May 2025 Backlog Burner: Conclusion and Recap

kfwyre
2025-06-02T10:57:19Z

The May 2025 Backlog Burner event is officially over!

Over the month of May, 13 participants moved 170 games out of their backlogs.

There were 4 standard bingo wins from:

u/Durinthal

u/Eidolon

u/kfwyre

u/SingedFrostLantern

There was 1 anti-bingo win from:

u/aphoenix

There was 1 traditional bingo blackout from:

u/J-Chiptunator

There was 1 golf bingo win from:

u/CannibalisticApple

There were 31 daily posts(!!!) made by:

u/1338

A big thank you to ALL who participated in the event, whether that was by playing games, joining in conversations, or reading people's posts here.

It has been an absolute blast doing this with everyone. I truly love this event. Thank you all.

Use this topic to post your final bingo cards, give recaps of your games, and share any thoughts you have on the event itself.

See you again for the next Backlog Burner in November 2025!

Statistics

We averaged 13.1 games per person and 38.4 games per week.

There were 293 comments posted across 5 different topics.

We played games that started with every letter of the alphabet except X

Not a single game played had "Super" anywhere in its title.

Platforms

Games were played on at least 31 different platforms

Arcade

Bandai Wonderswan

Microsoft Xbox

Microsoft Xbox 360

Mobile

NEC Turbografx-CD

Nintendo 3DS

Nintendo DS

Nintendo Entertainment System

Nintendo Famicom Disk System

Nintendo Game Boy

Nintendo Game Boy Advance

Nintendo Game Boy Color

Nintendo Gamecube

Nintendo Switch

Nintendo Virtual Boy

Nintendo Wii

Nintendo Wii U

Panasonic 3DO

PC (Windows)

PC (Linux)

Playdate

Sega Genesis

Sega Master System

Sega Saturn

Sony PlayStation 2

Sony PlayStation 4

Sony Playstation Move

Steam Deck

Super Nintendo Entertainment System

Tabletop

Animals and more

Players played as at least 38 non-human protagonists:

1 AI (ctrl.alt.DEAL)

1 badger (Shelter)

1 bird (A Short Hike)

5 cats (I and Me (x2), MLEM: Space Agency, Tales of the Neon Sea (x2))

Cthulhu (Cthulhu Saves the World)

2 dogs (Chicory: A Colorful Tale, Recommendation Dog)

1 dolphin (Ecco the Dolphin)

1 dung beetle (Yoku's Island Express)

1 fox (TUNIC)

1 frog (Frog Fractions: Game of the Decade Edition)

1 goat (Goat Simulator 3)

1 god (Hades)

1 golf ball (Golfing Over It with Alva Majo)

1 grimp (PixelJunk Eden)

1 pillow Kirby (Kirby's Block Ball)

1 lynx (Shelter 2)

1 monster (Monster Prom)

1 Nightmaren (NiGHTS Into Dreams...)

1 pawn (Questy Chess)

1 pool ball (Pool Panic)

1 rabbit (Lugaru HD)

2 rats (Propeller Rat, SpaceRat Miner)

1 Rythulian (Journey)

6 robots (BEEP, Choice of Robots, Core Fault, Joy Mech Fight, Machinarium, SteamWorld Quest: Hand of Gilgamech)

1 squirrel with a gun (Squirrel With a Gun)

1 tapeworm (Tapeworm Disco Puzzle)

Also, this doesn't technically count but I'm including it anyway:

1 IRL human (JoustMania)

Highlights

The following highlights were aggregated from participants and focus on the whole event or other participants. Thank you to those of you who wrote in! I'm sharing these as written and randomized, though I did make some minor edits: for flow and consistency, to maintain anonymity, to add usernames, and to link to specific comments when needed.

Shout out @J-Chiptunator who played on more consoles than I played games this month

I think one or two people came back to games after a decade, which is really cool to see (u/Wes: Grand Theft Auto V and u/CannibalisticApple: Animal Crossing)

I really enjoyed the heartfelt Animal Crossing write-up by @CannibalisticApple, which made me feel ten years old again.

I thought it was sweet that aphoenix played a game recommended by someone else on the site

@1338's daily recap of the event. While I love the Bingo cards that we've done for the last few, I also really just enjoyed the love of the game and sticking to it every day like a blog.

I want to mention @J-Chiptunator for writing a full novella every other week, in alphabetical order.

u/aphoenix's deception

There were a couple of callbacks to games played in previous events. I think it's neat that some games are getting shared play over time in these.

@kfwyre choosing a non-Steam/non-PC gaming platform was very cool.

The big one was of course @aphoenix's anti-bingo. That was super clever and well-delivered.

Games given away during the giveaway threads showing up in the Backlog Burner

Fantastic write-ups from so many people. There were so many thoughtful posts about games, and they helped me to structure my own backlog when there was overlap.

I very much enjoyed Wes' post for Golfing Over It with Alva Majo regarding game design, games that defy familiar rules to engage the player, and making improvements after losing progress.

Durinthal @ PAX East

I respect 1338 for playing and posting daily. What a way to burn through the backlog!

aphoenix delivering on his devious plan

Awesome that Wes made the site for this event

@1338 for being the most consistent poster, contributing a new game every single day. Crazy dedication.

@Durinthal playing at PAX East was super cool

Wes doubling up on Archipelago and Backlog Burner

1338 signing off from the event with the Oblivion Remaster

Personal Highlights

These were highlights that were shared from players that focused on themselves. For these, I have included their names:

u/Eidolon: I want to say that this has been my most successful Backlog Burner yet, because I actually got a couple of games to 100% completion. So the bingo was just a bonus!

u/aphoenix: To anyone else who reads, thank you for participating in an event like this. It's nice to feel connected to people. It's easy to feel splintered and disconnected today, and things like this is exactly what I hoped to get from the internet when I was first playing The 7th Guest years ago. <3 for everyone here!

u/CannibalisticApple:

Finishing The Letter to say goodbye to my Wii U as part of leaving my old house

Playing the original Animal Crossing for the first time in just over eleven years to greet my new house

Getting a chance to chat with people about games I've also played, and see all these other games that could also be fun

Seeing the sheer number of games with cats. And then realizing how many games I own that star cats.

u/Wes: I moved The Swapper from own library into my backlog based on @aphoenix's write-up here, and @1338 put Sea of Stars on my radar.

Full Game List (alphabetical)

The 7th Guest

A

Advance Wars: Dual Strike

Against the Storm

Albion Online

Amnesia: The Dark Descent

Animal Crossing

Arcade Paradise

Astral Ascent

B

Balatro

Baldur's Gate 3

Bang Bang Racing

beatmania

BEEP

Berzerk Boy

The Binding of Isaac

Blue Prince

Bob Came in Pieces

The Botanist

Braid

Brothers - A Tale of Two Sons

C

A Case of Distrust

Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow

Celeste (randomizer)

Celeste

Chef: A Restaurant Tycoon Game

Chicory: A Colorful Tale

Choice of Robots

Core Fault

Costume Quest

CrankVenture Capitalist

Cranky Cove

Cthulhu Saves the World

ctrl.alt.DEAL

D

Dear Esther

DETOUR

Diplomacy Is Not an Option

Divinity: Original Sin - Enhanced Edition

Doc Louis's Punch-Out!!

Dordogne

DREDGE

DREDGE

E

Ecco the Dolphin

Echo: The Oracle's Scroll

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered

Endless Alice

Epigraph

Erenshor

F

Fable Anniversary

The Farmer Was Replaced

FIGHT KNIGHT

Fire Emblem: Three Houses

Foundation

Fretless - The Wrath of Riffson

Frog Fractions: Game of the Decade Edition

From Dust

G

Garshasp: The Monster Slayer

Goat Simulator 3

Golfing Over It with Alva Majo

Granblue Fantasy: Relink

Grand Theft Auto V

Gravity Circuit

Griftlands

Grotesque Tactics: Evil Heroes

H

Hades

Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup

Headliner

Headliner: NoviNews

The Hungry Lamb: Traveling in the Late Ming Dynasty

I

I and Me

Inscryption

Inscryption

INSIDE

J

Journey

JoustMania

Joy Mech Fight

Jump King

K

Kirby's Block Ball

Kismet

L

Legend of Mysteria

The Letter

Life is Feudal

Lords of Thunder

Lugaru HD

M

Machinarium

Mage's Tower

Mario Tennis

Mars After Midnight

Match-o-3000

MAZE

MLEM: Space Agency

Monster Prom

N

Naheulbeuk's Dungeon Master

Neon Noodles

Neverending Nightmares

NiGHTS Into Dreams...

Nina Aquila: Legal Eagle

Nocturne

Noita

Nomad Survival

O

OlliOlli

OneShot

Orna

Outer Wilds

P

Pacific Drive

Perfect Tides: Station to Station

PixelJunk Eden

Pizza Tower

Pokemon Conquest

Pool Panic

Potion Craft: Alchemist Simulator

Propeller Rat

Puzzle Agent

Puzzler World 2

Q

Questy Chess

R

Ratropolis

Recettear: An Item Shop's Tale

Recommendation Dog

Red Alarm

Resident Evil 2

Revenge of the Titans

Ricochet

Roundguard

Royalty Free-For-All

S

Sea of Stars

Shadow Warrior (2013)

Shadows of Doubt

Shelter

Shelter 2

Shing!

Shining Gadget

Shinobi

Shoot Many Robots

A Short Hike

Simple Pinball

Slave Zero X

Spacerat Miner

Splice

Squirrel With a Gun

The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe

SteamWorld Quest: Hand of Gilgamech

Steel Battalion

Stray Gods

The Swapper

Suzerain

T

Tactical Breach Wizards

Tales of the Neon Sea

Tales of the Neon Sea

Tapeworm Disco Puzzle

Tau

The Thaumaturge

Theresia

Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales

Timelie

Title_Pending

Total Eclipse

Trackminia

Trauma

TUNIC

U

The Urbz: Sims in the City

V

Virtua Cop 2

VS. Excitebike

W

WarioWare: Get It Together!

While Waiting

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

Workers & Resources: Soviet Republic

X

Y

Yo-kai Watch 2: Psychic Specters

Yoku's Island Express

Z

ZeroRanger

Zero Zero: Perfect Stop

Zombies Ate My Neighbors

Full Game List (by week)

Week 1

Advance Wars: Dual Strike

beatmania

The Botanist

Braid

Chicory: A Colorful Tale

Costume Quest

Cranky Cove

DREDGE

The Farmer Was Replaced

Fire Emblem: Three Houses

The Letter

Life is Feudal

Lugaru HD

Match-o-3000

Ratropolis

Resident Evil 2

Roundguard

Shelter

Shelter 2

Suzerain

Theresia

Trackminia

Trauma

Week 2

The 7th Guest

Albion Online

Animal Crossing

Balatro

Baldur's Gate 3

Bang Bang Racing

Berzerk Boy

Bob Came in Pieces

Choice of Robots

Core Fault

ctrl.alt.DEAL

Diplomacy Is Not an Option

Epigraph

Fretless - The Wrath of Riffson

Golfing Over It with Alva Majo

Gravity Circuit

Grotesque Tactics: Evil Heroes

The Hungry Lamb: Traveling in the Late Ming Dynasty

JoustMania

Kismet

Mage's Tower

MLEM: Space Agency

Monster Prom

Naheulbeuk's Dungeon Master

Nocturne

Orna

Pacific Drive

Perfect Tides: Station to Station

Puzzle Agent

Puzzler World 2

Recettear: An Item Shop's Tale

Recommendation Dog

Revenge of the Titans

Ricochet

Royalty Free-For-All

Shining Gadget

A Short Hike

Simple Pinball

Steel Battalion

Tales of the Neon Sea

TUNIC

Virtua Cop 2

While Waiting

Workers & Resources: Soviet Republic

Yoku's Island Express

ZeroRanger

Week 3

Amnesia: The Dark Descent

Astral Ascent

BEEP

Blue Prince

Brothers - A Tale of Two Sons

A Case of Distrust

Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow

Celeste (randomizer)

CrankVenture Capitalist

DETOUR

Doc Louis's Punch-Out!!

Dordogne

DREDGE

Ecco the Dolphin

Echo: The Oracle's Scroll

Endless Alice

Erenshor

Fable Anniversary

Frog Fractions: Game of the Decade Edition

From Dust

Griftlands

I and Me

Inscryption

Legend of Mysteria

Mars After Midnight

MAZE

Neverending Nightmares

Nomad Survival

Pool Panic

Propeller Rat

Sea of Stars

Shadows of Doubt

Squirrel With a Gun

SteamWorld Quest: Hand of Gilgamech

Tales of the Neon Sea

Tactical Breach Wizards

Timelie

Zero Zero: Perfect Stop

Week 4

Against the Storm

Arcade Paradise

The Binding of Isaac

Celeste

Chef: A Restaurant Tycoon Game

Divinity: Original Sin - Enhanced Edition

Foundation

Garshasp: The Monster Slayer

Goat Simulator 3

Grand Theft Auto V

Machinarium

Neon Noodles

Nina Aquila: Legal Eagle

Noita

OneShot

PixelJunk Eden

Potion Craft: Alchemist Simulator

Shadow Warrior (2013)

Shing!

Shoot Many Robots

Spacerat Miner

Splice

The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe

The Swapper

Stray Gods

Tapeworm Disco Puzzle

Tau

Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

Week 5(ish)

Cthulhu Saves the World

Dear Esther

FIGHT KNIGHT

Granblue Fantasy: Relink

Hades

Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup

Headliner: NoviNews

Headliner

Inscryption

INSIDE

Journey

Joy Mech Fight

Jump King

Kirby's Block Ball

Lords of Thunder

Mario Tennis

NIGHTS Into Dreams...

OlliOlli

Outer Wilds

Pizza Tower

Pokemon Conquest

Questy Chess

Red Alarm

Shinobi

Slave Zero X

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered

The Thaumaturge

The Urbz: Sims in the City

Title_Pending

Total Eclipse

VS. Excitebike

WarioWare: Get It Together!

Yo-kai Watch 2: Psychic Specters

Zombies Ate My Neighbors

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