BrightGalaxy
For an entire saga that lasted for nearly 20 years, Master Xehanort and his many incarnations were the primary antagonists of the so-called Xehanort saga which consisted of every game in the series at that time up to Kingdom Hearts 3 with the exception of Union X & chi. One year after the finale of the Xehanort saga, Square Enix announces Kingdom Hearts: Dark Road. The game where will finally get to know more about the man, the myth, the legend Xehanort himself and how he came to be a villain. It sounds great but there is one major problem........its a mobile game.
I won't lie, despite thinking Union X was just average I did get some enjoyment out of it due to its story, PVP, and pulling for all the cool medals they added. While Dark Road has a decent story like Union X, it lacks a PVP mode and just feels more boring to play in general. One good thing Square Enix did with this game after they shut Union X down was remove the gacha mechanics and allow you to buy the cards without real money. It satisfies the collector's itch and it is good for picking the cards you need without having to gamble in-game currency or real money.
The gameplay is pretty simple. You form a deck of cards that consists of three types which include power, speed, and magic. In order to attack, heal, or do really anything, you swipe your screen and try to match three cards of the same type to make your attacks or other moves slightly stronger. When you run out of cards you reload by tapping your screen as much as you can. This is pretty much all you'll be doing for the 20+ hours it takes to complete the game. There is an auto button where the game can play itself automatically. It does help in making the grind necessary to get a good deck and beat the game slightly more bearable, but ultimately I was bored for pretty much the whole experience.
It was nice to know more about Xehanort's past and get more Kingdom Hearts lore, but I wish they released this on consoles & PC. Hopefully, Kingdom Hearts Dark Road will get a Re:Dark Road or a movie like chi did in the future, but for now this is the only version we have. Xehanort deserved better than this.
I won't lie, despite thinking Union X was just average I did get some enjoyment out of it due to its story, PVP, and pulling for all the cool medals they added. While Dark Road has a decent story like Union X, it lacks a PVP mode and just feels more boring to play in general. One good thing Square Enix did with this game after they shut Union X down was remove the gacha mechanics and allow you to buy the cards without real money. It satisfies the collector's itch and it is good for picking the cards you need without having to gamble in-game currency or real money.
The gameplay is pretty simple. You form a deck of cards that consists of three types which include power, speed, and magic. In order to attack, heal, or do really anything, you swipe your screen and try to match three cards of the same type to make your attacks or other moves slightly stronger. When you run out of cards you reload by tapping your screen as much as you can. This is pretty much all you'll be doing for the 20+ hours it takes to complete the game. There is an auto button where the game can play itself automatically. It does help in making the grind necessary to get a good deck and beat the game slightly more bearable, but ultimately I was bored for pretty much the whole experience.
It was nice to know more about Xehanort's past and get more Kingdom Hearts lore, but I wish they released this on consoles & PC. Hopefully, Kingdom Hearts Dark Road will get a Re:Dark Road or a movie like chi did in the future, but for now this is the only version we have. Xehanort deserved better than this.
One Piece Pirate Warriors 3 was the first game in the Pirate Warriors series and the first Musou I played. Initially, I was somewhat excited about it as I had gotten into watching & reading the series a short while before the game was released and because it covered pretty much the whole story. A few months after it came out, I was able to purchase a copy. Even though I was somewhat hyped for the game, that wasn't enough because I would drop the game after getting to Arlong Park due to my inability to commit to finishing games and because I got bored of it rather quickly. Well, I completed the main log & the dream log and all I can say is that it is the best out of the Pirate Warriors series.
As I previously mentioned, the game covers just about everything up to Dressrosa. Unlike the first two, every location from every major arc is in this game each with slightly more detailed maps than the last entry. Since Dressrosa was incomplete at the time this game was released in Japan, Dressrosa has an original story. It's a good way of adding an original plot similar to what Pirate Warriors 2 did with its story and adding the location without having to wait for the manga & anime to finish the arc. Personally, I'd rather they go the full Pirate Warriors 2 route until the series ends, but them doing this every 3 arcs or so is serviceable.
In terms of gameplay, its just like the other games. If you've played any kind of Musou game, you know exactly what you're getting. The only differences are the new locations and characters.
The newcomers added are all welcome additions that were either NPCs in previous games such as Lucci & Moria or brand new characters like Fujitora, Sabo, and Doflamingo. They even threw in Shanks who was every bit as fun to use as I expected. From what I can tell there were no cuts from Pirate Warriors 2 so I can respect them for keeping every previous playable character in.
One Piece Pirate Warriors 3 once again improves upon the first two Pirate Warriors games making it the definitive Musou adventure for Luffy & crew. One Piece & Musou fans won't want to miss this one.
As I previously mentioned, the game covers just about everything up to Dressrosa. Unlike the first two, every location from every major arc is in this game each with slightly more detailed maps than the last entry. Since Dressrosa was incomplete at the time this game was released in Japan, Dressrosa has an original story. It's a good way of adding an original plot similar to what Pirate Warriors 2 did with its story and adding the location without having to wait for the manga & anime to finish the arc. Personally, I'd rather they go the full Pirate Warriors 2 route until the series ends, but them doing this every 3 arcs or so is serviceable.
In terms of gameplay, its just like the other games. If you've played any kind of Musou game, you know exactly what you're getting. The only differences are the new locations and characters.
The newcomers added are all welcome additions that were either NPCs in previous games such as Lucci & Moria or brand new characters like Fujitora, Sabo, and Doflamingo. They even threw in Shanks who was every bit as fun to use as I expected. From what I can tell there were no cuts from Pirate Warriors 2 so I can respect them for keeping every previous playable character in.
One Piece Pirate Warriors 3 once again improves upon the first two Pirate Warriors games making it the definitive Musou adventure for Luffy & crew. One Piece & Musou fans won't want to miss this one.
1991
Do you have Battletoads?
2015
Killing people is bad m'kay
I was at a used game shop a few years ago while looking for whatever good DS or 3ds games I could find when I came across One Piece: Gear Spirit. Ever since I started watching and reading One Piece I've been a huge fan of the series and I had prior knowledge that this was the only game where Kaku was playable, so when I saw this, I just knew I had to buy it. Overall, it was a good purchase as One Piece Gear Spirit is a surprisingly competent Smash clone.
In terms of gameplay, its pretty much identical to Smash Bros and the characters' special movesets function almost exactly as they would in Smash. There are cards that grant you a variety of different things including stat boosts and the ability to use super moves. You can customize your card deck however you want and the animations for the three supers each character can use look impressive for a DS game. Its got an arcade/story mode for each character with attention to detail to the source material in the form of event fights where you go up against a character as they did in the series (Such as Luffy vs Lucci, Zoro vs Kaku, or Ace vs Blackbeard). Each character's story is short and simple which is a good thing since you will need to clear all of them if you want every single character. The roster is also impressive. With the exception of some of the classic villains and Buggy for some odd reason, this game has pretty much every fan favorite One Piece character you could ask for including Lucci, Shanks, and Vivi to name a few. Kaku was a slightly odd, but great choice in my opinion since he was my favorite out of the CP9 gang and it's a shame he doesn't get included in more games.
Similar to DreamMix TV, this game has the same problem with the lack of variety. From what I can tell there aren't any other modes outside of the arcade/story mode and just playing the game regularly. There are also only 8 stages in the entire game which doesn't help with that. This game is definitely more fun than DreamMix TV, hence the slightly higher score but with the lack of content, players will eventually get bored of it. Outside of the impressive-looking super moves, the graphics for the most part look generic and boring in contrast to similar games like Jump Ultimate Stars & One Piece Gigant battle which have a more stylized look. The standard punches are also a bit too OP which lowers your incentive to use your special moves.
If you're a fan of One Piece, there is some enjoyment to be had from Gear Spirit as it is fun to mess around with, has a lot of cool fanservice, and a solid roster of characters to choose from. It isn't perfect but its a decent Smash clone and One Piece game.
In terms of gameplay, its pretty much identical to Smash Bros and the characters' special movesets function almost exactly as they would in Smash. There are cards that grant you a variety of different things including stat boosts and the ability to use super moves. You can customize your card deck however you want and the animations for the three supers each character can use look impressive for a DS game. Its got an arcade/story mode for each character with attention to detail to the source material in the form of event fights where you go up against a character as they did in the series (Such as Luffy vs Lucci, Zoro vs Kaku, or Ace vs Blackbeard). Each character's story is short and simple which is a good thing since you will need to clear all of them if you want every single character. The roster is also impressive. With the exception of some of the classic villains and Buggy for some odd reason, this game has pretty much every fan favorite One Piece character you could ask for including Lucci, Shanks, and Vivi to name a few. Kaku was a slightly odd, but great choice in my opinion since he was my favorite out of the CP9 gang and it's a shame he doesn't get included in more games.
Similar to DreamMix TV, this game has the same problem with the lack of variety. From what I can tell there aren't any other modes outside of the arcade/story mode and just playing the game regularly. There are also only 8 stages in the entire game which doesn't help with that. This game is definitely more fun than DreamMix TV, hence the slightly higher score but with the lack of content, players will eventually get bored of it. Outside of the impressive-looking super moves, the graphics for the most part look generic and boring in contrast to similar games like Jump Ultimate Stars & One Piece Gigant battle which have a more stylized look. The standard punches are also a bit too OP which lowers your incentive to use your special moves.
If you're a fan of One Piece, there is some enjoyment to be had from Gear Spirit as it is fun to mess around with, has a lot of cool fanservice, and a solid roster of characters to choose from. It isn't perfect but its a decent Smash clone and One Piece game.
2020
I consider myself to be an avid trophy & achievement hunter. Usually, I go through periods where I get invested in collecting platinum trophies and then eventually get burnout and want to play other things. Despite still not having a strong desire to trophy hunt again, I decided to go for my 50 platinum trophy milestone to celebrate the 10th anniversary of my PSN account. Since I did not have the patience to go for some of the platinums I still have in mind, I thought it would be smart to look up games that are quick and easy to platinum which led me to playing and platting Duck Souls+.
Despite what the name might imply, Duck Souls is pretty easy. The levels are short and the game is very generous with checkpoints included in each level. I would say that the game could use a little extra challenge, but I came for the 1-hour platinum trophy so I can't complain.
Gameplay-wise, its very similar to Super Meat Boy but with a little jank. In Super Meat Boy, you can always run and jump around the levels and it felt seamless, but with this game, you can't run and you only get a short boost. While it isn't terrible, it does feel somewhat clunky in comparison.
It may seem like I've mostly been trashing the game but I still enjoyed it and got some fun out of it. It has charm and is a surprisingly decent platformer even with its few glaring flaws. If you're looking for a quick & easy plat or 1000 gamerscore that is decent and not total shovelware then this is the game for you.
Despite what the name might imply, Duck Souls is pretty easy. The levels are short and the game is very generous with checkpoints included in each level. I would say that the game could use a little extra challenge, but I came for the 1-hour platinum trophy so I can't complain.
Gameplay-wise, its very similar to Super Meat Boy but with a little jank. In Super Meat Boy, you can always run and jump around the levels and it felt seamless, but with this game, you can't run and you only get a short boost. While it isn't terrible, it does feel somewhat clunky in comparison.
It may seem like I've mostly been trashing the game but I still enjoyed it and got some fun out of it. It has charm and is a surprisingly decent platformer even with its few glaring flaws. If you're looking for a quick & easy plat or 1000 gamerscore that is decent and not total shovelware then this is the game for you.
Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed is the sequel to an already great kart racer that is an improvement in almost every conceivable way. It takes inspiration from Mario Kart 7 and Diddy Kong Racing with the additions of planes and boats and combined with this game's high speed action manages to handle those mechanics in a way that gives them a run for their money. The game does also add some customization options for each racer's vehicle that accommodate different playstyles. The physics feels much tighter and a bit refined compared to its predecessor. You really feel the weight of your vehicle as you race with it whereas, in the first game, it felt a bit lighter most of the time until you finished your power drift. In comparison to other games in the genre, I will say that the story mode is rather lackluster. You don't get any fancy hub world to explore, but instead you pretty much just click whatever race you have enough stars to do. The last gameplay bit worth mentioning that is actually a positive is that it is much harder than its predecessor. Despite the increase in difficulty, rarely did my losses ever feel cheap and it truly tests your skill in the more advanced difficulties. Every boost, turn, and item will count if you want to win and beat some of the later levels and unlock everything in the story mode.
Now onto the other aspects this game has to offer, the roster and tracks. Losing Billy Hatcher, the ChuChus, and the Bonanza Bros were definitely a big loss but they are replaced with better options such as Vyse, Joe Musashi, and Nights & Reala. I do wish Banjo-Kazooie came back for the 360 version and that we got more DLC characters like Ristar, Kiryu, and Toejam & Earl but overall I'm satisfied with what we got even if some of the guest choices were strange like Danica Patrick and Wreck-It-Ralph. AGES was also a really cool callback to Sega's older games and the Dreamcast that I figured was worth mentioning. In terms of tracks, there is a lot more variety in this entry than in the original where you had 3 casino tracks, 3 final fortress tracks, and 3 seaside hill tracks. Every track is unique in this one and that's something I greatly appreciate.
In conclusion, it is a kart racer that not only is a worthy rival to Mario Kart & Crash Team Racing, but also an amazing game that serves as a love letter to Sega's history. I would normally recommend playing this on any version, but PC has by far the most exclusive content so if you do pick this up I'd go with that one. Either way, it is still fantastic and very much worth playing.
Now onto the other aspects this game has to offer, the roster and tracks. Losing Billy Hatcher, the ChuChus, and the Bonanza Bros were definitely a big loss but they are replaced with better options such as Vyse, Joe Musashi, and Nights & Reala. I do wish Banjo-Kazooie came back for the 360 version and that we got more DLC characters like Ristar, Kiryu, and Toejam & Earl but overall I'm satisfied with what we got even if some of the guest choices were strange like Danica Patrick and Wreck-It-Ralph. AGES was also a really cool callback to Sega's older games and the Dreamcast that I figured was worth mentioning. In terms of tracks, there is a lot more variety in this entry than in the original where you had 3 casino tracks, 3 final fortress tracks, and 3 seaside hill tracks. Every track is unique in this one and that's something I greatly appreciate.
In conclusion, it is a kart racer that not only is a worthy rival to Mario Kart & Crash Team Racing, but also an amazing game that serves as a love letter to Sega's history. I would normally recommend playing this on any version, but PC has by far the most exclusive content so if you do pick this up I'd go with that one. Either way, it is still fantastic and very much worth playing.
A fun compilation that is now easier to access thanks to NSO and the Genesis Mini. While the new 16-bit visuals aren't nearly as iconic as the 8-bit style, I really like how these games look on the Genesis. The games in this version still feel just as fun to play as their original counterparts. I didn't notice too many gameplay changes, but I noticed they were a bit easier than I remember, particularly Mega Man 1 since I remember that one being one of the harder games. Another change this compilation makes is the inclusion of save states were a great feature to have as a backup in case you lose your progress. Even though it is nice to hear the Genesis versions of each game's soundtrack, most of the songs aren't quite as good as their NES counterparts. Overall I think the NES versions are better, but the different coat of paint and QoL changes make this collection worth checking out, especially if you've beaten the originals.
This game came out at a pretty awkward time in Japan. Not too long before the release of Smash 4 this game got announced and released a little after the 3ds version first launched in Japan. Despite Smash being all the craze both on my mind and in general, I also started watching One Piece not too long ago as well so this game caught my interest. Time passes and during that time they even did a crossover promotion with Smash in the form of amiibo costumes for some of the roster, but this game's localization never came. Naturally, I was pretty disappointed even though the US never got the 2 Gigant Battle games on the DS. I did casually try this game out a couple of years ago, but I didn't extensively play or finish it until now.
Gameplay-wise, it is similar to Smash Bros and even copies its score-based and coin collection modes. However, it looks pretty much identical to the Gigant Battle games and Jump Ultimate Stars which also take a lot of influence from Smash. This time though they went with the more chibi-looking art style of the older Grand Battle games that were released on the PlayStation 2 and GameCube. Each of the characters have a different feel to them and a moveset that showcase their powers and abilities. The game also adds a sizable cast of assist characters that allows for some popular, iconic characters that didn't make the cut into the roster to have a chance to shine. Speaking of the roster, there are a handful of unique roster choices such as Shiki, Zephyr, Kin'emon & Momonosuke, Trebol, and Diamante. All of whom with Kin'emon being the exception, I am certain will never be playable characters in a One Piece game again. Some of those oddball choices like Trebol may not have been the best choices especially when fan favorites like Eneru or Lucci could have been picked instead, but I see them as something that makes the game stand out a little and worth visiting. My biggest flaws though are that the story mode gets repetitive rather quickly and I did not appreciate that there are branching pathes that require you to play through some of the chapters twice if you want to unlock everyone. Overall, the core gameplay is very fun, and the uniqueness of almost every character makes them all worth trying at least once. If you're a One Piece fan and either have a modded 3ds or Citra then I highly suggest playing this.
Gameplay-wise, it is similar to Smash Bros and even copies its score-based and coin collection modes. However, it looks pretty much identical to the Gigant Battle games and Jump Ultimate Stars which also take a lot of influence from Smash. This time though they went with the more chibi-looking art style of the older Grand Battle games that were released on the PlayStation 2 and GameCube. Each of the characters have a different feel to them and a moveset that showcase their powers and abilities. The game also adds a sizable cast of assist characters that allows for some popular, iconic characters that didn't make the cut into the roster to have a chance to shine. Speaking of the roster, there are a handful of unique roster choices such as Shiki, Zephyr, Kin'emon & Momonosuke, Trebol, and Diamante. All of whom with Kin'emon being the exception, I am certain will never be playable characters in a One Piece game again. Some of those oddball choices like Trebol may not have been the best choices especially when fan favorites like Eneru or Lucci could have been picked instead, but I see them as something that makes the game stand out a little and worth visiting. My biggest flaws though are that the story mode gets repetitive rather quickly and I did not appreciate that there are branching pathes that require you to play through some of the chapters twice if you want to unlock everyone. Overall, the core gameplay is very fun, and the uniqueness of almost every character makes them all worth trying at least once. If you're a One Piece fan and either have a modded 3ds or Citra then I highly suggest playing this.
2017
I remember this game being one of the few reasons I wanted an Xbox One back when this was announced. Nearly 10 years later, with all of the game's content finally being released I can safely say this is one of the greatest games ever made. The game's difficulty is perfect since it will require you to learn how to use the weapons and adjust to the bosses' strategies in order to win. Charge & Crack Shot are a bit overpowered but even with them the game still retains a level of challenge. The animation is extremely consistent and absolutely beautiful. It feels like you're literally playing a 1930's rubberhose cartoon. The side-scrolling stages are my least favorite part of the game, but they're still decent and give the game a little extra longevity. I don't give out perfect 10s lightly but this game absolutely deserves it. PLAY THIS GAME!
I'm not the biggest visual novel fan, but this game is really good. The beginning case is a great tutorial that does a good job of explaining how to play the game and introducing its unique cast of characters. All of the other cases have interesting stories and plenty of twists and turns that will keep you guessing on who is guilty. The highlights of the game for me were the Steel Samurai case as it was a fun, goofy case that is a contrast to the more serious ones and Edgeworth's case as it had me constantly wondering who the culprit was and how I could prove Edgeworth's innocence. Rise from the Ashes was also a solid case, but I felt like it lasted a bit too long. In conclusion, this is a fantastic first entry to the series and game in general. Definitely need to play the rest of the games in the series.
Even with Smash 4 and Ultimate being released. This game feels like the most complete Smash has ever been. With an amazing roster, decent Adventure Mode, lots of trophies to collect, and even game demos, this game has it all. The game can be somewhat slow and tripping is annoying, but for non-competitive players this is only a very minor complaint. With everything I listed above, the many fond memories I have of this Smash, and the best version of Final Destination, Super Smash Bros Brawl is an absolute must-play!
DreamMix TV World Fighters is a platform fighter that is a three-way crossover between Konami, Hudson (who ironically enough would be bought by Konami in the future), and the toy company Takara. Together they form quite possibly one of the weirdest crossovers to ever exist, but the absurdity of this crossover is one of the biggest strengths of this game. Never again will we get a game where you can use a C4 as Solid Snake to blow up Megatron, throw a crucifix at Optimus Prime as Simon Belmont, nor will you ever get another chance to play as Tyson and "Let it rip!!!" against Bomberman or TwinBee. However, when you look past this game's absurdity, you are left with an average game and a slightly below-average Smash clone.
It pretty much plays like the coin battles in Smash Bros except when your opponent loses all their coins they become small and lose their heart. To win you need to grab their heart. The gameplay mechanic that slightly differentiates it from Smash Melee is that when you lose your heart, you still have the chance to get it before your opponent does. It's an interesting mechanic that essentially allows you the possibility to revive yourself and make a comeback.
Before I go into the primary issues I have with this title, I will mention the things it does right. It has alternate costumes for some characters and the palette swaps look good. For example, they did not need to give Snake three completely different costumes, but they did what Smash didn't and I commend them for that. The music is decent too and the game even has a version of Bloody Tears that goes pretty hard. The stages look nice, but they aren't quite as interactive as the ones in Smash. The last and most obvious thing to mention is the roster, it's weird but its got some cool choices like Bomberman, Moai, and Power Pro Kun who all will likely never make the cut for a future Smash game. Besides maybe another Hudson and Takara character, I think Goemon would have been a fun addition to the roster so him not being in this game is rather disappointing.
Onto to the glaring issues. Smash and pretty much every other imitator have an arcade/classic mode and a few other ways to battle, this game might have the arcade mode but it doesn't have those extra modes to make it feel fresh and keep players coming back. The regular way to play it is the only way to play the game, which while fun can still get stale after a while. Unlike in Smash where every character has a handful of special moves, each character only has one. It may make the game it bit more simplistic, but at that cost, it sacrifices the ability for the game to make each character feel truly unique to play which once again kills the longevity of the game.
DreamMix TV World Fighters is a one-of-a-kind experience that should be played at least once, but there really isn't any reason to ever go back to it again unless you're really itching to beat the shit out of Megatron in a doll house with Master Higgins.
It pretty much plays like the coin battles in Smash Bros except when your opponent loses all their coins they become small and lose their heart. To win you need to grab their heart. The gameplay mechanic that slightly differentiates it from Smash Melee is that when you lose your heart, you still have the chance to get it before your opponent does. It's an interesting mechanic that essentially allows you the possibility to revive yourself and make a comeback.
Before I go into the primary issues I have with this title, I will mention the things it does right. It has alternate costumes for some characters and the palette swaps look good. For example, they did not need to give Snake three completely different costumes, but they did what Smash didn't and I commend them for that. The music is decent too and the game even has a version of Bloody Tears that goes pretty hard. The stages look nice, but they aren't quite as interactive as the ones in Smash. The last and most obvious thing to mention is the roster, it's weird but its got some cool choices like Bomberman, Moai, and Power Pro Kun who all will likely never make the cut for a future Smash game. Besides maybe another Hudson and Takara character, I think Goemon would have been a fun addition to the roster so him not being in this game is rather disappointing.
Onto to the glaring issues. Smash and pretty much every other imitator have an arcade/classic mode and a few other ways to battle, this game might have the arcade mode but it doesn't have those extra modes to make it feel fresh and keep players coming back. The regular way to play it is the only way to play the game, which while fun can still get stale after a while. Unlike in Smash where every character has a handful of special moves, each character only has one. It may make the game it bit more simplistic, but at that cost, it sacrifices the ability for the game to make each character feel truly unique to play which once again kills the longevity of the game.
DreamMix TV World Fighters is a one-of-a-kind experience that should be played at least once, but there really isn't any reason to ever go back to it again unless you're really itching to beat the shit out of Megatron in a doll house with Master Higgins.
2013
This game is very fun. My dad left me.
After 10 years of dormancy, Namco finally decided to give this series another chance with this collection. While it is a great way to bring Klonoa back, it isn't perfect. The collection itself is fairly barebones in terms of content and doesn't add much. Some other flaws include the grab Klonoa does with his wind ring feels a little off at times and the visuals aren't as good as they could have been, there are times when the graphics are almost mobile game tier. There are a handful of things this collection does right though, they went with Klonoa's Ps1 design for the original game, they brought back the gibberish language from the original versions, and even though the new visuals are not that great it managed to blend pretty well with some of the levels, particularly the final level of Door to Phantomile. Despite not being the greatest compilation or remaster, it does its job and is a good alternative to paying premium to get the original copies. Given the obscurity of this series and with the prices and rarity of the original versions, I would strongly suggest giving this a purchase as not only is this the cheapest way to experience these classics but also increases the chances of a third game and another compilation that gives the other entries more accessibility and a cheaper way to play them.