Four More KnockOffs Of Iconic Characters On Arcade Machines

It has been over a year since I was rather baffled as I analysed five knock-offs of iconic fictional characters that can be seen in arcades or casinos, from Cash Bandiloot to The Winsons [35] [36]. When I was gaming at the South Pier in Blackpool back in February, I encountered a “community play” edition of Ticket Raider [29]. You know, the one starring the awfully familiar heroine mooching off the legacies of two famous experts in archaeology [35] [36]. As an arcade admirer, I have seen her several times. As I have mentioned before, I am not fond of plagiarising an intellectual property and profiting off it unless it is clearly a parody under fair use [27], but a blatant knockoff would be fascinating to analyse to an extent. I am looking at you, Fur Fun, also known as “Kewpie-Jazzy” [33]. Did you know that there are about four more corny wannabes? Besides Freddie, who else is a Yabba Dabba Don’t for the sake of not having to pay companies for permission to legally use real deals [35] [36]? Prepare to be unamused at four more knockoffs that you might encounter at the next arcade you visit on your next holiday.

Lara Jones is gorgeous and self-empowered, despite her blatant lack of originally [35] [36]. Who else is amusingly unoriginal? [Williams, 2021]

Aladdin
During the week I spent in North Wales back in Summer 2021, I have encountered about two of these arcade machines that feature some of these knockoffs. One of them was “Disney’s” Aladdin-themed [2]. Pffft. Disney, my bum. There is no sign of the Disney logo anywhere. The fake Aladdin within the cabinet’s artwork looks like a younger Jafar cosplaying as the real deal. The genie’s facial features resemble Jafar if he were a loyal sidekick instead of the main antagonist. The Iago reject looks cheerful enough to be considered a good guy. The Abu reject seems happy enough near a pot loaded with gold coins. The overall design of this cabinet did not try to hide the fact that it is trying to capitalise on the iconic animated film in the slightest. The utter lack of subtly in ripping him off is stupendous! At least Cash Bandiloot and The Winsons were more subtle with highly notable differences in character design and names that sound like parodies [35] [36]. I guess the true Disney Aladdin forgot to wish for this to not ever happen as the design of the cabinet probably never had a friend like originality [2]. Of course, this is not the only time this has happened [3] [6].

I can be a knockoff. No, they can’t tell the difference. Tell me, Player. When did you last let a coin inside [2]? [Williams, 2021]

Manic Mushrooms
All the way from Reflex Gaming, a slot machine popped out of a blue pipe and into the gambling section of every arcade [26]. I also encountered this specimen in North Wales back in 2021. The name “Manic Mushrooms” may have a nice ring to it, but it does not cover up that fact that it is ripping-off Super Mario. Is this guy wearing yellow gloves instead of white ones to match his scarf the long-lost brother of the real Mario? Well, that would be rather doubtful due to Nintendo’s history of harshly taking down fanmade games [5]. The rosy-cheeked Princess Peach wannabe is holding a gold staff but she is still part of the copying and pasting [26]. Could the rip-off of Yoshi be an unknown breed of Yoshi or something? Seeing the mushrooms with smiles is rather unnerving as they could have been the decapitated heads of Toads! Seriously! I thought this cabinet was ripping off the Super Mario series, not the Mortal Kombat series [32]! There was quite a missed opportunity to include a Luigi reject too, considering he was employed at a casino once [17]. However, wouldn’t it be more fitting to rip-off Wario due to his money-hungry personality [18]? Thank you, Not Mario. But I guess originality was in another castle [26]. 

It’s-a him! A rip-off! Have we learned nothing from the two Mole Cart games and The Great Giana Sisters [33]? And some of us thought Bugs Bunny wearing yellow gloves was a bit awkward [25]. [Williams, 2021]

JNC’s Super Heroes
During my second time away at Isle of Wight, I have encountered a new league of superheroes printed on a ticket machine that operates like a fruit machine [12]. I bet you can imagine my reaction to its design. There is a man in attire that just shrieks “Classic Thor” in your face in a pretentious tone, along with Superman vibes by the way he is posing [31]. You can tell that the green guy is blatant Hulk wannabe without much subtlety by his fit of rage [12], even though his face and lack of hair remind me of Piccolo from the DragonBall Z franchise [10]. The superheroine appears to be a fusion of Black Widow and Wonder Woman, oddly consisting of potential to be a completely original character without having to be part of a cheesy rip-off of DC’s Justice League and Marvel’s Avengers [12]. Well, at least there are only three of these superzeroes. No reference to the Powerpuff Girls’ alter-egos, Liberty Belle, Harmony Bunny and Mange intended [14] [22]. I just wonder if their arch nemesis is a lawyer wearing a Marvel or DC Comics badge on one of his lapels yearning to sue them, as harsh as that sounds [12]. 

Wannabes assemble! [Williams, 2022]

Flying Tickets 
Flappy Bird was the huge hit that irritated so many mobile gamers with its rather basic yet intensely challenging gameplay from mid-2013 to early 2014 [7] [9] [24]. So many Flappy Bird clones were released, including a minigame in My Talking Tom named “Flappy Tom” [20], even after the real deal was taken off the App Store. To this day, I can still an unofficial arcade adaption named “Flying Tickets” at Hollywood Bowl [1]. Despite how the game’s premise is a shameless copy of Flappy Bird, the only thing that seems original is that two players can play the game at the same times. Player One takes control of a yellow bird wearing a blue helmet by pressing the blue button at the left side and Player Two controls a white bird wearing a red helmet by the power of a red button at the right side, similar to how Player One controls a chicken and Player Two moves a duck in the multiplayer arcade version of Crossy Road [11]. I will at least cut the birds some slack as they at least wear helmets during risky flights when Flappy Bird’s protagonist did not [1] [9]. I just wonder if Not Mario from Manic Mushrooms ever bumped into either bird while going down a green pipe [26]. 

Here is me playing Flying Tickets in 2021 [1]. Talk about a rehash of early 2014 [7] [9] [24]. Pity the real Flappy Bird is no longer available to download and is so early 2014, but at least some clones can still be played to this day, including Flying Tickets and Flappy Tom [1] [20]. At least the two birds in Flying Tickets are more visually pleasing than the flappy bird that started the thankfully outdated trend. [Williams, 2021]

They say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery [28], but when it comes to imitating an iconic franchise on an arcade game cabinet or casino slot machine in a shameless and rather cheesy way, it would be the sincerest form of unoriginality [35] [36]. That would not always be the case though as The Lion King is one of the most acclaimed animated Disney films of all time, despite the accusations of Simba being a rip-off of Kimba the White Lion and how its plot is a rehash of William Shakespeare’s Hamlet [8] [39]. At least we can tune into new adventures with real deals, such as a mysterious female equivalent of Count Dracula as part of the Monster High Skullector doll collection and Lightyear, the cinematic origin of Buzz Lightyear from the timelessly adored Toy Story franchise, in spite of its mixed reception and unfortunate failure at the box office [4] [16] [17] [23] [37] [38]. With all of these interestingly cringey knock-off characters combined, they can all have a whacky race for an insanely large amount of tickets for a big prize [35] [36]. Until then, fellow arcade admirers. I guess a certain song sung by the Watterson family ought to teach these knockoffs a lesson [27]. 

As I have mentioned before, there is a difference between an inspiration and a blatant knockoff when it comes to identifying similarities [34]. If you prefer Kimba over Simba, that is no problem at all [39]. The same goes for if you prefer Simba over Kimba. I hope you liked my spoofing of theme songs that take the mick out of the knockoffs I described [35] [36]. [13]

References

1. Adrenaline Amusements. (2014). Flying Tickets. Arcade. Terrebonne, Canada.
2. Aladdin, dir. by Ron Clements and John Musker (Buena Vista Pictures, 1992).
3. AliExpress. (2021). Aladdin Club slot game board/casino PCB for slot arcade game cabinet/Coin operator machine/amusement cabniet. Available: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1590793381.html. Last accessed 29th Jun 2022.
4. Brunet, M. (2022). Is Lightyear A Worthy Origin Story for Buzz? | The Review of the Toy Story Spin-Off. Available:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnaAa8pItuM. Last accessed 29th Jun 2022.
5. Burner, J. (2020). Top Ten Worst Nintendo FAILS ft. GreenScorpion. Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9CtxLdjUd4. Last accessed 29th Jun 2022.
6. CaProGambler. (2016). Available: https://twitter.com/caprogambler/status/754945208366739456. Last accessed 29th Jun 2022.
7. Cooney, E. (2014). FLAPPY BIRD RUINED MY LIFE. Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzELSyKWvYg. Last accessed 29th Jun 2022.
8. Disney UK. (2019). The Lion King | Hamlet or The Lion King? Quiz | Official Disney UK. Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MITaFUDlVfA. Last accessed 29th Jun 2022.
9. dotGears. (2013). Flappy Bird. iOS. Hanoi, Vietnam.
10. Dragon Ball Wiki. (2012). Piccolo. Available: https://dragonball.fandom.com/wiki/Piccolo. Last accessed 29th Jun 2022.
11. Hipster Whale. (2014). Crossy Road. Arcade. Melbourne, Australia.
12. JNCSALES. (2018). Available: https://twitter.com/JNCSALES/status/956498381337227269. Last accessed 29th Jun 2022.
13. Jungle Emperor Leo Wiki. (2012). Kimba (Leo). Available: https://kimba.fandom.com/wiki/Kimba_(Leo). Last accessed 29th Jun 2022.
14. Las Chicas Superpoderosas En Español. (2020). Nuevas Heroínas | Las Chicas Superpoderosas | HD. Available:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g31uUS59oG8. Last accessed 29th Jun 2022.
15. Mobilegeeks.de. (2014). Top 10 Flappy Bird Clones. Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rjvXELUZ2s. Last accessed 29th Jun 2022.
16. MonsterHigh. (2022). Available: https://twitter.com/MonsterHigh/status/1531999089314914304. Last accessed 28th Jun 2022.
17. MonsterHigh. (2022). Available: https://twitter.com/MonsterHigh/status/1532754204128956423. Last accessed 28th Jun 2022.
18. Nintendo. (2006). New Super Mario Bros. Nintendo DS. Kyoto, Japan.
19. Nintendo. (2008). Wario Land: Shake It!. Nintendo Wii. Kyoto, Japan.
20. Outfit7. (2013). My Talking Tom. iOS. Pissouri. Cyprus.
21. Plush Time Wins. (2014). Flappy Bird Floppy Tickets - Arcade Ticket Game. Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WrHC1htPjZw. Last accessed 29th Jun 2022.
22. Powerpuff Girls Wiki. (2012). Super Zeroes. Available: https://powerpuffgirls.fandom.com/wiki/Super_Zeroes. Last accessed 29th Jun 2022.
23. RebelTaxi. (2022). How Lightyear Fails in the 1st 20 Minutes (@RebelTaxi). Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8gO24t1jtc. Last accessed 29th Jun 2022.
24. Smosh. (2014). FLAPPY BIRD RUINED MY LIFE. Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f49tDCYP6yk. Last accessed 29th Jun 2022.
25. Strider, J. (2018). Commentary Worst Bugs Bunny Cartoons. Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6pADHccgCA. Last accessed 29th Jun 2022.
26. Supper Mario Broth. (2020). Available: https://www.suppermariobroth.com/post/615777650270699520/manic-mushrooms-ticket-redemption-slot-machine/amp. Last accessed 29th Jun 2022.
27. The Amazing World of Gumball. (2018). Gumball | Be Your Own You | The Copycats | Cartoon Network. Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vhrTNEKgEuI. Last accessed 30th Jan 2021.
28. The Amazing World Of Gumball. (2021). Imitation Is The Sincerest Form Of Flattery | The Copycats | Gumball | Cartoon Network. Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gH5jrEeddf0. Last accessed 29th Jun 2022.
29. The United Distributing Company. (2022). Ticket Raider 4 Player Community Play Sit-down 10p. Available: https://www.udc.co.uk/ticket-raider-4player-community-play. Last accessed 29th Jun 2022.
30. TV Tropes. (2022). Manga / Kimba the White Lion. Available: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Manga/KimbaTheWhiteLion. Last accessed 28th Jun 2022.
31. Variant Comics. (2013). The History Of Thor. Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24O-KOWwVKo. Last accessed 29th Jun 2022.
32. Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. (2011). Mortal Kombat. PlayStation 3. California, United States.
33. WatchMojo.com. (2020). Top 20 Biggest Video Game Copycat FAILS. Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akX23W4ouv4. Last accessed 29th Jun 2022.
34. Williams, L. (2021). Do I Regret Reviewing Alfred Alfer?. Available: https://laurasambitiouswriting.wordpress.com/2021/12/05/alfred-alfer-3/. Last accessed 29th Jun 2022.
35. Williams, L. (2021). Five Knockoffs Of Iconic Characters On Arcade Machines. Available:https://laurasambitiouswriting.wordpress.com/2021/02/16/arcade-character-knockoffs/. Last accessed 28th Jun 2022.
36. Williams, L. (2021). Five Knockoffs Of Iconic Characters On Arcade Machines. Available:https://vgalmanac.com/articles/five-knockoffs-of-iconic-characters-on-arcade-machines-feature/. Last accessed 28th Jun 2022.
37. Williams, L. (2022). Lightyear – A Backstory Before A Toy Story.Available: https://www.gamesenquirer.com/post/lightyear-a-backstory-before-a-toy-story. Last accessed 28th Jun 2022.
38. Williams, L. (2022). Lightyear – A Backstory Before A Toy Story.Available: https://laurasambitiouswriting.wordpress.com/2022/02/10/pixar-lightyear-3/. Last accessed 28th Jun 2022.
39. Yesterworld Entertainment. (2019). The Lion King Lie - Did Disney Steal The Lion King? (Simba vs Kimba The White Lion Controversy). Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nI-LNKZy3tY. Last accessed 29th Jun 2022.

Could Bunny Park Be The Cutest Console Port Of 2022?

Eh, what’s up, reader [38] [39]? A forthcoming port of a PC game with its latest update about managing a park for bunnies was announced on a Monday [30] [31], despite how much Garfield hates them [13]. I absolutely adore the game’s concept, along with the idea of two cake topper brides falling in a seemingly forbidden love in the upcoming animated film directed by Sophie Feher titled “Piece Of Cake” [11]. And yes, Bunny Park is not the only game developed by Cozy Bee Games and published by SOEDESCO Studios to be available for consoles this September [24] [33]. Lemon Cake’s legacy was firstly baked on Steam back in February 2021 [32], much like how Bunny Park first hopped into playability back in January 2020 [14] [31]. Keep those noses twitching and refrain from raving like the Rabbids as I shall proceed to express my belief of this possibly being the cutest console port of a PC game of 2022 [36]. Well, at least to me, someone who has reminded a fellow gamer of Cream the Rabbit from the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise [1]. He sure knows that I adore cute bunnies as he witnessed how I desperately tried to get one of the secret stars from MIPS in Super Mario 64 [22].

To those who have not played the PC port before [3], you know this game is going to be utterly adorable on a modern-day console when you noticed to it is developed by Cozy Bee Games [6]. I sure bee-lieve it! [30] 

Remember that one adorable moment of the Powerpuff Girls chanting “bunny” over and over after the birth of their sister in the second season of their classic series [17] [26]? Just imagine their chanting being played as you see this image from the launch trailer or the updated equivalent for just a moment before we begin. [14]

As some who had played the original PC port on Steam back in 2020 know [3] [14] [31], the goal of the game is to build an empire for bunnies to be cared for [23] [30] [45]. The way areas are constructed reminds me of how buildings can be built in any way the player would like in the Nintendo Wii version of MySims [9]. How the park can be expanded at the cost of a certain price reminds me of when the number of Pokémon is reached, resulting in an expansion of the ranch the next day in My Pokémon Ranch [20]. Lastly, how the park requires a bit of a clean-up for the sake of its image, similar to how the bakery in Lemon Cake ought to be kept clean is quite like how Lisa Simpson takes six seconds to clean up some mess in a new expansion of a gradually regenerating Springfield in The Simpsons: Tapped Out [10]. I strongly believe the forthcoming ports of Bunny Park and Lemon Cake can increase their appeal with ports for consoles, much like how The Sims 4 soon became available for consoles to potentially appeal to Xbox One warriors and PlayStation 4 players in late 2017 [35].

The premise of Bunny Park could be one of the most wholesome experiences of a gamer’s life, especially if they happen to have a pet bunny in real life. How the park is customisable is very much like how I can freely arrange buildings, stalls and trees in Hako-Hako! My Mall [7]. [30]

As shown in the trailer, there are about twenty-five cute bunnies to collect [3] [31] [45]. There appear to have their own names, such as “Snow”, “Panda” and “Button” [23], yet I think it would have been cool if the player could choose a name for each of them, much like how the pets can be named by the player in Littlest Pet Shop: Winter, Littlest Pet Shop: Jungle and Littlest Pet Shop: Garden [8] [14]. The bunnies in the gradually blossoming park react to crops for them to snack on and toys for them to play with by hearts and such in speech bubbles above them [3] [23] [31] [45], which shows that there are elements of caring for a pet from a pet simulation game Bunny Park includes [21]. Coins are also collected within a rewards system [23], which is very common, but always legitimate. The game reeks of those My Little Pony freemium app vibes, doesn’t it [12]? That scent sure is sweet, but with a hint of carrot! I do not doubt that some fellow gamers who have played the game on Steam are up for faintly comparing their experience with it to what it feels like to play it on a console [3] [4], quite like how my significant other would faintly compare all three ports of Shadow the Hedgehog [27] [28] [29].

Quite like in Pokémon, especially and most preferably in the first generation, you gotta catch ‘em all [33]! The player can also be determined to boost the ranking of the park apart from its general popularity, making it cosier and cuter. [30]

What can I say about the graphics? There is a lot of greenery, especially a nice shade of green for fresh grass, as well as another tint for bushes to help them somewhat stand out [3] [23] [31] [45]. There are also some murky, but fairly convincing textures for wood and soil. The art style is indeed not full-on realism, but a nice vibrant 3D cartoon one encased in quite an entrancing palette. I especially love how the cherry blossom trees look! Could there be more updates for the game with new content soon, especially after the eventual console port’s release this September? I am sure there could be some new decorations and such for seasonal events throughout 2023, including a frostier Christmas tree, a pink heart-shaped fountain, or a darker Jack-O-Lantern patch [4]. I also bet there would be a new list of bunnies to collect with colourful and rather surreal designs to increase the creativity of the premise, such as a pastel pink bunny named “Blossom” and an icy blue bunny named “Blizzard”. Alternatively, I am sure that a sequel to Bunny Park possibly titled “Bunny Park 2” can not only consist of similar cartoony graphics but bring new ideas, such as newly designed bunnies into action throughout occasional updates.

It sure is great that there have been seasonal updates for Bunny Park on Steam [4], kind of like how Minecraft has been updated occasionally for years [18] [19] [25]. On the other paw, more time spent on developing other games with different premises shows a little more ambition to an extent. [4]

But still, I am always up for updates for a game other than busting glitches like a glitchbuster after its release [40] [41], especially if it is decently developed and has gained some positive critical reception. New ideas and missed opportunities can always be saved for a sequel. [4]

As previously mentioned, the peaceful duty of building a safe and happy place for bunnies awaits all the rabbit-loving gamers out there outside of PC gaming this September and will be available for the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S [30] [31] [45]. Are you up for a sequel possibly titled “Bunny Park 2” with the same charming premise of building an adorable and nurturing empire and with new fresh elements, such as specific things for more seasonal events besides Summer and Christmas, even more achievements and new breeds of bunnies [4]? I guess that can be established by Cozy Bee Games someday. What else could be next? A game about hosting a tea party for teddy bears? Another about running a flight school for owlets? There is still hope for forthcoming additions to mainstream game franchises, such as Sonic Frontiers and Sonic Prime doing well to greatly reduce the chances of staleness [40] [41] [42]. As for the upcoming port of Bunny Park for consoles, I am sure its cuteness will cute out some of our dear console players soon [30] [31], leading to even more potential from Cozy Bee Games after its foundation last year [2].

Shout-out to Éloïse Laroche, the founder of Cozy Bee Games [2] [14] [15]! I quite like the samples of simple yet charming creativity she and her creative team have put into games, such as Capybara Spa [5] [6] [15]. I hope she will continue to bee-lieve in herself and keep following her passion for game development. I also believe that the studio with a cute bee as its mascot ought to gradually expand its technical capabilities and creativity within storytelling for new projects throughout the rest of the 2020s and so on. [2]

It sure is interesting to be older poster designs, by the way [3] [14]. The game has come quite a long way since its announcement back in 2019. Very wholesome indeed. Hop on, fellow gamers! [37]

References

1. Anime! on TMS Official Channel.. (2015). [OFFICIAL] SONIC X Ep7 - Party Hardly. Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tB2LgOx8fA. Last accessed 15th Jun 2022.
2. Cozy Bee Games. (2021). About. Available: https://www.cozybeegames.com/about. Last accessed 15th Jun 2022.
3. Cozy Bee Games. (2022). Bunny Park. Available: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1208600/Bunny_Park/. Last accessed 15th Jun 2022.
4. Cozy Bee Games. (2022). Bunny Park. Available: https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1208600. Last accessed 15th Jun 2022.
5. Cozy Bee Games. (2022). Capybara Spa. Available: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1822910/Capybara_Spa/. Last accessed 15th Jun 2022.
6. Cozy Bee Games. (2022). Cozy Bee Games. Available: https://www.cozybeegames.com/. Last accessed 15th Jun 2022.
7. Cybergate Technology Ltd. (2020). Hako-Hako! My Mall. iOS. Hong Kong, People’s Republic of China.
8. Electronic Arts. (2008). Littlest Pet Shop: Winter. Nintendo DS. California, United States. 
9. Electronic Arts. (2007). MySims. Nintendo Wii. California, United States.
10. Electronic Arts. (2012). The Simpsons: Tapped Out. iOS. California, United States.
11. Feher, S. (2022). Piece of Cake Trailer. Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Ls94AJK3nA. Last accessed 15th Jun 2022.
12. Gameloft. (2012). My Little Pony. iOS. Paris, France.
13. Garfield & Friends. (2021). Garfield & Friends - Magic Mutt | Short Story | Monday Misery (Full Episode). Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Gazir1MP34. Last accessed 15th Jun 2022.
14. Laroche, É. (2020). Bunny Park - Launch Trailer. Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56ZMbQM1obw. Last accessed 15th Jun 2022.
15. Laroche, É. (2021). Capybara Spa - Release Trailer!. Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5lz9oE7gFk. Last accessed 15th Jun 2022.
16. Littlest Pet Shop Wiki. (2012). LPS Video Games. Available: https://lps.fandom.com/wiki/LPS_Video_Games#Original. Last accessed 15th Jun 2022.
17. Mills, D. (2020). Twisted Sister - The Powerpuff Girls (Classic) - Preview. Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=On_41oCKUCE. Last accessed 15th Jun 2022.
18. Minecraft. (2011). The evolution of Minecraft. Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t0eqSgkDuW0. Last accessed 15th Jun 2022.
19. Minecraft. (2022). The Wild Update: Craft Your Path – Official Minecraft Launch Trailer. Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXr5glhGkzE. Last accessed 14th Jun 2022.
20. Nintendo. (2008). My Pokémon Ranch. Nintendo WiiWare. Kyoto, Japan.
21. Nintendo. (2005). Nintendogs: Dachshund & Friends. Nintendo DS. Kyoto, Japan.
22. Nintendo. (1996). Super Mario 64. Nintendo 64. Kyoto, Japan.
23. Nookrium. (2020). Bunny Park - (Casual Park Building Game). Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAAs2KWOugY. Last accessed 15th Jun 2022.
24. PlayStation. (2022). Lemon Cake - Release Date Trailer | PS5 & PS4 Games. Available:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXSsWmdS5jU. Last accessed 15th Jun 2022.
25. PlayStation. (2022). Minecraft - The Wild Update - Craft Your Path Trailer | PS4 Games. Available:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nd3YiooCr2Q. Last accessed 14th Jun 2022.
26. Powerpuff Girls Wiki. (2012). Twisted Sister. Available: https://powerpuffgirls.fandom.com/wiki/Twisted_Sister. Last accessed 15th Jun 2022.
27. SEGA. (2005). Shadow the Hedgehog. Nintendo GameCube. Tokyo, Japan.
28. SEGA. (2005). Shadow the Hedgehog. PlayStation 2. Tokyo, Japan.
29. SEGA. (2005). Shadow the Hedgehog. Xbox. Tokyo, Japan.
30. SOEDESCO. (2022). Bunny Park – Console Trailer. Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YVLZCMM9keI. Last accessed 14th Jun 2022.
31. SOEDESCO. (2022). Casual simulation game Bunny Park is hopping its way to consoles. Available: https://www.soedesco.com/news/bunny-park-console-announcement. Last accessed 15th Jun 2022.
32. SOEDESCO. (2022). Get a taste of Lemon Cake – coming to consoles in September. Available: https://www.soedesco.com/news/lemon-cake-console-announcement. Last accessed 15th Jun 2022.
33. SOEDESCO. (2022). Lemon Cake - Console Trailer. Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjSpl1SUvOQ. Last accessed 15th Jun 2022.
34. The Official Pokémon YouTube Channel. (2018). Gotta Catch ‘Em All!. Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MpaHR-V_R-o. Last accessed 15th Jun 2022.
35. The Sims Wiki. (2017). The Sims 4 (console). Available: https://sims.fandom.com/wiki/The_Sims_4_(console). Last accessed 15th Jun 2022.
36. Ubisoft. (2006). Rayman Raving Rabbids. Nintendo Wii. Saint-Mandé, France.
37. Wholesome Games. (2019). Bunny Park Announcement Trailer. Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VE1OkGm5OZY. Last accessed 15th Jun 2022.
38. Williams, L. (2020). A New Era Of Looney Tunes In A New Decade. Available: https://laurasambitiouswriting.wordpress.com/2020/04/27/looney-tunes-cartoons-trailer/. Last accessed 15th Jun 2022.
39. Williams, L. (2020). A New Era Of Looney Tunes In A New Decade. Available: http://laurawritesaboutcartoons.blogspot.com/2020/04/looney-tunes-cartoons-trailer.html. Last accessed 15th Jun 2022.
40. Williams, L. (2022). Sonic Frontiers – The Open-World Opportunity Opens More Potential. Available: https://www.gamesenquirer.com/post/sonic-frontiers-the-open-world-opportunity-opens-more-potential. Last accessed 12th Jun 2022.
41. Williams, L. (2022). Sonic Frontiers – The Open-World Opportunity Opens More Potential. Available: https://laurasambitiouswriting.wordpress.com/2022/06/10/sonic-frontiers-gameplay-reveal-2/. Last accessed 12th Jun 2022.
42. Williams, L. (2022). Speeding Up Hope For Sonic Prime. Available:https://laurasambitiouswriting.wordpress.com/2022/06/12/sonic-prime-hopes/. Last accessed 12th Jun 2022.
43. Williams, L. (2018). The Sims Mobile: A Pink Plumbob In Every Event. Available: https://laurasambitiouswriting.wordpress.com/2018/03/29/the-sims-mobile-pink-plumbob/. Last accessed 15th Jun 2022.
44. Williams, L. (2018). The Sims Mobile: A Pink Plumbob In Every Event. Available:https://laurawritesanarticle.blogspot.com/2018/03/thesimsmobile.html. Last accessed 15th Jun 2022.
45. Xbox. (2022). Bunny Park - Announce Trailer. Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCEvqfz3nXU. Last accessed 14th Jun 2022.

Sonic Frontiers – An Open Opportunity For An Open-World Adventure

Shortly after the release of Pac-Man Museum+ and during the sudden guest appearances of the Ice Age cast in Minecraft [15] [16], a new world premiere gameplay trailer for Sonic Frontiers was unleashed [10]. Reference to Sonic the Werehog entirely intended [28] [29]. Even though some of us hoped for an official Brazilian Portuguese dub of the game back in January [3] [5] [6], it was confirmed there will at least be subtitles available in the language, along with some others, including Simplified and Traditional Chinese for Asian versions [33]. Gameplay and story wise, there has been some speculation on how engaging the forthcoming title’s individuality will be. Furthermore, there may be some more reveals without spoilers very soon. As my fellow British gamers and writers and I celebrate Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee like how we celebrated her Diamond Jubilee back in 2012 [42] [43], plenty of our dear Sonic supporters are pumped even further for the experience of playing Sonic Frontiers later this year [10] [30] [33] [35], especially on the PlayStation 5 for the blue blur’s legacy to excel on the fairly new entertainment system after the acclaim of Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart, the remaster of Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales and so on [13] [38].

Here is the new logo for the game. Its design is quite futuristic, but would that lead to Silver the Hedgehog earning a bigger role again [27]? [26]

Something is captivating about the highly familiar gameplay elements of modern Sonic games returning [30] [35]. There are foes for Sonic to strike with his homing attack, along with a huge one that appears to be within a boss battle. And let us not forget about the rails for Sonic to grind on and springs he can bounce from whilst collecting rings. I am speaking from experience of playing the Wii versions of Sonic Unleashed and Sonic Colours as a Sonic-loving teenager [23] [28]. Aside from what has been shown in the gameplay trailer [10], perhaps there can be another boss battle where the blue dude’s best friend flies the Tornado, much like in the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions of Sonic Unleashed [34]. Additionally, there might as well be some underwater areas, like the ones in Aquarium Park in Sonic Colours [23] [24]. Surely, Sonic has always been about speed, but I have always been willing to let him try other things, even after I departed from the fandom in mid-2015 [44]. Furthermore, there is some speculation that some new and fresh elements in the game in terms of its gameplay and story as a new aura consisting of squared sparks as Sonic runs must provide a new power [10] [30] [35].

It must be exhausting setting up all those springs and dash pads in a huge open area for one speedy rodent. [35]

Even though those highly familiar aspects of speedy platforming are essential, there will need to be some new elements for an upcoming title that will make its individuality stand out. [35]

What discoveries will be there for Sonic on a new adventure? He is seen roaming through what appears to be a new open-world, similar to The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild [10] [19] [35]. Even though it would lead to longer development, I quite like the idea of Sonic being in an open world, somewhat like the times when he would speak to human characters in Sonic ‘06 and the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions of Sonic Unleashed [27] [29]. There appears to be a huge wheel he will need to run in to activate some sort of power [30] [35]. Moreover, it looks like there will be puzzles to be solved [10], quite like in the Gaia Temples in Sonic Unleashed [28]. How he can run up a surreal path on walls faintly reminds me of that gimmick in Super Mario Galaxy [10] [18]. The new enemies will not only require some of that homing to be defeated but also consist of rather refreshing designs, including possibly multiple badniks working together as one mechanical mind [30] [35]. Even though new gimmicks may not always work when it comes to preventing a franchise from going stale, the puzzles to solve in an open-world for Sonic is a pretty good concept for a brand new game starring him [10].

What other open worlds could there be besides Starfall Islands? A winter wasteland? A humid desert? A tropical jungle? Some spooky hills haunted by ghosts? [10]

Reflecting on the announcement trailer, any idea of what the plot could be like? I do not doubt that Dr. Eggman will have something to do with the prime conflict. Knowing he is the series’ main antagonist, I am sure that his misdeed will be diabolical [23] [24] [25] [27] [28] [29]. Miles “Tails” Prower ought to keep following his passion for inventing [23] [24]. Aside from the source of a voice calling Sonic’s name possibly being Amy Rose in the announcement trailer that was released at the end of the 30^th anniversary of the franchise [33] [36] [49], could there be a brand new character consisting of some value to the plot elements, as well as some new possibly development for him? Despite a certain concern I have with the blue speedster’s portrayal in Sonic Prime as I analysed its teaser [48], I do not doubt that he will still be noble in Sonic Frontiers and perhaps be a fellow supporter of LGBT rights, especially during Pride Month [47]. He still ought to be as loveable as the collaboration between Pusheen the Cat and Hatsune Miku with perhaps his cockiness from Sonic Colours and his crossover with OK KO toned down just a notch [22] [23] [24] [41] [48]. Hopefully, there will not be another time travel plot full of holes in an open world adventure [27].

The writing’s tone will likely be similar to the tone in Sonic Forces [25]. However, I would suggest bringing back the strong character explorations from Sonic and the Secret Rings and Sonic and the Black Knight, especially for the heroic hedgehog [48]. [36] [49]

Besides Sonic, we are yet to see the appearances of Miles “Tails” Prower, Amy Rose and Dr. Eggman [33]. I am still up for Silver the Hedgehog appearing at some point in a respectable role that will leave some big impact on the story to make up for his negative reception in Sonic ’06 [27]. [36] [49]

The first half of 2022 has been an engaging time to be a fan of the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise, including the bonus feature titled “Sonic Drone Home” in the digital release of Sonic’s amazing live-action sequel the irony and hilarity of witnessing his scrapped design for the first movie nicknamed “Ugly Sonic” in Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers [7] [32] [48]. Despite being a former fan, I hope that the outcome of Sonic Frontiers will be an exceptional conclusion to a thrilling year for the blue blur with outstanding bug-free gameplay and a passable storyline to follow [10] [30] [35] [36] [49], possibly around the time our fellow Poké players begin a new journey to the ninth generation of the Pokémon franchise [20] [21] [40]. I also pray that I will eventually see the season finale of Helluva Boss, despite some unfortunate news after the release of the redesign of Vaggie from Hazbin Hotel [8] [9] [14]. Aside from proactivity, there can still be a few blasts from the past in Sonic Origins later this month [37]. I shall also hold high hopes for Sonic Prime and continue writing [4] [45], no matter how much hate I could receive on social media [1] [2] [11] [46]. As we may have to wait for some more reveals [30], stay way past cool!

I believe that this June is going to be a fun month as it will not only be Sonic’s birthday later on but also the celebration of Kirby’s 30th anniversary [12]. But in the meantime, let us stay active, especially outside of social media [39]! [36] [49]

 References

1. 1___goose___1. (2021). Available: https://twitter.com/1___goose___1/status/1468559734496284676. Last accessed 1st Jun 2022.
2. AmyAlfer. (2021). Available: https://twitter.com/amyalfer/status/1448004932645310474. Last accessed 1st Jun 2022.
3. aryelsereio. (2022). Available: https://twitter.com/aryelsereio/status/1478486439679741958. Last accessed 1st Jun 2022.
4. Br0sif. (2021). Found this video game news blog by a girl who's been posting and updating for years and deserves quite a lot more recognition for the hard work she's put into this. Available: https://www.reddit.com/r/VideoGameAnalysis/comments/owv56z/found_this_video_game_news_blog_by_a_girl_whos/. Last accessed 29th May 2022.
5. Campos, V. (2022). Available: https://twitter.com/vitoriacampos5/status/1478269683677679619. Last accessed 1st Jun 2022.
6. Campos, V. (2022). Available: https://twitter.com/vitoriacampos5/status/1478443888482439178. Last accessed 1st Jun 2022.
7. Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers, dir. by Akiva Schaffer (Disney+, 2022).
8. hazbinhotel. (2022). Available: https://www.instagram.com/p/CePePHAv5J9/. Last accessed 1st Jun 2022.
9. HazbinHotel. (2022). Available: https://twitter.com/hazbinhotel/status/1531787648401936384. Last accessed 1st Jun 2022.
10. IGN. (2022). Sonic Frontiers: World Premiere Gameplay | IGN First. Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxJ5_ovBC_g. Last accessed 1st Jun 2022.
11. Jack76861750. (2022). Available: https://twitter.com/jack76861750/status/1523115173539508225. Last accessed 1st Jun 2022.
12. KirbyInformer. (2022). Available: https://twitter.com/kirbyinformer/status/1531941210675261440. Last accessed 1st Jun 2022.
13. Marvel Entertainment. (2020). Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales | Launch Trailer. Available:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOJWJHzyNkw. Last accessed 2nd Jun 2022.
14. Medrano, V. (2022). Available: https://twitter.com/vivziepop/status/1531901240610680832. Last accessed 1st Jun 2022.
15. Minecraft. (2022). Minecraft x Ice Age DLC - Official Trailer. Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7IbDIawO-a0. Last accessed 31st May 2022.
16. Nintendo. (2022). PAC-MAN MUSEUM+ - Launch Trailer - Nintendo Switch. Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mWfe5RyOneg. Last accessed 31st May 2022.
17. Nintendo. (2021). Sonic Frontiers - A New Threat Trailer - Nintendo Switch. Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0Wan4Uv7-o. Last accessed 1st Jun 2022.
18. Nintendo. (2007). Super Mario Galaxy. Nintendo Wii. Tokyo, Japan.
19. Nintendo. (2017). The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Nintendo Wii. U Tokyo, Japan.
20. NintendoUK. (2022). Available: https://twitter.com/nintendouk/status/1531986398395375617. Last accessed 1st Jun 2022.
21. Pokemon. (2022). Available: https://twitter.com/pokemon/status/1531984131881582592. Last accessed 1st Jun 2022.
22. Pusheen. (2022). Available: https://twitter.com/pusheen/status/1499791923590189058. Last accessed 30th May 2022.
23. SEGA. (2010). Sonic Colours. Nintendo Wii. Tokyo, Japan.
24. SEGA. (2021). Sonic Colours Ultimate. PlayStation 4. Tokyo, Japan.
25. SEGA. (2017). Sonic Forces. Nintendo Switch. Tokyo, Japan.
26. SEGA. (2021). Sonic Frontiers. Available: https://frontiers.sonicthehedgehog.com/index.html?lang=uk. Last accessed 2nd Jun 2022.
27. SEGA. (2007). Sonic the Hedgehog. PlayStation 3. Tokyo, Japan.
28. SEGA. (2008). Sonic Unleashed. Nintendo Wii. Tokyo, Japan.
29. SEGA. (2008). Sonic Unleashed. PlayStation 3. Tokyo, Japan.
30. sonic_hedgehog. (2022). Available: https://twitter.com/sonic_hedgehog/status/1531666944826363905. Last accessed 31st May 2022.
31. Sonic Channel. (2022). 2022年6月「Happy Birthday SONIC!」. Available:https://sonic.sega.jp/SonicChannel/fanart/20220601_002907/. Last accessed 1st Jun 2022.
32. Sonic News Network. (2022). Sonic Drone Home. Available: https://sonic.fandom.com/wiki/Sonic_Drone_Home. Last accessed 1st Jun 2022.
33. Sonic News Network. (2021). Sonic Frontiers. Available: https://sonic.fandom.com/wiki/Sonic_Frontiers. Last accessed 1st Jun 2022.
34. Sonic News Network. (2010). Tornado Defense. Available: https://sonic.fandom.com/wiki/Tornado_Defense. Last accessed 1st Jun 2022.
35. Sonic the Hedgehog. (2022). IGN First - Sonic Frontiers Teaser. Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BS9YAiD9EP8. Last accessed 1st Jun 2022.
36. Sonic the Hedgehog. (2021). Sonic Frontiers - Announce Trailer. Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRkKZG1z9PY. Last accessed 31st May 2022.
37. Sonic the Hedgehog. (2022). Sonic Origins - Official Trailer. Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZzHXjAJ86Zw. Last accessed 1st Jun 2022.
38. Sony Interactive Entertainment. (2021). Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart. PlayStation 5. California, United States.
39. Strider, J. (2017). Anxiety Tips (P3) - Cyberbullying - PhantomStrider. Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UToFMDbRQbA. Last accessed 1st Jun 2022.
40. The Official Pokemon YouTube Channel. (2022). Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet | Announcement Trailer. Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MAmueMsFR1o. Last accessed 1st Jun 2022.
41. ThePusheenShop. (2022). Available: https://twitter.com/thepusheenshop/status/1505960185763962890. Last accessed 30th May 2022.
42. Thomas, A. (2022). Available: https://twitter.com/atandreithomas/status/1531920928350908416. Last accessed 1st Jun 2022.
43. TotallyLisaBackup. (2012). The Diamond Jubilee 2012. Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ku4wrAY-YYM. Last accessed 1st Jun 2022.
44. Williams, L. (2022). Available: https://twitter.com/lauraonduty/status/1529503515613220864. Last accessed 29th May 2022.
45. Williams, L. (2022). Available: https://twitter.com/lauraonduty/status/1531300977042677766. Last accessed 1st Jun 2022.
46. Williams, L. (2022). Available: https://twitter.com/lauraonduty/status/1531229498984759302. Last accessed 30th May 2022.
47. Williams, L. (2022). Available: https://twitter.com/lauraonduty/status/1531940449472200706. Last accessed 1st Jun 2022.
48. Williams, L. (2022). The Prime Potential Of Sonic Prime. Available: https://laurasambitiouswriting.wordpress.com/2022/05/05/sonic-prime-teaser/. Last accessed 30th May 2022.
49. Xbox. (2021). Sonic Frontiers - A New Threat. Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bewEB49Kt9g. Last accessed 1st Jun 2022.