Tetris is one of the world’s most-liked, admired, and favored games. This 36 years old game was invented back in 1984, by a Soviet scientist named Alexey Pajitnov. Even after 36 years of its creation, the vogue and popularity of this game don’t seem to be fading anywhere. To see where it stands among other retro games.
Within a short period, it became the most favored game around the globe. It has become the most best-selling video game with 150 million copies sold since its first publicize and release.
This easy-to-play game has taken over all the hearts, whether it is a 16-year-old boy or a 40-year-old aunt. Everyone loves playing this alluring video game. The prolonged history behind Tetris started back in Moscow in 1984 when Alexey felt his inspiration for his favorite puzzle games and decided to move along with the idea of tetrominoes. It is a shape made out of single squares connected forming a different shape. With this idea, he was able to create a puzzle in which the player has to fit the block altogether to complete the row. Nintendo played a big role in making this game a global play which it is today. Different variations have been made since then, and people love the new variation and are still alluring this game.
Logic-Driven Game
This trouble-free and easy game seeks to arrange and pile up differently shaped and colored blocks to remove a line. The player can rotate and tilt them in every direction and handlings and can earn points on completing rows, which then disappear and vanish. A wide, mind-driven game isn’t just a game. It exists in its monarchy and kingdom of games. It just doesn’t demand physical efforts, it’s mentally energizing and restoring. It challenges the gamer, at an emotional level of winning or losing. The game aims to make lines full of blocks without any gap in between them. AlthoughTetris is a very simple game, it appeals, compels, and pleads many players visually and intellectually.
Physically Demanding And Exercising Game
Tetris demands some physical efforts we don’t realize while giving out, as it is not so evident and apparent. It is far more demanding than the average video game. Especially, when the player passes level 10 and above. Since, in this game, the player is assigned against an opponent player, there isn’t any limit to the game. This refers that there is no end to this game, and one can reach a higher level as one could. Therefore, the players hone to use their physical abilities such that, eye and hand coordination and the speed of controlling the consoles, because the highest possible Tetris score is infinity. Due to body limitations, eye and hand controlling, no human has reached the Tetris highest scores yet. Therefore, Tetris is an infinitely physically demanding, difficult, and testing game.
The players interact with the game and its gaming array. A player often follows a specific pattern, plan of action, and a blueprint to play. Without any doubt, this mental stimulation is the reason behind the favoritism of the game by famous philosophers. A famous and legendary Russian philosopher also stated that this puzzle indirectly helps a human brain energize and it demonstrates the human ability to analyze, look over and peruse the gaming situation, and anticipate accordingly. Tetris enhances the mental ability to play and pile up boxes according to the game’s situation.
Emotionally Challenging
Tetris isn’t just a form of entertainment, it’s a player’s intimate closest friend. It is an example of magnitude and greatness between the player and the game. Although this bond can result in severe cases such as cult suicide. A player to reach the highest score strives for the goal with an emotional union. This emotional immensity between this game helps the player to attain more score, and therefore a player loves to be in the game, and score even higher than the opponent.
Mathematical Algorithms
We have often seen parents scolding their children, for playing video games for hours. But even parents are happy seeing their children playing Tetris. Tetrominoes are often used as a way to educate and upskill on mathematics, a subject everyone hates to study. These puzzles can be solved through different mathematical algorithms. To have a good and steady command of Tetris and its different variations, one can learn and engage in mathematics. Therefore, it is observed that parents also encourage their children to play this game, as this increases their mathematical skills.
Minimizes The Cravings Of Narcotics, Drugs, And Bad Activities
Playing Tetris decreases the cravings for drugs, narcotics, and other poor activities. The ratio of its deduction is 50 to 70% and it is proven by cognitive researches. Playing visually interesting and striking games like Tetris enhances the mental processes that support and holds up imagery. Therefore people play this video as their favored game. It is also recommended by reputed therapists and different philosophers for its ability to process mental abilities.
Different scientists have found that most therapists are finding relations between video games and removing mental strain from a patient’s life. They are suggesting the beneficial effects of the game on their patients.
A player may decide to play just for 10 minutes, but it is difficult to deny one more round of exciting blocks and one more. This keeps going. Its uniqueness makes Tetris more exciting. There are no enemies to beat, no goal to strive for. It’s a visual treat to your eyes, which compels you to play it again and again. Addiction to the game is worth it, as it plays a part in preventing you from the bad influences of drugs etc. So if you are looking for a way to ease your stress and vanish all the bad vibes, give it a try. This addictive and alluring puzzle might give you the right amount of fun and mental exercise at the same time.
A Starter Pokemon, or Starters, are the Pokemon a trainer selects at the start of their adventure and are the main protagonists of the Pokemon franchise of games. In every Pokemon generation of the main games, a set of Starter Pokemon are accessible for new trainers to pick from in sets of three: the types that make up these sets are Water, Grass, and Fire and each of them has three evolutionary forms.
Here is a complete list of all the Starter Pokemon from Gen 1 to Gen 8:
Gen 1 Starters
Pokemon Blue and Red
Squirtle, Charmander, and Bulbasaur – the three iconic Pokemon that would play an important role not just in the Pokemon games, but also in Ash Ketchum’s rise to greatness in the animated TV series. The player can only choose one Pokemon and the other starter Pokemon cannot be encountered in the wild. This means the start of a trainer’s adventure begins with one important decision that will shape up the outcome of the rest of the playthrough.
Unlike the other generations, the Gen 1 Starter Pokemon are all feasible for the entire Pokemon Red|Blue run. Squirtle prevails in the early Gyms and is an impressive choice in the late game, but is overshadowed by other more powerful Water Pokemon before he evolves into Blastoise.
Choosing Charmander can be a bit problematic in the early game but will receive a huge power boost once it evolves to Charizard. Probably the best all-around Starter Pokemon in Gen 1 is Bulbasaur. He is strong against most Gym leaders and has an impressive moveset that can carry any team during the early game. However, Bulbasaur and its final form Venasaur don’t excel during the Elite Four battles because of it having a weakness to Dragon and Ice moves.
Pokemon Yellow
For Pokemon fans who watched the animated TV series first before playing the games, it was such a letdown to learn that Pikachu wasn’t even a starter in the main games. In Pokemon Blue and Red, Pikachu can only be encountered and caught in the Viridian Forest or the Power Plant, and the chances of meeting the Pokemon was only a frustrating five percent.
For a time, it appears that Pikachu fans’ dreams of recreating Ash’s journey to becoming a Pokemon Master would never come true. Luckily, it didn’t take long for Nintendo to realize the mistake and launched Pokemon Yellow.
In Pokemon Yellow, trainers will now start their adventure with Pikachu as their Starter Pokemon, just like in the anime. Unlike the other Pokemon games, players will not be able to choose their start Pokemon in Yellow.
Players will be stuck with Pikachu, although eventually, they can acquire Charmander, Squirtle, and Bulbasaur later in the game. And just like in the animated series, Pikachu will doesn’t want to evolve into a Raichu. It is worth noting that Pikachu is an awful starter Pokemon since it struggles against a lot of Gym leaders in the game.
Gen 2 Starters (Silver/Gold/Crystal)
The Gen 2 games introduced dual-type Pokemon – monsters that had weaknesses and strengths of two different types. The dual-typing system introduced great depth and diversity in Pokemon battles, upgrading it beyond the simple rock-paper-scissors gameplay of Gen 1.
Peculiarly enough, none of the three Starter Pokemon in Gen 2 have dual-typing. Chikorita is a Grass-type, Totodile a Water-type, and Cyndaquil is a pure Fire-type. This means they have lesser weaknesses compared to Pokemon with dual-types, but also had less capability for growth as their single typing would restrict their move sets.
Specifically, Chikorita has been considered one of the worst Starter Pokemon in franchise history because of changes in how critical hits work.
Gen 3 Starters (Emerald/Sapphire/Ruby)
Gen 3 had an impressive set of Starter Pokemon. Mudkip and Torchic’s evolutions work well from the beginning until the late game. Their power curves are quite the same, so players can’t go wrong with choosing either.
Mudkip has slightly better stats and fewer weaknesses, so he’s a bit better than Torchic. Mudkip is also a lot more powerful in Emerald since the Champion uses Water-type Pokemon which is Torchic’s natural weakness.
Treecko is the only Pokemon with single-typing in the Gen 3 Starter Pokemon. Even after evolving into Sceptile, he stays as a pure Grass-type, which restricts his move set. However, he’s not a bad Starter Pokemon by any means, but Torchic and Mudkip are so powerful that it’s difficult to advise choosing Treecko over them.
Gen 4 Starters (Pearl/Diamond)
Similar to Gen 3, Pearl and Diamond gave fans two remarkable Starter Pokemon and one underwhelming option. This time around, the Water-based Starter is the runt in the collection.
Turtwig is the first good Grass starter Pokemon since Bulbasaur from Gen 1. With its impressive Strength growth and high Defense, Turtwig is a bona fide tank that never goes down easily. He might be a bit slow, but his strong moves that deal massive damage makes up for it.
If you look up lists for best Fire-type Pokemon on the internet, Chimchar would definitely be on the top part of that list. Generally the direct opposite of Turtwig, Chimchar has horribly low Defense but its raw Speed makes up for it. As Chimchar evolves, he becomes a Fire/Fighting-type – a fatal combination with few weaknesses.
Piplup begins as a pure Water-type Pokemon but ultimately gains a Steel-typing. Its most significant weakness is, shockingly, its speed. Though Turtwig is still slower, Piplup doesn’t have Turtwig’s super hard Defense stats to atone.
Gen 5 (Black/White)
Alongside the new region of Unova, Black and White introduced 156 new Pokemon, seasons, Triple and Rotation battle modes, as well as an impressive story that grazes on shockingly mature themes. For these reasons and a lot more, Gen 5 is universally considered as the best generation in the Pokemon franchise. Sadly, it also has the worst Starter Pokemon in the series.
Oshawott, Tepig, and Snivy feel almost like remakes of starters from past generations. Snivy is a pure Grass-type Pokemon that barely takes off even after evolving to its final form. Oshawott is considered as one of the worst Water-type Starter Pokemon of all time because of its low HP, slow speed, and decent damage.
Even Tepig, the best of the three Starter Pokemon of Gen 5 is derivative and boring. Tepig has a Fire/Fighting-typing which has a really slow speed that makes Pokemon battles a chore.
Gen 6 Starters (X/Y)
Pokemon X and Y go away with the franchise’s tradition – the Starter Pokemon is not given by a Pokemon professor but from the protagonist’s neighbors.
Chespin is a Grass-type Starter Pokemon that ultimately evolves into Chesnaught – a Grass/Fighting powerhouse and a physical damage absorber. It has exemplary Defense, high health, and chaotic attack. It is a remarkable rotational choice for taking on enemies that dish out massive physical damage, but Chespin is weak against special attacks. Chespin and all of its evolutionary forms are utterly slow, so players who choose him will have to deal with a few hits at the beginning of every battle.
Fennekin is initially a Fire-type but ultimately becomes a Fire/Psychic-type. Its strengths are its Speed and Special Attack, and similar to Chimchar, Fennekin excels in making the first move and ends battles quickly. Fennekin also has high Special Defense but is weak against physical damage.
Froakie is the clear favorite Start Pokemon from this generation. While Fennekin is as quick, Froakie is made for speed. Its moveset combined with decent Attack makes Froakie a glass cannon – it deals decent damage but can’t take punishment.
Although Speed is regarded as the most essential Pokemon stat, the real reason Froakie is regarded as the best Starter Pokemon of Gen 6 is its Hidden Ability, Protean. Protean change’s the Pokemon’s type to the type of whatever move it does. With the right moveset, you can totally dominate the enemies, no matter what their type is.
Gen 7 Starters (Sun/Moon)
Pokemon Sun and Moon introduced the franchise’s 7th Generation that divided the Pokemon gaming community. Entire blogs and articles have been written to justify why Pokemon Sun and Moon has the worst Pokemon in the whole franchise.
In the meantime, Pokemon user forums are filled with fans arguing about why the Gen 7 Pokemon looks the worst or is the best generation of all time. No matter which side a player is on, everyone can agree that the Sun and Moon Starter Pokemon are boring since they look like regular animals.
Rowlett is a Grass/Flying-type with decent stats across the board. It performs well in the early parts of the game against Grass and Water-type enemies. Once it evolves into a Decidueye, it can even learn Ghost moves.
Considering Litten’s low base stats and slow growth, it makes it a bad choice for a Starter Pokemon. For a long time, Litten has been regarded as a weak Pokemon, because of its inefficiency to single-handedly take on battles.
It only finds atonement on the competitive side of the game, where its evolved form, Incineroar, would become one of the best competitive Pokemon for three years in a row now. This is because of its impressive support skills, cementing its place as one of the greatest Doubles mode partners in the Pokemon franchise.
Popplio doesn’t do well in the early stages of the game, but as it evolves, it ultimately becomes the Starter Pokemon with the best Special Attack and Special Defense. It has an impressive move set that compliments all of its strengths such as a myriad of strong Water-type attacks that can send enemies packing.
However, its low Defense and Speed, and useless Hidden Ability makes it feasible only in certain conditions.
Gen 8 Starters (SwordShield)
Lastly, the most recent generation was introduced in 2019’s Pokemon Sword and Shield. These games are the biggest in the Pokemon franchise yet, adding a bunch of amazing features and a massive new region inspired by the United Kingdom. It also revamped Pokemon for an entirely new generation and brought a true single-player experience to the Nintendo Switch for the first time.
Grookey is the Grass-type counterpart of Chimchar – powerful and agile. As a matter of fact, Grookey has the highest Attack stat among all Starter Pokemon in this list. Its Hidden Ability, Grassy Surge, also makes it hard to take down as it restores 1/16 of Grookey’s Max HP each turn. Grookey is best effective as a utility role thanks to moves such as Drum Beating, which makes all of its enemies slower.
Scorbunny is one of the fastest among all Starter Pokemon with a power curve and evolution line identical to Froakie. In spite of a strong Attack stat, Scorbunny as well as its evolutionary forms have a limited physical attack pool. With its hidden ability, Libero, it turns all of Scorbunny’s into STAB attacks, this Pokemon really comes into its own.
Sobble begins the second-best Special Attack and Speed of any of the Starter Pokemon. Sadly, its limited move set and single typing put a cap on its versatility quite early on. Its STAB attacks are impressive but are restricted to Water-type attacks. Even its Hidden Ability, Sniper, can’t save Sobble because it only improves the critical hit of one move, Snipe Shot.
Best Pokemon Starters of All Time
Turtwig
Turtwig is one of the better Gras Pokemon starters in the franchise. It eventually evolves from Grotle and then into the Grass/Ground Pokemon Torterra. As usual, dual-types have advantages as well as disadvantages.
However, Turtwig becomes a Pokemon that trainers will have to depend on in battle thanks to its tanky defense. Not only will it not be likely to get knocked out, despite its extremely slow speed, but it also has an acceptable attack stat as well.
Bulbasaur
The first Grass Starter Pokemon, Bulbasaur, can really be difficult to deal with thanks to the fact that he is both a Poison and a Grass-type. Bulbasaur has several moves that can put a devastating effect on an opponent’s status such as Sleep Powder and Stun Spore. This makes the Pokemon one of the best picks when capturing other Pokemon in order to complete the Pokedex.
While Bulbasaur does have a few hard-hitting moves, it still has a really great Defense and Special Attack that get pretty high when it evolves from Ivysaur to Venasaur.
Cyndaquil
Perhaps the only disappointing thing about this Starter Pokemon is how long it takes for it to become a great Pokemon. They can become quite a valuable asset in the team, but the Pokemon needs a lot of work to get to that point.
The stats for Cyndaquil when it evolves from Quilava into Typhlosion are similar to those of Charizard, but unlike Charizard, it retains its pure Fire-typing. This means it has lesser weaknesses, but at the same time, its move set is a lot more limited.
Charmander
Charmander has become extremely famous due to him evolving from Charmeleon into the Fire/Flying Charizard. However, its fame has overshadowed the fact that it is certainly the best Starter Pokemon in existence.
Charizard has acceptable and well-balanced stats all around except for its Speed and Special Attack stats, which are absolutely its two highest stats. Charizard’s Special Attack is very handy, especially in later games when he gains access to powerful Fire-type moves such as Flare Blitz and Inferno.
Mudkip
Mudkip really begins to shine when he evolves into Marshstomp and finally Swampert thanks to its Water/Ground typing. His Ground-type really helps the Pokemon defend itself from its greatest weakness – Electricity. In addition, Steel, Rock, Poison, and Fire-type Pokemon will have a difficult time doing any damage to this Pokemon. The only disadvantage is this starter’s extremely bad speed stat.
Mudkip can learn several earth-shattering moves, both Ground and Water, such as Earthquake, Rock Slide, and Muddy Water. Swampert’s high physical attack and high health make this Pokemon a powerhouse that can’t be taken down easily, especially since the only type that can hurt it is Grass.
Electric moves won’t make Marshstomp or Swampert move. So Pikachu better watch out, because this Starter Pokemon will kill you with just one Mudshot or Mud-Slap.
Froakie
Froakie, which evolves into Frogadier, and eventually turns into the extremely popular Water/Dark Greninja, is arguably the best Starter Pokemon around. Aside from the fact that this Pokemon utilizes its tongue as a scarf, it is also one of the most used Pokemon in competitive tournaments.
Its speed is sky high, pretty much ensuring that it will make the first move in battle, balancing out well with the fact that it has extremely low defense. Both of its Attack and Special Attack Stat are decent, with an acceptable Special Defense and Health stat.
Froakie and its evolutionary forms have a lot more weaknesses compared to Swampert, but it also has a lot of types that it is super effective against. Also, Psychic moves have no effect and deal no damage to Greninja. Froakie will also be able to learn a variety of moves such as Night Slash and Hydro Pump.
Whether or not it’s your first time diving into the Dark Souls universe, there’s one thing you know for certain: the bosses are going to be a pain in the butt. Many who have successfully finished a game from the series fondly remember the experience for just how difficult it is.
Its difficulty, for the most part, can be credited to the many bosses you’ll encounter in-game that test your skills and abilities. As such, you simply can’t hack and slack your way through these boss fights — they require precision, a proper plan of action, and you most definitely need to be at the right level before tackling them head-on.
If you include Demon’s Souls in the list, there are four different games in the series, all of which have their own unique bosses that are known to be some of the hardest bosses in gaming. Seeing as there’s a plethora of bosses in the series as a whole, we’ve compiled the top 12 best Dark Souls bosses in no particular order.
Dragonslayer Armor (Dark Souls 3)
The Dragonslayer Armor is basically a suit of armor that’s guarding the Grand Archives. As such, you have to defeat it first in order to progress. The suit of armor is being controlled by a bunch of Pilgrim Butterflies, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take this boss fight seriously.
The Dragonslayer Armor has brutally powerful attacks, especially when it gets buffed with lightning during the entire fight. If you’ve been making use of the circle-strafe strategy that many Dark Souls 3 players use, then you sadly have to abandon that during this fight.
Battling against the Dragonslayer Armor is basically like a classic duel-style boss encounter in Dark Souls. In fact, some would even describe it as a battle that tests your true skills. If you need help fighting this boss, you can summon either the Eygon of Carim or the Sirris of the Sunless Realms.
Bell Gargoyles (Dark Souls)
Dark Souls isn’t the type of game that lets you bide your time. No, it forces you into a situation so that you have no choice but to face it head on. On the bright side, this is how you learn new skills and get better in the game.
In this case, you’ll learn the skill of dealing with not just one, but two monstrosities at the same time. The Bell Gargoyles can be specifically found in the Undead Parish — an expansive in-game location that’s crawling with all kinds of enemies, among others.
You’ll initially be fighting one gargoyle, but another one will join the fray during the second half of the battle. The gargoyles themselves are already pretty hard as is, but include their fire attacks and huge axes to the mix and you have a tricky boss to beat.
Defeating the Bell Gargoyles is a major milestone early in the game, which is probably why they have a special place in the hearts of many Dark Souls fans. If you hear the Undead Chapel bells ringing, that’s a sign that someone — another player — was able to win against these monsters.
Gwyn, Lord of Cinder (Dark Souls)
The fight against Gwyn, Lord of Cinder, is probably one of most memorable boss battles in the original Dark Souls game, as he’s basically the last enemy you have to defeat. You might be familiar with his kin, as he’s the father of Gwyndolin, an optional boss found in Anor Londo, and Gwynevere, the lady from whom you obtain the Lord Vessel from.
Gwyn is stationed in the Kiln Of The First Flame, which is where he waits for you, the player. Since he’s essentially the last boss battle, you’d expect some kind of majestic battle to mark the end of the game.
However, it’s quite the opposite, as a somber piano track plays in the background. That being said, this doesn’t take away the fact many consider Gwyn as one of the best Dark Souls bosses out there.
He’s a fairly easy boss to fight if you have mastered the art of parrying. As a matter of fact, he’s the only boss in the entire game you can parry. Needless to say that players learn how to parry for this very moment. It’s crucial to time your parries correctly, as failing to do so lands you in a world of hurt.
It’s not the end of the world, though, if parrying is not your strong suit. If you don’t have a shield in your inventory that allows you to parry, or if you just haven’t mastered it yet, then simply equip Havel’s set along with a quality shield that’s resistant to fire. You can proceed to hack away at him then while blocking his attacks.
The Nameless King (Dark Souls 3)
Dark Souls 3’s The Nameless King is arguably one of the best yet hardest bosses out there. There are two different stages in this boss fight. First and foremost, you have to contend with him while he’s on his incredibly gigantic dragon, Stormdrake, who doesn’t look that pleased to see you.
This first part is visually stunning, especially when the Stormdrake makes its entrance prior to the actual fight. In any case, if you manage to survive that first stage, The Nameless King will fight you personally. He deals incredible damage with his lightning spear, so you must tread carefully.
There are implications within the lore that suggest that The Nameless King is Gwyn’s long-lost son. Not only that, it’s also implied that he’s the trainer of the one and only Dragonslayer Ornstein. Suffice to say that he deserves a spot on this list.
Most players resort to summoning NPCs or perhaps other players when fighting off The Nameless King, and given his difficulty level, we can’t blame them for that.
Fume Knight (Dark Souls 2)
Dark Souls 2’s Crown Of The Old Iron King DLC adds its own unique bosses to the game, but probably the most memorable one is the Fume Knight. As a matter of fact, he’s such an incredibly difficult enemy that statistics released by developer FromSoftware states he was able to defeat 93% of those who dared challenge him.
The statistics also reveal that this boss, in particular, has dealt the most player deaths compared to the others. As you can see, the Fume Knight is definitely not an enemy you should mess around with. But alas! Playing the Dark Souls 2 DLC means that you have no choice but to fight — and defeat — him.
If you want to see how you’ll fare against him, you’ll find the Fume Knight at Brume Tower, specifically at the bottom-most part of the tower. Keep in mind that he’s a dual-sword wielder as well, and he has a Greatsword on one hand and an Ultra Greatsword on the other. What makes things even harder is the fact that both of Fume Knight’s weapons each have different magic.
Compared to the other bosses, Fume Knight has an extensive moveset, so you’ll have to fully familiarize yourself with his attacks and the way he moves if you want a chance to best him. No wonder he’s so difficult!
Knight Artorias (Dark Souls)
Serving as one of The Four Knights of Gwyn, Knight Artorias will give you a boss fight that you’ll never forget. In fact, you can turn to him if you want a classic Dark Souls boss battle — no magical shortcuts, cheap tricks, or an environment that causes damage; it’s just you and Knight Artorias fighting each other sword to sword in an arena.
That being said, Knight Artorias probably has one of the most tragic backstories in the game. He’s crowned as the first person to ever walk the abyss, but he lost both his life and Sif, his wolf, in the process.
In order to win against him, you need to make use of all the skills you’ve learned throughout your playthrough, such as stamina management, dodging, and attacking. It will be hard, there’s no doubt about that, but defeating Knight Artorias will give you an overwhelming sense of accomplishment. Not only that, you will then be titled as the true victor of the Abyss.
Great Grey Wolf Sif (Dark Souls)
As briefly mentioned, Knight Artorias had a beloved wolf named Sif. Not only do you have to fight the master, you also have to fight his loyal companion. Of course, the Sif boss battle is one of the best yet saddest ones because, well, who wants to fight and kill a wolf/dog!?
Sif has a massive sword that it situates between its teeth, allowing it to swing the sword at you during the fight. The arena, or where the battle will take place, is iconic because it will be at Artorias’ gravesite. It’s heartbreaking to think that Sif just wants to protect its master, even in death.
There are several swords that come in different shapes and sizes in the arena, which are probably from individuals who tried and failed to defeat Sif and get the treasure. Sif continues to fight even when it’s already low on health. As a matter of fact, it begins to limp as it moves — at this point, it gets so hard to keep fighting it, but you have no choice.
Asylum Demon (Dark Souls)
There’s a saying that goes “you’ll never forget your firsts,” and it appears that this concept also applies to video games. The Asylum Demon is the very first boss you’ll encounter in the game, right after you escape from the dilapidated old building you run away from at the start of the first Dark Souls.
It’s a massive monstrosity, but in a way that’s a good thing because it moves and attacks slow. This gives you sufficient time to move around and land hits. On the other hand, the Asylum Demon hits like a tank, and this serves as something like a tutorial for first-time players, as it teaches them the basics of fighting bosses in Dark Souls.
It can’t be denied that it asks for a lot as a boss, especially since you’re initially thrown into the fight with no proper gear. However, this doesn’t mean it’s impossible to beat. One strategy in order to defeat it easily is by choosing black fire bombs as a starting gift.
You will be able to defeat it with just 4 or 5 of these bombs. If you chose something else, though, there’s still another way to kill it, albeit not as easily. Essentially, you need to prioritize dodging its powerful hits, attack as much as possible when the opportunity arises, and take careful note of your stamina bar.
Ornstein And Smough (Dark Souls)
Whether you view it fight from a mechanical or from a story perspective, the Ornstein And Smough boss fight is one of the best ones in the entire series. For one thing, there are two different fighting styles that you have to keep in mind when fighting the duo.
As the captain of The Four Knights of Gwyn, Ornstein is a graceful fighter, while the executioner Smough is a ruthless one. Possibly the one thing that makes them similar is the fact that either of them absorbs the power of the defeated one. To put it more simply, Ornstein absorbs Smough’s power when the latter is defeated, and vice versa.
As such, you may want or need help before diving right into the battle. You can go ahead and ask Solaire to accompany you for this fight, as he can serve as an incredible tank that deals tremendous damage to the bosses.
Abyss Watchers (Dark Souls 3)
The fight against the Abyss Watchers is probably one of the most interesting boss battles in Dark Souls 3. The fight is undoubtedly intense, as the enemy doesn’t give you time to rest and recuperate. The Abyss Watchers constantly throws wraiths at you, with as many as three trying to attack you at a time.
The catch is that every third wraith seems to be defective, and it will start attacking the other two instead. You can use this as an opportunity to land powerful blows at the wraiths. After successfully killing them off, you can concentrate on attacking the Abyss Watcher.
One other thing that might catch your interest is the lore behind this boss. There’s apparently a curse inflicted upon the Abyss Walkers that compels them to keep on fighting until the end of time. If there’s no enemy to attack, they end up attacking one another instead.
This is most probably why some wraiths end up attacking its supposed allies instead of you. Although, we’re not entirely sure if we should be grateful for this curse or not.
Aldrich, Devourer of Gods (Dark Souls 3)
The fight against Aldrich, the Devourer of Gods, takes place during the part in Dark Souls 3 where a lot of spoilers take place. As such, he’s considered to be a major boss that offers significant lore that links Dark Souls and Dark Souls 3 together. You see, the god that Aldrich devoured is one of the optional bosses found in the original Dark Souls.
With its mighty staff, Aldrich truly packs a magical punch and you can get badly hurt with just one hit. You need to keep moving around and dodge the attacks as much as possible if you want a chance to survive the fight.
Aldrich is visually impressive, and you may want to take a second to admire it, but doing so could lead to your death. So, well, don’t do that.
Looking Glass Knight (Dark Souls 2)
The Looking Glass Knight is yet another visually stunning boss from the Dark Souls series. The knight has a massive mirror-fronted shield equipped, while the rest of it is covered in silver armor. The boss battle takes place during a thunderstorm as well, making it look extra stunning and intimidating as its massive size looms upon you just as lightning strikes.
Both developer and publisher were probably pretty happy with how this boss’ design turned out, so much so that the Looking Glass Knight was used several times in a lot of Dark Souls 2’s promotional material.
What makes this boss battle even more interesting and tricky at the same time is the fact that the Looking Glass Knight uses some of Dark Souls’ multiplayer elements that fans liked so much. In the middle of fighting, the knight summons what appears to be a dark shadow or phantom to the arena.
Sometimes, the phantom that has been called forth is actually another player, which adds an extra layer of difficulty in an already tough boss battle.
There’s a myriad of great bosses in the Dark Souls franchise that it would be impossible to list them all. However, we have simply compiled a small list above which showcases some of the best bosses that have made or will make your Dark Souls experience a truly memorable one.
Did we miss out on anyone? Comment your favorite Dark Souls boss below and why! We’d love to hear from you.
It has been a while since the classic RPG franchise from developer Nihon Falcom received a sequel, but the next main entry is just a few weeks away. Fans of the game won’t have to wait until then to start their new adventure with Adol Christin, however, a Ys 9: Monstrum Nox free demo is now available. Those who can’t wait for the release of the game can give it a try by heading to the PlayStation Store and download it.
The newest entry of the Ys franchise takes on a somewhat darker tone, with main protagonist Adol Christin acquiring supernatural powers and becoming a Monstrum. Alongside new allies, he must fight enemies coming from a shadow dimension, as well as discover the mysteries of the Monstrum curse plaguing the city of Baldur.
The Ys franchise has been around since the 1980s and has produced several successful titles. While most of its gameplay, characters, and themes are the same, the franchise has managed to create unique experiences throughout the years.
The last game, Ys 8: Lacrimosa of Dana, launched back in 2016 and was received well by players and critics alike, remaining one of the best installments in the franchise. Those who love the Persona and Tales games will likely find that Ys ranks among the best JRPGs to play.
The numbered games follow Adol in his journey across one timeline, but they are not always in order. For instance, Ys 8 is set before the events of Ys 7. The past games don’t need to be played to enjoy any game in the series, but those who are new to the Ys franchise and want to catch up with the story can follow a title-by-title guide to the Ys timeline. The PlayStation Store has a number of installments to buy and play.
NIS America revealed late last year that a localized edition of Ys 9: Monstrum Nox would be coming to the PlayStation 4 on February 2 of this year. It will also be launching on the PC and the Nintendo Switch later this year.
In addition, the release came with a new gameplay trailer for Ys 9: Monstrum Nox that reveals divisions of its story and features its dark tones.
Twitch is probably one of the most popular streaming platforms these days. It consists of a variety of content creators, and it isn’t in short supply when it comes to incredibly hot streamers. Owned by none other than Amazon, the service initially began as a video game live streaming platform, and undoubtedly many professional gamers have been earning a living from it.
Twitch quickly grew in terms of Internet traffic, so much so that Wall Street Journal states that the platform even exceeded Facebook and Hulu in that regard. Since its launch, though, Twitch broadened its horizons to extend beyond just gaming. Now, it allows content creators to stream other unrelated activities such as cooking, painting, music, and more.
That being said, its gaming community still remains to be the biggest one, even though its content has greatly diversified. One thing that has been quickly gaining traction in Twitch’s gaming community is the professional women streamers, many of which are so attractive that they can easily pass as models.
It’s incredible to think just how much the gaming community has changed and how far it’s come. The term “gamer” used to imply that someone was a stereotypical nerd, but now its community consists of all kinds of people.
As you may or may not know, Twitch streamers usually have a camera pointed directly at themselves, which clearly showcases what they’re wearing as well as their reactions to the game they’re planning. As you can probably imagine, a hot gamer girl almost always does well on Twitch, with some even garnering a massive number of “simps.”
Now, this is where the term “Twitch thot” comes into play, as quite a few of these attractive ladies have used their appearance as leverage or a tactic to gain more viewers, earn more tips, and perhaps even become one of the biggest streamers on the platform.
While it’s not necessarily a bad thing — you can view this as a business strategy — a lot of people have some kind of issue with this kind of Twitch streamer, with many receiving a lot of hate. It’s worth mentioning that we love and support the female streamers of Twitch, and we do not mean this article to undervalue or mock them.
That being said, let’s go ahead and talk more about Twitch thots and who the best ones are at the moment.
What is a Twitch Thot?
THOT was initially an acronym that meant “That Ho Over There,” a term that was incredibly popular back in 2012. It was commonly used to describe a woman who was more sexually promiscuous than others. It eventually morphed to mean different things, and can even be considered as a meme.
Although with the increase of hot Twitch streamers, it appears that the terminology has returned in full force. In the context of this platform specifically, a Twitch thot is an attractive woman who, most often than not, streams themselves playing video games.
Also, they’re confident and unafraid to use their assets in order to earn more — it can either be in the form of more paid subscriptions, tips, donations, or all at the same time. It depends and varies between the different streamers.
If you’re unsure if a specific streamer is considered to be a Twitch thot, there’s a list of the usual signs:
They’re a gorgeous woman;
They have a tendency to bend (or break) Twitch’s implemented streaming rules;
They have a silly and happy-go-lucky persona;
They usually wear alluring and sexy outfits;
They tend to accentuate or draw attention to their body e.g. rear end, breasts, etc; and
They’re not that particularly good at gaming — although this doesn’t apply to everyone.
Best Twitch Thots
At this point, you might be intrigued by this list and are wondering more and more about who these women could be. Well, without wasting any more time, here’s our list of the best Twitch thots.
Pokimane
Imane Anys, or more popularly known as Pokimane, is without a doubt one of the most popular streamers on Twitch right now. With a fanbase that extends across the entire globe, her followers at the time of writing are almost 7 million on Twitch alone.
She studied chemical engineering at McMaster University, but these days, you’ll find her streaming different video games such as Fortnite and League of Legends. Recently, she has also been streaming the incredibly popular Among Us with other well-known streamers such as Corpse Husband, Valkyrae, and more.
That being said, Pokimane has definitely been in the streaming scene for quite some time now, seeing as she started streaming all the way back in 2013. Although she’s popular as a gamer, she’s one of the pioneers of the Just Chatting streams even before it became an official Twitch category back in 2018.
That being said, it’s definitely worth noting that Pokimane is one of if not the tamest one on this list!
STPeach
Lisa Vannatta or STPeach is also one of the more popular female Twitch streamers with 1 million followers on the live streaming platform alone. She also has over a million followers on Instagram and over 300,000 followers on Twitter.
She has been in the streaming scene since 2015 and basically has an impressive presence on nearly every social media website. Although this doesn’t really come as a surprise, given the fact that she’s one of the hottest Twitch streamers out there.
Born in Canada, STPeach now lives in California with her husband Jay and their two adorable cats, Alfred and Leo. It may come as a surprise, but she enjoys streaming Counter-Strike: Global Offensive or League of Legends, although other content she posts deals with cosplaying and fitness.
Alinity
Natalia Mogollon, otherwise known as Alinity, is inarguably one of the veterans when it comes to Twitch streaming. A streamer since 2012 and with over 1 million followers on the platform, she’s definitely one of the most popular, albeit also one of the most controversial, streamers out there.
She’s most popular for streaming games such as Apex Legends and World of Warcraft. As a matter of fact, her online handle ‘Alinity’ was inspired by that latter video game. As mentioned, the Colombian streamer has had her fair share of controversies in the past.
For one thing, she was temporarily banned on Twitch early last year for a wardrobe malfunction. In an attempt to fit a pillow under her skirt, Alinity pulled up her shirt instead by accident, thus exposing her breast for a very quick moment.
She is also known for having had a squabble with the world-renowned YouTuber PewDiePie in the past, which involved a copyright strike. There are a bunch of other issues revolving around Alinity, including alleged pet abuse and mistreatment.
Amouranth
Kaitlyn Siragusa or Amouranth is another popular yet sometimes controversial Twitch streamer. Amouranth posts a variety of content over at her Twitch account, from workout streams, baking, just chats, video games, and more. Other than that, she’s also popular for her ASMR and cosplay.
Before making streaming her bread and butter, Amouranth had her own business wherein she’d provide popular Disney characters during birthday parties for children. Amouranth has a tendency to bend Twitch’s rules and regulations, sometimes even going so far as to break them completely.
Due to this, Amouranth has been banned from the platform a couple of times already. In one of her streams back in September 2019, Amouranth experienced a wardrobe malfunction similar to Alinity wherein she accidentally exposed herself. This led to her first Twitch ban, but it only lasted for three days.
Her second ban took place in March 2020, while her third ban happened a few months after in May 2020. A month after that, Amouranth was one of the streamers named when a Twitch viewer filed a lawsuit against the platform.
Apparently, the viewer suffered from several medical problems, including sexual addiction, and while he turns to the internet and to Twitch for his daily source of entertainment revolving around video games, streamers such as Amouranth – among others – expose him to content that makes his situation even worse.
Pink_Sparkles
With a little over 1 million followers on Twitch, Izzy G or Pink_Sparkles is yet another incredibly popular channel on Twitch. Her Just Chatting streams are arguably one of the most-watched ones out there, and if she does decide to stream herself playing video games, she usually chooses League of Legends.
Interestingly enough, she used to be a teacher in Poland before pursuing a career as a streamer. Pink_Sparkles receives a lot of attention due to her curvy body, but she also receives unfavorable attention and criticism from those who dislike her, especially due to her controversial activities and behavior in the past.
A few months ago, Twitch temporarily banned Pink_Sparkles due to a small mishap. As we all know, sexual and/or adult content on Twitch is strictly not allowed, and while she wasn’t promoting that kind of content directly on her channel, her Twitter was linked to her Twitch account and it was where she posted her NSFW pictures and promoted her OnlyFans account.
Of course, the ban was only temporary, and she remains a highly popular streamer to this day.
CinCinBear
Although she doesn’t have as many Twitch followers as the others, Cinthya “CinCinBear” Alicea is still considered to be one of the popular female streamers on the platform. Her usual content revolves around World of Warcraft, but she also does Just Chatting streams.
Like most content creators on the platform, she also has a YouTube channel where she posts ASMR videos, but these are few and far in between. Many have an issue with CinCinBear because she used to used to say that she wasn’t a fan of female streamers showing off their bodies for views instead of attracting viewers with high-quality gaming.
However, her clothing choices also changed as time passed, which led her to wearing more clothes that showed skin as well. Twitch also banned her in the past for wearing a sports bra, as the platform claimed that such apparel was against its Terms of Service.
Kandyland
Emma Carlsson aka Kandyland is a Swedish Twitch partner with over 400,000 followers. You’ll usually find her either streaming League of Legends or World of Warcraft, but she has several Just Chatting streams as well.
The famous streamer studied computer programming at University in Sweden, which is pretty impressive. She once said that becoming a full-time programmer was a dream of hers, but she may have to put that on hold for a while given how much money she makes on streaming alone.
She initially started her career in streaming fairly recently — 2019 — but she was able to quickly rise to the top. She’s always vocal about how she wants to change the fact that the gaming community is dominated by men, especially on Twitch.
Lilchiipmunk
Caroline or Lilchiipmunk is yet another League of Legends streamer with over 400,000 followers on Twitch. Her career jumpstarted when she created her YouTube channel back in 2011, which is where she used to post gameplay videos. Twitch is her primary source of income as of now, though.
While many know her for her League of Legends content, Lilchiipmunk is also notorious for her clothing choices. Twitch temporarily banned her from streaming on the platform in the past because of how short her clothes were.
This didn’t seem to stop her though, as she still continues to wear short, skin-showing clothing during her streams. She’s also known to find ways to work around Twitch’s rules, as she has done stripteases during her streams in the past without getting banned.
Bridgett
Bridgett Devoue, simply known as Bridgett on Twitch, was banned from the platform in the past for “suggestive content.” Although, it’s highly likely that Twitch just wasn’t a fan of her clothing choices. Bridgett used to wear short and revealing clothing during her streams, often showing a lot of cleavage as well.
She used to be a competitive World of Warcraft player, but it appears that she doesn’t stream as much on Twitch anymore. Instead, you will find her on TikTok, where she has accumulated a massive following as well.
AriGamePlays
AriGamePlays is a Mexican YouTuber and Twitch streamer. With over a million followers on Twitch and over 2 million followers on YouTube, it’s safe to say that she deserves a spot on the list of popular content creators.
Similar to the other streamers on this list, Twitch banned AriGamePlays for suggestive content, probably for her revealing clothing that always shows off her cleavage. At this point, it appears that the streamer is more active on Facebook Gaming and YouTube where she plays Among Us, Fall Guys, Fortnite, Overwatch, and other popular titles.
Are Twitch Thots a Threat to the Platform?
Twitch thots are arguably one of the most controversial topics within Twitch’s gaming community. Some debate that Twitch thots threaten Twitch’s integrity and have caused the platform to stray from its original purpose and mission.
On the other hand, many users enjoy the content these streamers provide, and even argue that we’re free to choose the entertainment we want to watch on the platform. While Twitch may have had a few losses from the drama and controversies caused by some of these women, it’s hard to argue that the platform was able to earn a lot from them as well.
For instance, we’re pretty sure that Twitch has been profiting a lot from the popularity of content creators such as Amouranth or perhaps Alinity. As such, we doubt that Twitch thots can be considered as a threat to the platform.
Why Twitch Doesn’t Do Anything About Them
Another thing that is commonly debated is whether or not Twitch thots break the platform’s ToS. However, it’s worth noting that Twitch thots aren’t technically breaking any rules because the platform isn’t that particularly strict in terms of dress code.
Even though these female streamers may dress up a certain way for their own reasons, perhaps to empower themselves or attract viewers to earn money, this doesn’t mean that they have transgressed the Terms of Service. However, it’s a different story if they start actingsuggestively, as this crosses the line and can be a cause for banning.
This is where a couple of the listed streamers have stumbled, as several have been banned for “suggestive content” already. That said, these bans are almost always temporary and don’t last for very long.
Now, Twitch CEO Emmett Shear previously said at TwitchCon 2019 that the company checks for the streamer’s intent before it decides how long the ban will last. In other words, if the streamer didn’t mean to break the rules and regulations set by the company, then it will probably give them a relatively short ban.
This statement makes sense, although a lot of people aren’t impressed and think that Twitch is just trying to make excuses for these female streamers.
At this point, Twitch users will probably remain divided when it comes to the concept of Twitch thots. Love them or hate them, but they’ll most likely remain as a part of the platform either way. So, the best way to go about this is to just remain respectful of one another and simply hang around the community or channel you enjoy instead of spreading hate.
It might not be the most prestigious of video game honors, but Valve’s yearly Steam Awards has its own distinct role to play in the video gaming industry. This year is no different, as Steam set and broke its own record for concurrent players multiple times all throughout 2020. A swing toward digital gaming happened thanks to mandatory stay at home procedures from the global pandemic, and Steam was a major recipient.
The Steam Awards Game of the Year, the event’s biggest reward, has been given to Red Dead Redemption 2. While the game technically released on PC back in 2019, it still fits into this year’s consideration window because of an offset schedule.
Red Dead Redemption 2 won over popular games such as Hades, Fall Guys, Doom Eternal, and Death Stranding, all high-quality releases and some of Steam’s most famous and highest-grossing games of the year.
Also significantly featured is the Steam Awards’ VR Game of the Year, for obvious reasons. The winner was Valve’s own Half-Life: Alyx, the much-awaited sequel to the superbly famous Half-Life series. Half-Life: Alyx did have a few tough competition, however. The hit multiplayer horror game Phasmophobia was also nominated along with Thief Simulator, The Room VR: A Dark Matter, and Star Wars: Squadrons.
Eight other glamorous awards were given during the 2020 Steam Awards event. Labor of Love, the award given to live service games, went to Valve’s own Counter-Strike: Global offensive. Meanwhile, the multiplayer Better With Friends award was given to Fall Guys.
The Outstanding Visual Style was awarded to Ori and the Will of the Wisps while the Outstanding Story-Rich Game also went to Red Dead Redemption 2. Most Innovative went to Death Stranding, Best Soundtrack was awarded to Doom Eternal, Best Game You Suck At was awarded to Apex Legends, and the Sit Back and Relax Award was won by The Sims 4.
The Steam Awards are bizarre in how they do nominations. Players have the ability to nominate games, but Steam will still decide the games that will enter the five finalists in each category. Steam players will then decide the winners from those options and as such Valve has a considerable amount of control over the process. Several categories appear to allow for older titles, while others don’t.
For those interested in revenue and sales from the recently concluded year, Steam revealed this information just a few days ago. The bestselling Steam games launched in 2020 include Fall Guys, Doom Eternal, and Cyberpunk 2077.
The service’s most-played games also include the three aforementioned games, as well as a few surprises such as Life is Strange 2. Regardless, it was still a great year for Steam and the video game community at large, despite having a very frustrating year in general.
Atlus, the developer behind the hit Persona franchise, has announced that they are preparing something special for the franchise’s 25th anniversary this year. This comes after a superbly successful year for the franchise, including the launch of Persona 5 Royal and the PC launch of Persona 4 Golden on Steam, one of the best-selling JRPG ports ever launched on the platform.
The first Persona game, Revelations: Persona, was released all the way back in 1996 for the PlayStation. It was initially based on the spinoff game Shin Megami Tensei If…, itself a part of the bigger Shin Megami Tensei series.
The franchise really took off in the West with the launch of Persona 3 and has only developed since then, with Persona 5 being the latest installment in the franchise and getting its own dedicated sequel this February. 2021 marks the 25th anniversary of the franchise and it appears like developer Atlus is not just going to let that achievement slide.
In a new year card published by Famitsu, Atlus revealed that the Persona franchise will be getting a “25th-anniversary commemoration project.” No additional information were given, leaving it unknown if this is going to be the next installment in the series or some kind of remake of a past game.
They also mentioned that this addition to their active development on Project Re Fantasy and Shin Megami Tensei 5, with Project Re Fantasy launching sometime this 2021. Atlus also gave an acknowledgment for the high ratings and sales received by Sentinels: Aegis Rim.
Although no information on the new game was announced, the revelation itself serves as verification of what Persona 5 producer Kazuhisa Wada made just a few weeks ago. Wada unveiled that there will be “big news” for the franchise’s 25th anniversary and now fans know that it is some kind of celebration project. A lot of fans are already guessing on it perhaps being Persona 6, but it would not be peculiar for it to be a remake of one of the earlier games or perhaps even an HD collection.
Whatever the new project may be, 2021 is shaping up to be a great year for Persona players. They already have Persona 5 Strikers releasing in just a few weeks and now confirmation that a new project is currently in development.
Provided the success of Persona 4 Golden, it appears like PC players will be able to join in the fun too. Of course, this is all on top of Shin Megami Tensei 5, which is also arriving this year and should surely be on the radar of any Persona fan.
Koei Tecmo has pledged that its 2021 game reveals will please fans who have been waiting for something special from the popular game publisher. It is exciting to see the company make such aggressive claims, considering that its websites are still down after a major cyber-attack. Players can only hope that this incident isn’t as serious as the one that recently affected Capcom which leaked the company’s next couple of years of video game releases.
Recently, the company has been quite honest with its plans for the future. For example, just a few days ago, the company announced that Nioh 2 is the final game in the series. The Nioh franchise took massive inspiration from From Software’s extremely successful Dark Souls series, featuring a third-person action RPG revolving around the excessively high difficulty and colossal boss fights.
The two-game series witnessed remarkable success, enough to push Nioh 2 through various DLC expansion packs and a next-gen remaster of both titles, but now the development team appears to have decided that the series has run its course.
However, the conclusion of the Nioh series hasn’t stopped Koei Tecmo. In a New Years’ greeting card published by Gematsu, the gaming company promised fans that it’s preparing a few new game announcements for 2021.
Supposedly these games are set to make fans shout “at last!” which implies that Koei Tecmo is planning to revive a series that has been buried by time. As of writing, these reveal announcements have yet to be unveiled, leaving players with nothing but guesses.
It’s hard to speculate what these upcoming revelations might be. Koei Tecmo is responsible for various popular video game series such as Fatal Frame and Ninja Gaiden. It is also responsible for the Dynasty Warriors franchise, which has witnessed recent success via spinoffs such as Hyrule Warriors Age of Calamity.
Nintendo has already confirmed that it doesn’t have plans to make a series out of Hyrule Warriors, but it has been a while since the last main Dynasty Warriors title; a new installment in that franchise would possibly excite fans quite a lot.
Various huge gaming companies have a lot lined up for 2021. The recent launch of The Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5 has opened up the gates for video game developers to run wild with powerful new hardware, and it appears like a lot of companies are already getting in on the challenge.
Time will only tell how Koei Tecmo’s plans will fit in this new generation of video game technology, but believing it can bolster up its firewalls, the future is looking great.
The Pokemon series is continuing its commemoration of the New Year by giving out a free Pikachu that fans can get for Pokemon Sword and Shield. The free Pokemon is also given out to celebrate the International Space Station live stream that recently went live on New Year’s Eve, with them featuring Pokemon in AI form to welcome 2021.
This is not the first time Pokemon has had this kind of promotion that featured the famous mouse Pokemon that soared to fame with the beginning of the franchise. Back in fall, there was an opportunity for players to obtain a Pikachu with a special cap on it, with designs that were inspired by various versions of Ash Ketchum, the protagonist from the main anime series. These were launched to commemorate the new expansions that had recently released to the game, The Isle of Armor and The Crown Tundra.
However, for this event, Pokemon is commemorating the exclusive space livestream that they organized to ring in the coming of the new year with a new Pikachu which will be given out for free to all Sword and Shield players.
According to the dedicated Pokemon website Serebii, the special Pikachu will be available in both Sword and Shield and fans will be able to claim it until January 15, 2021. In order to get the exclusive Pokemon, players will have to connect to the internet, select the Mystery Gift option on the main menu, choose Get Mystery Gift and then pick the Get Via Internet option.
If players do the process correctly and are connected to a reliable internet connection, the exclusive KIBO Pikachu will appear. This special Pikachu will come at level 21 and will be carrying a Comet Shard, something that can be sold at Poke Marts at high prices, and will be equipped with the moves Celebrate, Wish, Swift, and Thunderbolt.
With the 25th anniversary of Pokemon coming soon, this is one of the many events that will most likely be taking over throughout the whole year. A lot of fans have been theorizing that the reason there was a livestream in space was there are probable Pokemon Pearl ad Diamond remakes coming soon, a title that was massively themed in space and time. However, nothing has been officially confirmed yet.
Even so, that doesn’t change the fact that this new year will be big for Pokemon, and even if a remake isn’t coming out there will still be a lot of events lined up for fans to enjoy.
After more than a decade of operations, the famous Facebook casual game, Farmville, will be closing down its digital doors for good. The announcement that Zynga would stop supporting the game came out back in September 2020, however, with the New Year finally beginning, the game closed down.
FarmVille became a massive hit when it was first launched a few years ago on Facebook, all the way back in 2009. During its prime, the game reached a total of more than 32 million players. Consider FarmVille as the early edition of Animal Crossing New Horizons – players would invite others to show off their farm and how much progress they have made, and they can also farm together as well. It was the perfect example of casual online gaming during that time.
However, the stoppage of FarmVille isn’t because of a lack of players or anything of that kind. Adobe Flash, a famous software platform that was usually utilized for the animation of online video games, has been totally discontinued and will no longer be supported on Facebook and most browsers.
This means FarmVille was one of the games that had to go. Zynga could have had the opportunity to possibly upgrade the game so it would still be playable without Adobe Flash but the company decided it was better to let it shut down.
For players of the game that still want to continue playing it, the game is succeeded by three sequels, FarmVille 2, FarmVille 2: Country Escape, and FarmVille 2: Tropic Escape, the two latter games are also extensions of the sequel.
Supposedly, Zynga has stated that FarmVille 3 will be coming soon but there has been a specific release date yet. The rest of Zynga’s game library should still remain active since their other games do not utilize Adobe Flash. However, it is still a sad day. Most famous online titles of the past use Adobe Flash, just as FarmVille had such as Crimson Room, Bloons TD5, and Club Penguin.
It is a shame that games like this had to close down when they were so famous at some point. While there are titles that are sufficiently such as Stardew Valley and Animal Crossing, no game is quite going to match up with the madness that FarmVille once had.
At the time of its release, social media had really only just started and it made FarmVille burst, but with how much is available now, it’s difficult to believe that there will be something as uniting as this title again.
