feat: another project reorg

src/catalogue/books/astrophyics-for-people.md

@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+---
+title: Astrophysics for People in a Hurry
+author: Neil deGrasse Tyson
+date: 2020-06-01
+isbn: 9780393609394
+rating: 2
+image: https://cdn.wonderfulfrog.com/astro-in-hurry.jpeg
+---
+
+I found it hard to follow at times. It felt like it couldn't decide if it wanted to be a beginners or an advanced book. I have more than a passing fancy when it comes to astrophysics, but sometimes the pure information-dump was just too much. There was a lot of process, and some of it I just plain didn't get. I would still push Stephen Hawking's A Brief History of Time as a primer into the world of astrophysics (and everything in-between). Still, I feel like it serves as a catalyst for more learning.

src/catalogue/books/atomic-habits.md

@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+---
+title: Atomic Habits
+subtitle: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones
+author: James Clear
+date: 2019-09-07
+isbn: 9780735211292
+rating: 5
+image: https://cdn.wonderfulfrog.com/atomic-habits.jpeg
+---
+
+Great insight into how habits work and how they start. Ideas into how to break undesirable habits and begin good ones. The latter chapter about making it easy resonated with me. It never occurred to me why trying to start a habit with a difficult task leads to quitting fast. Start simple, aim low, build high.

src/catalogue/books/books.11tydata.js

@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+module.exports = {
+  layout: "layouts/catalogue-item",
+  tags: "book",
+  permalink: "catalogue/books/{{ page.fileSlug }}/index.html",
+  linkTitle: "View book details",
+  eleventyComputed: {
+    tertiary: (data) =>
+      `<p style="--flow-space: 0.5em"><span class="[ text-fadeText ]">by</span> ${data.author}</p>`,
+  },
+};

src/catalogue/books/dare-to-lead.md

@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+---
+title: Dare to Lead
+author: Brené Brown
+date: 2019-08-06
+isbn: 9781473562523
+rating: 5
+image: https://cdn.wonderfulfrog.com/dare-to-lead.jpeg
+tags: ["leadership", "self help"]
+---
+
+Really great read. Highlights the importance of empathy and how to develop that skill -- essential not only for leaders but for everyone.

src/catalogue/books/deep-work.md

@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+---
+title: Deep Work
+subtitle: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World
+author: Cal Newport
+date: 2019-12-04
+isbn: 9781455586691
+rating: 2
+image: https://cdn.wonderfulfrog.com/deep-work.jpeg
+tags: ["white guy productivity"]
+---
+
+I don't think the book needed to be as long as it is. There is good advice to be found, but it drags on and on feeling like a "deep work" session in of itself. I was often waiting for it to "get to the good part" in each chapter.
+
+I also think this book is tailored toward someone who can afford to do these "deep work" sessions, but not everyone has that luxury. Seriously, expecting everyone to have the ability to lock yourself away all day without distractions? That's a tad unrealistic for most people.
+
+The book did help identify areas where I often engage in shallow work, and I like the idea of bundling that work together in one large go to work through it quickly.

src/catalogue/books/digital-minimalism.md

@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+---
+title: Digital Minimalism
+subtitle: Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World
+author: Cal Newport
+date: 2019-05-31
+isbn: 9780525536512
+rating: 4
+image: https://cdn.wonderfulfrog.com/digital-minimalism.jpg
+tags: ["white guy productivity"]
+---
+
+I enjoyed the latter chapters focusing on finding "high quality leisure time". I try to find activities that are creative in the sense that after some time I will have created something.

src/catalogue/books/effective-engineer.md

@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+---
+title: The Effective Engineer
+subtitle: How to Leverage Your Efforts In Software Engineering to Make a Disproportionate and Meaningful Impact
+author: Edmond Lau
+date: 2019-09-04
+isbn: 9780996128100
+rating: 4
+image: https://cdn.wonderfulfrog.com/the-effective-engineer.jpeg
+tags: ["leadership", "software development"]
+---
+
+Lots of applicable advice here for anyone working in software engineering. I was excited to apply this to my own workplace, but didn't realize it's harder to apply in agency work than in other fields (and when you are not a lead). Still, we managed to recognize areas where we need improvement.

src/catalogue/books/ego-is-the-enemy.md

@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+---
+title: Ego Is The Enemy
+author: Ryan Holiday
+date: 2019-10-21
+isbn: 9781591847816
+rating: 3
+image: https://cdn.wonderfulfrog.com/ego-is-the-enemy.jpeg
+tags: ["stoicism", "self help"]
+---
+
+Confirmed that I'm not the only one guilty of over-planning and under-working. The real results come from work and not planning. Focus less on preparation and dive in. Do the work. Failure is part of the process, but what is most important is how one responds to it.
+
+Plenty of fun historical anecdotes -- kinda wish the book was mostly that. The message was clear, if a bit sanctimonious.

src/catalogue/books/jim-butcher-peace-talks.md

@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+---
+created: 2021-08-26T00:00:00.000Z
+title: Peace Talks
+author: Jim Butcher
+image: https://cdn.wonderfulfrog.com/jim-butcher-peace-talks.jpeg
+isbn: 9780393609394
+rating: 2
+date: 2021-09-17
+---
+
+I feverishly consumed the entire Dresden series in a few years ago. I thought it was so cool to see a blend of fantasy and real life that didn't seem to exist (as far as I knew). The writing sometimes felt chauvinistic (Dresden himself even admits as much) but I would roll my eyes and plod on.
+
+Having finally had the chance to read the next book I couldn't just roll my eyes anymore. Every single female character is always ridiculously attractive, so much so that Dresden cannot think about anything else other than sex (the Winter Mantle is a convenient albeit absolutely stupid excuse in the novel).
+
+Every major female character is always lusting (or will lust) for Dresden. These sections read like a piece of fan fiction from a nerdy male teenager's perspective (something I would've written when I was 15). The whole White Court seems to exist just so there's an excuse to always talk about sex (especially heterosexual sex). Even worse is that Dresden (rapidly approaching grandpa years, in a human sense) will ogle and comment (privately at least) on women who are pretty close to (or are) minors.
+
+Another fault is that characters keep referring to recent events that the reader will likely not remember. It's been several years between books, and us readers need a quick primer on the most recent goings-on in the universe!
+
+Our resident investigator didn't do much of anything. He aimlessly stumbled around for a while until the plot plopped onto his lap. What happened to our plucky detective who went looking for clues? Who did _anything_?
+
+Spoiler alert: The book ends on a cliffhanger. Yep, we don't get to learn about why anything happened because it's in the second book. Even though every book previously has been a nice package, we get a big middle finger. Should've waited for the anthology that will eventually combine Peace Talks and Battle Ground.
+
+All that said, I will likely pick up Battle Ground whenever that comes out in paperback. The series has (some serious) faults, but there is _something_ to enjoy here.

src/catalogue/books/joshua-whitehead-jonny-appleseed.md

@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+---
+title: Jonny Appleseed
+author: Joshua Whitehead
+isbn: 9781551527253
+rating: 4
+date: 2021-09-09T00:00:00Z
+image: https://cdn.wonderfulfrog.com/jonny-appleseed.jpeg
+---
+
+Absolutely raw and gripping. Very often uncomfortable.

src/catalogue/books/meditations.md

@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+---
+title: Meditations
+author: Marcus Aurelius
+date: 2019-10-22
+isbn: 9780140449334
+rating: 2
+image: https://cdn.wonderfulfrog.com/meditations.jpeg
+tags: ["stoicism"]
+---
+
+Despite the accolades this book gets from self-help authors, I found it fairly dry and hard to read at times. There are great nuggets of advice buried in between meandering, lengthy passages. Thoughts are repeated often, but I can sympathize here. It's difficult to ingrain a certain way of thinking at first blush, but hammering into one's thick skull can work sometimes.
+
+The footnotes are a helpful addition -- even translated into modern English it can be hard to tell what Marcus is _really_ saying.
+
+I plan to revisit the book another time in my life, but as of now I haven't gleaned much after reading so many books that base their ideas on the writings here.

src/catalogue/books/scott-mccloud-understanding-comics.md

@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+---
+title: Understanding Comics
+subtitle: The Invisible Art
+author: Scott McCloud
+isbn: 9780060976255
+rating: 5
+date: 2021-09-09T00:00:00Z
+image: https://cdn.wonderfulfrog.com/understanding-comics.jpg
+---
+
+I debated if this should end up in a different catalogue, but it deserves to be in both, if anything.
+
+If you wondered just how deep the rabbit hole goes when it comes to all things comics, Scott McCloud is here to tell you it goes _deep_. Anyone who may doubt the medium of the comic -- I challenge you to come out without a new perspective reading this. I know I did. I appreciate them so much more now.
+
+To call it "a book about comics" feels like a disservice. There is so much more going on here about history and the human mind.
+
+I think everyone needs to read this book at some point in their lives.

src/catalogue/books/the-big-leap.md

@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+---
+title: The Big Leap
+subtitle: Conquer Your Hidden Fear and Take Life to the Next Level
+author: Gay Hendricks
+date: 2020-09-02
+isbn: 9780061735363
+rating: 3
+image: https://cdn.wonderfulfrog.com/the-big-leap.jpg
+---
+
+These days I would style myself as a recovering addict when it comes to self-help books. There never is (and never was) a single trick to turn my life around. I’m increasingly wary of the entire industry, as I’m now certain that not everyone is looking to help people out. I think these kinds of books can be helpful as a springboard, but a lot seem to parrot the same advice, only phrased differently using the author’s writing style. This book largely seems to follow that trend. I’m frankly tired of hearing about how the author overcame adversity when the adversity is so disconnected with what your average person faces. The amount of famous people (read: white billionaires) he’s helped is numerous and wants to remind us quite often. I don’t care. The author loves to use chirpy terms like “Zone of Genius” non-ironically, and it’s very grating. These hokey-sounding terms cause me to view their ideas with increased skepticism.
+
+Tone aside though, I think there are nuggets of truth buried inside. The “Upper Limit Problem”, or the idea that we self-sabotage when feeling good, rings true for me. I think the notion that we deliberately get ourselves sick is ridiculous (the author recounts a situation where a patient deliberately gave himself laryngitis), but I do notice that I have a tendency to start criticizing myself, or being antagonistic once things get good in my life. It can be helpful to be aware and acknowledge when this happens.
+
+While the term “Zone of Genius” makes me roll my eyes, I think the concept is solid. The Zone of Genius is described as something in life that always brings you joy, even if it’s considered work (i.e. your job). You’ll always feel energized and ready to tackle problems in this space. It supercharges your brain and gets you motivated.

src/catalogue/books/the-dip.md

@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+---
+title: The Dip
+subtitle: A Little Book That Teaches You When to Quit
+author: Seth Godin
+date: 2019-05-25
+isbn: 9781591841661
+rating: 4
+image: https://cdn.wonderfulfrog.com/the-dip.jpeg
+tags: ["self help"]
+---
+
+Short book that enforced some positive ideas for me. Don't panic and quit too early if progress is not immediately visible. Incremental progress is still progress -- which is good! Keep at it as long as there is some forward momentum.

src/catalogue/books/the-hate-u-give.md

@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+---
+title: The Hate U Give
+author: Angie Thomas
+date: 2020-07-01
+isbn: 9780062498533
+rating: 5
+image: https://cdn.wonderfulfrog.com/the-hate-u-give.jpg
+---
+
+A gripping tale. Especially chilling given the current events happening at the time surrounding George Floyd when I read the book. I could not put this book down and read it at virtually any opportunity. It challenged every previously held belief I had about race and the struggles that black people face every day.
+
+I've recommended this book to everyone and will continue to do so. I think it's a book that everyone should read, especially white people.

src/catalogue/books/the-skin-were-in.md

@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+---
+title: The Skin We're In
+subtitle: A Year of Black Resistance and Power
+author: Desmond Cole
+date: 2020-08-01
+isbn: 9780385686341
+rating: 5
+image: https://cdn.wonderfulfrog.com/the-skin-were-in.jpeg
+---
+
+A pretty damning read on how far Canada has to go on dealing with systemic racism. Like many Canadians, I knew things were bad, but this spelt out how truly bad it is. If the situation in the US was not reason enough to convince me that we need to defund the police, then this is it. While the book was not setting out to necessarily claim this message, that was my own conclusion. The police seemed to be a recurring undercurrent to the issues POC face today.
+
+Two snippets that really struck me:
+
+[Ryan Reid fatally shooting Jermaine Carby](https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/jermaine-carby-inquest-peel-regional-police-1.3581519)
+
+> Peel Regional Police officer Ryan Reid was never charged for fatally shooting Jermaine Carby, \[...] during a traffic stop in September 2014. \[Reid] wouldn’t have done anything differently — he said with Carby’s mother and family members in the hearing room.
+
+[Officer Louie Cerqua on shooting and killing Michael Eligon](https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/toronto-officer-who-shot-michael-eligon-feared-for-his-life-1.2448192)
+
+> With the high stress situation like that, you’re going to resort to your firearm, it’s the only real option you have.

src/catalogue/books/the-subtle-art.md

@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+---
+title: The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fuck
+subtitle: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life
+author: Mark Manson
+date: 2019-05-25
+isbn: 9780062457714
+rating: 5
+image: https://cdn.wonderfulfrog.com/subtle-art.jpeg
+tags: ["self help"]
+---
+
+A book I am always first to recommend to people. It was a real life-changer for me and changed my core values. Actually, I didn't even know what "core values" were before this book! It helped identify what is important to me and what I consider to be my core values.

src/catalogue/books/the-total-money-makeover.md

@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+---
+title: The Total Money Makeover
+subtitle: A Proven Plan for Financial Fitness
+author: Dave Ramsey
+date: 2019-05-25
+isbn: 9780785289081
+rating: 3
+image: https://cdn.wonderfulfrog.com/total-money-makeover.webp
+tags: ["finance"]
+---
+
+Sensible ideas, but the focus was on those who are in debt. Not a lot of useful strategies (except near the end) for those who have already managed to get themselves out of debt.

src/catalogue/books/the-way-of-kings.md

@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+---
+title: The Way of Kings
+author: Brandon Sanderson
+date: 2016-08-29
+isbn: 9780765326355
+rating: 5
+image: https://cdn.wonderfulfrog.com/the-way-of-kings.jpeg
+tags: ["fantasy"]
+---
+
+This book finally made me realize what I love so much about fantasy books: the world building. The Way of Kings is no slouch in that department. The story plods along in the beginning (although not too slowly), meanwhile you learn the history of the planet Roshar and its denizens. There's the various kingdoms and cultures (which are detailed), the magic systems (yes, there's more than one!), the mythical Shardblades (and Shardplate)... so much of the world is laid out and it really draws you in. The book seems to be compared to Wheel of Time and I can see it - but it's definitely separated itself enough from its influences to really stand on its own. I'm happy to hear there's only going to be five books in the series, so hopefully Sanderson will get to finish this series.

src/catalogue/books/victoria-ortiz-dissenter-on-the-bench.md

@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+---
+title: Dissenter on the Bench
+subtitle: Ruth Bader Ginsburg's Life & Work
+author: Victoria Ortiz
+isbn: 978054497364
+rating: 4
+date: 2021-09-09T00:00:00Z
+image: https://cdn.wonderfulfrog.com/dissenter-on-the-bench.jpeg
+---
+
+I believe this book is meant for young adults (slash teenagers), but as an ancient man myself at the ripe age of 33 I found it very engaging. It's structured in such a way to give context into each of RBG's many important involvements in the law. It will lead with a relevant case that RBG presided (or represented) and then go back in time to explain her history and reason for her eventual involvement. It's educational and fun to read.

src/catalogue/books/what-we-don’t-talk-about-when-we-talk-about-fat-aubrey-gordon.md

@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+---
+title: What We Don’t Talk About When We Talk About Fat
+author: Aubrey Gordon
+image: https://cdn.wonderfulfrog.com/9780807041307_p0_v1_s1200x630.jpg
+url: https://www.yourfatfriend.com/book
+isbn: 9780807041307
+rating: 5
+date: 2021-11-28T20:19:44.917Z
+---
+
+This book in combination with the [Maintenance Phase](http://www.maintenancephase.com) podcast has flipped my mindset when it comes to my relationship with my body. I previously believed that weight was something we all had complete control over and could change with diet and exercise. Anyone who was overweight was not trying hard enough.
+
+I’ve come to realize that I was incredibly wrong about this.
+
+I think now I’m fine as I am. I’ll likely never be happy with my body (but I’ll try my best), but I can at least accept that the way I look is… the way I look. It’s who I am. I should not feel ashamed for looking the way I do.
+
+I don’t want to turn this into a self-flagellation session, but wanted to highlight how I personally felt when reading this book. It brought my lack of understanding when it comes to our bodies and weight. There is a lot of bias built into me from years of being told that “fat = early death”, even though that isn’t (and wasn’t) true. The science behind dieting suggests that most people who lose weight while dieting will eventually regain it. Our bodies want to stay at a set weight, and we cannot control that.
+
+This book together with the podcast has brought to my attention how far the world has to go when it comes to fat acceptance. We are making incredible strides to accept people regardless of skin-colour, sexual preferences, perceived gender… but there exists anti-fat bias in all their respective circles. I want to be part of the change that says “being fat is not a death sentence.” If I can leave you with one small fact to prove that anti-fat bias exists: how about that in 48 of the 50 US states, it’s legal to deny someone a job because of their weight? Deny them housing, or a seat at a restaurant, or a room in a hotel? All legal.

src/catalogue/books/why-we-get-fat.md

@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+---
+title: Why We Get Fat
+subtitle: And What To Do About It
+author: Gary Taubes
+date: 2019-05-25
+isbn: 9780307272706
+rating: 3
+image: https://cdn.wonderfulfrog.com/why-we-get-fat.jpeg
+tags: ["self help", "diet"]
+---
+
+Made me consider trying a keto diet before talking to friends and colleagues who had done the same and every single one had advised against it. Good ideas on paper but I think the diet that is ultimately recommended is unsustainable, which seems to go against the book's message in regards to diets -- find something that can be maintained.
+
+Diet aside, there is lots of educational content here. Enjoyed for that reason primarily.

src/catalogue/books/why-we-sleep.md

@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+---
+title: Why We Sleep
+subtitle: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams
+author: Matthew Walker
+date: 2019-12-04
+isbn: 9781501144318
+rating: 5
+image: https://cdn.wonderfulfrog.com/why-we-sleep.jpeg
+---
+
+Fell asleep many times reading this, which I believe was part of the author's intent. Incredibly informative in regards to all things sleep. Helpful appendix to summarize the book's contents, and a useful crib sheet to give to others not willing to read the entire book. I feel empowered with new knowledge about sleep and additional reasons to ensure that I sleep more.

src/catalogue/catalogue.json

@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+{
+  "layout": "layouts/catalogue",
+  "tags": "catalogue",
+  "permalink": "catalogue/index.html"
+}

src/catalogue/comics/comics.11tydata.js

@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+module.exports = {
+  layout: "layouts/catalogue-item",
+  tags: "game",
+  permalink: "catalogue/comics/{{ page.fileSlug }}/index.html",
+  eleventyComputed: {
+    subtitle: (data) => `${data.author} (${data.year})`,
+  },
+};

src/catalogue/comics/monstress-image-1.md

@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+---
+title: "Monstress: Awakening"
+publisher: Image Comics
+author: Majorie Liu, Sana Takeda
+volume: 1
+year: 2017
+image: https://cdn.wonderfulfrog.com/monstress-vol-1.jpeg
+rating: 3
+date: 2021-09-19T07:28:12.065Z
+tags: ["fantasy"]
+---
+
+The first 75% of the volume is quite confusing. It’s like reading the second or third volume in a series without reading the first. I get starting with a mystery as a hook, but when every second word is something new, I get confused!
+
+I’m not convinced that comics are the best form of world building, at least through expository dialogue. When several entire pages that are at least half-filled with text, I think there’s a problem.
+
+The artwork is praised often elsewhere and I must agree - every page (even panel) could stand on its own. Absolutely stunning. The world building on the visual level absolutely nails it. If atmosphere is set within the first few pages and I’m here for it.

src/catalogue/comics/monstress-the-blood-image-comics-2.md

@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+---
+title: "Monstress: The Blood"
+publisher: Image Comics
+author: Majorie Lui, Sana Takeda
+volume: 2
+year: 2017
+image: https://cdn.wonderfulfrog.com/monstress-vol-2-tp_77ea1f170a.jpg
+isbn: 9781534300415
+rating: 3
+date: 2021-09-20T00:22:01.235Z
+tags: ["fantasy"]
+---
+
+I love the cast of the story. We are introduced to some new characters with a heavy nautical theme. Old Tooth the shark-person looks straight out of the 90s (remember Street Sharks?). The artwork continues to be the main selling point for me.
+
+Where things falter though has to be the writing (again). There are less mysteries to track and more emphasis on character development, but I’m finding it so dense that it’s hard to follow. It practically requires a wiki open while reading. There is so much to pack into a graphic novel with limited pages. I think the series would do better as a novel if I’m completely honest.
+
+I can’t get into the story, but Sana Takeda’s art is so phenomenal I want to keep going.

src/catalogue/comics/the-monster-sisters-orca-books.md

@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+---
+title: "The Monster Sisters"
+publisher: "Orca Books"
+author: "Gareth Gaudin"
+year: 2021
+isbn: 9781459822290
+rating: 4
+image: https://cdn.wonderfulfrog.com/the-monster-sisters-vol-2.jpg
+date: 2021-09-11
+tags: ["adventure"]
+---

src/catalogue/games/assassins-creed-black-flag.md

@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+---
+title: "Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag"
+subtitle: PlayStation 3
+date: 2016-12-31
+image: https://cdn.wonderfulfrog.com/Assassin's_Creed_IV_-_Black_Flag_cover.jpg
+tags: ["ps3"]
+year: 2013
+---
+
+For an Assassin's Creed game, Black Flag is pretty solid. I was positive I was going to hate the ship parts of the game based on what I played in 3 a year or two back - but actually it's a ton of fun and flows super well. They really nailed the controls on it. There's a good balance of naval and land-based missions to keep things interesting. The game started off very similar to 3 which had my eyes rolling from the get-go, but thankfully things play out much differently.
+
+It also helps when the protagonist is likable - Connor was just pretty flat overall, but Edward strikes me as a swashbuckling balance of Ezio and Altair - much better character.
+
+I'd have to rank the Assassin's Creed games as follows:
+
+1) ACII
+2) AC: Brotherhood
+3) ACIV: Black Flag
+4) Assassin's Creed
+5) ACIII
+6) AC: Revelations

src/catalogue/games/axiom-verge.md

@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+---
+title: Axiom Verge
+subtitle: Nintendo Switch
+date: 2018-04-10
+image: https://cdn.wonderfulfrog.com/Axiom_Verge_Title.png
+tags: ["switch"]
+year: 2015
+---

src/catalogue/games/citizen-sleeper.md

@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+---
+title: Citizen Sleeper
+subtitle: PC
+date: 2024-01-27
+image: https://cdn.wonderfulfrog.com/Citizen_Sleeper_cover_art.jpg
+tags: ["pc"]
+year: 2022
+rating: 4
+---
+
+I loved the dice system that powered the entire game. It made it feel like you have control over the situation (you can choose where to put your dice rolls), but at the same time none at all (the result is still a dice roll). I especially liked that every choice never felt like a great option. Every choice will inadvertently affect someone or something else negatively. There was never a clear-cut best choice.
+
+I felt drawn into the universe and atmosphere, and the music provided an immersive backdrop. The music changed depending on the situation, which added another level of immersion.
+
+A must-play for anyone who enjoys a narrative-focused game.

src/catalogue/games/donkey-kong-country-tropical-freeze.md

@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+---
+title: "Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze"
+subtitle: Nintendo Wii U
+date: 2015-04-21
+image: https://cdn.wonderfulfrog.com/DKC5_box_art.jpg
+tags: ["wii u"]
+year: 2014
+---
+
+Another challenging game. DKCTF nails the difficulty perfectly. As mentioned before, every failure feels like it's 100% the fault of the player. The controls are spot on and frankly should be the model for any platformer going forward. There are various control schemes to suit practically any player. My only minor gripe was that the buttons for each scheme were not customizable -- but the default options are fine. Going from the first level to the last is fairly short experience, but in typical DKC fashion the meat of the game comes from replaying levels and grabbing all the collectables. If that's not really your thing then you've still got a solid platformer that should scratch the itch. Visually the game is amazing to look at... I mean just look at this:
+
+{% image "https://cdn.wonderfulfrog.com/dkctf.jpg", "", "" %}
+
+The soundtrack is all aces as well -- composed by the same guy behind the first games - David Wise. It provides a fitting background - intense enough that it energizes you, but not overbearing that it comes the star of the show.
+
+Whether your looking for a small chunk of platformer goodness, or the whole nine yards - can't go wrong with Tropical Freeze.

src/catalogue/games/doom-2016.md

@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+---
+title: DOOM
+subtitle: PC
+date: 2017-01-02
+image: https://cdn.wonderfulfrog.com/Doom_Cover.jpg
+tags: ["pc"]
+year: 2016
+---
+
+Doom was an absolute blast. Definitely now one of my favorite FPS games.
+
+The game is super fast-paced compared to most FPS games released today which is refreshing. Bunny-hopping is a thing and that makes me feel warm and fuzzy. They really nailed the feeling of speed and finesse - you regularly feel like a badass demon-slaying machine. Being able to seamlessly go from shootin' up a bad guy into a Glory Kill and back into the fray feels really satisfying.
+
+The sound design is top notch here. The soundtrack feels loud and punchy, the perfect industrial underscore to the demon massacre frequently taking place. The sounds of the weapons are equally great - everything from the sounds of the guns firing to switching between gun mods sounds really good. I found myself swapping between mods during the quiet moments just to hear the sounds. So good.
+
+The collectibles and secret areas turned out to be a really fun side-objective for me. I found myself going for optional content more than I usually would, so much so that when I realized I missed one collectible... I restarted the mission right near the end. Kind of annoying that certain parts of the map do eventually get "locked out" so you can't go back and grab anything you missed, but only a real drag to secret hunters.
+
+The optional Rune Trials are pretty neat. You're given a simple objective like "kill 15 dudes" or "get from A to B", but they put a challenging twist on it. Something like you've got only 1 HP and there is no way to get more health, or you can only move when you kill something. They offer a nice break from the action while testing your skills. A few times I learned a new strategy too, so you might even learn something.
+
+There isn't a ton of story here and I think that works out to the game's favor. The name of the game here is demon-slaying and having a blast doing it. They actually managed to get a ton of personality out of the protagonist - despite the fact that all you see of him are his two hands and the occasional boot. You've probably heard of one moment where a character tries to lore-dump you and the Doom Marine just shoves the monitor out of the way and ignores it. There's also a ton of lore to hunt for in the secret spots and other collectibles. It builds up Mars and why they're here - but the best part is that none of it really matters, you can skip all the fluff and still have a total blast.
+
+I'd highly recommend this game to anyone who enjoys FPS games. I was tempted to drop a few hundred bucks on a new video card just for this game. I know for sure that when I eventually do get a new video card I'll be going back and trying this one again. 100% run!

src/catalogue/games/fallout-4.md

@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+---
+title: Fallout 4
+subtitle: PC
+date: 2015-12-02
+image: https://cdn.wonderfulfrog.com/Fallout_4_cover_art.jpg
+tags: ["pc", "role-playing", "action"]
+year: 2015
+---
+
+I ran into two different gamebreaking bugs while playing the game and ended up reloading a save from hours before. I had to replay quite a bit of the game, but in the end it was worth it. Anyone thinking about picking up the game soon I'd be prepared for some annoying bugs - or better yet wait for a few patches first.
+
+Story and ending wise I feel like things fell short. It was an ending, I'll give it that, but it didn't resolve things very well. There isn't really an epilogue, usually in the older games you'd find out how the different factions ended up after your actions in the game. It's a nice touch and its omission is sorely missed. It cheapens the ending, and makes it feel incomplete.
+
+The dialog system has definitely been dumbed down. For one thing your choices aren't fully written out (you select "Help" and your character says "Sure I'll help out"). The option you choose in a dialogue choice might not be what you wanted or how you wanted to phrase your response. It also feels like what you say ultimately has no consequence in the conversation. I reloaded my save a few times to explore different options - beyond the immediate response being different, the conversation carried on normally which felt kinda off. The choices didn't cause any actual branching - which I'm pretty sure they did in previous games. Each choice still lead you to every single option more or less.
+
+The side content is great and I got lost in taking quest after quest for hours. Gun modding is a welcome addition and hope it stays in - although I would like to be able to assemble a gun from scratch instead of modifying base guns (which there are only a handful of). Invincible companions yes - but I imagine many people are like me and consider companion death a failure state, so it's more of a quality of life thing to me. I believe there are ways to make them hostile toward you, which does allow you to kill them if it happens.
+
+I guess knowing your companion cannot die trivializes tense encounters somewhat... but at the very least companions can get incapacitated and slump to the ground and be useless until the fight is over. Another annoyance with dialogue - there are no checks save for Charisma now. I'm pretty sure there were some options in older games when you had high Intelligence for example...
+
+Overall, it's a good game. An average Fallout game. For anyone fresh to the series, I think it makes a decent starting point, although if you liked what's inside you'll likely find more depth in the previous games. Pick it up when it goes on sale.

src/catalogue/games/games.11tydata.js

@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+module.exports = {
+  layout: "layouts/catalogue-item",
+  tags: "game",
+  permalink: "catalogue/games/{{ page.fileSlug }}/index.html",
+  eleventyComputed: {
+    subtitle: (data) => data.year,
+  },
+};

src/catalogue/games/her-story.md

@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+---
+title: Her Story
+platform: PC
+date: 2024-01-07
+image: https://cdn.wonderfulfrog.com/Her_Story_store_art.jpg
+tags: ["pc", "narrative", "simulator"]
+year: 2015
+---
+
+I played this game with my wife and a buddy, and we had a great time getting sucked into this game. We beat it in one night. The way the story unfolded made you really feel like a detective - connecting leads and loose connections to form a whole narrative. The keyword search is very limiting. There are only at most 5 results per search query. It requires you to be specific but not too much. It's a fine line to walk.
+
+It's very possible to finish this one in an evening, which is a great way to wind down the day and enjoy a great story.

src/catalogue/games/hyper-light-drifter.md

@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+---
+title: Hyper Light Drifter
+subtitle: PC
+date: 2017-01-29
+image: https://cdn.wonderfulfrog.com/HyperLightDrifterBoxArt.png
+tags: ["pc"]
+year: 2016
+---
+
+I think the best part of the game is its atmosphere and combat. The game contains no text (besides tutorial button prompts) and no spoken dialog. Therefore, the story is largely up to the player to interpret, if they desire. Right from the get-go, you're immediately immersed into the world. The sound design - particularly the soundtrack - draws you in. In moments of quiet - typically exploration - the music is subdued and atmospheric, underscoring your journey in this torn world. As you launch into combat, things pick up a bit... then, when it's boss battle time, additional instrumentation enters - a pumping track gets you energized against a tough foe. The whole soundtrack has a very unsettling feeling, which matches the overall atmosphere of the game. It's a strange world and there's mysterious things afoot. Some kind of corruption is tainting everything...
+
+The gameplay really shines here. The game is a top-down action game - think Link to the Past. Your basic arsenal is an energy sword and guns - lots of guns. You only start with one, but as the game goes on you'll find more (or maybe you won't, they're all optional). My favorite would have to be the railgun - it requires precision accuracy but feels very satisfying to land hits with. Your bread-and-butter sword combination is a triple-tap in quick succession. There are plenty of upgrades to change things up - one of my favorites is the ability to reflect projectiles with your sword. Definitely reminds me of Link to the Past where you'd reflect Agahnim's projects back at him. Finally you've got a dodge/teleport - a quick shift in any direction. It will let you dodge melee attacks or avoid projectiles, but you're not invincible - so you can be hit mid-dash. All together it provides a simple yet great combat system. Easy to learn, but hard to master. You regularly feel like a master swordsman jumping between enemies and slicing them to bits. The game is also quite challenging - I was reminded of the Donkey Kong Country games with regard to the difficulty - wherein those games are all also challenging but the reason behind every failure (death) was very clear. It leads to an eventual choreographed sequence that looks really cool after you pull it all off. The boss fights were especially great - all of them very different - I think they were almost a game in of itself. I regularly looked forward to the next duel with a strong foe. If you don't mind some spoilers, [here is one of the early boss fights](https://youtu.be/_pKghyb8NS8) - I enjoyed this one a lot (note: I edited out the 10 minutes or so of me not beating the boss...).
+
+The only negative thing I've got to say with the game's mechanics was that if you died after collecting a bunch of items - you'd have to go back and re-collect everything again. I'm talking like upgrade points or keys, that kind of thing. Minor grievance. Actually one other slightly annoying thing was that the map didn't really have any GPS features - so it never showed you precisely where you were in a given room, which made exploration a little tedious sometimes. I think actually what would fix it is if explored rooms where marked as such - that way I don't end up retreading a lot of ground.
+
+A recommend to anyone who enjoys a game loaded with atmosphere, or top-down style action games. If you liked Link to the Past, you're sure to find a great game here. The soundtrack alone makes it worthwhile in my opinion!

src/catalogue/games/majoras-mask-3d.md

@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+---
+title: "Majora's Mask 3D"
+subtitle: Nintendo 3DS
+date: 2015-03-01
+image: https://cdn.wonderfulfrog.com/Majora's_Mask_3D_cover.png
+tags: ["3ds"]
+year: 2015
+---
+
+What a wonderful game. I'll say right now if anyone hasn't played this game, you've gotta pick it up right away! One of the most (if not the most) unique Zelda experiences out there. It's worth noting that Nintendo did change things around, most notably some locations of items and the boss fights. This should only bother veterans really (and only the item location part really), but I have to say the boss fights are improved across the board compared to the N64 version. I've heard mentions that the hints in the Bomber's Notebook are too obvious now but I think that's just some oldschool vets (read: stupid fanboys) making a big fuss over nothing. Unless I specifically remembered something from playing it years ago, I feel like it never gave you the whole picture and you had to suss out what to do. Overall it's a fantastic game and a must-buy for any 3DS owner.

src/catalogue/games/mario-and-luigi-dream-team.md

@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+---
+title: "Mario & Luigi: Dream Team"
+subtitle: Nintendo 3DS
+date: 2015-04-18
+image: https://cdn.wonderfulfrog.com/MarioLuigiDreamTeam.jpg
+tags: ["3ds"]
+year: 2013
+---
+
+Whew what a game that was. I would say the hardest M&L to date. A real full adventure. I clocked in at just under 48 hours total. All told that's a pretty good chunk of time for a portable RPG. The formula remains more or less the same as previous games - very action heavy for an RPG. You have to jump and hammer to defend yourself, while timing your button presses to coordinate with attacks. The twist this time is that you get sucked into the Dream World. The Dream World is affected by Luigi, who will lend you all sorts of cool powers as you progress in the game. This leads to two different types of battles - battles in the normal world, and Dream World battles where it's only Mario (with Luigi supporting).
+
+The writing is spot on here, there were many genuinely laugh-out-loud moments. I've found that every game so far has really expressive animations and sprites. You'll see what I mean when you play it.
+
+Any fan of the series or someone looking for a challenging RPG can't go wrong here.

src/catalogue/games/middle-earth-shadow-of-mordor.md

@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+---
+title: "Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor"
+subtitle: PC
+date: 2024-01-19
+image: https://cdn.wonderfulfrog.com/Shadow_of_Mordor_cover_art.jpg
+tags: ["pc"]
+year: 2014
+---
+
+The nemesis system is such a killer feature - it's a shame that Warner Bros. patented the mechanic which prevents other games from implementing their own spin on the feature.
+
+I was often the victim of my orcish enemies, and would often say "you again!" when I stumbled upon an old nemesis. I would drop everything to try and take them out, which was often not a good idea.

src/catalogue/games/persona-3-portable.md

@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+---
+title: "Persona 3 Portable"
+subtitle: PlayStation Portable
+date: 2016-03-16
+image: https://cdn.wonderfulfrog.com/p3p.jpg
+tags: ["psp", "persona"]
+youtube: true
+year: 2009
+---
+
+My completion time was somewhere around 72 hours. It's hard to talk about such a story-dense game without spoiling too much - but what I will say about the story is that it's probably one of the best I've ever experienced. The game is likely not for everyone... the playtime alone might turn some people off. I think of it more like a large book - it'll take you a while to get through - but the major plot points keep you engrossed. You get attached to the characters - because of the game length. By the end of the game they are all close friends.
+
+Games for me don't typically get much of an emotional response out of me... I can probably count the number of times. There were moments of pretty genuine sadness (yeah yeah I teared up), and I even remember getting angry/upset at a particular story development. Any game that can accomplish that I hold in a high regard, and this is one of them.
+
+Most of the major characters have Social Links - think lite dating-sim kinda system. This is where some of the character development takes place. As you increase your Social Links you increase the strength of that Arcana during fusions. It creates a gameplay purpose to explore the Social Links, but I genuinely wanted to explore them regardless of the gameplay purpose.
+
+The battle system is not without its shortcomings - it feels a little unforgiving - JRPG to the very core. I still think it's goofy that if the main character is KO'd, the game ends (and there are no checkpoints). Saving often is a must. There were also a few sharp difficulty curves... I suspect my level was too low at that point, but there it is. It's kinda like Pokemon, Shadows have certain weaknesses and resistances (think fire, ice, electricity, etc), and it's up to you to abuse that. Hitting an enemy with an attack they are weak to gives that character another turn - but only if the target isn't already Down (which triggers when they are hit by an attack they are weak to), so you can't get stuck in a loop of free turns. The fun part is that the enemy has access to the same system, so if you're not careful you can get wiped out very quickly.
+
+I can't end it without mentioning the music. Second to the story, it's top-notch, definitely some of the best I've heard in any game full stop. I have a feeling the music in a vacuum won't have the same impact as when its heard in-game. Regardless, here are a few favourites:
+
+{% youtube "6jFaoLrLzd4", "Persona 3 OST - Mass Destruction" %}
+
+{% youtube "e2Gyaqf7EoU", "Persona 3 OST - Iwatodai Dorm" %}
+
+{% youtube "sFH7O9huUYU", "Paulownian Mall - Persona 3" %}
+
+{% youtube "yoVn6Eh6rus", "Persona 3 OST: Unavoidable Battle" %}
+
+If you're looking for an RPG with a top-notch story, this is the one. If you're looking for one with compelling gameplay... keep looking I'd say.
+
+I can't wait to start Persona 4 Golden, but I think I'm going to give myself a break from RPGs for a while. Next up is Shovel Knight!

src/catalogue/games/persona-5.md

@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+---
+title: Persona 5
+subtitle: PlayStation 4
+date: 2017-12-20
+image: https://cdn.wonderfulfrog.com/Persona_5_cover_art.jpg
+tags: ["ps4"]
+year: 2016
+---

src/catalogue/games/professor-layton-vs-phoenix-wright.md

@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+---
+title: "Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney"
+subtitle: Nintendo 3DS
+date: 2015-04-26
+image: https://cdn.wonderfulfrog.com/Laytonvsaceattorneycover.jpg
+tags: ["3ds"]
+year: 2014
+---
+
+What a dream come true. Two of my favorite franchises blended into one game! As the title implies, it's Layton and Wright action! If you're a fan of either game series, this one will have something for you. There are plenty of puzzles to tackle, but also plenty of court moments. It feels like it's got something for fans of either series (or both!). The court sequences feature a hint system like in the Professor Layton games, so if court battles are not your forte, it's alright as long as you hunt for the Hint Coins! The story was great. Once it got going I couldn't put it down. This game really felt like a crossover, and not just "Professor Layton in the AA universe" or vice-versa. Yes, Phoenix will tackle puzzles and yes, Layton will be in the court room. Even the music shared that crossover feel, as themes/tropes from both series can be heard intertwined.
+
+As of this writing, there is a ton of bonus content to go through, including a series of 12 episodes that take place after the events of the main game. Each episode features a new puzzle to tackle
+
+Fans of either series will enjoy this game immensely, so check it out! Here's hoping this wasn't a one-off.

src/catalogue/games/shovel-knight.md

@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+---
+title: Shovel Knight
+subtitle: Nintendo Wii U
+date: 2016-08-22
+image: https://cdn.wonderfulfrog.com/Shovel_knight_cover.jpg
+tags: ["wii u"]
+year: 2014
+---
+
+Awesome game, totally a passion project for platform lovers like myself. Reminds me of games I'd play years ago but made with today's sensibilities (so no cheap tricks or long slogs of no checkpoints, heh). Every level stood on its own. The game length felt just right to me (about 8 hours), not too long but there's enough there to keep you interested. A lot of the Relics reminded me something you'd find in a Castlevania game (think the spinning cross, or the bone that arcs as you throw it).
+
+Anyone who enjoys an action platformer should check out this game without a doubt. Plus Yacht Club Games are continuing to update the game - so far they've added the Plague Knight campaign which is really cool! It's a redo of the Shovel Knight base game, although with plenty of twists. Plague Knight himself plays completely differently from Shovel Knight - and to top it off the levels have been changed up to suit Plague Knight's new style. With a new story on top, it's almost like a new game - and it was totally free! Future updates will be free too!

src/catalogue/games/the-wonderful-101.md

@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+---
+title: "The Wonderful 101"
+subtitle: Nintendo Wii U
+date: 2015-05-15
+image: https://cdn.wonderfulfrog.com/Wonderful_101_box_artwork.jpg
+tags: ["wii u", "action"]
+year: 2013
+---
+
+Here's a game that cranks everything to 11... and then 11 more... _every single stage_. A game that attempts to top itself every time and succeeds wonderfully. Just when you think the game has reached the climax, you find out it's still just the rising action. Fans of titles by Platinum will feel right at home here. Expect a truly challenging game that rewards skillful play.
+
+The line drawing mechanic can be a bit picky at times, and sometimes they got a little heavy-handed on the minigames. It has a large learning curve too. Still, this is a solid experience for any action game lover. I really enjoyed this one and I hope a sequel is in the works. Also, WONDER RED FOR SMASH

src/catalogue/games/tomb-raider.md

@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+---
+title: Tomb Raider
+subtitle: PC
+date: 2016-08-24
+image: https://cdn.wonderfulfrog.com/TombRaider2013.jpg
+tags: ["pc"]
+year: 2013
+---
+
+I feel like it did start to get a bit repetitive at times, but only near the end. Lara sure went through some shit, I felt bad sometimes. The optional tombs were really cool - one-off tricky puzzles. They were pretty short though, I think every one was just one puzzle (although I didn't find/explore them all). Something I didn't like very much was the penchant for QTEs - I hate those things. I played it on a PC and the button prompts had an icon instead of the actual button to press (if you play on console, it'll show which button to press). A minor annoyance which lead to some fails - which by the way are excruciatingly brutal sometimes! There's quite a bit of button mashing and it feels weird on a keyboard. All in all though, great game, and definitely planning on getting the next one. Probably on PS4 though.

src/catalogue/games/vanquish.md

@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+---
+title: Vanquish
+subtitle: PlayStation 3
+date: 2017-02-26
+image: https://cdn.wonderfulfrog.com/PG_Vanquish_box_artwork.png
+tags: ["ps3"]
+year: 2010
+---
+
+Vanquish is definitely a product of its time. If you don't remember the mid to late naughties in video games, they were rife with cover shooters. Think Gears of War or Uncharted. You're given big open areas with some very inconspicuous cover spots. Vanquish followed the same trend, but to its benefit it at least tried to subvert the genre by changing things up. You can try to play this game like a traditional shooter, but you'll get destroyed quickly. Instead, Vanquish gives you Sam Gideon - an agent from DARPA who has been given the Augmented Reaction Suit. The suit allows you to literally slide around while firing at enemies - and also allows you to enter "AR Mode" (think bullet-time) while sliding. Yes, the [power slide](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXYqv_FS9yk) is a legitimate and viable combat maneuver! It leads to a pretty fluid combat system where you regularly feel pretty awesome effortlessly sliding between enemies and scoring some easy headshots thanks to the slowdown mode. The problem though is that while it's a cool mechanic, it doesn't break away from the feeling that this is still a cover shooter. Maybe back in '07 this would be okay, but playing it in 2017 it feels very samey and not super exciting.
+
+Again, following the popular trends at the time the game features some heavy cutscene use. It doesn't help that the story isn't entirely interesting, although it's pretty dumb on purpose. Still, it leads you to mashing the skip button because you just want to go back and play the damn game. Auto-regenerating health is another feature of the game - again a very popular choice at the time - but frustratingly there is no representation of your health on the HUD. So you'll be taking some bullet fire, and then suddenly launched into AR Mode (which happens automatically when you reach low health). Wait, was my health actually that low? Then if you're not careful - boom dead. With no actual indication of how much damage you're taking you have no idea how much of a threat some enemies pose. Some are capable of one-shotting you, and then some are firing pebbles at you. It gets very annoying and frustrating at times. Boss battles were pretty fun most of the time, although I can remember one or two that were crushingly hard. Lots of instant-death moves. The sudden jump in difficulty was pretty jarring and frustrating. Still, you can push through eventually, but it can feel frustrating to get near the end of a boss fight and get instant-killed and then forced to restart from the beginning.
+
+Overall, it's not horrible - a pretty decent game. I think if I played it when it first came out it'd be a total blast, but after years of Platinum refining their craft and the cover shooter finally dying off - it feels like a relic from the past. It's got some very cool moments, but plenty of very dull ones too. Worth checking out if you're a die-hard Platinum fan like myself, otherwise you can probably pass. Maybe check out some gameplay on YouTube, it might entice you.

src/catalogue/games/yoshis-island.md

@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+---
+title: "Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island"
+subtitle: Super Nintendo
+date: 2012-02-26
+image: https://cdn.wonderfulfrog.com/Yoshi's_Island_(Super_Mario_World_2)_box_art.jpg
+tags: ["snes", "platformer"]
+year: 1995
+---
+
+Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island was released on the Super Nintendo in 1995.  It was actually a prequel to the original Super Mario World, and tells the story of how the Mario twins (Mario is the last name, yes) came to be.  The premise is that a stork carrying the twins is assaulted by Kamek, who is a servant to the mighty (then a child) King Bowser.  In the fray, the stork loses both babies, and Kamek ends up with only Luigi.  Mario plunges to his doom, only to land (somehow safely) on top of one of the Yoshis on Yoshi's Island.  It then befalls onto the Yoshi clan to reunite the brothers and restore the balance, or something along those lines. The stories for these games (read: platformers) were not altogether that creative back in the '90s.  Not that it mattered much really.
+
+What really mattered was that the game was fun.  And fun this game certainly was.  You can run and jump, and there's powerups just like before.  The bigger differences came in the form of eggs, slightly different jumping mechanics and Yoshi himself (herself?  itself?).  Now you could float in the air a moment and give yourself a slightly higher jump.  You could actually float multiple times in a row to overcome large obstacles too.  Just like in Super Mario World, Yoshi can use his tongue to eat up enemies and spit them out, but he can also turn them into eggs.  You could collect up to eight eggs and fire them at enemies.  Back then, there wasn't two D-Pads (let alone two analog sticks), so the aiming was a little weird.  The crosshair would move up and down, and it was your timing that guided the egg in the right direction.  Nowadays this system is unbelievably clunky, but back then this was crazy.  It was a pretty bold move, but leave it to Nintendo to do it right (more or less).  My favorite change has to be the removal of the countdown timer.  No longer were you restricted to roughly three minutes per level.  Now you could romp and roam about as much as you want.  This is great not only to experience the game at your own pace, but allows the player to truly explore and enjoy the intricate design that Nintendo incorporated into this game.  If Yoshi gets hit, he will lose Baby Mario and will start to float away in a bubble.  A countdown timer starts, and if it reaches zero before Yoshi rescues the trapped Baby Mario, he is swept away by Kamek's toadies.  You can increase the timer by gathering more Stars (not like Power Stars, more on them in a bit).  Essentially, Yoshi's Island took what was good in Super Mario World, and just made it all-around better.
+
+The game spans over six worlds, which house eight stages each.  Two of them are "castle stages" which house a formidable boss inside.  All in all, every world is unique and each stage is completely different from the one before.  Many of the stages introduce a new mechanic or gimmick that is reused later and built upon.  The eggs are initially introduced as simply ammo to attack your enemies with, but later it's revealed that different colored eggs have different properties when loosed upon the baddies.  The Chomp Rock is first there simply to obliterate your enemies, but later you learn that it can find secrets for you, and can even be used as a sort of booster stool.  The main power-ups in this game come in the form of transformations.  Yoshi can transform into a helicopter, a car, a train, a mole, and even a submarine.  These power-ups were pretty uncommon, so when you finally saw that bubble with a car in it, you knew you were in for some fun times.  These power-ups were only temporary, but allowed for some creative level design.
+
+The levels themselves were just so inventive for the time.  Each level focused on one sort of gimmick or theme and always kept things fresh.  The game used several different themes for all the levels, but every one just felt like its own stage.  No two felt at all alike.  Each level presented a new challenge and new excitement.  On each stage are three different collectables.  There were Stars, Red Coins and Flowers.  The stars are not like the Power Stars from the previous games, and instead increase your countdown timer for rescuing Baby Mario.  The Red Coins are hidden amongst the real coins (veteran gamers may notice that Red Coins are just ever so slightly off-color from regular coins).  Flowers are usually in plain sight, but are sometimes hidden in "?" clouds, or in a secret location.  Sometimes certain events must occur before a Flower appears.  Each of these collectables are added up to form a total out of 100 at the end of the stage.  They were entirely optional, but clearly Nintendo put a lot of thought into hiding everything.  It's basically another game within the game finding them.  Collecting all of the Flowers usually meant better chances at getting the Bonus Challenge, which would (sometimes) net you even more rewards.  It gave a little incentive to collecting more goodies, basically.  Items you got from the Bonus Challenge could be used later, such as giving you more stars, revealing the locations of all the Red Coins, or turning all the enemies into "?" clouds.  Sometimes you'd meet up with your buddy Poochy, your lovable dog companion.  He'll move you left or right with incredible speed, and can walk over deadly spikes with ease.  Careful though, because once he gets going, he doesn't stop.
+
+Since there was no more countdown timer, this allowed Nintendo to really play with the puzzle aspect in previous games.  Yoshi's Island definitely features more puzzle-oriented levels are a result.  Nothing too mind-bendingly hard, but nonetheless challenging.  A good example is that plenty of levels will eventually fork into multiple paths.  Certain doors might be locked, and require you to find the keys.
+
+The bosses in each world often utilized a mechanic or gimmick that was introduced in stages previously.  The first two bosses focus on the egg mechanics, for example.  Later bosses start getting more clever.  I don't want to spoil all of them, so I'm only going to mention a few.  In World 2, you'll be pitted against a ghostly flower pot.  Yes, that's right.  You'll be competing with two Shy Guys in order to push the flower pot off the edge.  Later on you'll be up against a giant Raven, and you'll have to use your ground-pounds to ram things right up his... well, I'll just leave that there.  In another battle, you'll be shrunk and swallowed by a frog.  That particular battle left such an impression on me.  These are just a few of the many bosses you'll face in Yoshi's Island.
+
+Reflecting now, I fondly remember various stages from years ago.  My favorites would have to be the winter/snow worlds.  At one point, a blizzard slowly begins as you move right, and before you know it you're firing down a slope with some skis.  Yes, Yoshi goes skiiing!  So cool.  I remember another stage where you have to pump up a balloon in order to float across.  I later found out you can actually ruin the balloon if you jump on too early, thus missing all the coins and other goodies.  Not to sound lazy, but I really don't want to spoil too many of the levels for anyone who has yet to play this game.  They are just so amazing and I'd like everyone to experience them like I did many years ago.
+
+Finally, I have to talk about the graphics.  Back then, the defining feature of many games would be the graphics.  Today that's no exception I suppose, but here it was almost paramount to success.  Yoshi's Island is no slouch in this department. One of the key reasons I enjoy this game so much is the graphical style they chose for it.  Everything looks like it was created by hand, and more importantly, by kids.  It was almost like playing the game form of the drawings you would make when you're younger.  You know what I mean, the crazy game ideas we had and what we thought was fun... it was almost like seeing your own ideas come to life, right in front of you.  It has such a charming and fun atmosphere about it, it's almost impossible not to like.  This was radically different than what games were moving towards, which was an emphasis on realism and looking "cool."  By all accounts, this style should've been rejected since it was nothing like the style that was "in" with the kids, but I think Nintendo saw the promise of something like this.  It really paid off.  I especially adore the backgrounds in this game.  I often stop and just admire the scenery in this game.  For a game that was released nearly 20 years ago, that has to mean something.  The attention to detail is astounding.
+
+The game itself is full of so much detail it's mind-bogging.  Everything in the game appears like it was painstakingly designed and created.  People say Miyamoto is a genius, and this game is proof of that alone.  It's evident by the butterflies in the foreground as you run across the plains, the birds flying in the backgrounds, the bugs that dart around in the swamp, the sauntering animations of the Shy Guys, the dancing and rhythm of the Tribal Shy Guys, the way the frogs bounce and jump in the background in the swamps, Yoshi's idle animations... even Poochy your adorable animal buddy has some nice touches.  If you throw him an egg, he'll usually bounce it back gently, and if he manages to get hold of one he'll become distracted and start playing with it.  He'll bounce it up and down with his paw and wag his tail with delight.  It's such a little addition but it's just so damn charming.  Things like these are just littered in the game, and while they serve no practical purpose, they bring you closer into the world of Yoshi's Island.  Before games were even looking close to real life, gamers could already feel themselves involved and drawn into a virtual world.
+
+I'll always remember playing Yoshi's Island fondly.  The first experience of this game is something I'll never forget.  The impact that this game had on me is insurmountable.  If for only that reason alone, this game is rightfully regarded by me as the best game ever.  But not only that, this game has such a high level of ingenuity, design, thought, polish and charm to warrant such a decision.  I implore you to play this game if you haven't already.  A game of this calibre has not been made since, in my opinion.  No doubt there have been many great games since, and probably some (if not most) would argue that this game isn't all that great.  For me though, this is it.  This is the peak of perfection.  Nothing is better in terms of gaming than Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island.

src/catalogue/podcasts/9-12.md

@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+---
+title: 9/12
+rating: 5
+image: https://cdn.wonderfulfrog.com/21dcd7ff8bee7ea7122dd755078befbef85978d7ee34af54840833a606d375da90a4f8a295842e8d2b58f4db5dfa6a69859a209e3c346f5f268546110b2b6d45.jpeg
+date: 2024-02-20
+url: https://art19.com/shows/9-12
+---
+
+What's it like the day _after_ 9/11? That's what this podcast explores. Dan Taberski proves he is a masterful host again and weaves a poignant narrative around "the next day".

src/catalogue/podcasts/a-death-in-cryptoland.md

@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+---
+title: A Death in Cryptoland
+rating: 5
+image: https://cdn.wonderfulfrog.com/adeathincryptoland-podcast-template-lg.avif
+date: 2024-02-20
+url: https://www.cbc.ca/listen/cbc-podcasts/904-a-death-in-cryptoland
+---
+
+Thoughts on cryptocurrency aside, this whole thing is _wild_. Every twist and turn continues to escalate - you'd be excused if you thought this was a piece of fiction.

src/catalogue/podcasts/boys-like-me.md

@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+---
+title: Boys Like Me
+rating: 5
+image: https://cdn.wonderfulfrog.com/BoysLikeMe-podcast-template.avif
+date: 2024-02-20
+url: https://www.cbc.ca/listen/cbc-podcasts/1035-boys-like-me
+---
+
+For those wondering how the modern incel movement starting gaining so much traction - this podcast explores how the movement started and how it has got so far.
+
+I found this podcast particularly harrowing because I heard myself in it so many times. I used to identify with the incel movement - before it had that name. At the height of Gamergate I was one of those amongst the thousands who believed the feminists were coming for my video games.
+
+It's so easy to become radicalized because it happens so slowly - it's insidious. There are men out there ready to bring you into the fold, truly terrible and reprehensible people that "validate" your feelings but feed you hateful ideology.
+
+I can't remember when I got out of the movement. It happened slowly if I remember right. I'd disagree with a small point, and then I found myself disagreeing more until I recognized it for what it was. Nothing but hateful rhetoric.
+
+It can be hard for a lot of men to reach that point, though. They become so entrenched in their beliefs that they can't think rationally anymore.
+

src/catalogue/podcasts/conversations-with-people-who-hate-me.md

@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+---
+title: Conversations With People Who Hate Me
+rating: 5
+image: https://cdn.wonderfulfrog.com/Conversations-With-People-Who-Hate-Me-Square-Logo.png
+date: 2024-02-20
+url: https://www.dylanmarron.com/podcast
+---
+
+A uniquely humanizing experience when Dylan chats with his haters. It's surprising to me how many people backtrack their comments (or at least stand by the spirit and not the delivery). I do think anonymity has this boosting effect in people's willingness to be mean (putting it lightly).
+
+The second season puts a fun twist on the format where people with diametric viewpoints are put onto a call (consensually) to have a discussion. Sometimes minds are changed, and people seem to want to listen with good faith.
+
+Honestly we need podcasts like this in a post-pandemic era where "us vs. them" mentality has completely dominated modern discourse online and in-person.

src/catalogue/podcasts/history-of-the-90s.md

@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+---
+title: History of the 90s
+rating: 4
+image: https://cdn.wonderfulfrog.com/history-of-the-90s.jpeg
+date: 2021-08-25T00:02:00Z
+url: https://curiouscast.ca/podcast/466/history-of-the-90s/
+---
+
+As a bona fide 90s kid, this podcast was made for me. I'm enjoying a trip down memory lane, but also learning so much about the 90s that I had no idea about, or did not learn about at the time.
+
+## Favourite episodes
+
+- [Woodstock 99](https://curiouscast.ca/podcast/466/history-of-the-90s/)
+- [Grunge (Part 1 & 2)](https://curiouscast.ca/podcast/466/history-of-the-90s/)

src/catalogue/podcasts/hunting-warhead.md

@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+---
+title: Hunting Warhead
+rating: 5
+image: https://cdn.wonderfulfrog.com/hunting-warhead.webp
+date: 2021-08-25T00:00:00Z
+url: https://www.cbc.ca/listen/cbc-podcasts/387-hunting-warhead
+---
+
+A chilling and gripping history telling the story of how one of the largest networks of CSAM was taken down by tracking its biggest maintainer.
+
+[Listen to the podcast](https://www.cbc.ca/listen/cbc-podcasts/387-hunting-warhead)

src/catalogue/podcasts/if-books-could-kill.md

@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+---
+title: If Books Could Kill
+url: https://www.ifbookspod.com/
+image: https://cdn.wonderfulfrog.com/if-books-could-kill.jpeg
+date: 2024-02-17
+---
+
+I will follow Michael Hobbes to the ends of the earth.
+
+## Favourite episodes
+
+- [The Art of the Deal](https://www.buzzsprout.com/2040953/14286395-the-art-of-the-deal)
+- [Malcolm Gladwell's "Outliers"](https://www.buzzsprout.com/2040953/11658428-malcolm-gladwell-s-outliers)
+- [Rich Dad Poor Dad](https://www.buzzsprout.com/2040953/12593204-rich-dad-poor-dad)
+- [The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck](https://www.buzzsprout.com/2040953/14006961-the-subtle-art-of-not-giving-a-f-ck)
+    How is it that I always fall for the light right-wingers? I still respect the book for the impact it had on me, but Mark Manson has completely lost the plot lately. His second book was not worth the money I paid for it.
+- [The 48 Laws of Power](https://www.buzzsprout.com/2040953/13887364-the-48-laws-of-power)

src/catalogue/podcasts/maintenance-phase.md

@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+---
+title: Maintenance Phase
+rating: 5
+image: https://cdn.wonderfulfrog.com/maintenance-phase.webp
+date: 2021-08-25T00:08:00Z
+url: https://www.maintenancephase.com/
+---
+
+A phenomenal podcast that challenged everything I knew about fatness, dieting, food, and my own relationship with each. I don't say this lightly but it has been a life-changing revelation for me. I devour every new episode with fervor and eagerly consume all their content.
+
+## Favourite episodes
+
+- [Dr. Oz](https://maintenancephase.buzzsprout.com/1411126/7857472-dr-oz)
+- [Halo Top Ice Cream](https://maintenancephase.buzzsprout.com/1411126/7127890-halo-top-ice-cream)
+- [The Biggest Loser](https://maintenancephase.buzzsprout.com/1411126/7353850-the-biggest-loser)
+    I used to watch this show religiously with my parents. I'd look to it at times for inspiration. Realizing the literal hell the cast when through now is horrifying.
+
+

src/catalogue/podcasts/podcasts.11tydata.js

@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+module.exports = {
+  layout: "layouts/catalogue-item",
+  tags: "podcast",
+  permalink: "catalogue/podcasts/{{ page.fileSlug }}/index.html",
+  linkTitle: "Listen to the podcast",
+};

src/catalogue/podcasts/project-unabom.md

@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+---
+title: Project Unabom
+rating: 5
+image: https://cdn.wonderfulfrog.com/313x0w.webp
+date: 2024-02-20
+url: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/project-unabom/id1627613321
+---
+
+A fascinating podcast that kept me fully engaged all the way through. The presentation is top-notch.
+
+It also served as a potent history lesson for myself. Try to resist the urge to check Wikipedia and let it unfold as you listen.

src/catalogue/podcasts/redemption-of-jar-jar-binks.md

@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+---
+title: The Redemption of Jar Jar Binks
+rating: 5
+image: https://cdn.wonderfulfrog.com/Jar_Jar_250x250.jpg
+date: 2024-02-20
+url: https://www.ted.com/podcasts/the-redemption-of-jar-jar-binks
+---
+
+The interviews with Ahmed Best in particular are wonderful. I'm ashamed that I was once a part of the online hate brigade that targeted their ire toward Jar Jar. It's so easy to forget that there is a human behind the CGI - a human behind the character.
+
+There's a ton of Star Wars history for a Star Wars fan to enjoy, but it's a story that anyone would be encouraged to hear. Dylan Marron is a fantastic host for the show.

src/catalogue/podcasts/reply-all.md

@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+---
+title: Reply All
+url: https://gimletmedia.com/shows/reply-all
+rating: 3
+image: https://cdn.wonderfulfrog.com/reply-all.jpeg
+date: 2021-08-25T00:07:00Z
+---
+
+There are too many episodes to this podcast, but I have been shared a few interesting ones from my partner. I was never a regular listener, and have not listened since it [effectively imploded](https://www.vulture.com/article/gimlet-reply-all-controversy-spotify-test-kitchen.html)
+
+## Favourite episodes
+
+- [The Case of the Missing Hit](https://pca.st/episode/cc572c51-e2bd-41fe-a138-d4f8ecba3549)
+    This is a real journey. There are so many fun twists and turns.

src/catalogue/podcasts/running-from-cops.md

@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+---
+title: Running from COPS
+rating: 5
+image: https://cdn.wonderfulfrog.com/running-from-cops.webp
+date: 2021-08-25T00:03:00Z
+url: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/headlong-running-from-cops/id1459118695
+---
+
+[Listen to the podcast](https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/headlong-running-from-cops/id1459118695)

src/catalogue/podcasts/surviving-y2k.md

@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+---
+title: Surviving Y2K
+rating: 4
+image: https://cdn.wonderfulfrog.com/surviving-y2k.webp
+date: 2021-08-25T00:01:00Z
+url: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/headlong-surviving-y2k/id1464251414
+---
+
+[Listen to the podcast](https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/headlong-surviving-y2k/id1464251414)

src/catalogue/podcasts/the-flamethrowers.md

@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+---
+title: The Flamethrowers
+rating: 5
+image: https://cdn.wonderfulfrog.com/theflamethrowers-podcast-template.avif
+date: 2024-02-20
+url: https://www.cbc.ca/listen/cbc-podcasts/1026-the-flamethrowers
+---
+
+I appreciated the host's occasional sense of humour, because the podcast uses real audio from some of the right-wind radio hosts and it can be... vitriolic, to put it nicely. I don't know what to do but immediately laugh after some of the hateful bile these men spew.
+
+It amazed me how quietly it started, but much like a flamethrower (hey, just getting that now) the power of right-wind radio grew so rapidly.
+
+Much like any number of problems facing America in the 21st century, it comes back to Reagan.

src/catalogue/podcasts/the-new-gurus.md

@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+---
+title: The New Gurus
+rating: 5
+image: https://cdn.wonderfulfrog.com/the-new-gurus.webp
+date: 2024-02-20
+url: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-new-gurus/id1659385785
+---
+
+There is an obsession with finding a guru - a subject matter expert - and trying to learn from them. I should know - I spent a large part of my 20s following the advice of wealthy, privileged white men telling me how to live a fulfilling life. Just wake up a 5am, just meditate every day for 30 minutes, just just just... I hate the word "just" now and treat it like a hangnail.
+
+Episode 3 in particular resonated with me. There are no shortage of shysters in the wellness and self-help industry promising to be your guru, but lacking in any credentials. The productivity sphere is lousy with them. There is a strange obsession with productivity in the world of white men, and few of them have any regard for someone who has a family has to deal with.

src/catalogue/podcasts/youre-wrong-about.md

@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+---
+title: "You're Wrong About"
+url: https://yourewrongabout.com/
+rating: 4
+image: https://cdn.wonderfulfrog.com/youre-wrong-about.jpeg
+date: 2021-08-25T00:06:00Z
+---
+
+## Favourite episodes
+
+I find I don't enjoy the podcast nearly as much since Michael Hobbes left the show. But the "classic era" YWA episodes tend to be great.
+
+- [Disco Demolition Night](https://www.buzzsprout.com/1112270/4815227-disco-demolition-night)