Prior to this year, it’s no exaggeration to say that the only game I’d played in full since about 2010 was the original BioShock. Not really sure why I stepped away from gaming - probably just some usual combination of life getting in the way and dodgy prioritisation. Then, like many others, I became acquainted with a boatload of surplus indoor time this year, and chose to find my way back with an N3DS and a Switch. Turns out I really missed it. I’ve been slowly playing through a variety of titles I missed the first time around, as well as various others I’ve stumbled across along the way.
In compiling this list, I have learned that my gameplay times are crushingly slow, people have extremely strong opinions about the Paper Mario series and actually it turns out a really poorly specced PC was holding me back from gaming all this time. Would love to hear what others thought of this selection of games, especially those who hold dissenting opinions about my DNF list (I expect plenty in support of Xenoblade, lol). Be warned this is all through the lens of someone who is plainly just thrilled to be back in the fold and has zero concerns spending way more time than necessary to complete games! I suspect I have more patience and rosier-tinted glasses as compared to the average weathered gamer, so would also be interested to hear how my experiences stack up in the wider gaming context.
The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds Total play time: ~30 hours Zelda factored little in my adolescent years, and apart from renting OoT a handful of times for the 64 (and spamming bombs in SSB) this is pretty much the only Zelda experience I've had. It's kind of a blessing and a curse, from what I can tell: I have none of the hangups but equally none of the emotional connection that often seems to accompany the franchise. I really only played this because it had been given to me and came highly recommended.
But this was about as good as introductions get - sure, it helped that this was essentially the first console game I'd played in its entirety in over a decade, but the game is clearly exceptional by all accounts. It seems I love a good gameplay mechanic where it doesn't tip into gimmickry, and the wall merge system I found novel, baffling and satisfying without ever being too frustrating.
I obviously can't speak to the nostalgia aspect of it, but coming to it fresh was a charming experience. It's pretty hard not to be at least casually familiar with aspects of Zelda lore, and I liked that there weren't any lengthy cutscenes (looking at you, Ōkami) or tedious tutorials to slog through. The storytelling is a little naff but not distractingly so, and for me the pretty predictable ending was offset by the fun final boss battle. And you sure do feel good solving some of those puzzles.
I'm not yet game to branch out into the open world of BotW, but I'm pretty glad my maiden Zelda foray was this one instead. More games ought to allow one to become a painting.
Highlights: big bomb flower lols, boss battles that were satisfying / a great relief to complete
Ōkami HD Total play time: 50:57:29 Completion %: 50/100 stray beads I remember seeing promo material for this game back when it was first released and thinking the brush mechanic was dope - a hype disproportionate to the amount of PS2 I owned (none). So regardless I was probably always going to be predisposed to like this game.
This was the first game I finished on the Switch and I enjoyed it immensely. The art style is killer and helps it look great for a game of its age into the bargain, the brush mechanic and the puzzle element it introduces feels integrated rather than gimmicky, and the storytelling is rich and humorous. I know others have commented that the game is overly long, but I enjoyed being in the world enough that it never felt a slog. (This coming from someone who has played 100+ hours of Picross but…)
I will agree that the combat system was pretty whatever, though. I am a pretty rubbish gamer by conventional skill standards and even I found this game wildly easy, but I think that also speaks to my enjoyment of the game as an all-round narrative experience rather than pure mechanics. An additional dishonorable mention for
having to fight Orochi no less than three times?! Sure,
going back in time was a pretty neat narrative arc and I could forgive
repeating the fight in that context, but by the Ark I was sure they had to be taking the piss.
Unlocking the additional skins gives this game some replay potential for me, especially the
photorealistic wolf, laughable only in hindsight. The existence of about twice as many stray beads as I collected also means I may dip in and out in future, but mostly I have minimal desire to bring my
dragon-head-whacking count up to 48. Nevertheless, a pretty inimitable experience, even if it took me a decade and a half to get there.
Highlights: the dang art style, drawing
an emoji face for my demon mask and seeing it show up again in
Sei-an City Paper Mario: Sticker Star Total play time: ~30 hours I can understand the criticism of this game: the combat system sucks and makes traversing through the world often not very fun, the characters are unmemorable, the necessity of having certain stickers to win certain fights is infuriating, the plot is generic, the lack of levelling up is nonsense. None of that stopped me from enjoying this game, though! Take that! As always, this was probably helped immensely by the nostalgia I carry for the original Paper Mario on the 64 and the fact I hadn’t really had any other Mario games to compare it to for a long time.
The super vitriolic abuse it seems to cop online feels a bit disproportionate but. From poking around the series, it looks like one that people are particularly vocal about, with the only correct answer being “TTYD is the best game in the series and all other future titles will be held against this specific benchmark”. Honestly I’m just glad I played this game without the knowledge of what the gaming community thought of it, because I don’t think this is a genuinely bad game.
Kirby: Planet Robobot Total play time: ~20 hours Completion %: 81% Evidently I rather enjoy the cute-thing-in-a-mech-suit genre, between this game and Gato Roboto. But I have very fond memories of playing The Crystal Shards and am a Kirby main (lol) in SSB so I could probably be coerced into playing literally any Kirby game. I don’t have too much to say about this game; I think anyone familiar with the franchise will understand pretty much how it plays, but the mech suit mechanic is a heap of fun, with copy abilities possible both in and out of the suit.
There were some little details that I thought were quite fun: the collection of stickers that you can use to decorate your mech was bonus entertainment, the
variety of gameplay styles in the final boss battle, the remote control Kirby in the casino levels. It looks great, it’s charming, and as mentioned, I like an idiosyncratic feature that isn’t gimmicky, and I think the mech suit ticks that box. I picked up Extra Epic Yarn off the back of this, too - it just looks so dang
sweet.
What the Golf? Total play time: 08:24:56 Completion %: 97% Total strokes: 11656 Games I subsequently want to play: Superhot If there ever was a time for escapism, the middle of a pandemic seems to be a pretty good candidate, and I am certainly guilty of using this game as a bit of a feel-good salve. But what the golf, it was a grand old time, and I think we can all use the laughs it provides. I bought the game off the expectations set by the trailer and was happily not disappointed.
This is a pretty straightforward game by all standards: simple overworld, three levels per stage, emphasis on silly in "silly physics". It feels like the schtick should get old pretty fast, but there's enough sly nods and references (and straight-up gameplay duplication) to keep it fresh and consistently funny. Caveat: pun disdainers avoid.
It's the perfect game to dip in and out of - none of the stages are particularly long, and while some of the pacrown levels can be a bit frustrating, you're not at all forced to complete them in linear fashion. Nevertheless, I played this game in pretty lengthy stints, so the format isn't a barrier in that sense either.
I know this is a fairly new game to the Switch, but it's been out on PC for a while it seems. I bought it only having seen it in the eShop, so if there was a hype train, it did not make a stop at my station.
Highlights: the Superhot levels, WHAT?, the constant anticipation of what a button press would do in a new level
Ori and the Blind Forest Total play time: 14:44:46 Completion %: 96% Total deaths: 488 It’s something of a classic, and evidently with good reason - I think I would have played this game for its art alone, but of course its reputation has since come to precede it. It runs really smoothly on the Switch, and the platforming is tight and enjoyable. Not sure how common it is in the wider world, but I really liked the save mechanic - as a chronic saver, I rather appreciated being responsible for setting my own save points, especially when it came to some of the more challenging sequences. I expected to struggle a lot with this one but I found the challenges fair, even the escape sequences, much as I may have wanted to
burn down the Ginso Tree on the first few attempts.
Feels like most people who’ve had an eye on it have played it by now, and there’s plenty of reviews out there for those on the fence to decide either way, but personally I’m very glad to have played and finished it. I’ve since been told that both the sequel and Hollow Knight eclipse this game, though I do have some idea of what to expect from both. Now if Will of the Wisps could just get a Switch port...
Mosaic Total play time: ~3 hours I’d been wanting to pick this game up because a friend of mine had a hand in its creation, but I kind of could not have picked a worse time for it. Without spoiling anything, the premise of the game is being stuck in a very boring corporate dystopia, and a lot of the gameplay revolves around the repetition of your daily routines. Obviously this kind of experience can already be a little harrowing at the best of times, but in the middle of a global pandemic where time feels completely immaterial it was often a bit much.
Certainly the gameplay won’t be for everyone; there is a lot of walking around in this game, and you can interact with
various depressing billboards and your smartphone in ways you think might have some kind of a purpose but ultimately formally contribute nothing to your game - so in that sense, it’s kind of a bang on expression of its premise, though its messaging can be a little on the nose at times.
If you’re into the visual style and can get down with the premise, this is a unique gaming experience which is both lovely and deeply unsettling at times. If you’re at all curious, the website gives a fairly clear mission statement of the game.
Gato Roboto Total play time: 05:23:28 Completion %: 78% Short and sweet, this one, and looks and feels great. I’d never really picked myself as one for metroidvanias, but this game came onto my radar after Ori and I was looking for a shorter, punchy game in a similar style, and this delivered on expectations.
As mentioned, I’m kind of crap at games, so the difficulty for this one felt about right for me. There were a handful of times the boss battles threatened to tip into frustration, but mostly it was just my timing being off (
second stage of the mouse battle in the heater core comes to mind) as well as in the earlier parts of the game where I had just been lax in picking up healthkits.
I’ve seen some complaints about it being too much of a Metroid clone, but you can’t get down with that criticism if you’ve never played Metroid *taps head*. Its short length seems to be another frequent comment, but if you’re going in with expectations suitably managed then I think there’s not too much to fault otherwise. But of course this is coming from someone who has played basically no metroidvanias in their life lol.
And finally, my DNF list:
- Katamari Damacy; abandoned after ~4 hours Heartbreaking for this to be on my list, but I am part of the small percentage that gets enormously motion sick from this game. A huge shame, because it’s one of those games I’ve wanted to play for literal decades now - I pushed through the first couple of levels but I just can’t make it work for me. The theme song has nevertheless taken up plenty of real estate in my brain.
- Xenoblade Chronicles 3D; abandoned after ~2 hours This is probably a contentious choice to have on a list like this, though I clearly haven’t really given this a fair shake either. I think it’s probably partly to do with the learning curve of its rather involved format? Thinking of swapping this version out for the Switch one instead in the hope that might make it a bit more accessible to me.
- Where the Water Tastes Like Wine; abandoned after ~2 hours The premise of this game is great, and I like its rather non-standard approach in defining what a game should look like, but it just plays so goddamn slow. I found travelling across the country extremely frustrating - none of the options were really any good - and it’s unfortunate because that makes up far and away the largest part of what you spend your time doing in this game. The voice acting is also great, but it never takes anywhere near as much time to scan the dialogue as it does to read it aloud, so most of the acting gets lost behind an A button mash anyway. I want to love this game, but I just never find myself wanting to reach for it.
- Child of Light; abandoned after ~2 hours Call me petty, but I just could not manage to get past this game’s unbelievably naff rhyming dialogue. It made me want to skip through all the cutscenes and gave me no desire to attempt to follow the story. I thought the battle mechanic was quite interesting and enjoyable - not sure if this is common to other games in the genre, but it was new to me - but between the dialogue and an art style I didn’t really care for, this one’s been left by the wayside.
- Wonder Boy: The Dragon’s Trap; abandoned after 01:48 I played the original Wonder Boy on a Sega Master back in the day and figured a remake of another game in the series might be fun, but I couldn’t really get into this one. Felt like it was going to be a bit grindy for my tastes. I do think it looks great and switching between the art styles is cool, but I don’t think I’ll be doing much more than dipping in and out, if even that.
Hi, I am selling GTA modded accounts for PS4 / PS5 only. All account are approximatively the same. I am selling account in playerauctions. Ask me my pseudo if you want to see my review, 100% positive. Please read all the informations :
Male character (Female character accounts available too, not many)
. Buildings : 5 Eclipse towers / 3 Penthouse / Mc / Office / Facility / Nightclub / Arena / Hangar / Casino penthouse
. Vehicles : +200 Deluxo / 10 Oppressor / 20 Bombushka OR 14 Tula / Yacht; Lazer; Hydra; Valkyrie; Savage; Khanjali
. Account rank low level (below 10)
Total
. Money on bank account : Between 1 and 10 millions
. Vehicles : +200 Deluxo / 10 Oppressor / 20 Bombushka OR 14 Tula= +650 millions total resale value
Additionnal information
. Safe method used to glitch. Never hit daily sell limit or got any sanction, all account are 100% safe and clean, ban safe
. You can change psn name for free
. I can give you frozen money modded save, so you can do frozen money to buy many deluxos for free for the second character. You can only have this save with savewizard app that costs $50. I give it for free
. All 8 apartments have 10 places garage / Office, Nightclub and Arena have all garages bought
. Region Uk (doesn't change anything, you can play anywhere). I've also got Us region account, or Female character account. Ask me if you want one
. Fresh psn account. There isn't any previous owner of the account. Made 100% by me
Price : $80
If you have any question, please contact me
submitted by UPDATED:2020-01-20 - Made some bug fixes and documented the apps better.
Hello Everyone!
I've written a script for unnecessary Win 10 apps and would like to get some feedback. I've been only the sole "script guy" at my work so please be gentle with your comments :)
I've focused on some new elements I haven't used much before like help comments, logging, and try/catch blocks that I can standardize on across my scripts.
In my limited testing I'm using this as a Computer logon script through GPO to run this script.
Thanks!
Note, I just realized I have a few bugs to work out. I was testing with Powershell 7 RC1 with the more recent changes I've made and didn't realized I had broke are some things running in 5.1. Like 'split-path -leafbase'.
Shoot, well either way I was looking for more constructive feedback on the layout, logic, and process.
<# .SYNOPSIS Removes installed and provisioned Appx packages in Windows 10. .DESCRIPTION To simplify the user experience and to streamline the configuration of Windows this script removes unneccesary Windows 10 apps. These have been sorted into 4 categories: Home = Computers used in a home setting. The difference between this and the ones below is this keeps the Xbox apps, and Mail app as they make sense on a personal computer. Named = Computers that are normally used by a single person in a typical office environment. Or at least typical where I work. Shared = Computers that are normally shared by multiple people with shared logins and have more direct functions (Lab PC, HR Kiosk, Conference Room PC etc.) Server = Computers that are used in a server type function, running Windows 10, and not used as a desktop PC. (Manufacturing floor PC, badge printing system etc.) Note that these lists are cumulative. Home = Home list Named = Home + Named lists Shared = Home + Named + Shared lists Server = Named + Shared + Server lists Suggest putting this in a computer based GPO login script .EXAMPLE PS C:\>.\Remove-Win10Apps.ps1 Removes all apps from the default home list asking for confirmation for each found app. Writes log to 'C:\Logs\Remove-Win10Apps.log'. .EXAMPLE PS C:\>.\Remove-Win10Apps.ps1 -LogPath '\\server\share\appremoval.log' Removes all apps from the default home list asking for confirmation for each found app. Writes log to '\\server\share\appremoval.log'. .EXAMPLE PS C:\>.\Remove-Win10Apps.ps1 -PCType "Shared" -Whatif Won't remove but just list all apps from the combined default home, named, and then shared list that it's found. .EXAMPLE PS C:\>.\Remove-Win10Apps.ps1 -PCType "Server" -Confirm:$false Removes all apps from the default home, named, shared, and server list without prompting for confirmation. Writes log to 'C:\Logs\Remove-Win10Apps.log'. .INPUTS None .OUTPUTS None .NOTES More than just inspiration taken from the following https://github.com/W4RH4WK/Debloat-Windows-10/blob/mastescripts/remove-default-apps.ps1 http://guidestomicrosoft.com/2016/08/26/simple-function-for-logging-powershell-script/ #> #Requires -RunAsAdministrator #Requires -Version 5.1 [CmdletBinding(SupportsShouldProcess = $true, ConfirmImpact = 'High')] param ( # Specifies the list of apps from Home (the least removed) to Server (the most removed) [ValidateSet("Home", "Named", "Shared", "Server")] [String]$PCType = "Home", # Enter the full path to where you'd like the script to log it's changes. [parameter(Mandatory = $false)] [ValidateScript( { if ($_ -notmatch "(\.log)") { throw "The file specified in the path argument must be of the type .log" } return $true })] [System.IO.FileInfo]$LogPath = 'C:\Logs\Remove-Win10Apps.log', # Lists the entries in the different PCTypes depending on what's selected and closes [switch]$List ) begin { function Write-Log { param( # Enter text you'd like to display on a single line in the log. [parameter(Mandatory = $true)] [string]$Text, [parameter(Mandatory = $true)] # Enter the severity of the log entry. [ValidateSet("WARNING", "ERROR", "INFO")] [string]$Type, # Specifies the path to save the log file to. [ValidateScript( { if ($_ -notmatch "(\.log)") { throw "The file specified in the path argument must be of the type .log" } return $true })] # Sets the path to the log file to C:\Logs\ + the name of the script running the function + .log [System.IO.FileInfo]$Path = 'C:\Logs\' + ([io.path]::GetFileNameWithoutExtension($MyInvocation.PSCommandPath)) + '.log' ) #Makes sure that it updates the "exists" property or else the file keeps getting recreated. $Path.Refresh() if ($Path.Exists -eq $false) { New-Item -ItemType 'file' -Path $Path -Force } [string]$LogMessage = [System.String]::Format("[$(Get-Date)] -"), $Type, $Text Add-Content -Path $Path -Value $LogMessage } Write-Log -Text "Starting Remove-Win10Apps script with -PCType $PCType and -LogPath $LogPath" -Type 'INFO' -Path $LogPath #Checks OS is Windows 10 and terminates if it's not. if ([Environment]::OSVersion.Version.Major -lt '10') { Write-Warning 'Exiting...you must be running a version ofy Windows 10 to run this script.' Write-Log -Text 'Exiting...you must be running a version of Windows 10 to run this script.' -Type 'ERROR' -Path $LogPath Exit } #Region App Listing $AppsHomePC = @( "Microsoft.3DBuilder" #3D Builder - https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/3d-builde9wzdncrfj3t6 - View, create, and personalize 3D objects using 3D Builder. "Microsoft.Appconnector" "Microsoft.BingFinance" #MSN Money - https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/msn-money/9wzdncrfhv4v - Finance simplified. Know more about your money with the world’s best financial news and data. Grow your finances with handy tools and calculators, any time and anywhere. "Microsoft.BingFoodAndDrink" #MSN Food & Drink - NA (Discontinued) "Microsoft.BingHealthAndFitness" #MSN Health & Fitness - NA (Discontinued) "Microsoft.BingNews" #Microsoft News - https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/microsoft-news/9wzdncrfhvfw - Delivers breaking news and trusted, in-depth reporting from the world's best journalists. "Microsoft.BingSports" #MSN Sports - https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/msn-sports/9wzdncrfhvh4 - The MSN Sports app is packed with live scores & in-depth game experiences for more than 150 leagues. "Microsoft.BingTranslator" #Translator - https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/translato9wzdncrfj3pg - Microsoft Translator enables you to translate text and speech, have translated conversations, and even download AI-powered language packs to use offline. "Microsoft.BingTravel" #MSN Travel - NA (Discontinued) "Microsoft.BingWeather" #MSN Weather - https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/msn-weathe9wzdncrfj3q2 - The best way to plan your day. Get the latest weather conditions, whether you're hitting the slopes, or the beach, or checking the forecast for your commute. See accurate 10-day and hourly forecasts for whatever you do. "Microsoft.CommsPhone" "Microsoft.ConnectivityStore" "Microsoft.FreshPaint" #Fresh Paint - https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/fresh-paint/9wzdncrfjb13 - Unleash your inner creative with Fresh Paint – the ultimate canvas for your big ideas. Fresh Paint is a fun and easy to use painting app with the right tools for artists of all ages. "Microsoft.GetHelp" #Get Help "Microsoft.Getstarted" #Microsoft Tips "Microsoft.Messaging" #Microsoft Messaging - https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/microsoft-messaging/9wzdncrfjbq6 - Microsoft Messaging enables, quick, reliable SMS, MMS and RCS messaging from your phone. To get started, select Messaging from the All apps list. "Microsoft.Microsoft3DViewer" #3D Viewer - https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/3d-viewe9nblggh42ths - Easily view 3D models and animations in real-time. 3D Viewer lets you view 3D models with lighting controls, inspect model data and visualize different shading modes. In Mixed Reality mode, combine the digital and physical. Push the boundaries of reality and capture it all with a video or photo to share. "Microsoft.MicrosoftOfficeHub" #Office - https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/office/9wzdncrd29v9 - The Office app enables you to get the most out of Office by helping you find all your Office apps and files in one place so you can jump quickly into your work. "Microsoft.MicrosoftPowerBIForWindows" #Power BI - https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/power-bi/9nblgggzlxn1 - Monitor your most important business data, directly from your device. Get a quick overview with intuitive, at-a-glance visuals, or dive deep into your data and discover new insights with interactive dashboards and reports. "Microsoft.MicrosoftSolitaireCollection" #Microsoft Solitaire Collection - https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/microsoft-solitaire-collection/9wzdncrfhwd2 - Check out the new look and feel of Microsoft Solitaire Collection on Windows 10! "Microsoft.MinecraftUWP" #Minecraft - NA (Discontinued) "Microsoft.MixedReality.Portal" #Mixed Reality Portal - https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/mixed-reality-portal/9ng1h8b3zc7m - iscover Windows Mixed Reality and dive into more than 3,000 games and VR experiences from Steam®VR and Microsoft Store. Get extraordinary access to live sports and entertainment and connect with others in the ultimate high-octane VR gaming experience. "Microsoft.NetworkSpeedTest" #Network Speed Test - https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/network-speed-test/9wzdncrfhx52 - Network Speed Test measures your network delay, download speed and upload speed. "Microsoft.Office.Sway" #Sway - https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/sway/9wzdncrd2g0j - Create visually striking newsletters, presentations, and documentation in minutes. "Microsoft.OfficeLens" #Office Lens - https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/office-lens/9wzdncrfj3t8 - Office Lens trims, enhances, and makes pictures of whiteboards and docs readable. You can use Office Lens to convert images to PDF, Word and PowerPoint files, and you can even save images to OneNote or OneDrive. "Microsoft.OneConnect" #Paid Wi-Fi & Cellular or Mobile Plans# "Microsoft.People" #Microsoft People - https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/microsoft-people/9nblggh10pg8 - People in Windows 10 puts all the ways you connect with all your friends, family, colleagues, and acquaintances in one place, so it’s faster than ever to keep in touch. Check out what your people are up to across the services they use and choose how you want to connect with them. "Microsoft.Print3D" #Print 3D - https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/print-3d/9pbpch085s3s - Quickly and easily prepare objects for 3D printing on your PC. With support for Wifi printers, you can 3D print from anywhere on your network. Get the best out of your printer by tuning many custom settings like the extruder temperature and printing speed. "Microsoft.SkypeApp" #Skype - https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/skype/9wzdncrfj364 - Skype keeps the world talking. Say “hello” with an instant message, voice or video call – all for free, no matter what device they use Skype on. Skype is available on phones, tablets, PCs, and Macs. "Microsoft.Wallet" #Microsoft Pay# "Microsoft.Whiteboard" #Whiteboard - https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/microsoft-whiteboard/9mspc6mp8fm4 - Meet the freeform digital canvas where ideas, content, and people come together. "Microsoft.WindowsFeedbackHub" #Feedback Hub - https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/feedback-hub/9nblggh4r32n - Help us make Windows better! Provide feedback about Windows and apps by sharing your suggestions or problems. If you want to be even more involved, then join the Windows Insider program and keep up with the latest alerts and announcements, rate the builds, participate in feedback Quests, and earn badges. "Microsoft.WindowsMaps" #Windows Maps - https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/windows-maps/9wzdncrdtbvb - Maps is your guide to everywhere. Find your way with voice navigation and turn-by-turn driving, transit, and walking directions. Search for places to get directions, business info, and reviews. Download maps to use when you’re offline. Tour the world virtually with breathtaking aerial imagery and 360 degree street-level views. Plus, you get the same experience across all your Windows 10 PCs and phones. "Microsoft.WindowsPhone" "Microsoft.WindowsReadingList" #Windows Reading List - https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/windows-reading-list/9wzdncrfj3rx - Do you ever run out of time to read articles or watch videos you’ve found online? With Reading List, you can easily track and manage all of the content you want to get back to later in a beautiful display. You can share content to your list from the web or from other apps and easily come back to it when you have more time. Whatever you like to read or watch, the app makes it easy to save, find and get back to things you like, listing content you've saved in chronological order. "Microsoft.YourPhone" #Your Phone - https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/your-phone/9nmpj99vjbwv - You love your phone. So does your PC. Get instant access to everything you love on your phone, right on your PC. Reply to your text messages with ease, stop emailing yourself photos, and receive and manage your phone’s notifications on your PC. #3rd Party "2FE3CB00.PicsArt-PhotoStudio" "46928bounde.EclipseManager" #Eclipse "613EBCEA.PolarrPhotoEditorAcademicEdition" "6Wunderkinder.Wunderlist" "7EE7776C.LinkedInforWindows" "89006A2E.AutodeskSketchBook" "9E2F88E3.Twitter" "A278AB0D.DisneyMagicKingdoms" "A278AB0D.MarchofEmpires" "ActiproSoftwareLLC.562882FEEB491" #Code Writer "AdobeSystemIncorporated.AdobePhotoshop" #Photoshop Express "CAF9E577.Plex" #Plex "ClearChannelRadioDigital.iHeartRadio" "D52A8D61.FarmVille2CountryEscape" "D5EA27B7.Duolingo-LearnLanguagesforFree" #Duolingo "DB6EA5DB.CyberLinkMediaSuiteEssentials" "DolbyLaboratories.DolbyAccess" "Drawboard.DrawboardPDF" "Facebook.Facebook" #Facebook "Fitbit.FitbitCoach" "flaregamesGmbH.RoyalRevolt2" "Flipboard.Flipboard" #Flipboard "GAMELOFTSA.Asphalt8Airborne" "KeeperSecurityInc.Keeper" "king.com.*" "king.com.BubbleWitch3Saga" "king.com.CandyCrushFriends" "king.com.CandyCrushSaga" "king.com.CandyCrushSodaSaga" "NORDCURRENT.COOKINGFEVER" "PandoraMediaInc.29680B314EFC2" #Pandora "Playtika.CaesarsSlotsFreeCasino" "ShazamEntertainmentLtd.Shazam" "TheNewYorkTimes.NYTCrossword" "ThumbmunkeysLtd.PhototasticCollage" "TuneIn.TuneInRadio" "WinZipComputing.WinZipUniversal" "XINGAG.XING" ) $AppsNamedPC = @( "microsoft.windowscommunicationsapps" #Mail and Calendar - https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/mail-and-calenda9wzdncrfhvqm - The Mail and Calendar apps help you stay up to date on your email, manage your schedule and stay in touch with people you care about the most. Designed for both work and home, these apps help you communicate quickly and focus on what’s important across all your accounts. Supports Office 365, Exchange, Outlook.com, Gmail, Yahoo! and other popular accounts. "Microsoft.XboxApp" #Xbox Console Companion - https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/xbox-console-companion/9wzdncrfjbd8 - The Xbox app brings together your friends, games, and accomplishments across Xbox One and Windows 10 devices. The best multiplayer gaming just got better. "Microsoft.XboxGameOverlay" #Xbox Game Bar - https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/xbox-game-ba9nzkpstsnw4p - Win+G it with Xbox Game Bar, the customizable, gaming overlay built into Windows 10. Xbox Game Bar works with most PC games, giving you instant access to widgets for screen capture and sharing, finding new teammates with LFG, and chatting with Xbox friends across Xbox console, mobile, and PC—all without leaving your game. "Microsoft.XboxGamingOverlay" #Xbox Gaming Overlay "Microsoft.XboxIdentityProvider" #Xbox Identity Provider "Microsoft.XboxSpeechToTextOverlay" #3rd Party "4DF9E0F8.Netflix" #Netflix - https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/netflix/9wzdncrfj3tj - Netflix has something for everyone. Watch TV shows and movies recommended just for you, including award-winning Netflix original series, movies, and documentaries. There’s even a safe watching experience just for kids with family-friendly entertainment. "SpotifyAB.SpotifyMusic" #Spotify - https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/spotify-music/9ncbcszsjrsb - Love music? Play your favorite songs and albums free on Windows 10 with Spotify. ) $AppsSharedPC = @( "Microsoft.Office.OneNote" #OneNote - https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/onenote/9wzdncrfhvjl - OneNote is your digital notebook for capturing and organizing everything across your devices. Jot down your ideas, keep track of classroom and meeting notes, clip from the web, or make a to-do list, as well as draw and sketch your ideas. "Microsoft.Todos" #Microsoft To Do - https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/microsoft-to-do-lists-tasks-reminders/9nblggh5r558 - Got something on your mind? Get Microsoft To Do. Whether you want to increase your productivity, decrease your stress levels, or just free up some mental space, Microsoft To Do makes it easy to plan your day and manage your life. "Microsoft.WindowsCamera" #Windows Camera - https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/windows-camera/9wzdncrfjbbg - The Camera app is faster and simpler than ever. Just point and shoot to take great pictures automatically on any PC or tablet running Windows 10. "Microsoft.WindowsSoundRecorder" #Windows Voice Recorder - https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/windows-voice-recorde9wzdncrfhwkn - Record sounds, lectures, interviews, and other events. Mark key moments as you record, edit, or play them back. ) $AppsServerPC = @( "Microsoft.MSPaint" #Paint 3D - https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/paint-3d/9nblggh5fv99 - Whether you’re an artist or just want to try out some doodles–Paint 3D makes it easy to unleash your creativity and bring your ideas to life. Classic Paint has been reimagined, with an updated look and feel and a ton of new brushes and tools. And now, create in every dimension. Make 2D masterpieces or 3D models that you can play with from all angles. "Microsoft.MicrosoftStickyNotes" #Microsoft Sticky Notes - https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/microsoft-sticky-notes/9nblggh4qghw - Need to remember something for later? Use Microsoft Sticky Notes. They're the simple way to quickly save something for later, so you can stay in the flow. With Sticky Notes, you can create notes, type, ink or add a picture, add text formatting, stick them to the desktop, move them around there freely, close them to the Notes list, and sync them across devices and apps like OneNote Mobile, Microsoft Launcher for Android, and Outlook for Windows. "Microsoft.WindowsAlarms" #Windows Alarms & Clock - https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/windows-alarms-clock/9wzdncrfj3pr - A combination of alarm clock, world clock, timer, and stopwatch. Set alarms and reminders, check times around the world, and time your activities, including laps and splits. "Microsoft.WindowsCalculator" #Windows Calculator - https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/windows-calculato9wzdncrfhvn5 - A simple yet powerful calculator that includes standard, scientific, and programmer modes, as well as a unit converter. It's the perfect tool to add up a bill, convert measurements in a recipe or other project, or complete complex math, algebra, or geometry problems. Calculator history makes it easy to confirm if you've entered numbers correctly. "Microsoft.Windows.Photos" #Microsoft Photos -https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/microsoft-photos/9wzdncrfjbh4 - View and edit your photos and videos, make movies, and create albums. Try video remix to instantly create a video from photos and videos you select. Use the video editor for fine-tuned adjustments — change filters, text, camera motion, music, and more. You can even add 3D effects like butterflies, lasers, or explosions that magically appear in your video. "Microsoft.ZuneMusic" #Groove Music - https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/groove-music/9wzdncrfj3pt - Listen to your favorite music in Groove on your Windows, iOS, and Android devices. Create a playlist with music you've purchased or uploaded to OneDrive or pick your background music on Xbox One. "Microsoft.ZuneVideo" #Movies & TV - https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/movies-tv/9wzdncrfj3p2 - All your movies and TV shows, all in one place, on all your devices. Movies & TV brings you the latest entertainment in one simple, fast, and elegant app on Windows. On your PC and Windows Mobile, the app lets you play and manage videos from your personal collection. On all your devices, you can use the app to browse and play movies and TV shows you’ve purchased from the Store. ) <#---APPS THAT SHOULD NEVER BE REMOVED FOR ANY TYPE OF WINDOWS PC $RemainingAppsForReference = @( #"1527c705-839a-4832-9118-54d4Bd6a0c89" #File Picker - App which cannot be removed using Remove-AppxPackage #"c5e2524a-ea46-4f67-841f-6a9465d9d515" #File Explorer - App which cannot be removed using Remove-AppxPackage #"E2A4F912-2574-4A75-9BB0-0D023378592B" #App Resolver UX - App which cannot be removed using Remove-AppxPackage #"F46D4000-FD22-4DB4-AC8E-4E1DDDE828FE" #Add Suggested Folders To Library - App which cannot be removed using Remove-AppxPackage #"InputApp" #? - App which cannot be removed using Remove-AppxPackage #"Microsoft.AAD.BrokerPlugin" #Microsoft.AAD.Broker.Plugin - App which cannot be removed using Remove-AppxPackage #"Microsoft.AccountsControl" #Microsoft.AccountsControl - App which cannot be removed using Remove-AppxPackage #"Microsoft.Advertising.Xaml" #Microsoft.Advertising - Framework apps which other apps depend on #"Microsoft.AsyncTextService" #Microsoft.AsyncTextService - App which cannot be removed using Remove-AppxPackage #"Microsoft.BioEnrollment" #Hello setup UI - App which cannot be removed using Remove-AppxPackage #"Microsoft.CredDialogHost" #? - App which cannot be removed using Remove-AppxPackage #"Microsoft.DesktopAppInstaller" #App Installer - Keeping just in case we ever want to deploy UWP apps #'Microsoft.DirectXRuntime' #? - Framework apps which other apps depend on #"Microsoft.ECApp" #? - App which cannot be removed using Remove-AppxPackage #"Microsoft.HEIFImageExtension" #HEIF Image Extensions - Keeping so HEIF compressed images can be opened #"Microsoft.LockApp" #? - App which cannot be removed using Remove-AppxPackage #"Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge" #Microsoft Edge - App which cannot be removed using Remove-AppxPackage #"Microsoft.MicrosoftEdgeDevToolsClient" #? - App which cannot be removed using Remove-AppxPackage #"Microsoft.NET.Native.Framework.1.3" #Framework app which other apps depend on #"Microsoft.NET.Native.Framework.1.6" #Framework app which other apps depend on #"Microsoft.NET.Native.Framework.1.7" #Framework app which other apps depend on #"Microsoft.NET.Native.Framework.2.1" #Framework app which other apps depend on #"Microsoft.NET.Native.Framework.2.2" #Framework app which other apps depend on #"Microsoft.NET.Native.Runtime.1.4" #Framework app which other apps depend on #"Microsoft.NET.Native.Runtime.1.6" #Framework app which other apps depend on #"Microsoft.NET.Native.Runtime.1.7" #Framework app which other apps depend on #"Microsoft.NET.Native.Runtime.2.2" #Framework app which other apps depend on #"Microsoft.PPIProjection" #? - App which cannot be removed using Remove-AppxPackage #"Microsoft.RemoteDesktop" #Remote Desktop - Functionality, expected to be there #"Microsoft.Services.Store.Engagement" #Framework app which other apps depend on #"Microsoft.StorePurchaseApp" #Store Purchase App#Framework app which other apps depend on (not really but needed for store to function) #"Microsoft.UI.Xaml.2.0" #Framework app which other apps depend on #"Microsoft.UI.Xaml.2.1" #Framework app which other apps depend on #"Microsoft.UI.Xaml.2.2" #Framework app which other apps depend on #"Microsoft.VCLibs.120.00.Universal" #Framework app which other apps depend on #"Microsoft.VCLibs.140.00" #Framework app which other apps depend on #"Microsoft.VCLibs.140.00.UWPDesktop" #Framework app which other apps depend on #"Microsoft.VP9VideoExtensions" #Keeping so VP9 media can be played back #"Microsoft.WebMediaExtensions" #Web Media Extensions#basic functionality #"Microsoft.WebpImageExtension" #Webp Image Extension#basic functionality #"Microsoft.Win32WebViewHost" #? - App which cannot be removed using Remove-AppxPackage #"Microsoft.Windows.Apprep.ChxApp" #? - App which cannot be removed using Remove-AppxPackage #"Microsoft.Windows.AssignedAccessLockApp" #? - App which cannot be removed using Remove-AppxPackage #"Microsoft.Windows.CapturePicker" #? - App which cannot be removed using Remove-AppxPackage #"Microsoft.Windows.CloudExperienceHost" #? - App which cannot be removed using Remove-AppxPackage #"Microsoft.Windows.ContentDeliveryManager" #? - App which cannot be removed using Remove-AppxPackage #"Microsoft.Windows.Cortana" #Cortana - App which cannot be removed using Remove-AppxPackage #"Microsoft.Windows.NarratorQuickStart" #? - App which cannot be removed using Remove-AppxPackage #"Microsoft.Windows.OOBENetworkCaptivePortal" #? - App which cannot be removed using Remove-AppxPackage #"Microsoft.Windows.OOBENetworkConnectionFlow" #? - App which cannot be removed using Remove-AppxPackage #"Microsoft.Windows.ParentalControls" #? - App which cannot be removed using Remove-AppxPackage #"Microsoft.Windows.PeopleExperienceHost" #People Hub - App which cannot be removed using Remove-AppxPackage #"Microsoft.Windows.PinningConfirmationDialog" #? - App which cannot be removed using Remove-AppxPackage #"Microsoft.Windows.SecHealthUI" #? - App which cannot be removed using Remove-AppxPackage #"Microsoft.Windows.SecureAssessmentBrowser" #? - App which cannot be removed using Remove-AppxPackage #"Microsoft.Windows.ShellExperienceHost" #Start - App which cannot be removed using Remove-AppxPackage #"Microsoft.Windows.XGpuEjectDialog" #? - apps which cannot be removed using Remove-AppxPackage #"Microsoft.WindowsFeedback" #Windows Feedback - App which cannot be removed using Remove-AppxPackage #"Microsoft.WindowsStore" #Microsoft Store -Vital functionality #"Microsoft.Xbox.TCUI" #? - App shouldn't be removed as it causes issues with Windows Photos, Windows Hello and others #"Microsoft.XboxGameCallableUI" #? - App which cannot be removed using Remove-AppxPackage #"Windows.ContactSupport" #Contact Support - App which cannot be removed using Remove-AppxPackage #"Windows.CBSPreview" #? - App which cannot be removed using Remove-AppxPackage #"windows.immersivecontrolpanel" #Settings - App which cannot be removed using Remove-AppxPackage #"Windows.PrintDialog" #Print UI - App which cannot be removed using Remove-AppxPackage ) #> #EndRegion App Listing switch ($PCType) { Home { $AllAppsToRemove = $AppsHomePC } Named { $AllAppsToRemove = $AppsHomePC + $AppsNamedPC } Shared { $AllAppsToRemove = $AppsHomePC + $AppsNamedPC + $AppsSharedPC } Server { $AllAppsToRemove = $AppsHomePC + $AppsNamedPC + $AppsSharedPC + $AppsServerPC } } If ($list) { Write-Output "LIST OF APPS IN -PCType $PCType" ForEach ($App in $AllAppsToRemove) { Write-Output $App } Break } $ProvisionedAppxPackages = Get-AppxProvisionedPackage -Online $ProvisionedAppxPackagesToRemove = @() #Determine what apps that are provisioned on this PC to be removed by comparing against the list (Home, Named, Shared, Server) foreach ($Appx in $AllAppsToRemove) { $ProvisionedAppxPackagesToRemove += ($ProvisionedAppxPackages | Where-Object { $_.DisplayName -eq $Appx }) } $InstalledAppxPackages = Get-AppxPackage -AllUsers $InstalledAppxPackagesToRemove = @() #Determine what apps that are installed on this PC to be removed by comparing against the list (Home, Named, Shared, Server) foreach ($Appx in $AllAppsToRemove) { $InstalledAppxPackagesToRemove += ($InstalledAppxPackages | Where-Object { $_.Name -eq $Appx }) } } process { If ($ProvisionedAppxPackagesToRemove.length -ge 1) { Write-Output "***Removing select provisioned appx packages for this machine...***" Write-Log -Text 'Removing select provisioned appx packages for this machine' -Type 'INFO' -Path $LogPath foreach ($ProvisionedAppx in $ProvisionedAppxPackagesToRemove) { if ($PSCmdlet.ShouldProcess($ProvisionedAppx.DisplayName, 'Remove-AppxProvisionedPackage -Online -AllUsers')) { try { $ProvisionedAppx | Remove-AppxProvisionedPackage -Online -AllUsers -Verbose -ErrorAction Continue Write-Output $("Removed " + $ProvisionedAppx.DisplayName) Write-Log -Text $("Removed " + $ProvisionedAppx.DisplayName) -Type 'INFO' -Path $LogPath } catch { Write-Warning $('Unable to remove ' + $ProvisionedAppx.DisplayName) Write-Log -Text $('Unable to remove ' + $ProvisionedAppx.DisplayName) -Type 'WARNING' -Path $LogPath } } } } else { Write-Output "***No provisioned appx packages from your selection were found for this machine...***" Write-Log -Text 'No provisioned appx packages from your selection were found for this machine' -Type 'INFO' -Path $LogPath } If ($InstalledAppxPackagesToRemove.length -ge 1) { Write-Output "***Removing select installed appx packages for this machine...***" Write-Log -Text 'Removing select installed appx packages for this machine' -Type 'INFO' -Path $LogPath foreach ($InstalledAppx in $InstalledAppxPackagesToRemove) { if ($PSCmdlet.ShouldProcess($InstalledAppx.Name, 'Remove-AppxPackage -AllUsers')) { try { $InstalledAppx | Remove-AppxPackage -AllUsers -Verbose -ErrorAction Continue Write-Output $("Removed " + $InstalledAppx.Name) Write-Log -Text $("Removed " + $InstalledAppx.Name) -Type 'INFO' -Path $LogPath } catch { Write-Warning $('Unable to remove ' + $InstalleddAppx.Name) Write-Log -Text $('Unable to remove ' + $InstalleddAppx.Name) -Type 'WARNING' -Path $LogPath } } } } else { Write-Output "***No installed appx packages from your selection were found for this machine...***" Write-Log -Text 'No installed appx packages from your selection were found for this machine' -Type 'INFO' -Path $LogPath } } end { Write-Log -Text 'Stopping Remove-Win10Apps script as it has finished running' -Type 'INFO' -Path $LogPath } BIRTH OF RAP
Numerous ancient religious texts foretold the coming of a great prophet in the 3rd week of August in the year 1989 A.D. The ascension of Brandon McCartney to the top of the Western world’s cultural sphere has proven these predictions to be true.
Born to a virgin in the small town of Bethlehem—err,
Berkeley, Brandon showed an impeccable musical acumen from a young age. He began composing music from within the womb and continued to do so following his official birth. He sustained his musical output throughout his childhood, most of which is due to be released upon his death, as Brandon himself has said that his early material is “too real” for the world at present and will only be able to be properly understood by the generations that follow.
Despite receiving grades that broke California elementary school records and having multiple Ivy League scholarship offers in his early teens, Brandon’s truest passion was for creating hip hop music. At the age of 16, he had his first major radio hit:
Vans Lil B’s only charting single and an essential component of his discography. This was my own personal introduction to Brandon’s music though I didn’t know it at the time. The track may seem unimpressive in the greater context of the music that would follow it, but it set the foundation for Lil B to enter the music industry and make a name for himself, foreshadowing the success he would find at the start of the following decade.
CREATING THE BASED GOD
In the years following the release of “Vans”, Brandon began to hone his craft and release music at a Picasso level of productivity. From the mid-2000s through the early 2010s literally
THOUSANDS of Lil B songs were released through the once-dominant social media website MySpace. Because the site would limit the number of tracks that an artist could upload to their profiles to just 5 songs, Brandon created hundreds of MySpace pages to showcase all of his material. It was also around this time that he conceived of his greatest creation:
The Based God.
The Based God is a bit of an enigma in regard to who he is and what his relationship to Brandon consists of. Some believe that “The Based God” is just another name for Brandon’s rap persona, similar to “Lil B”, but seeing as how the Based God is normally referred to in the third person in Brandon’s music this has been a point of contention among the Based community. Regardless of who the Based God truly is, he is a being that is all knowing, pure swag and boundlessly positive; these qualities are properly summed up using the adjective
“based”, a word that is hard to properly define but is best described as being synonymous with everything having to do with Lil B. The Based God’s influence had a major impact on the music that Brandon was making, both in terms of increasing the quality of the songs and widening the scope of his popularity. This led to the creation of Lil B’s next major hit:
Wonton Soup “Wonton Soup” was many peoples’ introduction to the music of Lil B and, for many, it was their exit point as well. The song seems pedestrian on the surface with a generic trap beat and non-sensical lyrics from the Based God, but underlying the more elementary aspects of the song are a flurry of pop culture references and clever wordplay, including the infamous “Bitches suck my dick because I look like J.K. Rowling”, among others. The song inspired
a slew of memes and skyrocketed Lil B’s popularity into the stratosphere, with the original YouTube upload of the video having over 1.4 billion views before it’s unfortunate removal. It also serves as an early example of Lil B projecting his confidence in his ability to have sex with your girlfriend, a common trope that would resurface frequently in his music.
COOKING MUSIC
Brandon continued to hone his craft for recording abstractly lyricized trap bangers over the following years. These songs, many of which were considered to be “Based Freestyles” or “cooking music” (named after the famous
cooking dance that is meant to be performed along with the music), would come to represent one of his trademark styles of music and would help him connect with the more
plebian contemporary rap crowd in a way much of his other material could not. Some of his most notable work in this vein includes:
Like a Martian A Based Freestyle in the purest sense of the word, Lil B’s raw lyricism and unbridled swag make this song what it is. “Like a Martian” describes how Brandon’s sex escapades and drug abuse are comparable to that of someone who is not of this Earth, but instead of its closest cousin in the planetary system. The music video, directed by once-slightly-relevant rapper Kreayshawn, features several quick camera cuts that highlight the chaos of Lil B’s raps. Tesla and SpaceX founder Elon Musk has agreed to send Brandon on the first pedestrian spacecraft sent to the planet Mars as a result of the track.
Pretty Bitch With 56 usages of the word “bitch”, this song more than lives up to its title. A full 18 months before A$AP Rocky would first lay claim to being the prettiest rapper in the game, the Based God proved he was the one who truly held the crown. The music video also featured an early tease of the mysterious
Black Ken mixtape, which would not see a proper release until 2017 due to Lil B’s uninhibited perfectionism.
Justin Bieber One of many celebrity-themed songs recorded by the Based God, wherein Lil B highlights the various ways that he is comparable to and, in some cases, is
actually the person that he is writing the song about. “Justin Bieber” features Brandon claiming to be a blood relative of Mr. Bieber, substantiated by a
totally not Photoshopped image of the two hanging out together at a local Bay Area library.
1000 Bitches In early 2013, the Based God finally realized his lifelong goal of having sexual intercourse with 1000 different women. Following an illustrious award ceremony, he recorded and released “1000 Bitches” as a teaser single from his then-upcoming
Pink Flame mixtape. The video game sound effects woven throughout the beat are a reference to Brandon’s first sexual encounter at the age of 7, when he was fellated while simultaneously playing
Super Mario 64.
Look Like Jesus Arguably the most controversial song of the 21st century, “Look Like Jesus” took Lil B’s brash and provocative rap style to a whole new level. With a music video that was recorded inside of an actual church and lyrical content referencing the fact that
Jesus may have indeed looked like the Based God, the song wound up being highly influential on
contemporary artists’ renderings of Jesus in the early 21st century and beyond.
BASED MUSIC
While most peoples’ ideas of Lil B’s music stem from his more ‘cooking’ style tracks, true Task Force members recognize that Brandon’s best tracks are the ones that come from his heart. In contrast to the more trap-flavoured feel of the aforementioned songs, the Based God’s more serious material is among the most moving and inspirational hip hop music ever produced. Some believe that the “cooking” music was created by Lil B as a rouse to get media attention and publicity so that his more “based” material could be given a proper spotlight.
I’m God The song that many consider to be the pinnacle of Lil B’s career. In addition to being named
one of the best produced songs of the decade by the highly respected Complex Magazine, launching the career of then-unknown producer Clams Casino and having countless rappers hop on the beat in an attempt to capture the magic of the original (though none were as graceful as the Based God’s version), the song was an early indication of Brandon’s ability to be more than just a meme. He states on the intro that he had always wanted to be God, and on this track he finally realizes that dream. No other words are required; simply listening to this masterpiece is enough to convince one of its greatness. It’s close cousin
“B.O.R. (Birth of Rap)”, which is also produced by Clams, is equally impressive.
The Age of Information Probably my all time favorite Lil B song, and my go-to for proving to others that he isn’t the surface level artist that one might assume he is having only heard material like “Wonton Soup”. A brutally honest assessment of contemporary culture and its overreliance on technology, “The Age of Information” was so crushingly relatable that it felt as if the Based God himself was speaking to me directly the first time I’d heard it (granted I was stoned off my ass at the time but I digress). For the millions of millennials who have grown up glued to TVs and computer screens this song almost serves as a form of therapy, with Brandon admitting that he himself spends more time living in the fantasy world of the Internet than he should, taking the real world around him for granted in the process.
Birth to Life The only Lil B album to receive a vinyl release was
Rain in England, a spoken word new age record (yes I’m being completely serious; it’s literally a spoken word new age album) that featured the Based God spreading his boundless wisdom on top of ambient instrumentals, all of which Brandon created on his own. “Birth to Life”, the intro to the album, is the equivalent of an entire semester-long college level philosophy class condensed into 3 minutes and 42 seconds of pure bliss. The Based God would later release an instrumental version of
Rain in England entitled
Choices and Flowers, correctly declaring it to be the first classical music album ever released by a hip hop artist.
I Hate Myself 2011 marked the release of Lil B’s most notorious and possibly most well-known album, the controversially titled
I’m Gay. This album, along with the
Angels Exodus album released a few months prior, were the most consistent and serious releases of Lil B’s career up to that point. “I Hate Myself” was undoubtedly the most poignant cut off of the former. Over a brilliantly utilized Goo Goo Dolls sample, the Based God laments the negative self-image of young black men in America. The track ends with Brandon recognizing that the views he previously had of himself were a lie; with this realization, he finds that he can finally and truly love himself as the person he is.
All My Life (Remix) A personal favorite off of the legendary
Angels Exodus project, the remix to Lil B’s “All My Life” puts Brandon’s beautiful singing voice on full display. It’s often assumed that Brandon used Auto Tune or some other form of pitch correction on his vocals to get them to sound as perfect as they are on this song; on the contrary, his natural singing talents leave such studio trickery to be unnecessary.
G.O.R. (God of Rap) The centerpiece of the Based God’s 101 track mixtape
05 Fuck Em, “God of Rap” is a brilliantly sequenced Based anthem. In the span of 10 minutes Lil B takes the listener on a journey through the first three levels of the Based experience (it should be noted that there are 32 levels in total to be accessed; to date Brandon is the only person alive known to have reached the sacred 32nd level). Featuring three separate beat switches and a constant stream of knowledge from the Based God, this song alone is enough to eclipse most artists’ entire careers. Eminem’s “Rap God” came out one month later and was directly inspired by Lil B’s track, though it
failed to reach the same artistic heights as the song it was trying to imitate.
No Black Person Is Ugly While some weak-minded fools considered the Lil B phenomenon to have mostly run its course by the end of 2012, Brandon proved his naysayers wrong by dropping this gem off the
Ultimate Bitch mixtape in 2014. Showcasing one of the best flows of any Lil B song and projecting an exceptionally Based message unto the listener, “No Black Person Is Ugly” espouses the values of inner beauty and believing in oneself in the face of racism and discrimination. It famously
received the illustrious “Best New Music” tag from cultural zeitgeist Pitchfork, which confirms that the song is objectively good regardless of one’s subjective (and potentially wrong, if you disagree) opinion.
MISCELLANEOUS MUSIC
The following songs are notable but do not fit into either of the two aforementioned categories of Brandon’s music:
Eat A major smash off of the
Pink Flame mixtape, “Eat” is an in-depth look into Lil B’s impeccable cunnilingus skills. With a distinctive 80s flavor and a luxurious music video filmed at a local Olive Garden, the song is a divine showcase of the Based God’s sexual prowess and impressive tolerance for rank vagina. The line "56 bitches and I look like Based God" is a subtle nod to the 56 usages of the word "bitch" in the previously discussed "Pretty Bitch". A common prank to be played on children is to blast the intro to the song at high volume from a car and watch them run out of their houses thinking it’s the ice cream man.
Can I Bust Tonight The Based God’s cover of “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” from
The Lion King had such an emotional impact on film director Jon Favreau that
he gave Lil B a starring role in his upcoming recreation of the Disney film as a token of appreciation. This alone is all that needs to be said to attest to this song’s greatness.
4 Me In 2011, Rihanna’s Calvin Harris-produced “We Found Love” became a worldwide smash, giving the pop star her 11th number one single in the United States. What most people don’t know was that Calvin Harris had actually given the song to Lil B first, sending him the beat in early 2011 before Rihanna’s version had been recorded. Lil B ultimately left his take of the song, “4 Me”, on the cutting room floor for his
Illusions of Grandeur mixtape, leading to Rihanna picking up the song later on. In early 2013, Brandon’s version was leaked to the Internet, prompting its inclusion on his
100% Percent Gutta mixtape as a bonus track. Lil B receives 2% of all royalties earned from “We Found Love” as a result.
California Boy The presumed first single from the long delayed Lil B rock album, “California Boy” more than proves that the Based God’s musical talents span across multiple genres of music. Despite the music video showcasing a full backing band, Brandon actually mixed, mastered, and played all of the instruments on the song by himself. The Lil B rock album was also slated to include collaborations with Mick Jagger, Jimmy Page, Slash, Ringo Starr, Lars Ulrich, Jim Morrison, Scott Stapp and Seth Putnam, among others. Critics have long asserted that, if released, the album will be the most important rock album this side of
Nevermind.
Fuck KD A highlight from the basketball-themed
Hoop Life mixtape, and possibly the most legendary of Lil B’s numerous diss tracks (save, perhaps, for the David Banner career killer
“I Own Swag”), this scathing critique of basketball superstar Kevin Durant was a result of Durant
ignorantly dissing the Based God on Twitter and later refusing to play him in a one-on-one game of basketball after being challenged by Brandon. Lil B had previously
placed a curse on Durant which would have
prevented him from ever winning an NBA championship. Durant later chose to join Lil B’s hometown team, the Golden State Warriors, in a blatant attempt to have the curse removed.
The Based God obliged, and Durant finally won the NBA championship in his first season in Oakland.
I Love You Capping off the manifesto is “I Love You”, the closing track from Lil B’s
God’s Father mixtape and one of the rarest songs in the Based God’s catalog. Gorgeously produced and exceptionally heartfelt, “I Love You” perfectly encapsulates the Based mentality that permeates the best of Brandon’s material. He himself was so moved by the track and what it represents that he can be seen crying at the end of the music video. Rest assured that all of us are crying along with him.
BONUS MATERIAL:
Noisey’s 22 minute documentary on Lil B Part 1 of Lil B’s lecture at New York University Lil B teaches how to do the cooking dance Lil B’s appearance on ESPN’s “Sports Nation” Nardwuar vs. Lil B Guy throws his girlfriend on stage and asks Lil B to fuck her The song Lil B recorded with his cat Note: Some of the information presented here as fact may actually be exaggerated, misinterpreted or downright false. submitted by Free 30+ page travel guide about Budapest, Hungary and bits of Central Europe. Enjoy!
Information correct as of summer 2020. If you find anything incorrect or would like to make requests, suggestions (or just want to say hi), please do that
here! You should also drop by in
/budapest to see past questions and to get advice from multiple people.
I would also greatly appreciate your post-trip feedbacks about whether my recommendations worked out for you or not! Restaurants, clubs can undergo radical changes and it's not always possible to keep track of every single one.
The local charity I support is the
Hungarian Food Bank Association. For every €1 donated they are able to save €30 worth of perishable food and have it reach underprivileged Hungarian families. If you find this guide useful, please consider donating to them!
Some links use URL-shorteners, so I could track how many of you are using this guide. Nothing fishy waiting for you behind them.
See my suggestions in the comments below about:
===CORONA RESTRICTIONS=== The situation is subject to change momentarily, this
information is current as of September 2020. Eastern Europe as a whole has largely been spared from the worst of it, including Hungary, and the risk of transmission is low.
Presently foreigners are banned from entry altogether. Exceptions are in place for people with ties to the country (family members, studies, work, those holding residence permits), and people transiting by car on designated highways.
The situation will be revised monthly, with experts saying the second peak is expected for December-January.
In the country, you need to wear a mask on public transport, inside shops, malls, cinemas, museums. You don't need to wear them inside restaurants, cafes, bars, but they must close by 23.00. Social distancing rules are in place, but largely ignored.
===END OF CORONA RESTRICTIONS=== Hungary has a continental climate with 4 seasons. Summer is the main season, a slightly less busy time to visit is April to mid-June and September to October, but the weather is less predictable. Those uncomfortable with 30+C (>85F) temperatures should visit around then as 35+C (>95F) is not uncommon in the summer. November through March has -5 to 10 (20-50F) and possibly gloomier weather – but fewer tourists.
Currency: the Hungarian Forint (HUF, Ft). Fair exchange rates for Euros is around 330-335Fts, for US Dollars around 300. Only use currency exchanges where the buy/sell spread isn't greater than 5-6Fts for these two currencies!
Citizens of
62 countries do not require a visa to enter the Schengen Area and can stay for maximum 90 days within a rolling 180-day window. See
here if you don’t know what that entails. EU member countries that are not members of the Schengen Area are Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Ireland, Romania, and the United Kingdom, visits to these do not count toward your 90 days. Non-EU countries part of the Schengen Area are Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland, visits to these do count toward the cap.
Because we both know you want to
do your own research, use:
- WeLoveBudapest, the definitive city magazine in English, from top lists to current events,
- Offbeat Budapest, a new site with the author’s finger very much on the city’s pulse,
- Spotted by Locals, for even more local insight. Their offline city guide is worth $3.99.
- TripAdvisor, a small number of reviews might be bought, but no other site competes with their sheer volume of input. Be skeptical of places with unbalanced (90+% 5-star) reviews, the remaining ones should be accurate.
- Foursquare, with more local input than on TA,
- Wikivoyage, for your encyclopedic knowledge needs,
- Most threads on budapest and a couple more on hungary, which you can search like this,
See the city
in 4K, or with
Rick Steves.
However nothing beats having a physical guidebook in your hand!
Lonely Planet has the best and most recent issue.
Read up on the concept of
coconut and peach cultures, as sometimes the reserved and distant behaviour of locals can be misinterpreted by ‘peach’ visitors as rudeness – nope!
This is a comprehensive itinerary, but leaves out the best museum of the city: the House of Terror, a solemn museum of the Nazi and Soviet occupation and crackdowns (get the audio guide or be prepared to peruse dozens of pamphlets). There's an attendance limit, so you might need to wait up to 30-45 minutes to get in when it's the busiest. When you are around Deák Ferenc tér, drop by in the
Tourinform office (Sütő utca 2., the small street near the church) to stock up on free maps, printed guides of the city. WeLoveBudapest prints a comprehensive and free one every year around June.
I suggest
4 full days to discover Budapest, or 3 faster paced ones. Make it 5-7 if you'd like to make a few daytrips (Szentendre - open-air ethnographic museum, cobblestoned, quaint center, Esztergom - Central Europe's largest cathedral and religious center, Visegrád - medieval castle, Eger - medieval castle and wine region). Most of Hungary’s highlights can be visited in 2 weeks. For more details on countryside and international trips, see my comment
below.
Meal times and habits are typical to central Europe: breakfast is usually done at home, not much of a culture of eating out in the morning. But a large number of new wave
breakfast places have popped up in the past years, which offer ample opportunities for visitors, normally
from 8am. Lunch is at midday, after 1pm most places are going to be fairly empty and many will stop serving lunch after 2pm. The standard time for
dinner is 7pm, bookings for later than 8pm are unusual. Lots of restaurant kitchens close at 10pm (with the restaurant following suit 30-60 minutes later), finding a meal after that hour is challenging for anything other than street food.
Baths Gellért is the most aesthetic, Széchenyi the largest and most popular among foreigners (
Sparty can get crazy with lots of drinking, puking and sex going on in the pools, but it is wildly overpriced and 100% aimed at visitors). Rudas is a Turkish hamam with swimwear optional, single-gender weekdays (women-only on Tuesdays, coed and swimwear-mandatory on the weekend). Lukács is plain and personally I’m not a fan of it – tourists only visit it because it’s included free with the Budapest Card. For more details on the baths, see
this.
For off the beaten path sights, ride the D11 or D12 public boat lines for a cheap alternative to paid cruises (travelcards only valid on weekdays, otherwise 700Ft), check out the Pinball Museum, Hospital in the Rock or check out
this section for a lot more
off the beaten path ideas.
Shopping Hungary has the world’s highest effective VAT (=sales tax) at 27%. Non-EU/EEA tourists are eligible for VAT refund on their qualifying purchases if they complete the paperwork (min. €175 value per transaction, passport+reclaim form stamped by customs official).
The most popular and best accessible mall of the city is WestEnd on Nyugati tér. Arena Plaza is larger by floor area and carries a couple brands that can’t be found elsewhere, but is less centrally located (10min walk from Keleti train station). Don’t expect to find bargains on clothing or electronics, prices are similar to Western Europe and over North American or Asian ones.
For more information on shopping and VAT refund, see
here.
Paprika Market is a decent souvenir shop in the sea of overpriced, terrible quality crap on Váci utca.
Magma Gallery for contemporary and affordable jewelry, ceramics and home decor items by local designers is just one street over on Petőfi Sándor utca.
Check out the antique bookstores alongside Múzeum körút between Astoria and Kálvin tér, some have Socialist-era posters available for sale from 30€ and up, that could be a unique gift/home decor to take home. Ecseri road flea market for more antiques, go early on Saturdays.
Hungarian cuisine is hearty and filling, with a heavy use of meats. Must-try foods are:
- goulash: a beef soup with potatoes and carrots!
- Hortobágy crêpes: Hungary's more sophisticated answer to enchiladas, these savory crepes filled with either stew or minced meat covered in creamy paprika sauce make excellent starters or even entrée.
- pörkölt/paprikás: a thick stew without or with sour cream mixed in and what the rest of the world incorrectly believes goulash is – my favorite is catfish with curd cheese&dill noodles, though beef, chicken and the inferior pork are more commonplace
- roast sausage and blood sausage (hurka-kolbász): the breakfast of champions! Ideally eaten at an authentic butchershop like Pinczi or Balla with a side of pickled veggies, mustard (or horseradish) white bread and cold beer at 8am on a Saturday.
- everyone’s favorite street food, lángos: Hungarians only eat it with salt, garlic, sour cream and/or cheese, the Frankensteinian concoctions with sausage or kebab toppings are 100% aimed at tourists
- Somló trifle: a scrumptious walnut sponge dessert with chocolate sauce and whipped cream
- Chimney cake: a sweet, spiral pull-apart bread baked over charcoal, rolled in the topping of your choosing (typically nuts, cinnamon, vanilla sugar, cocoa, coconut flakes)
For authentic recipes, recommendations for recipe blogs or cookbooks, tips for cooking traditional Hungarian meals, see
here For edible souvenirs to bring home with you:
- Pick winter salami: only choose the original, typically ~6000/kg, comes in sizes of 380, 800 and 1250g and in trays (100 and 250g). The brand has a deli & store (working with regular prices) on Kossuth tér, next to the Parliament, open from 7am on weekdays for breakfast and lunch.
- Tokaji dessert wine: aszú being the premium product with the at least 4 puttony varieties suggesting quality, but they make regular whites as well, so check the label. Should cost at least 3-4000 per bottle. Suggested wineries: Disznókő, Oremus, Dereszla. Avoid: Royal Tokaji
- Premium pralines in lovely, traditional packaging from Stühmer.
Grocery stores include Spar, Tesco, Aldi and Lidl. Avoid CBA and Coop, low quality for high prices. Small convenience stores, many 24/7, also dot the city at higher prices.
The most popular and best accessible mall of the city is WestEnd on Nyugati tér.
Alcohol is sold at every one, but some (mostly residential) districts enact a ban on the sale between 22.00-06.00. The central Pest districts don’t have such limitations in place.
Tobacco is sold at tobacconists (
‘nemzeti dohánybolt’ ). These shops are also exempt from the evening alcohol sale ban if you find yourself in such a district. Flavored cigarettes are banned in Hungary, so no Black Devils or Sobranies.
Budgets (per person) For reasonable comforts, I would suggest aiming for at least €50 per day excluding accommodation. Hotel prices significantly vary in and outside high season.
- Shoestring: <€50 (hostel dorm €10, attractions €5+, meals and entertainment €10+)
- Mid-range: €75-150 (1/2 of hotel room or great Airbnb €30+, attractions €20+, meals and entertainment €25+)
- In comfort: €150+ (1/2 of comfy hotel €75+, attractions €30+, meals and entertainment €50+)
Getting around Do not buy the Budapest Card, it is not a bargain, even if every travel blogger seems to think otherwise! You would need to visit at least 3-4 museums a day to break even and the free visit to the pretty plain Lukács Baths could mean you’d deny yourself going to the much more interesting mainstream alternatives, such as Gellért or Széchenyi. The discounted museums are second-rate and typically not what most visitors choose to hit up on their own.
Do buy a public transport travelcard, the 1, 3 or 5-day unlimited options require no validation or ID (common reasons for fines). For week-long stays, the 7-day travelcard needs an ID number and that you have the document on you at all times. Please
do not try to get around by using single tickets!
The travelcards are economical (from €5/24h to €15/week) and easy to use: no validation, you just show it to the controllers. Validity starts immediately by default, or you can select a later starting date (always from midnight).
7-day and monthly passes require an ID/passport number, and you must have the ID on you whenever you travel, otherwise you risk getting fined! Groups of 4 or more can also buy the even more economical '24h group travelcard', but all persons must travel together using that.
Common reasons for fines - Forgetting to validate single or transfer tickets
- Entering the subway station without a valid ticket
- Not having the ID on you for the 7-day travelcard or monthly passes (if you are fined for this, you have 2 business days to present it to the central BKK office for a reduced fine)
Ticket inspectors (must have an
anonymized badge and armband) are notoriously brash, speak subpar English. Paying on the spot lets them give you a discounted fine of 8000 instead of the regular 16000 through postal order or wire transfer, they aren't looking to scam you if they offer you that. Fines are pursued internationally through collection agencies, multiplying the original amount once their fees are added.
Cheapest way to get
to the city from the airport is
by public transport. I suggest paying the 900Ft supplementary ticket for the 100E bus. The southern portion of the M3 subway is under reconstruction, during that period the 200E buses go beyond their usual terminus, Kőbánya-Kispest and take you to Nagyvárad tér station, where the subway runs from. The purple ticket machines at the airport and all over the city take chipped cards.
Shuttle bus is a good compromise between price and comfort and depart when full or close to.
Ignore touts walking up to you offering
cabs in the arrival hall,
use the official Főtaxi booth immediately outside the building. Rates are centralized: flagfall
700Ft, 300Ft/km, 75Ft/min waiting. The fair price to the centre is around 7-9.000Fts. Rides inside the centre are typically under 3.000. All taxi companies have passable reputations with a few horror stories about each, Főtaxi (+36-1-222-2222), 6x6 Taxi (+36-1-666-6666), City Taxi (+36-1-211-1111) are a few. There are some stories of even company cab drivers trying to rip off naive-looking tourists, especially around train and bus stations, so consider legal Uber-alternative Taxify/Bolt (
Android,
iOS). Uber is banned.
Most companies have apps, but they have terrible design and might set an unchangeable pick up location 5-10 minutes away from you. It’s much better to order by phone, they have English-speaking operators. If you must use an app, choose Taxify.
Scams Cabbies are the only ones eclipsing the ticket inspectors in notoriety. I cannot emphasize enough:
DO NOT USE THE ONES WITH ‘FREELANCER’ ON THE FRONT DOORS!!! These drivers are nicknamed 'hyenas', work independently, they always have rigged meters and are known to sometimes assault customers who don’t comply with their ridiculous demands. If you hail on the street, be absolutely certain you’re getting into a company cab (logo on the front doors).
A known scam by the hyenas, fraudsters and illegal street exchangers is
giving you worthless currencies with similarly high denominations as the Forint – namely the Indonesian Rupiah or the old Belarusian Ruble.
Bag handlers at the airport steal from unsecured luggage. Never put any valuables in your checked luggage!
Overly friendly, attractive women approaching you in broad daylight 'to practice their English' and taking you to scammy cafés where you'll be charged €300 for a bottle of bottom-shelf champagne are also to be avoided. Recently a Redditor reported the same happening to him through Tinder, so be very suspicious of anyone insistent on going to a particular establishment. The scam café was
Hajós Café on Hajós utca. Another known scam location is
Café Fidelité on Révay utca.
Otherwise general safety cautions should be exercised: watch your valuables in crowded spaces for pickpockets, be wary of overly friendly strangers approaching you and introducing the idea of going to a club or bar by their 5th sentence or of people pretending to be authority.
Policemen typically wear
dark blue uniforms and
white shirts , sometimes with a visibility vest and can be identified by the numbered metal badges on their chest and their separate police ID card which you can ask to inspect before complying with their orders. Scammers use fake police IDs to part you with your cash under the guise of inspecting the notes for counterfeits. Always ask to see it first:
this is real,
this is fake – notice where the real one has a serial number, the fake says POLICE. If the issue is anything halfway serious, ask to be escorted to the nearest police station – it will scare away scammers playing dress up.
The
emergency number is 112 for police, ambulance or firefighters, there are English-speaking operators (works throughout the EU).
If you get pickpocketed, notify both the police and in case of losing your travel documents, your embassy. Thieves are usually courteous enough to leave papers near trash bins, so walk around in the neighbourhood to see if you can recover them. If you find someone else’s, hand in to the nearest police station.
Getting around the city is easy, Budapest has one of the best public transport systems of the continent.
Use Google Maps for orientation and getting around! Tickets and passes with rates are listed
here.
All
EU/EEA citizens aged 65+ travel for free on all Hungarian public transport, including trains, distance buses. Picture ID and administrative 0 Ft ticket required. Age 65 is not included.
Student discounts are available to full-time students in EU/EEA countries with a valid student ID. If it doesn’t have it, also carry a picture ID. EU citizenship not required, you only need to study there full-time (not applicable for exchange students unless they get ID issued). The monthly student pass (3450) is cheaper than the 72h travel card (4150) for identical benefits.
The 4
subway lines are coded by numbers and, unofficially, colour (1-yellow, 2-red, 3-blue, 4-green). The busiest, M3, is under renovation until 2021, but remains in partial operation, see details
here. The entire line shuts down after 8pm and all day on weekends (replacement buses operate), and one section of the line is always out of service. For 2019 it’s the southern segment, between Kőbánya-Kispest and Nagyvárad tér. During this time the 200E airport bus will take you to the more central Nagyvárad tér stop (from where the subway runs) instead of its regular terminus of Kőbánya.
In Budapest
driving is not recommended for the perpetual lack of parking spaces, congestion and because there's really no need to. If you must arrive by car, pick a hotel with parking, use the free parking lot at
Kelenföld subway station, street-parking by
StarPark at Podmaniczky utca at ~€8/24h, or opt for a more central location (such as one of
CarE Park’s garages ) at ~20€/24h, €100/week and do not use it for getting around in the city. Public areas are metered in the entire centre, typically charging 1.5€/h with a cap of 3 hours on a ticket.
The
Bubi city bike system is available for anyone’s use. The rates are very favourable (500Ft for 1-day, 1000 for 3 for the pass), but a deposit of €80 will be docked when you register and might take a few weeks to release. First 30 minutes are free, after it's 500Ft/30min on top of the daily pass' price.
Two e-car sharing systems compete in Budapest. I suggest using
MOL Limo, as you can complete your licence verification remotely (do it before arrival, they might take a day or three if they are backlogged). Despite the name, the cars are tiny, automatic VW up!s, the majority electric and all automatic. Age limit 18, min. 1-year old national licence, foreign ones accepted, €20 registration fee and €0.25/min rate. Coverage includes basically every area of note to tourists in the centre, except the Castle and underground garages (as well as the airport). Expansion is planned for the future. You cannot park (leave the car) outside the coverage area, but you can drive through.
Sightseeing The best rated
tour bus company is
Big Bus, Giraffe (aka. the red Hop On Hop Off ones) tends to get mixed-to-negative reviews.
Segway tours also available.
Free thematic walking tours of the city depart in front of the lion fountain on Vörösmarty tér daily. A tip of 2000-2500Ft/person suggested, but they're are chill about it, you can give less if you're on a budget.
River cruises run during the day and the evening, including dinner (usually not great, save for one) or party in the latter case. The most popular is
Legenda, partiers choose
Boat Party.
One standout cruise is
Pannónia Gastro Boat that goes above and beyond the standard quality of service of other operations and often host guest chefs from innovative countryside restaurants.
Public transport alternative is the D11 or D12 boat lines between Boráros tér going up to Népfürdő utca (or getting off at Jászai Mari tér or Margaret island 1 or 2 stops prior). Tram 2 between Jászai Mari tér and Boráros tér hugs the Danube on the Pest side and loops around the Parliament for a similarly nice experience. Seasonal operations, normally from March through October.
Money The currency of Hungary is the Hungarian Forint (1EUR=330HUF, 1USD=300HUF in November 2019), but I’ve listed prices in Euros (€). Check for current rates
here.
Don't exchange Forints at home, bring USD/EUGBP in cash or a chipped card with you – the withdrawal fee is far smaller than what you’d lose by the atrocious rates available to you at home (exception: neighbouring countries).
With cards, Visa, Mastercard are best, Maestro acceptable. Avoid Amex, Diners Club and other uncommon non-European issues.
CAD/AUD/JPY/CNY will be exchanged at slightly worse rates, but still much better than if you’d exchange Forints at home. I don't recommend bringing currencies other than the ones I've mentioned and those from neighboring countries, but if you do,
Tichi Change exchanges almost every valid currency in the world at as good of a rate as you could realistically hope for.
When the ATM asks you if you want to be charged in your home currency, say no and opt for Forints or you'll lose up to 30% due to the poor conversion rate! Learn more about the rip-off of dynamic currency conversion
here and
steer clear of the ATMs operated by Euronet. Besides the dynamic currency conversion ripoff, they will also prompt you to withdraw ridiculously high amounts of money (equivalent of $500 or more) that you will not be able to spend in 3-4 days.
Don't exchange any money with bright orange Interchange they use ripoff rates (>30% spread). They hava e monopoly at the airport and are also present throughout the city in premium locations, such as Váci utca. Street exchange is illegal and a good way to get scammed.
Tons of fine currency exchanges around the city, the best USD and EUR rates are at
Gold Change but use your eyes: the buy/sell spread shouldn’t be more than 1-3% apart for these, or 2.5-5% at banks. Exchange offices and banks do not take cards! You may only use them for ATM withdrawals.
Phones Make sure to
bring an unlocked phone, ideally a dual-SIM one.
The 3 main carriers are Vodafone, Telekom (T-Mobile) and Telenor. The best prepaid package is
Telekom's Domino Fix with the 1/3/30-day unlimited 4G add-on, costing 990+9900Fts (€32) for the 30-day option. SIM cards need to be activated after purchase, so buy them at brand stores where help is available instead of supermarkets or gas stations.
Roaming fees within the EU have been abolished in 2017, you will be able to use your SIM in any EU member country, but not as if it would be local. I.e. a Vodafone Hungary-issued SIM will be roaming on Vodafone Austria’s network. Some 'reasonable' data caps remain in place, which are determined by the cost of your service.
Outside the EU there are punitive data rates. I once managed to rack up a $90 bill for 5MB by accident.
Sleep Rates are for high season (late April through September, Christmas, NYE), might be 50+% lower on other dates
- For 0 hours (party hostels, from €10): Grandio, Retox, Carpe Noctem Vitae
- On a budget (well-reviewed hostels, dorm, private rooms €10-35, apartments €40-60): Lavender Circus, Maverick City Lodge, Pal’s, The Groove, Loft, standard Airbnbs
- Mid-range (€80-150): Mamaison, Cortile, Memories Oldtown, Casati, upscale Airbnbs
- In style (€150-250): Palazzo Zichy, Bródy Studios, Moments, Prestige, Corinthia, this palatial Airbnb
- Lavishly (€250+): Aria, Ritz-Carlton, Four Seasons (the gold standard), Kempinski
Location: if you plan on sleeping, the party district (VII., inside the ring road) should be avoided, as well as VIII. outside of it and around Keleti train station for safety reasons/because you can get nicer digs elsewhere. An under the radar gem of an area is VII. between Múzeum körút and the ring road. Buda is nowhere as dead as tourists collectively imagine it to be (especially around Széll Kálmán tér), don’t shun it if you find someplace nice there.
Eat at - Rosenstein (best traditional Hungarian restaurant in the country)
- Két Szerecsen (cozy Hungarian)
- Olimpia (casual fine dining)
- Borkonyha (business casual fine dining, Michelin-star)
- Stand25 (Bib Gourmand bistro - don't miss the goulash and the layered potatoes!)
- Kispiac (modern Hungarian)
- Vén Hajó (restaurant ship with amazing panorama and well-done Hungarian food - touristy, but still memorable!)
- Petrus (French-Hungarian, Bib Gourmand)
- Dobrumba (Arabic)
- Tüköry (traditional Hungarian on a budget)
- Ruben (traditional Hungarian on a budget)
- Bors (soups & sandwiches with a cult following)
- Manu+ (authentic Neapolitan pizza).
For more detailed restaurant recommendations, see
this comment.
August visitors, check the restaurants' websites and Facebook to see if they aren't on holiday!
The quality of service is a common source of complaints, don't take it too hard if it happens to you. Tip is 10% most of the time, unless you’re really dissatisfied or find yourself absolutely elated. Many top end restaurants add a ~12% service charge to the bill, tipping on top of that is not expected, though naturally it will be appreciated.
Neither regular, nor ost fast food restaurants do refills. The only exceptions are all KFCs and a few Burger Kings.
Smoking is banned at all restaurants, bars and basically every facility open to the public. Designated smoking areas can be found outside on the street.
Try
pálinka (~40% ABV fruit brandy),
Unicum (herbal bitteaperitif, like Jäger), bikavér from Eger and Szekszárd (lit. ‘bull’s blood’, a full-bodied red),
Tokaji aszú (similar to white Port, made of hand-picked berries with noble rot, named the "wine of kings, king of wines" from the 18th century) or fröccs (spritzer, white or red wine mixed with seltzer – a lifesaver in the summer)!
More details in the
shopping section.
Or get
really local and ask for
’fény’, carbonated vodka foam over raspberry syrup. You’ll see the
fény (=light) at the end of the tunnel in no time!
Eat a
freshly fried lángos at market halls (acceptable toppings: sour cream, garlic, cheese, perhaps ham and cabbage - certainly none of that tourist stuff with nutella, Hungarian sausage or kebab...) and
fried sausage from a butcher shop such as 1951 establishment
Balla Hús in Városház utca or the more contemporary
Belvárosi Disznótoros eatery. The gallery of the Hold utca market hall hosts quality street food vendors,
Karaván food truck yard right next to Szimpla.
Nightlife For more detailed recommendations, including strip clubs, casinos and more, see
this comment.
A
casual evening - Doblo - wine bar
- Élesztő - craft beer pub
- Csendes - bohemian hangout
- Nappali - neighborhood bar with great whiskies
Ruin pubs - Szimpla
- Instant-Fogasház
- Mazel Tov
- Pótkulcs (low-key, occasional folk concerts)
Mainstream clubs - Akvárium
- Ötkert
- Story
- HEAVEN
- Fröccsterasz
- Raqpart (seasonal only)
- BRKLYN
- BoB
Techno Rock and miscellaneous - Dürer Kert
- A38 (a converted Ukrainian barge – a unique experience)
- Barba Negra Track
Gay bars Get out See train schedules
on Elvira, check for buses on
menetrendek.hu (this site combines bus and train schedules, but has no English version, check for the orange or blue icon on the left side to see which is which).
Daytrip options include
- Szentendre: a bit different from its Scottish peer (lit. 'St. Andrews') quaint, cobblestoned artist town, chock full of galleries, art museums, restaurants – and tourists. The biggest attraction requires a short cab ride out of town, the open-air ethnography museum, Skanzen, with authentic recreations of functioning village clusters (open March through October). Best restaurant, oddly enough, cooks up a Caribbean fare at the hand of the Curaçaoan owner and his Hungarian wife: Mjam. Reachable by the H5 suburban railway from Batthyány tér (requires extension ticket for segment outside city limits - that's after Békásmegyer station, you need a 15km extension)
- Visegrád and Esztergom: a Renaissance castle with a panorama in the first, Central Europe’s largest cathedral in the second – and all this can be done on a scenic hydrofoil or boat trip in season!
- Eger: the location of a key Hungarian victory over invading Ottoman forces, this popular excursion destination is famous for its medieval castle, Baroque center, random museums (Beatles, firefighting and marzipan to name a few), its reputable wineries producing full-bodied, cabernet-like reds (bull’s blood, bikavér) and the limestone terraced natural spa of neighboring Egerszalók. Suggested wineries: St. Andrea, Tibor Gál, Demeter, Bolyki. Eat at Macok restaurant (by the castle entrance), they are excellent!
- Etyek: the nearest wine region to Budapest, they focus on whites. Although not as spectacular as the previous examples, it's a worthwhile visit for wine aficionados in the summer and autumn. Typical varieties include Irsai Olivér, királyleányka and Muscat Lunel (sárgamuskotály).
For
multi-day excursions, including to lake
Balaton and detailed information on car rental, countryside and international tourism opportunities, click
here Eclipse Casino Gambling Games. As stated above, Eclipse online casino games are powered by the Rival which means a large selection of slot games packed with more features. Therefore, whether you are into classic, progressive, or innovative slots, this casino Curacao is your best destination. Eclipse Casino Review. If you seeking a good site for gambling and winning money, then Eclipse Casino online has much to offer. When looking through this site, you can be attracted by its features and other stuff. So, no matter what makes an Eclipse Casino decent, you can find it here. This gambling site has been operating since 2017. Conclusion of Eclipse Casino Review. Eclipse Casino is pretty straightforward in terms of what players get there. This gambling destination won’t trick you with massive bonuses and low max cashout limits. This operator won’t give you a treat on your first deposit and then forget about you. Eclipse online Casino is an unusual brand made in the style of space. The endless expanses of games are like stars. When you first visit this casino, their unusual design is immediately evident. Moreover, the site is made in the style of minimalism. There are a minimum of useless buttons. The player can fully concentrate on the game. Eclipse Casino has understood the importance of mobile gaming practices in today’s advanced tech world, and have thus included this capability to their online casino platform. Bear in mind that the desktop version is the one that can be accessed either through the downloaded software or your chosen browser – mobile device users are limited to their chosen browsing app. The Eclipse Casino, which is at least thematic, has an average LCB User Score of 2.3 out of 5, which is fairly poor, but does not come along with an official caution. Either way, we would recommend that you thoroughly do your research before playing at a casino with that low of a rating. Eclipse Casino review 🌑 Even though Eclipse Casino was launched only in 2017 – these guys certainly know what to do to satisfy their customer! Advanced security measures, 24h-online support and pleasant design with huge bonuses. 🔥 Eclipse Casino bonuses 🌑 Eclipse Casino - Will only pay out 250 every 2 weeks on 12k win. Dear Askgamblers,Back on May 20th I was playing at Eclipse casino and hit a great win, after removal of the bonus I was left with around $12,000. To contact Eclipse Casino Support agents via phone, dial +33 4 1368 2294 if you’re from Europe or +1 702 637 05 36 if you’re from the US. To send them an email, write to them at [email protected] To get in touch with them via the Live Chat option, click on the message icon on the bottom right corner of the screen and the pop-up will appear where you can tell them all about their problem. Eclipse Casino is the official online casino, available in English and French. The casino features video slots and progressive titles by the well-known software provider, Rival. In addition, there is a mobile version of the website. Eclipse Casino is licensed and regulated by the laws of Curacao. Restricted Countries
Eclipse Casino - Get your 300% up to $15000 Welcome Bonus! Full list of secure online casinos with fast payouts - https: ... Eclipse Resort. More information: https://hotelkdm.com/post/review-eclipse-resortNestled in the heart of Station 2, Eclipse Resort is an ideal spot from whic... ¡Gracias por ver! Por favor, pulsa el botón "SUSCRIBIR" y regálanos un LIKE Thank you for watching! Please hit that "SUBSCRIBE" button and give us a thumbs ... Eclipse Review and Custom Bonuses 🛑 Get eclipse 🛑 Watch My Honest [Eclipse Review] 🛑 Get Custom Bonuses http://eclipse-bonuses.markdwayne.com "Eclipse Re... Tom takes a look at this 4X Space epic game from Asmodee Editions 00:00 - Introduction 01:58 - Game Overview 09:38 - Final Thoughts Get it at www.funagain.co... In this video review I'll show you inside the Eclipse members area and go over how the product works. Check out the Eclipse bonuses on my website before buying. ** DON'T FORGET TO SUBSCRIBE TO MY ... Eclipse Casino - one of the most respected online casinos that take MasterCard credit card. Eclipse and its promotion team offer the sweetest rewards on the ... Support the Show: https://bit.ly/SupportSUSDBuy This Game: https://bit.ly/SUSDEclipse In US: https://en.lautapelit.fi/product/42986/eclipse---2nd-dawn-for-th...
![Eclipse Review With Bonuses [NEW 2019]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/oO-YqmlY9XE/default.jpg "In this video review I'll show you inside the Eclipse members area and go over how the product works. Check out the Eclipse bonuses on my website before buying. ** DON'T FORGET TO SUBSCRIBE TO MY ...")
