Tonight on GeekNights, we review The Apothecary Diaries anime. It's worth a look, and is on both Crunchyroll and Netflix. In the news, Science Saru is bringing us a very good looking Ghost in the Shell, the Star Wars manga is getting a fancy artbook, and the Rose of Versailles movie is coming to Netflix April 30th. Also get on your Nintendo Switch …

Tonight on GeekNights, we review Hayao Miyazaki's Princess Mononoke (もののけ姫). This 1997 film is a masterpiece. In the news, Donald Trump destroyed global trade, Murderbot is coming, the Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin manga gets a deluxe edition, and Spider-Verse 3 is coming on June 4 2027. Also Rym continues to love Common Side Effects. Related Link…

Tonight on GeekNights, we review Heat: Pedal to the Metal (2022). It's a car racing game with well-tuned push-your-luck mechanics that is definitely worth a play. It's even better over multiple races. In the news, Cory Booker heroically and historically holds the Senate floor for over 24 hours in a powerful rebuke of Donald Trump's fascism (beating…

Tonight on GeekNights, we muse a bit on the problem of discoverability. Nearly all experience is mediated, and this includes deciding what web site to look at. In the news, Rym is back from Zenkaikon, Moon Zooz is continuing to rock it, the cosmological constant might not be, niri is a scrollable-tiling Wayland compositor, and US Defense Secretary …

Tonight on GeekNights, we review Friedemann Friese's sequel to Power Grid titled Power Grid: Outpost. We highly recommend reading the second page of the rulebook closely. In the news, Pokémon Go (and all your location data) were sold to Scopely, there's something to this nemesis system, and this is the most important thing you can pay attention to …

Tonight on GeekNights, we review the Sakamoto Days anime. It starts with a strong premise, but in the end it's just a shounen fighting show. In the news, Flow wins Latvia's first Oscar, The Day The Earth Blew Up actually looks pretty good, you can see Princess Mononoke restored in theaters, and Common Side Effects is real good. Related Links Forum …

Tonight on GeekNights, we talk about MIDI. The Musical Instrument Digital Interface, which is still in use today. In the news, Donkey Kong ‘94 is re-released on Switch, Youtube adds translated dubbing, and Ontario (rightly) taxes Americans using their energy. Related Links Forum Thread MIDI Discord Chat MIDI Bluesky Post MIDI Things of the Day Wate…

Tonight on GeekNights, we consider Windows 11 and the fools who refuse to upgrade. In the news, the iPhone 16e arrives, Gmail is (correctly) dropping SMS two-factor, Twitch is capping uploads for 0.5% of streamers, and Germany represents a profound realignment of global politics. Related Links Forum Thread Windows 11 Discord Chat Windows 11 Bluesky…

Tonight on GeekNights, we consider the concept of retirement. I know what my plan is. In the news, James Bond is captured by an evil megacorporation, and supplements will destroy your liver. Related Links Forum Thread Retirement Discord Chat Retirement Bluesky Post Retirement Things of the Day Rym - Tom's Diner (Cover) Scott - The 88x31 GIF Collect…

Tonight on GeekNights we review Shogun, released as part of the Milton Bradley Gamemaster series that we reviewed back in 2006. Renamed to Samurai Swords and then to Ikusa, we revisited it with pro tabletop players this past weekend. We're a lot wiser about game mechanics and game design here in 2025, and this game holds up surprisingly well except…

Tonight on GeekNights, we discuss electronic payments. We grew up in a world where credit cards were imprinted on carbon paper and cheques were on physical paper. In the news, the Baltics have disconnected from the Russian power grid, Football Manager 25 will be skipped, and there's one weird trick to stop Google's terrible AI summaries. Related Li…

Tonight on GeekNights, we review Ryan North's Fantastic Four (2022). It's kind of fantastic. In the news, Diamond Distributors is dead and AnimeNEXT appears to be dead. Related Links Forum Thread Fantastic Four (2022) Discord Chat Fantastic Four (2022) Bluesky Post Fantastic Four (2022) Things of the Day Rym - The Union Pacific Big Boy Scott - Land…

Tonight on GeekNights, we consider all the ways to sell software. From shareware to software-as-a-service to "just buying it" it's evolved quite a bit over the years. In the news, CES happened, Republicans killed net neutrality, and Pornhub is blocked in the entire US south. Also we will be live at MAGFest, which is imminently about to sell out. Re…

Tonight on GeekNights we review Moorland (2023). We played it twice at PAX Unplugged and it's a solid game with two novel mechanics. In the news, New York's congestion relief pricing is already fantastic, Valve makes insane money per employee, and two Gundam tabletop games are coming. Related Links Discord Chat Moorland (2023) Forum Thread Moorland…

Tonight on GeekNights, we talk about Terminals. From the VT100 to any modern Terminal Emulator, they are still a part of the computing world and are worth knowing about. In the news, Jimmy Carter has died at 100, Chinese state-sponsored hackers attacked the US Treasury, and a hero has defeated a fake Nintendo lawyer. Related Links Discord Chat Term…

Tonight on GeekNights, we talk about fear. Rym was on a panel about fear at PAX South back in 2016, plus a video essay. In the news, it turns out Santa Claus is a myroblyte, ChatGPT went down, Russia shot down another commercial airliner, and Finland seized a Russian sabotage tanker. Related Links Discord Chat Fear Forum Thread Fear Bluesky Post Fe…

Tonight on GeekNights, we talk about drones. In the news, the common clay of the New West think they're seeing nefarious drones everywhere and we have WordPress vs WP Engine. Related Links Forum Thread Drones Discord Chat Drones Bluesky Post Drones Things of the Day Rym - 1-900-490-FREAK Scott - Elevator Music…

Tonight on GeekNights, we talk about knives. Learn to use the right knife for the right task with the right technique in the kitchen, and your life will be better. Also learn how to care for them. In the news, the assassination of a health insurance CEO brought a deep simmering anger to the surface of American society, surprising many, and the Inte…

Tonight on GeekNights, we consider PAX Unplugged 2024. It was a top tier PAX. In the news, the Rangers aren't doing well, Marvel Overwatch is exactly what it looks like, and Fortnite has to pay back the kids it ripped off. Related Links Forum Thread PAX Unplugged 2024 Discord Chat PAX Unplugged 2024 Bluesky Post PAX Unplugged 2024 Things of the Day…

Tonight on GeekNights, we consider blogging. In the news, Roblox is making a closed ecosystem Discord competitor, the US gave Intel a pile of money, and Intel's CEO hit the bricks. Rym has also consolidated all of his social media into rym.social and talks about how he set up cross-posting across microblog, Mastodon, and Bluesky. Related Links Foru…

Tonight on GeekNights, we review Obelus. A re-implementation of Dark Spires designed by Chris A. Williams, it's a quick abstract two-player game that's worth having in your bag. In the news, The Magic Commander Format, recently embroiled in capitalist drama, is getting a digital version, and the itch.io Creator Day sale is this Friday! Related Link…

Tonight on GeekNights, we review the remake of Ranma 1/2. It's a solid remake of the classic anime based on the classic manga by Rumiko Takahashi. In the news, stay strong as the fascists take control of the US government, and Sony is trying to buy Kadokawa. Related Links Forum Thread Ranma 1/2 (2024) Discord Chat Ranma 1/2 (2024) Things of the Day…

Tonight on GeekNights, we consider the humble tradition of carving pumpkins. You may recall in 2006 when we reviewed Pumpkin Scissors or our review of It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, but we have never dedicated an entire episode to the carving of pumpkins. In the news, tonight is the 19th anniversary of GeekNights. (The brave can listen to t…

Tonight on GeekNights, we review the Terminator Zero anime. It's a worthy Terminator entry, though we'd suggest watching Terminator and Terminator 2 (and nothing else) before watching it. Eight episodes on Netflix and produced by Production IG, Skydance, and Netflix. In the news, John Wick is getting a prequel anime, and Animation Speak Easy is thi…

Tonight on GeekNights, we talk about widgets. Mostly status and telemetry widgets that people like to put on their desktops or their phones. They have their uses, but are usually useless. In the news, Cloudplane is shutting down in December, Adobe's Project Turntable is stunning, and Tesla's robots were (obviously) fake. If you are able to vote in …

Tonight on GeekNights, we consider the concept of debt. In the news, the FTC makes a move against dark patterns in subscriptions and North Korea blows up its connection to South Korea and decrees that unification is no longer possible. Related Links Forum Thread Debt Discord Chat Debt Things of the Day Rym - Wireless Non-Electrical Remote Scott - T…

Tonight on GeekNights, we review The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom. It's a Zelda game and you probably should play it. In the news, the big Nintendo leak isn't that exciting and Reiner Knizia’s SHOCKING Confession. Related Links Forum Thread The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom Discord Chat The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom Things of the D…

Tonight on GeekNights, we review Look Back. Directed by Kiyotaka Oshiyama and based on Tatsuki Fujimoto's manga of the same title. You may know Tatsuki Fujimoto from Goodbye Eri and Chainsaw Man. In the news, Rym's flight home from Singapore has its own wikipedia page, Anno is producing a new Space Battleship Yamato film, and the Uzumaki anime has …

Tonight on GeekNights, we talk about cores and concurrency and threads and such. Also Rym and Emily fought a bear. In the news, Intel's chip instability saga has concluded, and Python 3.13.0 is pretty good. Related Links Forum Thread Multicore Multiprocess Concurrency and Such Discord Chat Multicore Multiprocess Concurrency and Such Things of the D…

Tonight on GeekNights, we consider the evils of web trackers and analytics. They are used almost exclusively to feed the ad industry and you should block them wherever possible. Rym has installed the microcode patch for some Intel chips and you should too if you have one of them. In the news, Microsoft is moving to a security-first posture, nostalg…

Tonight on GeekNights we review the absolutely fantastic LUPIN III Kabuki Production. Even if you have never experienced kabuki and know nothing about it, this is 100% worth watching. It's a top tier experience. In the news, everything on Temu and Shein is full of poison and the updated Chicago Manual of Style just dropped! Related Links Forum Thre…

Tonight on GeekNights, we review Friends vs Friends. It's a fantastic quick arena-duel FPS with cards. It evokes the feeling of playing weird mods against your friends online in 1998. In the news, PAX Unplugged is December 6-8, the keynote speaker is Elizabeth Hargrave (of Wingspan fame), "hard mode" is a great way to frame handicapping in games, M…

Tonight on GeekNights, Rym and Emily review Slay the Princess. It's a graphic novel philosophical horror game in a sense. It'll give you a lot to chew on and it's definitely worth playing! From Black Tabby Games, you may recognize Abby Howard from Penny Arcade's Strip Search! Related Links Things of the Day Forum Thread Slay the Princess Discord Ch…

Tonight on GeekNights, we review Scavengers Reign, a science fiction drama television series created by Joseph Bennett and Charles Huettner for Max, based on their 2016 short film Scavengers. It's not bad. In the news, Deadpool & Wolverine is worth seeing if you like Deadpool, Arcane and Terminator Zero are already leaked, and the Rick and Morty an…

Tonight on GeekNights, we discuss fragrances. You may recall in 2013 we covered the opposite side of the smell spectrum. In the news, GeekNights officially endorses Kamala Harris and Tim Walz for President and Vice President of the United States, the world's first medieval electronic instrument has launched, and this is the kind of thing you only e…

Tonight on GeekNights, we review Four Swords, which was released in 2002 on the GBA as The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past and Four Swords. It's basically a tech demo/proof of concept for the real game released on the Gamecube which we reviewed back in 2009. You can play it online with friends on the Switch, and you probably should. In the news…

Tonight on GeekNights, we review the 2023 French animated neo-noir science fiction film Mars Express. Just watch it. It's Robocop Bladerunner 2001 Terminator 2 Total Recall Ghost in the Shell Murderbot (and more). In the news, The Time Masters is getting a theatrical 4k remastered release, the creator of Centaurworld is making a musical feature, an…

Tonight on GeekNights, we talk about the insidious and underestimated problem of noise pollution. We've previously talked about computer noise specifically. In the news, GeekNights endorses whoever the Democratic candidate for President is in the 2024 election, the Russian government plotted assassinations in Europe, red light cameras remain contro…

Tonight on GeekNights, we consider the games one can play at the beach. We've previously talked about the beach, and also Yard Games, so now we bring an intersection of the two. Also Beach Soccer and Terraforming Mars. In the news, the Nintendo Direct had some good stuff (especially the long awaited Metroid Prime 4) and you don't need an Xbox to pl…

Tonight on GeekNights, we review the anime version of Ōoku: The Inner Chambers from 2023. In the news, the Lupin III Kabuki Stage Play streams live with English subtitles on August 11 and Dandadan is opening in theaters on September 13th. Related Links Forum Thread Ōoku: The Inner Chambers (2023 Anime) Discord Chat Ōoku: The Inner Chambers (2023 An…

Tonight on GeekNights, we consider the sad state of the technology creeping into car dashboards. In the news, the US Supreme Court has disastrously ruled that the president is above the law in extreme and shocking complicity with authoritarian takeover. In other news, some good Python development practices and Apple cramming AI into their largely f…

Tonight on GeekNights, we consider the concept of bosses in videogames. In the news, the Panthers win the Stanley Cup in the longest season in NHL history, Connor McDavid is awarded the Conn Smythe trophy but doesn't come out to claim it, and Founders of Reyvick might someday come. Related Links Forum Thread Bosses (in videogames) Discord Chat Boss…

Tonight on GeekNights, it's a Tech News Roundup! Mouse movers are getting people fired but are also a sign of late stage capitalism, social media is messing up the kids, don't operate your i9 at turbo voltages when it's overheating, Adobe is mostly wrong here but also read what you buy, this is a good car that will never reach the US, data breaches…

Tonight on GeekNights, we review Animal Well. It's a beautiful and well made metroidvania. In the news, Civilization 7 is coming and Blades in the Dark is fantastic from session zero to terminal endgame. Related Links Forum Thread Animal Well (2024) Discord Chat Animal Well (2024) Things of the Day Rym - Don't touch AM transmitter towers Scott - Pr…

Tonight on GeekNights, we make some technology predictions for one, five, and ten years into the future. We did this once back in 2010. In the news, Ticketmaster and Santander have massive data breaches, Google accidentally published its secret search sauce, Twitter adds pornography, and Rubin is the next generation AI chip. Related Links Forum Thr…

Tonight on GeekNights, we discuss markup languages like Markdown. In the news, Rym posted an analysis of strange noises in Sportsnet NHL streams, the ship that broke Baltimore Harbor has been removed, you can read a paper exploring The consequences of generative AI for online knowledge communities, and there are new iPads. Related Links Forum Threa…

Tonight on GeekNights, in light of one of many Helldivers 2 kerfuffles, we consider yet another way that late capitalism is ruining the games industry: the stores make more money than the games. In the news, a Roblox game's attempt to fix its in-game economy causes a bunch of gamers to lose their minds, Sportsnet streams have freaky noises, and Ani…

Tonight on GeekNights we talk about when technology fails. Dead PSUs, dead hard drives, and the like. In the news, there is a vulnerability in practically all VPNs and Tesla is firing everybody after they fired a bunch of people. Related Links Forum Thread Technology Failures Discord Chat Technology Failures Things of the Day Rym - Why Stomping Wig…

Tonight on GeekNights, we consider how to ruin your competitive card game. Scott shares the original Sins of CCG design. This is all in the context of Marvel SNAP. In the news, the Rangers sweep the Capitals, Square Enix reported extraordinary losses, Dave & Buster's introduces real money gambling, and Fallout games don't work on modern PCs. Relate…

Tonight on GeekNights, we review the delightful Pokémon Concierge on Netflix. In the news, Dungeon Meshi grows a plot if you watch past the first bit, Chinese Indie Feature Art College 1994 is in theaters this Friday, and Tonari no Yokai-san looks super cute. Related Links Forum Thread Pokémon Concierge Discord Chat Pokémon Concierge Things of the …