http://www.planetstarseige.com/allyourbase

Most likely, your initial response will be "Okay, it's funny... but I don't get it." Not to worry, that puts you in good company. You're not likely to get the joke unless you were an avid video game player in the late 1980's and you were partial to Zero Wing, a space-based shoot-em-up that featured hilariously bad Japanese-to-English subtitles.

Just for the fun of it, fans of Zero Wing who gathered at the TribalWar chat site began doctoring photos to provide "evidence" of the All Your Base (AYB) conspiracy. The project became an instant cult classic when Jeffrey Ray Roberts, a programer from Kansas City created a Flash animation using the opening screens from Zero Wing, dubbed-in robotic voices, and a montage of the AYB photos set to a catchy dance track. http://www.planetstarseige.com/allyourbase/

-- Anonymous, March 07, 2001

Answers

Aww, that's swell. Different set of strange ones showing up at Myrtle Beach this June for a get together. You and yours welcome but try not to talk in tongues.

-- Anonymous, March 08, 2001

Carlos, do mind explaining your above statement?

To wit, whom do you consider strange ones? I read that as a little judgemental on your part.

As for the speaking in tongues, I find that quite offensive also.

-- Anonymous, March 08, 2001

I first saw "All Your Base Are Belong to Us" over at feepers. Didn't know what to make of it at first, but I did see the slogan on a bunch of photo's that were funny. I thought it was even funnier after I read the explanation that it was from a poor Japanese to English translation of an old video game, Zero Wing, as Cherri says. I'm also fond of the quote from it "For great Justice."

The phenomena is all over the net now, and the Tribal Wars board is often credited for starting it, but its orgins began before the Tribal Wars site picked it up and ran with it. For what appears to be a good history, see: http://hubert.retrogames.com/history.htm

Here's the story line, without the gif video frames:

In A.D. 2101
War was beginning.
Captain: What happen ?
Mechanic: Somebody set up us the bomb.
Operator: We get signal.
Captain: What !
Operator: Main screen turn on.
Captain: It's You !!
Cats: How are you gentlemen !!
Cats: All your base are belong to us.
Cats: You are on the way to destruction.
Captain: What you say !!
Cats: You have no chance to survive make your time.
Cats: HA HA HA HA ....
Captain: Take off every 'zig' !!
Captain: You know what you doing.
Captain: Move 'zig'.
Captain: For great justice.

---

And of course I can't end this without my favorite AYBABTU photo:

-- Anonymous, March 08, 2001

Woops, lets try that again, "for great justice":

-- Anonymous, March 08, 2001