I'm glad to have finally played through this bite-sized Uncharted adventure, which was sitting in my backlog for a while until I was in the mood for a short but sweet experience. The Lost Legacy has certainly provided me with that, all while maintaining the stunning visuals and exciting set pieces that the Uncharted series is known for, with endearing characters.

Honestly, there's not much to say. If you've already completed Uncharted 1-4 and still have an itch for more somehow, or if you're eager to see Chloe Frazer set off on her own adventure, then I give this one a strong recommendation!

I had an absolute blast going through this stylish beat 'em up that delivered with great stage design, a range of enemies to defeat, different fun playable characters, and stellar presentation that makes this game ooze with style.

In terms of my main issue, I encountered online lag problems while playing this game with a friend, leading to interruptions during our sessions. While the game is still playable, it didn't run as smoothly as TMNT: Shredder's Revenge, for instance.

Apart from that issue, Streets of Rage 4 has solidified my enjoyment of beat 'em up games. I was initially unsure after a rough experience with the Scott Pilgrim video game, but playing TMNT: Shredder's Revenge last year and now this game have changed my perspective on the genre.

Loop Hero is a roguelike that combines various mechanics from card games and city builders. It involves strategically placing cards obtained from auto-battles around a loop to enhance your hero or terrain. I found myself frequently returning to the game because the moment-to-moment gameplay loop is so unique and captivating, which hooked me into finishing it compared to other games in that genre despite the heavy grinding or RNG that shows no mercy. The stellar presentation when it comes to the pixel art or audio is the cherry on top that makes the overall package extra special.

My experience was further enhanced by the exceptional mobile port developed by Playdigious, which seamlessly integrates the touch screen and offers good portability features like auto-save during a run that prevents you from restart your current run if you have to put down your device at any second. It really gives me the impression that Loop Hero was initially created for mobile and later ported to other platforms, rather than the other way around. It feels right at home and easily the definitive version to play, whether it's on iOS or Android.

However, I can recommend any version to experience this game unless you aren't really into roguelikes that heavily rely on stats and RNG. Loop Hero is definitely an acquired taste that I can see not clicking for everyone due to how unique and demanding it is in certain elements.

The next game in this Zelda marathon, A Link to the Past, is a breath of fresh air. While I didn't particularly like Zelda 1, and I definitely didn't like Zelda II, this game was different. This was one of the first Zelda games I played I believe, yet this was only my 2nd time fully beating it. I had seen plenty of randomizers before, but I haven't fully beaten this game in like 10 years. As I stated, this game was a breath of fresh air because, as opposed to the first two games, A Link to the Past is really great.

This game ditches the side-scrolling platformer adventure RPG Zelda II went for and is more in line with how Zelda 1 does things. It's top down again, there are no more RPG mechanics like Zelda II and the game isn't absolutely brutal like Zelda II. In fact, it's easier than the first game, tho I still died weirdly often funnily enough. Anyways this is all for the better as the direction Zelda II was going in, just did not do it for me at all.

The story this time around, and it focuses more on its story than the first two games, actually takes place before Zelda I and II. Before the events of the game happen, Ganondorf manages to open the gateway to the Sacred Realm where the Triforce is hidden away and he obtains the Triforce for himself. Knowing he was evil and this would lead to catastrophe, the king of Hyrule ordered seven sages to seal the gateway up along with Ganondorf inside. A long battle ensues but, in the end, the gateway was sealed. Many years later, horrible events start occurring and so the king of Hyrule believes it to be related to the sages seal. Finding out it was not that, he puts out a reward for anyone that can help him with these troubles. A wizard named Agahnim comes alone, seemingly fixing these troubles with his magic. He becomes close to the king and all is well for a while. However shortly after, people start to suspect something is wrong with Agahnim. He starts abusing his power. He eventually casts spells on all the soldiers to turn them evil, and kidnaps maidens that were descended from the sages, using their powers to try to open the seal himself. The game then officially starts, with Link having to save Zelda from the dungeon of Hyrule castle. Once Link saves her, she and him meet up with the priest of a nearby sanctuary and he tells you some of the details I just told you. It's now Link's job to get 3 pendants to obtain the Master Sword, eventually having to rescue the maidens (and Zelda she gets kidnapped too) from each of the dungeons that reside in the Dark World and in the end defeating Ganon. That was a lot but yeah this game is more story-focused than the other two and I like that. The story isn't mind-blowing, and I think Ocarina of Time honestly did the story way better since it's pretty similar to this game's but it's still a solid first attempt at this type of Zelda story.

Actually, getting into the gameplay tho, it's basically Zelda 1 but more polished. It's more linear than that game and holds your hand more but is also more engaging. You actually have a map for the overworld and there are always markers showing you where you need to go next. Some might see this as maybe too hand-holdy, but compared to Zelda 1's cryptic and more directionless nature, I'll take this any day over that. Another thing this game does better with its overworld is the secrets. Gone is every secret being a completely random bush to burn or wall to blow up. If there are bombable walls, they have a crack in them to indicate they can be blown up. Outside of that, the secrets are way more different. Sometimes you'll have to fall in a hole or well to end up in a cave and to get rupees or pieces of heart. (That's another change too, pieces of heart are now a thing, and you have to get 4 to make a full heart container). Sometimes you have to use the dark and light world to your advantage and switch between both to get secrets. Sometimes there are little minigames you can play to get items like pieces of heart. The secrets and ways you get items in the overworld are just so much more interesting here compared to the randomness in Zelda 1. There's a reason future Zelda's stuck with this format.

Dungeons this time around are more fleshed out and are more puzzle-like. Instead of having to push a block, find keys and maybe bomb some walls, A Link to the Past introduces many new concepts in its dungeons. One dungeon you're going in and out constantly through entrances in the overworld. Another is full of ice and thus the palace has ice physics. Another involves you having to use an item to create a platform on some tracks, letting you ride them to your destination. These never feel too gimmicky either and always come naturally. The dungeons are great in this game, far better than Zelda 1 and 2's, but I can't say I absolutely love them. Some are better than others (Skull Woods gave me big issues for some reason) and I generally prefer 3D Zelda dungeons more just because they usually have much more distinct aesthetic to them compared to these. Still tho, these dungeons are very enjoyable..especially the endgame ones. Tho Ganon's tower is brutal I gotta say lol.

The items you get from the dungeons, and I guess outside of them too, are pretty solid tho some are situational. The hookshot became very iconic from this game onwards and is used a lot in the 2nd half of the game. The bow and arrow, while not used a ton in this game, is fun and also became iconic. The hammer has its uses throughout the game but is pretty situational. The medallions damage enemies, tho I never really used them for that purpose much, and otherwise are only required very rarely. This game introduced bottles which are a nice addition as you can store faries in them to revive Link. This game does have several kind of forgettable items and also situational ones you won't use outside of battle or even often at all, but it also introduces some series staples as well, so I'd say it was a good selection of items overall.

The bosses at the end of dungeons are generally really good. They're all distinct visually, and some are even iconic enough to appear in future Zelda titles. Arrghus for example, basically reappears in Majora's Mask under the name Wart. Moldorm appears as a boss in Link's Awakening and A Link Between Worlds. The bosses are generally good, tho sometimes they can be a bit annoying. Mothula for example is incredibly hard without magic and the fire rod. Even with that, it's still difficult because of all the spike blocks in its room. Trinexx you basically NEED to have magic, the fire and ice rod, to even attack it or else you're shit out of luck. The game tells you a couple times throughout the game, when you'll basically need a green potion for a dungeon. They aren't kidding either. Cuz, I had a red or green potion almost every time before I started a dungeon. Luckily rupees are incredibly easy to get in this game, maybe the easiest game to rack up rupees, and a shop that sells green and red potions has a warp next to it which is handy (oh yeah, I forgot to mention you can warp with the ocarina once you get the song to summon the bird which is extremely helpful to warp throughout the Light World). Either way, besides some frustrating ones, the bosses are overall a big improvement from the first two games.

I mentioned the Dark World before and yeah, that's this games big thing. A ways into the game, you obtain the mirror. When you're in the Dark World, Link will turn into a bunny. When he uses the mirror tho, he can go back to the light world and leaves a little warp on the floor that he can use to go back to the Dark World. There are also several warps naturally strewn across the world that Link can use to warp to the Dark World if need be. Anyways, the reason Link is a bunny in the Dark World is because anything that's there morphs into a monster or an animal or whatever. Link cannot attack as a Bunny, but as soon as he first goes go to the Dark World, the dungeon that appears not even a minute after that happens holds the Moon Pearl. This let's Link go to the Dark World without turning into a bunny. Personally, since there's almost nothing in between you first going to the Dark World and getting the Moon Pearl, I would've liked if you got the moon pearl a bit later since it kind of felt pointless that you turn into a bunny only to not have to worry about that pretty much ever soon after. That's a minor nitpick tho, just something I thought about with this replay. Anyways, the whole Light World Dark World gimmick is very well done here, and it leads to some really cool secrets throughout the game.

The OST is great this time around. Zelda 1 already had a very solid soundtrack, and not only does this game have a new an improved version of the overworld theme, it also has some awesome new tracks along with some that become series staples. Zelda's theme makes its first appearance here and its a fantastic version of the song. Both the Dark World theme and the Dark World dungeon theme are also fantastic and fit the darker atmosphere the Dark World provides. This is even the first appearance of the Kakariko Village theme and as someone that played OOT before this game, I always thought that was very fascinating lol. Anyways this game's ost is iconic for a reason and has some of the best songs in the series.

While I did list a couple minor issues I had with this game, this truly is a massive step-up from the prior games. There's a big reason this is a classic and is still played today (whether it's the vanilla version or with randomizers). Now I do prefer Ocarina of Time personally, tho I guess I won't truly know until I replay that next, but if I'll give anything to this game over Ocarina, it's the fact the pacing is way faster and its a lot easier to just dive in and replay. That and visually it does look a lot cleaner. Anyways, I was going to play the CDI games, but I realized the hassle to get an emulator working for them wouldn't have been worth it for how supposedly bad they are. So, Link's Awakening DX is next in this marathon, look forward to that review coming soon!!

I first played Link's Awakening on my 3DS years ago. I got it on the eShop one day after a Youtuber I liked was let's playing it, and seeing as I was a Zelda fan at this point, I figured I'd enjoyed it. I think I got up until Eagle Tower and dropped it? I at least don't remember ever beating this game. Fast forward to the beginning of 2022, I had just gotten the remake for Christmas and was excited to play it. I actually beat that version this time and had a great time. Now with this marathon, I can finally beat this version of the game. I think overall I might prefer the remake, but this version is still good and Link's Awakening is still a good game overall.

Also quick note before the review: I was originally going to play the three CDI Zelda's next but decided against it so I'm skipping those. I also know this is the DX version, and that technically released after Ocarina of Time, however the majority of this game is still the original Link's Awakening which released 5 years before OOT so I just decided to play this first.

Anyways, Link's Awakening. This released 2 years after A Link to the Past and compared to that game and even the Zelda games before it, this game's plot and general atmosphere is very different. The story this time around is pretty simple. This is the same Link as the one in ALTTP and he regularly goes out to sea to train in other countries in case of further threats. One day, a storm destroys the boat he is on and he is washed ashore on Koholint Island. This girl named Marin finds him and brings Link to her home where he wakes up to see her and her father Tarin. Link leaves the home hoping to learn what this island is about and how he can get off of it. Along the way, he meets an owl that tells him to escape this island he must get the 8 instruments of the sirens and wake the wind fish (who resides in a giant egg) with them. Halfway into the adventure however, Link finds out that the entire island may just be a dream created by the wind fish. Whether that's true or not, Link continues to gather the instruments so he can wake the wind wish and get off the island. It's a simple plot but the first thing you'll notice is that it's WEIRD. I did not mention Zelda because she is not in this game. No Triforce or Ganon either. The big staple characters aren't in this game, instead it's an entire brand new cast. You have Marin and Tarin, the other villagers of the town they're in. There are many animal NPC's through out the world, there's even and animal village too lol. The villagers eventually can't recall how long they've been on the island. Throughout the game you even start seeing things from other Nintendo games like the many different Mario enemies, a girl gives you her photo and she looks just like Princess Peach and there's even an enemy that looks and acts like Kirby. This along with the general plot gives this game such a weird, dream-like atmosphere. That's kind of a joke but it's true, they really did a great job at making this game feel like a dream. This is honestly my favorite aspect of this game; just how weird and different it feels from other Zelda games.


The general gameplay is similar to ALTTP, tho it's not quite as linear as that game. You're still going through dungeons and what not but they aren't marked on your map. It can be a bit cryptic at times, trying to figure out how to get into each dungeon, because now you have to find each dungeons respective key to unlock it. Besides that, the overworld itself is pretty fun tho it can get a bit tedious to backtrack through. There are a couple warp points throughout the world you can warp to, but I think there should've been more because even with them, backtracking is plentiful and it's not super fun in this game. The reason for that is, and it's the game's biggest issue, there's only two item slots in this game and stuff like the power bracelet and even the sword takes up a slot. I know this is a Gameboy game, so there was only A and B to work with but having to constantly switch between items to explore can get a bit tiresome. That plus when you don't have an item, needed to clear an object, equipped, an unskippable message appears every time to let you know you need that item. So, whatever you do, don't touch any rocks without having the power bracelet equipped. Like I said, this is my biggest annoyance in the game and while I still enjoyed the overworld despite this, it can be annoying due to these issues.

Exploring the overworld, you'll find many optional secrets just like ALTTP. Like that game, there are caves all throughout and you'll usually need a dungeon item to get whatever treasure is inside. The puzzles in these might actually be more complex than ALTTP's, either way it's good that they're back in this game. You'll also find those weird NPC's throughout the world as well. There's actually a long trade quest in the game, that you would think would be optional due to how long and exploration based it is but it's not. It's required at several points to progress and also the reward you get at the end of it is too. It's not the worst thing in the world but I had forgotten how to do parts of it so I had to look some of it up online so that might stump new players.

Next I want to talk about improvements this game makes compared to past games. This is a Gameboy game so obviously I can't compare its visuals to ALTTP but for a Gameboy game this looks super nice and compared to the first two Zelda games, this also looks nice than them. They did a great job with all the pixel art in this game and I can see why some people prefer this version of the game compared to the remake, based on the art style since it's super charming here. This game also improved on stuff from ALTTP as well funnily enough. You could collect items with you sword in Zelda 1 but not ALTTP for some reason, luckily, you're able to in this game again. I also found the Pegasus Boots better in this game due to you not needing to press and hold the item button again and again when you want to dash constantly. You just need to hold it and Link will start to dash on every screen he's on now. Something that's kinda weird compared to past game is the rupees. Every rupee that spawns in the overworld from cut bushes or defeated enemies is a single rupee. The only way to get more than that at once is with chests and they can give you 20, 50, 100 or even 200 rupees. It's an interesting change but probably a needed one since this was a Gameboy game and this game was already probably pushing the system to its limits.

The dungeons in this game are actually really solid. They're not as vibrant or as memorable visually as ALTTP dungeons however they're full of puzzles, maybe even moreso than ALTTP. That game has a bit more of a focus on combat, and I still might prefer that games dungeons just because of the aforementioned visual memorability. But even still, very good set of dungeons that even stumped me a bit at times. The items you get in these though are pretty solid. You have the aforementioned power bracelet, the magic rod from past Zeldas, the hookshot from ALTTP as well as the flippers. A lot of these are just older items but the standout item, and the one that actually makes the game more fun to play in general tbh, was the roc's feather. When you equip this, you can jump. That's it but it makes a world of difference in how you can play and can absolutely just destroy some bosses super-fast if you're skilled enough. If I didn't need any item to progress, I just went with my sword and the roc's feather. That was my go to set of items. There was an annoyance I had with the items. Since there's no way to speed up text, you'll be seeing the same dialogue for the map and compass over and over again. The map is fine since it's so short but the compass is like three times as long or something and they decided to let you know there's a new sound that plays whenever a chest is in the same room as you. That's cool...you don't have to tell me every time I do a dungeon tho! The bosses at the end of dungeons might also be an improvement from ALTTP. They aren't as flashy of course but they also don't require red/green potions sometimes to defeat, they all have dialogue this time which gives them more character and they're also just really weird or goofy which fits the setting of the game. I'd say they're overall maybe simpler to fight than ALTTP's bosses but simple doesn't equal bad. The final boss tho, had several different phases that took the form of bosses you fought in past games, and it also made use of several of Link's items. Because of that, it was easily the best boss in the game.

The soundtrack in this game, even tho its a Gameboy game, is really melancholic at times and is charming as hell. The signature Ballad of the Wind Fish(I sent Marin's version is easily my favorite song in the game. Mabe Village,Tal Tal Heights and the Ending Theme were my other favorites. The whole soundtrack is good however, and something else this game had over ALTTP is the fact each dungeon had their own unique theme. Now I can't say I prefer any of them over the two ALTTP had but they're still mostly solid here.

While I did have some issues that held this game back from being better than ALTTP, this is still a really solid Zelda game and one that is unique in the story it tells and the atmosphere it provides. It must've been amazing having a game like this on the go back in the day. Like I said as well, I do prefer the remake just because of the some of the improvements it made. I'm kind of known as the original game enjoyer, so for me to prefer a remake over the original is very odd. We'll get to that game way down the line but even if I like that one more, it doesn't stop this version from being good. It certainly has its own charm as well.

I think I'm going to take a small break in between this game and Ocarina of Time. I'm thinking maybe my Plants vs Zombies replay is next? Either way, stay tuned for that and then Ocarina of Time after in the near future!

"Remember me, and your true self as well, also that which you must become. The one who will lead us to Paradise with blood stained hands!"

I'm not a really big fan of survival horror games, or horror games in general, because I get scared easily, so I feel like I never get to fully enjoy these games and their qualities, mostly because I end up looking for guides and walkthroughs online.
Before the Silent Hill games that I played for the first time last summer, I had only played RE 2 and 3 remakes, and those were both games that i didn't like very much. Luckily,  that wasn't the case for the Silent Hill games, because I loved them. After finishing Silent Hill 2 in one day and loving it, I decided to play Silent Hill 3, which quickly became my favorite in the series, even more after playing Silent Hill 1. After one year, while watching my friend play sh2, I decided to replay sh3, and my opinion on it hasn't changed.
I think that Silent Hill 3 is the best game in the original trilogy for a different number of reasons, from the gameplay to the even more absurd horror elements and the incredible story and characters.

First of all i wanted to talk about how good all the different "levels" in this game were, they were all perfectly crafted and scary but fun to go trough, my favorite one was the hilltop center, mostly bc i really liked the change to the otherworld and also i feel like they are the most scary ones with the church, that is one of the best parts in the game with the recalls to silent hill one, the shopping mall and the subway were also good but in this replay i found them really fast to go through and didn't think much of them other than the fact that the mall is a perfect preview of what the game is going to be, then bookhaven hospital is in my opinion the least fun one because you already go through it already in sh2 so its a bit repetitive in its normal form; overall i think that every place visited is good in its own way and doesn't fail at making you feel scared thanks to the perfect sound design but also to its little eastereggs like the cutscene in the subway that always freaks me out.

The gameplay is also better than in sh2, thats because theres more types of weapons that make the gameplay more fun and engaging, also i love the ng plus weapons like the infinite flamethrower, the infinte submachinegun and my favorite one which is the beam saber. Also the costumes add to the game a lot of replayability thanks to all the different shirts and outfits that Heather can wear, even though in my opinion her original outfit is the best one bc its more iconic and particular.

I loved the cult story and how it managed to deliver an interesting and particular narrative, even though it can be considered more "common" than the one in Silent Hill 2.

My favorite characters were Heather, Douglas, and Vincent. The best one is Heather, who has probably become my favorite female character, she acts like a real person during the game by showing a wide range of emotions but also by her interactions with the world around her, and I love how she has her own unique personality, i also really liked Douglas because i think hes a really intricate charachter and i love how the game makes you hate him at the start but then not only he becomes a very important part in the plot, but he also becomes an important person to Heather, then theres Vincent which I really liked because of its contrast with claudia about their beliefs and their different view on the same religion.

The themes of the game are very delicate but at the same time very important to talk about, like unwanted pregnancy, abortion, and womanhood in general. I would love to talk more precisely about each one of them, but I think that since they are a big part of the game, I would end up spoiling something.

I can say that Silent Hill 3 is, at least in my opinion, the peak of horror gaming, and even if I don't play a lot of horror games myself, I don't think that there will ever be a game that surpasses the feeling of anxiety, terror, and also sadness that Silent Hill 3 gave me. This game is a must-play for everyone, even for the people who, like me, aren't really big fans of the horror genre.


PS:
Even though the review is finished, I wanted to share 2 of my favorite quotes from the game:
"Is every person here a mental case?"
"Monsters? They looked like monsters to you?"

Call of Juarez: Gunslinger was a surprisingly good game that put the series back on track after the disaster that was Call of Juarez: The Cartel. But did it truly redeem the franchise?

I loved the style of the game; it had a lot of personality. The cel-shaded graphics and comic book-inspired visuals gave it a unique look that set it apart from its predecessors. The narrative structure, with the protagonist Silas Greaves recounting his exploits, added a layer of charm and unpredictability as his stories often changed mid-mission, altering the gameplay dynamically.
The story was pretty good, with a blend of fact and fiction that kept things interesting. Silas's journey through the Wild West, interacting with legendary figures like Jesse James and Billy the Kid, was entertaining.
The gameplay itself was arcadey and fun, focusing on fast-paced gunfights and satisfying combos that rewarded precision and style. The skill trees allowed for some customization, letting you tailor the gunslinging to your liking.

Gunslinger was a game that definitely delivered, standing on par with Bound in Blood as the best in the series. It was a return to form, recapturing the essence of what made the series enjoyable in the first place.

Despite its success, Gunslinger was the last Call of Juarez game. The license is no more, and you can't buy this game anymore. The franchise seems to have been consigned to history, and it's a damn shame. Call of Juarez had so much potential, and it's disheartening to think it will remain dormant forever.

We have now come to the third and final game in the DKC trilogy and funnily enough, this was the first of the three I ever played. I remember feeling ecstatic when I found this at my local flea market randomly for $10 I think. I'd just gotten into collecting retro Nintendo games and a title like this was perfect for my collection I thought. I played this and enjoyed it back then, but seeing as it was my first SNES DKC game, I didn't know how it compared to the other two. Well after beating those two, I realized how much weaker this game is in comparison. After replaying all three games back-to-back, yeah this still holds true today.

Let's (again) start with the gameplay changes. K Rool has once again kidnapped Donkey Kong. Not only that, he kidnapped Diddy Kong this time around! So it's up to Dixie to team up with her baby cousin, Kiddy Kong, to save them both. The first thing you'll notice is the fact I said baby. Yes, you play as Dixie and a literal baby this time around. Yes, he is lame conceptually. But I also think he's kinda lame gameplay-wise too. Dixie plays the same as she did in 2, however Kiddy is basically like Donkey Kong from DKC1. He's heavy and can bounce on enemies Dixie normally couldn't. Not only that, he has the ability to bounce on water if you time it right..and also the ability to destroy weakened floor with a team up. Both of these new mechanics are barely used in the game, so it's easy to forget about them. Otherwise, he's just Donkey again only less cool which is disappointing considering I preferred the two lighter weight characters from 2. The team up is also not as responsive in this game for some reason? You can do it anytime you want in 2 but here, sometimes it won't work, and you have to move a bit for it to go. Idk if it's because Kiddy is big character or what, but it can be slightly annoying. Not the worst thing in the world but just annoying since this wasn't an issue in 2. Other than all that, the gameplay is the exact same as the first two, which means it's still a fun time for the most part.

The actual levels I find to be a big downgrade from 2 and even a bit of a downgrade from 1. The level settings in 1 weren't amazing but they were interesting enough. The ones in 2 were amazing and were full of a variety of settings I really enjoyed. 3 I just find super boring when it comes to it's level themes. It has forest levels, factory levels, snow levels, levels that are supposed to be Canada?, sawmill levels (okay those aren't terrible), lakeside levels, cave levels etc. Besides the sawmill levels, which are kinda neat, I find the level settings in this game to be uninspired and boring compared to the first two games. I also think because of this, this game visually looks worse than 2. Due to its environments, 2 could be really vibrant and eye-catching. 3 does not have a pleasing color pallet to me and I generally think it looks ugly a lot of the time because of that. The levels themselves are mostly standard fare I'd say. Some of the gimmicks near the end, and yeah this game loves its gimmick levels, can be really annoying tho. Infamous ones like Lightning Look-Out and Poisonous Pond are annoying yeah. There are also some other annoying ones like Koindozer Klamber and Rocket Rush that I don't hear talked about as much and they were even more annoying than the two I mentioned prior. Still, these levels are all in the endgame. Otherwise, most of the game's levels are pretty alright.

The collectables in this game are pretty similar to 2's. Bonus games back again, and this time there's a new one where you must collect 15 green bananas that dissapear after 2 seconds. This is a fine addition to the minigame lineup, tho I must say some of these were super annoying. I don't remember having many issues with the ones in 2, but here they can be brutal. This game changed it so every level (besides the Lost World) has exactly two bonuses and honestly I like that change. Once you've gotten two in a level, you know you don't have to look for more. Again, besides the Lost World which throws in a couple levels that have 3 bonuses. The DK coin was also changed. Instead of just being in a level randomly, and collecting it just like that, you must defeat an enemy called Koin. He uses the coin as a shield and you must ricochet a metal barrel off a wall or whatever to hit him as he always faces whatever direction you're in. I honestly liked this change as well since they kinda turned the DK coin into a little puzzle where you must figure out how to kill this enemy and it's pretty cool.

The animal buddies are again back. They got rid of Rambi, which is weird since he's in the first two games and is a staple buddy after this. Enguarde is still here though, and so is my boy Squitter. They got rid of Rattly but kept the several Squawks. Besides all these returning ones, there are also two new ones. Parry the Parallel Bird floats above you and can collect items in the air. If they get hit, they die but if you bring them to their animal buddy sign, you'll usually get something nice from it. The other new animal buddy is Ellie the Elephant. She gets used a ton in this game and has several different abilities. She can suck up water and shoot it out of her trunk. She can suck barrels from far away. She's afraid of mice and that mechanic gets used a couple of times. She's not bad honestly but she's also not one of my favorites.

I didn't really mention the overworld in my review for 2, because it was similar to 1's, however I must commend this game for switching things up and improving the overworld this time around. You can actually move around the world of DKC3, which makes it feel more alive. You use a variety of vehicles from Funky and you get more as you progress. Throughout the world, you can also find secret caves which house Banana Birds. You must do a Simon Says type game to get them, but these birds are used to get 103% and the true ending. While I personally don't care about the birds themselves, having secrets to find in the overworld was a nice addition. Besides this, you also have these bear characters you can interact with. One bear gives you a couple items in exchange for bear coins (this game's new Kremkoin) that you can then give to other bears in exchange for some banana birds. Other bears require you to do certain tasks in levels or the overworld to unlock banana birds as well. These are fine imo, but they're less fun than just exploring the overworld and finding the caves. Plus the bears designs I don't really care for, they never felt like "Donkey Kong" to me idk.

The bosses this time around, while better than 1's, aren't as good as 2's. For some reason, they made like every boss in this game uncanny and creepy and I don't dig their designs as much as 2's bosses. Besides that, I felt like they were simpler compared to 2's. With the exception of Barbos which I ended up kinda liking, the others I wasn't much of a fan. That includes the K Rool fight too. This is my least favorite version of his fight. I don't really dig how you fight him (I think it's less fun than the cannonballs in 2) and I don't really like the whole Frankenstein thing they went for. Kaptain K Rool was just way cooler.

I may have complained throughout this review, however nothing compares to the OST. This is a massive step-down from the 2nd game and a big downgrade from the 1st game as well. I did like Water World, that song stood out from the rest and proves that the water themes in these games are always the best, however the rest of the OST was incredibly forgettable. Compare the beginning level theme from 2 and then 3. It's night and day. Only reason I'm bringing this up is because this series is known for its amazing soundtracks. I know David Wise didn't work on this game and it definitely shows.

While I was definitely really negative throughout this review, I don't think this game is bad. It has the same old gameplay everyone loves, and even does some things right like the overworld and the collectable changes. However, with the OST being a massive downgrade from the first two games, and the levels themselves being worse overall, I can confidently put this at the bottom of my SNES DKC ranking. I'd never play this over the first two games but I've definitely played worst platformers before lol.

And with that, the DKC trilogy is done. I'm gonna take a break with Kirby as well, as I've been burnt out on platformers a bit. I actually do plan on starting a Zelda marathon next (I might alternate the Kirby marathon with this as well eventually) with some buddies of mine joining me too so stay tuned for a Zelda 1 review in the near future!

I think the relatively small Arkham Asylum location lent itself better to a more concise Die Hard-inspired narrative, but this story isn't Die Hard anymore, it's finally, truly, BATMAN now! The story and setting are fantastic, and the villain lineup in this game is impeccable, offering so many fun surprises and cameos that my fanboy heart nearly exploded! Catwoman is especially a wonderful addition, if a bit underused for the most part.

I have to say though, the Completionist work might be too damn much in this one. We need to get The Riddler on his meds again.

A 3D platformer without a jump button is a really neat idea in concept… luckily in practice it was also very engaging! You drive around as the titular Yellow Taxi launching yourself off ramps and cliffs to collect as many green gears as you can to keep unlocking new stages. It definitely has the collectathon feel, each stage is full of the important progression collectables as well as some optional or less important ones so it always feels like you are making progress (though sometimes it can be a bit obtuse). There are even levels that add in a Crazy Taxi like mechanic where you are on the clock and need to drive people around to raise the time you have in the stage, all while finding the collectibles. Sometimes the game is a bit too lofty in its ideas and the controls/camera can’t hold up but all in all it’s a really solid unique game in the genre.

Sony really are a bunch of nimrods for sending a DMCA to the dev right at the time of its original release. But alas you can't kill the dream and glad under some new tongue and cheek rebranding, Nightmare Kart is here and its a blast with more to its surface then I was anticipating for a game that initially was a April Fools joke. While not as clean and smooth as the kart racers its trying to emulate from the peak hay day of racers in this style from the 5th generation. Seeing one of my favourite games reimagined under this context is equal parts hilarious and surprisingly impressive at many points. The astral clocktower track was probably my favourite. Also a operating table as a kart use lol.

I know I'm still in the middle of another marathon (Kirby) but I've decided to also go through every Zelda game I own and can emulate because I've been in a big Zelda mood lately. Not only that, some other Backloggd members have also decided to join this marathon as well. Namely QuentTheSlayer, Ptcremisi,Steinco,Phantasm and a couple others. The four I mentioned plan on playing pretty much every game like I am, while the others plan on picking and choosing games they want to play. Either way, be sure to check out their accounts because they plan on putting out reviews for all the games too!

Anyways, The Legend of Zelda. I first played this game years ago on my brother's 3DS XL. He randomly bought this off the eShop and when he wasn't using his 3DS, I decided to actually try the first Zelda game out. I don't think I got far, and I didn't love it but it was neat finally trying this game out. Fast forward to 2020, I was trying to beat some games I started but never finished. Since I still had NSO, and I knew this game was on it, I decided to finally beat it once and for all. I did, and yeah I didn't like it all too much. I think I had to use save states, and definitely had to use a guide for most of it and that hampered my experience a lot. Coming back to it today tho, I say I still don't really like it all too much but it has its merits.

I guess I'll first go into the story of this game. Most future Zelda games also go by this same story structure as well, so get used to what I'm about to say. You play as Link, a young boy from the kingdom of Hyrule. You must rescue the princess of Hyrule, Zelda, from the big bad of this series, Ganon. You must collect the pieces of Triforce, which are used to stop Ganon, and they are split into 8 shards and are all found at the end of dungeons. The three pieces are the Triforce of Courage, Wisdom and Power. The specific pieces don't really come into play until later games, because that's if. That's the entire story of the first Zelda game. It's incredibly simple but it works, and these story details are the backbone of the entire Zelda series.

When you first start the actual game, the first thing you see on the first screen you're on, is an empty cave. You meet an old man, and he utters the now famous dialogue "It's dangerous to go alone, take this!". He hands you a sword and with that, you're free to explore the world of Hyrule. Exploring Hyrule can be pretty fun and frustrating on your first playthrough. On one hand, you'll be exploring everywhere trying to find each dungeon and trying to find any secrets you can. That can be very fun for people that just love to explore with almost zero direction, this is a game from 1986 so the best direction you'd get back then were vague hints or using an issue of Nintendo Power for help. This is 2024 tho, and you've been able to just look up a guide online for a while now, so that's what most players will do. And honestly, that's what I did and it's the best way to get through the overworld portions at least. See, this game's overworld relies on you finding random secrets you would only find by randomly guessing their locations or by using a guide. This game loves random bombable walls or random bushes you can burn, and while this only affects actually dungeons near the end, this is used for required items and also several rupee locations (that you WILL need) and so I think this is an unfun part of the overworld. If there was any indication the walls or bushes had secrets, it would be fine, but there isn't unless you find some very vague dialogue in game. That, plus just bombing a wall or burning a bush isn't really puzzle-like, which I would prefer in my Zelda overworlds. This is something future Zelda games improved on, but here, you might as well just use a guide to get most of the overworld stuff done first and then move onto the dungeons (that's what I did). I can see why some other people might find it more fun to constantly replay this game and actually memorize all the secrets, however I just don't think that's good game design and so I decided to do the whole overworld with a guide.

The dungeons themselves, while not great, are definitely the best part of this game. They are way less cryptic than the overworld, and thus are more fun. They can get pretty brutal near the end of the game, and also more confusing (they start to rely on bombable walls too) so I had to use a guide for the last couple as well. But in general, despite the simplicity, the dungeons are pretty fun. The bosses at the end of each dungeon are pretty easy but with this type of game, I'm fine with that since the bulk of the game is exploration. Something I didn't like, and I'm mentioning it here because it happens mostly in dungeons, is the fact you start with 3 health when you die. No matter how many heart containers you have, you'll always just start the game with 3 health and it's my biggest issue in the game because it's tedious having to get more health to have a fighting chance (since it's so easy to get hit in this game). Luckily, there are a couple fairy fountains that restore your health fully throughout the world, and there are caves that give you potions (believe me you will need these) so they make that whole health system a bit more tolerable. Going back to "since it's so easy to get hit in this game" whenever you get hid, there enemy pushes you back a bunch and because the invincibility frames are relatively short, it's not hard to get comboed by enemies and die. Now this didn't happen too much in my playthrough, but it can still be annoying. Outside of getting hit tho, Link plays well otherwise.

Inside the dungeons, and also outside in caves, you can collect different items that aid you in your adventure. You have some iconic items like the boomerang, bombs, a bow and arrows and ofc the iconic Rupees. You also have heart containers in this game, that you will want to find in all the caves and after each dungeon boss. There aren't heart pieces in this game, only containers, so each of them is super valuable. I won't get into all the main dungeon items, just know they're all pretty solid, but I will get into the clock. Sometimes when you kill an enemy, it drops a clock. When you pick up the clock, it stops every enemy in place if they're on the same screen you collected it on. This can be SO helpful in later encounters if you somehow are able to get one, it's very random tho so you better hope you get lucky. I also will say, one time during my playthrough, I killed three of these boomerang enemies and got three fairies at once from them. Idk how lucky that is but it seemed pretty insane.

The music in this game is simply iconic. The Title Theme(yes I shared the Famicom version, it's the best version) is probably my favorite song in the game and is the main theme of the entire franchise which makes sense since it's amazing. The overworld also uses a version of these theme and it's also very good. Picking up items and finding secrets also play jingles and they've been in pretty much every Zelda game since this one as well. If this game does anything super well, it's the sound design. There's a reason so much of it was reused for future titles lol.

While I don't care for the first Legend of Zelda all too much, due to the exploration secrets not being great and the 3 heart after death thing, I can't deny it's an iconic game and was very important in the grand scheme of things for the Zelda series. I don't love playing it, but I can certainly appreciate it for what it is.

Now that Zelda 1 is done, Zelda 2 is next. I actually have never played that one, and I haven't heard great things, so I'm worried I won't like it much but I guess we'll see. Look forward to that next.

Also, when I get to the 3D Zelda titles, I'll try to sprinkle in some smaller games in between but more importantly, I'll try to mix some Kirby games in between. Basically, I'll be doing a mix of Kirby and Zelda eventually. Just letting you know now since you'll eventually notice, I'm sure.