pushing myself to finish a level as quickly and flawlessly as possible. SMB3 is far more challenging from a platforming perspective, so you get an even bigger rush when you finally are able to fly through a level perfectly.

And speaking of flying, another downside to SMW is the power-up system. Nothing felt better than getting a feather or Tanooki suit in SMB3 and flying into the sky to see what kind of weird bonuses you could get up there. In SMW... you fly up, you fall down. You get frustrated when the gliding doesn't go your way. I also really enjoyed the inventory system of SMB3--being able to hold onto power-ups to help you through difficult levels added an element of strategy. But it was also more than this. While SMW had a clear "replayability" factor due to the secret exits, I found it incredibly fun to see how the various power ups could help you clear a level. You start to realize things like "hey, this hammer suit will let me get past this obstacle in the water level way better than the frog suit" or "the flying ability isn't going to help me here." This was a more cerebral element that was missing from SMW. And the fact that your power-ups (and lives) do not carry over after you save and quit is unnecessary and annoying, I might add.

I clearly think Super Mario World is an amazing game--I ranked it in this elite tier, after all. However, it is no longer a debate for me: Super Mario Bros. 3 > Super Mario World. I welcome your dissent.

Not good
11. Sonic the Hedgehog

Fine
10. Sonic the Hedgehog 2

Great
9. Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!
8. Super Mario Bros.
7. Donkey Kong Country

Excellent
6. Super Mario Bros. 2 (US)
5. Super Mario World

Spectacular
4.
3.

All-timers
2.
1.
---

"A more mature answer than I expected."~ Jakyl25
"Sephy's point is right."~ Inviso

#5. Super Mario World
https://www.mobygames.com/images/shots/l/24931-super-mario-world-super-mario-advance-2-game-boy-advance-screenshot.jpg

This write-up is going to be a little different, as the best way I can talk about Super Mario World is to compare it to another game that will appear on this list: Super Mario Bros. 3.

For what feels like most of my life, there has seemed to always be this omnipresent debate raging as to whether SMW or SMB3 is the better game and, in turn, the pinnacle of Mario games and 2D platforming. Which game, they would ask, best represents the genre and is a paragon for everything Nintendo? I found myself always in the SMB3 camp--I had played both games enough, but never owned either one personally and therefore never really explored the nuances that one can only find after putting in a dozen or so hours into each game. Regardless, I had more experience with SMB3, so I took a side--even as I read numerous arguments for SMW that seemed more and more convincing each year.

The graphics and presentation for Super Mario World are pretty astounding for its time. It may not seem like a big leap now, but I remember playing a Super Nintendo for the first time in the early 90s and being floored by how much bigger and brighter everything was. There is a reason why I used the giant Bullet Bill as the image for this game--that moment in the first level was when everyone realized what the Super in Super Nintendo really meant. The sprites are that big and detailed now, and there is only going to be more where that came from.

The game design was also more intricate than its predecessor. SMW took advantage of the extra buttons and allowed for a deeper experience this time around by giving Mario (and Luigi) the spin ability, which really opened up an extra dimension to each level. On top of this, of course, we have the introduction of Yoshi, which essentially doubles the amount of things you can do--increasing the ways one can beat a level and unlock some of the secret stage exits.

So with these additions, why is SMW merely "Excellent" and not as good as SMB3? Well, after so many years of listening to the debate, I finally played these games exactly back-to-back and figured it out for myself.
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"A more mature answer than I expected."~ Jakyl25
"Sephy's point is right."~ Inviso

Damn man. That was literally like a decade ago.
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"A more mature answer than I expected."~ Jakyl25
"Sephy's point is right."~ Inviso

transcience posted...

Kefka/Vercetti is this weird contest history footnote that felt pretty big at the time but I cant say that it was really influential after the fact. I ended up leaving it off.

That's fair. It's not "important" per se, but it was one of the most ridiculous days ever for the board.
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"A more mature answer than I expected."~ Jakyl25
"Sephy's point is right."~ Inviso

ExThaNemesis posted...

bruh you work in ADVERTISING

Sales and advertising are wayyyyy different beasts. I work behind the scenes to convince millions of people to buy things. Realo looks those poor bastards in the EYE as he takes their money.

It's like being a general vs a frontline soldier.
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"A more mature answer than I expected."~ Jakyl25
"Sephy's point is right."~ Inviso

ExThaNemesis posted...

I can't pick a favorite, there are too many good ones.

No Diggity + Flashing Lights is FIRE though t'THIS DAY

Was just thinking that this might give me the most chills in retrospect. Flashing Lights defined sophomore year of college for me.
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"A more mature answer than I expected."~ Jakyl25
"Sephy's point is right."~ Inviso

ExThaNemesis posted...

He wisely moved on from this place. Works in Real Estate now!

REALO Estate OMFGGGG

Eww, I can totally see him being good at it too. Definitely the right mix of charming and scummy.
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"A more mature answer than I expected."~ Jakyl25
"Sephy's point is right."~ Inviso

Favorite mashup from Feed The Animals:
Push It + In Bloom

Those fucking drums man. I could pick a dozen others though.
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"A more mature answer than I expected."~ Jakyl25
"Sephy's point is right."~ Inviso

I wish that idiot would return. He reminds me of Patrice O'Neal. He'd be a necessary voice in the extreme SJW era.
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"A more mature answer than I expected."~ Jakyl25
"Sephy's point is right."~ Inviso

Aren't the Rams resting dudes already? Calm down, people.
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"A more mature answer than I expected."~ Jakyl25
"Sephy's point is right."~ Inviso

The board was really on fire during that time too. I remember talking hip-hop with you and realo--along with more pitchfork-y music types like giggs, seg, and gfk--and it was just such a fun and lively discussion that exposed me to even more great stuff.
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"A more mature answer than I expected."~ Jakyl25
"Sephy's point is right."~ Inviso