🏳️⚧️ "Critical Kate” Willært
@katewillaert.bsky.social
(WILL-ert) | Investigating forgotten gaming history | Creator of the greatest Metroid video on Youtube | Asexual, autistic, artistic, 🏳️⚧️(she/her) | Linktree: https://katewillaert.com/link-tree
Pinned
Writers: repost a random piece your proud of.
On top of the collab with Kevin Bunch mentioned below, another piece I'm very proud of is this exploration of Metroid's likely-but-unconfirmed influences beyond the Alien films.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGwW...
On top of the collab with Kevin Bunch mentioned below, another piece I'm very proud of is this exploration of Metroid's likely-but-unconfirmed influences beyond the Alien films.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGwW...
Did I swing by a Target because I heard some Switch 2 kiosks were running the demo, only to turn up empty?
November 26, 2025 at 4:15 AM
Did I swing by a Target because I heard some Switch 2 kiosks were running the demo, only to turn up empty?
As the old saying goes, good enough isn’t, which is why Goonies was not rated ‘R.’
I think enough time has passed that we can revisit the question: 'R' Goonies, in fact, good enough?
November 26, 2025 at 4:14 AM
As the old saying goes, good enough isn’t, which is why Goonies was not rated ‘R.’
Reposted by 🏳️⚧️ "Critical Kate” Willært
All I want for Christmas is for you and two of your friends to go preorder Metroidvania: The First Decade at your favorite cool local book shop
I once asked a bookseller at a large indie store how many people would have to buy a book for it to get the attention of the store buyer and cause an additional order and they said: Three.
I see some book piracy discourse, and, to make a positive argument in favor of buying books, your marginal ability to influence what books get published and support the careers of writers you like is massive compared to most other forms of media.
November 26, 2025 at 3:14 AM
All I want for Christmas is for you and two of your friends to go preorder Metroidvania: The First Decade at your favorite cool local book shop
Here’s mine, except I don’t consider Star Wars a series of movies anymore.
1. Andor
2. Empire
3. Star Wars
4. Rogue One
5. don’t care
1. Andor
2. Empire
3. Star Wars
4. Rogue One
5. don’t care
If you want to count Spaceballs I would totally put it at number four of my personal rankings and bump everything else down, but:
1: Star Wars
2: Empire
3: Last Jedi
4: Return of the Jedi
5: Force Awakens
6. Phantom Menace
7: Solo
8: Rogue One
9: Sith
10: Clones
11: Rise of Skywalker
1: Star Wars
2: Empire
3: Last Jedi
4: Return of the Jedi
5: Force Awakens
6. Phantom Menace
7: Solo
8: Rogue One
9: Sith
10: Clones
11: Rise of Skywalker
haven’t seen ROS or Solo but this seems like a pretty ball-knowing list from Pritzker, particularly if he volunteered the name “Star Wars” rather than “A New Hope”
November 25, 2025 at 3:20 PM
Here’s mine, except I don’t consider Star Wars a series of movies anymore.
1. Andor
2. Empire
3. Star Wars
4. Rogue One
5. don’t care
1. Andor
2. Empire
3. Star Wars
4. Rogue One
5. don’t care
Okay, but when are the cowards going to drop this crop top?
November 24, 2025 at 7:55 PM
Okay, but when are the cowards going to drop this crop top?
Reposted by 🏳️⚧️ "Critical Kate” Willært
The newest episode of Otherworld mentioned this Alex Colville painting from 1976 that looks eerily like a screenshot from a PlayStation-era video game and I can’t stop thinking about it.
www.otherworldpod.com/blogs/episod...
www.otherworldpod.com/blogs/episod...
November 24, 2025 at 6:20 PM
The newest episode of Otherworld mentioned this Alex Colville painting from 1976 that looks eerily like a screenshot from a PlayStation-era video game and I can’t stop thinking about it.
www.otherworldpod.com/blogs/episod...
www.otherworldpod.com/blogs/episod...
The only useless pieces I know are the ones I literally cannot use because I’ve been sworn to secrecy.
i was going through my X archives and found this by @superpodsaga.com, which I qrt'd at some point years ago
so, let me bring the question back: what is the most useless piece of video game knowledge you know?
so, let me bring the question back: what is the most useless piece of video game knowledge you know?
November 24, 2025 at 3:20 PM
The only useless pieces I know are the ones I literally cannot use because I’ve been sworn to secrecy.
Out of curiosity, do I have any followers who are familiar enough with Applesoft BASIC to be able to understand an odd bit of NPC behavior that's likely determined by a combination of hidden dice roles and dialogue choices?
November 23, 2025 at 7:12 PM
Out of curiosity, do I have any followers who are familiar enough with Applesoft BASIC to be able to understand an odd bit of NPC behavior that's likely determined by a combination of hidden dice roles and dialogue choices?
One day kids are going to tell each other the month of November is nicknamed Black Friday because it’s the second to last month or the year as Friday is the second to last day of the week.
November 20, 2025 at 11:30 PM
One day kids are going to tell each other the month of November is nicknamed Black Friday because it’s the second to last month or the year as Friday is the second to last day of the week.
Reposted by 🏳️⚧️ "Critical Kate” Willært
Only 7 days left to join the crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter for not one, but two books: Stage 3 of the Video Games series and Rebels, Pirates and Tentacles: The Story of LucasArts.
What are you waiting for?
www.kickstarter.com/projects/110...
What are you waiting for?
www.kickstarter.com/projects/110...
Video Games: Stage 3 and The Story of LucasArts
Stage 3: From 1985 until 1989 - Rebels, Pirates and Tentacles: The Story of LucasArts
www.kickstarter.com
November 20, 2025 at 4:33 PM
Only 7 days left to join the crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter for not one, but two books: Stage 3 of the Video Games series and Rebels, Pirates and Tentacles: The Story of LucasArts.
What are you waiting for?
www.kickstarter.com/projects/110...
What are you waiting for?
www.kickstarter.com/projects/110...
To raise awareness that today is Transgender Day of Remembrance, which closes out Transgender Awareness Week, I present to you a thought:
If Birdo doesn't lay eggs and is canonically trans, and Yoshi does lay eggs, have we considered that Yoshi is also trans?
If Birdo doesn't lay eggs and is canonically trans, and Yoshi does lay eggs, have we considered that Yoshi is also trans?
November 20, 2025 at 4:59 PM
To raise awareness that today is Transgender Day of Remembrance, which closes out Transgender Awareness Week, I present to you a thought:
If Birdo doesn't lay eggs and is canonically trans, and Yoshi does lay eggs, have we considered that Yoshi is also trans?
If Birdo doesn't lay eggs and is canonically trans, and Yoshi does lay eggs, have we considered that Yoshi is also trans?
I just learned that John Carmack misgendered and deadnamed Rebecca Heineman in his "tribute" over on Twitter. He probably thinks it's okay when talking pre-transition days, but FYI, most trans people hate that. Worse, he never calls her "she," switching to "they" for recent memories. Fuck that guy.
November 20, 2025 at 4:35 PM
I just learned that John Carmack misgendered and deadnamed Rebecca Heineman in his "tribute" over on Twitter. He probably thinks it's okay when talking pre-transition days, but FYI, most trans people hate that. Worse, he never calls her "she," switching to "they" for recent memories. Fuck that guy.
Reposted by 🏳️⚧️ "Critical Kate” Willært
look ma, we're trending on bluesky
Bluesky's Top 10 Trending Words (past 60min):
💨x1* - democracy 🔓
💨x1* - ukraine 🔓
💨x1* - gaza 🔓
💨x146 - cloudflare
💨x104 - 1﹐613
💨x76 - olbermann
💨x66 - piggy
💨x60 - demonschool
💨x57 - cloudfare
💨x50 - neutra
*🔓 = Unlocked Emergency Words (see img)
#FreePalestine 🇵🇸
(Something not right? Reply!)
![Emoji Legend
💨x# | "Increased Trending Rate" for a Word (meaningful value; "💨x8 - burger" will mean "burger" is trending at 8 times its own normal rate for this time of day)
🔓 | "Unlocked" Ongoing Emergency Word (such words are not weighted down by their own previous usage; their *ongoing* increased usage--weeks, months, years--would otherwise move them down the list.)
[PREVIOUSLY USED]
⚠️💨# | "Trend Strength Rating"
⚠️🌀💨 | "Trend Strength Rating" (see above)
⚠️🌀 CAT. # | [same; "CAT." = Category, like hurricane]
💬# | 10min Post Count
🆎# | 10min Word Count
🙂# | 10min Emoji Count](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:k43ha6nlknmdw4owymqnvcat/bafkreigp6bgag3jzkool6uxrujpcrwtn6zkd7cbfrmevhaxaqhhewgolmu@jpeg)
November 18, 2025 at 6:49 PM
look ma, we're trending on bluesky
Words fail me.
All raise a sword, for the Goddess of Stories, Jennell Jaquays, as she ascends to Valhalla to share tales of bravery and mirth, forever @dark-towers-mom.bsky.social
November 18, 2025 at 4:38 PM
Words fail me.
Reposted by 🏳️⚧️ "Critical Kate” Willært
That's awesome
I made a River City Ransom card. I wanted to test out using clear parts. Opening the card tosses the crate, done by using a swing mechanic.
November 18, 2025 at 3:56 PM
That's awesome
Is it bad that I kind of wish I could see how many views my posts get, just so I can see if they’re only being seen by the same 20 people all the time?
November 18, 2025 at 7:04 AM
Is it bad that I kind of wish I could see how many views my posts get, just so I can see if they’re only being seen by the same 20 people all the time?
Reposted by 🏳️⚧️ "Critical Kate” Willært
Burger left an insta to be posted post-mortem, 10/10 no notes, classic Burger
November 18, 2025 at 12:05 AM
Burger left an insta to be posted post-mortem, 10/10 no notes, classic Burger
In the Feb 1985 issues of LOGiN, game publisher Bothtec tried something unusual. Instead of a typical ad that looked like a spread from a catalog, they just printed an uncolored illustration (by in-house artist Kauyuki Takimoto), a list of their current and upcoming games, and their contact info.
November 17, 2025 at 10:08 PM
In the Feb 1985 issues of LOGiN, game publisher Bothtec tried something unusual. Instead of a typical ad that looked like a spread from a catalog, they just printed an uncolored illustration (by in-house artist Kauyuki Takimoto), a list of their current and upcoming games, and their contact info.
What people think making a video essay is like:
November 17, 2025 at 5:29 PM
What people think making a video essay is like:
Business Tour (1984) - Bothtec
November 17, 2025 at 4:34 PM
Business Tour (1984) - Bothtec
Reposted by 🏳️⚧️ "Critical Kate” Willært
Everyone send your love to the great Burger Becky while you can
I never thought I’d get this wish. Odd seeing eulogies before I expire
November 17, 2025 at 4:45 AM
Everyone send your love to the great Burger Becky while you can
I am also still waiting.
Incidentally, Sakura's Samus Doll from their Mario vs Wario manga (also published in NP back in the day) has remained rent free in my head for *decades*:
[I've also wanted this thing *for those same decades*]
[I've also wanted this thing *for those same decades*]
November 16, 2025 at 3:09 PM
I am also still waiting.
The rollercoaster ride this block of text just took me on.
November 15, 2025 at 6:36 AM
The rollercoaster ride this block of text just took me on.
I watched a preview vid about Metroid's annoying tutorial guy, and while the attempts at humor didn't bother me (from what I saw), what *does* rub me the wrong way is the idea of some rando Samus just met mansplaining to her how to use her own shit. Shades of Adam M, I'm a little nervous.
November 14, 2025 at 6:25 PM
I watched a preview vid about Metroid's annoying tutorial guy, and while the attempts at humor didn't bother me (from what I saw), what *does* rub me the wrong way is the idea of some rando Samus just met mansplaining to her how to use her own shit. Shades of Adam M, I'm a little nervous.
For people unfamiliar with my lore, I had an emergency gallbladder removal at the beginning of the year. An area of skin on my stomach has been numb since then, but to my relief feeling has finally started to return. The downside is that the fresh nerves are hypersensitive and it’s driving me nuts.
November 14, 2025 at 4:13 PM
For people unfamiliar with my lore, I had an emergency gallbladder removal at the beginning of the year. An area of skin on my stomach has been numb since then, but to my relief feeling has finally started to return. The downside is that the fresh nerves are hypersensitive and it’s driving me nuts.