Gun Gale Online Episodes 1-6: Falling in Love with The Pink Devil

 

Gun Gale Online (GGO) is a sub-series to the popular anime Sword Art Online (SAO). The anime centers around a woman named Karen who has recently relocated for college. Karen’s main issue in life is she considers herself to be way too tall compared to other women.  Her way of coping with this is to seek solace in the online VR game, GGO. This is where she is able to create a short, cute version of herself that she calls Llenn. 

We really get to know Karen as a person right from the start; I love this! Her issues with height helps to make her extremely relatable. I love how she uses playing the game as a healthy way to cope with this issue. This is done through relatable and, sometimes, even comical moments that every gamer has experienced when trying out new games in an attempt to find that perfect fit. We even get to touch base on the opposite end of the spectrum as well (episode 6) where we hear about being too short as well! 

I’m two episodes through and it sinks in that I am officially in love with Karen’s Llenn and her trusty P-90, P-Chan! She helps to breakdown multiple stereotypes right from the start by first addressing the ever-popular consensus that online gameplay, especially one centered around guns, is something only a male would be playing. Her ability to be short but still able to kick some major ass not only empowers women but also, helps burn the bridge leading to stereotypes of height affecting your abilities.  

As we move ahead and get to Squad Jam, even more excitement is added with the introduction of M. Did I mention that I can’t help but also fall in love with M’s character as well? He may be intense and make some questionable moves, but he always has everyone else’s best intentions in mind. Never focusing on himself or how everything will affect him in the end.  His teaming up with LLenn helps to showcase the ups and downs of friendship and just what it takes to be a “team player”. 

Throughout the first 6 episodes, the show touches base on playing games as a method to escape reality and join an alternate universe. They refuse to feed into this, however, making it clear just how much in-game applications are to thank for the enhanced skills players have in-game. These skills do not reflect reality and games are meant for fun, not to replace real-life.  

We get to see many stereotypes blown away in this series. One of the main ones that caught my attention was the reversal of roles in a toxic relationship. Most people only view this as a man vs woman sense where only the male can be the bad guy. We see this is not the case in M and Pito’s relationship when it is revealed what Pito’s true intentions are with M, highlighting the fact it is the female who is toxic in this case. 

One of my favorite things so far, watching the growth of Karen as a person and Llenn as a character. Seeing her transformation from shy and withdrawn to outspoken and self-confident is a beautiful thing to experience. Her moment of Self-realization in episode 5 helps to capture just that when she realizes just how much she is capable of achieving inside, and outside, of the game! She even eventually forms a real-life friendship with her online rivals team SHINC (Saki Nitobe / Eva / "Boss", Kana Fujisawa / Sophie, Milana Sidorova / Toma, Moe Annaka / Anna, Risa Kusunoki / Tanya, Shiori Noguchi / Roza) showcasing true sportsmanship. Team SHINC also blows away stereotypes by being a group of girls who are gymnasts using the game as a way to help improve their teamwork.   

In episode 6 we get a raw view into mental illness, severe depression, and unhealthy obsession. If you or anyone you know has had thoughts or showed signs of suicide, there is help and you are not alone. Please call the National Suicide Hotline at 1-800-273-8255. 

The Mario Bros: Top 4 Games I Say Are Super to Jump Into

 

The Mario series is considered to be one of the gaming world’s most successful and well-known franchises. Most of its games, specifically those created within the Super Mario subseries, are regarded as some of the greatest video games to have ever been made. With more than two-hundred different games made in various genres and several sub-series, there is definitely a Mario game for everyone out there! Well, I’m here to give you my top four all-time favorite Mario Bros games and why I choose them over all the rest. 

Super Mario Bros. (1985) 

This was the first Mario game made for a platform vs arcade and will always remain not only in my top four favorite versions of Mario but also, in my top all-time favorite games period! Yes, retro-themed nostalgia plays a certain part in my love for this game, but it is also pretty top-notch option-wise for its time. Not only did you get a multiplayer mode, players could choose to join the game as Mario’s brother Luigi, but you also got some pretty awesome power-ups as well, such as the Super Mushroom, Fire Flower, and Starman. Being a side-scrolling platformer with minimal gameplay movement options, this makes for a perfect game even for a beginner in the gamer world! 

Super Mario Kart (1992) 

Now this particular Mario racing themed game has managed to obtain many hours of my day as a child (ok as an adult too) sitting in front of my Super Nintendo but who could blame me when you have the option of playing as one of eight different Mario series-based characters in several single and multiplayer modes! The various characters (Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, Yoshi, Bowser, Donkey Kong Jr., Koopa Troopa, and Toad) and game modes (single-player offered Grand Prix or Time Trial Mode and multiplayer offered Grand Prix, Match Race, or Battle Mode) are what make me absolutely love this game. There are even four cups (the Mushroom Cup, Flower Cup, Star Cup, and the Special Cup) within the Grand Prix and each contains five different tracks for a total of twenty tracks with an additional four unique Battle Mode courses too. I would recommend this game for anyone who enjoys Mario and racing games! 

Super Mario ‘64 (1996) 

This was a first of its kind for the Mario series in the fact that it featured 3D gameplay in a playable open-world that also had 3D objects as well. In this game, Mario is able to do more activities for the first time, such as crouch, crawl, swim, climb, kick, or punch using a combination of the game controller's analog stick and buttons. He even features special jumps that can be done by putting together a regular jump with other actions, that includes the double and triple jumps, long jump, backflip, and wall jumping (jumping from one wall to another in order to reach any higher areas otherwise inaccessible). My favorite part of this game (besides jumping into the paintings to start a new level) was the three different special cap power-ups, the Wing Cap (which allows Mario to fly), the Metal Cap (which makes Mario immune to most damage, allows him to withstand wind, walk underwater, and be tolerate of noxious gases), and the Vanish Cap (makes Mario partially immaterial which allows him to walk through some obstacles such as wire mesh, as well as granting invulnerability to some forms of damage) that appear throughout various stages. This game is great for RPG (role-playing game) lovers of all ages! 

Mario Party (1999) 

This Mario Party game was the first of the party game series in which the gameplay was presented in the form of a traditional board game and gave you the option of six different playable characters (Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, Yoshi, Wario, and Donkey Kong). It featured various boards with multiple mini-games that were played between turns taken among four players consisting of at least one human-controlled character and the other three controlled by the computer or additional players. The ultimate goal was to be the one who had obtained the most stars through purchasing them with the coins won throughout board movement and mini-games. Mario Party, in my opinion, is the ultimate family time game for all ages making it capable of creating endless memories. 

With so many different games to choose from, the Mario series is a timeless set of games that any well-versed gamer can relate to putting many hours into. Having spanned across multiple generations through various console options, it'd be hard to find a gamer who didn’t know Mario these days. Mario’s family-oriented themes with child-friendly controls have even made it a choice of most parents! In conclusion, almost all of the Mario games are great, these particular games just happen to be my favorite. 

My Top 7 Reasons to Pick Up That Controller

As a gamer, I know all too well the age-old question of “Why do you even play video games?” I typically just respond with a witty one-liner, turn-heel in my classic retro Vans, then move on with my day. Then I got to thinking, what if they are merely intrigued by the gamer world but have no base to start from. So, I wanted to share my top seven reasons for wanting to pick up that controller and game-on! 

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2. Stress Relief 
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Whenever I am feeling overwhelmed by work or just everyday life, I boot up my console and pick a game. For this, any genre will do and whether it is online or offline plays no part as well. By being able to grab up that controller and start playing, I’m able to forget about my stress and return to a more relaxed mental state. 

2. 
   

3. Social Interaction 

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A lot of the time, especially these days, social interaction is hard to find time for. With a pandemic going on and most working from home or doing remote schooling, this has become even more of a struggle. Online interactive multi-player video games help connect you with like-minded gamers and builds friendships that, often, last a lifetime! 

3. 
   

4. Creative Spark 

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With games available that give you the ability to build your own world from scratch, it is hard to imagine why you wouldn’t use them as a way to get out of a creative rut. Games offer you the room to do things from creating every single aspect of your character (facial construction, body build, hair style, etc.) to even customizing your own unique mode of transportation. Having options like these can spill over into real-world applications and rejuvenate the way you see things. 

4. 
   

5. Exercise 

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With various available attachments that accompany exercise-based missions, video games can actually help encourage more physical activity. This gives you the opportunity to get up and get moving from the comfort of your own home. A much more relaxed, and fun, way to achieve physical fitness. 

5. 
   

6. Brain Work-out 

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All video games are made up of different levels with some sort of mission-based steps needed to be done in order to move forward. These missions and levels are designed like complex puzzles often taking several hours to complete or solve. This helps to give your brain a fun and creative way to stay sharp and healthy. 

6. 
   

7. Sense of Accomplishment 

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In a video game, you either win or you keep trying, learning from each mistake as you move forward until reaching your ultimate goal. Video games have you work towards their goals, treating each mistake as just another learning opportunity, not as a failure. Helping to instill a sense of accomplishment leading to a much better feeling of self-worth as well. 

7. 
   

8. Better Hand/Wrist Movement 

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Being a blogger and a gamer means I use a lot of hand and wrist movement in every aspect of my daily routine. Any controller-based game is great for hand strengthening and gaining better control over any hand and wrist usage. A plus for anyone who may work in a field that requires strenuous usage of hands/wrists and even stroke victims! 

In conclusion, there is way more to video games than just simply playing them to “waste time” or “lose yourself”. Being a gamer entails so much more than that and shouldn’t be so frowned upon. Hopefully, I have been able to shed a more positive and personalized light onto this and help to change this negative perspective!