Logo for Byte Magazine at Ball State University

Reality Check




LGBTQ-friendly music for your Valentines day

Every year, Feb. 14 rolls around to provide the world with a very particular feeling; the feeling of pressure, love, disappointment, and a certain capitalistic expression of love and devotion that we cannot seem to shake. No matter what the 14th brings you, at least we have love songs. In particular, the industry has recently been booming with queer love songs that deserve recognition and could accompany you and a loved one or significant other this Valentine’s Day. 


More than just brawlers: these are the cutest ‘Smash Ultimate’ characters

Over its 20-year history, Smash Bros. has gone beyond a simple fighting game. Smash Bros. brings Nintendo icons to a celebration of gaming history that transcends anything Masahiro Sakurai had originally envisioned. There is no other franchise where global phenomenons like Final Fantasy, Street Fighter, and even Metal Gear Solid can all cross paths and present a small piece of their historical influence. Truly, Super Smash Bros. is the most ambitious crossover of all time. So with a new roster addition arriving to the Switch, we decided to take a look at the current selection of characters and decide which of these fighters could also win on the runway.


Best rom-coms to stream this Valentine’s day

Once again, Valentine’s Day is coming around, and whether that excites you, terrifies you, or makes you want to hit something, there is no denying that Valentine’s Day is the perfect day to watch a romantic comedy. Unfortunately, the quality of films in this genre is incredibly hit-or-miss, and it can take hours of scrolling through Hulu or Netflix to find one that even sounds halfway decent. To save you from that fate, here are the top three romantic comedies from each streaming service (Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, Disney +, and plain old Blu-ray/DVD), with honorable mentions included.



7 terrible Adam Sandler movie ideas to optimally punish the Academy

So, now that the Oscars are over and done with, Sandler’s Uncut Gems didn’t just not get nominated for Best Picture, it didn’t get nominated for anything. The film got, as they say, “snubbed”. Which means we are in the timeline where Sandler is going to craft the worst Adam Sandler film possible. If he’s reading this right now, I’m going to offer some of the greatest terrible Adam Sandler film ideas I can come up with. All I ask is a little bit of credit as a treat, and some royalty checks. It’s a fair exchange for these high quality films, trust me.


The New York Experience

New York City has always sparked the greatest curiosity in my mind. It has always been a city I have seen countless times in movies and could only dream about visiting, a city where you were either born there or made enough money to move into a penthouse in Manhattan. No one in my family really liked the idea of going to a “bigger, dirtier Chicago,” but I have always longed to understand what made the City That Never Sleeps so special, to understand what it was about it that captured so many people. In June of 2018, I stepped foot in what has since become my favorite place on Earth for the first time, and since then, I have promised myself that one day I would be able to call New York City my home, and here’s why.



InPut2 S8E1- Videogame Movies?

  Hello, movie fanatics and welcome to a new season of InPut2! With the upcoming release of 'Sonic the Hedgehog' we're going to talk about modern video game movies. What does it take to make a great video game movie? How do our thoughts compare to what we've already seen? Get your answers to these questions and more in this season premiere of InPut2! Hosts: Tanner Kinney, Katherine Simon, and Mason Kupiainen  Edited by: OK Schlatter  Thumbnail by: Malia Hutton



The Coven S6E5- Representation in the Super Bowl

  Welcome back to another episode of The Coven! Brewing in the cauldron this week is representation in the Super Bowl. How well did it include minorities in its airing this year? How did it compare to the past airings? What could it have done better to represent minorities? Get answers to all this and more, in this week's episode of The Coven! Hosts: Ashley Curry and Shwetha Sundarrajan Edited by: Blake Chapman  Thumbnail by: Malia Hutton


Remixed S5E3- "In Rainbows" by Radiohead

  Welcome back to another episode of Remixed! This week we discuss the in and outs of the Grammy-winning album "In Rainbows" by the band Radiohead. Plus, the recent controversy surrounding the Beach Boys. How will this controversy further dismantle tense ties within the band? How is "In Rainbows" upholding throughout the years? Answer these questions and more in this week's episode of Remixed! Hosts: Jack Gillespie and Brandon Carson Edited by: Tanner Kinney Thumbnail by: Katy Szpak