Replay Couch 8: Let's Party

Welcome to the Replay Couch, where we kick back and watch the best, and worst, of recorded video game history. Each week we'll be offering up a compilation of compelling captures from the world of insane speed-runs, chance kills, competitive moments, and hilarious happenings from the past and present.

Be sure to check out last week's edition of Replay Couch for more crazy digital stunts and creative stupidity. And now, on with the show.

Welcome to the White House (link to this video)

The concept of the Japanese Xbox title Metal Wolf Chaos comes from a what-if scenario. What if America's Vice President carried out a coup d'etat, evicting the President from the White House? What if the President jumped into a powered battlemech and began to take back his country, one state at a time? What if the game had dialogue such as, "Nothing is pointless, and the reason is.. because I'm the President of the Great United States of America!"

What if I wasn't making this up?

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World War TF2 (link to this video)

Tasteless? Definitely. Funny? Yeah. Cheesewiz27 expertly edits Team Fortress 2 effects into Saving Private Ryan, turning the end of Normandy into a real comeback victoly for the Allies.

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Flight of the Assholes (link to this video)

This came up after the posting of last week's Team Fortress 2 griefing video. Clan moNstrous illustrates why Counter-Strike's Metamod is both funny and illegal in this classic clip.

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Dr. Strangeman (link to this video)

The trailer for Janus Syndicate's Half-Life 2 spoof of Dr. Strangelove, done up in the style of the original Kubrick trailer. Like most comedy machinima, this 40-minute epic has a ratio of ten scenes to every one funny, but it's still worth checking out if you're a Kubrick fan.

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Nap Time (link to this video)

What happens when some random guy falls asleep while playing Halo--with his headset on? The video game equivalent of spraying shaving cream onto a sleeping person's hand.

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Vitamin Orange (link to this video)

Here's a leftover from last week's spotlight on Lit Fuse. Another tale of fruit, with a shocking ending.

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MIDI Hero (link to this video)

Who needs Rock Band? Using a complicated process of hackery (explained on this website), Egyokeo takes on Guitar Hero 3's Through the Fire and Flames--with a MIDI drum pad.

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World of Warcraft: The Funereal Crusade (link to this video)

The setup: a Horde guild decides to hold a mock in-game funeral for a member that has passed on. Another group of Alliance players just happens to stroll past, interrupting the sacred procession. The rest is history.

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Competitive Arena: Richard Hawk vs. Michael Wilson (link to this video)

You wanted more Metal Wolf, didn't you? Yeaaahhh!

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Trailer of the Week: Half-Life (link to this video)

Half-Life was going to suck. Valve must have really worked some magic between the release of this 1997 trailer--subtitled "Molasses Low-gravity Demo"--and the game's eventual 1998 debut.

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The 12 Days of StarCraft (link to this video)

The 12 days of Christmas start tomorrow, and what better way to celebrate the holidays than with a little StarCraft. Blizzard released this take on the classic song years ago, but you may have forgotten about it since. My only wish for Santa is that we're all playing SC2 by this time next year.

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Impossible Video of the Week: 0 Stars (link to this video)

This week's impossible video may not be literally impossible, but it's close. This is a tool-assisted speed run of Mario 64 by Swordless Link and AKA, who used an emulator for slow-motion play and rerecording to beat the game in a little under six minutes, without collecting a single star. And do I spot a possible inspiration for Portal's infamous ending in-joke?

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See a cool video that you think is worth sharing? Drop me a line: Nick@Shacknews.com