Good game with a great story but definitely not a game without its flaws. I enjoyed the soundtrack and exploring Lospass Island, but I did not get that DS feeling when I had to constantly go back and forth across the island to do fetch quests. Pretty sure the joke Suda wanted to tell is since video games are considered to be just time wasters, the game decides to literally waste your time by doing the former and with having to do like 30 basic math problems at the end. As annoying as some of the gameplay can be, I still had a good time with the game but think it would have benefited from having more of a visual novel style like The Silver Case did.

This is probably the game in the series I've put the most hours into. I put 150+ hours on the 3ds and around 100 hours on Ps4 and Xbox combined. On 3ds, I grinded both Sora & Riku to level 99 just for the hell of it when I first beat this game.

Compared to Birth by Sleep, this game is not perfect, but an improvement in most aspects. The worlds do look a bit better compared to it and it has my favorite world in the entire series, Symphony of Sorcery. It's a beautiful world and the music choices for it also elevate its enjoyment to me. The combat is more fun in this game too. Flowmotion is an absolute blast to use and the different minigames you can use against enemies are a cool way of using the stylus but also was able to carried over in the console versions without it being clunky. While it is somewhat better balanced than Birth by Sleep, its still pretty broken since Balloon exists and you can endlessly spam flowmotion. Despite this, if you want to be able to beat Julius or some of the harder story bosses without cheese, it is still entirely doable compared to Mysterious Figure who is far more difficult without cheese.

The story in this game is where it jumps the shark for the series' whole story. The time travel aspect is a cool way to bring back past villains, but its where it starts to make things confusing for people who would be interested in the series.

Another huge aspect of the game I really enjoyed were the dream eaters. Unlocking everything on a spirit board was kind of annoying but overall a minor complaint since your dream eaters are useful companions and petting and playing with your dream eaters is also super fun too. Flick Rush is a solid minigame too that I found to be pretty enjoyable. Naming dream eaters was another aspect that is simple but goes a long way in customizing them. Speaking of that, I named my Tyranto Rex on my Xbox playthrough Sexy Rexy. Out of my entire time of playing through Dream Drop Distance, he was the only one I was sadly not able to save because he died just moments before I got the last achievement on there. Can we get an F in the comments for Sexy Rexy?

Out of all the handheld Kingdom Hearts games, I'd say that this one is my favorite despite its flaws. It's no console Kingdom Hearts but it's a step-up from Birth by Sleep.

I have very mixed feelings about this one. It is definitely one of my least favorites in the series for a variety of reasons I will go into, but there is still some fun to be had playing as each character and going through their stories. The Wayfinder trio all have different playstyles that focus on different aspects of the game's combat that make them unique from one another which is something I can appreciate. Xehanort is also a good villain and the game does a really good job at making you hate him for everything he does over the course of the game. I'd also like to add that Lenard Nimoy's voice-acting skills really bring Xehanort to life. They couldn't have picked a better person for the role. I also enjoyed playing the command board, it may be dollar store Mario Party without the minigames but it is still pretty fun to play.

Onto what I don't like about the game. The story for the game isn't the worst it could be but isn't quite as well-written as the other KH games were before it. The world choices themselves aren't bad, but the worlds in this game are pretty bland compared to KH1 and even KH2 standards. The Disney Town minigames are either tolerable or just downright boring. Ice Cream Beat is the only good one, but even that one can suck if your tv has input lag (which happened with me on the Ps3 version). The super bosses are the worst in this game too and the fact you will more than likely need to spam broken commands to beat them (looking at you Thunder Surge) just points out how badly designed the bosses themselves were and even the game's combat as a whole. It also is by far the longest game in the series 100% and get the platinum trophy for but that's just if you're a trophy hunter like me or a completionist.

That being said, it may be one of my least favorite games in the series and I have a lot of criticisms of the game and some bad memories with the super bosses, but it doesn't mean I completely hate the game. I still had fun going through each character's story and playing the command board, but it is a game that could have definitely been better.

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.

The wait for the DLC was a bit too long, but it was a wait that was well worth it. It definitely could have used a couple of extra bosses, but given how long and difficult it is for them to add the quality of animation this game has, it can be excused. Speaking of the animation, there is definitely a noticeable improvement with it compared to the base game which already had impressive animation. The DLC also adds a new playable character, three new weapons, a gauntlet of mini-bosses which are pretty fun, and a Game Djimmi easter egg that makes the game a little bit more accessible to players who may not be as experienced. Ms. Chalice's dodge and special moves are extremely useful and make her quite a broken character once you get used to using her. One of the new weapons, Crack Shoot, is also pretty busted and will be a very useful tool in beating the new bosses, all of which are roughly around the same difficulty if not a little harder than the ones in the base game. The final boss is probably the hardest boss in the game but is a very satisfying conclusion to both the DLC and just to the game as a whole. The price for the DLC is also shockingly cheap, almost to the point of highway robbery. In conclusion, it is both a great DLC and finale to a masterpiece that is very much worth your time and money.

An all-around fantastic compilation consisting of all of Mario's NES outings that still hold up pretty well to this day.

Mario 1 - Not much different from the NES classic except for the new 16-bit coat of paint it has. Still every bit as good as the original but I really don't like the new visuals. Playing Mario 1 in any way that isn't the 8-bit original just feels wrong. It retains the same jank the original has which can get annoying at times.

Lost Levels: It definitely adds a bit more of a challenge compared to the original Mario Bros and a few extra clever puzzles that stood out to me. Specifically the one with the spinning fire right before the final boss. At first, I was annoyed by it but when it finally clicked, I can't help but think it was a really clever trick. Overall, I'd say it is a good sequel to the original.

Mario 2/Doki Doki Panic: Having 4 different playable characters that each have a unique ability was a cool thing that I wish more Mario games would have. I thought the way the levels were designed was a breath of fresh air that was much needed. Compared to the other games in the collection where you basically are just running from the start of the level to the end, there are times when you will have to find keys and backtrack a little to beat the level. Wart was also a cool villain who I wish could return at some point much like Boom Boom and the Koopalings did.

Mario 3: Part of me is biased because I grew up playing this but for me, it's the pinnacle of 2D platformers. Each world has a different aesthetic and the plethora of new power-ups are interesting and have their uses. The Koopalings and Boom-Boom are fun bosses to fight and I like that the final battle with Bowser changes things up compared to the other bosses and the previous times you have fought him. One thing flaw I can point out is that I think this game is a bit too easy in comparison to some of the other games, especially Mario 1.

If you have a SNES, an emulator, or Nintendo Switch Online then definitely play this compilation. You won't regret it.

This game impressed me so much that it got me to start writing reviews for the games I've played and enjoyed, so I decided to look for and find the review I made for this game in high school which was my first ever game review. I refined it a little bit as I typed this up, but it is mostly the same as what I wrote back when I made it.

Back in Fall 2012, Square Enix announced Dragon Quest VII for the Nintendo 3ds. As someone who has wanted to play the series, I was hoping and waiting for this game to get released outside of Japan. I could have just undusted my old Ps1 and got a copy of the game on that, but I was more interested in playing this remake because of its beautiful 3d graphics. Then in November 2015, Dragon Quest VII and VIII were announced to be localized in 2016 and I was ecstatic when I heard this news while watching the Nintendo Direct they were announced in. When the game came out, I picked up a copy of the game at Walmart and began my playthrough of this masterpiece.

One of the pros that stuck out to me was that the places you visit in the game all have a distinct, different feeling that almost feels like you're playing a different game and makes it feel like a real adventure. This sense of immersion made me enjoy the game more than I thought I would and kept me coming back.

The soundtrack is also pretty good. There may not be a ton of songs and you'll probably hear some quite a bit but they are catchy and fit well in the game.

The gameplay can actually get pretty deep. Like other turn-based RPGs, you have the options to attack, defend, use abilities or magic, or flee from a battle. While that sounds simplistic, this game can get deep with the numerous amounts of classes you can unlock such as the fighter, sailor, wizard, dancer, and plenty more. You can even learn some monster classes like slime and healslime if you're lucky enough for them to drop. Once you level up some of the regular classes to the max, you can unlock even stronger ones like the pirate and paladin classes that take even longer to level up. They all unlock useful spells and abilities that will greatly benefit you.

One small con that sort of broke the immersion was that some of the NPC and monster models are reused quite a bit. The grinding is another one since I remember it taking up a good majority of my playthrough but that partly my fault since I leveled everything up a bit later than I should have. The last and most annoying flaw was the backtracking. There were a handful of times where I got lost and had to pull up a guide on YouTube to figure out where to go next.

It's a wonderful classic remade with beautiful 3d graphics. The three year wait it took for me to play this game was definitely worth it.

Not the biggest fan of the visuals, but overall it is a great remake. It doesn't make any major changes to the original which is something I appreciate, and most of the new additions added are ones that add to the experience. Being someone who frequently got lost in the original version quite a bit, the new map at the bottom of the screen is a lifesaver and I can very much thank the developers for its inclusion. Given that the original version was supposed to have 3d, porting it to the 3ds was a smart move as the 3d in the game is solid and Nintendo was finally able to somewhat finally add the feature that was intended to be added 17 years earlier. I still do wish they ported this game to Switch as well, not only would Nintendo have likely profited from it but this remake would also be able to be played in HD on a much bigger screen. Grezzo did a good job with this one and if you have a 3ds and missed out on the GameCube version, you're in for a short, but sweet treat.

I had a craving to replay Kirby Super Star in some capacity and choose to play this version. Even though I played Kirby Super Star Ultra first and think that version is better, this version is still fantastic and deserves the praise it gets. Spring Breeze is pretty simple and probably just a watered-down version of the original game but still a good experience. Dyna Blade is also pretty simplistic like Spring Breeze but they are not the main highlights. Pretty much everything else are though. Gourmet Race is a mode that combines platforming with a mix of racing while also requiring you to collect as much food as possible. It's definitely something that can get addicting and I do remember playing it a bunch in the remake. Meta Knight's Revenge has a cool story and that's where the platforming reaches its peak. Great Cave Offensive has a lot of really cool secrets and the exploration is great. Milky Way Wishes is also pretty good, but its highlight for me is the twist with Marx and his final boss fight which is pretty iconic in my opinion. Besides a couple of small minigames that are really fun, the last game is a boss rush called The Arena. Fighting all the bosses in one gauntlet is a decent challenge and a great mode to add. In summary, this game is a masterpiece and not only one of the best Kirby games but one of the best SNES games as well. Sakurai really needs to make more games that are not Smash.

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.

This game actually has some personal significance to me as my grandmother got this for me a long time ago at an FYE after I begged for her to buy me this back when I was obsessed with racing games. Ultimately she made the right choice as this is easily one of the best racing games on the GBA and I still have this relic to remember her by. Sentimental value aside, there are a lot of positives I can say about Konami Krazy Racers.

For starters, most if not all the characters feel unique to play as since they all have different speed and handling which gives me a lot of options to choose from judging by play style. One advantage this game has over Mario Kart is that there are a few extra characters you can unlock that not only play differently but also are pretty cool. I always used Bear Tank from that one Konami N64 fighting game since he was the fastest racer in the game. It also has a time attack mode and some really fun battle modes that I enjoyed playing against NPCs on. The soundtrack slaps as well and the main song samples Omega Rugal's theme from KoF 98 which I found to be a pretty cool discovery. However, this game isn't perfect and I will go over the main gripe I have with it as well.

The track variety is pretty bad, one thing I will give Mario Kart: Super Circuit credit for over this is that nearly each track in that game is different and unique as opposed to the three Castlevania, Ganbare Goemon, and Metal Gear tracks that all these franchises have in the game with the same background and theme to them with the only difference being the track layout. Not only is it just a lack of variety but can also lead to the game getting a little more repetitive as it feels like you're just racing on the same tracks but just harder versions of them. That being said it's still a great GBA game to get, especially if you like kart racers and want to play something other than Mario Kart.