I just beat __

Super Mario Run

Nintendo's first mobile game (excluding Miitomo), and to date the only one to charge a premium fee. Mario Run is without a doubt Nintendo's best mobile game, and I'm not just saying that because it's their only good one; it's actually pretty great! It's not too different from Mario's console adventures, save for the auto-run mechanic, but the simplified controls don't hurt it much at all and I think this is a great fit for mobile. The main story is only 24 levels long, but there's a good chunk of postgame levels too; colored coins, Toad Rally, and Remix 10 add a lot of replay value as well. True, this game is more of a mobile tie-in than anything, but for $10 you could do a lot worse.

Pros
-$10 buys you everything - no f2p, gacha elements, or microtransactions of any kind
-Controls work great on mobile; don't feel oversimplified
-Colored coins in each level encourage multiple runs
-Toad Rally and Remix 10 add a lot of replay value on top of that
-Wide character selection compared to most other Mario platformers
-Content here is well worth the premium price

Cons
-$10 is kinda steep compared to other mobile games
-Game is more of a tie-in to the New Super Mario Bros. tetralogy, and you'll probably want to play those instead
-As with those games, the graphics and soundtrack are nothing special and are mostly reused
-Main story only contains 24 levels
-Online requirement is annoying
 
ChromaGun_Logo.jpg

Chromagun (PC)

The first time I played the game was on the Switch, where they have a demo. After finding out how difficult it is to control with just analogue sticks, I have decided that it's better to play on the PC where the mouse controls are more intuitive for a game like this: a puzzle-oriented first-person shooter.

Indeed, when one says "Puzzle FPS", Portal comes to mind since it's the most popular of its genre. The game takes a few cues from said game, since you use your trusty gun to solve puzzles. In this game, instead of shooting portals, you can shoot paintballs at things to alter their colour, which comes in red, blue and yellow. Amusingly, the game is not designed for jumping since doing so in this game is pretty much futile, so you can say the level design is more 2-dimensional than Portal is.

With blue, yellow and red bullets, they can be mixed to form a secondary colour, so you basically have 7 colours at your disposal (including black). The way the colours work is that droids are attracted to a wall or tile that matches their colour, so if a droid is blue and there's a blue wall in its vicinity, it will be attracted to it like a magnet, and having two such tiles will make it go between the items of interest. The only exception is when black is involved, as in that case, a black droid will not be pulled to a black tile. The game also has worker droids, which are spiked versions of it and can hurt the player character, and the worst part is that they can follow the player if it starts moving (which can be triggered by shooting at it), unless a wall or tile in matching colour is found. These are very annoying and scary because they can go around obstacles, and it's even worse if the black ones are in pursuit. Thus, in a sense, the game's a bit more limited in possibilities since it's not a physics game, as timing is not emphasised (even though there are some moments that require quick reflexes).

This game also has a narrator that seems to have some black humour, which is basically another thing that it has in common with Portal. Except in this case, the narrator is a human executive so there aren't any manipulative machines here. Amusingly enough, an Easter egg exists in this game where a cake is found in a secret compartment in a room.

Although I never played Portal, even I can recognise that this game is highly inspired by said game, and I guess the developers even acknowledge the similarities. It's a decent game, I would say.

Thank you for reading.
 
Super Mario Bros. (1)

Gameplay: It kind of works for what it is. It's simple and intuitive. But it's not good. Many of the mechanics are broken and outdated. Iirc there was only one real powerup aside from the invincibility star, the Fire Flower. You can't scroll backwards. Multiplayer does exist, but is basically just you take it in turns to attempt the game, and as such is much less powerful than in later games such as Super Mario 3D World and New Super Mario Bros. Wii. You don't get to jump high on enemies or anything. Speaking of enemies there isn't that much variety in that department and there's only one boss. No special moves, no cannons, swimming does exist but isn't that cool, no clear pipes, launch stars, dash panels, etc. Basically, it was really cool for 1985, but Super Mario has come a huge distance since, and as such it's very outdated. Gameplay gets a 4 out of 10.

Level design: One major flaw with the game is how short it is. 32 modestly sized levels, hard versions of them, and that's it. That being said the levels which are there are actually pretty good; they were genuinely challenging and often cleverly put together, such as the first goomba in 1-1 being a really effective way to get the player used to things. However, I certainly wasn't a fan of the fact that you get sent to the start every time you can run out of lives, yeah I know there was the A trick which let you start at 2-1, 3-1, or 4-1 etc. but it could still be really inconvenient and if you miss it then I think you have to start from 1-1. I'm not a bad player really, but I die all the time and ended up pulling out a save state every 30 seconds. Thus I think I'd say they went a bit too far with the difficulty. Lost Levels is understandably, that was always meant to be hard, but this, maybe an appropriate challenge for some but definitely not for all. Also I think they were too sparse on 1-ups and Fire Flowers - one barely gets to enjoy the latter beyond the first few levels. Level design gets a 4 out of 10.

Presentation: Graphics feel retro and all but taking that out they're horrible next to modern Mario games. The music again is retro and are some classics that have been reused and remixed for decades, but there was a serious lack of variation, like 6 pieces of music (Overworld, Underground, Underwater, Castle, Starman, Ending) if you don't count things like the game over, 1-up jingle, level clear etc. or the hurry versions. No dialogue besides like 2 lines, no real plot setting in the game itself, only true characters if we don't count enemies are Mario, Peach, Bowser, Toad, and Luigi, of which the two brothers don't really express any speech, interaction, or character at all, Peach is only really seen once at the end when she thanks Mario, and Toad just says you've shown up at the wrong castle. Bowser's just a speechless boss. Yeah there was backstory written in booklets and all but not in the game itself, and even if you do count it, it's still an extremely shallow and next to worthless plot. The retro/classic feel is the only real reason I'm not putting this one outright on the negative spectrum; the preseneation gets a 5 out of 10.

Conclusion: The game may have been extremely advanced and revolutionary 35 years ago, but it's not 1985 anymore. Not even the most powerful games in history can escape growing old, and this one definitely has. But it's still at least a little bit of fun, and isn't terrible or completely worthless - it can be nice to play a game and know how important it was back then, and you really feel like you're playing something which was truly remarkable for the mid 1980s. Verdict: 4/10.
 
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Luigi's Mansion 3

Originally intended to finish collecting all the Gems, Rare Ghosts, and Achievements, but eh, why not just go ahead and beat King Boo. This game doesn't forcibly delete your save file after beating him like the first game did, so that's good.

Anyway, this game is fantastic and the best game in the Luigi's Mansion trilogy without a doubt. The gameplay builds upon that of its predecessors, but there are a ton of new mechanics too, the most notable being Gooigi. Originally designed as the player 2 character for the 3DS port of Luigi's Mansion 1, Gooigi is now playable in single player as well, and he has different abilities from Luigi too (for example, he can squeeze through tight spaces, but can't touch water). The level progression is a sort of mix between that of its two predecessors: while it takes place in a single building, like in Luigi's Mansion 1, there's a lot of variety in said building, like in Luigi's Mansion 2. Also, I think the presentation is fantastic in this game. The graphics and animation clearly had a lot of thought put into them, and I was genuinely impressed. So, on to the pro/con summary:

Pros
-Great new gameplay mechanics
-2-player co-op
-A nice, beefy, 12-hour game (at least supposedly; it will probably take you longer like I did)
-Lots of collectibles and achievements
-Beautiful graphics and animations

Cons
-Low ghost variety compared to Luigi's Mansion 1
-Not the most difficult game out there
-This game will make you hate Toads

Overall, I recommend this game to anyone who enjoyed either of the previous two titles. And even if you've never played Luigi's Mansion before, perhaps now's a good time to give it a shot!
 
Mario Party 4 (Nintendo GameCube)

Cleared the story mode as Mario, very nostalgic experience for me since I've played Toad's Midway Madness and Goomba's Greedy Gala a lot as a kid but for some odd reason never got around to trying out the other boards or experiencing the story mode. The mini-game selection is superb, some of my favorites include Cliffhangers, Dungeon Duos, Bob-Omb Breakers, Paths of Peril and Hop or Pop.
 
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Pinstripe (PC)

This game is basically a narrative platformer, something like Limbo. Basically Teddy, who is a minister had to chase an enigmatic demonic entity called the titular Pinstripe to a realm called "Hell" and rescue his young daughter before the demonic entity converts her into something demonic. To explain the game further would be to spoil what the entire game is all about, but it has a degree of symbolism, but the game has a tinge of sadness and hope to it.

This game has a shooter element, as Ted will eventually get a catapult to shoot things with, so he's not defenceless. Amusingly, there's only one enemy in this game that can only be defeated by stomping it. The game is partly littered with collectables that are also used as payment. To finish the game one must have at least 300 of them, which is a lot unless playing the game again (a key will be able to unlock certain doors containing a lot of treasure). There are also optional spot-the-difference puzzles, and they depict the life of the characters before the nightmare began.

It's a good game and since it's short, I finished it in a night.

Thank you for reading.
 
Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed (Xbox One)
SART_Mobile_Keyart.jpg

yes, I took this idea from you Winstein

I've unlocked the AGES Console Mod, which requires the player to get all of the stars, which requires the player to complete to play every mission in World Tour in S-Class, which I'll consider as completing the game. I have still have the Classic Cup and the Mirror Cups in Grand Prix and almost of the Time Trials left to get 'S' on, but as there aren't any rewards for that I'll consider the game complete.

Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed is a Kart Racing. I want to get that out of the way first. It's not a Mario Kart rip-off or clone, it's a Kart Racing game, Kart Racing is sub-genre of Racing, get it right people.

I assume you all know the standard mechanics in Kart Racing games, Mario Kart is the best selling spin-off of Mario after all. You race on tracks, and grab items to hit your opponents. Basic stuff. Most games in the genre step it up with Drifting and Tricks, which allow you to get boosts (most games does not include Diddy Kong Racing). Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed is unique in how it handles these to mechanics, with Drifting you can briefly let go and change directions to continue charging your boost from it's current level. You can also release the acceleration button while drifting to slow down and make your turns tighter. Tricking is even more unique, compared to Mario Kart series where you perform a trick on a ramp to get a boost, in Transformed you can perform a trick as long as you're in mid-air, this means you can perform multiple tricks, which allow you to get a bigger boost when you touch the ground. You have to be careful though, if you collide into something during the trick it fails and you'll lose all of the boost you gained. It's also important to note there are two types of trick, rolls and flips. Rolls move you left or right depending which direction you inputed, but have a smaller vertical hitbox then flips, which don't move you. Both have their uses, so make sure to use the right one in the right situation.

Drifting and Tricks tie back into a major mechanic, which is boosting. Simply put, whenever you boost your speed increases for a brief period of time, however if you gain a boost while you already boosting, then you'll go even faster until one of the boosts end, then you'll just have the other boost. You can do this with multiple boosts to go even faster. This is what makes the game so enjoyable to play, chain together multiple boosts to go as fast as possible is fun. It's not easy to master, but once you do it's a lot of fun.

Of course there's the main gimmick of the game, transforming. During a race your vehicle can change into a Car, a Boat or a Plane. These mostly share the same gameplay features and mechanics, the only exception is the Plane, which can't Trick. Instead it can perform a dodge, which allows the player to reposition themself in mid-air. It can still give a boost as well, by dodging out of the way of an obstacle (such as a wall or enemy) at the last second, you'll get a boost. Most flight sections are built around this, and give you plenty of opportunities to get 'Risk Boosts' as they're called. All of the transformations have their own style of track design in fact, Cars are the standard linear races, Boats often have multiple path to choose from and switch between, and the aforementioned Planes are wide open areas with a variety of paths and hazards to come across or avoid. Each vehicle has it's own feel as well, Cars control smoothly emphasising the Drift mechanic, Boats are little more chaotic, with ramps and waves giving more emphasis to Trick mechanic, while Planes are the fastest but are stiff to control, making the dodge mechanic and Risk Boosts even more important. They're all a blast to control, and only serve to make racing better.

It's not just the vehicles that transform however, because the tracks Transform as well. In Dragon Canyon, you'll be Driving across bridges and through caves one lap, then you'll be sailing across a river after a tree fell down on the next, and then on the final lap you'll flying through the canyon the river is in after a dragon destroys a bridge. Not all of these changes are as dynamic as this track, or even appear in every track, but they appear in most tracks, and those ones are far more exciting and interesting to play because of it.

Speaking of tracks, let's talk about them. These are brilliantly designed, with a variety of themes, layouts, and hazards to avoid. No track feels like the last. One of my favourites has to be Burning Depths, based on Burning Rangers. Each lap the water rises, with the first lap being in car, and the next two striking a balance between Car and Boat. Each turn is tight, and one slip-up can meaning bashing into a wall and losing your speed, but it's still so much fun. Adder's Lair, based on Golden Axe, is another good one, expertly tying together all three transformations into one course. Race of AGES is an original location, where the player races through a futuristic location full of holograms that showcase the history of SEGA. Midway through a lap, the player must choose between a Boat and a Plane, the former is a chaotic section, full of hazards waves and ramps, while the latter is a long hallway full of boosts and hazardous walls. The tracks are a ton of fun to play, and compliment the gameplay very well by giving the player lots of opportunities to use the mechanics of the game. If I had to choose a least favourite, then it would Graffiti City. It's not a bad track, but it's where the buggy physics are most prevalent, and has barely any opportunities to use the mechanics to go faster.

As this is a kart racer, there's going to be items. There's a variety of items in this, such as a Firework Rocket, a Swarm of Wasps, or a Pufferfish. Each is unique, and only a few can be compared to items in Mario Kart. The Firework Rocket is a fast projectile that moves in a straight line and bounces off walls, it's similar to the Green Shell, but as it moves quickly it much more suited to the ever satisfying sniping players. The Drone chases down the opponent in front of you, once it gets close, it slows down a bit, and it's only a matter of time until it hits them. If your on the receiving end of this then there's no need to worry, as a boost or projectile can stop the Drone. Ice comes in packs of three, while weak by itself if all three hit a player it Freezes them. Pufferfish can be placed behind you, or fired in front as slower moving Firework Rocket. Boosts are what it says on the tin, they gives you a boost. Hot Rod attaches a Hot Rod to your vehicle, which will increase your speed until it explodes. Unlike a similar item in Mario Kart Wii, this item can exploded early for a boost and damage to anyone nearby, and the later you manually explode, the more powerful it becomes. The Tornado chases after the player in front of you and reverses their controls if it hits them. The Glove blocks and any items that hit you, and then gives you that item to use. Finally Swarm sends a swarm of in front of the player in first, these Wasps then appear as hazards on the track, which most be avoided. The Game also features a special type of item, the All-Star ability. This item puts you in flight mode, gives you a speed boost, and makes you invincible. Alongside that you can press the item button again to attack, the attack depends on the character, ranging from a pathetic blast around you, to three homing fireballs that you will learn to fear. The All-Star is disappointing, unlike the first All-Stars Racing game it's just flying instead of a unique transformation (Big rides Froggy, Sonic turns Super, AiAi get into the Monkey Ball), and lacks balancing.

The Soundtrack is composed and arranged by Sonic series veteran, Richard Jacques. He also composed the music for Sonic R, which sneaks it's way into Ocean View and Sanctuary Falls with arrangements of Super Sonic Racing and Back In Time respectively. The music has an electronic style leaning towards trap/dubstep, which is most noticeable in the DLC track OutRun Bay. A majority of the remixes are brilliant, with my personal favourites being Carrier Zone, Seasonal Shrine, Rogue's Landing, Adder's Lair and Burning Depths. Burning Depth has lyrics, and is the best song in the game. All of the songs are good however, and I can't think of one that I don't enjoy. As this is a crossover game, it features songs from many different franchises, and it even got me to check out the soundtrack for Panzer Dragoon and Skies of Arcadia. An important part to note about the soundtrack is that sometimes the music will change when the vehicle transforms, making the music a little more dynamic. Most of time it turns into a completely different song, for example in Graffiti City, the song will change from an arrangement of That's Enough, to an arrangement of Everybody Jump Around (a song that was composed by Richard Jacques). It's not just the tracks that have music as well, the pre-race overview of the track has music unique to each track, and each characters has a unique arrangement for their All-Star ability. Overall the soundtrack is amazing, and just helps to make a brilliant game even better.

The main mode of the game is World Tour, a single player mode which acts as an adventure mode. You select a stage, a play it. Each stage is a different mission type on a different track, these missions can range from a standard race, to shooting down a tank. My personal favourite has to be ring race, where the player must go through a path of rings as fast as possible, this normally provides a new perspective on an old track. Meanwhile my least favourite is pursuit, it's slow, and drags on for far too long with not enough variety, it just goes against everything that I enjoy about the game. Pursuit is the only one like this however, and as there's only three Pursuit mission, World Tour remains as a fun mode, which is good because almost everything is unlocked by playing this mode (besides Dr. Eggman and the Mii/Avatar).

There's also Time Attack, which is this games equivalent to Time Trials. In this mode, the player must complete a lap of a race alone as fast as possible. It's a bit of a disappointment, as you can only race on one of the laps, meaning you can't get full practise on the tracks that change between laps.

Overall, while the game is brought down a bit by sometimes poor hit detection and physics, it's a fantastic game with fast and fun gameplay, which is helped by well designed tracks, and an amazing soundtrack. If you enjoy Mario Kart but have yet to play this game then urge you to give it a go. It's on Steam for $15 which is a great price for what is not only one of the best racing games I've ever played, but one of my favourite games.
 
Chris Yukine said:
Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed (Xbox One)
SART_Mobile_Keyart.jpg

yes, I took this idea from you Winstein

I've unlocked the AGES Console Mod, which requires the player to get all of the stars, which requires the player to complete to play every mission in World Tour in S-Class, which I'll consider as completing the game. I have still have the Classic Cup and the Mirror Cups in Grand Prix and almost of the Time Trials left to get 'S' on, but as there aren't any rewards for that I'll consider the game complete.

Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed is a Kart Racing. I want to get that out of the way first. It's not a Mario Kart rip-off or clone, it's a Kart Racing game, Kart Racing is sub-genre of Racing, get it right people.

I assume you all know the standard mechanics in Kart Racing games, Mario Kart is the best selling spin-off of Mario after all. You race on tracks, and grab items to hit your opponents. Basic stuff. Most games in the genre step it up with Drifting and Tricks, which allow you to get boosts (most games does not include Diddy Kong Racing). Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed is unique in how it handles these to mechanics, with Drifting you can briefly let go and change directions to continue charging your boost from it's current level. You can also release the acceleration button while drifting to slow down and make your turns tighter. Tricking is even more unique, compared to Mario Kart series where you perform a trick on a ramp to get a boost, in Transformed you can perform a trick as long as you're in mid-air, this means you can perform multiple tricks, which allow you to get a bigger boost when you touch the ground. You have to be careful though, if you collide into something during the trick it fails and you'll lose all of the boost you gained. It's also important to note there are two types of trick, rolls and flips. Rolls move you left or right depending which direction you inputed, but have a smaller vertical hitbox then flips, which don't move you. Both have their uses, so make sure to use the right one in the right situation.

Drifting and Tricks tie back into a major mechanic, which is boosting. Simply put, whenever you boost your speed increases for a brief period of time, however if you gain a boost while you already boosting, then you'll go even faster until one of the boosts end, then you'll just have the other boost. You can do this with multiple boosts to go even faster. This is what makes the game so enjoyable to play, chain together multiple boosts to go as fast as possible is fun. It's not easy to master, but once you do it's a lot of fun.

Of course there's the main gimmick of the game, transforming. During a race your vehicle can change into a Car, a Boat or a Plane. These mostly share the same gameplay features and mechanics, the only exception is the Plane, which can't Trick. Instead it can perform a dodge, which allows the player to reposition themself in mid-air. It can still give a boost as well, by dodging out of the way of an obstacle (such as a wall or enemy) at the last second, you'll get a boost. Most flight sections are built around this, and give you plenty of opportunities to get 'Risk Boosts' as they're called. All of the transformations have their own style of track design in fact, Cars are the standard linear races, Boats often have multiple path to choose from and switch between, and the aforementioned Planes are wide open areas with a variety of paths and hazards to come across or avoid. Each vehicle has it's own feel as well, Cars control smoothly emphasising the Drift mechanic, Boats are little more chaotic, with ramps and waves giving more emphasis to Trick mechanic, while Planes are the fastest but are stiff to control, making the dodge mechanic and Risk Boosts even more important. They're all a blast to control, and only serve to make racing better.

It's not just the vehicles that transform however, because the tracks Transform as well. In Dragon Canyon, you'll be Driving across bridges and through caves one lap, then you'll be sailing across a river after a tree fell down on the next, and then on the final lap you'll flying through the canyon the river is in after a dragon destroys a bridge. Not all of these changes are as dynamic as this track, or even appear in every track, but they appear in most tracks, and those ones are far more exciting and interesting to play because of it.

Speaking of tracks, let's talk about them. These are brilliantly designed, with a variety of themes, layouts, and hazards to avoid. No track feels like the last. One of my favourites has to be Burning Depths, based on Burning Rangers. Each lap the water rises, with the first lap being in car, and the next two striking a balance between Car and Boat. Each turn is tight, and one slip-up can meaning bashing into a wall and losing your speed, but it's still so much fun. Adder's Lair, based on Golden Axe, is another good one, expertly tying together all three transformations into one course. Race of AGES is an original location, where the player races through a futuristic location full of holograms that showcase the history of SEGA. Midway through a lap, the player must choose between a Boat and a Plane, the former is a chaotic section, full of hazards waves and ramps, while the latter is a long hallway full of boosts and hazardous walls. The tracks are a ton of fun to play, and compliment the gameplay very well by giving the player lots of opportunities to use the mechanics of the game. If I had to choose a least favourite, then it would Graffiti City. It's not a bad track, but it's where the buggy physics are most prevalent, and has barely any opportunities to use the mechanics to go faster.

As this is a kart racer, there's going to be items. There's a variety of items in this, such as a Firework Rocket, a Swarm of Wasps, or a Pufferfish. Each is unique, and only a few can be compared to items in Mario Kart. The Firework Rocket is a fast projectile that moves in a straight line and bounces off walls, it's similar to the Green Shell, but as it moves quickly it much more suited to the ever satisfying sniping players. The Drone chases down the opponent in front of you, once it gets close, it slows down a bit, and it's only a matter of time until it hits them. If your on the receiving end of this then there's no need to worry, as a boost or projectile can stop the Drone. Ice comes in packs of three, while weak by itself if all three hit a player it Freezes them. Pufferfish can be placed behind you, or fired in front as slower moving Firework Rocket. Boosts are what it says on the tin, they gives you a boost. Hot Rod attaches a Hot Rod to your vehicle, which will increase your speed until it explodes. Unlike a similar item in Mario Kart Wii, this item can exploded early for a boost and damage to anyone nearby, and the later you manually explode, the more powerful it becomes. The Tornado chases after the player in front of you and reverses their controls if it hits them. The Glove blocks and any items that hit you, and then gives you that item to use. Finally Swarm sends a swarm of in front of the player in first, these Wasps then appear as hazards on the track, which most be avoided. The Game also features a special type of item, the All-Star ability. This item puts you in flight mode, gives you a speed boost, and makes you invincible. Alongside that you can press the item button again to attack, the attack depends on the character, ranging from a pathetic blast around you, to three homing fireballs that you will learn to fear. The All-Star is disappointing, unlike the first All-Stars Racing game it's just flying instead of a unique transformation (Big rides Froggy, Sonic turns Super, AiAi get into the Monkey Ball), and lacks balancing.

The Soundtrack is composed and arranged by Sonic series veteran, Richard Jacques. He also composed the music for Sonic R, which sneaks it's way into Ocean View and Sanctuary Falls with arrangements of Super Sonic Racing and Back In Time respectively. The music has an electronic style leaning towards trap/dubstep, which is most noticeable in the DLC track OutRun Bay. A majority of the remixes are brilliant, with my personal favourites being Carrier Zone, Seasonal Shrine, Rogue's Landing, Adder's Lair and Burning Depths. Burning Depth has lyrics, and is the best song in the game. All of the songs are good however, and I can't think of one that I don't enjoy. As this is a crossover game, it features songs from many different franchises, and it even got me to check out the soundtrack for Panzer Dragoon and Skies of Arcadia. An important part to note about the soundtrack is that sometimes the music will change when the vehicle transforms, making the music a little more dynamic. Most of time it turns into a completely different song, for example in Graffiti City, the song will change from an arrangement of That's Enough, to an arrangement of Everybody Jump Around (a song that was composed by Richard Jacques). It's not just the tracks that have music as well, the pre-race overview of the track has music unique to each track, and each characters has a unique arrangement for their All-Star ability. Overall the soundtrack is amazing, and just helps to make a brilliant game even better.

The main mode of the game is World Tour, a single player mode which acts as an adventure mode. You select a stage, a play it. Each stage is a different mission type on a different track, these missions can range from a standard race, to shooting down a tank. My personal favourite has to be ring race, where the player must go through a path of rings as fast as possible, this normally provides a new perspective on an old track. Meanwhile my least favourite is pursuit, it's slow, and drags on for far too long with not enough variety, it just goes against everything that I enjoy about the game. Pursuit is the only one like this however, and as there's only three Pursuit mission, World Tour remains as a fun mode, which is good because almost everything is unlocked by playing this mode (besides Dr. Eggman and the Mii/Avatar).

There's also Time Attack, which is this games equivalent to Time Trials. In this mode, the player must complete a lap of a race alone as fast as possible. It's a bit of a disappointment, as you can only race on one of the laps, meaning you can't get full practise on the tracks that change between laps.

Overall, while the game is brought down a bit by sometimes poor hit detection and physics, it's a fantastic game with fast and fun gameplay, which is helped by well designed tracks, and an amazing soundtrack. If you enjoy Mario Kart but have yet to play this game then urge you to give it a go. It's on Steam for $15 which is a great price for what is not only one of the best racing games I've ever played, but one of my favourite games.
Click to expand...
Not played this and it doesnt sound like my thing tbh but sounds cool
 
The game has great team mechanics too: if you play with two players, you can actually share items with each other. And I love being able to play together in all modes except Time Trials. We also Expert Ranked everything except Time Trials. Maybe one day we can expert Time Trials.
 
Super Mario Bros. 2: The Lost Levels

Peace is paved
Our kingdom saved
Hurrah to Mario
Our only hero
This ends the trip
Of a long friendship

Also known as Super Mario Bros. 2: For Super Players or just simply Super Mario Bros. 2 (Japan), this originally Japan-only sequel to Super Mario Bros. is renowned for exactly one thing: it's the most brutal Mario game out there. Running on the same engine as its predecessor, you'd be forgiven for thinking this is the NSMB2 of the NES era; Mario 2 takes every principle that made the original such a success, and turns it on its head. The result? Brutal, yes, but also an astounding work of art brimming with creativity...with one major flaw.

From the very beginning of the game you're faced with a decision that will significantly impact the way you play the game, and you can't change it later: should you play as Mario, or Luigi? Mario plays identically to the original game, and is a good choice for a first playthrough; Luigi's a lot tougher to control, but his enhanced jumping abilities definitely make up for it, so you should definitely try out both and see which one suits your playstyle best. The enemies and obstacles are also largely the same as the original game, but there are a few new tricks here: Piranha Plants are now red and won't wait for Mario to move away before emerging, certain sections will include wind that will drastically alter your jump physics, warp zones that can send you either forwards or backwards, and of course the infamous Poison Mushroom that we all slammed into thinking we would grow Super. These are good and all, but what really makes the game special is when the level design starts getting wacky. From Bloopers swimming in air, to Lakitus underwater, to those fake Blue Bowsers, there are all kinds of ideas here just waiting to be explored. Even a lot of unintended mechanics of the original game become absolutely crucial in some levels. These kinds of levels are especially plentiful in worlds 8 and 9 (should you make it there; see below).

The main game consists of 8 worlds with 4 levels each, just like the first game, but there are five secret worlds as well. World 9 requires that you beat all 32 main levels without utilizing warp zones to skip any. However, Worlds A, B, C, and D require that you've beaten the game a total of eight times. You'd have to be a true super player to make it to those levels, and as of this writing I have only cleared the first nine.

The box has an iconic label that reads "For Super Players", and believe me, that's no joke. This game is brutal, frustrating, brutal, tooth-grinding, brutal, controller-breaking, and just plain brutal. Don't be afraid to take advantage of save states and rewind for your first playthrough (although, for you purists, there is now a continue button and it's no longer hidden). This is a game that will make you hate it from the start, but then make it all feel worth it after hitting the final axe. In fact, the ending theme in this game is just about the grandest retro theme you'll ever hear. It'll provide some incentive to experience the game as intended afterwards; you have to beat the thing eight times anyway if you want those final four worlds, so don't be afraid to try different things!

Unfortunately, I have intentionally avoided the single biggest downside to this game: it was released in 1986. It has not aged very well at all, and due to various level design quirks it shows its age even more than its predecessor. That's not to say it isn't worth playing, because it absolutely is, but a significant amount of the game's difficulty is from aged mechanics, which is pretty disappointing considering how much else the game does right. I would absolutely love to see an HD release of this game and the other early Mario games that cleans up some of these aged mechanics, but as it stands now you'll just have to bear with these.

Conclusion: Mario 2 is a beautifully--and brutally--crafted game from start to finish. The creativity here is unbelievable, especially for what seems like a safe sequel on the surface. Its age is made painfully clear, however, and you can't fully experience the full glory of the game without getting frustrated over the fact that you hit that dang hammer Bowser threw at you on your last life. Definitely worth playing for sure, especially if you enjoyed the original, but be prepared for some cheap game overs from 30-year-old game mechanics.

Pros
-Creative and wacky level design
-More content than the original
-Two characters with different playstyles
-Very rewarding to beat

Cons
-30-year-old game mechanics significantly add to the brutality
-Very obtuse requirements to unlock worlds A through D
 
Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War (Generation 1)

Oh boy. Oh boy. We are now halfway through the game. And... it's depressing, really. We all thought that barbecue party was the least of our problems. Aw man, shit happens. Now I'll stop talking about that before I spoil anything. Basically the reaso why I'm considering this a point where I can post here is because Sigurd's story is now over, and past this point, it's all new characters. Here's my thoughts on everyone that I used extensively (this game has no deployment slots so I'm just gonna talk about the people who weren't sitting around being useless most of the time, althougheveryone still was helpful one way or another.

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Ah, Sigurd! Where do I begin with this guy? Easily, easily the most broken, most op, and most useful lord in all of the series, by a long shot! Starts off prepromoted, has high bases, can one-round almost any enemy at base level, and is ON A HORSE, in the game that has the biggest maps. He also gets a free silver sword. In the prologue. Sigurd is just about almost invincible, really. And he's not too shabby as a character too, mainly his arc, which I will not spoil because it really is something that you have to experience for yourself. Although I still prefer Ephraim, Eirika and Ike as lords in the series, Sogurd is very up there as one of the greats. Too bad he's... absent in the second half of the game. Much like anyone else save one.

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So... first thing you start the game, and you have four units, Sigurd, Noish and Alec (Red and Green cavs), and Arden, the armor knight. The worst unit in the initial bunch... precisely why I used him! Sure, he doesn't double, doesn't have as much defense as his class would suggest, and gets doubled by enemies who have pursuit most of the time. But he's the only one who can get you a pursuit ring, a valuable item, and he's fun to train up (much like Wendy, another Armor Knight from another certain game). The main thing that hurts Adren is the sheer size of the game's maps, where low movement units like him have a hard time catching up... UNLESS YOU GIVE HIM A LEG RING WHICH INCREASES HIS MOVE BY 3! Haha! As a character, Arden is just a nice guy who, although is the butt of Alec's jokes, still respects him and wants to be a good knight. He's also a man who wants the glory, and all that, he's a likable dude, and he's so funny. One of my favorite meme units in the series.

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Azel is another unit who suffers from low movement, since mages have that problem in this game. Although he doubles, and can kill easily if he does, so as a combat unit he's actually pretty good, that and promoting him makes him a Mage Knight, giving him a horse, and horses in Genealogy are vital. His personality isn't anything all that special, he's just this guy who's kinda shy and grows flustered when you bring up his crush, but he's here for you if you ever need help.

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Lex! Lex is Azel's best friend, and unlike him, he starts with a horse, like most units you get in the prologue. Lex doesn't double, and he wields the heaviest weapon type in the game, but what he has is something special. Lex has paragon, a skill that allows him to gain exp twice as fast as anyone else. In no time, Lex's stats will go very high, notably his strength and defense, and he'll most likely be your tankiest unit by only chapter 2, sustaining very little damage from any enemy that isn't a mage. As a character, Lex is pretty snarky, but a good jokester friend too, and although he can be an asshole, he's a perfect angel compared to his dad.

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Finn. Another cavalier. And a damn good one too. Although he only uses lances and as such doesn't double as much as one would think, he's got a nice share of conversations that greatly benefit him. For instance, he is the character who can get you the brave lance, and amazing weapon. He also can gain stats at occasions by talking to Quan. Idk, he just ended up being a good unit up until he left the party at chapter 4. But apparently he's actually the only character who's playable again in Gen 2, so I'm definitely looking forward to having him back! He also has a really cool arc that I wouldn't want to spoil here. Definitely one of my favorite characters in this game.

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And here's Aideen, a healer who joins in chapter 1. And she knows how to heal pretty well, I'd say. She has a whopping base of 13 magic, along with a mend staff, so she can already heal 33 HP from the get-go, which is pretty amazing. That and she was my main Physic user, and I love Physic staves. Character-wise, she's just your typical kind-hearted, selfless person, a kind of character I don't need much to like.

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Holyn. This guy... this Mercenary legit shows up in Chapter 2, with over 40 HP and 11 defense. Tankiest Merc/Myrmidon ever! That and he also dodged several things that were almost certain to hit, so he became a meme in my playthrough for that. "Dodge-God" Holyn. He's good. He's a good unit. Not that obvious to get, but not that hard either, so I say for what you have to do to get him on your side, he's well worth it.

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Lachesis is this unit I never thought I'd like using so much. She seems weak at first, not doing much damage to enemies, being pretty frail, not doubling, and the only reliable thing she does being healing from the backlines. However, if promoted, Lachesis becomes a powerhouse, a foe to be reckoned with. Her promo gains are enormous, she gains the pursuit skill, and a horse, and access to every other weapon type that isn't dark magic. I had so much fun with her on the last map of Gen 1.

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Lewyn though? Lewyn probably was my best unit. Lewyn could one-round, or crit, and he was so fast he could dodge anything, and to make matters even worse, he gets a legendary tome that increases his speed by 20. TWEN. TY. 20!! That's 40 extra avoid from that alone, making Lewyn pretty much the ultimate dodge-tank. As a character, Lewyn is somewhat of a dismissive person, although he is very responsible and also a bit of a fuckboi. A nice combination tbh, makes his dialogue witty and funny but also admirable.

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Sigh... Sylvia... oh, Sylvia. You alone, have probably caused me more trouble than anyone else on this team, even more than Arden. But ya know what? I forgive you. Sylvia is a dancer. She loves to dance. And she is, perhaps, the single best dancer in the entire series. Reyson can fly and sing for 4 people when tranformed but is dead the second you touch him? That's cute, but you know what's cuter? A dancer who can dance 4 people whenever, in a game where you need to move a lot, and she can dodge hitrates that are in the 100%'s if her HP is low enough. That and she's cuter than Reyson. Although that is not what caused me trouble about her. The problem I had here is that I wasn't able to get her an optimal pairing by the end of Gen 1. And quite sincerely, Fuck you, Alec. I also really like Sylvia as a character. Whenever she speaks, her dialogue is pure gold, whether she's being wholesome or... naughty, such as "L-little girl?! Wha... Have you ever seen a little girl in THESE before?! What is wrong with you!" Aw man... I'm sorry, Claud... you missed out on a nice waifu. Don't worry, you'll get to be horny for her in another playthrough.

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Finally, here is Ferry, the Pegasus Knight, and it should come as no surprise that I really like her, just like any other goddamn Pegasus Knight I take control of. She can double, she flies, and archers aren't very plentiful in this game so she's safe most of the time. And as a character, she is a really sweet cinnamon roll who's always flustered but also headstrong, and it just sounds like having a conversation with her will make you feel better, and she's an all-around great person. Best girl in FE4 Gen 1.

Now off to Gen 2, where we will follow the journey of Sigurd's son, Seliph, along with the children of our beloved heroes!
 
Varian said:
Super Mario Bros. 2: The Lost Levels

Peace is paved
Our kingdom saved
Hurrah to Mario
Our only hero
This ends the trip
Of a long friendship

Also known as Super Mario Bros. 2: For Super Players or just simply Super Mario Bros. 2 (Japan), this originally Japan-only sequel to Super Mario Bros. is renowned for exactly one thing: it's the most brutal Mario game out there. Running on the same engine as its predecessor, you'd be forgiven for thinking this is the NSMB2 of the NES era; Mario 2 takes every principle that made the original such a success, and turns it on its head. The result? Brutal, yes, but also an astounding work of art brimming with creativity...with one major flaw.

From the very beginning of the game you're faced with a decision that will significantly impact the way you play the game, and you can't change it later: should you play as Mario, or Luigi? Mario plays identically to the original game, and is a good choice for a first playthrough; Luigi's a lot tougher to control, but his enhanced jumping abilities definitely make up for it, so you should definitely try out both and see which one suits your playstyle best. The enemies and obstacles are also largely the same as the original game, but there are a few new tricks here: Piranha Plants are now red and won't wait for Mario to move away before emerging, certain sections will include wind that will drastically alter your jump physics, warp zones that can send you either forwards or backwards, and of course the infamous Poison Mushroom that we all slammed into thinking we would grow Super. These are good and all, but what really makes the game special is when the level design starts getting wacky. From Bloopers swimming in air, to Lakitus underwater, to those fake Blue Bowsers, there are all kinds of ideas here just waiting to be explored. Even a lot of unintended mechanics of the original game become absolutely crucial in some levels. These kinds of levels are especially plentiful in worlds 8 and 9 (should you make it there; see below).

The main game consists of 8 worlds with 4 levels each, just like the first game, but there are five secret worlds as well. World 9 requires that you beat all 32 main levels without utilizing warp zones to skip any. However, Worlds A, B, C, and D require that you've beaten the game a total of eight times. You'd have to be a true super player to make it to those levels, and as of this writing I have only cleared the first nine.

The box has an iconic label that reads "For Super Players", and believe me, that's no joke. This game is brutal, frustrating, brutal, tooth-grinding, brutal, controller-breaking, and just plain brutal. Don't be afraid to take advantage of save states and rewind for your first playthrough (although, for you purists, there is now a continue button and it's no longer hidden). This is a game that will make you hate it from the start, but then make it all feel worth it after hitting the final axe. In fact, the ending theme in this game is just about the grandest retro theme you'll ever hear. It'll provide some incentive to experience the game as intended afterwards; you have to beat the thing eight times anyway if you want those final four worlds, so don't be afraid to try different things!

Unfortunately, I have intentionally avoided the single biggest downside to this game: it was released in 1986. It has not aged very well at all, and due to various level design quirks it shows its age even more than its predecessor. That's not to say it isn't worth playing, because it absolutely is, but a significant amount of the game's difficulty is from aged mechanics, which is pretty disappointing considering how much else the game does right. I would absolutely love to see an HD release of this game and the other early Mario games that cleans up some of these aged mechanics, but as it stands now you'll just have to bear with these.

Conclusion: Mario 2 is a beautifully--and brutally--crafted game from start to finish. The creativity here is unbelievable, especially for what seems like a safe sequel on the surface. Its age is made painfully clear, however, and you can't fully experience the full glory of the game without getting frustrated over the fact that you hit that dang hammer Bowser threw at you on your last life. Definitely worth playing for sure, especially if you enjoyed the original, but be prepared for some cheap game overs from 30-year-old game mechanics.

Pros
-Creative and wacky level design
-More content than the original
-Two characters with different playstyles
-Very rewarding to beat

Cons
-30-year-old game mechanics significantly add to the brutality
-Very obtuse requirements to unlock worlds A through D
Click to expand...
omg wel done i cant get past the first few levels this game is hard as a three thousand year old cake
 
Just beat Tales of Vesperia Definitive Edition. Been a while since I last played a Tales game and I forgot how fun the combat can be.
 
Super Mario Galaxy 1

Hit 120 stars at long last. Some of those last ones were pretty brutal...especially Lava Spire Daredevil Run, which is essentially a precursor to The Perfect Run (though not quite that sadistic).

...Can't wait to do all that again as Luigi.
 
New Super Mario Bros 2. I triple crowned the bros and obtained 5 spanking shiny profile stars.

My rating of this game, on its own it is super fun. Idk why the heck they went with the same boss for every tower. Or why Star Castle boss was a clone of W6. But besides that the courses were creative. Luigi seems to have the same physics as Mario is a little disappointing but eh.. I very much appreciated getting to see the Seven Koopalings, their fights were somewhat creative.

Final verdict,
3D Land>NSMB2>NSMB1
 
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Pikuniku (PC)

Currently, this game is for free on Steam, but it wouldn't be free much longer, for there's approximately 1 day, 9 hours left. Thankfully, this is a short game so I managed to finish it in a short time. The game is one of those quirky platformers with quirky music and quirky characters, so it's fun to play through it.

The game starts out by introducing a shady character called Mr Sunshine (a pink cloud) who provides the people of the island money, in exchange of what he called "junk" but in reality they are the resources of the island, such as food, water and wood. The playable character called Piku (the red one) wakes up and basically stumbles his way to stop Mr Sunshine from executing his master plan. The characters he met are also quirky in their own way, as well as some scenarios such as going into a toast dimension to vanquish a demonic toast.

Although this game has co-op, I didn't play it, but from what I see, the "Niku" part of Pikuniku comes into play: Niku is a recolour of Piku, so they have to cooperate and solve the levels together. Interestingly, certain trophies (actual ones similar to the Super Smash Bros series, not achievements) can be found in co-op, in addition to the main adventure.

It's a pretty nice game so if you are interested to play this one for free, there's still time.

Thank you for reading.
 
i also just finished pikuniku after buying it on the eshop, where it's on sale for a dollar
its a fun, cute little game. reminds me of wandersong, where its more about the journey and people you meet rather than any challenging gameplay
also the style of dialogue in the game reminds me of myself when im typing on the internet (maybe a little less sloppy than me) so thats pretty fun too
would recommend giving it a shot. at the low price of entry (either on pc or switch) its definitely worth giving a shot imo
 
Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War

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Hoo boy, finally I finished this game. I mean, I was enjoying it but it was staring to drag on, if I'm being totally honest.

Sadly, due to there being an enormous number of units I used in the second generation, I will not be listing the highlights here like I always do after finishing an FE game, and will only briefly mention them.

So yeah, special thanks to these youths:
-Seliph, the son of the almighty Sigurd, lives up to the legacy of his dad although his start is somewhat rough.
-Ulster and Larcei, some of the best myrmidons I've ever seen, and due to Lex being their father in this run they were surprisingly tanky AND had the Paragon skill.
-Oifey, easily one of the better Jagens in the series so far.
-Fee, who despite being in every way inferior to her mother Ferry (in my eyes), was still a tremendous help.
-Arthur. The son of Arden shall carry his legacy and be the tough and strongest mage this world has ever seen.
-Leif. Just like Lachesis, his promotion is absurd and it makes him OP.
-Nanna. Strength blessed Troubadour, never thought I needed a unit like that in my team.
-FINN'S BACK BETTER THAN EVER BOI.
-Ares, unlike his dad Eldigan, actually joins and he has an incredible weapon.
-Lene, Sylvia 2.0, as great as her mother and also a bit less naughty. If only she were actually Claud's daughter too.
-Shannan, Great SwordMaster with a great weapon and amazing bases.
-Ced, the son of Lewyn and Ferry and wielder of the Forsetti tome, invincible as expected.
-Faval, Good archer.
-Lana, amazing healer.
-Altena, probably this game's best flier.
-Julia, my sweet little Godslayer.

Now let's actually talk about the game itself.

FE4 plays like most of its comrades for the most part... but there's so many things that can change the game easily.

First off, this game has the largest maps in the series. These battles are happening on the scales of whole countries, that's how big they get. For that reason, any unit in this game with a horse in invaluable, as you often will need to get across maps quickly to stop bandits, seize castles so that the surrounding enemies disappear, stuff like that. Foot units have a very hard time keeping up unless Sylvia or Lene dance for them, something they're really good at.

Additionally, this game introduces skills. Some are learned simply from being in a class, while some skills are exclusive to some characters. The pursuit skill is required to double and enemy, unlike in other games where you just need a set amount of speed, that and weapon weight works in a different way here, so swords are now the best weapon type while axes are the worst. Holy Blood is also a new mechanic that changes the way you play. There's 12 different playable kinds of Holy Blood, and only some of your characters have any at all. Holy Blood allows one unit to use the corresponding legendary weapon, tremendously powerful heirlooms that can trivialize battles. This truly makes some units special and makes pairing up in Gen 1 all the more important, as you need their children to be able to inherit their Holy Blood. This adds a layer of strategy that blind players will however miss out on for the most part (although some of the optimal Gen 1 pairings start with a high rank so you shouldn't worry much unless you inadvertedly place two characters of the opposite gender next to each other more often than you realize).

Problems I have with the gameplay is that, while the huge maps do help convey a more realistic feeling of war, sometimes, this aspect can feel... abused. You may find yourself backtracking a lot on your first playthrough or as part of the actual mission, especially if you don't know what's coming up. That and every castle seized means a fuckton of enemies are headed your way, which isn't inherently problematic but it just feels like the game's way to say "here, have some exp, they come in a rectangle formation" and you can be seriously screwed if you don't have some items. The Return Staff can be crucial at times where you're far away from your home castle but some wyverns are headed there to seize it.

Nonetheless, the more in-depth strategy is definitely something I liked and it made me a better player overall, although I feel like some parts of the game did not age well, and as such in the gameplay department, it could use a remake or something. Coincidentally as of now it's the oldest FE without a remake.
FE4 has a large and varying cast that even spans two whole generations. The first generation is comprised of your typical FE archetypes, and Gen 2 is mostly populated by the children of some of your old friends.

FE4's unit balance is interesting to say the least. On one hand, cavaliers, with their perfect movement will get anywhere, as fast as you want, only obstacle on the way being the enemies. Foot units tho usually tend to have better overall combat capabilities but always get left behind. This kinda makes it hard to rate the units. Although in the end, if you play at your own pace, you will be able to find that favorable balance.

Many units with amazing combat can be found in this game, such as Sigurd who one-rounds enemies early on, Shannan, Ares and Altena who join with legendary weapons, or people like Ayra, Jamke, or Bridget who just have good bases and can usually hold their own just fine. Rare are units who are weak, and none are completely worthless either. Even Arden has a very good reason to be deployed at least once, that being when he can get THE POWER OF PURSUIT.

Overall, this game has an impressive unit balancing for the time, as I feel like everyone is perfectly usable, what with the castle town arena providing everyone with free xp, and promotion bonuses being pretty great.
FE4's story is far and wide considered the best Fire Emblem story by a huge portion of the community, and it isn't all that hard to see why.

FE4 is one of the Nintendo games I've played whose story is very far from any Nintendo title I know of. For starters, FE4, especially in Gen 1, has this sort of depressing feel to it, like a feeling of lingering death, looming above your head or something. It's also pretty dark.

Spoiler alert, this game involves many shocking things that would definitely be changed in a modern remake, like Arvis marrying his half-sister Deirdre (who was even previously married to Sigurd), the tragic inevitable Death of Sigurd and the almost complete eradication of his army, the many years of abuse inflicted upon the citizenry by the Loptyr empire and just, as said above, the looming theme of death in general. Many people die throughout the course of the game, and I'm not just talking enemies here. Many people die throughout the story. You always feel like something's seriously wrong...

Until Gen 2 begins, and hope arises. Seliph is the continent's new light, raised in secret in the country of Isaach to one day liberate the world and avenge his father! Gen 2 feels much more like the start of an FE game and this is the part where you can actually save some people, be a true hero, and save the world, and live your life happily ever after.

FE4 truly has one of the best written stories I've experienced in any video game so far, and the main characters are so well-made and nicely done. Sigurd and Seliph are now about my third favorite lords in the series, and they share the spot because of the similarities they have, yet how different their stories play out.

Overall, although I wouldn't recommend this game to a newcomer at all as it hasn't aged that well, those who do manage to get a good understanding of the game's mechanics and have already experienced a few FEs before will definitely enjoy this title. It's not a game for everyone by a long shot, in fact it's got some pretty bullshit design choices, but I say it's a worthwile experience and I definitely encourage you to play this title if you want a more complicated but still fun FE game to play (also note that there is no official english translation so if you don't speak japanese you'll have to emulate the game and patch it with a fan translation to play it).

Now, off to the next game in the series, Thracia 776. Let's go.
 
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