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Contra is often considered one of the best games for the NES, but it’s notoriously hard. Many players relied on the Konami Code to get 30 extra lives, which made finishing the game achievable. But have you ever tried playing the first level without it? It’s an incredibly challenging, chaotic experience where even skilled players usually die repeatedly when facing the boss. While beating the game without the code is possible, most players find it too difficult, and many likely gave up on the first level before discovering the code.

A recent report by NewZoo shows that popular, big-budget games are losing popularity with younger players, who are spending more time with smaller, independent games, even if they don’t have the same high-quality graphics. This suggests a shift in what gamers value, and could lead to significant changes in the video game industry.

It happens all the time: a character starts as a minor face in the background, then suddenly they’re everywhere, especially in places like Hot Topic. These 10 DC characters unexpectedly rose to fame, going from sidekicks to major stars.

Season 2 of the live-action series One Piece introduced some unexpected characters earlier than they appeared in the original manga, including Brook. The biggest surprise, however, was seeing Sabo appear in live-action. Despite this, producer Becky Clements told IGN that an actor hasn’t been officially cast to play Sabo yet.

Recent online reports suggest the live-action Power Rangers series is facing delays. According to insider @Jinsakuu, who has reliable sources, filming won’t begin in April as initially expected. Instead, production will focus on pre-production work. Casting hasn’t started and isn’t anticipated to begin until summer. This likely means the series won’t truly gain momentum until the second half of the year, potentially leading to a debut in late 2026 or more likely, 2027.

As a huge movie fan, I was blown away by the opening weekend numbers for Project Hail Mary! Deadline is reporting it made over $80.6 million domestically, which is way more than anyone predicted – they initially thought it would bring in around $50 million, then revised that to $63-65 million. It’s a massive win for Amazon, breaking the record previously held by Creed III. What’s even cooler is that it had the second-best opening weekend of any original movie ever, only behind Oppenheimer! Now, there are a few things to keep in mind – it doesn’t count movies that launched franchises later on, like Inside Out, or films based on already huge properties like Barbie. But still, it’s a fantastic sign that audiences are really embracing original stories.

The Henchmen has been aiming for a release for some time, but the recent trailer finally gives us a solid date. This is important because previous announcements suggested a launch as early as the first quarter of 2025, which didn’t materialize. Now, the official release date is set for May 26, 2026, as shown in the trailer and on Steam.

During a recent earnings call, an investor inquired about the company’s marketing plans, specifically asking if they were considering a prolonged campaign or a surprise release. Co-CEO Michał Nowakowski replied that while anything is possible, they generally prefer longer marketing campaigns for their games, as they’ve found those to be more effective than quick, event-based launches. He indicated they’re leaning towards a more sustained marketing effort.

A powerful Elder named Xirena Awhina, known as the Promoter, is orchestrating a tournament between Earth’s heroes and villains to decide the planet’s future. It’s unclear if she’s the main villain or just a player in a larger cosmic game, but she definitely possesses incredible power.

As a longtime Marvel fan, I’ve been following the build-up to the Fantastic Four’s official MCU arrival, and this new comic, Fantastic Four: First Foes #1, is a clever tie-in. It’s particularly interesting because it finally brings René Rodin, who you might remember as being mentioned in the recent film, fully into the universe. We only got hints of his character before, but this comic really fleshes out his connection to the Fantastic Four’s beginnings and explains his eventual transformation into the Mad Thinker. It’s a nice bit of world-building that adds depth to the overall narrative.