2024 Into 2025

 I usually make this kind of post around the new year with DrGAKMAN updates, but I'm running late on all that.  2024 was...crazy...I thought we were headed to the end with how much the "bad guys" were winning.  While I still think the end is near and there's still so much I want to do reach more people with the Gospel of salvation through Christ, part of me is relieved at how the American election turned out (as well as how quickly it was finished) and I felt some weight off my shoulders and hopeful that maybe we have more time before the end.

In that though, I rested and laxed on some 2024 goals and even though I feel we might have more time, I've squandered a chunk of that time on things I shouldn't be messing with.  Not gonna focus on that here as I know the flesh is weak and I will always have to battle my vices.  I did make some progress on my Blogger (keeping up with updating my MYSTERY ministries, The DrGAKMAN Secret Menu, Nintendo AGENDA, PokéMon GO BWTB pages) hacking some things and actually making new Secret Menu items so that's good.  Trying to make more efforts to be a better person, friend, brother and worker and (futility) trying to work on my budget/debt.

Still though, I always feel I'm way behind 'cos I do waste the tiny bit of free time I have on stuff I shouldn't.  I have to say that again, this last years VGA's were trash (Nintendo should just do their own awards show) and the only awards show that matters is Mega 64's Todd & Aaron Awards:

2025 kinda off to a good start, gettin' some things done and while I have so many things to do, I am also going to purposely make time to enjoy what I've got which is difficult for me 'cos I'm always thinking about other projects I should work on.  I have to keep busy though, to keep from getting distracted by my vices.  I want to work on my Blogger pages more, make new ones and work on newer Secret Menu items, but I also have a lot of games & shows/movies I haven't finished so I need to enjoy those more.  I'm already almost done with Maison Ikkoku (which is a long series, thanks to Sarah for watching it with me) and keeping up with Switch 2 news, my taxes and such...I gotta do a BWTB year-end video (even though we're in February) 'cos I hit lvl 50 in PokéMon GO!

I have to spend less time on BS and take some time to enjoy the time we have, but also not get too comfy 'cos there's more work to do!

Switch 2 First-look Impressions

 To continue with my "moment in time" thoughts on Switch 2 I'm making a Blogger post instead of putting on my Nintendo AGENDA page just to delete it later.

2 minutes...if you're ready to make a negative snap judgement on all things Switch 2 from this, then you're silly.  Reasonable people wanted a more powerful Switch that was backwards compatible, they got it!  Unreasonable people wanted something completely different (without knowing all the features, yet) and crazy power (without seeing what it could do, yet) so they call it boring...there's no satisfying these types!

I know we all wanted more information, but Nintendo saw fit with all the leaks happening that this is what they'd show now.  All the leaks ending being true from this trailer and this first look goes straight to the point to confirm important info.  The continued Switch hybrid form factor, the name, the larger screen & joy-cons, that the joy-cons are magnetically connected and have mouse functionality, that it's backwards compatible...trailer actually showed off a lot if you didn't already know that stuff from leaks & rumors and it conveyed it without a complicated explanation.  I was curious on how the joy-cons would work with a strap and a grip and they showed that off.  Aesthetically it looks the same as the current Switch yet less toy-like in it's colors & contours.  At the end of the trailer they tell us we'll get a lot more info in April followed by Switch 2 Experience live events which is telling us it should launch soon after!

The leaks showed that the extra button was a "C" button but this trailer removed the C marking from the button maybe to tell us about it later?  The "mic" marking for the microphone hole was also missing so maybe that's all related since rumors say the C stood for a communication function?  Communication, community, connect, chat or as one rumor put it: "Campus" (like those old Nintendo Campus Challenge tour events from the '90's?) so it probably has to do with that but Nintendo would make a bigger deal of it later when they reveal more about Switch 2 online features.

From this short trailer we also got how Nintendo was showing off Switch 2 as both a part of the Switch family but also the next-gen machine.  Same red logo branding, same form factor but with a big "2" to make it clear this is an iterative system...but also the NEXT system.  This could be a smart approach if marketed as a continuation as opposed to starting all over.

What we really wanted...and what really matters...is games!  We only got one, the next Mario Kart.  Again, people were quick to say it looked like the Mario Kart we have on current Switch ignoring that it's so much more if you pay attention.  Jumping from 12 racers to 24 is one thing, but this next video really shows how much more this next Mario Kart is:

So that brings us to power, after all: more power = more games, right?  Raw specs really shouldn't matter and don't really tell us much since people gauge "power" in different ways.  Jumping from 4GB of RAM to 12GB of (faster) RAM is one thing, but what's really telling about performance is all the (more current) games already rumored to be coming to Switch 2:

Switch 2 at VGA 2024?

 With rumors of Switch 2 to being "revealed" in January and launched in March, I thought I'd put my 2 cents in.  I would rather post this on my Nintendo AGENDA page (since I was right about them announcing Switch 1 backwards compatibility there first), but with this post being time-stamped it's more "predictiony".  While the above rumor may happen (there's been too many rumors for years now) there's another rumor saying Switch 2 will make some kind of appearance at the VGA's in December.  If the January reveal to March launch rumor is true then I could see something maybe happen at VGA 2024?

If the reveal/launch thing is true then Nintendo (like they did with Wii) would announce the name of the device before the blowout reveal.  No trailer, no controllers or hardware, not even any games...just the name/logo.  A good reason to do it is so that when new game trailers show up at the VGA's people will know that they're also coming to Nintendo's next system.  Reasons they wouldn't though are: the VGA's are more for industwy PC/PlayStation shite and there would have to be a lot of controlled planning way ahead of time with publishers to have that name/logo in the trailers.  Doable, since all they would have to do is tack on a couple of seconds of said name/logo but if it ever were to happen Nintendo would probably reveal the name/logo on their terms separate from (and before) the VGA's.

But do they really want the first games/trailers for the new hardware to be from 3RD parties without revealing a game of their own?  Probably not, but if they did maybe a Metroid Prime 4 (for Switch 2) trailer is possible.  Just dreaming here.  We'll see what happens...

General News About This Blogger

 As I contemplate my future...and the future of this world...I've taken a step back on a lot of things.  One part knowing that I should be spending the little time I have on more important things like seeing souls saved, learning & teaching more about God's Word and spreading the hope & joy of salvation through Christ.  Another part wanting to continue this Blogger as it was with my posts & pages about entertainment, food & work but knowing that the more important part has me putting that on the back burner needing to focus on what really matters.

I'm no longer making individual DrGAKMAN DIET or GAMESWAP GOODIES posts, I will probably end up making separate pages for those topics that I'd occasionally update with stuff...but a lot of that has to be put on hold 'cos there's more pressing topics to discuss.

I have still been lightly updating my main page here'n'there but the page I really want to focus on is the MYSTERY ministries page.

Get Right With God, Continued

 

The last post four months ago seemed like a panic.  I am right with God and I don't fear what is to come for me.  God doesn't want us to be sick with worry or be in constant fear so this isn't talk of fear-mongering...this is more of a warning just in case the end is coming sooner.

I don't want it to come so soon for there's many things I wish to experience in this world (silly things like personal projects, video games, movies, spending time with friends, etc.), but they're quite trivial things that don't matter in the grand scheme of things so I don't want to waste time that would be better spent on helping those who are lost and not right with God be better prepared for what is to come.  But again, at the same time, God doesn't want us to live in a state of worry or fear and not enjoy the life we have.

This "Lion of Judah" channel is interesting, but I don't take the same doctrinal perspective they have on certain things.  But this video is right...our economic world bubble is being set-up to bust with the only solution in sight being an Anti-Christ with the mark of the beast ready for us.  The video also points out that we all have this thought in the back of our head that something Earth-changing is coming...'cos it is!

People have thought the end was coming before in the past...they were correct but the timing wasn't there yet.  Is our time here, is the end near?  I'm always 50/50 knowing that every day that goes by is a day closer...the pieces are in place but we've been wrong before about the timing...I pray we have more time, more of a grace period so more people can come to Christ for salvation...no one will know the time, could be very soon or very far off.  We must live every day fully like it's our last but we should be prepared for our last day!

There's an order of events and I should write more on my MYSTERY ministries page about it...I have squandered too much of the time given being too comfortable in my life...I need to learn & teach more about what is to come.

Get Right With God

 I feel we're running out of time in this world.  I mean, every day that goes by is a day closer to the end and many people in times past have said the end is coming, but then others don't heed those warnings 'cos it didn't happen...

...yet...

...I'm not predicting a when or a how, just that it's coming sooner.  There's so many things in just this month alone that are signs of bigger things to come:

Things like this have happened before...sure, you can say they don't matter or mean anything...but, all at once...within the space of one month?

I'm a believer and I don't base my faith on fuzzy feelings, but this is a lot of signs all at once.  Christ told us that the end of this age comes as the Earth has more labor pains just like a woman about to give birth has more contractions near the end of her pregnancy.

The world is falling apart not just with these signs and what's happening in this month ahead, but as the rulers of this world purposely are leading us towards social, political, economic, environmental collapse and on the brink of multiple wars...just like the Bible said would happen.  All these things have a solution...someone who will come in and offer peace and "fix" this broken world...the Anti-Christ...possibly even in this year of the dragon?

Before that, there is a great falling away...I know where my final destination is as I have accepted Christ as my savior.  He has already paid the sin-debt we all owe to God with His death, burial & resurrection...all you have to do is accept that free gift to make peace with God!

I say all this...to a world that hates us for it...too late...I wanted to do so much more to see souls saved & saints edified with the truth of Christ but I haven't done enough.  I'm not crazy or suicidal or whatever the powers that be will say we believers are when Christ comes to take us away before the Anti-Christ comes to power.  Get right with God before it's too late!

TMNT Neca Big Movie Turtles

X-MEN Grand Design

DBZ Small Figures

Super Mario Maker 2DS