Geekosystem Chats With Your Video Game Bartenders, The Drunken Moogle

What are your favorite video games?

MH: Anything with a great story. I used to love RPGs above all else, but since starting college I’m finding it harder and harder to invest 40+ hours in a game. Still, I continue to pick up Final Fantasy games (my favorites) and love action adventure games like the Zelda series too.

What are your favorite and least favorite video games … when drunk?

MH: I don’t do too much drunken gaming in relation to sober gaming.  I drink with friends though, so when I do game while drinking, it’s all multiplayer.  Last year it seems like whenever my friends and I were drinking, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II was being played.  No drinking games were being played, we just kind of fell into it.  The only thing bad about MW2, or any other drunk FPS game, is that it sobers me up pretty quickly.  I guess I’m too competitive with some things, haha.

I recently got a Wii and let me tell you, that machine was meant for parties.  Sober or drunk, I love playing multiplayer games with people on it.  Mario Party is so much fun.  That’s probably my current favorite game to have a beer or four with.

Least favorite game to play while drunk?  I would have to say anything with a story.  I love a good story too much to play a game like Final Fantasy VI with a glass in hand in a room with other loud people with glasses in hand.

TB: My least favorite game … That’s hard. I love bad games. It’d probably be something incredibly generic, like Vexx or any Spyro game after Year of the Dragon. Favorite drunken gaming experience, Bill Laimbeer’s Combat Basketball. It’s a top-down Super Nintendo game where you leapfrog into other futuristic, mohawked basketball players. It’s terrible. The worst would be something with any sort of discernible story, like Final Fantasy.

We were particularly fond of Scrollbar’s Portal-themed Transportation shots and the Bulbasaur/Ivysaur/Venasaur drinks. What are your drink preferences, both regular and video game-themed?

MH: Favorite drinks … that’s always a tough one. As for beer, I’m in love with Guinness. I also enjoy a good pale ale. My current favorite wine is probably White Knight.  Favorite liquors of mine include Captain Morgan’s Tattoo, Wild Turkey’s American Honey, and Jack Daniels.

My favorite video game themed drink right now is probably the Warp Pipe. I love limeade and this drink is really nice for those hot summer days.

I can’t really think of a gaming drink that I haven’t enjoyed. I look at the ingredients before I make a drink and if it seems like something I wouldn’t enjoy, I just don’t make it, haha. One drink that has made me cringe just looking at it is the Boomer Bile drink.  But I guess that’s what they were going for, so touche.

TB: I’m the guy at the party carrying around a bottle of wine. Wait, is that a guy? Is this a common enough behavior for me to say that? My favorite video game drink is My Old Friend. I guess I like the more basic drinks. Some of the sweeter drinks on the site just make my teeth hurt.

We noticed a good number of your drinks are in fact submissions from readers. How would you describe the site’s reception by readers and gamers alike?

MH: Most everyone has been extremely supportive of the site.  It’s really amazing!  I really enjoy the community that is building up between the readers and myself.  We get absolutely tons of drink submissions.  There are some wickedly creative people out there and I would encourage everyone to send in any ideas they have.

We haven’t gotten too much negative response.  The most common negative response is that the drinks are all too sweet.

TB: I think a lot of the fans had my reaction: why has no one done this before? The support from the fans is what makes this experience for me; being able to highlight their creations is certainly one of the perks of running the blog.

Which drinks have been most popularly received?

MH: From us, the Metroid is a big hitter, as is the T-Virus and Bulbasaur/Ivysaur/Venusaur combo.  Drinks on the site that are not mine that people really enjoy include the Rainbow Road, Teleportation shots, and the Mudkip.

TB: The Rainbow Road got a ton of feedback. And anytime we post Zelda stuff people go nuts.

What would you recommend for low Constitution newbies and liquor tanks who want to give the recipes a try?

MH: I would advise beginners to pick out whatever drink appeals to you game-wise. That’s half the fun!

A very light drink is the Metroid. Not a whole lot of alcohol and very tasty. The Anti Sora is also very nice for beginners.

Our heaviest drink is the Revolver Ocelot. If you “empty the clip” immediately, so to speak, you have just taken down three full shots of alcohol. The Venusaur is a powerful beast as well.

TB: I will always recommend to start with the drink that brought you the site. I think people look at some of these recipes and go, that’s too strong, or that seems complicated to make. But once you commit and do it, you realize that most every drink on the site is a breeze, both to make and enjoy. As for the experienced Mooglers… The Fat Man.

In May, you held your Drunken Moogle Giveaway contest. Do you have any other plans for expanding or promoting your site?

MH: Definitely! A friend of mine, George Hoefer, is currently creating a chiptunes mash-up of lots of great video game music.  We have talked briefly about having a contest related to the final product.  I’m unsure of the prize right now.

I’m completely open to other giveaway contests involving outside sites or artists.  Being a college student who is kind of tight on cash means I can’t be spending money on prizes every month, however.

Do you hold video game drinking parties (that we would clearly love to crash, if we come down to Atlanta), or serve any of these drinks in the real world?

MH: I do not, unfortunately. The idea to hold a large open TDM party has come up from time to time conversation, but it’s something we can’t quite do right now. Now, when my friends and I drink, we regularly play video games, but that’s just a normal thing.

I do enjoy serving my creations to other people. It’s great to get an outside opinion and I’m very fortunate that I have friends who can appreciate the themed-aspects of the drink. I made a Venusaur for my friend on her birthday the other week.

I’ll be at Dragon Con this year as well as Anime Weekend Atlanta. While I won’t be hosting a party, I would be very open to joining one if any fans are around!

TB: Unfortunately, Mitch and I don’t really get to party together a lot. In fact, most of my geek drinking buddies left town for college, so we rarely get the chance to drink like dorks. And while I am completely proud of my geek blood, I’m not about to start making a Metroid at a crowded party filled with barbed wire tats and North Face jackets. If anybody is reading this lives in Atlanta or is just passing through, send us an email. We would love to party with you.

Can you give readers a tease of upcoming recipes?

MH: You can definitely look forward to Ryncol from Mass Effect 2, some more Pokemon themed drinks, and a RRoD drink that will be sure to mess you up.

Ever have dreams about starting an actual video game-themed bar? “The Drunken Moogle” might as well be the name of a great pub.

MH: I have, actually. Many have suggested it and since the success of Mana Bar in Australia, it looks more possible with every day. As of now, though, I’m still an undergraduate college student trying to get to graduation in order to find a job. Maybe one day, maybe never. I can’t ignore the fact that the site is getting popular and people would most likely spend money on an idea like that, though.

TB: Every night before I fall asleep, I go over the blueprints in my brain. If it ever does happen, you can’t count on three things: great drinks, classy atmosphere and Bill Laimbeer’s Combat Basketball on every screen.

Visit The Drunken Moogle for all your video game-themed drinking needs, or follow them at @DrunkenMoogle.

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