The Punisher is one of those comic book movies that came out in what some call a dark period for the genre, after Blade (1998) and X-Men (2000), but before we were “rescued” by Batman Begins (2005) and the start of the MCU with Iron Man (2008). These types of films were still going through a growth period, as studios attempted to work with new budgets and expanding technologies while looking for what would sell, but that doesn’t mean there weren’t some gems in there, or at least a movie or two that was worth watching. As a huge fan of the Punisher comics, that’s what I’ve always taken from this 2004 attempt: a new approach to the character that took some of the best ideas of the time from the source material and tried to realize them in live-action. Not everyone agreed, but twenty years later I still feel the same: Thomas Jane’s outing as the character is a pleasant mess with some edge, an awkward growth period.
Like many fans, I was worried when The Rock made his recent return to WWE. I loved him in the company years ago and would say I’m usually pleased to see The People’s Champ, but when he dropped the hint that he was eyeing that spot at the head of the table, there was some concern. Dwayne Johnson has spent many years away, starring in movies, making deals, and building his empire, but he still had enough clout in the company to saunter in and challenge for the greatest prize, especially now that he was sitting on the board of directors for the newly formed TKO Group, the combined business that oversees the UFC and WWE. I saw a potential future where everything fell apart: Seth Rollins’ involvement, Cody Rhode’s story, and Roman Reigns’ reign, but those fears weren’t warranted.
X-Men ’97 is an awesome breath of fresh air, and it has been fantastic seeing our favorite Saturday morning mutants back in action, but the lives of Marvel’s genetic powerhouses aren’t just about the fighting; there’s also the love triangles. Long-term fans of the characters have been rooting for Rogue and Gambit across the decades, these people push the Romy ship, (thanks, I hate the name) but that’s a couple that has more baggage than an airport. So, the new episodes of the cartoon look to be going in a different direction, taking a potentially even more volatile pairing from the comics and giving Rogue and Magneto one more chance to try to make something real out of their consistently doomed dalliance.
As a series, Alone in the Dark is something like the Granddaddy of the 3D Survival Horror game, but this latest entry is a wholly reimagined version of the 1992 classic that wants to blaze its own path of Lovecraftian nightmares. Developer Pieces Interactive may not have followed the blueprints of the original exactly, but it would be hard to make something worse than some of the previous titles, and they honor the foundation the other games laid. This recent sacrificial offering is trying its best to earn the name, Alone in the Dark.
We all need to relax a little more and most of us are bad at it. Sometimes we need extra help to chill properly, so why not fire up a bong, take a long rip from the vape pen, or grab the strong edibles and play something that helps set the tone for a magical 420 experience? Let the day slip away and get absorbed into these best video games to play on 420.
Play These Video Games on 420
Below is a list of games we suggest to play while baked. Most of them are solid in any state, and many of the mechanics that make them fun while high are just smart design tenants in any situation, but we think these points play well with getting high and just zoning out for a great time. Pick your pleasure and maybe try these titles out during the next big trip.
Two of the entries had to be cut for length, so I’ll post them here.
Racing TItles
It would seem like smoking some tires while smoking buds would be a horrible idea, but getting behind the virtual wheel while buzzed can make for some thrilling chases or intense laps. Series like Need for Speed or Forza Horizon have perfect entries for putting on the blinders and just feeling the horsepower as the world rushes by, but my personal favorite is the Burnout games, being able to hear the satisfying crunch of twisting metal, or creating the largest flaming wreckages possible. Other people may prefer the simulations, something slower and more therapeutic, or taking a relaxing drive around a bigger dense city like in GTA V, getting out and seeing the sights while high can certainly enhance the experience.
The Super Mario Franchise
For as different as most entries in this series are, the core gameplay concepts are close enough that almost all of them are incredibly easy to pick up and play. Sure, there are a lot of enemies, most likely some platforming required, but these games aren’t so hard players won’t make decent progress, even if they are not operating at full capacity. Mario games also have bright colors, lively scrolling backgrounds, and cute characters for happy moods, even in the Ghost Houses and castles. The power-ups feel more special when the shit hits just right, using flowers and literal mushrooms to rampage through foes, while some excellent iconic tunes play. There are many titles to choose from, with my favorite being Super Mario 64, but Super Mario World, Super Mario Galaxy, and Super Mario Odyssey are solid picks to tackle on a bit of the green stuff. The obvious answer, however, seems like the more recent Super Mario Bros. Wonder, which boasts built-in trippy effects and talking flowers, just in case it wasn’t welcoming enough already. Whether it’s reality-warping flora or the safety of the NES originals players prefer, it’s hard to go wrong with any of these games.
As a network, UPN took chances in their programming to try and stand out, but some efforts looked a lot more like chasing trends, so it was no surprise that they’d want to take advantage of the rising popularity video games were seeing at the time. Instead of just talking about the games industry or upcoming products, however, why not do an animated sitcom with cutting-edge graphics and some adult humor? But that’s the type of thinking that gives audiences forgotten shows like Game Over.
The Rock has informed me that “Pro wrestling is exciting once again,” and he isn’t wrong, especially when fans get to feel how amazing it can be with a gamepad in their hands, controlling the action. Some are still reeling from the disaster that was WWE 2K20, but recent entries have proven developer Visual Concepts can still cook, and WWE 2K24 is another rung up the ladder for the evolution of this franchise.
Weird Science was a 1985 film by John Hughes that asked: what would two high-school boys do with an all-powerful magic-wielding sex goddess if they could create one on their computer? It’s a concept that needs more than an hour and a half to explore, so just under a decade later, fans were given a television show for more wacky adventures. In many ways, this 1994 series may have been better than the original movie, but this Weird Science still had some experimenting to do.
Sometimes I miss themed programming blocks. They added a sense of character to some already excellent shows and helped put viewers in a certain frame of mind, especially for children’s shows. Jetix wasn’t one I watched much of when it was originally airing. I mostly just used it as background noise, but in the past few years, I’ve found several streams of the programming and enjoyed it more, as well as seen the passion some people had for the brand. Twenty years later, Jetix has made for an interesting bit of network nostalgia.
Jetix came about when Disney bought up Fox Family Worldwide, an acquisition that landed them The Family Channel as well as the libraries of Fox Kids and Saban Entertainment. This new wealth of programming was meant to increase their presence on the small screen and provide a needed upgrade to their children’s content on ABC Family and Toon Disney. The goal was to reach the popularity of Cartoon Network’s Toonami and provide some serious competition in the process.
There is the thought that films resonate more with us based on where we are in our lives at the time we first encounter them. Back in 2004, I thought EuroTrip was incredibly clever and funny, but figured it would age poorly and show its faults more on consecutive re-watches. That was absolutely true, yet I still find myself laughing at this movie, and it may have even been part of the inspiration I needed to import a British wife. For all of the ways this juvenile comedy can be torn apart, EuroTrip still has plenty of frequent flier miles to offer.
Stephen Wilds 