Decker's Delight Links (28.Mar.08)

Haven't had one of these Decker's Delight Links posts appear for quite some time it seems, but, thankfully, it also seems I've gathered some pretty interesting links for you dearest of lots to enjoy. Not fresh necessarily, though definitely worth your time. After all, it is your time. Not your bloody bosses'.

So, what should we start with? Something game related would do I guess. From the International House of Mojo preferably. Better start with an amazing Maniac Mansion mega feature complete with trivia, mini developer interviews and a full mansion tour, then.

Further fun for adventurers can be had by reading the lovely interviews of Ron Gilbert & Joel DeYoung on the forthcoming Hothead games, Scott Bilas of Gabriel Knight 3 fame and everyone's favorite humorist Al Lowe.

As for the LEGO loving Portal fans, well, Nick Larsen has prepared a rather excellent Portal Lego stop motion clip. It's got 1300 frames, it has. Valve's hit song too.

Yehuda, the master gamer/game-designer from Israel, has come up with an extensive guide to board and card games based on video games, sporting such interestingly obscure entries as Space Invaders, Lode Runner, Warcraft and Wing Commander.

Dvice, on the other hand, have gone from analog to (mostly) digital in their The 13 best electronic versions of Dungeons and Dragons feature. Ever heard of the D&D Computer Labyrinth game? No? Tsk.

GameSetWatch, or to be precise the aptly (?) named Save the Robot column, is writing about the Lone Adventures of Steve Jackson's Sorcery. Yes, about those Choose Your Own Adventure books of yore too.

On a more serious note, the amazing chaps of Eurogamer posted a certain Call of Jihadi interview/article and you really have to read it. It's all about video games, militarism and propaganda, you know.

On a semi-serious and slightly intoxicated note, the fledgling Game Cabaret would care to invite you over and discuss such delicate matters as realism in gaming, the homoeroticism of R-Type and/or punk gaming.

Now, care for something from the gutter? Lovely. I'd recommend beginning with a look at Nintendo DS homebrew and then enjoying an almost tempting doubter's perspective on Super Smash Bros. Brawl.

I-Mockery, those immensely lovable creatures, have compiled one of the best retro gaming features ever: The 50 Greatest Arcade Cabinets in Video Game History. Brilliant, just brilliant!

Oh, and the Yak has gone and restored the legendary VIC-20 that was the origin of Llamasoft. And taken pictures of the thing. And no, I'm not crying tears of nostalgia and definitely don't want to steal anything from Mr. Minter.

Anyway. Time for some free games. TIGSource has almost 50 extremely wacky and brand new ones here (an amazing turnout for the Video Game Name Generator Competition it seems), whereas Indie Games has some pretty brilliant shmups up for grabs. Enjoy!

Mmmmore kinky Quick Links:

• 9 amazing home gaming setups
• Inside the making of Portal
• Vampire: Bloodlines. A smart rant.
• The truth about language
• Atheist Apocalypse Horror
• The expurgation of Maniac Mansion
• How the WEB began
• Broadening the ZX Spectrum
• Hard to Port
• EA: the destroyer of worlds
• A story about a hotel