I'm not great at Tetris, even though I've played a solid amount of the original on an NES cart and a few hours of Tetris 99 and Puyo Puyo Tetris. This game made me genuinely zoned in to the point where I felt really compelled to get better at the mechanics of clearing lines of goddamn blocks.
The levels with lyrics (the first two and the last one especially) are by far my favorite, and honestly they make some of the other levels feel a bit empty in comparison. I love the visual variety of all the different stages and the sound design gives them each a super unique flair. My only downside to Tetris Effect is that those less interesting levels don't hit the same highs as the ones that really do, making it feel inconsistent at times. The gameplay doesn't change, obviously, but when you come off a level that engages you on an audio/visual level and hop into one that just feels a bit bland and barren, it's kinda jarring. There's also a ton of content in this game which I respect even though I've only played through the short Journey mode.
The idea of basing this around the "Tetris Effect" where people get Tetris blocks stuck in their brain even after playing is amazing, and it taps into a specific puzzle game part of my psyche to the point that I'm still experiencing that Tetris effect almost 3 days after playing it. I really only got that feeling before with Picross, and its very nice to have a puzzle game that has insane AAA production value.
How the heck are they going to move forward in the Tetris franchise after this one?
The levels with lyrics (the first two and the last one especially) are by far my favorite, and honestly they make some of the other levels feel a bit empty in comparison. I love the visual variety of all the different stages and the sound design gives them each a super unique flair. My only downside to Tetris Effect is that those less interesting levels don't hit the same highs as the ones that really do, making it feel inconsistent at times. The gameplay doesn't change, obviously, but when you come off a level that engages you on an audio/visual level and hop into one that just feels a bit bland and barren, it's kinda jarring. There's also a ton of content in this game which I respect even though I've only played through the short Journey mode.
The idea of basing this around the "Tetris Effect" where people get Tetris blocks stuck in their brain even after playing is amazing, and it taps into a specific puzzle game part of my psyche to the point that I'm still experiencing that Tetris effect almost 3 days after playing it. I really only got that feeling before with Picross, and its very nice to have a puzzle game that has insane AAA production value.
How the heck are they going to move forward in the Tetris franchise after this one?
(This review was originally written for my Retrorendum blog, so it is a bit dated in some areas but the review still stands true)
Title: Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune
Available On: Playstation 3, Playstation 4
Reviewed on: Playstation 3
Info: Naughty Dog, 2007
WARNING SPOILERS FOR UNCHARTED
Story: Uncharted is one of the few games that manages to feel like more of a blockbuster movie mixed in with interactive game play than a straight up video game, which in itself is impressive. It takes obvious notes from movies such as Indiana Jones and National Treasure, and even games such as Tomb Raider. That being said, this game, as well as the rest of the games in the series, feels like an improvement on those franchises because of the quick and witty humor that Drake himself provides. The story of the Uncharted series follows the adventures of a young-ish man named Nathan Drake, who is fascinated with the past and the treasures it holds. The game starts out with Drake finding the coffin of his ancestor and world-renowned treasure hunter, Sir Francis Drake in the middle of the ocean, only to find out that Drake faked his own death, went on an adventure, and left a series of clues behind to guide his predecessors to the long lost treasure of El Dorado. On his quest to follow in Sir Francis’ footsteps, Drake is joined by the lighthearted and curious blonde reporter Elena Fisher, as well as the grizzly old war man Victor “Sully” Sullivan. Together these characters dodge booby traps, kill pirates, solve puzzles and crawl through crypts to the end of the game, giving the whole thing the feel of a great adventure. The thing that really makes this game shine as a movie-like production is how smooth the cutscene transitions are. Going from playing to watching doesn’t make it feel as if you’re just a passerby, it feels like you become Drake and are there to get him through his obstacles.
Visuals/ Music:Uncharted’s graphics are nothing to write home about, but are good enough to keep you engaged in the story and (somewhat) feel the emotions of the characters as they go along their journey. The contrast of settings you traverse is exquisite, from vibrant jungles and raging rivers, to claustrophobic tombs and dark caves, all of which use the colors they are provided to really make the world of Uncharted come alive. The music on the other hand, is incredible. From the moment you pop in the game, the epic Uncharted theme begins and sets the mood for the grand adventure you will soon embark on. Throughout the game the music makes the levels memorable, matching the diverse levels with equally as unique songs to finally complete the atmosphere of Drake’s Quest. The voice acting for all of the characters is really quite impressive, especially when in a heated conversation. The script is quirky, and the way the actors voiced the characters so well makes them relatable and human. The one thing sound-wise that may interrupt your immersion in the game is Elena, and how she reacts whenever Drake dies. Her exaggerated gasps and wails sound almost forced, and is the one time I would say the game’s voice acting really failed.
Gameplay: The game play of Uncharted isn’t anything unique, but the way that the gameplay archetypes are presented is what makes this game unique. It mixes classic cover based shooting similar to Gears of War with terrain platforming from Tomb Raider, both of which are tried and true. The only problem with these different level types being mixed is how painstakingly obvious it is when you’re about to enter either one. The shootouts are open areas with an insane amount of low walls and broken down buildings to hide behind, and the platforming sections are very vertical and contain tons of ledges to hang from. The combat in the shootout sections is simple enough but the repetition and fast transitions from platforming can be very overwhelming. The shootouts become an all or nothing battle, you with your pistols and grenades versus hordes and hordes of enemy grunts that sometimes feel like it never ends. There’s a good variety of guns to choose from, but most become so situational that it’s almost a chore to use anything but a basic pistol and an AK. The hit detection is also sometimes wonky, as you might get a clear headshot on a grunt from 10 feet away, and it might do nothing but knock his hat off and alert him that you’re there. The game is also plagued by obnoxiously and unnecessarily difficult quick-time events that require you to press circle to roll out of the way, or (and this is the real problem), mash triangle an ungodly number of times to get a gate open. My final complaint about this game is the lack of collectibles. For a game whose focus is on being a treasure hunting adventurer, you might expect there to be chests of gold or figurines around every corner, but the truth is there are only some 60 odd collectibles to find in the entire game, which is kind of a letdown.
Verdict: Uncharted is an incredible game and a hilarious experience, and Drake’s Fortune just leaves you wanting more of Nathan Drake’s witty personality. Luckily you can satiate that craving for cleverness by playing Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception and Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End. Uncharted is a must own or a t least a must try for any PS3 or PS4 owner, and I highly recommend it to everyone who enjoys comedy or action. Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune gets an 8/10, it might be flawed in some ways, but it’s wit and quick thinking makes up for all of those problems.
(Reviewed on August 12th, 2017)
Title: Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune
Available On: Playstation 3, Playstation 4
Reviewed on: Playstation 3
Info: Naughty Dog, 2007
WARNING SPOILERS FOR UNCHARTED
Story: Uncharted is one of the few games that manages to feel like more of a blockbuster movie mixed in with interactive game play than a straight up video game, which in itself is impressive. It takes obvious notes from movies such as Indiana Jones and National Treasure, and even games such as Tomb Raider. That being said, this game, as well as the rest of the games in the series, feels like an improvement on those franchises because of the quick and witty humor that Drake himself provides. The story of the Uncharted series follows the adventures of a young-ish man named Nathan Drake, who is fascinated with the past and the treasures it holds. The game starts out with Drake finding the coffin of his ancestor and world-renowned treasure hunter, Sir Francis Drake in the middle of the ocean, only to find out that Drake faked his own death, went on an adventure, and left a series of clues behind to guide his predecessors to the long lost treasure of El Dorado. On his quest to follow in Sir Francis’ footsteps, Drake is joined by the lighthearted and curious blonde reporter Elena Fisher, as well as the grizzly old war man Victor “Sully” Sullivan. Together these characters dodge booby traps, kill pirates, solve puzzles and crawl through crypts to the end of the game, giving the whole thing the feel of a great adventure. The thing that really makes this game shine as a movie-like production is how smooth the cutscene transitions are. Going from playing to watching doesn’t make it feel as if you’re just a passerby, it feels like you become Drake and are there to get him through his obstacles.
Visuals/ Music:Uncharted’s graphics are nothing to write home about, but are good enough to keep you engaged in the story and (somewhat) feel the emotions of the characters as they go along their journey. The contrast of settings you traverse is exquisite, from vibrant jungles and raging rivers, to claustrophobic tombs and dark caves, all of which use the colors they are provided to really make the world of Uncharted come alive. The music on the other hand, is incredible. From the moment you pop in the game, the epic Uncharted theme begins and sets the mood for the grand adventure you will soon embark on. Throughout the game the music makes the levels memorable, matching the diverse levels with equally as unique songs to finally complete the atmosphere of Drake’s Quest. The voice acting for all of the characters is really quite impressive, especially when in a heated conversation. The script is quirky, and the way the actors voiced the characters so well makes them relatable and human. The one thing sound-wise that may interrupt your immersion in the game is Elena, and how she reacts whenever Drake dies. Her exaggerated gasps and wails sound almost forced, and is the one time I would say the game’s voice acting really failed.
Gameplay: The game play of Uncharted isn’t anything unique, but the way that the gameplay archetypes are presented is what makes this game unique. It mixes classic cover based shooting similar to Gears of War with terrain platforming from Tomb Raider, both of which are tried and true. The only problem with these different level types being mixed is how painstakingly obvious it is when you’re about to enter either one. The shootouts are open areas with an insane amount of low walls and broken down buildings to hide behind, and the platforming sections are very vertical and contain tons of ledges to hang from. The combat in the shootout sections is simple enough but the repetition and fast transitions from platforming can be very overwhelming. The shootouts become an all or nothing battle, you with your pistols and grenades versus hordes and hordes of enemy grunts that sometimes feel like it never ends. There’s a good variety of guns to choose from, but most become so situational that it’s almost a chore to use anything but a basic pistol and an AK. The hit detection is also sometimes wonky, as you might get a clear headshot on a grunt from 10 feet away, and it might do nothing but knock his hat off and alert him that you’re there. The game is also plagued by obnoxiously and unnecessarily difficult quick-time events that require you to press circle to roll out of the way, or (and this is the real problem), mash triangle an ungodly number of times to get a gate open. My final complaint about this game is the lack of collectibles. For a game whose focus is on being a treasure hunting adventurer, you might expect there to be chests of gold or figurines around every corner, but the truth is there are only some 60 odd collectibles to find in the entire game, which is kind of a letdown.
Verdict: Uncharted is an incredible game and a hilarious experience, and Drake’s Fortune just leaves you wanting more of Nathan Drake’s witty personality. Luckily you can satiate that craving for cleverness by playing Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception and Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End. Uncharted is a must own or a t least a must try for any PS3 or PS4 owner, and I highly recommend it to everyone who enjoys comedy or action. Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune gets an 8/10, it might be flawed in some ways, but it’s wit and quick thinking makes up for all of those problems.
(Reviewed on August 12th, 2017)
2020
Astro's playroom is the best modern pack-in game ever, no question. It's a tease of what's (hopefully) to come, with charm coming out of every possible nook and cranny, as well as a hearty side helping of nostalgia bait done in the best way.
This game has a fantastic platinum that can be done in 4 hours or so, and it lets you see everything the game has to offer without anything unfair.
Astro has so much potential to become a larger series, and I really hope Team Asobi is given control to make a full length Astro 3D platformer, because I'd be there on day one.
This game has a fantastic platinum that can be done in 4 hours or so, and it lets you see everything the game has to offer without anything unfair.
Astro has so much potential to become a larger series, and I really hope Team Asobi is given control to make a full length Astro 3D platformer, because I'd be there on day one.
2008
The gameplay loop for The Last Guy is really satisfying and arcade-y, I really just wish it was more visually distinct and controlled better.
The concept of using pictures of real world locations as the maps you travel on is novel, but it leads to a lot of visual clutter and terrible level collision that makes it very tough to get exactly where you want to in a level. Outside of that the menus are presented in this 90's hackerman computer style that's not super pleasing.
I give this game a passing score because I recognize the conceptual value and like the core gameplay quite a lot, but this game really doesn't hold up with its visuals and controls being so janky. At least I didn't pay for it individually though, since it's on PS Now.
I do like it when the weird voice goes "THE LAST GUY", though.
The concept of using pictures of real world locations as the maps you travel on is novel, but it leads to a lot of visual clutter and terrible level collision that makes it very tough to get exactly where you want to in a level. Outside of that the menus are presented in this 90's hackerman computer style that's not super pleasing.
I give this game a passing score because I recognize the conceptual value and like the core gameplay quite a lot, but this game really doesn't hold up with its visuals and controls being so janky. At least I didn't pay for it individually though, since it's on PS Now.
I do like it when the weird voice goes "THE LAST GUY", though.
1999
Pokemon without the game, a fate worse than death
Also most of the minigames suck Zangoose cock
Also most of the minigames suck Zangoose cock
They Kirbified a Metroidvania. By which I mean they removed the elements that make that genre engaging, and instead made it lack any progression or cohesion and filled it with baffling design decisions that obliterate any sense of fun. Glad they tried something new, but it’s just not good.
2016
(This review was originally written for my Retrorendum blog, so it is a bit dated in some areas but the review still stands true
Pokémon is a franchise that’s been in my life for pretty much as long as I can remember. Pokémon Pearl was my very first real video game, (so yes I’m a Sinnoh baby) and since then I’ve purchased nearly every new main series game on/ near launch day, or eventually buying them later. The existence and names of the Gen 7 games were leaked by a German copyright website the day before they were officially announced, but how Nintendo and Game Freak released new info on the games in the following months really pumped my hype levels nearly to higher than they’ve ever been. It’s the 20th anniversary of Pokémon as a franchise, so let’s see if the newest games hold up to the impossible standards of quality for this immensely popular series.
Title: Pokémon Moon
Available On: Nintendo 2DS, Nintendo 3DS, New Nintendo 3DS
Reviewed On: Nintendo 2DS
Info: Game Freak, 2016
WARNING MINOR SPOILERS FOR POKÈMON SUN AND MOON
Story: The tale of a new Pokémon trainer is one that hasn’t developed very much over the years, and it doesn’t deviate a ton in 2016’s iteration. You’re the new kid on the block, arriving to a new region with your mom, at the perfect age to begin your journey as a Pokémon master. Meet the professor and his assistant, choose your starter Pokémon, battle your rival, and get ready to catch em’ all. This time however, it’s a little different. The game opens to a fully rendered 3D cutscene of a young girl with a bag running for her life through a pristine, sterilized compound while being chased by men in white suits. She gets cornered eventually, and when all hope seems lost, her bag begins to glow and she disappears in a flash of colorful light. After an introduction to the regional Professor Kukui, and the Kahuna of Melemele island Hala, you find yourself on the edge of a ravine with a bridge, standing near the young girl from the earlier cutscene. Her bag begins to rustle, and out jumps a small purple Pokémon named Cosmog. Cosmog, or “Nebby” as the girl calls it, floats out onto the bridge, and proceeds to be attacked by a small band of Spearow. You, being the hero you are, dash out onto the bridge to protect Cosmog from harm. As you’re covering Cosmog, it begins to glow like it did in the opening cutscene, and it explodes in a bang of light. The explosion destroys the bridge beneath you, and the two of you plummet into the dark recesses of the ravine, supposedly to your deaths. Right before you hit the ground, a yellow streak appears and whisks you up to safety. The yellow streak turns out to be the legendary Pokémon Tapu Koko, the guardian of Melemele island. It flies away before you can react, leaving behind a magical stone for you to keep. The girl helps you up and introduces herself as Lillie, Professor Kukui’s strange assistant. This chain of events sets you on your course to completing the Island challenge; a child’s right of passage in the Alola region, and thus you begin your journey. The story in Gen 7 scratched that slightly deeper Pokemon lore itch that I’d been craving ever since I played Pokemon Pearl a decade ago, and left me craving more. Story gets a 10/10
Visuals/ Music: Pokémon Sun and Moon are the best looking and sounding entries in the main series franchise to date, and they push the limitations of the 3DS’s hardware to it’s very limits. This push becomes obvious when you enter a double battle, where the DS frame rate slows to a crawl every few seconds. The most impressive aspect of the visuals in the game are the aforementioned 3D cutscenes, which happen every once in a while as you progress through the story. While the constant switching between classic gameplay and unskippable story sequences may get frustrating for some who are just there to catch Pokémon and battle, I found it to be a refreshing change of pace in the games, because lore and plot have always been some of my favorite parts of video games. The cutscenes are detailed eye-candy, and each one contains people and Pokémon acting as though they were in a movie. The sound design is top-notch as well, each route and town has it’s own catchy and recognizable tunes, and occasionally you hear old classic songs from earlier games remixed for a quick burst of nostalgia. The songs are all well mixed as well, with guitars, flutes, and base drums all coming together to create the soundtrack. I don’t think people will be talking about the soundtrack much in the future, at least not compared to the god’s breath that is Kanto, Johto and Sinnoh soundtracks, but we can enjoy it for what it is now. The visuals and music in Sun and Moon get an 9/10
Gameplay: Pokémon’s gameplay is tried and true, whittle down the opponents health in turn based combat and capture and level your monsters to become the very best like no one ever was, and all of that is in Sun and Moon as well. There are just under 100 new creatures to capture, battle, and bond with, and with a national dex 300 strong, the wide variation in Pokémon is apparent from the very beginning. There are also two new types of Pokémon, Ultra Beasts and Alolan Variants. Ultra Beasts are Pokémon from another dimension, and are extremely tough in battle. Alolan Variants feed into the nostalgia the game creates by taking Pokémon from the original 151 in Red and Green, and giving them a new look, new typings, and new abilities. The object of the game is to complete your island challenge, and take on each Trial and their subsequent Trial Captains. The Trials are Sun and Moon’s replacement for the classic Pokémon Gym system, and is a welcome breath of fresh air to veterans and a neat way to bring in newcomers. Each trial is extremely different, from finding ingredients to playing spot the difference in the dancing Pokémon, and as you play you don’t know what to expect next. The trials themselves are pretty simple to complete, some of them are honestly childish, and I wish they could’ve been harder, but the real challenge comes right after you complete the trial. At the end of every trial is a Totem Pokémon, a larger, more powerful version of an already strong monster who has the ability to call upon allies in battle. These battles can be extremely tough if you don’t come prepared for them, so expect to black out a few times before actually moving on in the story. Pokémon Sun and Moon also implement some new gameplay mechanics as well. Pokémon refresh is a mode where you can feed, clean, and pet your Pokémon to bond with them, Poké Pelago is a set of islands each with their own helpful services, and the Festival Plaza is a place where you can meet and interact with the people you have street passed with. Pokémon Sun and Moon also get rid of the archaic and obnoxious HM system, instead using Poké Rides where you can surf on a Lapras, fly on a Charizard, or gallop on a Mudsdale. These games are much more difficult than in past installments, as each trainer uses their own fighting techniques and wild Pokémon can now call for help when they are in danger. All these new gameplay mechanics may not seem like very much to the average gamer or one who hasn’t played much Pokemon, but to hardcore fans like myself, it’s a pleasant surprise that really broke up the formula just enough to feel new, while still retaining the classic Pokemon feel. Sun and Moon’s gameplay gets a 10/10.
Verdict: Pokémon Sun and Moon are the breath of fresh air the franchise has been in desperate need for for years. Delivering a story unparalleled by any in the series, brand new gameplay mechanics and stunning graphics and music, Sun and Moon have the strong potential to become the new best in the Pokémon world. Having been the most preordered game in Nintendo’s history and selling over 10 Million copies in 2 weeks following the launch, the games are already becoming classics. They’ve already become some of my favorite games of all time, I’ve logged 110 hours on my copy of Pokémon Moon and captured all 300 Pokémon available in the Alola dex, and it’s only been a month since release. The game suffers from serious framerate drops in some places and it might not have much in the way of postgame content, but overall Pokémon Sun and Moon are my personal favorite games in the Pokémon series, and are strongly deserving of a 9.5/10.
(Reviewed on June 5th, 2017)
Pokémon is a franchise that’s been in my life for pretty much as long as I can remember. Pokémon Pearl was my very first real video game, (so yes I’m a Sinnoh baby) and since then I’ve purchased nearly every new main series game on/ near launch day, or eventually buying them later. The existence and names of the Gen 7 games were leaked by a German copyright website the day before they were officially announced, but how Nintendo and Game Freak released new info on the games in the following months really pumped my hype levels nearly to higher than they’ve ever been. It’s the 20th anniversary of Pokémon as a franchise, so let’s see if the newest games hold up to the impossible standards of quality for this immensely popular series.
Title: Pokémon Moon
Available On: Nintendo 2DS, Nintendo 3DS, New Nintendo 3DS
Reviewed On: Nintendo 2DS
Info: Game Freak, 2016
WARNING MINOR SPOILERS FOR POKÈMON SUN AND MOON
Story: The tale of a new Pokémon trainer is one that hasn’t developed very much over the years, and it doesn’t deviate a ton in 2016’s iteration. You’re the new kid on the block, arriving to a new region with your mom, at the perfect age to begin your journey as a Pokémon master. Meet the professor and his assistant, choose your starter Pokémon, battle your rival, and get ready to catch em’ all. This time however, it’s a little different. The game opens to a fully rendered 3D cutscene of a young girl with a bag running for her life through a pristine, sterilized compound while being chased by men in white suits. She gets cornered eventually, and when all hope seems lost, her bag begins to glow and she disappears in a flash of colorful light. After an introduction to the regional Professor Kukui, and the Kahuna of Melemele island Hala, you find yourself on the edge of a ravine with a bridge, standing near the young girl from the earlier cutscene. Her bag begins to rustle, and out jumps a small purple Pokémon named Cosmog. Cosmog, or “Nebby” as the girl calls it, floats out onto the bridge, and proceeds to be attacked by a small band of Spearow. You, being the hero you are, dash out onto the bridge to protect Cosmog from harm. As you’re covering Cosmog, it begins to glow like it did in the opening cutscene, and it explodes in a bang of light. The explosion destroys the bridge beneath you, and the two of you plummet into the dark recesses of the ravine, supposedly to your deaths. Right before you hit the ground, a yellow streak appears and whisks you up to safety. The yellow streak turns out to be the legendary Pokémon Tapu Koko, the guardian of Melemele island. It flies away before you can react, leaving behind a magical stone for you to keep. The girl helps you up and introduces herself as Lillie, Professor Kukui’s strange assistant. This chain of events sets you on your course to completing the Island challenge; a child’s right of passage in the Alola region, and thus you begin your journey. The story in Gen 7 scratched that slightly deeper Pokemon lore itch that I’d been craving ever since I played Pokemon Pearl a decade ago, and left me craving more. Story gets a 10/10
Visuals/ Music: Pokémon Sun and Moon are the best looking and sounding entries in the main series franchise to date, and they push the limitations of the 3DS’s hardware to it’s very limits. This push becomes obvious when you enter a double battle, where the DS frame rate slows to a crawl every few seconds. The most impressive aspect of the visuals in the game are the aforementioned 3D cutscenes, which happen every once in a while as you progress through the story. While the constant switching between classic gameplay and unskippable story sequences may get frustrating for some who are just there to catch Pokémon and battle, I found it to be a refreshing change of pace in the games, because lore and plot have always been some of my favorite parts of video games. The cutscenes are detailed eye-candy, and each one contains people and Pokémon acting as though they were in a movie. The sound design is top-notch as well, each route and town has it’s own catchy and recognizable tunes, and occasionally you hear old classic songs from earlier games remixed for a quick burst of nostalgia. The songs are all well mixed as well, with guitars, flutes, and base drums all coming together to create the soundtrack. I don’t think people will be talking about the soundtrack much in the future, at least not compared to the god’s breath that is Kanto, Johto and Sinnoh soundtracks, but we can enjoy it for what it is now. The visuals and music in Sun and Moon get an 9/10
Gameplay: Pokémon’s gameplay is tried and true, whittle down the opponents health in turn based combat and capture and level your monsters to become the very best like no one ever was, and all of that is in Sun and Moon as well. There are just under 100 new creatures to capture, battle, and bond with, and with a national dex 300 strong, the wide variation in Pokémon is apparent from the very beginning. There are also two new types of Pokémon, Ultra Beasts and Alolan Variants. Ultra Beasts are Pokémon from another dimension, and are extremely tough in battle. Alolan Variants feed into the nostalgia the game creates by taking Pokémon from the original 151 in Red and Green, and giving them a new look, new typings, and new abilities. The object of the game is to complete your island challenge, and take on each Trial and their subsequent Trial Captains. The Trials are Sun and Moon’s replacement for the classic Pokémon Gym system, and is a welcome breath of fresh air to veterans and a neat way to bring in newcomers. Each trial is extremely different, from finding ingredients to playing spot the difference in the dancing Pokémon, and as you play you don’t know what to expect next. The trials themselves are pretty simple to complete, some of them are honestly childish, and I wish they could’ve been harder, but the real challenge comes right after you complete the trial. At the end of every trial is a Totem Pokémon, a larger, more powerful version of an already strong monster who has the ability to call upon allies in battle. These battles can be extremely tough if you don’t come prepared for them, so expect to black out a few times before actually moving on in the story. Pokémon Sun and Moon also implement some new gameplay mechanics as well. Pokémon refresh is a mode where you can feed, clean, and pet your Pokémon to bond with them, Poké Pelago is a set of islands each with their own helpful services, and the Festival Plaza is a place where you can meet and interact with the people you have street passed with. Pokémon Sun and Moon also get rid of the archaic and obnoxious HM system, instead using Poké Rides where you can surf on a Lapras, fly on a Charizard, or gallop on a Mudsdale. These games are much more difficult than in past installments, as each trainer uses their own fighting techniques and wild Pokémon can now call for help when they are in danger. All these new gameplay mechanics may not seem like very much to the average gamer or one who hasn’t played much Pokemon, but to hardcore fans like myself, it’s a pleasant surprise that really broke up the formula just enough to feel new, while still retaining the classic Pokemon feel. Sun and Moon’s gameplay gets a 10/10.
Verdict: Pokémon Sun and Moon are the breath of fresh air the franchise has been in desperate need for for years. Delivering a story unparalleled by any in the series, brand new gameplay mechanics and stunning graphics and music, Sun and Moon have the strong potential to become the new best in the Pokémon world. Having been the most preordered game in Nintendo’s history and selling over 10 Million copies in 2 weeks following the launch, the games are already becoming classics. They’ve already become some of my favorite games of all time, I’ve logged 110 hours on my copy of Pokémon Moon and captured all 300 Pokémon available in the Alola dex, and it’s only been a month since release. The game suffers from serious framerate drops in some places and it might not have much in the way of postgame content, but overall Pokémon Sun and Moon are my personal favorite games in the Pokémon series, and are strongly deserving of a 9.5/10.
(Reviewed on June 5th, 2017)
(This review was originally written for my Retrorendum blog, so it is a bit dated in some areas but the review still stands true)
Uncharted 2 is the sequel I never thought I needed. I had heard great things about it, it being one of the top rated games of all time, but I was still content with the story and characters of Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune. When I got the Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End PS4 bundle for christmas from my dad, I decided to buy the other sequels so I could work through the story until I could play the fourth installment. After blasting through the game over President’s Day weekend, I can successfully say that it has become one of my new favorite games and really excites me for what is coming in the next games.
Title: Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
Available On: Playstation 3, Playstation 4
Reviewed On: Playstation 3
Info: Naughty Dog, 2009
WARNING: MINOR SPOILERS FOR UNCHARTED 2: AMONG THIEVES
Story: Uncharted once again follows the marvelous misadventures of Nathan Drake, cocky-badass-treasure hunting-history nerd. Uncharted 2 follows his journey to continue Marco Polo’s quest to find the Cintimani Stone and the mythical city of Shambhala. The game begins with Drake waking up bleeding profusely from his chest whilst in a train car dangling off the side of a mountain in the Himalayas. It then cuts to a flash back that is the first half of the game, and Drake is now on a beach with his friend Harry Flynn and ex-lover Chloe Frazer, planning a museum heist to steal a lamp found by Marco Polo. After completing the heist, Drake is then betrayed by Flynn and sent to prison in Turkey. After 3 months, Drake is let out by Chloe and his old adventuring pal Victor “Goddamn” Sullivan. It then is revealed that Flynn is working for a Soviet Warlord Zoran Lazarevic, whose goal is to find the city of Shambhala and claim it for his own. Nathan and Sully go to Lazarevic’s camp in Borneo, with Chloe acting as a mole on the inside for them. There they find a phurba dagger, which becomes intrinsic to the plot later on. With the dagger is a note saying that the dagger is the key to Shambhala through a temple in Nepal. The epic journey through the mountains of Tibet and a wartorn city in Nepal begins, and you feel the true scope of this incredible story as Nathan Drake travels across the world. The game also greatly improves on characters over the original, as Flynn and Lazarevic are both 10 times more memorable antagonists than Mr. British-rich-power hungry-guy from the first one. (That isn’t to say that Lazarevic isn’t a stereotypical bad guy as well, but at least he’s more involved in the story.)
Visuals/ Music: Uncharted 2 is one of the best looking games, environmentally speaking, available on the PS3 or Xbox360. Every single part of the mountains, snow, villages, jungles, temples, and rubble is beautifully rendered in painstaking detail which lends an even greater sense of adventure to the whole game. You can spot rust marks on metal signs, cracks in every brick, and textured grit on the walls of the buildings. The water physics are great as well, and give an air of realism to the puddles and lakes you wouldn’t expect to notice so much. The biggest complaint with the game’s graphics are the character models, which at times really stick out of the world because they’re so much less detailed. When comparing the original Uncharted 2 on PS3 to the remastered 1080p 60FPS version on PS4, you can notice the difference in the character models quite a bit, and the eyes of the characters are weirdly the best thing that was improved. (Am I the only one freaked out by Chloe’s eyes and how shiny they are?) The music is the largest letdown of the game but still manages to be good, which says something about the overall quality of the game. The music isn’t necessarily bad, it just isn’t memorable at all. You get the classic horn-filled Uncharted theme when you boot up the game, but after that you become so engrossed in the puzzles and action the game provides, that the music just becomes background noise. Some of the more noticeable moments in the game come when there isn’t music at all, when you’re high in a mountain or sneaking around an enemy camp with only the ambiance of the wind and crunching of dirt to guide you.
Gameplay: The gameplay is the most incredible part of Uncharted 2, and is what (in my opinion) makes this game so incredible and memorable. Unlike Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune which had a handful of distinct gameplay sections, (shootout, vehicle, puzzle, platforming) Uncharted 2 blends the sections together seamlessly into the story to make the whole experience more meaningful. You can now shoot and perform takedowns while climbing, and the game focuses on making you feel as if you’re the underdog by constantly putting you in complex situations. The most memorable part of the game comes in the action gameplay sequences. If you’re getting shot at by a helicopter, fighting yetis in a cave or narrowly dodging explosions set off by an enormous tank in a Tibetian village, you certainly will remember it. Another thing Uncharted 2 beats its predecessor at is its puzzle solving. You now have free reign over the notebook Nate carries while in puzzle sections, and although its usage is scarce, you have to use your brain to figure out which pages you need to use to solve what is at hand. The final thing that makes this game better than the first is the combat you have to do throughout. You now have many more options to take out your enemies, including riot shields, handheld gatling guns and grenade launches. You can also throw propane tanks at the baddies and explode them, taking the idea of blowing up barrels to a whole new level. You are now no longer constricted to obvious fight areas while in combat, and foes can come at you at any time rather than just in a wide area with conveniently placed waist high boxes. (This is probably my favorite upgrade to the game) The difficulty also spikes about 2/3rds way through the game, as if the game is saying to you “you better know your stuff now punk, because it’s about to get real”. You start finding less ammo, the amount of enemies in an area just about doubles, and the platforming becomes a puzzle in itself, as you really need to start scoping out your environment before bounding off, lest you find a death pit or dead end.
Verdict: Uncharted 2: Among Thieves is a game you buy a console for. Seriously, it's that memorable. The game provides you with constant crazy action and deep character interaction, but remains upbeat through witty dialogue and incredible open environments to explore. If you’re a fan of action movies (especially Indiana Jones) or just cinematography in general, this is a game for you. The game ends up feeling like a true cinematic experience, and takes you into its action with pride. The occasional frame rate drop and odd graphic glitches might bother some people, but the overall experience is so incredible you’ll be willing to overlook the small issues it does have. This is one of the highest rated video games of all time, and rightfully so. If you own a PS3 or PS4, don’t hesitate to pick this up as it is only 10-15$ at GameStop. Uncharted 2 changed the action adventure game genre, and rightfully deserves an amazing 9/10.
(Reviewed on September 17, 2017)
Uncharted 2 is the sequel I never thought I needed. I had heard great things about it, it being one of the top rated games of all time, but I was still content with the story and characters of Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune. When I got the Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End PS4 bundle for christmas from my dad, I decided to buy the other sequels so I could work through the story until I could play the fourth installment. After blasting through the game over President’s Day weekend, I can successfully say that it has become one of my new favorite games and really excites me for what is coming in the next games.
Title: Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
Available On: Playstation 3, Playstation 4
Reviewed On: Playstation 3
Info: Naughty Dog, 2009
WARNING: MINOR SPOILERS FOR UNCHARTED 2: AMONG THIEVES
Story: Uncharted once again follows the marvelous misadventures of Nathan Drake, cocky-badass-treasure hunting-history nerd. Uncharted 2 follows his journey to continue Marco Polo’s quest to find the Cintimani Stone and the mythical city of Shambhala. The game begins with Drake waking up bleeding profusely from his chest whilst in a train car dangling off the side of a mountain in the Himalayas. It then cuts to a flash back that is the first half of the game, and Drake is now on a beach with his friend Harry Flynn and ex-lover Chloe Frazer, planning a museum heist to steal a lamp found by Marco Polo. After completing the heist, Drake is then betrayed by Flynn and sent to prison in Turkey. After 3 months, Drake is let out by Chloe and his old adventuring pal Victor “Goddamn” Sullivan. It then is revealed that Flynn is working for a Soviet Warlord Zoran Lazarevic, whose goal is to find the city of Shambhala and claim it for his own. Nathan and Sully go to Lazarevic’s camp in Borneo, with Chloe acting as a mole on the inside for them. There they find a phurba dagger, which becomes intrinsic to the plot later on. With the dagger is a note saying that the dagger is the key to Shambhala through a temple in Nepal. The epic journey through the mountains of Tibet and a wartorn city in Nepal begins, and you feel the true scope of this incredible story as Nathan Drake travels across the world. The game also greatly improves on characters over the original, as Flynn and Lazarevic are both 10 times more memorable antagonists than Mr. British-rich-power hungry-guy from the first one. (That isn’t to say that Lazarevic isn’t a stereotypical bad guy as well, but at least he’s more involved in the story.)
Visuals/ Music: Uncharted 2 is one of the best looking games, environmentally speaking, available on the PS3 or Xbox360. Every single part of the mountains, snow, villages, jungles, temples, and rubble is beautifully rendered in painstaking detail which lends an even greater sense of adventure to the whole game. You can spot rust marks on metal signs, cracks in every brick, and textured grit on the walls of the buildings. The water physics are great as well, and give an air of realism to the puddles and lakes you wouldn’t expect to notice so much. The biggest complaint with the game’s graphics are the character models, which at times really stick out of the world because they’re so much less detailed. When comparing the original Uncharted 2 on PS3 to the remastered 1080p 60FPS version on PS4, you can notice the difference in the character models quite a bit, and the eyes of the characters are weirdly the best thing that was improved. (Am I the only one freaked out by Chloe’s eyes and how shiny they are?) The music is the largest letdown of the game but still manages to be good, which says something about the overall quality of the game. The music isn’t necessarily bad, it just isn’t memorable at all. You get the classic horn-filled Uncharted theme when you boot up the game, but after that you become so engrossed in the puzzles and action the game provides, that the music just becomes background noise. Some of the more noticeable moments in the game come when there isn’t music at all, when you’re high in a mountain or sneaking around an enemy camp with only the ambiance of the wind and crunching of dirt to guide you.
Gameplay: The gameplay is the most incredible part of Uncharted 2, and is what (in my opinion) makes this game so incredible and memorable. Unlike Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune which had a handful of distinct gameplay sections, (shootout, vehicle, puzzle, platforming) Uncharted 2 blends the sections together seamlessly into the story to make the whole experience more meaningful. You can now shoot and perform takedowns while climbing, and the game focuses on making you feel as if you’re the underdog by constantly putting you in complex situations. The most memorable part of the game comes in the action gameplay sequences. If you’re getting shot at by a helicopter, fighting yetis in a cave or narrowly dodging explosions set off by an enormous tank in a Tibetian village, you certainly will remember it. Another thing Uncharted 2 beats its predecessor at is its puzzle solving. You now have free reign over the notebook Nate carries while in puzzle sections, and although its usage is scarce, you have to use your brain to figure out which pages you need to use to solve what is at hand. The final thing that makes this game better than the first is the combat you have to do throughout. You now have many more options to take out your enemies, including riot shields, handheld gatling guns and grenade launches. You can also throw propane tanks at the baddies and explode them, taking the idea of blowing up barrels to a whole new level. You are now no longer constricted to obvious fight areas while in combat, and foes can come at you at any time rather than just in a wide area with conveniently placed waist high boxes. (This is probably my favorite upgrade to the game) The difficulty also spikes about 2/3rds way through the game, as if the game is saying to you “you better know your stuff now punk, because it’s about to get real”. You start finding less ammo, the amount of enemies in an area just about doubles, and the platforming becomes a puzzle in itself, as you really need to start scoping out your environment before bounding off, lest you find a death pit or dead end.
Verdict: Uncharted 2: Among Thieves is a game you buy a console for. Seriously, it's that memorable. The game provides you with constant crazy action and deep character interaction, but remains upbeat through witty dialogue and incredible open environments to explore. If you’re a fan of action movies (especially Indiana Jones) or just cinematography in general, this is a game for you. The game ends up feeling like a true cinematic experience, and takes you into its action with pride. The occasional frame rate drop and odd graphic glitches might bother some people, but the overall experience is so incredible you’ll be willing to overlook the small issues it does have. This is one of the highest rated video games of all time, and rightfully so. If you own a PS3 or PS4, don’t hesitate to pick this up as it is only 10-15$ at GameStop. Uncharted 2 changed the action adventure game genre, and rightfully deserves an amazing 9/10.
(Reviewed on September 17, 2017)
2004
(This review was originally written for my Retrorendum blog, so it is a bit dated in some areas but the review still stands true)
Title: Katamari Damacy
System: PS2
Info: Namco, 2004
Story: This is a weird game. Not necessarily in a bad way, but it’s just quirky and odd. The first thing you’ll most likely notice when you pop this disc in is the hilariously random intro, which includes giant mushrooms, dancing pandas, and an insane amount of rainbows. To be honest, it looks like a drug hallucination. After the intro you begin the story, which entails the King of the Cosmos getting drunk and accidentally destroying all of the stars in the sky (Don’t ask me how that works). After he breaks out of his drunken state, he sends you, the Prince, on your mission: Roll up objects on a ball called a katamari to sufficient size in order to replace the stars. After each level, a short movie plays telling a side story about two kids, their mom who refuses to believe the stars are gone, and their dad who is an astronaut, preparing to board a rocket. These have some funny animation and story, but the voice acting is god- awful.
Visuals/ Music: The graphics in this game are surprisingly good for an early PS2 title, and they would probably look even better if I was using the optimal video connectors and wasn’t on my low-res boob tube. The cartoony art style has really aged well, and although this game is long overdue for an HD remaster on PS4, you still feel the bouncy, lighthearted feel of the game through the smooth, simple textures and quirky world. The music in this game is also great, not really one of the best, but it fits the atmosphere well, so it works. Every song you hear is catchy and upbeat, and puts you in a good mood as you play. One song, called Que Sera Sera, surprised me at first because it used actual english lyrics. After my initial shock, I listened to the song a few times and found that it tells a funky story about a man and his true love, and how he wants to lump her up into his katamari to become a star… I didn’t say it had profound lyrics, but I actually appreciate how they managed to turn a game about pushing a ball of random crap into a romance story.
Gameplay: The game play starts off with a simple tutorial teaching you how to use the simple yet complex control scheme in an efficient way. To move, you push both DualShock 2 joysticks in the same direction, and in opposite directions to turn around. There are also techniques you can use like jumping over your Katamari to point-turn 180 degrees, but after the tutorial I never found myself using them in normal gameplay. Your objective in every level is to roll up any objects smaller than you to grow your volume until you reach the goal size, and by any objects, I really do mean any. There’s only one map in the whole game as far as I can tell, but it doesn’t seem to get repetitive because you play in different parts of it depending on your size, such as one room, a whole house, a city, a continent, or the whole planet. Every object you see can be picked up eventually. Crumbs, toys, furniture, people, cars, houses, skyscrapers, clouds, tornadoes, islands, and everything in between. Everything you grab makes you slightly bigger, and by the end of the level you feel unstoppable.
Verdict: This game is quirky, and funky, and I can guarantee it is unlike anything else you have ever experienced. It quickly became one of my personal favorites in the expansive and classic PS2 library, and I’m not alone because this game has a serious cult following. Pick up Katamari Damacy if you enjoy unique gameplay and unusual comedy, or just want something different to try. I give this game an 9/10, an awesome classic for PS2.
(Reviewed on April 12th, 2017)
Title: Katamari Damacy
System: PS2
Info: Namco, 2004
Story: This is a weird game. Not necessarily in a bad way, but it’s just quirky and odd. The first thing you’ll most likely notice when you pop this disc in is the hilariously random intro, which includes giant mushrooms, dancing pandas, and an insane amount of rainbows. To be honest, it looks like a drug hallucination. After the intro you begin the story, which entails the King of the Cosmos getting drunk and accidentally destroying all of the stars in the sky (Don’t ask me how that works). After he breaks out of his drunken state, he sends you, the Prince, on your mission: Roll up objects on a ball called a katamari to sufficient size in order to replace the stars. After each level, a short movie plays telling a side story about two kids, their mom who refuses to believe the stars are gone, and their dad who is an astronaut, preparing to board a rocket. These have some funny animation and story, but the voice acting is god- awful.
Visuals/ Music: The graphics in this game are surprisingly good for an early PS2 title, and they would probably look even better if I was using the optimal video connectors and wasn’t on my low-res boob tube. The cartoony art style has really aged well, and although this game is long overdue for an HD remaster on PS4, you still feel the bouncy, lighthearted feel of the game through the smooth, simple textures and quirky world. The music in this game is also great, not really one of the best, but it fits the atmosphere well, so it works. Every song you hear is catchy and upbeat, and puts you in a good mood as you play. One song, called Que Sera Sera, surprised me at first because it used actual english lyrics. After my initial shock, I listened to the song a few times and found that it tells a funky story about a man and his true love, and how he wants to lump her up into his katamari to become a star… I didn’t say it had profound lyrics, but I actually appreciate how they managed to turn a game about pushing a ball of random crap into a romance story.
Gameplay: The game play starts off with a simple tutorial teaching you how to use the simple yet complex control scheme in an efficient way. To move, you push both DualShock 2 joysticks in the same direction, and in opposite directions to turn around. There are also techniques you can use like jumping over your Katamari to point-turn 180 degrees, but after the tutorial I never found myself using them in normal gameplay. Your objective in every level is to roll up any objects smaller than you to grow your volume until you reach the goal size, and by any objects, I really do mean any. There’s only one map in the whole game as far as I can tell, but it doesn’t seem to get repetitive because you play in different parts of it depending on your size, such as one room, a whole house, a city, a continent, or the whole planet. Every object you see can be picked up eventually. Crumbs, toys, furniture, people, cars, houses, skyscrapers, clouds, tornadoes, islands, and everything in between. Everything you grab makes you slightly bigger, and by the end of the level you feel unstoppable.
Verdict: This game is quirky, and funky, and I can guarantee it is unlike anything else you have ever experienced. It quickly became one of my personal favorites in the expansive and classic PS2 library, and I’m not alone because this game has a serious cult following. Pick up Katamari Damacy if you enjoy unique gameplay and unusual comedy, or just want something different to try. I give this game an 9/10, an awesome classic for PS2.
(Reviewed on April 12th, 2017)
2012
(This review was originally written for my Retrorendum blog, so it is a bit dated in some areas but the review still stands true)
Title: Journey
Available On: Playstation 3, Playstation 4, PC
Reviewed On: Playstation 3
Info: Thatgamecompany, 2012
WARNING SPOILERS FOR JOURNEY
Story: Journey is a game about visuals, through and through. There isn’t a clear story or even a narrative, as the game shows progress through the level and world design as well as a set of short clips between levels. The “story” as it is follows a wandering nomad placed in a barren desert as they try to discover the nature of their existence and the destruction of an ancient group of people with incredible magic and technology throughout the varied levels of the game. The “cutscenes” between each of the levels has your character interacting with the spirits or deities of the lost civilization, and they describe the history of the world you play in through wall carving pictures and hieroglyphics.
Visuals/ Music: The art style in journey is one that is almost completely unique, it takes aspects of cell-shaded graphics like The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, and also a more realistic approach at times with high definition textures for the sand, rocks, and sky. The quality of the graphical engine really shines its brightest when there is a lot of sand or snow in the air, because the detail in the wind effects and how the particles float really makes the game become an immersive world more than anything. The music consists almost entirely of orchestrated pieces, and although you won’t catch yourself humming them later on or even placing them on a list of great music, each piece is epic, heartfelt, and really is what makes the game become so touching, by adding swells in the sound or changing the mood as you progress. This game can give you a wide range of different emotions through all that it does. It feels adventurous and carefree when you’re gliding along the sand or soaring through the sky, but it can feel stressed and intense as you reach the climax of the story.
Gameplay: Journey has some of the most fluid controls you can experience on a Dualshock 3, and although your character’s abilities are extremely limited (walking, pinging, jumping), you learn to control all of what you can do very quickly. Your main source of movement comes from your scarf, which grows longer as you go through the levels. The scarf allows you to fly, and the more scarf you have, the longer you can stay afloat. You can’t fly forever though, as you need to pay attention to the glowing glyphs that appear on your scarf because the amout of glyphs indicated how many more midair jumps you have left. The focus on this game is the ribbons, which is what your robe is made of as well as all of the “wildlife” you find around you along your quest. There are kite creatures which fly alongside you, bits of ribbon which can recharge your scarf’s glyphs, ribbon jellyfish that are used as floating platforms, and monstrous ribbon whales that you can ride on top of. All of these can be interacted with by using your ping ability, an area of affect that allows you to interact with your environment as well as the creatures. The main gameplay here is 3D platforming through the open levels, to find shrines and collectibles, but mixed throughout there are also downhill sliding stages where you glide smoothly through canyons to reach the bottom.
Verdict: Overall this game is such a unique experience, or at least for it’s time, and it is almost unfair to compare it to any other game. This epic experience shouldn’t take you more than a few hours to complete and is easily done in an afternoon, but the effect a wordless adventure like this one has on your perception of the world will last you a lifetime. In a world so oversaturated with explosive first person shooters and perfect graphic open world RPGs, this game deviated from the norm and showed us that video games as a medium can be so much more than just games, they can become life changing experiences. I give this game a 9/10, a must buy for any PS3 or PS4 owner.
Sidenote- This game is available primarily on the online Playstation store, but was also released on a physical disc called the Journey Collectors edition which also includes two other small games, Flower and Flow, both of which i might review later on.
(Reviewed on June 1st, 2017)
Insidiously short game
2023
A magically phenomenal game. I've never really had the chance to be in on the ground floor for a new Final Fantasy game, and XVI will hopefully be the start of me being there for many.
The story, characters, lore, world design, and combat are all so top notch that I sunk over 30 hours in in just over a week. One of the best games I've ever played.
The story, characters, lore, world design, and combat are all so top notch that I sunk over 30 hours in in just over a week. One of the best games I've ever played.
2006
How does this game that's supposed to be played on paper make feel even more stupid than Baba is You
1989
Super Mario Land, honestly, is incredibly underrated. I may be more glowing in this review than most people are, but I think that’s because my weird connection to this game comes from the fact that I feel like I discovered a hidden Mario gem. Among all the classic (NES,GB,SNES) Mario games, this is the one that is BY FAR talked about the least, and honestly I find that kinda sad.
I’d been watching a lot of The Gaming Historian and I saw the episode on the Super Mario Land series, and one day thought that it would be pertinent for me to give the first one at least a try. I then proceeded to hop onto Vimm’s lair, download a Gameboy emulator and a ROM of the game in a couple of minutes, then get sucked into the game for a couple of hours while simultaneously putting off my homework.
This is a different Mario game than its contemporaries in some ways- its far smaller than the rest, sitting at a smooth 4 worlds with 3 levels each, but it manages to pack that tiny length with so much variety and charm that it blew my friggin’ mind. I think this bite/pocket sized length is my favorite aspect of this game. It does so much within the limitations of a Gameboy launch title in terms of getting the most out of the power and visuals of the early development of the system that it really did impress me. Each level in this game is SO visually and mechanically distinct from the last because it has to compact everything down to such a short length, and this makes the game feel much more varied than even Super Mario Bros. 3 or Super Mario World. On top of this, there are two shoot-em-up levels dispersed throughout the game, with one being the final level, and this is something that (as far as I know) no other Mario game has. That fact alone makes this a super special game, but honestly it goes even further than that for me.
I’ll come out and say it, this heavy, drops-like-a-stone Mario is my favorite Mario controls I’ve played. I always felt so in control of my movements with where I fell and with the lack of any sliding when you stop running, it was super refreshing to come off of SM3 and World which are so incredibly momentum based. This enjoyment I had with the controls in Super Mario Land meant that I was finally compelled to get good at a Mario 2D platformer, and that was a great feeling to have coming from someone who historically wrote off the genre as too simplistic to fully dig into.
This game also has one of my absolute favorite video game soundtracks of all time. Birabuto and Muda kingdoms are incredible tunes, and the ending theme has no business being as killer as it is. Seriously, go give it a listen. It does so much with the simple tune chips of the gameboy, and I absolutely love it for that. I also just love how weird this game is. It’s incredibly visually distinct from the other Mario games, the only consistency being power mushrooms, stars and goombas. You fight robots that throw their heads at you, fish skeletons, fireball-shooting seahorses, flying and running moai heads, and even jumping vampires that can’t be beaten by jumping on them. Even the Koopas act differently in this than any other Mario, with their shells exploding shortly after you bounce off of them, giving even that simple enemy a unique flair.
There are also a few mechanics that this game has that I wish were translated into other Mario games, because it would be great to see them fleshed out more. The only new power-up here (well, really the only power-up) is the Super Ball, which is incredibly satisfying to use. It bounces around the stage, turning the level into a mini game of breakout. It can also collect coins, leading to some fun bonus areas, and can deal a lot of damage to an enemy if they end up trapped in a corridor with it. I also really love the stage exits and associated chutes-and-ladders style 1-Up mini-game, giving you a small platforming challenge that rewards you for taking a risk and then giving you a chance to earn some lives back at the end of each level. This is my favorite of the level end bonuses in Mario, far surpassing the cards from 3 or the stars from World. There are also hidden elevators in a few levels that allow you to get on top of some of the levels, which is satisfying to learn about, even though it's one of the simplest hidden level gimmicks in the series.
This game isn’t all roses and daisies (pun intended) for me though. The last world and last level of the last world in particular, are such a crazy difficulty spike that it isn’t that fun to get to. I ended up having to learn to use save states on the mGBA emulator I was using to get past the STUPID ASS CHICKENS in the last level, and I had a really hellish time beating Tatanga, the final boss, because it was such an insane shakeup from the rest of the game and required a genuine level of shmup challenge that I really was not expecting. This final area really did knock my enjoyment of the game down a solid notch, leaving a bad taste in my mouth as I finished it up (though that credits tune certainly helped alleviate some of that), which is unfortunate because I do really like this game a heck of a lot.
It’s short, it’s weird as hell, and it’s significantly different in a lot of ways from the games that surround it in its own series, but I really cannot recommend Super Mario Land enough. Give it a whirl some time on the 3DS e-shop or an emulator, this game really needs more love.
I’d been watching a lot of The Gaming Historian and I saw the episode on the Super Mario Land series, and one day thought that it would be pertinent for me to give the first one at least a try. I then proceeded to hop onto Vimm’s lair, download a Gameboy emulator and a ROM of the game in a couple of minutes, then get sucked into the game for a couple of hours while simultaneously putting off my homework.
This is a different Mario game than its contemporaries in some ways- its far smaller than the rest, sitting at a smooth 4 worlds with 3 levels each, but it manages to pack that tiny length with so much variety and charm that it blew my friggin’ mind. I think this bite/pocket sized length is my favorite aspect of this game. It does so much within the limitations of a Gameboy launch title in terms of getting the most out of the power and visuals of the early development of the system that it really did impress me. Each level in this game is SO visually and mechanically distinct from the last because it has to compact everything down to such a short length, and this makes the game feel much more varied than even Super Mario Bros. 3 or Super Mario World. On top of this, there are two shoot-em-up levels dispersed throughout the game, with one being the final level, and this is something that (as far as I know) no other Mario game has. That fact alone makes this a super special game, but honestly it goes even further than that for me.
I’ll come out and say it, this heavy, drops-like-a-stone Mario is my favorite Mario controls I’ve played. I always felt so in control of my movements with where I fell and with the lack of any sliding when you stop running, it was super refreshing to come off of SM3 and World which are so incredibly momentum based. This enjoyment I had with the controls in Super Mario Land meant that I was finally compelled to get good at a Mario 2D platformer, and that was a great feeling to have coming from someone who historically wrote off the genre as too simplistic to fully dig into.
This game also has one of my absolute favorite video game soundtracks of all time. Birabuto and Muda kingdoms are incredible tunes, and the ending theme has no business being as killer as it is. Seriously, go give it a listen. It does so much with the simple tune chips of the gameboy, and I absolutely love it for that. I also just love how weird this game is. It’s incredibly visually distinct from the other Mario games, the only consistency being power mushrooms, stars and goombas. You fight robots that throw their heads at you, fish skeletons, fireball-shooting seahorses, flying and running moai heads, and even jumping vampires that can’t be beaten by jumping on them. Even the Koopas act differently in this than any other Mario, with their shells exploding shortly after you bounce off of them, giving even that simple enemy a unique flair.
There are also a few mechanics that this game has that I wish were translated into other Mario games, because it would be great to see them fleshed out more. The only new power-up here (well, really the only power-up) is the Super Ball, which is incredibly satisfying to use. It bounces around the stage, turning the level into a mini game of breakout. It can also collect coins, leading to some fun bonus areas, and can deal a lot of damage to an enemy if they end up trapped in a corridor with it. I also really love the stage exits and associated chutes-and-ladders style 1-Up mini-game, giving you a small platforming challenge that rewards you for taking a risk and then giving you a chance to earn some lives back at the end of each level. This is my favorite of the level end bonuses in Mario, far surpassing the cards from 3 or the stars from World. There are also hidden elevators in a few levels that allow you to get on top of some of the levels, which is satisfying to learn about, even though it's one of the simplest hidden level gimmicks in the series.
This game isn’t all roses and daisies (pun intended) for me though. The last world and last level of the last world in particular, are such a crazy difficulty spike that it isn’t that fun to get to. I ended up having to learn to use save states on the mGBA emulator I was using to get past the STUPID ASS CHICKENS in the last level, and I had a really hellish time beating Tatanga, the final boss, because it was such an insane shakeup from the rest of the game and required a genuine level of shmup challenge that I really was not expecting. This final area really did knock my enjoyment of the game down a solid notch, leaving a bad taste in my mouth as I finished it up (though that credits tune certainly helped alleviate some of that), which is unfortunate because I do really like this game a heck of a lot.
It’s short, it’s weird as hell, and it’s significantly different in a lot of ways from the games that surround it in its own series, but I really cannot recommend Super Mario Land enough. Give it a whirl some time on the 3DS e-shop or an emulator, this game really needs more love.
A Link Between Worlds is the adventure game I didn't know I needed. Coming right off of A Link to the Past and thinking that that was solid but relatively generic, this game really blew me away. I collected every Mai Mai, almost all of the side content and obviously beat the story, all in about 5 days- I just could not put it down.