SNESmapper
BACKER
Turn-based grid strategy game with weapons making use of the Mario characters and universe mixed with Rabbids. That crazy mashup works surprisingly well with variety in gameplay depending on the characters you have in your party, weapons equipped and even tactical approach based on existing terrain.
The in-between exploration and puzzle segments in the game can be tiring and have average design but the battle segments and boss battles themselves are for the most part very good and enjoyable.
The in-between exploration and puzzle segments in the game can be tiring and have average design but the battle segments and boss battles themselves are for the most part very good and enjoyable.
2019
Perhaps my most played Kirby game of all time, this game is basically a coop boss rush of sorts that teams up to four Kirby players with different abilities to take on said bosses. You can level up the different classes of Kirby characters and get different weapons and suit upgrades that will help you with harder boss battles.
This is a free to play game that deals with this mechanic fairly well in the sense that you can get a decent amount of playtime before really having to consider start paying. Paying will allow you to have more apples which you can then use to faster upgrade your weapons and items saving you time. Since I was having a ton of fun with the game I decided to pay the highest tier to get all the apples and don't really regret it considering I put over 30 hours of gameplay time so it was well worth it.
This is a free to play game that deals with this mechanic fairly well in the sense that you can get a decent amount of playtime before really having to consider start paying. Paying will allow you to have more apples which you can then use to faster upgrade your weapons and items saving you time. Since I was having a ton of fun with the game I decided to pay the highest tier to get all the apples and don't really regret it considering I put over 30 hours of gameplay time so it was well worth it.
As the title of the game implies, this is truly the ultimate celebration of the Smash series featuring all the characters, stages, and details that have been part of these games for decades.
Gameplay is very solid and combined with tons of modes, collectibles, fluid graphics, and an excellent soundtrack, make up for the greatest Nintendo fan service game out there.
Gameplay is very solid and combined with tons of modes, collectibles, fluid graphics, and an excellent soundtrack, make up for the greatest Nintendo fan service game out there.
2017
This is not a standout Kirby game but it does offer an interesting selection of mini-games related to battle royale activities done in an arena as a competition.
The game can get frustrating in the later chapters as well as repetitive but this is not a huge issue considering the relatively short length of the game.
The game can get frustrating in the later chapters as well as repetitive but this is not a huge issue considering the relatively short length of the game.
1997
A late SNES release that often gets overlooked with somewhat good reasons. The graphics and art direction are great, providing an artsy feel to the game. The platforming and level design are average and nothing special.
1994
While it's true that this game has not aged well, this was a fun racing game that stood out when it originally came out in the mid 90s. The number of cars is limited and so are the number of tracks but both manage to showcase that typical Nintendo charm in terms of easter eggs (Arwings flying on the background, Mario posters in some circuits, etc) and personality with cars having "life" with eyes and reacting to how you drive them.
Controls are a bit on the tricky side and require heavy usage of trigger buttons to help steer the vehicle. Depending on the car you select, the physics and attributes are vastly different which makes up for good variety and replay value.
Unfortunately, performance is not great with low frame rates courtesy of the FX chip graphics. Overall, this is a fun racing game with personality and a rare off-shoot from Nintendo that I hope gets revisisted at some point.
Controls are a bit on the tricky side and require heavy usage of trigger buttons to help steer the vehicle. Depending on the car you select, the physics and attributes are vastly different which makes up for good variety and replay value.
Unfortunately, performance is not great with low frame rates courtesy of the FX chip graphics. Overall, this is a fun racing game with personality and a rare off-shoot from Nintendo that I hope gets revisisted at some point.
2015
An interesting take on non-linear storytelling featuring crime solving through watching old recordings.
2019
Fun, clever indie game with simple yet good puzzles. What takes the cake is the quirky goose protagonist and its mission to terrorize people around town. Very good graphics and art direction with colorful environments. Gameplay is very simple to learn in terms of controlling the goose, yet the puzzles and ways to advance levels are clever and fun to explore.
2019
One of my favorite RPGs of 2019 and yet another great game by Obsidian.
Interesting characters and planets to visit combined with good dialogue options, voice acting, decent gunplay, and surprising story twists and turns that are all wrapped in a fairly concise and short package (can be completed in less than 20 or even 15 hours).
A must-play for western RPG fans.
Interesting characters and planets to visit combined with good dialogue options, voice acting, decent gunplay, and surprising story twists and turns that are all wrapped in a fairly concise and short package (can be completed in less than 20 or even 15 hours).
A must-play for western RPG fans.
Admitely, I'm not the biggest enthuasiast regarding the Virtua Fighter series but decided to give this a go since I enjoy trying fighting games of different franchises and fighting gameplay styles. Even though the game is solid, the characters and gameplay did not do a whole lot for me in terms of first impressions.
2018
Not the best light gun shooter out there. Avoiding enemy fire is impossible and enemies tend to take a lot of damage before they are down. Not the best use of the Halo license. For what it's worth, the arcade cabinet is really cool.
2016
An interesting story and narrative-driven game starring a young group of friends visiting an island. The story turns to a surprisingly dark theme and is what provides the game with tense moments. Played on Game Pass.
2017
Played this through Game Pass. It plays more as a storybook with interactive elements that visually unfold the story of a man.
Art direction is great with appropriate color palettes and environments. Puzzles are on the basic side. The game is very short but enjoyable. Bonus points: there aren't many games with old protagonists/characters so I thought that was cool.
Art direction is great with appropriate color palettes and environments. Puzzles are on the basic side. The game is very short but enjoyable. Bonus points: there aren't many games with old protagonists/characters so I thought that was cool.
2018
A very good remake of a Gamecube launch day classic with some quality of life improvements. Controls can be tedious at times but the game overall offers a different Nintendo experience with ghost hunting featuring Mario universe-themed characters.
Puzzles and overall gameplay/combat are on the simpler side of things but 'advanced' enough when compared to other Mario games.
Puzzles and overall gameplay/combat are on the simpler side of things but 'advanced' enough when compared to other Mario games.
2019
This is a challenging Metroidvania incorporating Souls-like elements both in gameplay (learning boss patterns, attack timing) and story development (abstract themes, worlds, and characters). There are Spanish culture and Christianism influences in the game.
The game is on the harder side but with enough patience, it can be conquered. There is a decent amount of backtracking especially if you are trying to get all the collectibles and quest items that reward the player with more skills.
Graphics are great for being an indie game, offering variety in terms of environments, backgrounds and even enemies and NPCs. Really enjoyed the theme of the game and the character/boss design, as well as the limited voice acting which was very well done and added a shroud of mystery to the characters.
The game is on the harder side but with enough patience, it can be conquered. There is a decent amount of backtracking especially if you are trying to get all the collectibles and quest items that reward the player with more skills.
Graphics are great for being an indie game, offering variety in terms of environments, backgrounds and even enemies and NPCs. Really enjoyed the theme of the game and the character/boss design, as well as the limited voice acting which was very well done and added a shroud of mystery to the characters.