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It's a 100 Man Marathon! Players of Super Paper Mario for the Wii probably remember the Sammer Guy Kingdom and its Duel of 100. But did you know that this is a reference to one of the most grueling challenges in martial arts? Gaijin Goomba has the scoop!
Lucky Cat Mario in Super Mario 3D World is a bizarre power-up. Part cat suit, part Tanooki, it bestows some pretty interesting powers to Mario, Peach, and all the rest. But do you know it's cultural roots? And even more, the hidden symbolism behind the colors and gestures? Gaijin Goomba explains...
Mega Man isn't a game series most people would consider CONTROVERSIAL. And yet Mega Man 5, an oft-overlooked game in the series, was BANNED in Vietnam. Why? Gaijin Goomba has the answer.
The shovel. It's a go-to weapon for so many video games, especially the awesome-looking indie game Shovel Knight. But a shovel...REALLY??? It can't ACTUALLY be a good weapon right? Gaijin Goombah has the answers that may surprise you. The humble shovel is a lot more effective than you would typically think!
Shantae is one the indie darlings that tragically gets overlooked. But this fantastic female character has never had her origin mentioned in the games. Where does she come from? Gaijin Goomba thinks he has the answer...and the clues he uses to get there come from one of the strangest areas -- her belly dancing!
CONGA! Team Fortress 2's newest taunt has people in a tizzy over the so-called "game breaking" dance. But ironically enough, the conga taunt in TF2 is just a case of history repeating itself. This is the FORBIDDEN DANCE of Team Fortress 2!
Gaijin is STILL going gaga over Shovel Knight. And what's captured his interest today is THE PLAGUE! Plague Knight is a FASCINATING character with a rich history from the days of the Black Death. What do bird masks and exploding rats have to do with history? Find out on today's Culture Shock!
Gaijin has LOST his mind...or has he? The new indie game Gunvolt has got him thinking about J-Pop, its influence, and the way its slowly looking to replace talented humans with its mind control. But surely he's just overreacting right? RIGHT?
Gaijin dons his armor to explore the world of jousting. From armored shoes to pointed helmets, jousting is far more complex than two guys rushing at each other with sticks. What can we learn about this medieval trope from a mobile game? A LOT, actually!
Majora's Mask is arguably the best game in the franchise...at the very least, it's certainly the most unique. But not only is it unique as a game, it's cultural influence is far different from most other titles in the series: It's African! Gaijin Goombah lays out the similarities.
Zombies...are...REAL! Surprise! Bet you didn't know that. There's a mysterious ritual in Haiti that produces its own version of "real life zombies," but this cultural ritual is one that is, to this day, very poorly understood. Gaijin Goombah takes a look at the creation of "real life zombies" and determines that our existing zombie lore is NOTHING like this ritual.
Majora's Mask is arguably the best game in the franchise...at the very least, it's certainly the most unique. But not only is it unique as a game, it's cultural influence is far different from most other titles in the series: It's African! Gaijin Goombah lays out the similarities.
Who...is...Majora? After two episodes examining the African origins behind the game's villains and masks, Gaijin Goombah confronts the mysterious Majora himself. What secrets has the little chestnut discovered about this Moon Child of Destruction? The answer may surprise you!
Fox's Super Smash Bros. moveset has always been a bit...off. For a character you mostly control in a plane, there's not much for Nintendo to go off of when building a moveset for a brawler. But then WHY make him burst into flames and become an illusion? Gaijin Goombah has the answer!
Nearly three years ago, Gaijin covered the topic of Dating Simulations and the dangerous effects they were having on Japan's population. Now, he's back and out to defend these virtual vixens. Dating sims aren't just about...base desires...they provide MUCH more to the Japanese population, something every individual needs.
Toad Man is more Native American than Tomahawk Man. BELIEVE IT! Mega Man's infamous acid rainmaker is actually a reference to Navajo culture...and the depth of the references he showcases will TRULY surprise you!
Man...Greece is awesome. Seriously. Across all historical time periods, which tends to be the coolest? Greek history. You have togas, giant statues, angry gods, and of course, SPARTA! A city dedicated to WAR. But with so many games coming out featuring Greek history, just how accurate are they to real-life events. Goombah takes on Age of Sparta, a new mobile game, to show you how things COULD have gone during that infamous battle.
Thanks to Gameloft for sponsoring this video and being a regular supporter of the channel. AND for letting Goombah basically rip into the historical accuracy of the game ;)
Usually, religion and video games DON'T mix too well, but that couldn't be further from the case with Toukiden: Age of Demons. It's like Monster Hunter, but with a heaping helping of Shinto thrown in. But these references and traditions can be easily lost on the Western player. So, with Gaijin Goombah just getting back from Japan -- he's here to fill all of us in on this amazing game and inspiring culture.
Sengoku Basara is a game steeped in Japanese lore, as every character you play as is representative of a real-life shogun from Japanese history. But just how true-to-life are these characters? Yes, the Sengoku Basara games are centered around anime-style beat 'em up action, but is there any semblance of truth behind those flashy graphics? Goombah digs deep to find out!
A game that has confused everyone from Spoony to JonTron, Samurai Zombie Nation is a WEIRD game. You play as a floating head destroying the US. Seriously. It's a shmup-style shooter where your giant ghostly head destroys cities as you try to save them...and yet, it makes PERFECT sense. Goombah knows why!
Whether you call him Bowser or King Koopa, there's no denying that Mario's famous villain is one of THE most iconic video game villains of all time. But did you know that this character, created by the Japanese company Nintendo, actually may have CHINESE origins. BELIEVE IT! Get ready Theorists, because Goombah is going to teach you a little bit about the Dragon Turtle!
What does Shin Megami Tensei: Persona have to do with our personality?? This Culture Shock dives deep into Persona lore to uncover the fascinating basis for the game's mitama and how they relate to real world culture...and to OUR OWN PSYCHE! Prepare yourself for a whole lot of education and more than a few references to the movie "Inside Out!"
Super Mario Maker is the new Nintendo smash hit on the block and is just now exploding all over the world...but how NEW is this game, really? This awesome episode of Culture Shock lets you in on the lesser-known origins of one of Super Mario Maker's most fascinating features: Automario, where they game literally plays itself!
There are literally tons of FNAF theories out there (sure half of which are done by yours truly), and yet most of the theories stay very focused on just the elements inside the game. But GG has a different approach. By comparing real life Boogeyman myths from around the world to the franchise, he is going to see if he can solve the FNAF mystery... and win a little respect from the FNAF theorist community.
It's no surprise that we Theorists are big fans of the Zelda franchise. And with so many videos dedicated to the fantasy series what's left to talk about? Well, plenty. GG is diving into the culture of the Gerudo tribe and their Real Life counterparts - the Amazonian Women.
Undertale's city of monsters can be found in Ireland?! I'm there. Okay, so maybe not really. But in today's Culture Shock, GG explores the similarities between Undertale's underground and the Otherworld of ancient Irish myth.
Gaijin Goomba is going back in time, farther than ever before, to study a culture that many of us probably think is pretty simplistic. But are we wrong in thinking so? In today's Culture Shock, GG explores the weaponry and combat of Far Cry Primal and the stone age cultures of the Mesolithic and Neolithic ages. Will the weaponry of Far Cry's newest game match up with our ancient history?
From race master to cameraman, Lakitu has been around the Mario universe since the early days. But who is this cloud riding turtle, really? In today's Culture Shock, GG discusses the secret identity of Lakitu the Almighty!
What is Sans? Sure he looks like a skeleton, but skeleton's don't bleed. Do they? In today's Culture Shock, GG compares Sans to one of the strongest undead in all monster lore, a creature born for revenge!
The Shinto pantheon has been released into the SMITE universe - and GG is reflecting on Shinto's top dog, Amaterasu. But unlike the other gods in the game her powers come from her 3 sacred treasures. In today's Culture Shock, Gaijin Goombah delves into Amaterasu's lore to discuss the power behind these artifacts.
What started off as a simple cultural definition of character design turned into one of the biggest revelations of transgender and transvestite culture in video game history; and it all starts with boring, interchangeable Toad. In today's Culture Shock, GG discusses the similarities between gender swapping in Japan's culture and Super Mario Bros characters - Toad and Toadette
GG already dove into the origin of Fox McCloud in a previous episode, but where do the other characters get their inspiration? Apparently Japan's first ever Manga - "Scrolls of Frolicking Animals" seems to be a big source. These ancient scrolls are the first Japanese comics and are widely known in Japan culture. In today's Culture Shock, GG discusses the similarities between these comics, the characters in the Star Fox Franchise, and other cultural elements that play into the design of the series.
With Overwatch rapidly growing in popularity (and rightfully so), GG wanted to take the time to look into the game's characters and their possible cultural heritage. Of course he was drawn to the dragon brothers - Hanzo and Genji. But did Blizzard confuse these two? GG is diving into the inspiration for these Japanese brothers to see if there is more than meets the eye.
Like the rest of the world, GG has been playing the crap out of Pokemon Go. And the other day he finally caught an Exeggutor (GG is a huge grass type fan - I don't know why). But this Pokemon got him thinking. In today's episode, GG explores the "freaky" nature of this demon tree Pokemon and its real life origins.
After two long years of you guys asking for a Minecraft episode, GG has finally found something of cultural significance that he'd like to dissect for you - The Origin of the Villagers. In today's episode, GG explores the architecture, clothing, and protective golems of Minecraft's friendliest NPC's to explain where these villagers have their roots.
GG has ventured across the Frozen Seaway, combed through the Jurassic Frontier, and even spelunked through the Volcanic Hollow, but he's found the origins of one of Monster Hunter's iconic Elder Dragons—and it may not be as far-fetched as you might think.
Bayonetta's character has always been a controversial topic. But GG is here to tell you that regardless of how inappropriate her... wardrobe might be, everything about this character is a spot on representation of historical witchcraft. In today's episode, GG explores the physical design, supernatural powers, and sexually charged personality of Bayonetta to discover just how historically accurate this witch really is.
In FNAF, you keep the animatronics away with lights, music, and sheet determination, but have you ever thought about the fact that that's not entirely realistic? And as crazy as it sounds, there IS a real way to defeat haunted animatronics, at least according to REAL cultural lore. No, your flashlight won't save you in the event of a real possessed puppet attack, but what you learn from this video will...
At first glance, Pokemon Sun and Moon's Legendary Pokemon don't seem to match up with their types. Steel and Psychic? GHOST and Psychic? Come on. No Fire? No Dark? But after digging into these two and their possible origins, their types started making a little more sense. In this episode of Culture Shock, GG breaks down the cultural and historical origins of Solgaleo and Lunala.
Princess Peach is THE DAMSEL of the video gaming world. But is she really in distress? Despite what you may have thought, Peach is actually one of the most powerful characters in the Mushroom Kingdom. Digging into Nintendo's lore and Japanese culture, GG explains why this lovable Princess is far from being a damsel in distress - rather she is an almighty Goddess!
