#grapplethon

[miloscat]

[Review] Grapple Force Rena (PC)

More grappling action!

Grapplethon 2023 continues with this little treasure of a game. Rena was Kickstarted in 2014 with a quite experimental model: a serialised episodic game playable in a browser (“a webcomic you can play”). These plans fell through but its creator Tim Ashley Jenkins pushed on and with the help of Galaxy Trail (Freedom Planet) published it in 2018 as a traditional standalone game, which works perfectly well for it.

GFR seems inspired by 16-bit action games like Treasure’s, as well as obviously grapple-action classics like Bionic Commando and Faussete Amour. It benefits greatly from being a modern release though, sporting vibrant colours, options for analogue control that add much to the grappling gameplay, and a diverse cast in both skin tone and respectful gender identity (for example, several characters are non-binary).

Rena has few verbs in practice: her grapple powers are a laser focus here. This lets the game hone and iterate those mechanics, and allows even more options for control schemes. I tried D-pad and buttons at first (I just can’t get on with analogue movement in a 2D sidescroller) but analogue aiming is so essential for getting the most out of the grapple that I switched to mouse and keyboard. Not only does the grapple let you swing and climb, but combat is frequent and your only recourse is grabbing and chucking, as in Treasure’s Mischief Makers. Lucky it’s so satisfying to do, and not much of the game overstays its welcome outside some platforming difficulty spikes at the very end.

The story is mostly pretty breezy, with a cartoony tone in a fantasy world, mysterious artefacts, likeable friends and rivals, and a moustache-twirling antagonist... until an odd swerve at around the three-quarter mark where reality breaks down, the government turns fascist, and everything goes a bit Iconoclasts-lite. This does encourage cooperation with former enemies (always a fun trope), but some plot threads get hastily dropped and the ending actually ends up rather anticlimactic. I have to wonder if the planned episodic release might have smoothed this over more or given more time to address the disappearing antagonist and their plot, the hinted moral ambiguity, or the enemy lieutenant who shows up in one cutscene and is never seen again. Oh well, I’m glad the attempt was made to shake things up and make the story more interesting even if it didn’t all pan out.

There’s occasional cracks in other parts too. Some level gimmicks work better than others. And maybe it’s all the other grapple-based games I’ve played recently but Rena’s feels a bit weak and finicky. There is depth to the game in mastering these mechanics and learning the levels, with optional time trials unlocked after finishing, so I understand that it’s not just a joyride down easy street. And honestly, for a first-time commercial game developed almost entirely by one person which changed business model and release format partway through development, it’s a remarkable achievement, so I can forgive a few rough spots.

#grapple force rena #battle studio #tim ashley jenkins #review #pc #indie

[grapplethon]

#Repost #UK #GrappleThon @brightonbjjxchange • • • Amazing package in support our our raffle at #charity Grapplethon from @grapplersgift Many thanks for being so amazing. #bjj #bjjapparel #brazilianjiujitsu #rollathon https://www.instagram.com/p/B16uRZ0JWfh/?igshid=zx5mdk9fehhe

#repost #uk #grapplethon #charity #bjj #bjjapparel #brazilianjiujitsu #rollathon

[thesportssoundoff]

Chas Skelly decisions Jordan Griffin in a very fun sloppy fight

Chas Skelly has been on the losing end of some of close slopfest grapplethons but this one goes in his favor. Skelly survives a few close moments and relies on his size and strength to grind out a few toughies. At this point we know what Chas Skelly is and it’s a guy who can just survive the close encounters and rely on his veteran savvy and grit.

Jordan Griffin is not QUITE UFC quality but he’s now had two pretty good close fights with good fighters like Dan Ige and Chas Skelly. He just lacks that ��it” factor I guess and a go to in a pinch. Vs Chas Skelly, he couldn’t prevent grappling exchanges where his lack of strength/sloppy overall technique would open the door for Skelly to hit counters that would put him in advantageous positions. He chased multiple chokes on Griffin who would just simply wait out the attempts as Skelly would get overzealous trying to secure a sub.

#MMA #UFC

[pandas-odyssey]

Yesterday a group of us took an overnight bus from #brussels to #london for a 24hrs #grapplethon we're currently 9 hrs into it and still going strong! @grapplethon @slideyfoot @wavebjjuk Follow all my #adventures over @ pandasodyssey.com #PandasOdyssey #bjj #jiujitsu #bjjlife #jiujitsulife #bjj4life #jiujitsu4life #bjjlifestyle #jiujitsulifestyle #brazilianjiujitsu #wrestling #judo #martialarts #travel #travelandtrain #travelblogger #lifeinabag #lifeinabackpack #livingmydream #livingthedream #bjjglobetrotters

#lifeinabackpack #martialarts #travelandtrain #brazilianjiujitsu #bjj #jiujitsu4life #bjj4life #travel #bjjlife #travelblogger #lifeinabag #london #grapplethon #jiujitsu #livingthedream #wrestling #bjjglobetrotters #brussels #jiujitsulifestyle #adventures #livingmydream #pandasodyssey #bjjlifestyle #jiujitsulife #judo

[ashymcgee]

Taking instruction from Rory at the Tap Out Cancer #grapplethon. Yes, my partner was holding on for dear life. Yes, my back is that big. #tallgirlproblems #powerlifting #gainz (at Northwest Jiu-Jitsu Maple Ridge)

#grapplethon #tallgirlproblems #powerlifting #gainz

[meerkatsu]

Those raising funds for this year's Bristol Grapplethon will be eligible for my exclusively designed Tshirt. This year's event will be held in MyGym Bristol on the 15th April. Come join us, roll for a few hours, have a laugh and a chat and raise funds for an important charity who do good work @sarsas_uk #grapplethon #bjj #brazilianjiujitsu @artemisbjj

#brazilianjiujitsu #bjj #grapplethon

[johnbattlesca]

Meerkatsu Raising a Record Sum With His Latest Charity Print!

If you do jiu jitsu, you’ve probably seen crazy animal prints on rash guards.  They tend to have a certain style to them, and often if you look closely at these attractive and vibrant prints, you’ll see a specific set of Chinese characters and “Meerkatsu” in the design.

Seymour Yang AKA Meerkatsu is one of the foremost producers of jiu-jitsu related art, and has consistently gone above and beyond to help raise money to combat violence against women.

Back in 2013 in light of a certain New Years Eve incident, Meerkatsu put together a tee-shirt in conjunction with jiu-jitsu daily deal titan BJJHQ and super popular gear company Tatami Fightwear releasing the beautiful Heavenly Foot lock shirt to donate to RAINN and Rape Crisis.  Since then, Yang has offered up large high quality lithographs that have been auctioned on EBay for an annual event called the Grapplethon.

Ending this Friday, Meerkatsu has a print on eBay that is poised to collect the largest sum of money raised by a charity auction for a single item in the BJJ community.  Currently the bid is at 1280 pounds, and there are still 2 days left for the auction!

If you want to bid on this amazing item check it out here:

eBAY

An avid jiujiteiro, Seymour is a BJJ black belt based in London and is the instructor at Borehamwood BJJ.  I had an opportunity to speak briefly with him about this wildly successful auction, that will raise money for a good cause and this is what he had to say:

“My fundraising auctions are a great way to give back to the community and to those who are not always as fortunate as others. The BJJ community is a diverse mix of people, they reflect society as a whole, and, yes, sometimes the nastier stuff gets the headlines news, but I know that the vast majority of folk are good people – the response to my fundraisers have always been amazing, I’m lucky to be surrounded by such wonderful, generous and kind hearted people.

The print auction this year is exceeding all expectations. As part of the 2017 Bristol Grapplethon Team, we’re raising funds for the Somerset & Avon Sexual Abuse Support (sarsas.org.uk) who do important work helping survivors of rape and sexual assault in the local region.

I love contributing to the Bristol Grapplethons – I’ve been to each one since the first one five years ago! And Can Sonmez, who organises them, is a great friend of mine and the major force behind this charity movement in BJJ, it’s a real pleasure to be a part of this set up.”

If you want to support this cause, you can donate directly at https://mydonate.bt.com/teams/grapplethon2017

The post Meerkatsu Raising a Record Sum With His Latest Charity Print! appeared first on The Jiu-Jitsu Times.

from The Jiu-Jitsu Times https://www.jiujitsutimes.com/meerkatsu-raising-record-sum-latest-charity-print/

Tagged: The Jiu-Jitsu Times from John Battles' Blog https://johnbattlesca.wordpress.com/2017/03/22/meerkatsu-raising-a-record-sum-with-his-latest-charity-print/

[thejiujitsutimes]

Don't Miss The Grapplethon For Ian Matuszak

Don’t Miss The Grapplethon For Ian Matuszak

The next Grapplethon event is being held on November 14, 2015, at the Fountain Valley Global Jiu Jitsu Academy. The event is in aid of twenty year old Ian Matuszak, who is a Westbury based BJJ blue belt with cerebral palsy. This debilitating illness affects millions of people across the world. Recently, Ian also found out that he has esophageal cancer.

Grapplethons are charitable events, not…

View On WordPress

#bjj #Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu #Cerebral Palsy #Grapplethon #Ian Matuszak

[grapplethon]

#Repost #UK #GrappleThon @pendlebjj • • • Our amazing Fundraising Certificate taking pride of place courtesy of @lymphoma_action for our fundraising from the 12 Hour Grapplethon 😊👍 #pendlemartialarts #PMAA25 #lymphomaaction #charity #fundraising #rollathon #bjj #brazilianjiujitsulifestyle #BrazilianJiuJitsu https://www.instagram.com/p/B1IxI63JG81/?igshid=13g96bkdudlku

#repost #uk #grapplethon #pendlemartialarts #pmaa25 #lymphomaaction #charity #fundraising #rollathon #bjj #brazilianjiujitsulifestyle #brazilianjiujitsu

[pandas-odyssey]

What an amazing weekend it's been. In the 24 hrs of the @grapplethon I rolled about 5 1/2 or more hours. I am a very sore #panda today. Was such an awesome experience this has been! Thanks again @artemisbjj and @wavebjjuk For pyt this on and all the friends over at #teambelgium for bringing me along Follow all my #adventures over @ pandasodyssey.com #PandasOdyssey #bjj #jiujitsu #bjjlife #jiujitsulife #bjjlifestyle #jiujitsulifestyle #bjj4life #jiujitsu4life #brazilianjiujitsu #martialarts #wrestling #judo #grapplethon #travel #travelblogger #travelandtrain #lifeinabag #lifeinabackpack #livingmydream #livingthedream

#lifeinabag #bjj #jiujitsu #jiujitsulifestyle #travelblogger #pandasodyssey #jiujitsu4life #bjj4life #travel #teambelgium #livingmydream #wrestling #panda #livingthedream #bjjlifestyle #martialarts #lifeinabackpack #bjjlife #adventures #judo #jiujitsulife #brazilianjiujitsu #travelandtrain #grapplethon

[ashymcgee]

Taking instruction from Professor Ritchie Yip (@infightingmma )during the #tapoutcancer #grapplethon (at Northwest Jiu-Jitsu Maple Ridge)

#tapoutcancer #grapplethon

[meerkatsu]

Coming soon. A single, signed art print of my Graceful Kimura artwork. I will auction the print and all profits will go to the Bristol @grapplethon in support of @sarsas_uk. Stay tuned for further news. #bjjart #bjjartist #jiujitsuart #jiujitsuartist #bjj #brazilianjiujitsu

#brazilianjiujitsu #bjj #bjjart #jiujitsuartist #bjjartist #jiujitsuart

[johnbattlesca]

After Her Life Was Taken Too Soon, 18-Year-Old Olivia Gonzalez Continues To Inspire The BJJ Community

For as large as the jiu-jitsu community is, the closeness we all share means that when tragedy strikes one of our own, we all feel the pain. So when white belt Olivia Gonzalez was murdered at age 18 just a few weeks ago, it didn’t just shake her hometown of Hermitage, Pennsylvania — it affected everyone who had ever known what she was capable of on the mat.

By all accounts, Olivia was full of surprises. Her mom used to call her “Snow White” because of her knack for attracting woodland creatures (She once brought a baby deer right into the house), but when it came to martial arts, she was nothing short of a savage. Her role model was Ronda Rousey, and she put in lots of tough hours at the gym in the hopes of one day being just like her. “We were looking for her to have something to satisfy her soul — something she could embrace and love,” said Olivia’s mother, Maikki Gonzalez, about how the teen got her start at Monarch Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. “She fell in love with it. She found her inner peace there, and it gave her discipline.”

In fact, the discipline that Olivia carried with her was nothing short of remarkable for a young woman her age — during the summer, when most teenagers were hanging out with their friends or getting into trouble, Olivia would pack her bag in the morning, walk up to Monarch, and then spend the whole day there. When it was time to leave, she’d walk back home and then prepare herself to do it again the next day. For many people her age, such dedication would wear off after a while, but Olivia had always lived her life with that kind of passion. “As an athlete, she never turned down a challenge; there was no such thing as an obstacle. She pushed through mountain — she didn’t just climb them,” said Maikki.

For Olivia’s coach, Robert Henricksen, that drive made her a standout student at his academy. “She was a natural at BJJ,” he said. “She was tough and fearless. Her time was brief to have made many accomplishments, but she was always supportive of her teammates and attended tournaments in that capacity with the intention of competing in the future. In training she was extremely tenacious. Her potential was without limit.”

Olivia’s daily training helped her earn her first stripe very quickly, but even though she was extremely focused on her own goals, she also made the time for her friends and teammates. “Any time I needed a friend she was always there. She never put up with any BS and was never afraid to speak her mind, but she also had a very gentle and honest side as well,” said Zane Henricksen, who was Olivia’s friend and the son of her coach. He describes her as being “one of the most talented girls” he’s ever met, not only in jiu-jitsu, but also in just about everything she tried. Zane praised her musical talents, saying that she had a serious knack for singing, rapping, and writing her own music. Olivia’s mother recounted how her daughter was an enthusiastic artist as well, and of course, the fact that Olivia flew her first plane at age fifteen is worth a raised eyebrow, to say the least.

Even though Olivia’s training schedule relaxed a bit towards the end of her life as she prepared for what would’ve undoubtedly been a successful future (potentially as a marine biologist), the impact she made on those who trained with her isn’t going anywhere. Her teammates didn’t just lose a training partner — they lost a friend, a family member, and a serious inspiration. To honor her memory, they’ll be hosting a grapplethon called “Roll for Olivia” on Saturday, February 25. If the trip to Monarch is a bit too long for you to make, you can help support the cause by contributing to the GoFundMe that’s been set up to help Olivia’s family pay for memorial costs. And of course, anyone willing to roll in Olivia’s honor at their own gym is encouraged to do so.

As Olivia’s loved ones do their best to recover from her tragic and untimely passing, the BJJ community is going to do what it does best in times like these: come together. We’re going to ensure that Olivia’s spirit lives on when we help our teammates through tough times or when we manage to drag ourselves to class even when we really would rather stay home. We’re going to destroy obstacles in our path just as she did, and we’re going to do it while helping our teammates do the same. A loss in our tight-knit, but worldwide family is always hard whether or not you know the person who left us too soon, but by living (and rolling) as Olivia did, we’ll be able to help both her biological family and her BJJ family see that this remarkable young woman will never be forgotten.

The post After Her Life Was Taken Too Soon, 18-Year-Old Olivia Gonzalez Continues To Inspire The BJJ Community appeared first on The Jiu-Jitsu Times.

from The Jiu-Jitsu Times https://www.jiujitsutimes.com/olivia-gonzalez/

Tagged: The Jiu-Jitsu Times from John Battles' Blog https://johnbattlesca.wordpress.com/2017/02/24/after-her-life-was-taken-too-soon-18-year-old-olivia-gonzalez-continues-to-inspire-the-bjj-community/

[grapplethon]

#BattleOfTheBeards as we move past 6pm. 💪🎅 _______________________ #Deutschland #Germany #GrappleThon #kampfkunst #charity #children #kids #kidsmartialarts #kidsbjj #kinder #jiujitsu #bjj #brazilianjiujitsulifestyle #brazilianjiujitsu #Hamburg #GrappleThonGermany #GrappleThonGermany2019 #beard #beards #strongbeard @nexusfighteracademy https://www.instagram.com/p/Bww9bXUANxz/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=10dn93s9mshvw

#battleofthebeards #deutschland #germany #grapplethon #kampfkunst #charity #children #kids #kidsmartialarts #kidsbjj #kinder #jiujitsu #bjj #brazilianjiujitsulifestyle #brazilianjiujitsu #hamburg #grapplethongermany #grapplethongermany2019 #beard #beards #strongbeard

[grapplethon]

#Repost #US #GrappleThon #NewMexico @gbriorancho • • • Our annual Roll-A-Thon is June 8th! Come help raise money for Suicide Awareness with Breaking the Silence NM! We will have pledge forms for raising donations! Stay tuned for more info! #graciebarra #rollathon #suicideawareness #prevention #teamwork #redshield #riorancho #bjj #brazilianjiujitsu #charity https://www.instagram.com/p/BxhInitA-Ce/?igshid=1lvdp34rl8qv1

#repost #us #grapplethon #newmexico #graciebarra #rollathon #suicideawareness #prevention #teamwork #redshield #riorancho #bjj #brazilianjiujitsu #charity

[grapplethon]

#Repost @aranha_belgium • • • We made it! 12 hours of jiu-jitsu!! Thanks to everybody who supported #dewarmsteweek But now we #sleep!! Osss #studiobrussel #bjjlifestyle #bjj4life #bjj #zwevegem #grapplethon #brazilianjiujitsulifestyle #brazilianjiujitsu #charity #tired #hardwork #marathon #endurance #aranhabelgium #aranhafrance #yancabral https://www.instagram.com/p/BrcJiWcAUPi/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1th09t5zept4i

#repost #dewarmsteweek #sleep #studiobrussel #bjjlifestyle #bjj4life #bjj #zwevegem #grapplethon #brazilianjiujitsulifestyle #brazilianjiujitsu #charity #tired #hardwork #marathon #endurance #aranhabelgium #aranhafrance #yancabral