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fishing-croagunk · 4 months

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Game Clearing 2023: A Retrospective

Once again, it's time to look a back at everything I played.

As always, I will talk more about each one after the cut.

Crash Bandicoot: The Huge Adventure : Jan 3 - Jan 5

I've played the original PS1 Crash games countless times, and I've always wondered how the GBA games compared (the platformer ones at least). And over all, I'd say they're pretty decent at recreating the gameplay. However, there's one big issue that does occur a couple times. Sometimes, you'll have to do a leap of faith and you just have to hope you fall properly. What's worse is that sometimes there's an enemy there, so I started mashing spin after every leap of faith. This still sucks for time trials. But at least there's an actual reward for getting relics, other than a gem. I also ended up cramping my left hand from constantly holding down the L button to dash, so that's something.

Shadows Over Loathing: Jan 6 - Jan 11

This was actually a gift from my good friend Mippy, although I would have bought it anyway. I've watched a playthrough of the previous game, West of Loathing, and I was really looking forward to this installment. I found the story very enjoyable, and chuckled quite a few times. I also really liked the combat and RPG mechanics. I did consider going for every Steam achievement, but not only would that require multiple playthroughs, but some things are very easy to lock yourself out of, requiring either a guide or another playthrough. This is also why I typically don't go for completing achievements.

Donkey Kong: Jan 13 - Jan 13

Last Christmas, I had purchased Mario Vs. Donkey Kong. But before I played that, I wanted to check out the game often thought as its prequel, Game Boy Donkey Kong. And honestly, it's a really good time. All the sideflips and handstand jumps make the movement in this game really fun. The varying worlds also keep you on your toes. It's also not too hard; you will die a couple times, but the bonus games means you're probably not gonna game over.

Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc: Jan 14 - Jan 27

This was one of two gifts I got from my Secret Santa last year. Thank you so much, Bilth. After playing Rayman 2, I knew I had to check out the follow-up. And, other than the AV cables for my PS2 dying, it was pretty fun. Generally, I would say the game is about as fun as Rayman 2, and I can see why people prefer that to this. I thought the new powers were pretty cool, and most of them played off of Rayman's base moves well. Now I can't wait for Rayman 4!

Mario Vs. Donkey Kong: Jan 14 - Jan 20

After really enjoying GB DK, I was excited to try out this game, and I was… mildly satifsied. I found the first couple worlds to be just as fun as the original game, but then the plus worlds came in. Instead of getting a key to a door and then saving Mini-Mario, you instead have a Mini-Mario with a key you need to escort to the door. The problem with this is that Mini-Mario will always try to get to you no matter what's in the way, except in some cases, but it's really hard to tell when he stops and when he'll throw himeself into spikes or lava. Leading to a lot deaths that don't feel like your fault. Still, it's kind of a shame that future Mario Vs. Donkey Kong games basically became Lemmings, instead of refining this platforming gameplay. Also, in case you're wondering about the Expert world, that would require me to go through most of the levels all over again for a high score, and I can't be bothered to do that.

Super Mario Bros: Peach's Adventure: Feb 4 - Feb 8

I've played a lot of Pokemon hacks, so it was only time till I tried out a Mario hack. And with Super Mario World alone having thousands, if not tens of thousands of hacks, I had a lot of choices, but I had heard good things about this hack, and I have to agree. The levels are great, the music is awesome, and the secrets were fun to find, especially that Special World. I would definitely recommending checking out this hack.

Pokemon Crystal Clear: Feb 8 - Feb 17

This has been regarded as one of the best Crystal hacks, and I can definitely see why. Imagine if you could start from anywhere, get any pokemon, and fight the Gym Leaders in any order; including Kanto. That is what Crystal Clear set out to do and really excels at. Honestly, if you're like me, and wanting to play Crystal again, but with some small tweaks to keep it interesting, I'd say to try this out right now. I'd even say it's worth more than one playthrough, to see what happens with a different order…

Crash Bandicoot 2: N-Tranced: Feb 24 - Mar 2

After healing my hand, I returned to try out the second Crash Bandicoot GBA game. And I do think it's a bit better than the first game, for the most part. It's a lot like Warped, where they added a lot of vehicle levels with Coco and Crunch, and some vehicle sections in Crash's levels. I do think the level design is overall better than Huge Adventure, with a lot less leaps of faith. Which sounds like it would make the time trials easier… except that gold is not good enough. If you want your save file to be 101%, you basically need all platinum relics. Which I did not do, cause as it turns out the relics don't get you anything. No new levels, no new gems, you don't even need them to fight N. Tropy, as you actually need the hidden color gem shards instead. Honestly, I would say to completely ignore the time trials if you want to play this game, unless you want to go platinum.

Kirby's Return to Dream Land: Mar 3 - Mar 10

With so many hours spent in Super Star Ultra, I'm surprised I've never played RtDL until now. And not long before I started playing, a remake has come out! Oh well. I still found this game to be very enjoyable. Generally breezy, but does have some challenge if you do decide to go for 100%. And the Extra Mode didn't feel repetitive either. Part of me wishes I could have played through this with a friend or two, but it's still great in singleplayer.

Pokemon Coral: Mar 12 - Mar 17

This is another hack that, since I first saw it, I knew I had to try it out. And, even though it's just a demo, it quickly became one of my favorites. I think what separates this from other Pokemon hacks is that is really does feel like a Pokemon game GameFreak could have back in the day. It was a fun romp, and the few secrets I did fine were very cool. I look forward to future demos and a full release whenever they come out! Also, if I had a nickle every time a little girl turned out to be very threatening, I'd have two nickles, which isn't a lot but it's funny it happened twice.

Viewtiful Joe 2: Mar 18 - Mar 31

With the first game setting up a sequel hook, I felt it appropriate to play through the sequel this year. And… it's alright. I would say it's on par with the first game. I did find Sylvia to be neat, although I did not play as her much except when a puzzle required her abilities, if only because I was more familiar with Joe. Honestly, the only real low point with the game would have to be same as the first game, which is the boss rematches. This is largely because of the bosses being such damage sponges that each one can take several minutes to beat. Aside from that, it was an enjoyable ride. It's a shame this game also ends on a cliff-hanger, and there wasn't a Joe 3. The closest would be Red Hot Rumble, which is more multiplayer-focused, and Double Trouble, which I have heard mixed things about.

Kirby's Dream Land 3: Apr 5 - Apr 6

This will be one of two most controversial takes in this list, but I really did not care for this game. Not that I think this game is bad. After playing so much Super Star, I have a hard time going back to games that have one-button abilities, even though this came out afterwards. The various Animal Friends you get to use are pretty cool though, and I found the Heart Stars to be neat little puzzles. Honestly, this is definitely a case of it's not the game, it's just me.

Yoshi's Island DS: Apr 7 - Apr 23

Ohhhh boyyyyy. I was warned that 100%ing this game would be a pain. And they were right! While the new babies are cool, the level design is cruel. A lot of times, there'd be hidden red coins or flowers, or a cloud of stars. Speaking of stars, they are a lot more rare in DS, and you're gonna need them more in this game, since it feels like the enemies respawn the second they go offscreen. And what's worse is that they're aren't any star items here either. While you might say that there is content locked behind going for 100%, those Extra levels are even worse. To a point where beating them is challenging enough. I honestly wish I didn't play on actual hardware cause then I could have used save states and rewind.

Pizza Tower: Apr 24 - May 11 & Aug 26 - Aug 31 & Oct 23 - Oct 24

And here is the game you were expecting to be here. Yeah, this game is fantastic. It literally caused this ordering to seem odd. I really like this game, its movement, its soundtrack, it's all so great. And I had originally planned to just get the S-Ranks and maybe get the P-Ranks next year. But then really felt like going for 101%. A feeling that I usually don't get. So I went back at it. Were some of those P-Ranks difficult? Yes, but man, did it feel good finally getting them. I then finished the game by doing a speedrun (something else I typically don't do) to get the John Suit. And the Halloween update dropped. I thought the new content was very fun and definitely tested my abilities. Now to wait for the Noise update.

Cult of the Lamb: May 11 - May 19

This is a game I played last year, but it got a pretty sizable update, adding a new QOL stuff and additional post-game content. I also really love the heavy attacks, making my favorite weapon, the axe, even better as a boomerang! The relics were also a cool way to change up crusades, and boss rematches were also good way to test all the new stuff. Overall, I enjoyed my return to the cult, and with more content coming next year, chances are I will be writing about this game again.

Antonball Deluxe: May 23 - May 25

As I wait for Antonblast, I decided to check out the game that came out before it, Antonball! And it was pretty solid arcade style game. I did go through both Antonball and Punchball, but I did not 1cc them, but I may do that at a future point. While I did originally like Punchball more than Antonball, I now think I like latter over the former.

We ♥ Katamari REROLL + Royal Reverie: Jun 1 - Jun 9

Both PS2 Katamari games were my childhood, so I was excited to see a WLK remake. And honestly, it does a very good job at presenting katamari to a new generation. I would whole-heartedly recommend this game to anyone who hasn't played it on PS2. One small gripe I have is that the Royal Reverie is a really small part of the game, only being five stages, with them being remixes of previously existing stages. But still, Katamari Damacy is fun, no matter how the gaming landscape changes, which is just wonderful.

Hey! Pikmin: Jun 12 - Jun 17

As I waited for Pikmin 4, I decided to check out the fourth Pikmin game, Hey! Pikmin. And it's okay, I'd think. I feel like I don't hear a lot of people talk about it, which is a shame as I thought it was enjoyable. This game did a good job of taking the Pikmin formula and turning it into a puzzle-platformer. I was skeptical of the game being only touch controls and the Circle Pad, but it really works and it's pretty fun to use. While the game is on the easy side (and will offer to skip levels if you die too much), I didn't mind it. Although unlike any other game in the series, I don't see myself replaying this game anytime soon. Also, I did not do the amiibo stuff, because I have an old 3DS and would need to buy an adapter for it. Even if I did, I only 3 of the 9 amiibo I have would even be compatible for it.

Pac-Man World Re-Pac: Jun 19 - Jun 23

Despite playing Pac-Man World 2 and 3, I never played the PlayStation original. Until I tried out the remake, that is. And I really liked it! The levels were fun and I enjoyed the mazes. However, there was one small thing they changed that deterred me from getting true 100%. In the original game, in order to get 100%, you needed to also complete the Maze Marathon mode. However, instead of that, in order to get 100% in the remake, you need the Magic Key. Now, this Magic Key did exist in the original game, but it required an extremely high score and only counted as bragging rights. While the remake does lower score requirement, it still meant that since I sucked the slot machine game, I would need to play every stage all over again and just hope that I get a higher score, which I would rather not do.

Annalynn: Jul 2 - Jul 4

This little arcade style game is very cool. It's a maze-style game, with a couple worlds and three levels per world. After beating the Normal Mode, I was going to try to try to 1cc it, but then I spent a lot of time in Random Mode, until I realized it was an endless challenge. So, I decided I would use the Practice Mode, since perfecting levels there still counts for palettes. It was a real test of skill, but man did it feel great finally perfecting them all. I will definitely be coming back to 1cc this at a later date.

Frogger: Helmet Chaos: Jul 9 - Jul 19

After playing those two Frogger games, I decided to jump all the way to this title on the DS (and PSP). I've gotta say, this game has a lot more secrets to it then I originally thought. While there's obviously secret 1-ups and health extensions, this game also has a branching path system that's actually pretty complex. Depending on what actions or exits you take, you can either playthrough the game as just Frogger, or you could play as all three characters in one playthrough. And these other characters not only play differently, but also have entirely unique levels to them. It's honestly a shame that's there's not a lot of footage in this game of the multiple pathways, because they are definitely worth looking into. And in case you were wondering, I'm not playing any of the Frogger games I skipped.

Pikmin 4: Jul 22 - Jul 27

Ah yes, one of the games I was most looking forward to this year. Pikmin 4 does what sequel should do, it takes what worked and what's memorable about the previous entries, and combines it with some new stuff to make it feel like a homage to those that came before, while still standing on its own. Honestly, the reason I'm talking not too much about it, because I want to people to play it blind. Yes, even if you have never played a Pikmin game, I'd say to give it a shot!

Yoshi's Story: Aug 4 - Aug 6

Oh boy, this is the other controversial take, that I really did not care for this game. I thought going for all Melons and all Hearts would make things more interesting, and while it did do that, it did not make me appreciate the game more than just the fact this game has a harder challenge in it that most people wouldn't even know about. And the minigames to get the melons just kinda suck. I personally do think the game can be fun, but I do wish I could play the game as a set of stages and not have to do multiple playthroughs to play every stage.

Rayman Raving Rabbids: Aug 10 - Aug 11

Here we go. I recently acquired the Raving Rabbids Party Collection, which as you could probably guess is a collection of the first three Rabbids party games for the Wii. As someone who really likes Go Home and thought Travel in Time was okay, I've always been curious of these earlier games. And the first game is pretty rough honestly. Like, even without the context, it feels like the game was never meant to be this. The minigames too are just ok, with a lot of them just shake the Wiimote. No joke, I beat this game, after many attempts at one of the rhythm games, and woke up the next morning with sore arms. And I know there's also a Score Mode to do, but I don't like any minigames enough to replay them for high scores, and apparently you can't even beat the Score Mode on the Wii version due to a bug (and I doubt this collection patched it).

Rayman Raving Rabbids 2: Aug 13 - Aug 13

This one will be quick. You can tell this was designed with multiplayer first, as there's not really a singleplayer campaign other than just playing the minigames by yourself. Again, I didn't feel like going for high scores, because for some games, getting a high score is less on your skill and more on the opponents not screwing you over. At least the rhythm games here didn't give me sore arms. Also, I'm gonna go on a tangent about how much I dislike how Rayman looks in this game. He looks fine in the menus, but in the minigames he moves very oddly, and looks off (which I would not have noticed if 1P mode didn't lock me into being Rayman). I get that they need everyone to share the same hitboxes and animations, but he feels like a mod in his own game. No wonder he was phased out starting with the next game.

Rayman Raving Rabbids TV Party: Aug 17 - Aug 18

I can safely say that this was definitely my favorite out of the three. The minigames here were great. I feel like having groups of minigames with similar theming but still being unique was a good call. (for example, all the shooting games take place in a movie studio, but the movies are different). You can also play basically the prototype for Just Dance here, and honestly it was more fun that I would have thought! I was also worried that, since I no longer own a Balance Board, I would be locked out of playing certain minigames. Thankfully no, and while I can't say I played this with my butt as advertised, I did like them more then the past entries. This game makes me wish I could have played with at least another person, because I would have enjoyed that a lot. If were to choose one of these three games to go back and get a high score on, it would probably be this one.

Paper Mario TTYD64: Aug 18 - Aug 26

One last mod for the year, and it's a Paper Mario mod! I really love PM64, so this gave me a chance to play through it all over again. Except, it's different, because this mod adds in a lot of the mechanics from TTYD, as you might assume from the name. I did use the Danger strats, and with the new badges added, it did trivialize some parts of the game. Of course, the game also has multiple difficulties for you to choose, from the pathetically easy to the nearly impossible. And it even has two other modes with a built in randomizer and one where you only use Bow. I definitely need to check out those other modes, and can't recommend this mod enough!

Poochy & Yoshi's Woolly World: Sep 2 - Sep 12

Even when I did have a Wii U, I never played Woolly World. So this port was the only way I could play it. And honestly, I liked it! This game's pretty chill compared to the other Yoshi games I played, even when going for 100%. I feel like the fact that you don't need to get everything in one visit really helped with that, alongside the Power Badges. Of course, the game still does some challenge, especially in the extra levels. I also really like the aesthetic, it's very cute and stands out among the other titles in a good way. There's also the Poochy Dash stages, which were a nice change of pace. I should mention the amiibo content, which I was unable to do, but thankfully all I was locked out of was additional Yoshi costumes and a time trial mode for the Poochy stages. Would definitely recommend this one.

Star Fox Assault: Oct 4 - Oct 7

After playing 64 3D, I wanted to try out the other game in the series that's most recommended: Assault. And… I like parts of it. It might be because I've never played Ratchet or Jak, but the on-foot gameplay just did not click with me. Even with the many times I had to use it, I just did not care for it. However, the vehicles and the on-rail sections were pretty fun. This game also has a multiplayer mode, which seems cool, but as I have no one to play with, I don't have much desire to play it. A bit of shame, as there's a lot of stuff you can unlock for it. Oh well. And, in case you're wonder if I'll play SNES Star Fox, Command, or Zero: Maybe, probably not, and definitely not.

Super Bomberman R2: Oct 8 - Oct 12

Super Bomberman R was one of the first games I got for my Switch, so when this was announced, I was pretty excited! And yeah, it's pretty good. The story mode had a bit of a more open world with exploration and puzzles. Honestly it kinda felt like a mix of the SNES Bomberman and 64 / Generations style of gameplay, which really worked. There's also the new Castle mode here, and it was not too great. Yes, I like the idea on paper, but for two out of the three worlds, the layout I created ended up being too much for the AI. No joke, I could put my controller down, and the enemy would never reach the base. So that was a bit of a letdown. The other parts of the Story Mode are good, and honestly I would recommend playing it even if you only care about the multiplayer, since beating it gets you so many coins you can spend on the shop. I am sad that 100%ing didn't unlock my main from R1, who had similar requirements there. Guess I'll just have to play Karaoke Bomber instead.

Super Mario Bros. Wonder: Oct 30 - Nov 1

My, it has been long since we've had a new Mario platformer, hasn't it? While I do like the New Soup games (as I remember getting New Soup with a DS as a Christmas present), I was thrilled when Wonder was announced. So much personalty and charm oozing out! And honestly, the best way to describe how it feels to play Wonder is that it takes right back when I was playing NSMB as a child. Just so much amazement, and dare I say wonder as I trekked through the levels and found all of their secrets. I would personally say to go for 100% as it's very fun and the Special World is a worthy challenge that feels like the right amount of difficulty. I really hope this game sets a precedent for not only good Mario games again, but also that giving the devs as much time as they need can make a truly fantastic game.

Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope: Nov 7 - Nov 25

This game was the other Secret Santa gift I got from Bilth, and honestly I wish I played it sooner. While I have never played an X-COM styled game, I really enjoyed this one! I really did enjoy strategizing against all of the enemies the game could throw at me. And I do have a set of heroes I used the most (Luigi, Peach, and Rabbid Mario), I felt like all of the heroes were not only equally useful, but had plenty of synergy with each other. I at first wasn't sure if I was gonna for 100%, but I was enjoying myself the whole way! You better believe I'm gonna be playing those DLCs next year, once I figure out if I need a Ubisoft account or not.

Plok!: Dec 5 - Dec 10

Out of all of the games I've played this year, Plok! is honestly a tricky one to recommend. And I've definitely had a lot of fun with it, but the difficulty can deter people from finishing it. Plok doesn't have enough invincibility frames and dies in fewer hits than you'd think, the way that continues work makes it very easily to lose progress, and no saving and no passwords means you gotta beat the game in one sitting. Of course, those last two don't really apply if you're not playing on official hardware, but it's still a valid complaint. Also yes, the soundtrack is very, very good.

And that's the games, as always, here is a tierlist of all the games.

#game clearing

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fishing-croagunk · 10 months

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I want to post more often here, so here's a piece of work I recently completed. It's based of the color wheel meme, but I wanted to do my own twist on it, so I turned it into a game of volleyball (because summer).

(The list of characters will be after the cut)

White / Gray / Black - Mr. Game & Watch and Mr. Domino

Team 1 Pink - Mad Mew Mew and Prince Salde Red - Plok and Bonk Orange - Koishi and Fake Crash Yellow - The Noise and Whimsicott

Team 2 Green - Jennifer and Frogger Teal / Aqua / Cyan - Chaos and Globox Blue - Mike and Splash Woman Purple - Hsien-Ko and Annie

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fishing-croagunk · 1 year

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Game Clearing 2022: A Retrospective

It's that time of the year again, so let's look at all the games I beat.

As you can see, I played a lot more than last year, so I'm going to talk about them after the cut.

Frogger 2: Swampy's Revenge: Jan 16 - Jan 16

If you've read my 2021 list, you know how much I loathed Frogger. Well, the sequel is thankfully a lot easier. Of course, without it being as frustrating, it's a lot shorter, but I'd say it's a more enjoyable experience.

Rayman Legends: Definitive Edition: Feb 4 - Feb 4

I said I would cover Murfy's Touch and Back to Origins here, so I will. Murfy's Touch was a neat set of levels with a surprisingly decent AI you have to guide through the levels. The only real drag was having no way to go back other than restarting the level. Back to Origins was pretty fun, though. A bit challenging and the Mosquito levels were a good change of pace. This convinced me to get Origins, which you'll see later.

Kirby and the Forgotten Land: Mar 27 - Apr 13

Kirby makes his transition to true 3D (not counting spin-offs), and I think he did it really well. The controls feel good, and the Mouthful Mode felt like a natural extension of the gameplay. I really hope they make another game like this!

Yoshi Touch & Go: Apr 27 - Apr 27

After all the tilting of Topsy-Turvy that got me tilted, I was a bit worried about this one. Thankfully, the touch and drawing controls are miles better than turning the system. One thing I dislike about this game is that it's a highscore challenge instead of a series of levels in worlds. If they had done that, I probably would have liked it a bit more.

Rayman Revolution: May 1 - May 8

There are plentiful ways to play Rayman 2, so I went with the PlayStation 2 version. I quite liked the platforming, and enjoyed some of the exploration. I didn't feel compelled to collect all the Lums, though. Maybe I should check out Hoodlum Havoc next year.

Star Fox 64 3D: May 13 - May 14

I must say, I really liked Star Fox 64 3D. I did play on 3DS mode, and with Gyro Controls off. I also decided it would make sense to complete both paths and every mision at least once. Flying the Arwing felt really nice, and I even managed to get a few medals and the warp in Sector X. Maybe I should try to get the rest of the medals sometime…

Bomberman Generation: May 14 - May 18

I really like the Super Bomberman series, but I've never played 64 or The Second Attack, so I was looking forward to it. I thought the unique bombs and the Charabombs were a unique idea, giving the bombing a puzzle-platformer aspect. I really didn't like the fact that some bosses where part of levels and others weren't. Near the end of the game, I got through what was basically a maze and then I died the boss, having to do it all over again. The Crush Bombers were fine to fight though.

Rayman Origins: May 19 - May 24

Oh boy, here's a game I really enjoyed! The platforming felt a bit tighter than Legends, and it had a pretty good amount of challenge to it, including the Tricky Treasure stages and The Land of the Livid Dead. I'm unsure which is better, this or Legends, but I'd say Origins is better for a single-player experience.

BAD END THEATER: May 30 - May 31

Here's something unique for this list, a visual novel! Like most VNs, I'm not going to talk too much about it, because I'd think you should go into this as blind as possible. All I'll say is, it was excellent from beginning to end, and I really want to check out more games made by this person, and more virtual novels in general.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge: Jun 16 - Jun 17

I love the TMNT Beat 'Em Ups, so I was hyped when this was announced. I even got a friend to join me. We did play on the hardest difficulty, which lead to us getting our shells kicked in the early game, but it evened out quickly. Part me wished I could have played with more people, but I had fun whacking Foot Soilders.

Viewitiful Joe: Jul 2 - Jul 4

This game is stunning to look at. I'd say the graphics still look great today. I enjoyed the combat, and it was fun learning how to properly use the Slow-Mo and Speed-Up. The story was also fun, and it truly felt like a cheesy superhero movie. I will definitely try to get the sequel.

Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards (NSO): Jul 4 - Jul 5

I remember playing this game on Wii Virtual Console, but I don't remember finishing it. So I played through it again! It was fun figuring out all the unique combinations. My favorites would be Fire-Bomb, Ice-Stone, and Spark-Stone. Outside the shards that require abilites from a different level, it was pretty enjoyable getting them. It's also funny the re-release got a Teen rating.

Klonoa: Phantasy Reverie Series: Jul 20 - Aug 8

I have not played any of the games in the Klonoa series, until now. And man, this was a great entrypoint for the series! I liked the platforming, the story, the characters, the music..! I realize this is essentially two games in one, but both of them are amazing. I am definitely going to play more games in the series!

Cult of the Lamb: Sep 3 - Sep 12

I really like this game. The Roguelike part was pretty fun, and the management part was great as well. I ended up doing the four areas out of order, but it wasn't a serious problem. The final boss was pretty awesome. Perhaps I should play more Rougelikes, as I really enjoyed my time playing this.

Splatoon 3: Sep 16 - Sept 17

New Splatoon game means a new campaign. While the campaign is usually a good way to re-familiarize yourself with the controls, I liked the gimmick in the hub worlds as well. Makes me wish I could use Little Buddy in the Turf Wars.

Pokemon: Fool's Gold: Sep 25 - Sept 27

There are a ton of Pokemon ROMhacks out there. But this one takes everything you know about the Johto games and turns it on its head by changing the types of every Pokemon! It even adds some new areas to explore! Also, the Sevii islands are included, but that's when the game starts using mon at the level cap, so I stopped playing there.

Slap City: Oct 1 - Oct 2

I've played Slap City basically since release, but now Ludosity has added Story Mode for almost all of their characters. It was pretty decent to run through, although like Melee's Adventure Mode, every character plays the same series of levels. At least you can unlock cool new colors to use in the online play! I'm a Jenny main.

Luigi's Mansion 3: Oct 21 - Oct 24

I feel like this game really combines the good aspects of both of the games before it. It's all one big location, but you also have the collectibles. Gooigi also provided some new elements to the puzzle aspects. Part of me wishes I got my brother to play through the story with me.

Earthworm Jim (NSO): Oct 22 - Oct 22

I've played both EWJ 1 and 2 before, on ZNES (remember that?), but I genuinely don't remember if I've beaten either of them. I did use Save States (or restore points as NSO calls them), but I used them at checkpoints and after every level. I liked the game overall, but screw Tube Race. This was also the first time I played the Genesis-only level, Intestinal Distress, which was neat.

Earthworm Jim 2 (NSO): Oct 22 - Oct 22

Now this was a tricky one. I'd like to say that I think I like EWJ2 more than 1, but I wouldn't say by a lot. The graphics and platforming gameplay is better here, however the levels that don't use the platforming are kinda hit and miss. I did not like The Frying King, and Puppy Love is vastly inferior to Andy Asteroids. The actual platforming levels are great though. And before you ask, I am not going to play 3D nor Menace 2 the Galaxy.

Pokemon Snap (NSO): Oct 29 - Oct 29

I've heard a lot of good things about Snap, and it's not that bad of a game. Seeing Pokemon coexist like real animals is still neat. My only real gripe is that it's very short. I did snap a photo of all 63 mon though! Perhaps I should check out New Pokemon Snap sometime in the future.

Pokemon Blue: Oct 29 - Oct 30

I'm going to be real, I have never properly beaten a Gen 1 game before. I have played FireRed and LeafGreen many of times, but never the original games. And I have technically beaten it before, but that was through the glitch that warps you to the Hall of Fame. Playing through it, I did have a lot of moments where I realize how the later gens have spoiled me with a much larger bag and the physical/special split. Still it was kinda fun, but I'd rather play FireRed and LeafGreen.

Pokemon Stadium: Oct 30 - Oct 31

When Pokemon Stadium 1 and 2 were annouced for NSO, I was reminded of the fact that the Transfer Pack wouldn't be possible. So, with the power of emulation, I simulated the add-on, and brought the team I used in Blue into the N64 game. I did use PKHex to edit my team, but all I did was remove HMs (something you can't do in Gen 1), evolve my Haunter, and set all my mon to same level. And I can safely say that even with a proper team, Gym Leader Castle is unfair. It really felt like when the enemy needed a move to crit or status, it did. Combined with trapping moves with Wrap and Fire Spin, it's just not a good time. And you know what got for beating Lance? An Omanyte, which I already had in my Blue save.

Pokemon: Emerald Rouge: Nov 8 - Nov 13

Another ROMhack, and this one's quite good. It takes the Gen 3 games and turns it into a Rougelike. It's such a neat concept, and it preforms it really well. I also played on the EX version, which adds things from the later games. The thing is that I am not truly done, as after you beat it for the first time, a lot of cool things are unlocked, which I won't spoil for you. I totally recommend checking this one out!

Pokemon Stadium 2: Nov 18 - Nov 19

After conquering the first Pokemon Stadium, I knew I would have to do Pokemon Stadium 2. So applied the same strategy. I played through Crystal (which I've done numerous times) and assembled a team. Then I had to play a bit of Gold, because the Mareep line isn't in Crystal. Traded it over, added it to my team, and began the Gym Leader Castle. It's already a bit easier since you don't need to worry about things like Wrap. The AI still cheats though, and they'll use strategies like Toxic Stall on you. The Kanto side much easier than the Johto side, since you just have to fight the Gym Leaders themselves. And Red, whom is normally a formidable foe, I beat him first try! It's probably because he didn't try to status me, but it was an actual fight. Now, you might be wondering, am I going to play the Colosseum games? Probably not!

Also, a new thing I'm doing this year is a ranking. I feel like it'll better explain my experiences with each of them.

I made one for 2021, as well.

#game clearing

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fishing-croagunk · 2 years

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Game Clearing 2021: A Retrospective

It has been a while since my last post, but I have returned. I've still been playing games, so why not write about it.

Pikmin 3 Deluxe: Dec 28 - Jan 21

This is a special case since I don't actually remember if I completed the original Pikmin 3 way back when I owned a Wii U. At the same time, there is new content in this version, so? Anyways, I enjoyed Pikmin 3, as someone who has played the first two games to death. The little Side Stories stuff was pretty neat, reminded me a lot of mission mode. I admittedly wanted more when I finished it.

Frogger: Jan 4 - Jan 24

Oh boy. This one was personally my least favorite of all the games I cleared in 2021. It's super difficult. You're expected to time jumps between obstacles, but sometimes things are offbeat enough you can't safely jump over them. And you can't wait for things to line up, because you're under a strict time limit and when time runs out, you die! I did end up using a cheat code to give myself infinite lives. It did not make the game easier, it just cut down on repeating parts of the level.

Worms Reloaded: Jan 4 - Jan 5

I bought this game soley to play with friends, but I thought clearing the campaign mode would be interesting. It did teach me a lot about game mechanics (and how to properly use the Ninja Rope), but I started to dislike the later levels, mainly because of the difficulty scaling. Eventually, the game wants to defeat multiple 4-worm teams with only one or two worms on your side. At least at the end of the campaign, I got the fire meteors at the enemy team.

Puyo Puyo Tetris 2: Jan 21 - Jan 26

Another game purchased to play with friends, but I tend to play with online randos these days. I have more experience with Tetris than Puyo (largely because many of the games are Japan-only), but I think I slowly improved over playing the Story Mode. Probably because I needed to "get good" in order to beat the later levels. Of the standard game rules, Swap is probably my favorite, when not playing the standard Versus. Also, the story is absolutely bonkers, but I love it.

Sonic Generations: Mar 21 - Apr 9

I have not played a lot of Sonic games, and I haven't played a lot of 360 games. So, I tried to remedy that with this game. And it was pretty good. I will say I like the 2D sections more than the 3D sections, but that's my general preference. I thought the missions were pretty neat, although I just didn't care for some of them. At least I can play the original Sonic the Hedgehog within this game!

Ms. Pac-Man Maze Madness: Mar 25 - Mar 26

Another game based on an arcade game. Unlike Frogger, that made me want to pull my hair out, this was pretty enjoyable. Turning the mazes into a puzzle platormer was good idea by the devs. They even put in sections in the level based on the original mazes! While a bit short, I definitely had fun. If only they finished that sequel.

Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon: Apr 16 - Apr 30

I've played the original Luigi's Mansion plenty of times, but I haven't tried the newer games until now. I liked how they adjusted the controls for the 3DS, and the gameplay is as simple and intuitive as ever. The mission-style did make it easier to break down, compared to the four Areas of LM1. Would definitely play this one through again.

Ribbit King: May 4 - May 6

I actually won this game in an online action. And I was able to get it complete in box, for much cheaper that it usually sells for. I have played it before, but this was the first time playing through the Story Modes. The story is also pretty bonkers, but the game itself can be described as extremely wacky golf. Of course, this wackiness plays into the charm, and there is still strategy within the madness. Now only if I could convince my friends to play with me.

Miitopia: May 22 - Jun 25

I've played the original Miitopia on 3DS and really liked the quirky RPG, so when it came out on Switch, I was already on board. Of course, the added features to customize Miis made the experience better. I'd even say this version is worth getting over the 3DS original purely for the more robust character creation. The things people have been able to do with it is downright impressive.

Q*Bert: Jul 6 - Jul 17

Yet another game based on an arcade original. If Frogger was painful, and Ms. Pac-Man was enjoyable, then Q*Bert was… tolerable. I played the Adventure Mode (since Classic is just the original game) and found it to be alright. Just a very unremarkable experience. Maybe I'd rather just watch Saturday Supercade's take on Q*Bert, where they turned the nozer into Happy Days, for some reason.

Yoshi's Topsy Turvy: Sep 4 - Sep 6

Here's something unique: a GBA game with gyro controls. That was my thought going into it. However the novetly wore off by the third world. The controls just aren't percise enough to make the later levels fun. Sometimes, you tilt it too far, or tilt it not far enough. This is especially annoying on auto-scrolling stages, where sometimes you'll tilt it correctly but it ends up tilting too late anyway. I really wish I could have just pressed one of the shoulder buttons to tilt, instead of turning the system like an idiot.

WarioWare: Get It Together!: Sep 10 - Sep 10

With a game like WarioWare, beating Story Mode is trivial as you're intended to play the stages over and over to get the high scores. I do like the main twist of playing as the actual characters this time around, although some characters are just better than others. I feel bad for fans of 9-Volt, they were done dirty. But at least Orbulon is top tier! (A WarioWare game with a definitive tier list… now that's something.)

Super Paper Mario: Oct 4 - Oct 18

Another RPG, but not really. I would consider this game a platformer first, RPG second. Still though, the story is really good. While I have been spoiled on some details over the years, it was still amazing to see it all come together and develop. I would be lying if this game didn't make me emotional at times, especially at the end.

Rayman Legends: Definitive Edition: Nov 13 - Nov 19

I have a soft spot for 2D platformers, and I absolutely adored this game. Simple yet intuitive, but with just enough exploration to be interesting. The music stages too were also fantastic. At the time of writing, I have finished Murfy's Touch and Back to Origins, but I'll saved those for the 2022 list.

Pokemon: Brilliant Diamond: Nov 20 - Nov 29

As you can tell by my screenname, I really love the Gen IV games, despite their faults. Platinum was actually one the first games I've played, actually. So I was really looking the remakes. However, the remakes are not that great. First, they're still based on the original Diamond and Pearl, and didn't retrofit any of the changes or additions Platinum added. Kinda strange really. So I decided to change it to a Monotype run, where I could only use Pokemon of a certain type. I went with the Poison type, because Croagunk. It did make some things mildly interesing. Also, this game has a massive difficulty spike near the end, where the Elite Four and Champion start using competitive strategies for some reason.

Newer Super Mario Bros.: Dec 8 - Dec 12

This is actually a mod of the original New Super Mario Bros Wii, but it's basically a stand alone game built off of the original. I enjoyed playing the new levels, seeing the new enemies and finding all the Secret Exits. It almost makes me want to try to make my own levels. Additionally, one the developers, Skawo, has done a playthrough of the mod with developer commentary on their YouTube. I'd recommend checking it out.

#game clearing

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