iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Jonathan Leung (VGMaps.com / YT: JonLeung1) @vgmaps.bsky.social · 11h

I'm behind on my LEGO building... if this becomes official, I'm really going to have start making some time for my LEGO backlog... Support this design for Samus's Varia Suit from Metroid Prime on the LEGO Ideas poll here: ideas.lego.com/product-idea...

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Jonathan Leung (VGMaps.com / YT: JonLeung1) @vgmaps.bsky.social · 11h

The Nintendo 64 was released in North America 30 years ago today. I found an import games store a few months earlier and rented Super Mario 64 and a Japanese N64. When Toys "Я" Us had demo kiosks, my friend, brother and I impressed everyone watching with how much we already knew about it.

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Jonathan Leung (VGMaps.com / YT: JonLeung1) @vgmaps.bsky.social · 12h

Continuing our look at Metroid commercials, we have another one in Nintendo's "who are you?" campaign of the GBA/GameCube era. This one is for Metroid Prime 2: Echoes (GameCube). Interesting way to suit up...

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Jonathan Leung (VGMaps.com / YT: JonLeung1) @vgmaps.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Happy 30th Anniversary to the Nintendo 64 (in North America), which was almost going to be called the "Nintendo Ultra 64" (as teased here in Killer Instinct (arcade), with a 1995 release date).

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Jonathan Leung (VGMaps.com / YT: JonLeung1) @vgmaps.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

I like to make .GIFs, so here's one of the "Silence Your Phones" Avengers: Doomsday spot.

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Jonathan Leung (VGMaps.com / YT: JonLeung1) @vgmaps.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Recently, Nintendo copyright-struck down my 12-hour YouTube videos of NES/Super NES music. Literally one minute of music from each game. Constant variety, and each goes on for half a day, great for listening to while at work. Should I remake them WITHOUT Nintendo's first-party games?

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Jonathan Leung (VGMaps.com / YT: JonLeung1) @vgmaps.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

The North American commercial for Metroid: Zero Mission was during the GBA and GameCube era when they had the "who are you?" campaign, highlighting Nintendo's stable of first-party characters and how you are like them when playing their games. (Kind of a memorable campaign, I kind of dig it.)

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Jonathan Leung (VGMaps.com / YT: JonLeung1) @vgmaps.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

I know everything can be a crossover these days, but I never figured Street Fighter would cross over with an insurance company. www.youtube.com/watch?v=ulEe...

youtube.com

Taking on Akuma | The General Insurance × Street Fighter

YouTube video by The General

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Jonathan Leung (VGMaps.com / YT: JonLeung1) @vgmaps.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

The "Top 9 Games" thing that's trending is stupid because we literally did that last year with 10 games and didn't have to use some lazy template. Do people really not know how to use Photoshop/Paint Shop Pro or any image editor? Anyway, I couldn't settle on 10 so here's my 11.

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Jonathan Leung (VGMaps.com / YT: JonLeung1) @vgmaps.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Do Hawaiians and Middle Easterners not get Internet at all??? When I show my Pokémon GO Friend Code, asking SPECIFICALLY for friends from OCEAN and SANDSTORM regions, I get that players anywhere add me regardless. But statistically, shouldn't ANY of you be from there? bsky.app/profile/vgma...

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Jonathan Leung (VGMaps.com / YT: JonLeung1) @vgmaps.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

The Japanese commercial for Metroid: Zero Mission (GBA) spoils the new content with gameplay in Chozodia and (gratuitous) shots of Zero Suit Samus, played by former model/actress Chisato Morishita who is now a politician, a member of the Japanese House Of Representatives since 2024.

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Jonathan Leung (VGMaps.com / YT: JonLeung1) @vgmaps.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Happy 40th Anniversary to Castlevania! Symphony Of The Night is by far the best game in the series. It put the "-vania" in Metroidvania! The map of the ENTIRE game (by Revned) is my favourite map on all of VGMaps.com: The Video Game Atlas: vgmaps.com/Atlas/PSX/in...

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Jonathan Leung (VGMaps.com / YT: JonLeung1) @vgmaps.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Happy 40th Anniversary to Castlevania! In Castlevania: Harmony Of Despair, there is a DLC chapter that recreates the original game as one continuous area. Compare: Castlevania (NES): vgmaps.com/Atlas/NES/in... Castlevania: Harmony Of Despair (Xbox 360 / PS3): vgmaps.com/Atlas/X360/i...

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Jonathan Leung (VGMaps.com / YT: JonLeung1) @vgmaps.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

I remember enjoying @felicia.day's "The Guild", but don't remember much about it, as it was long ago. I should give it a rewatch before the upcoming "The Guild: Ren Faire'd" movie. I do remember the Cheesy Beards commercial, though. (A week late for "Talk Like A Pirate Day", sorry.)

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Jonathan Leung (VGMaps.com / YT: JonLeung1) @vgmaps.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

"Talk Like A Pirate Day" was a week ago, but I missed it because I was at the Edmonton Expo. But anyway, if you like pirate adventures, here's "The Unboxing Of Monkey Island Anthology", one of my best (and most fun to make) videos on my "JonLeung1" YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wi82...

youtube.com

The Unboxing Of Monkey Island Anthology (Limited Run Games)

YouTube video by JonLeung1

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Jonathan Leung (VGMaps.com / YT: JonLeung1) @vgmaps.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

The commercial for Metroid Prime is cinematic! Directed by Alex Proyas, who also directed The Crow (1994), Dark City (1998) and I, Robot (2004). It was supposedly filmed on the same set as The Matrix (1999), and was shown in movie theatres. Could Metroid ever be this cinematic again?

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Jonathan Leung (VGMaps.com / YT: JonLeung1) @vgmaps.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

Metroid Fusion and Metroid Prime released on the same day in 2002 after an eight-year drought (doesn't seem that long compared to 18 years between Metroid Prime 3 and 4 or 19 years between Metroid Fusion and Metroid Dread). I don't remember seeing this Fusion commercial, but the budget looks higher!

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Jonathan Leung (VGMaps.com / YT: JonLeung1) @vgmaps.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Before continuing our look at Metroid commercials, here's a part in the Nintendo GameCube Spaceworld 2000 demo reel that made me rewatch it a hundred times on IGN back in the day. Just a concept, but Metroid Prime would come out two years later. Full reel: www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNrO...

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Jonathan Leung (VGMaps.com / YT: JonLeung1) @vgmaps.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Anyone in Edmonton claim the FREE GIFT at West Edmonton Mall for its 45th birthday, and what is it, exactly? #Edmonton #WestEdmontonMall #YEG

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Jonathan Leung (VGMaps.com / YT: JonLeung1) @vgmaps.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

I watched the Avengers: Endgame Encore extra footage that leaked online. Sure, it kinda sets up Doomsday as intended, but none of it is really anything surprising that you wouldn't have already guessed, and I don't think you'll be missing much seeing Doomsday without seeing this.

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Jonathan Leung (VGMaps.com / YT: JonLeung1) @vgmaps.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

10 years ago today, I started my YouTube channel! (It existed before, but I mean, doing it seriously.) This is my first video. Slightly awkward and not as polished. But feeling cringe at past videos proves that I've gotten better since then! www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dqzm...

youtube.com

Review: The History Of Nintendo: Volume 1 - 1889-1980

YouTube video by JonLeung1

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Jonathan Leung (VGMaps.com / YT: JonLeung1) @vgmaps.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Today's Metroid commercial post is the North American TV spot for Super Metroid. How does a dog play video games? This ad is notable for being one of the few commercials using Nintendo's short-lived "The Best Play Here" slogan before the better-known "Play It Loud!"

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Jonathan Leung (VGMaps.com / YT: JonLeung1) @vgmaps.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Don't know why I still play Pokémon GO, but today I got to Level 67. 6-7! 🙃 Anyway, I got here by evolving tons of Scatterbug to Vivillon. Could use Friends from ONLY the tropics (Ocean) or the Middle East (Sandstorm) to help me get the last two. Friend code is 3153 3692 4886.

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Jonathan Leung (VGMaps.com / YT: JonLeung1) @vgmaps.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Oh, you want more Metroid commercials? Here's a German one for Super Metroid. "Super Metroid: das beste action-adventure für Super Nintendo!"

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Jonathan Leung (VGMaps.com / YT: JonLeung1) @vgmaps.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

Worth reposting with all the Metroid talk lately... Do you know of this demo full of secrets in Super Metroid? bsky.app/profile/vgma...

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Jonathan Leung (VGMaps.com / YT: JonLeung1) @vgmaps.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

Happy 32nd anniversary to the time that Pharaoh Man proved that he is awesome! Funnily enough, this was only in the second episode of the Mega Man cartoon; you'd think they'd build up the recurring "now I've got your power" for a few more before throwing in a sucker punch.

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Jonathan Leung (VGMaps.com / YT: JonLeung1) @vgmaps.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

Continuing our look at Metroid commercials, we have the minute-long Japanese commercial for Super Metroid (Super Famicom), with live-action for the setup of the adventure, when Ridley attacks Ceres Space Colony to capture the last Metroid. Why couldn't more Super NES games have TV spots like this?

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Jonathan Leung (VGMaps.com / YT: JonLeung1) @vgmaps.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

Just saw The Transformers: The Movie 40th Anniversary rerelease. Not sure what to make of the "Optimus Prime: Awakening" short. One part midway indeed felt like a tribute to Peter Cullen as Optimus Prime. But the end's confusing; was it meant to lead into something, had Peter Cullen not passed away?

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Jonathan Leung (VGMaps.com / YT: JonLeung1) @vgmaps.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

Before moving on to Super Metroid's commercials, here's one more for Metroid II: Return Of Samus (Game Boy), in a Kool-Aid promotion.

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Jonathan Leung (VGMaps.com / YT: JonLeung1) @vgmaps.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

I now have 2097 followers on X; come on, Bluesky, catch up! 2097 seems to be a popular year for games. Or at least, it's shown up a few times. One Must Fall 2097 is one of the very best 1990s 1v1 fighting games on the PC. Possibly THE very best. (If there is a better one, I'd love to know about it.)

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Jonathan Leung (VGMaps.com / YT: JonLeung1) @vgmaps.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

Continuing down the Metroid commercial rabbit hole, here's the North American TV spot for Metroid II: Return Of Samus. Funny that they say "graphics enhanced". What's that face made of? Is it supposed to be like the Game Boy's dot matrix, but with literal dots instead of squares?

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Jonathan Leung (VGMaps.com / YT: JonLeung1) @vgmaps.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

GUESS WHO'S BACK ON FACEBOOK AFTER 140 DAYS OF EXILE? Glad Meta came to their senses and reversed the unreasonable ban by AI moderation! (Literally, they gave no reason.) I'll have to update many of my friends on what's been happening, it's been a crazy 20 weeks.

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Jonathan Leung (VGMaps.com / YT: JonLeung1) @vgmaps.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

The Metroid series has many fascinating commercials; here's another. This Japanese spot for Metroid II: Return Of Samus has stop-motion Samus in manga-like scenes. It also proclaims that it's popular in America (interesting way to say the first didn't sell as well in Japan)...

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Jonathan Leung (VGMaps.com / YT: JonLeung1) @vgmaps.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

You all seem to love the Toys ''Я'' Us commercial I posted yesterday, so here's another commercial, just for Metroid (NES). I love how they want to hide the fact that Samus is a woman, and the quick cuts hide the fact that the budget for building the set is next to nothing.

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Jonathan Leung (VGMaps.com / YT: JonLeung1) @vgmaps.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Who likes Back To The Future? And who likes the Back To The Future NES game? zagato blackfist has mapped it, and submitted the map set to VGMaps.com: The Video Game Atlas yesterday! Surprised we didn't have it earlier... but I guess it was only a matter of TIME...

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Jonathan Leung (VGMaps.com / YT: JonLeung1) @vgmaps.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

Okay, another Metroid post... Here's a clip from a 1989 Toys ''Я'' Us commercial with a dad and son looking for an NES, but somehow going through NES games (including Metroid) to search for one:

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Jonathan Leung (VGMaps.com / YT: JonLeung1) @vgmaps.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

Speaking of Metroid Dread... For VGMaps.com's April Fools' joke in 2009, I made fake maps of Metroid Dread for the DS ("Dread" was rumoured since even before then)! It was fun but so much work to put the maps together, and all as a joke! vgmaps.com/NewsArchives...

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Jonathan Leung (VGMaps.com / YT: JonLeung1) @vgmaps.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

Since Metroid is a hot topic right now, I should point out that VGMaps.com: The Video Game Atlas has maps of many Metroid games, including the best one, Super Metroid (Super NES), made by Rick Bruns (also seen on his snesmaps.com )!: vgmaps.com/Atlas/SuperN...

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Jonathan Leung (VGMaps.com / YT: JonLeung1) @vgmaps.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

Funny that many are getting into Metroid for the first time. Samus is one of the original eight (non-secret) fighters in the original Super Smash Bros., so even Nintendo gamers who only play Smash are familiar with her. But many of you weren't interested enough to play her games?

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Jonathan Leung (VGMaps.com / YT: JonLeung1) @vgmaps.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

Only 20% to 35% of players finish the main story of a video game? What? What is wrong with most of you gamers? Don't you want to see the story through to the end? Do you shut off a movie before the end too?

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Jonathan Leung (VGMaps.com / YT: JonLeung1) @vgmaps.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

My hot Metroid take is that I don't like Samus Returns as much as many other people seem to. Maybe I'm not that great at melee combat, I think there are too many sappy weeds, and like the original Game Boy game, many areas look too alike. I DO really like Diggernaut, though.

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Jonathan Leung (VGMaps.com / YT: JonLeung1) @vgmaps.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

Besides being Video Games Day, September 12 is also National Policewoman Day!

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Jonathan Leung (VGMaps.com / YT: JonLeung1) @vgmaps.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

Apparently, today is Video Games Day! Yes, really! I'm sure I played some arcade games when I was really young that I don't remember... But the very first video game that I played at home was Donkey Kong on the ColecoVision. What's the first video game that you ever played?

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Jonathan Leung (VGMaps.com / YT: JonLeung1) @vgmaps.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

I saw Mayday (2026) last night, and now I have made a new reaction .GIF... of Kenneth Branagh drinking really slowly.

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Jonathan Leung (VGMaps.com / YT: JonLeung1) @vgmaps.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

The Metroid series is one I've grown up with since the NES; it's surprising that many people haven't played any. Doesn't help that there are years-long droughts between some entries, BUT, the games are rereleased CONSTANTLY. If you only play one (but why?), play Super Metroid.

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Jonathan Leung (VGMaps.com / YT: JonLeung1) @vgmaps.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

How to feel old: 1. Realizing 9/11 was 25 years ago, though it felt like not that long ago. 2. Remembering I was 21 then. 3. Realizing there are grown adults today, some older than I was then, but weren't born when it happened, and have no idea what pre-9/11 life was like.

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