The latest from Casual Nerdery: retro gaming, MCU, GradeMaster, and whatever else I’m nerding out about.
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Prepare to be Humbled: Ranking The 10 Most Brutal NES Boss Battles
Read more: Prepare to be Humbled: Ranking The 10 Most Brutal NES Boss Battles“Yeah, I threw the controller at least once.” -Your friends, probably The NES wasn’t known for fair boss fights. Limited (or non-existent!) continues, stiff controls, and unforgiving patterns: Reaching a boss was often harder than beating it. But some developers…
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Why River City Ransom Still Feels Modern Today
Read more: Why River City Ransom Still Feels Modern TodayRiver City Ransom, a 1989 NES game, transcends traditional beat-’em-ups by combining RPG elements, like permanent character upgrades and exploration in a vibrant city. Unique for its flexible cooperative gameplay and innovative progression system, it remains relevant today, influencing modern…
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5 NES Games That Were Ahead of Their Time
Read more: 5 NES Games That Were Ahead of Their TimeWhen most people think of the Nintendo Entertainment System, they think of simple games. A plumber jumps on koopas. A hero swings a sword. A spaceship shoots aliens. And to be fair, the NES was limited by modern standards. Most…
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GradeMaster: A Simpler Grade Calculator for Busy Teachers
Read more: GradeMaster: A Simpler Grade Calculator for Busy TeachersUpdated July 2026 Learn more and try it here: GradeMaster.Get it now on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store Why I Built GradeMaster Last week I needed to write three separate scoring sheets to help calculate grades. I…
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STFC Priority 1 Missions Guide: Are P1 Away Missions Worth It? (2026)
Read more: STFC Priority 1 Missions Guide: Are P1 Away Missions Worth It? (2026)If you have been working through Away Missions in Star Trek Fleet Command, there is a good chance you have seen players talking about Priority 1 Missions, often shortened to P1 Missions. For newer players, they can seem mysterious at…
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STFC Away Missions Guide: Best Officers & Traits for Beginners
Read more: STFC Away Missions Guide: Best Officers & Traits for BeginnersUpdated May 2026 Away Missions are one of the most misunderstood progression systems in all of Star Trek Fleet Command, especially for newer players. Many beginning commanders ignore Trait XP or waste it randomly, when (if used intentionally and correctly)…
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Best NES RPGs Ranked: 10 Classic Games Still Worth Playing
Read more: Best NES RPGs Ranked: 10 Classic Games Still Worth Playing“There’s no virtue in being old, it just takes a long time.” Lazarus Long, in Robert A. Heinlein’s “Time Enough For Love” The Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) is often remembered for platform scrollers, action games, and iconic mascots. But for…
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The Return of Hondo Ohnaka Could Finally Be Near
Read more: The Return of Hondo Ohnaka Could Finally Be Near“Oh, the stories I could tell! So many of them true.” Hondo Ohnaka, Weequay Pirate and Friend to Jedi (he thinks). Updated April 2026 Who Is Hondo Ohnaka? Why Star Wars Fans Want Him in Live Action Has a Star…