This is gonna sound super lame, but this game is really important to me. The Starforce series had a really troubled time and was absolutely full of flaws until the 3rd game, but there was something special here that deserved to be refined.

This game really helped shape my identity around the time I played it when I was younger. The multiplayer aspect and the story, while shallow at times, especially for an older audience, really resonated with a depressed 12 year old me trying to grow into a concrete personality with hobbies I no longer wanted to be ashamed of. I thought it was so cool how (while never explicitly stated) Geo clearly had similar issues; his journey to accept and learn how to rely on others and healthily cope with his mental struggles really connected with me. I also find the continuity impressive in that his personality genuinely grows throughout each entry.

Gameplay-wise, I like that it switched up the MMBN style. There were a lot of missteps, but there was a decent amount of innovation to make the transition to 1 row feel fresh and not limiting. The net felt much more alive than some of the BN games but ultimately wasn't as strong of a world due to being an overlay of the real world.

The second game went on to hurt the series rather than improve it in the writing department especially, and then the third was almost perfection. The series was unfortunately cancelled right after. I would kill to see a revival after the team really hit it home with the third game.

The secret to this game is that you let your guard down. It's a Shonen game, you've seen it all. Before you know it this game has eclipsed every expectation. So many memorable and downright badass moments go down in the story, the crown jewel of the entire franchise. Battles are fantastic--mixing and matching Styles by drawing upon your Brothers BrotherBands, accumulating Noise to acquire Illegal Cards and while simultaneously transforming into a godly beast... The gameplay loop is fun. Ridiculously fun. Music is top-notch. And while PvP can never live up to Battle Network, this is deep and rewarding in its own right. I think it's all the better because it's a Shonen game. It's a rare game that evokes youth without preying on nostalgia. I can't heap enough praise on Megaman Starforce 3.

While Super Mario Bros. 3 was considered by many to be the high point in the 2D Mario Mario franchise, for me personally, Super Mario World set the standard to nearly impossible heights. Tight controls, excellent soundtrack and engaging level design make this game on of my top 10 of all time.

I remember scouring the levels looking for all the secrets, this was before we hand the internet mind you, so when I found things like the top secret level and all the star road secrets, it was very rewarding. IMO 2D Mario peaked with this entry. I have tried the newer 2.5D Mario games and none have captured me quite like this one did.

Anyway, good game. Go play. 10/10.

Seriously just perfect in every way. I've beaten this game like four or five times now and the art direction, music, level design and pitch perfect platforming blows me away every single playthrough.

Unlike other platformers where the levels you explore rarely feel organic outside of the realm of game design, the levels and worlds of Tropical Freeze are built to feel like real, living parts of the world the DK crew lives in, and sometimes there's even a cool little narrative that progresses as you travel through the worlds. No two levels are alike and it makes every single moment of the experience a joy. My favourite level, Cliffslide Slide, comes towards the end of the game, and features silhouetted versions of the playable characters against an avalanche, and it's just a sight to behold.

The music by DKC vet David Wise is also one of the best in the entire industry. Songs like Mangrove Cove, Grassland Groove and Punch Bowl are instant earworms, and it's a shame that more of these tracks weren't included in Smash Ultimate.

This one is definitely up there with Breath of the Wild and Mario Odyssey as one of Nintendo's modern masterpieces. Play it now if you haven't.