Modest Walrus

Gaming: Super Mario Bros. 3

Sun, 19 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Game/Publisher/Developer

Super Mario Bros. 3, Nintendo, Nintendo R&D4

The Trailer

My Reaction

This is one of my all-time favorite Mario games on any Nintendo console. The graphics were sweet for an NES title and the music and sound effects are the kind every Mario fan loves hearing.

Reaction What A Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong

Sun, 19 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Why I Reacted To This Song

This has to be one of the finest, most perfectly built musical arrangements ever recorded.

Original by Artist

About This Song

“What a Wonderful World” arrived in 1967, one of the most turbulent years in American history, with the Vietnam War escalating past 500,000 US troops, the Summer of Love colliding with the “Long Hot Summer” riots, civil rights tensions boiling over, a widening generational and counterculture divide, and Martin Luther King Jr. speaking out against the war. Songwriters George David Weiss and Bob Thiele wrote the song specifically for Louis Armstrong, then a 66-year-old jazz legend crossing into pop, as a deliberate antidote to the darkness of the era. Armstrong was uniquely positioned for it: respected across both Black and white audiences, known more for joy than for political messaging, and seen as a bridge between generations and races. Weiss and Thiele wanted his distinctive, weathered voice, shaped by decades of struggle and triumph, to carry a message of hope that would land as genuine rather than preachy.

Gaming: Sleeping Dogs

Thu, 16 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Game/Publisher/Developer

Sleeping Dogs, Square Enix, United Front Games

The Trailer

My Reaction

This is a forgotten gem that got completely overshadowed by GTA V’s release. The gameplay is incredibly fun and innovative, and even today it holds up better than a lot of sandbox and action games that came after it.

Reaction Keep Ya Head Up by 2Pac

Thu, 16 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Why I Reacted To This Song

It’s rare to hear a rap track from that era speak this directly.

Original by Artist

About This Song

Released on October 28, 1993 as the third single from 2Pac’s second album, Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z…, the song was actually recorded back in 1992. DJ Daryl produced the track, building the beat around a sample of Zapp’s 1980 song “Be Alright” and layering in The Five Stairsteps’ 1970 hit “O-o-h Child” for the chorus. 2Pac dedicated the song to Latasha Harlins, a 15-year-old Black girl fatally shot by a Korean-American store owner in 1991, an incident that raised racial tensions in Los Angeles ahead of the 1992 riots; the music video opens with a dedication to her memory. He also dedicated it to his godson Elijah and to Corin, daughter of Salt from Salt-N-Pepa, with uncredited backing vocals from R&B singer Dave Hollister of Blackstreet. The track marked a real departure from the more aggressive gangsta rap of the era, leaning instead into a compassionate, socially conscious side of 2Pac that tackled women’s rights and the struggles facing the Black community; he later said in a 1995 interview that he’d noticed a lack of songs uplifting Black women before writing it. A sequel, “Baby Don’t Cry (Keep Ya Head Up II),” followed posthumously in 1999 on Still I Rise.

Gaming: Cities: Skylines

Wed, 15 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Game/Publisher/Developer

Cities: Skylines, Paradox Interactive, Colossal Order

The Trailer

My Reaction

Even with a sequel now out there wearing the name, the original still feels like the definitive version of this game. Years of DLC and mods have turned it into something the follow-up hasn’t come close to matching.

Reaction Numb/Encore by Linkin Park & JAY-Z

Wed, 15 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Why I Reacted To This Song

Two acts that had no business sounding this good together somehow made it work, and the live performance takes it even further.

Original by Artist

About This Song

“Numb/Encore” arrived in 2004 as a genuinely unexpected pairing, a joint effort between JAY-Z and Linkin Park that blends JAY-Z’s sharp rap verses with Linkin Park’s atmospheric rock sound. The track came out of the Collision Course EP, a project built specifically to close the gap between two genres that rarely shared the same stage, mashing “Numb” and “Encore” into a single song rather than just trading verses over one beat.

Gaming: Tetris

Sat, 11 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Game/Publisher/Developer

Tetris, Alexey Pajitnov / Nintendo

The Trailer

My Reaction

This was a blast from the past. Still, it’s holding up today; simple to pick up and that same pull to squeeze in “just one more line” hasn’t faded a bit.

Overview

Tetris is a falling-block puzzle game created in 1984 by Soviet software engineer Alexey Pajitnov. Players rotate and arrange seven differently shaped tetrominoes as they descend a playing field, clearing horizontal lines to score points while the pace steadily accelerates. The game spread worldwide through countless ports and versions, most famously bundled with Nintendo’s Game Boy in 1989, which cemented it as one of the best-selling and most recognizable video games ever made.

Reaction Time After Time by Cyndi Lauper

Sat, 11 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Why I Reacted To This Song

Cyndi Lauper was totally out there and I love this about her; unique and she didn’t care about the norms. A great artist and a stellar song.

Original by Artist

About This Song

“Time After Time” appears on Cyndi Lauper’s 1983 debut album She’s So Unusual. Written by Lauper and Rob Hyman, the song started as a working title borrowed from a TV listing and grew into one of the era’s most enduring ballads, a stark contrast to the bright, quirky pop of the album’s other singles. It went on to hit number one on the Billboard Hot 200 and has since become one of the most covered songs of the 1980s.

Gaming: Hearts of Iron IV

Thu, 09 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Game/Publisher/Developer

Hearts of Iron IV, Paradox Interactive, Paradox Development Studio

The Trailer

My Reaction

It’s brutal, cunning and time-consuming in the best way possible. Picking a start date changes the whole shape of the game before a single division has even moved, and every campaign afterward turns into a slow, deliberate grind of production lines, supply chains and front lines that never quite behave the way you planned.

Reaction Enter Sandman by Metallica

Thu, 09 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Why I Reacted To This Song

I heard this in 6th grade and was hooked right away. Nothing else sounded like it at the time.

Original by Artist

About This Song

“Enter Sandman” is the opening track on Metallica’s self-titled 1991 album, commonly known as the Black Album, produced by Bob Rock. Written by James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich and Kirk Hammett, the song is built around one of the most instantly recognizable guitar riffs in metal, paired with lyrics that twist the comforting idea of a childhood sandman into something closer to a nightmare. It became the band’s breakout mainstream single, pulling Metallica out of the thrash underground and onto radio and MTV in a way none of their earlier records had.

Gaming: L.A. Noire

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Game/Publisher/Developer

L.A. Noire, Rockstar Games, Team Bondi

The Trailer

My Reaction

L.A. Noire was a blast from the past to revisit. The interrogation and detective work still hold up remarkably well, thanks to the facial animation tech that was so far ahead of its time. The one real negative is the driving; the car handling feels stiff and syphoned, dragging down what’s otherwise an excellent experience.

Reaction Quality Control by Jurassic 5

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Why I Reacted To This Album

Jurassic 5 have a reputation as one of those groups people point to when they say they “don’t really like hip-hop, but…” Quality Control is the album that earns that reputation, so it was worth revisiting properly.

The Video

About This Album

Quality Control is the second studio album by American alternative hip hop group Jurassic 5, released on June 6, 2000, by Interscope Records. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from professional publications, the album received an average score of 77 based on 17 reviews, indicating “generally favorable reviews.” In 2015, it was included in Paste’s list of “10 Hip-Hop Albums for People Who Don’t Like Hip-Hop.”

Gaming: Halo 2

Mon, 29 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Game/Publisher/Developer

Halo 2, Microsoft Game Studios, Bungie

The Trailer

My Reaction

Everything’s designed with a master’s eye for first-person intensity, extensively crafted and technically superb. The genuine care that has been taken in making this game is awe inspiring.

Overview

Halo 2 is a first-person shooter developed by Bungie and published by Microsoft Game Studios, released in 2004 for the Xbox. The direct sequel to Halo: Combat Evolved, it continues the Master Chief’s fight against the Covenant while introducing a dual storyline that also follows the Arbiter, a disgraced Covenant warrior. The game introduced dual-wielding weapons, new vehicles like the Brute Chopper, and became a defining title for Xbox Live, helping push console online multiplayer into the mainstream.

Reaction Bulls On Parade by Rage Against The Machine

Mon, 29 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Why I Reacted To This Song

There’s no truer words than what Zack de la Rocha lays down here. The anger is real and it’s pointed at something specific, not just noise for its own sake.

Original by Artist

About This Song

“Bulls on Parade” was released in 1996 on Rage Against the Machine’s second album, Evil Empire. Written by Zack de la Rocha and Tom Morello, the song takes aim at the military-industrial complex and the way arms manufacturing and war profiteering keep the machinery of conflict running. The guitar solo is one of the most recognizable in rock; Morello gets the vinyl-scratch sound by setting one pickup to full volume and killing the other, then rubbing his fretting hand across the strings over the dead pickup while flipping the selector switch like a killswitch. No turntable involved, just a guitar rewired to sound like one.

Gaming: Master of Orion

Sat, 27 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Game/Publisher/Developer

Master of Orion, MicroProse, SimTex Software

My Reaction

This one was outside my scope back in 1993-1994; I came to it later. It’s a turn-based game through and through, and the race you pick changes everything about how a campaign plays out. Psilon was my nemesis every single time; their research lead snowballs so fast that by the midgame they’re fielding technology nobody else can touch.

Overview

Master of Orion is a turn-based 4X strategy game released in 1993, developed by SimTex Software and published by MicroProse. Players lead one of ten playable races; Humans, Alkari, Bulrathi, Darloks, Klackons, Meklar, Mrrshan, Psilon, Sakkra and Silicoids; through exploring, expanding, exploiting and exterminating across the galaxy. Each race has its own specialty: Humans lean into trade and diplomacy, the Bulrathi dominate ground combat, the Silicoids ignore pollution and can colonize even the most hostile planets but grow slowly, and so on. Races are also predisposed to like or dislike each other, and each carries its own research strengths and weaknesses.

Reaction How to Disappear Completely by Radiohead

Sat, 27 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Why I Reacted To This Song

It came on as a radio follow-up and it’s just so haunting. The strings pulled me in immediately and I couldn’t skip past it.

Original by Artist

About This Song

“How to Disappear Completely” appears on Radiohead’s 2000 album Kid A, produced by the band with Nigel Godrich. Thom Yorke wrote it after a moment of dissociation on tour, taking advice from Michael Stipe to mentally repeat “I’m not here, this isn’t happening” to get through overwhelming situations. Jonny Greenwood arranged the strings, performed with the Orchestra of St John’s, building the song around a detuned guitar drone beneath the orchestration.

Gaming: Rust

Thu, 25 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Game/Publisher/Developer

Rust, Facepunch Studios, Facepunch Studios

The Trailer

My Reaction

Rust is one of the most brutal PVP survival games out there. Anyone who plays or has just started playing Rust knows that this is a game with many ups and downs. At the beginning you are an ordinary “naked” who spawned with a rock and a torch by the beach, and in the next moment you already have your base and weapons. It depends on you and your skill, whether you become an unstoppable force on the server, or you just return naked to the beach.

Reaction Strawberry Letter 23 by The Brothers Johnson

Thu, 25 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Why I Reacted To This Song

That was a freakin’ vibe. The bassline was unheard of, very “slap the bass,” and it demanded a reaction the moment it kicked in.

Original by Artist

About This Song

“Strawberry Letter 23” was originally written and recorded by Shuggie Otis in 1971, but it’s The Brothers Johnson’s 1977 version, produced by Quincy Jones for their album Right on Time, that became the definitive take. Louis Johnson’s bass playing turned the song into a showcase for the slap-bass technique he helped popularize, and it became the duo’s biggest hit, topping the Billboard Soul singles chart.

Gaming: Red Dead Redemption 2

Wed, 24 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Game/Publisher/Developer

Red Dead Redemption 2, Rockstar Games, Rockstar Studios

The Trailer

My Reaction

Red Dead Redemption 2 is widely regarded as one of the greatest games of all time, and it’s easy to see why. The graphics, the storytelling and the detailed open world all come together into something that feels like a genuine artistic achievement, even if the pacing and some of the gameplay mechanics can be frustrating at times.

Reaction The Light by Common

Wed, 24 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Why I Reacted To This Song

I was blown away from the show. Seeing Common perform live put this song in a completely different light and it’s stuck with me ever since.

Original by Artist

About This Song

“The Light” was released in 2000 on Common’s album Like Water for Chocolate, produced by James Poyser and built around a sample of Bobby Caldwell’s “Open Your Eyes.” Part of the Soulquarians-era work that defined the album’s sound, it became one of Common’s biggest and most accessible singles; a warm, melodic love song that stood apart from the more conscious, abstract material he was known for at the time.

Gaming: Team Fortress 2

Tue, 23 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Game/Publisher/Developer

Team Fortress 2, Valve, Valve. Released 10 October, 2007.

The Trailer

My Reaction

Team Fortress 2 works because every class gives you something clear to do, and then throws you into matches where everything is happening at once. You are dodging rockets, chasing objectives, trying to stay alive and relying on teammates at the same time.

Reaction Wake Me Up When September Ends by Green Day

Tue, 23 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Why I Reacted To This Song

I was in middle school when I heard Green Day for the first time. Evolving to recent days, Green Day was my jam. Father’s Day just passed and I’m missing my father, so this one hit differently this time around.

Original by Artist

About This Song

“Wake Me Up When September Ends” was written by Billie Joe Armstrong and released in 2004 on Green Day’s album American Idiot. Armstrong wrote it about losing his own father to cancer when he was just 10 years old and that grief runs through every line. It became one of the band’s biggest singles and despite later being associated with other tragedies because of its timing, remains at its core a deeply personal song about loss.

Gaming: Contra

Mon, 22 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Game/Publisher/Developer

Contra, Konami, Konami (NES)

The Trailer

My Reaction

Contra was an instant classic the moment it landed on NES. The run-and-gun action is relentless, the co-op is a blast and the difficulty makes every stage clear feel earned.

Overview

Contra is a run-and-gun action game originally released in arcades by Konami in 1987 before being ported to the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1988. Players control Bill Rizer or Lance Bean, two commandos fighting against the alien organization Red Falcon. Across a series of relentless side-scrolling and overhead stages, players blast through waves of enemies, collect weapon power-ups and face down some of the toughest boss fights of the era. Two-player co-op made it a defining couch experience on NES.

Reaction Stormy Monday by B.B. King

Mon, 22 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Why I Reacted To This Song

B.B. King is one of the greats, all time. Hearing him take on “Stormy Monday” live is a reminder of exactly why.

Original by Artist

About This Song

“Stormy Monday” started life as “Call It Stormy Monday (But Tuesday Is Just as Bad),” written and recorded by T-Bone Walker in 1947. It became one of the most covered blues standards of all time, and B.B. King made it a regular part of his live shows over the decades, putting his own stamp on the phrasing, the guitar work and the emotion behind it.

Gaming: Counter-Strike

Sat, 20 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Game/Publisher/Developer

Counter-Strike, Valve / Sierra Studios, Valve (originally a Half-Life mod by Minh Le and Jess Cliffe)

The Trailer

My Reaction

Counter-Strike was very unique in 2000. Multiplayer gaming was still in an early stage and Counter-Strike changed the game completely. We played it in the dorms over T1, and it was unlike anything else; a tactical team-based shooter when most multiplayer shooters were still pure run-and-gun. I was into it.

Reaction Ain't No Sunshine by Bill Withers

Sat, 20 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Why I Reacted To This Song

This is soul music. They just don’t make these anymore. Bill Withers was a musical genius and “Ain’t No Sunshine” is proof of it in under two and a half minutes.

Original by Artist

About This Song

“Ain’t No Sunshine” was written and performed by Bill Withers, released in 1971 on his debut album Just As I Am. It reached number three on the Billboard Hot 100 and won the Grammy Award for Best Rhythm & Blues Song. Withers famously repeated the line “I know” 26 times in place of a third verse he hadn’t finished writing; his producers convinced him to leave it in, and it became one of the most memorable moments in soul music.

Gaming: NHL 95

Wed, 17 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Game/Publisher/Developer

NHL 95, EA Sports / THQ (Game Boy), High Score Productions/Double Diamond Sports (Genesis), Visual Concepts (SNES), Realtime Associates Seattle (Game Gear), Probe Entertainment (Game Boy), EA Sports (DOS)

The Trailer

My Reaction

I played this one on PC. A friend got me going on PC games and we played NHL 95 together constantly. It was so fun. One of those games that’s tied directly to a memory of who you played it with, not just what it was.

Reaction If I Ruled the World by Nas ft. Lauryn Hill

Wed, 17 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Why I Reacted To This Song

Nas has always been one of the sharpest voices in hip-hop and “If I Ruled the World” is one of his most enduring records. Pairing him with Lauryn Hill on the hook turns an already great song into something timeless.

Original by Artist

About This Song

“If I Ruled the World (Imagine That)” was released in 1996 on Nas’s second album, It Was Written. The track samples Kurtis Blow’s 1985 song of the same name and pairs Nas’s verses with a hook sung by Lauryn Hill of The Fugees. It became one of Nas’s biggest commercial hits, reaching the top of the Billboard Hot Rap Songs chart, and remains one of the most recognisable hip-hop singles of the era.

Gaming: Watch Dogs 2

Mon, 15 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Game/Publisher/Developer

Watch Dogs 2, Ubisoft, Ubisoft Montreal

The Trailer

My Reaction

Watch Dogs 2 is a gorgeous game. The San Francisco setting is beautifully realised and the hacking mechanics make the open world feel genuinely different from anything else out there. The tone is lighter and more fun than the first game and it works. An easy buy.

Reaction 'Round Midnight by Thelonious Monk

Mon, 15 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Why I Reacted To This Song

Thelonious Monk is one of the great jazz pianists. His approach to the instrument is unlike anyone else; angular, unpredictable and completely his own. “‘Round Midnight” is the song that defines him and it demanded a reaction.

Original by Artist

About This Song

“‘Round Midnight” was written by Thelonious Monk around 1944 and has since become one of the most recorded jazz standards in history. The title captures the mood perfectly; a piece that sounds like the loneliness and stillness of the late-night hours. Monk’s harmonic language was ahead of its time, full of dissonance and surprise, and nowhere is that more apparent than here. Miles Davis, Coltrane and countless others have covered it, but Monk’s own recordings remain the definitive versions.

Gaming: Warcraft II

Tue, 09 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Game/Publisher/Developer

Warcraft II, NA: Davidson & Associates / EU: Zablac Entertainment, Blizzard Entertainment

My Reaction

Warcraft II hooked me immediately. The choice between humans and orcs felt meaningful and the moment you start building your base and training units the game just pulls you in. The strategic depth was unlike anything else at the time. This was an easy buy and one I kept coming back to.

Overview

Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness is a real-time strategy game developed by Blizzard Entertainment and released in 1995. Players choose between the Alliance (humans) and the Horde (orcs), each with unique units, buildings and abilities. The goal is to gather resources; gold, wood and oil; build a base, train an army and crush the enemy. It features a full campaign for both factions, custom scenarios and multiplayer. A landmark title that helped define the RTS genre.

Reaction Everlong by Foo Fighters

Tue, 09 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Why I Reacted To This Song

Foo Fighters have been a constant in my life and “Everlong” is the song that defines them. It’s one of those tracks that never loses its grip. The energy, the melody and the emotion. It all comes together perfectly. Hard to ignore a song this good.

About This Song

“Everlong” was released in 1997 on Foo Fighters’ second album The Colour and the Shape. Dave Grohl wrote it during a period of personal upheaval. It shows the song carries a rawness and urgency that’s hard to fake. It became the band’s signature track and is widely regarded as one of the dominant alternative rock songs ever recorded. The music video, directed by Michel Gondry.

Reaction The Middle by Jimmy Eat World

Fri, 05 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Why I Reacted To This Song

Jimmy Eat World is one of those bands that has been with me for a long time. “The Middle” is one of those songs that hits you at the right moment in life and just sticks. It’s a song about not giving up on yourself and that message never gets old.

Original by Artist

About This Song

“The Middle” was released in 2001 on Jimmy Eat World’s breakout album Bleed American. Frontman Jim Adkins wrote it as an encouragement to younger fans who were struggling to fit in. A reminder that the awkwardness and self-doubt of adolescence is temporary. The song reached the top five on the Billboard Hot 100 and became one of the defining alternative rock tracks of the early 2000s. It still resonates just as strongly today.

Gaming: 7 Days To Die

Tue, 02 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Game/Publisher/Developer

7 Days To Die, The Fun Pimps/Telltale Publishing, The Fun Pimps

First Look

My first impression wasn’t great. The graphics didn’t do much to grab my attention right away.

Trailer

My Reaction

What won me over was the map size, it’s massive. The game ran very smoothly, movement felt fluid and responsive. The performance held up well throughout. My only real complaint was the graphics; it’s not the prettiest game out there. Even so, I went ahead and bought 7 Days to Die.

Gaming: Grand Theft Auto 5

Tue, 02 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Game/Publisher/Developer

Grand Theft Auto 5, Rockstar Games, Rockstar North

First Look

The graphics were stunning for 2013. Los Santos felt alive in a way no open-world game had managed before; the scale, the detail and the sheer ambition of it all was immediately apparent.

The Trailer

My Reaction

The trailer sold it immediately. Seeing the three-protagonist structure was a surprise; switching between Michael, Trevor and Franklin mid-mission was something fresh for the series. The world looked massive, the story looked cinematic and the chaos looked as fun as ever. This was an easy buy.

About

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

A website about the things I cherish, games and music.

Gaming

I’ve been playing games for as long as I can remember. From the pixelated chaos of Doom and the endlessly satisfying loop of Tetris. Furthermore, the grand strategy and multiplayer of Warcraft II and the brutal competitiveness of Counter-Strike.

Some favorites that have stuck with me over the years:

Classics & Strategy Doom · Tetris · NHL 1995 · Master of Orion · Heroes of Might and Magic · Warcraft II · Age of Empires II · Starcraft