[W.I.P.]
About
Classic Game Room is a video game reviewing show that was founded, produced, and directed by Mark Bussler that featured reviews of both classic and modern games, accessories, and even miscellaneous things like food and pinball machines. The show is known for it’s non-conventional style of reviewing, witty and lighthearted nature, and it’s focus on finding the “fun” in games. The show was originally being broadcasted on the video-sharing website Youtube, but later moved to it’s own website due to recent copyright issues with Youtube.
Origin
Classic game room originally started in 1999 under the name “The Game Room,” Created by Mark Bussler and Dave Crosson, and was the said to be the first video game review show on the internet. The show ran on a $50 dollar budget, which would latter lead to their cancellation on October 23, 2000 due to slow episode production and their revenue failing to cover the show’s cost. The show was later revived on February 20, 2008 under the name “Classic Game Room HD” with Mark being the only host. As of December 13, 2013, Mark left Youtube and began posting his reviews on his own site following Youtube’s content ID policy.
Reception
Classic Game Room has been praised numerous times for it’s range and diversity in it’s game reviews, Mark Bussler’s charismatic and witty personality, and it’s deadpan style of humor. Special praise is given to the fact that Mark “Likes to find the fun in games because not every game has the same audience,” a simple practice that is considered ignored in mainstream journalism. The fanbase has also received praised for it’s calm and collected nature, as well as it’s support for Classic Game Room, which Mark referenced in his review of Twisted Metal: Head On for the Playstation Portable, though he is often criticized for his lack of focus or tendency to change the subject, which was a major complaint in his review of the Nintendo Wii U.
Related Subjects
Viral Dog
Mark’s pet dog, Stella (A.K.A. Viral Dog), is a German Shepard/Chow chow mix and is one CGR’s main mascots that made her first debut in September 21, 2007 in a video called “Stella the Wonderdog! Most Cute Puppy in the Land!” Though she occasionally makes cameo appearances in a few of CGR’s videos, she has had several videos dedicated to her, most of which include mark giving her exaggerated praise while using reverb.
Zombies
In his Left 4 Dead and the Last of Us reviews, he shares his theories on why zombies are popular in mainstream entertainment. In his Left 4 Dead review, he says that the reason why zombies are cool is that they have an honest nature, as opposed to humans, who he claims to be liars/fakers. He gives a more serious theory in his review of the Last of Us, where he states that “the reason we are fighting zombies is because developers and/or publishers can’t afford to alienate any one group of people or country these days.”
Leaving Youtube
On December 12th, 2013, Mark released a video saying that there will be changes to the Classic Game Room website, and that he will be posting his reviews on there using Dailymotion’s video sharing from now on. He has also commented that “the show will go on (despite changes to a certain website)” implying that his reason for leaving is due to youtube’s Content ID policy. Despite this, he still posts videos on youtube regularly, most of which subtly criticizes youtube’s changes to their copyright policies.