Question of the Month: Who/What/Where?

In an effort to become more involved in the blogging community, and to force myself to write more than once every quarter (and about something other than Godzilla); I’ve decided to submit some thoughts about the Question of the Month from Later Levels.  They hold a monthly challenge, in which last month’s chosen blogger poses their own “Question of the Month” challenge.  May’s challenge comes from Pix1001 at Shoot the Rookie,who wants to know where you would choose to plant those digital roots.  What video game locale would you like to call home?  And, what would be your vocation or profession in this new home.

For me, there are a lot of easy answers to this question.  At least the location part.  With games now bordering the “uncanny valley” of not knowing the difference between reality and fiction, there are certainly some picturesque locales that would offer breathtaking views and a wide variety of activities.

However, just because it looks nice, doesn’t mean it would be a great place to live.  Let’s take a little looksie at a few of my “easy” answers, before I get on to my real answer.

Hyrule (The Legend of Zelda): No one can argue that the latest installment of one of Nintendo’s most popular series looks amazing and offers a variety of climates.  Ski bunnies, rock climbers, and porch-sitters alike would be well at home here.  Just don’t forget that it’s also chock full of Goblins, Lizards, weird jelly things, and lots of other baddies that may put a damper on this otherwise scenic and picturesque environment.  Plus, there’s this one guy named Ganondorf Dragmire who is just always causing problems with the world as a whole.  I’ll pass.

Skyrim (The Elder Scrolls): Also known as The Old Kingdom, Throat of the World, the Fatherland.  This region Tamriel looks stunning on your PC, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Playstation 3, Playstation 4, and Nintendo Switch.  It will probably look a little less stunning when they  port it your Texas Instruments graphing calculator, but who knows, technology these days.  Anywho…looks great, but… dragons… and giants… and arrows to the knees… and ellipses…

 

Rapture/Columbia (Bioshock): Much like the Bioshock series itself, Rapture, and Columbia, brought players to new depths and heights of gaming.  Not just in location, either.  The locations of the sovereign nation of Columbia (Bioshock: Infinite,) floating high in the sky, and the panoramic oceanscapes of Rapture (Bioshock 1 & 2,) a city beneath the sea, are unquestionably beautiful.

Not only would you get the Scenic skybox vistas of Columbia, and amazing aquatic neighbors in Rapture; you would also get mechanized George Washington robots, mentally-unstable and genetically-altered splicers, tears in space-time, and of course, the big baddies that are the Big Daddies.  Plus, the ocean kind of freaks me out, alot.  It’s too deep.  Seriously.  Now, would you kindly just answer the question?

Well since you asked so politely, I will.

Now that you know where I wouldn’t want to live, I’ll tell you where I would want to spend my digital days.  I’m going to take a different route than most I assume, and fall into a video game “Inception.”  A game world within a movie.

I’d choose to live in the game world of “Fix it Felix” from the movie Wreck it Ralph, and I’ll give you a few reasons why.

1. The digs/crib/casa:  I’m not entirely sure if the apartment complex in “Fix it Felix” actually has a name or not*.  Based off of the game we’re living in, I’d imagine it’s named something like “Felix’s Flats,” “Old Stump Suites,” or “Mess Free Manors”  on the corner of Anyone-can-live-here-but-Ralph Road, and Ralph-Don’t-Even-Think-About-It Drive.  Since I’d be living in the building with Felix, you know that the apartment would be nice, up to date, and never broken.  Although it’s not much to look at on the outside; inside, I’m sure “No Ralphs Plaza” has all of the latest accommodations and up to date fixtures.  I mean, did you see Felix’s penthouse during their game anniversary party?  That magic hammer has style!
2. Neighbors: Now, from what I can gather, the residents of “Touched Up Tenements ” might seem a little cliquey at first.  Even to the point of being rude.  But, once you get to know the residents they’re not so bad.  They may even make you a cake on special occasions, or to reinforce a sense of pride and accomplishments! The big guy out back though, he’s the real neighborhood friend keeping you there.  Don’t let his occupation as a literal home-wrecker skew your opinion in any way; Ralph would go out his way and sacrifice whatever is necessary for a friend.
3. Location, Location, Location: Accessible to every game locale in Flitwick’s Arcade (and soon, every internet connected game); all you would need to do is to hop the train and go to the hub.  From there, the arcade world is your oyster.  You can’t get more central than that.
   1. Thirsty?  Head on over to Root Beer Tapper and grab yourself a root beer float.
   2. Craving sustenance?  Find the next train to Overcooked or Cooking Mama and grab some grub.
   3. Night on the town?  Dance, Dance, Revolution, Fuzion Frenzy, Doritos Crash Course (which was basically a Wipeout knock off), Rock Band.  All of those party games that were once all the rage are now just a short trip away.
4. The Job:  This one, I’ll stick with an easy answer.  Apprentice handyman.  “Hey Felix.  Can I borrow your hammer?”

Everything you could ever want, all nestled into, and near, one little luxury apartment complex.

What about you, oh reader mine?  Have you ever wanted to get lost in Los Santos, peruse Persia with a Prince, or trip down Rainbow Road in the Mushroom Kingdom?

Inquiring minds want to know.  Sound off in the comments below.  And once again, stay classy.

*Okay, so I wrote this up before I actually found the picture of the apartment complex, and apparently it’s called “Niceland.”  Seeing as how that’s super lame, I’m keeping my original paragraph, and not just as filler…