dartmonkey

The discussion about 'how' you should watch the series interests me. I feel like the canvas for this particular series should be as big possible because there are so many details to enjoy in the frame. And, as noted before, Lynch's darkness in the woods (and other locations) is actually dark, and sequences like those in the h-bomb episode would have been a nightmare (for me) to watch on a phone. I'd love to see that on a massive screen. Streaming it on a 32" TV felt like I was missing things and several times through the series I've had to skip back to see something more clearly. I'm watching suboptimally on a stream but I'm excited to rewatch on bluray.

One might even say it's worthy of a Rewatch podcast...

Ha, after repeatedly getting an error code I googled a DNS solution, changed it and everything's working. I had to turn off motion for handheld mode and I'll have to play with the sensitivity but everything feels and looks great (apart from constantly opening my map whenever i mean to jump!) Man, am I missing my NES Zapper though - I need to level up pronto.

Wifi rubbishness has prevented me from trying an actual match but so far it feels just like the original. EXCEPT - why have they moved the jump from X to B? And why can't I change it?! Also, does the 8-bit platform jumping game appear while you're waiting too, or is it just the remix thing? Busting to try it out.

Downloading now

I was in a foul mood when I started watching this episode and it cheered me up no end. My favourite little moment was the goofy way Bobby crossed one leg over the other in the conference room as he went to walk outside. It was IDENTICAL to how goober Bobby used to sloosh around the place in his black jacket and curtains. But now it's kind of endearing. Yes, I know he killed a guy. But that guy was a dick. Bobby's cool.

I haven't heard anybody express regrets about getting a Switch. If you haven't played Zelda and money's not an issue, I'd go for it. World of Goo is fantastic, although you have quite possibly played that already. I just downloaded Mario Kart 8 because I want it for multiplayer - did you play that on Wii U? I'd also recommend the Neo Geo beat-em-ups if you're remotely interested in 2D fighters. The art alone is incredible and I've had fun just button mashing and watching the animation.

I had the Super Monkey Ball stream on in the background today. It's pretty long but I recommend some if you can. Some insane things going on!

I agree that what they're doing is very interesting, but I don't see how restoring Cooper 'ends' the story - certainly not in the way Leland's reveal stymied the initial run. The Return is delivering the surreal in spades and we've been savouring every little familiar character moment we're served (mainly through Gordon and Albert), but Cooper's zeal and optimism were a big part of Twin Peaks and we've had almost none of that. And Cooper's 'return' needn't be reduced to him throwing his thumbs up while furiously downing coffee and doughnuts either. There's plenty of material (some we've perhaps already glimpsed) to help that character evolve - dealing with the loss of 25 years, the guilt of his bad self wreaking havoc with his friends and family, returning to the real world, processing his experiences in the Lodge. The investigation would continue - Gordon's down with the doppelgangers - just with his presence. I've really enjoyed the series so far, and for the second half I'd like just a little more Twin Peaks in my Twin Peaks. I miss his dialogue and his interactions with Harry and other residents. He was a fine audience surrogate and I'd like to see the show through his eyes again. I don't see how anything we've seen thus far needs to be sacrificed for that.

I'm all about going digital, depending on the price difference. A 20€ premium for MK8D digital isn't worth it. I've been looking for cheap micro SDs but I can't find a 128gb for less than 50€. 200gb!?! Where did you get that?

Ha, when Chris says "we're running long" I often think says who?!? But they've got work and lives so an hour or so seems reasonable. Looking forward to next week's bagblast and ruminations.

Hmm, Switch has just enough to be getting by with, but the shop shelves still look per-etty barren. A typical example near me: Top shelf = Carry cases - Screen protectors - Tempered glass screen protector - Little rubber nubs for your analogue sticks - Carekit bullshit Middle shelf = Breath of the Wild - 1-2-Switch - *empty with Lego City price tag* - Just Dance - Mario Kart 8 - Street Fighter 2 - Arms Bottom shelf = 74€ Pro controllers - Assorted joycon sets - joycon clip thingys - Silicone joycon sheaths - Game card carry cases It doesn't give a great impression. The eshop is getting better: Snake Pass is a fine game; I loved Wonder Boy; Minecraft is big I suppose. There are a couple of games that I might pick up in a sale (Tumbleseed, for example.) However, the NEO GEO games have really been propping up that store. It's fine, but they need some heavy-hitting indies, pronto. I am gagging for the BotW DLC! In chumpnews, I bought that Ocarina amiibo. And it's beautiful! A bit weird that you get a shower of raw meat when you use it. I now have five Link amiibos, and I'm satiated. That is, until they release a Zelda II or Link Between Worlds one, or a Link's Awakening one with a Chain Chomp.

Ha, sorry about that. I noticed the other day that the ads seem to have got more virulent. Any suggestions for alternatives?

Okedokey, so after spending some time over breakfast taking pictures of the bluray Eps 27 and 28 with my phone, I present exhibits A-C - Windom Earle's briefcase computer. A B C Silver case, looks like integrated screen and broadcast tech. Earle uses it to listen in on the bugged bonsai tree at the Sheriff's Dept and display the Owl Cave map. As far as I can tell, he has two of these cases, the other just for carrying stuff. He is seen to be holding them as he goes to leave the cabin with Leo and the spiders. Now BadCoop's case and computer: D E BadCoop's case appears to be just a briefcase, dark grey/black with a soft grey interior (you can see the cord going into the bottom half.) His computer appears to be a Surface-like tablet with keyboard attached which is just resting at an angle in the case. It is very similar to Earle's case, although seems to be a different colour. And as metal briefcases go, it's not an uncommon variant. So, I'd say it's unlikely to be Windom Earle's. It's possible Earle left one in the cabin, then BadCoop went there, had a chat with/at Leo, took the case, resprayed it and used it for 25 years. Or maybe he found Earle's stuff somewhere in town, gutted the case, etc. But it's probably just a similar briefcase. Well, that was a productive morning!

!!!!! Gonna need some gif-based verification on this one! If true, I'm now imagining BadCoop updating all his electronic devices to CoopOS. How are they all connected? Via Bluecoop.

My poor, sweet Wonderboy. Arms looks fun but it feels very much like the Wii Punchout to me. Not the game itself, beyond the zany caricatures, but in the sense that while I like it, I just won't play much beyond the first flush. And I got Punchout for a tenner! I'd rather get Splatoon 2 or MK8D or something else. For example: Should I spend 29€ to get a secondhand Ocarina Link amiibo from CEX?

SNES Mini has been announced, coming out in September with all the expected regional variants. 21 games in total. Unexpected details include 2 bundled controllers, plus the official release of Starfox 2. The games are: Contra III: The Alien Wars Donkey Kong Country EarthBound Final Fantasy III F-ZERO Kirby Super Star Kirby's Dream Course The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past Mega Man X Secret of Mana Star Fox Star Fox 2 Street Fighter II Turbo: Hyper Fighting Super Castlevania IV Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts Super Mario Kart Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars Super Mario World Super Metroid Super Punch-Out!! Yoshi's Island The highlighted games are US/EU-only, replaced by these games in Japan: Fire Emblem: Mystery of the Emblem Panel de Pon (Tetris Attack) Super Street Fighter II: The New Challengers Super Formation Soccer The Legend of the Mystical Ninja A good list. No Pilotwings, Chrono Trigger and Actraiser. And I imagine Turtles in Time and NBA Jam have licensing issues up the wazoo. Otherwise it's pretty comprehensive. Man, what I'd give to just have this compilation on Switch though!

Last Friday was the final day of Badge Arcade updates. Badge Arcade is the claw machine game where you grab 'badges' to decorate your Home screen and Swapdoodle letter, if that's your bag. For whatever reason (mainly OCD and needing to complete the cool pixel hardware badges), I've played A LOT of this and I've probably spent ...*calculates*... yeah, probably £30-40 on it over the last couple of years. My activity log shows 75 hours in total. Anyway, I thought I'd mention how they wrapped it up. The Arcade Bunny came on a presented the 'Behind the Scenes' credits, explaining the different job roles and breaking the fourth wall (the writing has always been great.) If you asked him what he's doing next, he say's he's unemployed - "Well, the character will be, the inside person will be loafing around at work......Aw, I'm just joking...mostly." I found a video of the whole thing here. It was a smart way to finish up.

I'm just really enjoying the novelty of 18 hours of interesting, chewy material. I'm never bored, even when 'nothing' is happening. I'm literally leaning towards the TV on the edge of the sofa. It's not giving me what I'm pretty sure I want (a fully functioning Coop and less lore) but at this point Cooper could find Laura Palmer coming out of the shower and I'd still be thankful it exists. I'm also appreciating the weekly release. I miss that from other shows. A binge rarely feels good, except for ticking the box, and this benefits from percolating time.

I thought the frogbug egg came from the LauraPalmerBall... Which pretty much sums up the episode! I was worried when it went to 1945 because I thought we were going to start getting boring explicit links to The Secret History but that obviously didn't happen. I don't want Doug Milford showing up! I especially enjoyed the use of B&W and the whole section in the Bioshock Mauve Zone/Giant's Theatre. Edit. More on the frogbug/LauraPalmerBall - the bug didn't strike me as 'evil' in any way, certainly not an incarnation of BOB. There was no music or any other indicator it was malevolent. It was presented sympathetically - only its appearance was repulsive. I interpreted it as a force for good, sent by ?????? to combat the evil unleashed by the bomb.

DLC next week! I'm looking forward to tracing my route and mopping up the last 3 shrines that have eluded me. I snapped up the Majora's Mask amiibo this evening to get the Fierce Deity gear...and I also ended up with the Twilight Princess and Skyward Sword amiibos too. Hey, they were just sitting right there! If I don't get them now they might disappear forever, like the Ocarina one I missed And I want Epona! And the SS one just looks 👌

The yellow looks great! A yellow and green set would look spiffing, but they're pricey and superfluous to my needs. I got a cheapish 8bitdo FC30 Pro the other day so I'll be playing some 3-player MK8D over the summer. It works very nicely and cost about a third of a pro controller. Although that Splatoon version looks sexy. The Tumbleseed post-mortem actually makes me more likely pick up the game at some point.

I also don't buy the 'he used to be better a pretending' theory because even if Cooper suddenly became an ABSOLUTE dick, who the hell is going to think 'My God - he's obviously an evil twin from another dimension!' and not simply attribute it to a harrowing, personality-altering experience in Twin Peaks? He could be AWFUL at imitating GoodCoop and it wouldn't make a difference. It needn't have been a physical assault. Perhaps he used Cooper's knowledge to manipulate her or blackmail her, to get some information he wanted. Perhaps he destroyed her career at the FBI and they failed to support her.

Perhaps he grabbed her face in that weird, kneady way he does. He could have exposed some secret she had previously confided to Cooper. It needn't have been sexual - I'd like it not to be - and I'm definitely open to it being something GoodCoop did unthinkingly. That would be more interesting than the obvious.

I think most of the implication comes from what we know about BOB. I agree that Audrey is a stretch on current evidence, but BOB alone with a woman in her home strongly suggests terrible things.