You should know : Mega Man

Let's get going with the first post in a series about games that you need to know!

I present you the coolest blue robot around : Mega Man.

Mega Man (Rock Man for japanese gamers) starred in six games for the Nintendo Entertainment System. These games were wonderful action platformers build around tight controls, beautiful level design and colorful graphics. The game starts in a non-linear fashion when you choose the levels you'll play in any order. As you beat a level, you add the boss' weapon which can then be used to easily beat another boss. It's all made in a "Rock Paper Scissor" dynamic. The game might look pretty challenging at first, but when you know the best path to choose, the difficulty comes down quite a bit.

The game is wrapped in a pretty classic story : An evil scientist trying to rule the world. That story is made much more appealing thanks to the colorful characters. In the end, it's the gameplay that sets these games apart from others.

I didn't mention the music yet! This series has some of the best music on the NES. The songs will be stuck in your head for a long time after you've turned the console off. 

Personally, I'd say the games that are absolutely a must play are Mega Man 2 and Mega Man 3. Play them!

Hit the jump for a video of  Bit Brigade playing the whole Mega Man 2 game while someone plays it.

Back with a Caribbean beer

It's been a while since my last post because I was in vacation in the Caribbean for two weeks. Now I'm back and I can continue to pair beers and games. Maybe a little rum and games down the road?

Just before I left for my trip, I found a good deal for 80 NES games with about 55 new ones for my personal collection. This means more games to try and match! I've got some pretty bad ones but also great games that I was looking for like Super C, the follow-up to the hard Contra.

On my trip, I tried a couple of local beers so I figured I could try to pair them with one of my games. The brew I chose is a lager from Martinique called Lorraine. It's golden/yellow in color, like many commercial lager, with a good foamy head that's quickly reduced to a thin lace. Its corny taste with minimal malt disappear as fast as the head with a light hop bitterness in the end. Really light.

There is nothing really bad about it, it's just that nothing really stands out...

So for this beer, you either need a beach/Caribbean themed game or, more akin to the Lorraine, a really standard game that doesn't bring anything new or really interesting to the table.

A Dooming Smoke

Usually when I pair a game with a beer, I start by finding the game I want to pair and then I look through beer styles and my personal taste in beer to find something that fits. This time I did it the other way around. I tasted some beers with a friend and tried to find a game to go with it.

Let me present you today's style : the smoky rauchbier :

First of all, this old German style probably isn't for everyone. Be aware that it won't taste anything close to a regular, pale, commercial beer. Rauchbier translates as smoked beer. The malt used in these beers are dried over a fire and gives the unique flavor to the beer. These beers can taste almost like smoked meat and reminds you of a good plate full of bacon. Generally not too hoppy, full bodied with a nice dark color, the smell will immediately show you why it's called a smoked beer. Don't be scared, it's an impressive style of brew. 

Now let me present you a game to try with this, and if you didn't guess the game by the title, take a look at the cartridge after the jump!

Super Mario Beer

This time we talk classic!

A timeless game paired with a classic and equally timeless beer style. Start a conversation about video games with someone who doesn't look like a gamer, ask them if they know anything about games.  Try and draw a simple NES controller. What do you think is the first thing that comes to mind for most people?

Super Mario Bros. on the NES! This game defines classic Nintendo. Lots of people also remember Duck Hunt because they came in pairs and was a nice diversion. Even if the person you're talking to doesn't  like video games, they'll start talking about the old games they played  and how much fun they had back then. Try it you'll see. I work at a bar and often wear a NES controller belt buckle and it always surprises me how much people start talking about games because of that.

Let's take a trip down memory lane and take a nice pint of beer!

Adventure Island's fruits

Happy new year everyone!

I hope you had fun playing and drinking with your friends and family. Now, it's back to work and normal life which means I'll start doing some game beering for you.

Today I have a game that contrast with the cold weather. Forget the snow and the freezing wind, we're heading on a nice island to save a kidnapped lover, again! Lets take control of Master Higgins and dive into Adventure Island!

Joyeux Noël!!

Merry Christmas or happy whatever you want!

I'll be away for the holidays so don't expect a new pairing before at least early January. I plan on playing great games (old and new) and drink some nice brews.

What games will you play?

It's a great time to try out multiplayer games and revisit the classics. Let's see a couple :
- Super Mario Bros 3
- TMNT 2 Arcade Game
- Duck Hunt (the perfect game to get your uncle to play)
- Mario Party 1-2-3 (these are the best of the series)
- Donkey Kong Country 1-2-3
- Super Mario World
- Mario Kart 64
- Anything that you have fond memories of!

It's also perfect to try a bunch of new beer or again, go back to your favorites! I have some IPAs, barley wine, weizen bock, stout and I'm trying a new pumpkin ale.

If you want to try something out of the ordinary, take a look at the Sink the Bismark! from Brewdog. They call it a quadruple IPA and it comes with a whopping 41% ABV. It has an intense hop taste, a syrupy texture and a really strong alcohol presence. Drink it as you would drink a fine scotch. It comes with a steep price since you have to ship it from Scotland but if you're looking for a special gift for someone (or yourself), try out this "extreme" beer.

Again, have fun with your loved ones, plenty of games and beers for all of you!!

Play and drink responsibly.

Cheers!

Zelda's Abbey

Everyone knows the Legend of Zelda, I mean : It's freaking ZELDA!!

This is a game that symbolize adventure. When you play a game, most of the time, you can find things here and there that comes from the Zelda franchise. Case in point, when you hold a button to target an enemy... Yup Zelda did it, Ocarina of Time to be exact.

The original Legend of Zelda gave the player a feeling of adventure that they never felt before. You had a huge world to explore with little secrets littered everywhere and dangerous foes around every corner. The game was hard but you kept playing because it was rewarding, giving you new items in every dungeon and empowering you along the way. The Legend of Zelda is sacred to many fans, it's a classic piece of gaming history and well-deserving of this status.

Castlevania's beer trilogy

The Castlevania games! Known for its difficulty, action packed level and awesome music! You play as a Belmont, a long line of vampire killers hunting Dracula generation after generation. Armed with your trusty whip, you travel across several level killing everything that stands between you and you nemesis.

Since it's the first pairing, why not do three for the price of one?! Let's dive in and see which beer I recommend for the Castlevania Trilogy on the Nintendo Entertainment System.

These three games are well suited for a nice opaque stout. The darkness of this style compliments the evil nature of Castlevania. The dark gloomy castle with its scary surrounding in which the light never seems to pass through is akin to the shadowy color of this style that sometimes scare some people. Each of these adventures can have its own stout because they each have their own personalities.