J-Chiptunator's recent activity
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Comment on Dear Nintendo, please bring back the Wii Remote in ~games
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Comment on Super Mario Galaxy 1 and 2 getting rerelease on Nintendo Switch, bundle for $70 or standalone for $40 each in ~games
J-Chiptunator Link ParentI feel like it's important to note that even the older flat panel TVs aren't great at processing retro video game video inputs. If your game can output at least 480p through component cable, you...I feel like it's important to note that even the older flat panel TVs aren't great at processing retro video game video inputs. If your game can output at least 480p through component cable, you can get away with just a supported TV and avoid display lag.
240p/480i, on the other hand, is where it gets messy. These TVs, alongside with cheap AV2HDMI converters, introduce a significant degree of display lag that can make controlling anything feels more sluggish, if not outright unplayable. These devices also incorrectly treat 240p as interlaced content, and adds even more visual artifacts after deinterlacing a non-interlaced video.
For those reasons, I would recommend not cheaping out on a retro video game upscaler when you can. Even the $99 USD RetroTINK Mini linedoubles the input for a decent 480p video outputted via HDMI, all while adding less than a frame of display lag.
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Comment on Nintendo adding Virtual Boy to Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack, with Virtual Boy replica accessory to play games in 3D in ~games
J-Chiptunator LinkI'm amazed that Nintendo overlooked the opportunity to re-release Virtual Boy titles on the Nintendo 3DS, further evidenced by the Red Viper homebrew software being perfectly capable of running...I'm amazed that Nintendo overlooked the opportunity to re-release Virtual Boy titles on the Nintendo 3DS, further evidenced by the Red Viper homebrew software being perfectly capable of running them even in 3D, especially with the New 3DS models.
But at the same time, the "à la carte" approach of selling each retro game individually back then wouldn't be ideal, given most people would only stick to popular franchises like Mario and Zelda and ignore the more obscure titles. Accessing much of the retro game library through Nintendo Switch Online subscription is a logical decision, given the higher likelihood of people stumbling across games they never knew of without the need of coughing up money on the spot.
Getting either the $110 CAD Virtual Boy replica or the $30 CAD cardboard counterpart to view them in 3D, though, might pose some friction to that curiosity. Part of me is wondering if it's even possible to play them in 2D instead, despite it not being ideal for some of those.
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Comment on Colossal Game Adventure Schedule: September 2025 - March 2026 in ~games
J-Chiptunator LinkAs someone who suggested this game, I'll gladly volunteer for the March 2026 Colossal Game Adventure. Back in late 2012, I finished the untranslated Virtual Console port of Kaeru no Tame ni Kane...As someone who suggested this game, I'll gladly volunteer for the March 2026 Colossal Game Adventure.
Back in late 2012, I finished the untranslated Virtual Console port of Kaeru no Tame ni Kane wa Naru (The Frog for Whom the Bell Tolls) on a stock Japanese 3DS for the very first time. I managed to get through it with a mix of GameFAQs guides and YouTube videos, all while trying to learn Japanese alongside Animal Crossing: New Leaf.
Of course, simply memorizing hiragana and katakana wasn’t enough to properly follow Prince Sablé’s journey; I mostly just enjoyed watching him stumble into all kinds of wacky hijinks without really grasping the deeper meaning. Now that we have a proper English translation available, and a better awareness of the works that inspired the game, I feel like I can finally piece it all together into a more complete appreciation.
On the technical side, I’m also well-versed in getting the game running across just about any device, especially on original non-PC hardware. Writing up a clear guide for getting the game up and running in the Insert Cartridge discussion will be second nature for me.
All that’s left for the coming months is to revisit the game with its English translation, and dive into the inspirations behind it. With that, I’ll be more than ready to host the March 2026 Colossal Game Adventure.
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Comment on Colossal Game Adventure: Voting topic in ~games
J-Chiptunator LinkChrono Trigger (4) The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening (4) The Secret of Monkey Island (3) Kaeru no Tame ni Kane wa Naru (The Frog for Whom the Bell Tolls) (2) Seaman (2) Threads of Fate (2)...Chrono Trigger (4)
The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening (4)
The Secret of Monkey Island (3)
Kaeru no Tame ni Kane wa Naru (The Frog for Whom the Bell Tolls) (2)
Seaman (2)
Threads of Fate (2)
PlayStation WHAT? (2)
Racing Lagoon (1) -
Comment on Tildes' Colossal Game Adventure: Inauguration and nominations in ~games
J-Chiptunator LinkHere's my two picks for the Colossal Game Adventure: Kaeru no Tame ni Kane wa Naru (The Frog for Whom the Bell Tolls) Never released outside Japan, this charming action RPG is one of Nintendo’s...Here's my two picks for the Colossal Game Adventure:
Kaeru no Tame ni Kane wa Naru (The Frog for Whom the Bell Tolls)
Never released outside Japan, this charming action RPG is one of Nintendo’s hidden gems. The title, a playful nod to Ernest Hemingway’s For Whom the Bell Tolls, sets the tone for a short but memorable journey, about six hours long, filled with humor, quirky NPCs, and clever transformations.
You play as the carefree Prince of Sablé, who gains the ability to transform into both a frog and a snake to solve puzzles and progress. Battles happen automatically: just bump into an enemy, and a dust cloud rises as stats decide the victor. Items can shift the battle in your favor, but success mostly depends on whether you’ve prepared well.
Although it never had a Western release, fan translators have stepped up: ryanbgstl’s English patch makes the game fully playable, with an addendum patch that improves the title screen.
Fun fact: The engine developed for this game became the foundation for The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening. In fact, Prince Richard (and his frog army) wander right into Link’s Awakening as cameo characters, creating a unique bridge between the two adventures. Speaking of which...
The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening
What began as an after-hours experiment, an attempt to put A Link to the Past onto the monochrome Game Boy, soon grew into one of the most beloved Zelda titles of all time. Set on the dreamlike Koholint Island, the story explores themes of identity, fragility, and fleeting dreams, all wrapped in classic Nintendo adventure design.
The formula will feel familiar: a blend of overworld exploration, dungeon crawling, and puzzle-solving, with a steady stream of new items to expand your capabilities. But there’s also a surreal edge: quirky cameos, shifting tone, and that looming mystery of the giant egg atop the island. To progress, Link must conquer eight dungeons, each hiding one of the instruments needed to awaken the island’s fate.
It’s both whimsical and melancholy, an adventure that balances lighthearted charm with a haunting, unforgettable conclusion. The Game Boy original also got its colorful makeover in Game Boy Color with an extra dungeon, as well as the Nintendo Switch remake, complete with toylike 3D visuals and some quality-of-life improvements.
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
J-Chiptunator LinkDisgaea Infinite When I first saw the game's title, I immediately thought this new Disgaea entry was going to be a big crossover, featuring wild battles and absurd damage numbers like the main...Disgaea Infinite
When I first saw the game's title, I immediately thought this new Disgaea entry was going to be a big crossover, featuring wild battles and absurd damage numbers like the main SRPG series, basically, hours spent figuring out the best way to grind just to see my team dish out billions of points and take down god-tier enemies.
But after trying out Disgaea Infinite, I found out it’s actually a pretty obscure visual novel set in Laharl’s Castle. The story uses characters from Disgaea 1 and 3, and you play as a Prinny’s soul desperately trying to escape horrendous working conditions.
The core mechanic is neat: you possess different characters to explore the plot, aiming for one of 14 possible endings. While 'inside' someone, you can sometimes influence their decisions, which affects how things play out. It’s important to choose who to possess at the right moment, or disaster (usually Laharl flipping out and punishing Prinnies even more) can strike.
To help navigate all the branching storylines, the game has a timeline that marks major events, tracks routes you’ve taken, and flags decisions where you changed someone’s mind. There are options to skip dialogue or fast-forward, but strangely, you can't jump freely around the timeline, only to certain Prinnies, or back to the start in my hour-long playthrough's case.
The visual novel is relatively short (about 6–8 hours, according to HowLongToBeat), which makes the trial-and-error less tedious, but after an hour of play and landing the most embarrassing ending, I’m not sure how much depth there is left.
Still, if you like Disgaea’s trademark over-the-top humor, there’s plenty of it here! It made me realize I really should finish Disgaea 1 before coming back for a second round with Infinite.
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Comment on What is your criteria for what counts as a "retro" video game? in ~games
J-Chiptunator (edited )LinkI'd argue that the 6th video game generation, most notably the GameCube, PlayStation 2, and Xbox, marks a key dividing line between retro and modern gaming. Why? That generation saw a huge leap in...I'd argue that the 6th video game generation, most notably the GameCube, PlayStation 2, and Xbox, marks a key dividing line between retro and modern gaming.
Why? That generation saw a huge leap in hardware power and memory, which enabled developers to create larger, more complex 3D worlds and refine gameplay in ways that laid the foundation for today’s gaming landscape. Many modern blockbusters, like Grand Theft Auto V, can still trace their core design principles back to groundwork laid in the 6th gen. Everything since then has mostly been about expanding on those ideas, not radically redefining them.
Another big shift was the start of true cross-platform design. Once the hardware differences between consoles shrank (starting with the Xbox, PS2, and GameCube), it became much easier to make the same game run on multiple systems with only minor changes, and unless you're closely inspecting performance details, most players can't even tell the difference between versions.
From a technology standpoint, everything after the 6th gen has delivered more graphical power, but with diminishing returns: asset creation has become more expensive and time-consuming, and higher resolutions demand more work just to meet expectations of visual fidelity. This escalation has driven up AAA development costs over the last twenty years without fundamentally changing much how games play.
On the storage front, early consoles relied on ultra-fast Mask ROM chips in their cartridges, a technology that’s now cost-prohibitive at modern capacities. From the 6th gen onward, every manufacturer, even Nintendo, had to switch to slower disc-based or flash storage, making loading times unavoidable even today.
Finally, the 6th generation was the tipping point for online connectivity: the original Xbox in particular brought fast, built-in Internet that enabled online multiplayer, downloadable content and patches that would go on to become standard features in modern gaming.
In short: the 6th generation was the moment gaming crossed from classic or retro into the truly modern era, both in how games were made and experienced.
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Comment on May 2025 Backlog Burner: Conclusion and Recap in ~games
J-Chiptunator (edited )LinkJ-Chiptunator's Final Bingo Card (Custom/Free, 25/25) Mode: Custom Winning Bingo! Finished 25/25 ✅ Yo-Kai Watch 2: Psychic Specters ✅ OlliOlli ✅ Lords of Thunder ✅ Granblue Fantasy: Relink ✅ Pizza...- Exemplary
J-Chiptunator's Final Bingo Card (Custom/Free, 25/25)
Mode: Custom Winning Bingo! Finished 25/25 Y
✅ Yo-Kai Watch 2: Psychic SpectersO
✅ OlliOlliL
✅ Lords of ThunderG
✅ Granblue Fantasy: RelinkP
✅ Pizza TowerS
✅ Shinobi (SMS)B
✅ beatmania for WonderSwanJ
✅ Joy Mech FightF
✅ Fable AnniversaryD
✅ Doc Louis's Punch-Out!!T
✅ Total EclipseU
✅ The Urbz: Sims in the CityK
✅ Kirby's Block BallM
✅ Mario Tennis (GBC)A
✅ Advance Wars: Dual StrikeI
✅ INSIDEV
✅ VS. ExcitebikeZ
✅ Zombies Ate My NeighborsC
✅ Castlevania: Aria of SorrowH
✅ Harry Potter: Quidditch World CupR
✅ Red AlarmQ
✅ Questy ChessW
✅ WarioWare: Get It Together!N
✅ NiGHTS Into Dreams...E
✅ Ecco the DolphinSorry for the slightly delayed post about wrapping up my Backlog Burner journey! As I predicted, doing 11 game writeups took quite some time. Interestingly, once I got about halfway through, I really picked up speed. I found it much easier to focus on the most relevant points, especially for games from franchises or genres I know well.
Regarding my bingo blackout, the key was buckling down and playing a bunch of games in a row before writing up my thoughts after the event’s halfway point. I’d play each game for up to a couple of hours, then move on to the next. If I’d used this approach from the start, I probably would have finished the entire bingo card by week three!
On the hardware side, I was expecting PixelFX’s Analog Bridge with its dual VGA connector to arrive last month to streamline my retro gaming setup. Unfortunately, it never made it. Due to some changes in customs regulations, my package was returned to the sender and got stuck at a USPS distribution center for over two weeks. Thankfully, the seller is reshipping my order. At least I won’t have to do the 48KHz audio mod myself to get it working with my monitors and my AverMedia Live Gamer 4K capture card (GC573).
All in all, this event reminded me how good I am at picking games I’ll enjoy. I found plenty of gems on my bingo card. Even the less impressive games served as palate cleansers and made me appreciate the great ones even more.
Looking ahead, I want to focus on games released after the 6th generation for the next Backlog Burner event, especially titles for 3DS, Playdate, Switch, and Steam, since those make up most of my library. Until then, feel free to read my writeups down below and see you on November 2025 Backlog Burner!
Standouts (2): Kirby's Block Ball, Pizza Tower
Good enough to continue (17): Advance Wars: Dual Strike, Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow, Ecco the Dolphin, Fable Anniversary, Granblue Fantasy: ReLink, INSIDE, Joy Mech Fight, Lords of Thunder, Mario Tennis (GBC), NiGHTS Into Dreams…, Red Alarm, Shinobi (SMS), The Urbz: Sims in the City, VS. Excitebike, WarioWare: Get It Together!, Yo-Kai Watch 2: Psychic Specters, Zombies Ate My Neighbors
Still good, but shelved (3): beatmania for WonderSwan, Doc Louis's Punch-Out!!, Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup
Shelved forever (3): OlliOlli, Questy Chess, Total EclipseOlliOlli
Writeup
In
OlliOlli, you play as an unnamed skateboarder who automatically moves through side-scrolling stages, pulling off tricks to rack up points. You’ll replay these levels often, not just because of wipeouts, but also to chase high scores and complete goals, much like in the Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater series.Since your character is always moving right, the left stick or D-pad isn’t for movement. Instead, you use it to perform ollies (jumps) and tricks. To jump, you pull the stick down and release it; for tricks, you use specific stick gestures and sometimes a shoulder button. Rails are scattered throughout the stages, and you can grind them by pressing down on the stick as you pass over. The closer your timing, the more points you earn. Landing cleanly on the ground also scores you points, but requires a face button press to avoid a sloppy landing.
To gain speed, you tap another face button a few times, which helps you clear bigger gaps.
The minimalist, unconventional controls are great for chaining tricks, but muscle memory from mainstream 3D skateboarding games can make the learning curve steep. I also found the controls sometimes unresponsive, leading to missed tricks or failed landings. The ground landing mechanic feels a bit redundant, since grinding rails already serves a similar purpose and happens more frequently.
The limited set of moves and lack of unique setpieces make the level design feel repetitive. Even after playing through the few available stages, the gameplay didn’t feel varied enough to keep me invested in mastering its challenges.
Out of curiosity, I watched videos of OlliOlli’s sequels, and they look like major improvements. The later games add more tricks, setpieces, and a better combo system. OlliOlli World even removes the strict landing mechanic and offers a smoother difficulty curve, which makes it much more appealing. I might give that one a try.
But as for the original OlliOlli, I don’t see myself coming back to it. It might be worth a quick play just to get a feel for the sequels’ more complex gameplay, but otherwise, I’m ready to move on.
Pizza Tower
Writeup
In recent years, there’s been a surge of platformers inspired by Wario Land 4, with standouts including the bombastic AntonBlast and, the focus here,
Pizza Tower.It’s been over 15 years since the last Wario Land game, Shake It! (aka The Shake Dimension), so you might not be familiar with the formula. Each side-scrolling stage has two phases: a standard platforming section, followed by a frantic race back to the start before time runs out. Collecting items boosts your score, and the higher your score, the better your end-of-level grade.
Pizza Tower takes this formula and cranks up the speed. The main character, Peppino, has a deep, fluid moveset that lets you dash, grab, punch, and chain together moves for maintaining maximum momentum. The level design is built around these abilities, rewarding players who master both the controls and the layout with the ability to blaze through stages at breakneck speed. Maintaining combos by breaking objects and defeating enemies keeps your score high, and getting hit will drop your combo gauge.
While you can play at your own pace, the game encourages fast, skillful runs by offering unlockable outfits for S ranks and the even tougher P ranks for completionists. However, you’re never forced to go for these achievements, as speed and high scores are there for those who want the extra challenge.
Pizza Tower’s standout features include its wild, 90s-inspired cartoon art style and a high-energy, genre-blending soundtrack that perfectly matches the game’s chaotic vibe. The humor, visual gags, and Peppino’s over-the-top animations add even more personality to the experience.
All things considered, Pizza Tower is a must-play for fans of fast-paced platformers. Its blend of fluid movement, creative level design, and unique style make it as satisfying as your favorite delivery pizza, if not better.
Questy Chess
Writeup
When the Playdate handheld launched on April 19, 2022, it came with Season One: a collection of 24 games released two per week. Among them is
Questy Chess, a puzzle game where you guide a pawn to the exit on each map, all with a charming old-school computer vibe.The core mechanic is simple: your pawn can only move right, up, or down. The only exception is when you’re next to an enemy; then, you can stomp them, ignoring the usual movement rules. It’s a bit like chess, but played outside the usual board.
As you progress, your pawn can transform into other pieces, like a knight, which lets you move in L-shapes and jump gaps. But to do this, you first have to find the right item on the map, usually hidden on diamond-shaped spaces. That’s also where you’ll find health pickups and keys.
Some puzzles require you to use the Playdate’s unique crank to shift the terrain vertically. However, if you crank too far, the game assumes you’re done and can leave your pawn stuck. That annoying quirk led to several softlocks during my playthrough. For example, on one long, scrolling map, I missed a crucial item hidden in a branching path. When I reached the exit, the game informed me I was missing the item, but there was no way to backtrack, forcing a full reset.
Planning ahead is also more cumbersome than it should be, since you can’t scroll the map to see what’s coming, adding unnecessary trial and error. Oddly, the game also doesn’t show how many health pickups you have left.
Overall, while my experience with Questy Chess wasn’t terrible, frequent softlocks and overly simple puzzles made it feel underwhelming as a puzzle game. And that was just the first world. Maybe it improves later, but with so many better games to play, I’m not in a hurry to find out.
Red Alarm
Writeup
The Virtual Boy is a fascinating example of how launching hardware too early can doom a console’s success. Released in 1995, Nintendo’s attempt at affordable stereoscopic 3D gaming wasn’t quite ready for prime time, a fact even its creator, Gunpei Yokoi, reportedly recognized.
The Virtual Boy’s 3D effect worked by having you look into a headset, where each eye saw a separate image projected onto oscillating mirrors. Your brain combined these into a single 3D scene, letting you judge depth in a way that was unique for its time.
To keep costs down, Nintendo used only red LEDs, since color displays were too expensive. But the bright red visuals and the strain of processing two images led Nintendo to warn players not to use the system for more than 20 minutes at a time.
As a result of these limitations, only 14 games were released for the Virtual Boy, not counting Bound High, which surfaced much later. One standout title is
Red Alarm, a 3D wireframe space shooter that really makes use of the system’s depth effect.Without the 3D enabled, it’s much harder to tell which lines are close to your ship, making it easy to take damage or get lost. That’s why I played Red Alarm on the Red Viper emulator for my New 3DS XL, which can replicate the 3D effect, something Nintendo missed out on by not bringing Virtual Boy games to the 3DS.
Normally, I’m wary of software emulation due to input lag, but Red Viper ran so smoothly on my 3DS XL that I didn’t notice any issues. Even though the handheld lacks a second control pad for strafing, the emulator’s button remapping made up for it.
In Red Alarm, you can rotate your ship on every axis and control your speed, which is crucial for dodging enemies and managing your limited fuel (replenished only after clearing a stage). Fortunately, the level design is linear and forgiving, at least in the early stages, so running out of time isn’t a big concern if you play well.
Overall, Red Alarm is a great showcase of what the Virtual Boy could do, and the gameplay holds up surprisingly well. Whether it stays engaging throughout the whole campaign remains to be seen, but so far, I’m looking forward to playing more.
Shinobi (SMS)
Writeup
Originally released in arcades in 1987,
Shinobi became a hit and spawned several sequels across different platforms, including the upcoming Shinobi: Art of Vengeance. The game was ported to nearly every major system of its era, but the Sega Master System version stands out as an excellent adaptation.In this version, you play as Joe Musashi, tasked with rescuing kidnapped children from the Zeed criminal organization. Armed with unlimited shurikens, Joe can attack enemies on the same horizontal plane, jump between two lanes, and use his agility to avoid obstacles. Unlike the arcade original, the Master System port gives Joe a health bar instead of one-hit deaths and removes the time limit, making it more accessible for home play.
Shinobi’s gameplay rewards careful, methodical approaches over reckless action. Enemy placement is intentional, requiring you to think strategically about how to tackle each screen, whether it’s jumping to take out a wall-climber before dealing with a gunman, or crouching to avoid projectiles. The level design's deliberate pacing and thoughtful enemy arrangements encourages players to plan their moves and react quickly.
Rescuing hostages is now optional but highly beneficial, granting points, weapon upgrades, health boosts, and access to bonus stages where you can earn powerful ninjutsu skills. The game features five stages, each with multiple levels and a boss, offering a good variety of challenges and enemies. While the graphics and music are solid for the Master System, the real strength lies in its engaging, strategic gameplay and replay value.
As a fan of methodical platformers like Super Mario Bros., Shinobi’s thoughtful design and rewarding challenge make it a standout title that’s well worth revisiting.
Total Eclipse
Writeup
The 3DO stands out as a fascinating chapter in gaming history. Launched in 1993, it was a technical trailblazer, ushering in polygonal 3D gameplay and becoming the first CD-based console not to rely on an external add-on. However, it also serves as a case study in how not to run a platform business.
Instead of manufacturing the hardware themselves, Trip Hawkins’s 3DO Company licensed the design to companies like Panasonic and Goldstar. Because these manufacturers wanted to make a profit on each unit, the 3DO debuted at a steep $699 price tag, far higher than most consumers were willing to pay, even by today’s standards when adjusted for inflation. Despite its advanced specs, the console quickly became a commercial failure and was discontinued by 1996.
On the software side, Crystal Dynamics, best known for Gex, also developed
Total Eclipse for the 3DO. This behind-the-ship shooter features a constantly moving ship navigating open areas and tight, polygonal corridors. A unique mechanic is that your health bar steadily drains as you travel, but defeating enemies or obstacles restores some health. In theory, if you keep up an aggressive pace, you can offset the constant health loss.In practice, though, the lack of invincibility frames means your ship can take heavy damage from even brief contact with walls, and some enemy attacks are poorly telegraphed. The ship’s overly sensitive controls make precise movement difficult, leading to frequent, frustrating collisions. While the abundance of destructible enemies provides regular health refills, it also makes the gameplay repetitive and undermines any real challenge or stage variety.
The only boss fight I've encountered also drags on, with it being so bullet sponge that it tests your patience more than your skill. Overall, despite its technical ambition and some interesting ideas, Total Eclipse ends up feeling tedious. It’s a shame, given its reputation as one of the 3DO’s better titles, but the experience just isn’t compelling enough to see through to the end.
The Urbz: Sims in the City
Writeup
The Sims franchise, since its debut in 2000, has always given players control over the daily lives of their virtual characters, or Sims. While Sims can take care of themselves to some degree, much of the gameplay revolves around micromanaging their needs and customizing their homes in suburban neighborhoods or towns. Occasionally, expansions allow for trips to cities, stores, or beaches, but the core experience remains home-focused.
The
Urbz: Sims in the City shakes up this formula by dropping your Sims into the bustling, urban setting of Urbzville. Instead of starting with a wide array of customization options, you begin with limited choices. Your Sim gets their own apartment, but most of the action happens in various city districts, each with its own style, social cliques, and unique items and job opportunities. I chose to start in Kicktail Park for its laid-back, Casual vibe.Unlike traditional Sims games, The Urbz gives you clear goals: build your reputation (Rep) by socializing and completing tasks to unlock new items, districts, and apartments. Jobs are more interactive this time, requiring you to play minigames to earn money. Unlocking better jobs means developing specific skills with the help of certain Sims.
It’s worth noting that the handheld versions of The Urbz are quite different from the console editions. On handhelds, the gameplay is more mission-driven and plays more like an action RPG, with direct control over your Sim and less open-ended freedom.
So far, I’ve found The Urbz to be a fresh and interesting take on urban life, filtered through the pop culture of the early 2000s, a world I never experienced firsthand, having grown up far from any major city. I’m looking forward to exploring more of Urbzville and seeing what each district has to offer.
VS. Excitebike
Writeup
Before diving into
VS. Excitebike for the Famicom Disk System, it’s worth revisiting what makes Excitebike unique. In this classic motocross racer, you guide your bike across side-scrolling tracks filled with ramps, bumps, and dirt. While airborne, you can tilt your bike to land smoothly, glide farther by angling up, or bounce for extra distance by angling down. Wheelies help you cross tricky bumps, and turbo boosts (using the B button) let you speed ahead at the risk of overheating, unless you hit cooling arrows to instantly reset your temperature.The NES version features two main modes: a solo time trial and a race against computer-controlled riders, who act more like moving obstacles than true opponents. Clearing a track within the par time lets you advance; fail, and it’s back to the title screen. The original also has a basic track editor, but custom tracks are lost when the console powers off.
VS. Excitebike for the Famicom Disk System builds on this foundation with several enhancements. The “Original Excite” mode alternates between solo and competitive races across seven tracks (up from the NES’s five), with difficulty determining your starting track. After the third track, a bonus stage challenges you to jump over trucks for extra points. The game ramps up the challenge with tougher obstacles and unpredictable opponent placement as you progress.
A major addition is simultaneous two-player racing, a first for the series, with both Battle and Free modes. One rewards the first to finish, the other ends if a player laps the other. The track editor returns with a revamped interface, and thanks to the Disk System’s writable media, you can save up to seven custom tracks exclusively for multiplayer sessions. VS. Excitebike also features a new soundtrack by Soyo Oka, replacing the original’s jingles with energetic background music.
As a fan of the NES Excitebike, I found the VS. version even more engaging thanks to its expanded content, multiplayer support, and track-saving features. It’s available on the Nintendo Switch Online app, so it’s easy to experience both the original and this enhanced edition for yourself.
WarioWare: Get It Together!
Writeup
The WarioWare franchise is all about frantic fun, challenging you to clear as many quirky, lightning-fast microgames as possible before you lose four lives. As you progress, the pace and difficulty ramp up, and boss microgames occasionally appear to test your skills even further.
Since its debut with WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgames! on the Game Boy Advance in 2003, the series has continually evolved by embracing each Nintendo system’s unique hardware features. Later entries introduced couch multiplayer on GameCube, tilt controls on GBA (Twisted!), touchscreen and microphone play on DS, and motion controls on Wii. After a long break, WarioWare Gold on 3DS compiled many classic microgames, and the Switch 1 has since received two new entries.
WarioWare: Get It Together! for Switch stands out by letting up to two players tackle every mode together for the first time, using just a stick and a button. The twist? Each character interacts with microgames differently: Wario can fly and shoulder bash, while 18-Volt attacks from a distance and moves by grappling. Every microgame is beatable with any character, but some are better suited to certain challenges than others.To keep things fresh, Get It Together! introduces missions for extra currency, like clearing specific microgames under special conditions. The result is a replayable, energetic party game that keeps the series’ signature weirdness alive.
As a longtime WarioWare fan, I’m excited to dive deeper into Get It Together!, as it’s just as wild and addictive as its predecessors.
Yo-Kai Watch 2: Psychic Specters
Writeup
Pokémon has been the gold standard for monster-training RPGs since its late-90s debut. Its formula: catching wild Pokémon, training them in battles, and striving to become champion. It remains simple yet deep, thanks to accessible mechanics and Ken Sugimori’s iconic creature designs. This blend has captivated kids (and adults) worldwide for decades.
While Pokémon has dominated the genre, it faced real competition in Japan during the 2010s from Level-5’s Yo-Kai Watch series. I recently played its improved sequel,
Yo-Kai Watch 2: Psychic Specters, which combines and expands on the Fleshy Souls and Bony Spirits versions, making it the definitive entry outside of Yo-Kai Watch 3.Yo-Kai Watch stands out by drawing its creature designs from Japanese mythology, giving each Yo-Kai a quirky personality, like my Jinbanyan, who’s obsessed with getting hit by cars to prove his strength (and always fails).
The battle system is real-time: you swap between two teams of three Yo-Kai, trigger powerful “Soultimate” moves, purify allies, target enemies, and use items. To recruit new Yo-Kai, you offer them their favorite food during battle and hope they’ll join you, or try your luck with the Crank-a-Kai machine.
After a couple of hours, I can see why Yo-Kai Watch 2 has its fans, but the game’s slower pace means it takes time for its mechanics and charm to fully unfold. I’ll need to spend more time exploring its world to discover the appeal so many players rave about.
Zombies Ate My Neighbors
Writeup
Zombies Ate My Neighbors is a top-down, co-op action game where you race to rescue victims from hordes of classic horror movie monsters. To clear each stage, you must save at least one survivor; once all are accounted for, rescued or lost, the exit appears. But if you lose all your lives or every captive dies, it’s game over.Don’t be fooled by the game’s campy horror vibe; the difficulty ramps up fast. The early stages are forgiving, with slow zombies and easy-to-find victims, but things quickly escalate. Soon you’ll face tougher monsters such as the relentless chainsaw-wielding enemies who can tear down walls, trickier level layouts, and challenging bosses.
Learning each stage’s layout is crucial, especially since monsters can spawn almost off-screen and snatch a victim before you can react, a harsh surprise for newcomers. Ammo, special items, and health pickups are limited, so you’ll need to use your resources wisely. Running out of weapons can leave you defenseless at the worst possible moment.
One quirk about the password system is that it doesn’t save your inventory, making it even tougher to continue after a break. It’s smart to replay stages that are generous with pickups to build up your stash.
Despite the steep challenge, I’ve found the game engaging and addictive. I’m planning to keep playing and see if I can beat it without using save states. If you’re interested in a more accessible experience, the recent Zombies Ate My Neighbors and Ghoul Patrol collection offers a modern save feature that makes progress less punishing.
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Comment on May 2025 Backlog Burner: Week 5(ish) Discussion in ~games
J-Chiptunator Link ParentI've played most of my games on their original hardware. The only ones I played emulated are the Turbografx-CD's Lords of Thunder through Wii U, and Virtual Boy's Red Alarm on 3DS using Red Viper...I've played most of my games on their original hardware. The only ones I played emulated are the Turbografx-CD's Lords of Thunder through Wii U, and Virtual Boy's Red Alarm on 3DS using Red Viper homebrew software.
For the former, I ran into technical issues with my original PC-Engine's AV output, whereas my modded Virtual Boy hardware only output video signal through the VGA cable in 2D.
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Comment on May 2025 Backlog Burner: Week 5(ish) Discussion in ~games
J-Chiptunator Link ParentI saw there are a number of systems missing in this list. Here they are: NEC Turbografx-CD - Lords of Thunder Nintendo Entertainment System - Joy Mech Fight Nintendo Wii - Doc Louis's Punch-Out!!...I saw there are a number of systems missing in this list. Here they are:
- NEC Turbografx-CD - Lords of Thunder
- Nintendo Entertainment System - Joy Mech Fight
- Nintendo Wii - Doc Louis's Punch-Out!!
- Sony PlayStation 2 - The Urbz: Sims in the City
- Nintendo Game Boy - Kirby's Block Ball
- Sony PlayStation 4 - INSIDE
- Sega Saturn - NiGHTS into Dream...
- Sega Genesis - Ecco the Dolphin
Also, a thing to note, Fable Anniversary actually is an Xbox 360 game, since it's got quite a few changes over its original Xbox titles. Mainly, the upgraded graphics.
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Comment on May 2025 Backlog Burner: Week 5(ish) Discussion in ~games
J-Chiptunator Link ParentI had a similar experience with my Nintendo Power magazines between 2003 and 2008, the same decade when broadband Internet and wireless routers were starting to become common in many homes. For...I had a similar experience with my Nintendo Power magazines between 2003 and 2008, the same decade when broadband Internet and wireless routers were starting to become common in many homes.
For much of that time, my parents were reluctant to upgrade from our old dial-up Internet, which shared the same line as our landline phone. Whenever someone called, the Internet connection would get disrupted. Combined with strict data caps and painfully slow download speeds, this made me much less interested in browsing the Internet throughout most of the 2000s.
As a result, Nintendo Power magazines played a huge role in expanding my gaming interests and deepening my already-high appreciation for the hobby. Along with our only local movie and video game rental store, these magazines were my main sources for deciding which games to try. Without them, I probably would have missed out on hidden gems like Drill Dozer and Kirby Air Ride, since there was so much low-quality shovelware flooding the market.
I used to believe that faster Internet and higher data caps would make magazines obsolete, and for the most part, I was right. Why pay for a magazine when I could access a treasure trove of information online at any time?
However, I didn’t realize that this convenience would also make discovering new information feel less special. I found myself getting less excited about new games, especially since video game trailers often reveal more than necessary, even if they aren’t technically spoilers.
Despite the temptation to get all my gaming news online, I now subscribe to the bi-monthly Nintendo Force magazine. Not only does it satisfy my nostalgia for Nintendo Power, but it also helps me rely less on the Internet. While it may not quite match the original’s presentation, it offers plenty of engaging text and just enough pictures to let my imagination fill in the gaps.
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Comment on May 2025 Backlog Burner: Week 5(ish) Discussion in ~games
J-Chiptunator Link ParentWhew, what a rush! I just went through the final 11 games within 3 days after I last posted my bingo. Preparing my detailed write-ups will take quite a long time for me as a rather sluggish...Whew, what a rush! I just went through the final 11 games within 3 days after I last posted my bingo.
Preparing my detailed write-ups will take quite a long time for me as a rather sluggish writer, so I'll be posting them on the final May 2025 Backlog Burner thread in the coming days. In the meantime, here are all the 11 games I tried in the order I played:
- OlliOlli (Wii U)
- Pizza Tower (Steam)
- Questy Chess (Playdate)
- Red Alarm (Virtual Boy, emulated on 3DS)
- Shinobi (Master System)
- Total Eclipse (3DO)
- The Urbz: Sims in the City (PS2)
- VS. Excitebike (Famicom Disk System)
- WarioWare: Get it Together! (Switch 1)
- Yo-Kai Watch 2: Psychic Specters (3DS)
- Zombies Ate My Neighbors (SNES)
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Comment on May 2025 Backlog Burner: Week 5(ish) Discussion in ~games
J-Chiptunator (edited )LinkJ-Chiptunator's Bingo Card (Custom/Free, 25/25) Mode: Custom Winning Bingo! Finished 25/25 ✅ Yo-Kai Watch 2: Psychic Specters ✅ OlliOlli ✅ Lords of Thunder ✅ Granblue Fantasy: Relink ✅ Pizza Tower...- Exemplary
J-Chiptunator's Bingo Card (Custom/Free, 25/25)
Mode: Custom Winning Bingo! Finished 25/25 Y
✅ Yo-Kai Watch 2: Psychic SpectersO
✅ OlliOlliL
✅ Lords of ThunderG
✅ Granblue Fantasy: RelinkP
✅ Pizza TowerS
✅ Shinobi (SMS)B
✅ beatmania for WonderSwanJ
✅ Joy Mech FightF
✅ Fable AnniversaryD
✅ Doc Louis's Punch-Out!!T
✅ Total EclipseU
✅ The Urbz: Sims in the CityK
✅ Kirby's Block BallM
✅ Mario Tennis (GBC)A
✅ Advance Wars: Dual StrikeI
✅ INSIDEV
✅ VS. ExcitebikeZ
✅ Zombies Ate My NeighborsC
✅ Castlevania: Aria of SorrowH
✅ Harry Potter: Quidditch World CupR
✅ Red AlarmQ
✅ Questy ChessW
✅ WarioWare: Get It Together!N
✅ NiGHTS Into Dreams...E
✅ Ecco the DolphinYou saw that right! For the first time in my Backlog Burner history, I actually managed to complete a winning bingo card, just yesterday, in fact, with NiGHTS Into Dreams… forming the final column.
In previous Backlog Burner attempts, I would force myself to write an entry immediately after finishing each game. While thorough, that approach bogged down my motivation and slowed my progress. For May 2025, I decided to shake things up: I played several games back-to-back before diving into a longer writing session. The difference was remarkable, my momentum improved, and I found myself enjoying the process much more.
It also helped that I started using Perplexity AI to streamline my write-ups. After jotting down my messy, detailed thoughts as I played, I found it much faster and easier to use the AI to turn them into polished, readable entries. The quality of the results has definitely made the whole process more enjoyable.
With only a few days left in the month, I’m dedicating my remaining time exclusively to playing as many games as possible. I’ll be posting all my write-ups together in the final May 2025 Backlog Burner thread.
And as luck would have it, I have games lined up that start with the letters H, I, J, K, and L, thanks to the flexibility of a Free-type Bingo Card that covers nearly the whole alphabet.
Without further ado, let’s get to the write-ups!
Granblue Fantasy: Relink
“
Granblue Fantasy: Relink? That came out of nowhere!” you might say. While it may seem surprising that the franchise has spawned several video games in recent years, there’s a rich history behind Granblue Fantasy that explains much of Relink’s appeal.Back in 2014, Granblue Fantasy launched exclusively in Japan for Android and iOS devices, with a browser version that included English support. The game quickly distinguished itself thanks to stunning character art by Hideo Minaba and a memorable soundtrack by Nobuo Uematsu, both veterans of the Final Fantasy series. Combined with strong storytelling and extensive voice acting, Granblue Fantasy managed to attract not just casual players, but also RPG enthusiasts seeking a deeper experience.
How does a free game generate such impressive revenue? Granblue Fantasy employs a "gacha" system, where players can spend real money for a chance to obtain new weapons or summons,much like the capsule toy vending machines (gachapon) popular in Japan, which dispense a random toy for each coin inserted.
In 2015, the game became the center of controversy when a streamer spent thousands of dollars in pursuit of a rare, limited-time character named Andira. The lack of transparency around drop rates and the brief availability window sparked public outcry. In response, developer Cygames introduced the “Spark” system, guaranteeing a specific character after a set number of draws, a feature that would become standard in future gacha games.
Nearly a decade later, Granblue Fantasy still hasn’t seen an official Western release. Despite its pioneering role in the gacha genre and its high production values, Cygames has been hesitant to officially bring the game to Western markets, possibly due to its age and differing attitudes toward microtransactions.
Western gamers, who often have higher disposable incomes, tend to prefer one-time purchases or monthly subscriptions over frequent, smaller payments. Many also view microtransactions as undermining merit and fairness, likening them to hidden taxes that compromise a game’s integrity.
In contrast, Japanese gamers, accustomed to microtransactions for decades, are less concerned about their presence. With generally lower incomes and limited living space, home console gaming is less prevalent, making mobile gaming a more practical choice.
Despite these differences, Granblue Fantasy’s immense popularity and lucrative microtransaction model have led to several spin-offs in the early 2020s. These include the approachable 2D fighting game Granblue Fantasy Versus, its expanded sequel Rising, and, most recently, the action RPG Granblue Fantasy: Relink, which is now available on Steam.
Initially announced for a 2018 release and co-developed with PlatinumGames (of Bayonetta and Nier: Automata fame), Relink’s development shifted fully to Cygames Osaka in 2019, with Platinum’s Yasuyuki Kaji remaining as director until completion.
Relink adapts the core elements and meticulous attention to detail of the original mobile game into a standalone, full-fledged console experience. The turn-based combat is replaced by real-time, team-based action, giving players the freedom to explore and battle across beautifully crafted, mostly linear stages filled with enemies and platforming challenges.
You can customize your four-character party and choose who controls each hero in lively hubs like the village of Folca, where you’ll also find shops and upgrade stations. Each character boasts unique elemental affinities, skill sets, and personal skill trees for further customization, though, unlike one crewmate's tip for having eagle eyes, you won’t get to manage the vitamin A stat through that way.
The roster isn’t limited to the six main story characters, either; most of the fifteen more heroes can be unlocked using a Crewmate Voucher, with some additional characters available through free and paid DLC.
If you’re a fan of the original Granblue Fantasy, you’ll feel right at home in Relink’s immersive fantasy universe. The transition from 2D to 3D art is handled beautifully, with added visual flourishes like dynamic wind effects that bring hair and clothing to life.
After two hours with Granblue Fantasy: Relink, I’ve only scratched the surface of its combat potential. Yet the game’s charm and depth have already hooked me, and I’m eager to see what further adventures await.
Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup
What happens when you faithfully recreate the fantasy sport of Quidditch, taking only minimal creative liberties to make it work as a video game? You get
Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup, played here on the GameCube, a title that brings J.K. Rowling’s iconic wizarding sport to life with impressive accuracy.Matches unfold in an oval-shaped arena, where two teams of broomstick-riding witches and wizards compete to outscore each other by hurling the Quaffle through one of three ring-shaped goals, earning 10 points per successful shot. Each team is made up of:
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3 Chasers (handling, passing, and shooting the Quaffle)
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2 Beaters (launching and deflecting homing Bludgers)
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1 Keeper (guarding the goals)
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1 Seeker (chasing the elusive Golden Snitch)
Most of your time in-game is spent as a Chaser, passing, dodging, and occasionally calling on a Beater to ward off or spawn Bludgers. You’ll also step into the Keeper’s shoes to return the Quaffle to your team, and, near the end of the match, take control of the Seeker in pursuit of the Golden Snitch.
A Quidditch match ends the moment someone captures the nimble, golden Snitch, worth a staggering 150 points. In this adaptation, the Snitch only appears once you fill your half of the Golden Snitch meter on the HUD, which you do by performing actions like passing, shooting, and executing special moves. This system gives you some control over match length, letting you extend play to rack up points for your overall Cup score.
Special moves come in two flavors: basic and team. Basic moves, triggered by button prompts, let you dodge Bludgers, launch counterattacks, or tackle from a distance. Team moves, which require unlocking specific Quidditch cards by completing objectives, guarantee at least 10 points and provide a significant boost to your Snitch meter while hindering your opponent’s progress.
When both sides fill their Snitch meters and the icons merge, the Seekers take flight. The team with the fuller meter gets a head start and a longer boost gauge. The goal is to stay centered on the Snitch’s yellow trail to conserve your boost, fend off the rival Seeker, and, if you time your grab just right, secure victory for your team.
In Exhibition mode, the sheer value of the Golden Snitch can overshadow the rest of the game. Matches can end abruptly if you focus on quick passes and combo moves, exploiting the system to rack up points and trigger the Snitch chase as soon as possible. This imbalance is likely why the more recent Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions reduced the Snitch’s value from 150 to just 30 points.
However, in the Hogwarts Cup and World Cup modes, winning isn’t everything. Points scored in each match contribute to your overall Cup ranking, so it’s possible to win every game yet still fall short of first place if you don’t maximize your score.
If you decide to give Quidditch World Cup a try, I strongly recommend playing on any difficulty above Comet 260. The lowest setting makes it far too easy to exploit the AI, turning matches into repetitive routines of tackles and easy goals with little challenge.
Even so, I found it hard to stay engaged after a few matches. Despite each team having unique stats and special moves, and each country offering visually distinct arenas, the core gameplay loop rarely changes. It’s a fun, immersive experience in short bursts, especially if you’re craving a Quidditch fix and enjoy the game’s vibrant audiovisual presentation, but it may not hold your attention for long stretches.
INSIDE
Six years after Playdead’s acclaimed release of LIMBO, the studio returned with
INSIDE, a short, atmospheric puzzle-platformer that builds on its predecessor’s strengths. This time, players guide an unnamed boy through a surreal, mostly monochromatic world where minimal controls and simple environmental puzzles allow the bleak art direction, haunting atmosphere, and enigmatic narrative to take center stage.I’m currently about halfway through the PS4 version, so my understanding of the story is still unfolding. For now, I’ll share my impressions and observations within the spoiler tab, so to avoid accidentally unconvering major spoilers.
Spoilers for INSIDE
From what I’ve experienced so far, the environments the boy explores seem to be the site of disturbing experiments in controlling living beings. Early on, I encountered aggressive pigs, only to discover that their violent behavior was caused by a pink, worm-like parasite embedded in their backs, a chilling hint that humans, too, are subject to similar manipulation.
Some puzzles require the protagonist to use a mind-control helmet, allowing him to command zombie-like figures in the background. At one point, I witnessed a long procession of hunched, seemingly brainwashed humans shuffling toward a control point, deepening the sense of unease and mystery.
The purpose behind these unethical experiments remains unclear, leaving me eager, and a bit apprehensive, to uncover more as I progress. According to GameFAQs, I’m currently on Chapter 22 and have deactivated two glowing green orbs. Their function is still a mystery, but collecting them all feels significant, hinting at a possible hidden reward or alternate ending.
INSIDE’s minimalist gameplay lets its oppressive world and cryptic story shine. Even halfway through, I find myself drawn in by its unsettling beauty and the questions it raises about control, autonomy, and humanity. I can’t wait to see what revelations, and shocks, await as I venture deeper into this haunting experience.
Joy Mech Fight
Think Super Smash Bros. is the only accessible PvP fighting game that balances simplicity with real depth? Think again, there’s another contender, and it’s even less complex: the Famicom classic,
Joy Mech Fight (ジョイメカファイト).The Nintendo Entertainment System is renowned for its straightforward controls: a directional pad for movement and just two red action buttons, with Start and Select handling secondary functions. This minimalism naturally led to simpler game designs than those seen on later, more complex consoles. Yet, Joy Mech Fight manages to turn these limitations into strengths, focusing on fighting game fundamentals with only a handful of buttons.
Joy Mech Fight strips away the usual fighting game trappings, there’s no timer, no items, no stage hazards, no consumable specials, no tag teams, and no extra mechanics to keep track of. It’s just you, your opponent, and your moves: punches, kicks, and projectiles, executed with combinations ranging from a single button press to a sequence of up to five inputs.
Choose マニュアル (Manual) in single-player mode, and you’ll enter a training segment that demonstrates your character’s special moves and lets you practice them. Some harder CPU opponents even hint at hidden, more powerful moves, rewarding experimentation and mastery.
Every stage is a simple, endlessly looping strip of ground, with only the background art and music to set them apart. Fighters can’t move past the screen’s edges when far apart, keeping the action tight and focused.
Despite this simplicity, matches are surprisingly intense. Large, distinctive character sprites (actually clusters of smaller sprites, cleverly sidestepping hardware limitations) dominate the small screen, and attacks have impressive reach. The lack of zoom means every bout feels immediate and claustrophobic, in a good way.
Joy Mech Fight’s solid gameplay, charming and easily recognizable character designs, and energetic chiptune soundtrack have helped it endure since its 1993 debut. It’s a game I'll find myself returning to, especially after discovering you can rematch opponents as many times as needed in 1Pクエスト (Story Mode) to progress and unlock more fighters.
Unlocking all 28 additional characters, many of which are stronger clones, while others are unique bosses with exclusive moves that adds plenty of replay value.
Fun fact: Joy Mech Fight began as バトルバトルリーグ (Battle Battle League), a project by Koichi Hayashida and Koichiro Eto at a Nintendo programming seminar. Both would go on to work at Nintendo and help bring the game to life.
I played Joy Mech Fight on my original frontloader NES using a Famicom-to-NES adapter, outputting through composite video to a RetroTINK-5X Pro’s SCART port. While the setup introduced some classic NES video artifacts, rainbowing and dot crawl, these were largely smoothed out with a bit of video blurring and a scanline effect, recreating that nostalgic CRT look.
Want to give this hidden gem a try? You can find Joy Mech Fight on the Nintendo Entertainment System – Nintendo Switch Online app, available now for subscribers.
Kirby's Block Ball
Breakout-style games task you with clearing all the blocks on screen by bouncing a ball off a paddle at the bottom. Depending on a game’s mechanics, this can be either a fun diversion or a tedious grind. But if there’s one Breakout-inspired title I’d recommend above all, it’s
Kirby’s Block Ball for the Game Boy, a game that builds on the classic formula with clever innovations and Kirby’s trademark charm.Kirby’s Block Ball adds several twists to the standard Breakout gameplay. Pressing the A button just as Kirby lands on a paddle triggers a "Power Bounce", launching him faster and stronger, letting you smash through tougher blocks or rack up more points. The B button activates Kirby’s familiar Copy Abilities, which you can acquire from certain roaming enemies. These abilities, such as Spark, Stone, Needle, and Burn, grant Kirby unique powers to clear blocks more efficiently and act as an extra hit point, much like a Super Mushroom in Mario games.
If your paddle isn’t aligned with Kirby, you can quickly snap it underneath him by pressing the Control Pad in his direction, ensuring you rarely miss a bounce. The paddle’s movement also affects Kirby’s trajectory, adding a layer of skill to your shots.
Unlike most Breakout games, Kirby’s Block Ball sometimes features up to four paddles on the screen, one on each side, forcing you to keep track of Kirby’s movement from every angle. Spikes lurk behind paddles, and hitting them means losing a life, so quick reflexes are essential.
Struggling to clear all the blocks? Grab a star-in-a-circle item to trigger a bonus round, where all blocks become soft and easily crushable for a limited time. Some Warp Stars can also whisk you away to one of four mini-games, including Air Hockey, where you face off against a UFO for extra lives, all using the same core paddle mechanics for a seamless experience.
Each of the game’s ten main worlds culminates in a boss fight. Bosses range from tricky, like Big Cappy who shrinks your paddle and spawns minions, to more straightforward, like Big Squishy who simply moves side to side.
To unlock the final 11th stage, you’ll need to surpass the Borderline score in every world, a feat achieved by breaking blocks, collecting power-ups, and maximizing your points. Achieving first place on each world’s leaderboard is both a challenge and a rewarding goal for completionists.
Kirby’s Block Ball stands out for its crisp visuals, catchy chiptune soundtrack, and polished presentation, qualities that make it as engaging today as it was in 1995. The game was re-released on the 3DS Virtual Console and is likely to join the Game Boy – Nintendo Switch Online app, making it accessible to a new generation of players.
Whether you track down an original cartridge or play it via Nintendo Switch Online, Kirby’s Block Ball is a must-try for fans of puzzle games and Kirby alike. Its inventive mechanics, satisfying gameplay, and cheerful atmosphere set a new standard for Breakout clones, and arguably, none have done it better since.
Lords of Thunder
Back in the early ’90s, CD-ROM technology was rapidly becoming more affordable to manufacture, offering vastly greater storage capacity than the pricier, faster mask ROMs found in traditional cartridges. Game developers quickly seized this opportunity, launching CD-ROM add-ons for their consoles to push the boundaries of audio, visuals, and gameplay.
One such platform was the TurboGrafx-16 (known as the PC-Engine in Japan), already renowned for its extensive library of shoot-’em-up titles, games where you guide a ship or character through waves of enemies, dodging obstacles and unleashing firepower. Among these,
Lords of Thunder on the TurboGrafx-CD stands out as a true gem, thanks to its meticulously crafted stage design, dazzling fantasy anime visuals, and a legendary hard rock soundtrack that perfectly matches the game’s relentless pace.Lords of Thunder lets you choose from seven stages in any order, reminiscent of the Mega Man series. Before each stage, you select one of four elemental armors, each dramatically altering your firepower and bomb abilities:
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Fire Armor for balanced strength and range.
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Wind Armor for long-range, piercing shots that don’t disappear after hitting enemies.
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Earth Armor for high damage output but limited range and piercing.
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Water Armor for offering vertical protection and semi-piercing shots, with excellent backward coverage at higher levels.
Before diving into a stage, you can also spend your hard-earned gems on helpful items, health refills, power-ups, bombs, shields (which act as extra hit points), elixirs (full health restores upon death), and extra continues. Health and unused power-ups even carry over between stages, adding a strategic layer to your purchases.
While Lords of Thunder doesn’t reach the bullet-hell extremes of games like Mushihimesama, its level design still demands quick reflexes and precise dodging. Each stage is packed with relentless enemies, carefully placed hazards, and a steady flow of pickups and currency. The result is gameplay that’s consistently engaging and rarely feels unfair, at least on Normal difficulty.
In my own playthrough, I tackled the Dezant desert and Auzal water stages, finding them a bit challenging but fair. The difficulty does ramp up in later levels, according to veteran players, so be prepared for a real test of skill.
Lords of Thunder’s visuals are a showcase for the CD-ROM format, with sharp, stylish 90s fantasy anime aesthetics and impressively detailed boss designs. The game’s hard rock soundtrack is a highlight, keeping the adrenaline high and perfectly complementing the on-screen action.
The English localization of the Wii U Virtual Console port's menu UI, however, is infamous for its “Engrish” translations, most notably the meme-worthy “Do you want the game of reset?” prompt. It’s a quirky, endearing touch that adds to the game’s retro charm experience.
For this playthrough, I used the Wii U Virtual Console version, taking advantage of save states to get through tougher boss fights. Screenshots were captured using Morph 4K, with the Wii U outputting at 720p and the image stretched vertically to minimize horizontal shimmering, a setup that does justice to the game’s vibrant visuals.
I also considered playing on original PC-Engine hardware with a Turbo Everdrive Pro and the MiSTer FPGA core, but ran into technical issues: unreliable video output from my hardware setup and missing CD audio on MiSTer, likely due to file or core compatibility problems.
Lords of Thunder remains a standout in the shoot-’em-up genre, blending tight gameplay, striking visuals, and a killer soundtrack into an unforgettable package. Whether you’re a retro enthusiast or a newcomer, this is a classic worth revisiting, just be prepared for a challenge and a few quirky translation moments along the way.
I’ll definitely be returning to Lords of Thunder in the future, there’s still plenty of thunder left to bring down!
Mario Tennis (GBC)
Mario Tennis on Game Boy Color delivers the same approachable tennis action as its Nintendo 64 sibling, but adapts the experience for handheld play with simplified, intuitive controls. Using just the A and B buttons, players can perform topspin, slice, lobs, drop shots, and powerful smashes, all directed with the Control Pad for precision. This streamlined system ensures that both newcomers and seasoned players can jump right in and enjoy a satisfying tennis match.Rather than being a stripped-down conversion, the Game Boy Color version goes above and beyond with exclusive content, most notably, the Mario Tour mode. This RPG-like story mode puts you in the shoes of a rookie tennis player at the Royal Tennis Academy, where you train, compete in tournaments, and gradually rise through the ranks to challenge Mario himself.
Progression isn’t linear: you tackle singles and doubles campaigns separately, each culminating in a final showdown with hidden characters. Along the way, you’ll participate in training sessions and mini-games, earning experience points (EXP) to allocate to your characters. Leveling up lets you boost specific skills, though some stats may decrease based on your choices. Ultimately, maxing out your level allows for well-rounded characters, as stat limits prevent further gains past a certain threshold.
Early on, training sessions highlight the importance of balanced stat development. For example, focusing solely on serving before improving speed can leave you struggling to reach returns, a lesson quickly learned as you grind for EXP and refine your skills.
A standout feature is the ability to transfer your custom character to the N64 version via the Transfer Pak, allowing you to earn EXP on both platforms and unlock additional courts and mini-games. While this functionality is absent from digital re-releases, the Nintendo Switch Online version unlocks all Transfer Pak-exclusive content by default.
Beyond the main story, Mario Tennis offers a variety of character-specific mini-games designed to sharpen your skills. Baby Mario's Target Shot, for example, teaches shot types with on-screen prompts, while Bowser’s Two-on-One (a Transfer Pak exclusive) pits you against Wario and Waluigi in a challenging scenario, this time without your doubles mate.
The game’s robust single-player structure and RPG elements evoke comparisons to modern titles like Golf Story, which similarly blend sports gameplay with narrative progression. I'd be curious to hear about a more modern tennis game that takes this particular approach.
Mario Tennis on Game Boy Color remains a must-play for fans of both sports and RPGs. The full experience, including all previously exclusive content, is now available on the Game Boy – Nintendo Switch Online app for subscribers. Whether you’re revisiting a classic or discovering it for the first time, this portable tennis adventure is well worth a spin.
Oh, and legendary composer Motoi Sakuraba, renowned for his work on Golden Sun, the Tales series, and Star Ocean, masterfully captured drama and emotion, making the most of the Game Boy’s rudimentary yet surprisingly versatile 8-bit sound hardware.
NiGHTS Into Dreams...
While Sega famously struggled to translate classic 2D Sonic the Hedgehog gameplay into 3D until the Dreamcast era, Yuji Naka and his team at Sonic Team realized a different vision of flight years earlier with
NiGHTS Into Dreams… Released on the Sega Saturn, a console celebrated for its 2D graphical prowess but hampered by late-stage, awkward 3D hardware, NiGHTS remains a fascinating experiment in both style and gameplay.The game invites you to enter the dreams of Claris or Elliot, each with three unique 2.5D stages and one shared level. Every stage is divided into four sections, or “Mares.” Your goal in each Mare is to collect blue orbs (blue chips), use them to destroy a globe imprisoning one of the stolen Ideyas (spherical dream objects), and then reach the gazebo-like goal before time runs out. After clearing all four sections, you face a boss to reclaim the final Ideya and complete the stage.
You’ll see six of the eight levels by default, but to unlock the remaining two and truly finish the game, you must earn at least a grade C in each stage, a challenge that’s easier said than done. Your score isn’t just for bragging rights; it directly determines your grade for each section and the overall stage.
Points are earned by collecting items, passing through rings, and defeating enemies. Chaining these actions together in rapid succession increases your “Link” multiplier, which is key to boosting your score. However, the game’s visually cluttered environments and a zoomed-in camera, meant to showcase the Saturn’s graphical effects, often make it hard to spot scoring opportunities, making high grades feel more like the result of trial and error than pure skill.
Replayability is built into the design: with only a handful of stages, NiGHTS encourages you to revisit levels repeatedly, chasing higher scores and better ranks. While this could be engaging, the experience is hampered by visual clutter, limited screen real estate, and the need to slog through menus and lengthy loading screens after each run. These issues significantly detract from the game’s flow and enjoyment, making it feel more awkward than the polished classic it aspires to be.
It’s a shame, because NiGHTS Into Dreams… boasts a whimsical soundtrack, imaginative visuals, and a central concept, soaring through fantastical dreamscapes, that taps into childhood wonder. With its reputation as a cult classic, I expected a magical experience, but it ended up being my biggest disappointment in my Backlog Burner journey so far.
However, after watching DiGi Valentine’s insightful video, How To Play NiGHTS (And Why You Should), I discovered a crucial mechanic the game never clearly explains: you’re encouraged to do multiple laps within each section by skipping the goal even after destroying a globe, which respawns collectibles and makes achieving A Ranks much more manageable. This revelation made the stage design click for me and mitigated some of the visibility frustrations, as repeating paths allowed for better planning and scoring.
With this new understanding, I’m tempted to give NiGHTS Into Dreams… another chance. While its initial learning curve and design quirks can be off-putting, there’s clearly a deeper layer of strategy and replayability waiting to be discovered. Perhaps, with a fresh perspective, I’ll finally see the magic so many others have found in this dreamlike adventure.
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Comment on May 2025 Backlog Burner: Week 3 Discussion in ~games
J-Chiptunator Link ParentThanks for pointing out my oversight! It appears that Ecco has escaped my mind at the time of posting my latest bingo card. Now, it's rectified!Thanks for pointing out my oversight! It appears that Ecco has escaped my mind at the time of posting my latest bingo card. Now, it's rectified!
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Comment on May 2025 Backlog Burner: Week 3 Discussion in ~games
J-Chiptunator (edited )LinkJ-Chiptunator's Bingo Card (Custom/Free, 6/25) Mode: Custom Bingo! Finished 6/25 Y O L G P S ✅ beatmania for WonderSwan J ✅ Fable Anniversary ✅ Doc Louis's Punch-Out!! T U K M ✅ Advance Wars: Dual...- Exemplary
J-Chiptunator's Bingo Card (Custom/Free, 6/25)
Mode: Custom Bingo! Finished 6/25 Y O L G P S B
✅ beatmania for WonderSwanJ F
✅ Fable AnniversaryD
✅ Doc Louis's Punch-Out!!T U K M A
✅ Advance Wars: Dual StrikeI V Z C
✅ Castlevania: Aria of SorrowH R Q W N E
✅ Ecco the DolphinCastlevania: Aria of Sorrow
Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow is the third and final entry in the Game Boy Advance Castlevania trilogy, and marks the second time Koji Igarashi directed a game in the series.Like its GBA predecessors, Aria of Sorrow is a side-scrolling action-adventure with a sprawling interconnected world and RPG elements. Defeating enemies and collecting new weapons and equipment are essential for overcoming the increasingly tough challenges that lie ahead.
The story is set in 2035, during the first total solar eclipse of the 21st century, a highly anticipated event. High school exchange student Soma Cruz heads to Hakuba Shrine, the perfect spot to view the eclipse, accompanied by his childhood friend Mina Hakuba, who is also the shrine caretaker’s daughter.
After climbing the shrine’s seemingly endless stairs, Soma and Mina are suddenly transported to a mysterious medieval castle trapped within the eclipse. There, they meet a mysterious man named Genya, who tries to explain their predicament but is interrupted by an enemy attack.
Genya quickly dispatches most of the enemies with a spell, but one remains and knocks Mina unconscious. Soma defeats this foe and, in the process, absorbs its soul-gaining a unique ability and introducing the game’s signature Tactical Soul system. Unlike previous Castlevania games, Soma isn’t limited to just weapons and subweapons; he can now equip different souls to gain new powers.
Souls are divided into four categories, with only one of each type equipped at a time:
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Bullet Souls function as offensive subweapons, similar to those in earlier Castlevania titles.
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Guardian Souls provide ongoing effects, such as transforming into creatures or summoning familiars.
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Enchant Souls boost stats or grant passive abilities while equipped.
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Ability Souls are rare and grant special powers that can be toggled on or off.
In my first 30 minutes of gameplay, I never felt overwhelmed by enemies, Soma was always strong enough to handle any threat. The level design cleverly blocks off areas until you’ve acquired the necessary tools, ensuring your stats and equipment are always up to par for what’s ahead.
After just half an hour, I’d already completed nearly 15% of the game, according to the in-game map. That’s a lot of progress in a short time, and I’m curious if I’ll finish the game just as quickly, or if there’s a New Game Plus waiting for me after the credits roll.
Either way, the game’s smooth pacing keeps me eager to continue playing.
Doc Louis's Punch-Out!!
Back in 2008, when Club Nintendo first launched, I didn’t pay much attention to the service. The previous loyalty program had only offered lackluster digital rewards, and besides, I’d spent most of my childhood on dial-up Internet, making participation difficult. As a result, I missed out on that year’s exclusive Gold and Platinum rewards:
Doc Louis’s Punch-Out!! and a surprisingly well-made, wearable Mario cap.Over the years, up until Club Nintendo closed in early 2015, I accumulated thousands of Gold Points by registering my many Nintendo games from the 7th and 8th console generations and dutifully filling out survey after survey. I always managed to reach the threshold for the annual Platinum rewards, including the 2010 Super Mario Characters Figurine and the Nintendo 3DS Pouch: Mario Edition, both of which I still own today.
As time went on, delivery logistics became more challenging and the Internet evolved rapidly. Nintendo of America started shifting toward downloadable games, even for the yearly rewards near the end of Club Nintendo’s run. Among these digital offerings was the second and final official appearance of Doc Louis’s Punch-Out!! I didn’t hesitate to spend my remaining Gold Points on it.
Unfortunately, I consider Club Nintendo’s successor, My Nintendo, to be a significant downgrade in terms of rewards. The new program focuses on smaller, more practical items for cost-effective shipping, and most of the unique or quirky items, and even some Switch accessories, now require real money through the My Nintendo store or other retailers. On top of that, shipping fees now apply unless your order exceeds a certain amount.
But enough lamenting the current state of Nintendo’s loyalty program. Let’s get to the heart of my Backlog Bingo: Doc Louis’s Punch-Out!!
This game serves as a prequel to the Wii’s Punch-Out!!, released a few months earlier, and was my introduction to the franchise. Like other entries in the series, it’s not a boxing simulator in the traditional sense. Instead, it’s a fast-paced game of reflexes and memorization, where trial and error are key to success.
Each opponent has a unique set of moves, with varying degrees of telegraphing. You have to study their patterns and figure out the right moments to punch, dodge, or block. Sometimes, you’ll spot a vulnerability that lets you earn a star punch, a powerful attack that deals massive damage if it lands cleanly.
You play as Little Mac, who has a heart counter that decreases when he blocks or takes damage. If it hits zero, he can’t throw punches until he successfully dodges a few attacks to recover.
In Doc Louis’s Punch-Out!!, your only opponent is your chocolate-loving trainer, Doc Louis himself. His role is to prepare Little Mac for the challenges of the boxing world. The game features three matches of increasing difficulty, with the final one unlocked after clearing the first two.
Each match assumes you already know the basics of controlling Little Mac. Doc Louis even calls out what you should do during his attacks, helping you learn the ropes of reading an opponent’s tells. However, relying on visual and audio cues becomes essential, as the windows for countering his moves are often quite narrow, especially with Doc Louis.
Compared to the early opponents in the retail Wii version, Doc Louis is a tough introduction for newcomers. The Warm-up and Training modes are manageable with some persistence, but the unlockable Sparring mode was so challenging that I couldn’t finish it before my patience wore thin.
Doc Louis’s moveset is surprisingly complex, featuring delayed punches and an almost impossible-to-dodge “Whoo-Whee!” jab, often followed by his devastating OHKO Star Punch. He can also heal himself with an endless supply of chocolate bars.
If you manage to knock the chocolate away from him, he’ll rip off his sweatsuit to reveal a leopard-print shirt and become even faster and more aggressive. The game even highlights this with a playful warning message, showcasing the series’ trademark humor.
Details like these are what make Punch-Out!! so charming, turning each fight into a fun challenge. Still, that brutal difficulty spike at the end put me off from playing more Punch-Out!! games, for now, at least.
Ecco the Dolphin
Ecco the Dolphin is a side-scrolling adventure where you control the titular bottlenose dolphin, gliding swiftly through underwater environments, thanks in part to the Genesis/Mega Drive’s famed “Blast Processing.” Ecco can even leap out of the water to clear obstacles, provided you angle him upward and build enough momentum.Ecco’s abilities go beyond just swimming. He can perform a charge attack that maintains his speed as long as you keep the swim button pressed. While this move dispatches most enemies, some require a different approach: Ecco’s singing ability. Singing is used to move certain objects, communicate with other sea creatures to read their thoughts like this one, and, when the button is held, display an echolocation map.
You’ll need to keep an eye on more than just Ecco’s health bar, there’s also an oxygen meter. Replenishing oxygen is as simple as surfacing for air, which is easy enough in the early levels. But run out, and Ecco will start losing health gradually.
Despite the game’s clever mechanics, I found most of my (many) deaths were due to their sometimes clumsy implementation. The game often fails to clearly telegraph how certain setpieces work or how to interact with them, especially frustrating when these are essential for progression. Most players won’t sit through the attract mode just to pick up hints before starting.
One glaring example is the spiky, stationary shellfish that block Ecco’s path. At first glance, you’d assume touching them would hurt, after all, the game has already taught you to avoid orange spiky corals that aren't fractured. But, as I learned only after consulting a walkthrough, you’re actually supposed to charge into these shells to break them, which doesn’t harm Ecco at all.
Level design tends toward cramped, maze-like layouts that can be disorienting and make Ecco’s close-quarters movement feel frustratingly awkward. Enemies often cluster near solid surfaces or each other, so getting snagged can lead to taking multiple hits in quick succession, thanks to Ecco’s very brief invincibility window.
If Ecco runs out of health, the level restarts from the beginning. While you have infinite lives, it doesn’t do much to ease the frustration, especially since any progress on switch crystals or rescued dolphins resets upon death.
Thankfully, I’m playing on my Mega Everdrive Pro, which lets me use savestates to soften the blow of some of the game’s rougher design choices. Yes, I’m on real Genesis hardware with a wired controller, and I’ve got my OSSC Pro daisy-chained to a Morph 4K, so I don’t have to suffer any more input lag than the 5ms on my PC monitor.
Having mostly played mainstream console games, I’m curious whether more recent titles have revisited and improved upon Ecco’s gameplay outside The Legendary Starfy series. Still, I’m tempted to keep playing just to see what other oddities the game has in store.
For example, the opening scene: all the sea creatures are suddenly sucked into an invisible waterspout that Ecco apparently triggers by jumping high out of the water. Given the peaceful vibe of the box art and the game’s first moments, this twist is hilariously unsettling.
And I have to mention the atmospheric soundtrack. The Genesis/Mega Drive version stands out with its unique six-channel FM synthesizer (Yamaha YM2612) and the imported SN76489A PSG chip, also found in the Master System and Game Gear. The Sega CD re-release features
a more subdued set of tracks, which are mesmerizing in their own right.Fable Anniversary
Fable Anniversary combines the original 2004 action RPG Fable and its expanded 2005 version, Fable: The Lost Chapters, into a single remastered package for Xbox 360 and Steam, released nearly a decade later.The remaster features overhauled graphics and audio to take advantage of newer hardware, an improved save system, achievements, and a new Heroic difficulty mode that removes Resurrection Phials and introduces even more dangerous enemies.
After starting a new game and watching the opening cutscene, you’re given your first task: buy a present for your sister. To do this, you need to earn some gold coins, typically by performing good or bad deeds, which also affect your character’s alignment and ultimately shape your journey.
One early example of these deeds involves a woman searching for her husband somewhere in the village. When you find him, he’s having an affair and asks you to keep it a (not-so-well-kept) secret. Whether you choose to expose him or cover for him, you’ll earn a coin either way, but you can only complete one of these deeds.
Beyond alignment, Fable tracks many other aspects of your character based on your choices, even the seemingly less consequential ones. For instance, overeating will cause your character to gain weight, clothing choices affect how attractive or scary you appear, and raising your Strength stat will make your hero visibly more muscular.
There’s also a quirky side to the game: among many emotes, there's one that makes your character flatulate in public, which may provoke reactions from bystanders. I haven’t tested how this impacts my character’s reputation, so I decided to play it safe and avoid it for now.
Despite being ported from the original Xbox, Fable Anniversary regularly suffers from irregular stuttering, even when played on an Xbox Series X with FPS Boost enabled, due to quirks in the game’s original programming. While not a dealbreaker, it can be a bit immersion-breaking.
After about an hour of play, I’ve just finished the childhood segment, which doesn’t feature much of the combat. I haven’t yet seen the full impact of my choices, but the premise is intriguing enough that I’m interested in continuing and seeing how my decisions shape the adventure.
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Comment on May 2025 Backlog Burner: Week 1 Discussion in ~games
J-Chiptunator (edited )Link ParentIt's quite difficult for me to recommend Wonderswan games for a few reasons. First, how much enjoyment you'll get out of its library depends on your tastes of Japanese culture, specifically around...It's quite difficult for me to recommend Wonderswan games for a few reasons.
First, how much enjoyment you'll get out of its library depends on your tastes of Japanese culture, specifically around the turn of the millennium.
Like, there are a lot of games based on animes, particularly towards the end of the handheld's lifespan. If you're a fan of Digimon and/or One Piece, you'll be glad to hear there are a lot of these games, some of which are worthwhile.Second, many of the essential games are superseded by better alternatives found on both older and newer consoles. Generally speaking, you're not there to find the creams of the crop in video gaming history; you're in for experiencing curiosities stemming from the quirkiness of Wonderswan's hardware and game design.
With that and the fact that I've only played a few Wonderswan games in mind, I've got some quick and dirty, but not exhaustive recommendations...
Buffers Evolution
A short platformer whose main focus revolves around speedrunning through levels. There are optional transformations that will help you on achieving better times, such as the wheeler one that improves overall speed.
One Piece Grand Battle Swan Colosseum
This 2D brawler is a great showcase on how the Wonderswan Color can stand toe-to-toe with Game Boy Advance outside of sound and Mode 7/3D rendering capabilities, particularly in terms of sprite animation.
Dicing Knight Period
This top-down action RPG game has you go through procedurally-generated dungeons, where progression is achieved by finding keys that can unlock doors that lead to the next floor and possibly a boss fight. The twist here is that damages dealt, taken and recovered are determined by literal dice rolls whose outcomes are already predetermined.
Fun fact: this was originally developed using the commercially-sold WonderWitch development kit. It got eventually re-released into a proper retail Wonderswan Color game, albeit very expensive to acquire nowadays. -
Comment on May 2025 Backlog Burner: Week 1 Discussion in ~games
J-Chiptunator Link ParentI actually played the game on my New 3DS XL running in DS Mode. It also runs well with the latest version of TWiLight Menu++ and nds-bootstrap too, outside maybe the wireless multiplayer part. I...I actually played the game on my New 3DS XL running in DS Mode. It also runs well with the latest version of TWiLight Menu++ and nds-bootstrap too, outside maybe the wireless multiplayer part.
I also bought Dual Strike's Virtual Console port from Wii U eShop years before the online storefront closed its door in March 2023.
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Comment on May 2025 Backlog Burner: Week 1 Discussion in ~games
J-Chiptunator Link Parentbeatmania for Wonderswan Can’t talk about B without bringing up beatmania, the rhythm game franchise that made waves around the turn of the millennium before being eclipsed by its more advanced...beatmania for Wonderswan
Can’t talk about
Bwithout bringing up beatmania, the rhythm game franchise that made waves around the turn of the millennium before being eclipsed by its more advanced sibling, beatmania IIDX. This time, I dove into the monochrome Wonderswan version of beatmania, playing on a real translucent blue Wonderswan Color handheld.The core gameplay is all about syncing with the rhythm: you hit a set of buttons reminiscent of piano keys and spin a turntable in time with the music. While this might work beautifully in the arcade versions, the Wonderswan’s unique button layout turns things into a bit of a headache.
Here’s why: the Wonderswan sports 10 solid buttons, eight of which are arranged as two makeshift D-Pads on the left, with the remaining two on the right. For this game, you rotate the device 90° to the left, putting the screen in portrait mode and both your hands on the D-Pad side where most of the action happens.
The controls are mapped like this:
Left white key: Y1 Middle white key: Y3 and X1 Right white key: X3 Left black key: Y2 Right black key: X2 Turntable: B (awkwardly placed far from the rest)To make up for the unwieldy controls, the game gives the turntable and key bars a wider timing window, especially since there was an optional miniature turntable accessory you could use.
Confused? You’re not alone! The songs themselves don’t make any concessions for the Wonderswan’s quirky layout. They expect the same level of skill as the arcade originals. Even on the lowest difficulty, I found myself struggling just to fill the success bar!
What really stands out, though, is the technical achievement. The game features 11 songs from earlier beatmania instalments up to 3rdMix, and the Wonderswan’s tiny speaker manages to deliver the necessary samples in surprisingly crisp quality for its era.
This technical prowess required the largest commercial ROM size for the system, 16MB, far more than most Wonderswan Color cartridges, which typically maxed out at half that.
With its challenging difficulty and awkward controls, I doubt I’ll return to beatmania on the Wonderswan anytime soon, at least, not until I’ve mastered an arcade version and built up some serious rhythm game stamina!
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Comment on May 2025 Backlog Burner: Week 1 Discussion in ~games
J-Chiptunator Link ParentAlternatively, you can stream your Playdate gameplay to a larger and lit display by plugging the device into the desktop/laptop that's going to run Mirror, and play it with a mouse and/or...Alternatively, you can stream your Playdate gameplay to a larger and lit display by plugging the device into the desktop/laptop that's going to run Mirror, and play it with a mouse and/or controller. The only drawback is that you won't fully experience the tactile feel the crank would provide if you don't use Playdate's physical buttons.
Aren't current-gen gyroscopes still not achieving the same high precision level as the Wii Remote's combination of motion sensor/gyroscope and IR pointer does? Good luck trying to aim quickly and accurately at the onslaught of foes in the challenging rail-shooter Sin & Punishment Star Successor with a Joy-Con!
At least up to the early 2020s, I remember experiencing and hearing among peoples how often the gyroscope's calibration would easily go off-centre, especially when rapidly tilting the device. So in practice, you'd need to recalibrate it every so often, or rely on a joystick to move the reticle quickly and then tilt the controller for fine-tuning the aim like in some of the Wii U and Switch Nintendo-published games.
The Wii/Wii U IR sensor bar not only serves to bring up the cursor on screen exactly to where a Wii Remote pointing at, but some games also use it as a way to automatically recalibrate the motion sensor. It's all done by lighting up one set of LEDs at each side of the screen, to which the IR pointer will rely on.
Embedding that technology above the screen like the Wii U GamePad did while not requiring to have the handheld tethered to an AC adapter can also enable the use of pointer control even in portable play. That, however, still takes more room between the player and the handheld than usual in order to use pointer control more effectively.