I’ve done a lot of travelling this year and on planes I saw a lot of folks playing versions of a “place blocks to make lines” mobile phone game. I found a copy that I like (Romeow & Julicat – which has been on the Evercade) so thought I’d turn it into a game, themed around the great Welsh export – Mari Lwyd. I added elements to both Welsh Christmasses and some video games I like, so I feel like this is one of the favourite games I’ve built so far.
You can play it below.
Hope you like it! If you do, I’d really like the following:-
Please share this post on social media! Or talk about it on your blog (I accept Webmentions on this post) It really helps. Struggling with what to write about? Share your high score! Even lazier than that? Upvote it on Reddit!
You can download the game for free on Itch.io for Raspberry Pi and the source code for you to build in Pico-8. If you donate £2 or more you get the Windows, Linux and Apple Mac executables. I have also a Ko-Fi page which I am using as a generic “support my endeavours in various things” page. You can make a one-off donation or memberships.
Or you can just play online. Let me know your high scores, my best is 72625.
I am the 378th quickest runner ever at the Y Promenad, Llandrillo-yn-Rhos Parkrun (at the time of writing).
On Saturday I got up 6:30am from a tip off from my brother the week before. There was rumours that Rhos-on-Sea, a suburb of my hometown, was starting a parkrun that day. Previously being an achievement on the 5k App, attending the first parkrun in a location is not quite as prestigious as before – it’s not promoted to stop the newbie run directors being overwhelmed with people coming to attend. So much so, that it felt a little bit underground, a bit hush hush attending the event. Like a drinker in a prohibition era United States, as murky as my half 6 start in Newton-le-Willows.
Although the weather was terrible when I set off, the drive to North Wales was constantly getting better, so it was a cold crisp morning as I parked up. Word had got out a bit, as about 500 parkrunners and walkers showed up at the event. They were ushered into the garden next to the tourist information to get the first timers briefing. With everybody was a first timer nobody was skipping it. After folks were briefed I said a quick hello and goodbye to my brother who showed up with his dog and set off on the route.
The route is perfect for personal bests, running along the Colwyn Bay promenade, from Rhos-on-Sea, past Toad Hall pub, under the pier and just by Porth Eirias before doubling back again. I was surprised that the coast I walked many a time was only 2km or so. It feels a lot longer, certainly looked it. There is a loop but it’s largely flat and concrete – with only sand deposited from the North Sea causing issues. There’s even 2k marked out in the promenade’s mosaic to somewhat time yourself.
Anyway, it wasn’t a day for a personal best due to the numbers attending. I did get rather close though. Probably about a minute back on my personal best. I did push it too hard too early on (I managed my first 1k and 1 mile to be under the goal of a 30 minute 5k), meaning I was struggling towards the end, but I got home in a respectable 33:30 – really only hampering. My goal was to get a photo of the token to proudly declare that I was in X best runner in this blog post, as they had only 450 tokens in total.
Which I did.
It’s nice to have an email with 1 and a name as on the inaugeral parkrun page although the 5k App still lists the run as “Unknown” for now, meaning although I didn’t get the elusive “Y” for my Parkrun alphabet, I did pick up the U!
Overall, the time wasn’t the goal today, it was just to attend, and support, and just be a part of something good for my home town. It gets a bit of stick and having a parkrun there is another thing it’s got going for it. It’s a gorgeous location and looking forward to attend again.
I was today years old to realise that the music for the Commodore 64 game “Lazy Jones” music is the sample used by Zombie Nation’s “Kernkraft 400“.
Kernkraft 400 became Wales’ anthem after a match away at Belgium in the mid-2010s when the DJ played it at half time. I think the favourable conditions for Wales and the 48 hours of Leffe Blonde meant it was swiftly added to Y Wal Goch’s playlist, so much so that it was played in bars as I travelled around France in Euro 2016, usually the ones filled with the Welsh. We were no trouble, like.
You would have thought I’d have become aware of it, given my love of retro games. But no, I was told today. Thanks Matt!
it is quarter to 7 on day 2 of the Ashes test and England are already 7 down in their second innings, with a lead just shy of 200.
It is 6:47 in the morning, and I have been awake for about half an hour and in that time Carse and Atkinson have put up a dogged resistance.
I have therefore determined in my brilliant, Aggers-like analysis of the game that England only play well when I am awake.
This isn’t good, as I like my sleep and I am not a night owl, but if it means beating the Aussies on their home turf, I may pull a few all nighters. This is important for me and the country, so I am willing to do my duty.
….nevermind, Carse was just caught behind. Back to bed I go.
Away from things I discussed I also discussed the upcoming WordPress 6.9 release, building WordPress blocks with AI (and the security implications that provides) and changes to the Plugin ecosystem.
