Considered a timeless classic for a reason. Future SMB games fine-tuned what was on display here, but there's no denying that SMB1 is iconic & laid the groundwork for a true masterclass series of platformers.

The controls feel great, the music gets in your head, the different playable characters create nice variety if that's what you're looking for ---- for a Mario game that originally wasn't even a Mario game, it still hits all the right notes & remains a Nintendo classic.

The game that literally got me into video games. SMB3 is nostalgia incarnate for me, but even with nostalgia aside, it still holds up awesomely today. Levels are short & to-the-point, chiptunes are rockin' the whole way through & it took the run-'n-jump gameplay of SMB1 & fine-tuned it in a way that elevated the formula from great to excellent.

For the longest time, I used to think SMB3 was my favorite 2D Mario. But after lots of back-and-forth, I gotta give the edge to this one. I love them both dearly, but SMW just controls like a dream, has great level design, oozes with charm & has a thriving modding community that keeps breathing amazing new life into this classic even to this day. A must-play for any fan of Mario, platformers or just games in general.

This game never stops being just dang fun to play. Running, jumping, hovering, eating, throwing ---- it all clicks so well & makes for a good time. I love that it's a game that doesn't pull punches either. It may look like a cutesy, friendly game, but even just getting through some of the levels, let alone 100%-ing them with any degree of finesse, can be quite the tricky but satisfying endeavor.

I've yet to try D&D. I hadn't played any other Baldur's Gate. But I loved BG3. The story, the combat, the narrative, the voiceacting, the world ---- I consider it a small miracle that a game with this much quality stuff in it didn't just buckle under all the pressure of what it was trying to be. The fact that a title can be this huge while delivering the awesome experience it does deserves to be celebrated. Hats off to Larian Studios for this one.

From the outside looking in, it looks like just a meme game. And in a way, it is. But it's a quality meme game. It understands its source material, works with it, but doesn't coast on that alone. It also brings some decent platforming & 2D action to the mix. Come for the jokes & references, stay for the solid gameplay.

Played this one co-op with my wife & we had a good time. It's definitely going for more of a puzzle platformer approach, and as such, jump angles & such take a lot of getting used to. Many times where I wasn't sure if a jump was or wasn't doable. Nevertheless, still a solid entry in a lineup of games taking inspiration from the OG Donkey Kong arcade smash hit.

Try as I may, I just can't get 2D Sonic games to click with me. The opening zone was... fine? But then I got to the first boss, which takes an obscenely long time, could barely tell what was happening due to poorly telegraphed attacks... and that was that. I gave it maybe 45 minutes before starting to play Sonic Colors instead.

It was one of my favorite 3D Sonics when I was a kid, and after recently replaying it, I can say it still holds up well today. I love that it doesn't take itself too seriously, has cheesy cutscenes & solid gameplay all-around. Some of the slower bits in the 2D sections were a little jarring & there's some jank here & there, but I still have a soft spot for this game for sure.

Still remains my favorite game of all time. I love how delightfully different it is. For a Mario game, it takes a unique approach to nearly everything. The satisfying combat, the creepy atmosphere ---- Nintendo just hasn't done something like this since & there's something about it that will forever resonate with me.

Dark Moon was unfortunately a step back from what I loved about LM1. Significantly less creepy & a lot more cumbersome to navigate. And by that I mean, the mission structure brings the exploration to a screeching halt more than I'd like. It's still got its strong points like great tunes & oodles of charm & personality, but it's still probably the weakest LM game in the series. Perhaps LM2 HD coming out in Summer 2024 will help change my mind on this one.

Next Level Games got the LM series back on track with this one. We're back to having just one big building to explore, missions are out & all the appealing charm of LM2 returns. It doesn't capture the atmosphere of the original, but I don't think it was trying to. For what it is, it's a huge improvement over Dark Moon & is definitely worth your time.

Glad I finally sat down & gave this game a fair shake. Feels like the PlayStation version of Super Mario 3D World. Gameplay is solid, control is tight, visuals are appealing, music levels were a nice touch ---- Sackboy: A Big Adventure is a good time through & through. Collected what I'd guess was about 85% of the main Orb collectibles, and overall, had fun doing so.

The Pajama Sam games are big on imagination, and this one's no slouch in that regard. A whimsical factory high in the clouds that controls the weather? What a cool idea. Not every puzzle hits the mark, but most do & it's another solid entry in Humongous Entertainment's repertoire.