I show my Mom more love, respect, and appreciation.
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A Celebration of Twitch’s Best
March was Women’s History Month, and regrettably, I did not celebrate it here on The Chomp. However, you don’t need just one month to celebrate! I thought about what kind of post I could make, and initially decided on covering some of the top female characters in gaming, like Chun-li and Lara Croft. However, ShyYokai, a streamer I follow on Twitch, gave me the idea to do this post after she created a list of women on Twitch who inspire her. Since I spend so much time on the platform and follow a number of great female streamers, I felt that this kind of post worked best.
Of course, I cannot celebrate women without praising my mother and late grandmother. Without them, my life is not only non-existent, it loses any meaning.
Now, the list, which is written alphabetically. Each streamer’s name has a link to their channel. Should you visit any of these channels and feel compelled, please consider following. I personally guarantee that you will enjoy your experience.
The first time I arrived in Ang3lica’s channel, she was playing Star Wars Jedi Knight. She often plays FromSoftware games and sometimes showcases her amazing art pieces. Currently, she is playing through Tomb Raider I–III Remastered, and per her channel description, has the biggest jugs on Twitch.
Agent Jacqueline (pronounced “Jack-leen”) is great at cooking. She usually cooks while listening to Taylor Swift. An enjoyable experience for sure.
Anne has a cool name. Anne is even cooler when battling in Rainbow Six: Siege and basically any kind of first-person shooter game. Seriously, if it’s a shooter, and you’re her opponent, Anne will destroy you.
If you watch reaction videos on YouTube, you may be familiar with Bisscute through her reaction channel and Blissfix. Whether you know her from there or not, be sure to find her on Twitch. Cooking streams, cosplays, music reactions, and yelling at video games are all found there.
If you’ve ever played Bloodborne, you’ve likely been happy to find some bolt paper to power up your weapons. Following Bolt on Twitch gives you a similar kind of joy, only you don’t have fight any monsters. Bolt is a really kind streamer with a kind community.
Brii is cosplay royalty. Seriously, she has done some of the greatest cosplays I’ve seen on Twitch, from Scooby-Doo‘s Velma to Kill Bill‘s Beatrix Kiddo. Be warned of the “Prolonged Eye Contact” channel point redeem, however. You are not ready. Trust me.
Dahlia (formerly DahliaTheMonkey)
Twitch’s Eternal Monkey Goddess and all-around awesome Soulsborne player. You can usually find Dahlia playing a variety of action/adventure games and embarking on some tough challenge runs, which make difficult games even more difficult. All in a day’s work for a goddess, though.
Not only is Edy a musician, a magician, and an occasional freestyle rapper, she regularly does “Drink if I Die” challenge runs of FromSoftware games and still manages to read her chat with some measure of sobriety. Now that’s talent.
A soulslike challenge runner with a great playlist (for some reason, a lot of great challenge runners have great playlists) you can find Elisa doing some near-impossible run of FromSoftware game while holding mind-bending philosophical talks with her chat.
Emmy plays a lot of DOS games. I mean, a LOT of DOS games. DOS games you’ve never seen nor heard of, no matter how old school you are. Chances are if it was made for MS-DOS, Emmy has played it. She is also the Queen of Floppies.
What would the world be without music? Even worse than usual. Thankfully, Geetchen’s viola playing saves Twitch (and ultimately, the world) from its darker leanings. Typing !songlist in her chat and making a request will indeed brighten your day.
Hamon cooks, both in the kitchen and in speedrunning. If you’re in here on Mondays, you’ll learn that it’s all about the milk. Type !milky in her chat on a Monday to see what kind of milk you get.
HarliquinJester, like everyone on this list, is multitalented. She draws, designs, maintains a library of retro games, and speedruns the original Wizards & Warriors. She even manages to have the best titles on Twitch, which is truly gift.
There may be other folks who refer to themselves as “Kupo Queen,” but I only serve one: Icesickle_Gaming. A retro video game player, streamer, and collector, Icesickle is one of Twitch’s kindest streamers and has an equally welcoming community.
Colder than ice and twice as chill, IcyRayne reigns supreme in the Land of Cool. She has some the best starting and BRB screens on Twitch, and has little tolerance for foolishness. Trolls beware; your game is not good enough.
Affectively known as “Puzzles” or “Gma,” IJustLovePuzzles regularly completes 1000 to 2000 piece puzzles on stream. She just recently earned over 20,000 followers and of this writing, is celebrating two years of being a partnered Twitch streamer. The vibes are chill and the puzzle work is always exquisite in her channel.
Invisinkat (formerly 1nvis1bl3k1d)
Do you like Metallica? Do you like accents? Then you’ll love Kat. Once you earn enough channel points in her channel, you can redeem them for a British accent, and for her to speak English with a Greek accent. All of this and challenge runs while Metallica and various selections of rock music blasts in the background. She also really, really, loves the Berserk manga.
Kat plays a variety of games, from retro to new releases and adventure to horror. Her cat, Ivy, owns the stream and regularly seizes the hearts of her viewers. No one can yell at a game like Kat, who sometimes screams “You bitch!” in a tone that would make Ellen Ripley proud.
Josephine McAdam is an actress, musician, cosplayer, role playing gamer and heaven knows what else. If it can be done, chances are JCVIM has done it or will do it soon. She plays a variety of video games and, during her “Classy AF” stream series, sightreads and plays piano.
The Lady of Fortnite hailing from Philly, the City of Brotherly Love. And love is what you’ll get when you enter her stream. Just saying hello gets you an automatic shout in her channel. Hard to find that kind of kindness on the internet.
Larxa is an artist, both in the traditional sense and as a challenge runner. There’s a reason she’s known as “The ThroatLord.” That reason is she beat Elden Ring and Only Up using only her voice. Like… wow.
Professional wrestling’s Queen of Cosplay is on Twitch, usually yelling at someone while playing Marvel Snap. Bates has appeared in every major US wrestling promotion, from Shimmer and TNA to WWE and AEW. Her knowledge of all things K-Pop and popular culture is virtually without peer.
Hydra often plays Call of Duty: Warzone with some of the chillest vibes on Twitch. She and her crew have played in Warzone tournaments, which they participated in while streaming.
Lizzy is a vampire kitty P.I. that plays a variety of horror games. When not playing through terror, she sometimes plays Valorant. A pleasant streamer with a really welcoming community.
If you like fighting games and wholesome risqué jokes, you’ll love Lobrylla. She plays fighters raging from the latest Street Fighter to some more obscure SNK titles.
Louna is an musician, artist, consumer of pancakes, and occasional on-stream gardener. If you like laughing and being chill, you’ll enjoy your stay in the LounaVerse. I mean, who else has a song about social media’s tick mark?
Mel is a beast at video games. Not only has she completed well over 270 games on stream since 2017, at 73rd in the world, she’s one of the top GT Code Super Metroid speedrunners. I first met Mel about 8 years ago, back when the now-defunct interactive Twitch game Marble Racing still existed (great times, great times). And yes, we all lost to Mel often.
There’s talent. There’s skill. And then there’s MissMikka. FromSoftware games certainly offer a challenge, and Elden Ring, the company’s 2022 release, continues that trend. Imagine beathing a game like that while using a PS5 controller and a dance pad. Oh, you don’t have imagine it: MissMikka did it.
SKyy often plays Call of Duty: Warzone and the MLB The Show series. She has a warm personality and an equally inviting community. Her playlists rock as well, and usually features some tracks by Chevelle, one of Illinois’ finest.
Pengu, the Sage Sardonic Shinobi of Soulsborne is one of Twitch’s illest and chillest streamers. You think your playlist is great? You haven’t lived until you hear System of a Down’s “I-E-A-I-A-I-O” blasting during a challenge run. She has a habit of saying she’s not very good at challenge runs and that she will uninstall Lies of P, but that’s all just fun banter.
Do you like Todd Howard and Hidetaka Miyazaki? Legends of the industry for sure, giving us Fallout and Souls games respectively. But if you are fans of these men, do you have pictures and cutouts of them? Penny does. Now that’s dedication.
Sadia is not here for your buffoonery. However! She is here for FromSoftware games, cosplays, and shooters. If you don’t start none in her chat, there won’t be none.
When I first saw Sam, I thought she was a stand-up comedian who happened to stream on Twitch. Although I found that she does not do stand-up, she totally could should she change professions. In addition to being hilarious, Sam is one of Twitch’s best Soulsborne players, even completing Elden Ring with an Elgato Streamdeck. Yeah, she’s that good.
SeriesofBlurs terrifies me for a number of reasons, chief among them is that she will eat more of my toasted people and, unfortunately, consume me one day as well (long story). That stated, she is a greatly entertaining streamer and lover of horror films and janky horror games. If you ever watch any of her streams (and you should), please don’t mention toast. I beg of you.
Without Shy, I would not have gotten the idea for this list. Her own list of women on Twitch who inspire her, which can be found here, made me recognize how many great women I follow on the platform. Shy is one of those people, offering plenty of positivity, amazing challenge runs, and equally incredible cosplays.
Louise is simply one of the kindest streamers on the platform. She usually plays retro games, especially on the Nintendo GameCube.
Super intelligent and equally as cordial, Sreme is one of Twitch’s most hospitable streamers. She regularly holds Marbles on Stream tournaments as well as Mario Kart events. Sometimes her mom appears on stream, and no, you don’t want smoke with The Doctor.
Twitch’s Queen of Q*Bert, Contra, and whatever game she sets her focus on. If it can be played on NES it can be conquered, and if TFX plays it, she’ll conquer it eventually.
As her name suggests, Tori often talks. She usually talks about all things Final Fantasy, especially XIV. In addition to her raiding skills in FFXIV, she’s also a talented musician and singer. You can find her in this video around the 1:13 mark.
If you enjoy Pokémon, particularly Pokémon UNITE, Katt’s channel is for you. When she’s in the PokéVerse, she plays horror games that deliver the true screaming terror. If you’re feeling competitive, she has channel points redeems to challenge her in Kirby’s Dream Course, Smash Bros., Starcraft, and Pokémon Puzzle League.
People like tacos. People like kittens. Taco is the best of both and does cool cosplays. Sounds good? Thought so.
If you like Marvel Snap, you will like Zeee. She snaps with the best of them because she is one of the best. Occasionally, she plays first-person shooters like Apex Legends and Valorant and does super special streams from a hot tub.
Thanks to all the women who stream on Twitch and put in that hard work! Until next time.
Peace & Pixels
Brood smarter, not harder.
To-Don’t
The entire list.
Lottery
What would you do if you won the lottery?
I’d probably lose the ticket.
Theaters are attractions, right?
Name an attraction or town close to home that you still haven’t got around to visiting.
Despite being born and raised in Chicago, I have never seen a show at The Metro. As a Chicagoan and a Cubs fan (considering the theater’s location in Wrigleyville), I think I have committed a sin.
??
List five things you do for fun.
What is this “fun” you speak of 🤔
Good Leadership
What makes a good leader?
Experience. Compassion. Accountability.
Good Question
Where can you reduce clutter in your life?
In my brain.
Last Call for 2023
In less than one hour, 2023 will enter Midwestern America’s rear view mirror. Although I cannot say that this year offered many bad returns, I will not say that it stands as my best one either. All issues considered, I am grateful for the people in my life that I spent it with. That means you especially, Mom!
Now for some apologies and acknowledgements. I begin every year intending to blog more but fail at doing so, and I apologize to every regular reader for that lack of production. Thus, I will approach 2024 with more open goals. I will post whenever time permits and offer you all my best. Most important, I thank you for remaining here without my providing you a good reason to stay.
To anyone who spent a moment of your time here, whether you enjoyed, despised, or felt indifferent about the content, I thank you. Should you return, hopefully you find that my work is better than it was before.
To anyone who will read this, I hope your 2024 offers a safe and profitable 365 cycles. Outside of cats and likely Keanu Reeves, we have only one life. Let’s play like our quarter (or play card for you more modern folk) depends on it!
Until next time.
Peace & Pixels
Tuesday Treasures: A Trio of RoboCop Video Games
Last July, we covered RoboCop’s 35th anniversary here on The Chomp. Today, I’m finally fulfilling a promise in that post to cover my favorite portions of RoboCop’s video gaming history, a tenure that spans several platforms ranging from the arcade, home consoles, and even mobile phones. But first, I offer this trailer for his appearance in a future project, RoboCop: Rogue City:
Set for release this September, Rogue City features voice work from The Professor himself, original RoboCop actor, Dr. Peter Weller.
I really hope it’s good. I truly do.
Some RoboGames that I for sure view favorably are the following titles from my youth: RoboCop, Data East’s arcade brawler; RoboCop 3, Ocean’s side-scrolling shooter for the Nintendo Entertainment System; and the Sega Genesis version of Virgin Interactive’s bloody actioner, RoboCop vs. The Terminator. I cover these titles rather than make a full history of RoboCop‘s video game appearances because of my experiences with them and my opinion of their quality.
RoboCop by Data East (Arcade)
Developed and published by Data East, RoboCop is a 1988 hybrid side-scrolling arcade brawler with run-and-gun trigger play. RoboCop loosely follows the first film’s plot, tasking players with controlling the cyborg lawman as he eliminates an army of enemies on the brutal streets of Old Detroit. The game’s action spans several stages, featuring locales like a construction site and the headquarters of Omni Consumer Products (OCP), the company responsible for RoboCop’s creation. Two first-person shooting range stages, which awards the player bonus points for successfully destroying a set of targets, utilizes Robo’s now iconic tracking system.
The game blends elements of the arcade brawler with side-scrolling shooting. Players guide Robo forward through each level, dispatching enemies with either his fists or number of weapons, such like his iconic Auto-9 machine pistol or the Cobra Assault Cannon, a large rifle that fires explosive rounds. Enemies range from armed street thugs and bikers to perhaps Robo’s most notable nemesis, ED-209:
RoboCop features sound bites from the original film, adding a level of authenticity that enhances its presentation. Plus, it has a digitized version of the incredible theme composed by the late, legendary Basil Poledorius:
I likely saw Data East’s RoboCop first in either 1988 or 1989. Although the exact year eludes me, I for sure recall the venue: a small arcade room in Villa Park’s North Park Mall (now North Park Plaza) that I recently learned was named Just for Fun. I still remember the excitement I felt just knowing that a RoboCop game existed, and marveled at how accurately it presents the film’s aesthetic. The title’s graphics and sounds, combined with its simple but fun gameplay, all provide an immersive experience that synergizes both the arcade and the cinematic. The game made me feel like I was Robo, a welcome joy for many young kids in the late 80s and early 90s.
RoboCop 3 by Probe Software, Etc. & Ocean of America (Nintendo Entertainment System)
Released on the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) in August of 1992, RoboCop 3, developed by Probe Software and published by Ocean of America, takes its inspiration from the eponymous third film in the RoboCop franchise, which debuted in theaters in 1993. Yes, the game based on the film debuted before the film itself because of distribution troubles related to Orion Picture’s (the production company that published the Robo films) bankruptcy. Essentially, the game spoils the film’s plot a year before its source material.
RoboCop 3, directed by Fred Dekker from a script by Dekker and comics legend Frank Miller, pits the titular cyborg (now played by Robert Burke instead of Dr. Weller) against OCP. In an effort to convert Old Detroit into Delta City, OCP begins forcibly removing poorer families from their homes with their anti-crime task force named The Urban Rehabilitators. Aiding the corporation in its efforts is the Kanemitsu Corporation, which bought shares in the company. RoboCop eventually joins forces with rebels that oppose OCP to save the city. With a jetpack:
Although I view RoboCop 3 as the weakest entry of the films (including the 2014 remake by Jose Padilha), I enjoyed playing its video game. Received as a gift in Christmas of 1992, RoboCop 3 is the first RoboGame I owned. I still remember the elation and surprise I felt at seeing the game. Magic made real indeed.
(Of course, I sold the game like a buffoon years later. Never sell your gifted games, kids. It’s never worth it.)
An action platformer, RoboCop 3 has five levels, ranging from the streets of Detroit to OCP headquarters. The first level is apparently exclusive to the NES, something I did not know until I conducted research on the title. Robo uses a number of weapons, including his Auto-9 machine pistol and homing missiles. And yes, he even has the jetpack.
Damage control stands as the most engaging aspect of RoboCop 3‘s gameplay. After each level, players must repair any damage RoboCop’s body sustained using power cells they find within a level. Robo’s head, chest, arms, and feet can all sustain injury, and even malfunction depending on severity. For example, if RoboCop’s legs sustain enough damage and the player does not repair them, he will occasionally walk in the opposite direction and receive an error message about the issue. The injuries deliver an immersive experience that blends the action of the movies along with the stakes Robo faces as a cyborg.
RoboCop 3 is not a particularly long or challenging game, but its action and repair sections entertained me greatly as a kid. Plus, the game’s opening track is BALLER:
RoboCop vs. The Terminator by Virgin Games, Inc. (Sega Genesis)
May Heaven have mercy on a brother for this one.
Loosely based on the 1992 four-issue limited comic book series written by Frank Miller (he loved him some Robo didn’t he?) and illustrated by Walter Simonson, two of comics’ greatest creators, RvT pits everyone’s favorite lawman versus the cybernetic Terminators from the James Cameron films. Whereas the series dives into issues of humanity, guilt, and fate, the Genesis version of the game includes snippets of the story within its opening crawl and goes straight into the violence.
Released in 1994, the Genesis edition of RvT debuted the year after the game’s North American Super NES, Game Gear, and European Union Master System versions entered the market. Developed by Virgin Games USA and published by Virgin Interactive Entertainment, the Genesis version is an action platformer/shooter not unlike the previously covered titles. As Robo, players battle thugs and rescue resistance members (those who oppose the Terminators) in inner city Old Detroit and eventually fight the machines on their own turf in the war worn future. Robo uses a number of weapons in his quest, including a grenade launcher (which shoots hovering projectiles Robo can control after firing), homing missiles, a flamethrower, and his ever reliable Auto-9.
The game’s big and nicely detailed character sprites provide some of the game’s best graphical highlights. Robo and the Terminators especially look great, aligning well with their cinematic inspirations. The game’s first level, set in Old Detroit, features a battle with a Terminator disguised as a human, like in the films. Defeating the machine requires Robo to first eliminate its human shell, then blast its humanoid metal endoskeleton. RvT‘s environmental aesthetics buoy the game’s violent tone. From the broken windows and flying refuse in Old Detroit to the bleak caverns and metallic factories of the future, RvT delivers on that dreary, sometimes desperate feel that both film properties provide.
Ah, but the bloody, bloody violence.
Despite my limited experience with the gore of the first two Mortal Kombat games (Moms did not let me near those games often in my youth), it was RvT that made me squeamish. For all its bloody grandeur, the Mortal Kombat games’ violence is so outlandish it borders on comedic, much like Sam Raimi’s Evil Dead films. But RvT, which offers similar violence, hit different as the young ones often say. I first played RvT in either 1995 or 96 after renting it from Blockbuster Video (I still have my membership card somewhere), and remember being surprised at how much gore the game offers. Mind you, this was before I saw the unedited cuts of RoboCop and RoboCop 2 (I had only seen those films on tv), so I did not know how violent those films were, especially the first one (don’t click that link if seeing blood sickens you), until high school. The first time I saw an enemy explode into a bloody pile of horrid viscera after shooting him genuinely shocked me. The surprise hit me so suddenly, I even stopped playing for a bit to recoup. Eventually, I got back with it and enjoyed the awesome.
Alongside its high-quality graphics, the game features some excellent sound design, produced by Tommy Tallarico. Yes, that Tommy Tallarico. Before becoming embroiled in the Amico Intellivision development fiasco, Tallarico was one of the best sound men working in the 1990s. RvT remains one of his masterpieces; the sound quality, from the thunderous roar of missile explosions to the electronic overtones of Robo’s voice, contribute to the cybernetic, violent, and desolate world the game presents.
Finally, this piece gets done. Although it’s terribly short for a milestone that’s well over a year old, I do hope that you enjoyed it. Thank you for your cooperation, and remember these wise words from Officer Murphy!
Peace & Pixels
Neither. I’m seeking to wake up with a decent blood sugar level. Maybe that’s closer to survival.
ChompRetro 
