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So a recent talk given by a guy I’ve “internet known” for going on close to two decades now is really really great. He’s a huge supporter of companies getting better about preserving and saving their own history when it comes to video games. Where with movies you can more easily buy or rent or stream classics from all the way back to the golden age of movies, with games, unless a company makes a choice to bring it back to play on a modern system, you have to hope the old hardware still works to play it or “pirate” it to be able to play. Well worth a watch to see the latest trends in preservation, and the work he’s doing with others to help preserve history!

Good god I didn’t expect to enjoy or keep coming back to this game as often as I have been, but it’s really a fantastic little pick up and play for a few rounds before moving on with your day! For those that don’t know, Tetris 99 was a little gift from the Nintendo gods and the Tetris Company last month out of the blue. It’s a 99 player version of competitive Tetris, where one by one your opponents are defeated and hopefully you’re the last one standing.

Who would have thought Tetris 99 aka Tetris Battle Royale would work so well, but rounds last maybe 5-10 minutes if you’re good, less if you have a bad run, or just aren’t so good. Initially the game is pretty opaque and anemic with options, but you quickly realize you don’t need a lot of options or selections or hints or rules when you’re playing multiplayer Tetris. Rule 1. Don’t Die. Rule 2. Send more lines to your opponents than they send to you. Rule 3. If you mess up on Rule 2, see Rule 1.

I’ve managed a 3rd place finish only once, and only been in the top 10 one other time. I’m usually happy with a teens finish, but from round to round I’ve been all over the map.

I also neglected to mention – it’s free. Honestly if you have a Nintendo Switch it’s worth the quick download and play.

While I’m a bit late to the party on talking about this book since it’s release, I still think about it regularly when I’m out and about, especially when grabbing a beer at a restaurant or bar. BASaSO is an incredibly well researched book about the rise of Goose Island Brewing Company out of Chicago, IL, and the changes that have come with it being owned by ABInBev in it’s culture and how it’s brought to market.

The biggest revelations where just how ruthless “big beer” can be in their quest to regain market share. Incentives for distributors, discounting for bars for only carrying their brands on tap, and one of my least favorite – hiding the fact that that you are behind this new “craft beer” brand (i.e. Blue Moon or Shock Top). But in the end, if you can’t beat them, buy them and grow that way!

I really don’t want to spoil too much of the narrative, but you really get the sense that Goose Island had something special, and that it’s culture and brand has been changed forever post buyout. Was it worth it? I’ll let you decide.

Cinder Inc was originally named after my cat/kitten at the time, who’s still alive and well at the age of 15 or so, though she can no longer really hear or see much.

I’ve been thinking of what I’d like to do here, and mostly I think it will be a way to review/talk about/think about various things I’m doing as always, be it books, movies, shows, beer, home brewing and of course always video games. No set theme for now, because this is and has always been an outlet.