Games on the Menu: March 2016

Posted on March 5, 2016 by GamesandGrinds

March 2016 brings with it a handful of games worth keeping an eye on. Take a look below to see which games we’ll be talking about this month.

Must Own

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD – Wii U – March 4th

I know the hype for this HD re-release isn’t quite building to a boil, but that isn’t keeping me from being excited to pick this game up on Friday. I haven’t played the original game since it first came out in 2006, and even then it was the (often considered inferior) Wii version. Many regard it as one of the easier Zelda titles, but Hero Mode along with an exclusive dungeon should keep the experience fresh. Oh, and of course I need to feed my new amiibo addiction with the exclusive Wolf-Link amiibo bundle. Be sure to join us on our Twitch channel as we play through this gritty Zelda classic.

Note: Twilight Princess is released and I’m playing it! Check out our channel this weekend to check it out.

Rocket League ‘Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice Car Pack’ DLC – PC – March 8th

Only recently announced, this $1.99 DLC looks like a worthy addition to the Rocket League roster. Who wouldn’t want to perform aerials and front flips with the Batmobile? It may not be a meaty update, but I’ve sunk so much time into the main game that I have no problem pitching Psyonix a few more dollars.

MLB The Show ‘16 – PS4 – March 29th

The pinnacle of video game baseball release for the 2016 season. It’s the only sports game that I buy religiously on an annual basis. I’m still not sure if I’ll pick this one up at launch (the ability to transfer my Road to the Show character helps that), but it is definitely on my short list of games that I  must own.

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Here’s our Twitch Schedule for March

Posted on March 2, 2016 by GamesandGrinds

TwitchScheduleMarch

It’s been a slow start for us out here in Hawaii. An unexpected move threw a kink into our new year plans, but with March comes a chance to start fresh. It should be a busy month thanks to the release of The Legend of Zelda: Twighlight Princess HD on the 4th, and since our move forced us to miss Pokemon Day, we’re throwing our own.

Follow us on Twitter @GamesandGrinds to get start times for each show. That’s it for this update. We’ll see y’all online at twitch.tv/gamesandgrinds !

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Splatfest: Burgers v. Pizza

Posted on December 3, 2015 by GamesandGrinds

Well Squid Kids, it’s time for another Splatfest!  Being food themed, it of course draws our attention.  On one hand, you have pizza: the classic party food, the quintessential “chill night” dish, the one phone call away meal.  But then, you have burgers, the all-American taste, the go-to for grilling, the second best thing to happen to fries (the first being Whataburger Spicy Ketchup, of course).

On Friday we’ll be live streaming Splatfest and representing our team, but which one will it be?  You’ll have to tune into our stream to find out. We’ll even be live-streaming a receipt of our choice!  But for now, let’s go ahead and weight the pros and cons of both. Continue reading →

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Beer Review: Goose Island Winter Sampler

Posted on December 2, 2015 by GamesandGrinds

As Goose_Island_Winter_Varirty_Pack_2015_a_110_107someone who appreciates sampling craft beers, one of my favorite aspects of the trade is the traditional brewing of seasonal specialties. Pairing limited edition brews with the tastes of each season is one of the simple pleasures I look forward to with each time of year. It just so happens that my favorite season, winter, also pairs with some of my favorite types of beer. While we still have a few weeks until the winter solstice, beer’s winter season is in full swing. We started things off with Goose Island’s Winter Sampler Pack, and here’s a quick overview of what we thought:

Winter Ale

Winter Ale, 5.3% ABV, 25 IBU

Typical of the Winter Ale style, this beer manages to have a rich flavor without being too overpowering. While chilled, this beer starts off sweet, with a light brown sugar/caramel taste that opens up to a nutty dark-chocolate finish. The malt becoming much more apparent as the beer warmed, but not so much that it drowned out other flavors. Given how strong-flavored many Winter Ales can be, Goose Island’s Winter Ale is an accessible entry into the genre, but it didn’t have enough character to be memorable.

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Recipe: The Best Oven-Baked Potato

Posted on December 1, 2015 by GamesandGrinds

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A few nights ago I found myself hungry in the middle of a gaming session. This recipe isn’t going to win any awards. It’s incredibly simple and likely unnecessary to many people who will read it. However it’s also the path I took to making the best oven-baked potatoes that I have ever eaten. It’s also the perfect kind of meal to supplement a night of video games.

Ingredients:

  • 2 Large Russet Potatoes
  • 3 Strips of Thick Cut Bacon
  • ¼ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • ¾ teaspoon Sea Salt
  • ½ teaspoon Black Pepper
  • ½ teaspoon Garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon sage
  • ½ teaspoon paprika
  • ½ teaspoon dill

Instructions

  1. Preheat Oven to 425 degrees
  2. Clean potatoes under cool water, then dry.
  3. Use a large fork to poke 8-10 holes into each potato
  4. Place the potatoes in a medium sized mixing bowl, then add olive oil, sea salt, black pepper, garlic powder, sage, and paprika.
  5. Evenly cover each potato in oil/spices, then place on center oven rack.
  6. Place a baking sheet on bottom oven rack to catch oil drippings
  7. Flip potatoes every 20 minutes for 1 hour.
  8. In a large pan, fry bacon.
  9. Remove potatoes when skin is crisp
  10. Use a knife to cut large notches into each potato, then press down with a fork to lightly mash.
  11. Season with salt/pepper to taste, and add your choice of butter, sour cream, shredded cheese, and chives. Dust with dill powder.

     Like I said, it’s about as basic of a recipe as you can get, but potatoes are cheap and the easy prep work makes this the perfect kind of snack/meal to have while gaming. That alone is reason enough to share with our friends here at Games and Grinds.

 

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