IRL (Video Games In Real Life)

JAPAN | Guide to Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Japan, Osaka

Anyone who grew up playing old school video games dreams of visiting Super Nintendo World. This themed section inside Universal Studios Japan in Osaka is a geek-filled paradise where you warp right into Princess Peach’s Castle, punch question mark blocks in real life, and dine on cute Mario-themed food items.

After years of being stuck at home and escaping to virtual worlds, it felt great to get sucked into this immersive video game world in real life in Japan during a recent family trip.

Video games with environmental themes to play this Earth Month

Climate change, air pollution, and other destructive habits of human beings towards the environment should be a great cause of concern to everyone. Travelers are well-aware of the environmental troubles impacting tourist destinations in the Philippines, including the encroachment of territories in Masungi Georeserve, destruction of mountains due to mining in Sibuyan Island, and damage to marine life brought by the recent oil spill in the wates of Mindoro.

However, kids these days are growing up stuck to their screens rather than exposed to the great outdoors. One way to make the younger generation appreciate the value of nature and our environment more is through video games.

Travel Guide: 82 Provinces of the Philippines

UPDATE: In September 2022, the province of Maguindanao was split into two, so the Philippines now has 82 provinces. This travel guide was originally completed and written in 2019 before the split and the pandemic, but has been updated to reflect the new province and newer photos from more recent revisits.

The Philippines is made up of 82 provinces, spread out under three major island groups: Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanano. Currently, there are 38 provinces in Luzon, 16 in Visayas, and 28 in Mindanao. The provinces are grouped under different regions based on their geographical, cultural, and ethnological characteristics.

How video games helped me during the pandemic

The Covid-19 pandemic has had an enormous impact on the video game industry. With restricted movement as people are forced to quarantine at home, interest in gaming has just boomed. People have turned to video games as a hobby and means of socialization, organizing virtual meet ups with friends through games. While many industries are still struggling to find their footing, video games continue to be developed and released digitally, so it’s still possible to access new games and content even with prolonged lockdowns.

Urban legends in Manila: Balete Drive, Manila Film Center and more

The Philippines has its fair share of urban legends. A lot of Filipinos are superstitious or use horror stories to scare children into good behavior. We’ve all heard ghost stories or supernatural tales usually depicted as having happened to a friend of a neighbor or a distant family member and passed along by word of mouth, newspapers, and social media. Some urban legends have achieved cult classic status and become the subject of horror films and Halloween-related segments featuring haunted places in Manila.

Biking in Balara Filters Park

The Balara Filters Park is one of the oldest recreation areas in Quezon City. First opened to the public in 1953, this 60-hectare park (almost as big as Rizal Park) is located in the Diliman village of Pansol in Quezon City, adjacent to the University of the Philippines Diliman main campus. This intriguing place contains an assortment of Art Deco structures, an old windmill, a replica of a fountain designed by a national artist, a picnic grove, an amphitheater, and several playgrounds.

Despite being one of Quezon’s City major parks, the historic value of the structures, and natural beauty of the surroundings, the park now lies in a sad state of neglect and dilapidation, resembling an eerie ghost town rather than a public park. Biking through this area always makes me feel like I’ve just entered Silent Hill or a long-abandoned town in The Last of Us.

7 Video Games that Will Inspire you to Travel

I’ve always felt like traveling is like playing an open-world video game. But instead of being guided by some main storyline or quest list, you get to choose your own adventure, save up resources so you can go to the parts of the world you want to explore, try to visit as many places as possible by breezing through or stay longer so you can explore each place ore thoroughly. Every person has their own style of gaming and traveling, and that’s ok. But going on these virtual adventures can sometimes inspire you to look for real-world equivalents.

Pretty much every action-adventure or role-playing game (RPG) game I’ve played has inspired me to travel from Legend of Legaia and Spyro to Diablo and The Last of Us. But if I had to pick just a few, these are those that really stood out and inspired me to travel and embark on personal travel quests in real life. If you’re stuck at home, here are some video games you can play to get a travel fix.

5 Iconic Motorcycles in Video Games

It looks like it might be a while before most of us can get any real riding given the world’s state. The best thing I can do right now is turn on my console and pretend I am. For those who don’t know, aside from traveling, I like playing video games, so I’ll be catching up on some of my gaming-related content while staying indoors.

Since I started riding, I’ve always been inspired by video games for travel and exploration. In fact, my own custom motorcycle Fenrir was inspired by the video game Final Fantasy VII.

With Fenrir, my Final Fantasy-inspired custom bike

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Tipsy Tales: Portal to Pinoy Folklore

Have you ever wanted to step into a Fairy Tale storybook or enter the hidden realm of mythical creatures? How would you react if you came face to face with a dwende or a kapre? You can do that in Tipsy Tales, an immersive theatre featuring tales from Philippine folklore right in the comforts of Eastwood Mall in Quezon City.

Mythical Destinations in the Philippines

Aside from traveling and motorcycling, one of my favorite hobbies is playing video games. A couple of months ago, I celebrated the completion of my Project 81 quest by finally buying a PlayStation 4. I’ve since finished Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End and loved exploring the massively beautiful world of Horizon Zero Dawn.

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