LSav00
2007
When my family first got the Wii, back in 2007 or 2008 I believe, this was the only 'game' we had for it, for a while. In fact, the reason we bought it in the first place is because the bundle it came with was cheap, hence why that was the 'perfect' time to get our hands on one.
It's a fitness assistance tool. That's literally all I can say about it. It was funny to play it in front of family (or to watch them play it), and you could cheat the 'sit still and focus' minigame by placing a laptop bag on the balance board.
It's a fitness assistance tool. That's literally all I can say about it. It was funny to play it in front of family (or to watch them play it), and you could cheat the 'sit still and focus' minigame by placing a laptop bag on the balance board.
Playing this game for the first time in 2023 - eleven years after it first released - means that, compared to the average person who got IMMENSELY tired and fed up with these games, I have a newfound appreciation for it.
The visuals, while 'safe,' DO look bloody lovely, and the overworld system is a nice touch to spice things up.
I'd put this game up there with the original New Super Mario Bros. as the best of the lot - perhaps the second best - as it has plenty of content to keep you occupied, and is competently made.
The visuals, while 'safe,' DO look bloody lovely, and the overworld system is a nice touch to spice things up.
I'd put this game up there with the original New Super Mario Bros. as the best of the lot - perhaps the second best - as it has plenty of content to keep you occupied, and is competently made.
New Super Mario Bros.! But again! With more mechanics!
It's a fun idea on paper, and is beautiful, BEAUTIFUL chaos in multiplayer mode, but as a solo experience it's just kinda... There. Definitely not as tightly designed for one player as a result. A lot of levels to traverse, though, which you can't go wrong with.
It's a fun idea on paper, and is beautiful, BEAUTIFUL chaos in multiplayer mode, but as a solo experience it's just kinda... There. Definitely not as tightly designed for one player as a result. A lot of levels to traverse, though, which you can't go wrong with.
2023
Brilliant. Absolutely bloody brilliant. Worth the wait ten times over.
The environments are breathtakingly well-realised, the creature roster and treasure variety is as varied and full of callbacks as you'd hope, and the QOL additions to controlling Pikmin - alongside the addition of Oatchi - make traversal SO much fun.
The game errs a lot more on the easier side of things, most likely in a bid to make it less stressful and put more emphasis on both newcomers AND 'Dandori' (being efficient) but I wouldn't say this is a bad thing - the more people that can play Pikmin, the better!
The environments are breathtakingly well-realised, the creature roster and treasure variety is as varied and full of callbacks as you'd hope, and the QOL additions to controlling Pikmin - alongside the addition of Oatchi - make traversal SO much fun.
The game errs a lot more on the easier side of things, most likely in a bid to make it less stressful and put more emphasis on both newcomers AND 'Dandori' (being efficient) but I wouldn't say this is a bad thing - the more people that can play Pikmin, the better!
2023
Compared to later entries in the series, this game feels oh-so dinky. Absolutely miniscule in length, a scarce few types of Pikmin to command with just three, and only a handful of tiny areas.
Despite this, and some of the 2001-era crust on the gameplay, it's a bloody wonderful little game. The environments are astonishing - and must've been mind-blowing on the GameCube back in 2001 - and the inoffensive, short nature of the game means you can play it over, and over, and over, to improve your time.
Well worth a look, as it's an important part of Nintendo's history.
Despite this, and some of the 2001-era crust on the gameplay, it's a bloody wonderful little game. The environments are astonishing - and must've been mind-blowing on the GameCube back in 2001 - and the inoffensive, short nature of the game means you can play it over, and over, and over, to improve your time.
Well worth a look, as it's an important part of Nintendo's history.
I'm sure this game is good. It's a followup to Final Fantasy XII, one of my favourite games, so it's GOTTA be, right?
Kinda. The art style? Lovely. Seeing all these characters I love again? Excellent! The gameplay? Clunky, and slower than some things that don't move at all. Seriously. It's hard to put into words just how slow-as-molasses this game is to play until you actually play it yourself, and it drags the WHOLE game down as a result.
A bloody great disappointment.
Kinda. The art style? Lovely. Seeing all these characters I love again? Excellent! The gameplay? Clunky, and slower than some things that don't move at all. Seriously. It's hard to put into words just how slow-as-molasses this game is to play until you actually play it yourself, and it drags the WHOLE game down as a result.
A bloody great disappointment.
Absolutely my favourite Final Fantasy game.
The story is a grand game of political chess, and how every rung on the class ladder - and their struggle for supremacy - affects those below them. The environments are sprawling and wonderfully realised, and the soundtrack does NOT get enough love.
The Gambit System is super interesting with the options it opens up, and allows you to optimise as much - or as little - as you wish. The enemies and all the status ailments they can inflict can be really, REALLY annoying, and the last couple of dungeons absolutely suck, but outside of that? This game is well worth your time.
The story is a grand game of political chess, and how every rung on the class ladder - and their struggle for supremacy - affects those below them. The environments are sprawling and wonderfully realised, and the soundtrack does NOT get enough love.
The Gambit System is super interesting with the options it opens up, and allows you to optimise as much - or as little - as you wish. The enemies and all the status ailments they can inflict can be really, REALLY annoying, and the last couple of dungeons absolutely suck, but outside of that? This game is well worth your time.
2023
In sharp contrast to Three Houses, this game is a lot more light and airy - which certainly isn't a bad thing.
The story is straightforward, but is written well enough for all the right notes to land for it to be engaging (har har har), and the Emblem Ring system opens up SO many options for customising your units, most of whom are absolutely nuts personality-wise, which leads to plenty of laugh out loud moments in support conversations.
Visually, the game is superb and well-polished, with the environments especially looking absolutely beautiful, and the music is as great as you'd hope from a Fire Emblem game.
The story is straightforward, but is written well enough for all the right notes to land for it to be engaging (har har har), and the Emblem Ring system opens up SO many options for customising your units, most of whom are absolutely nuts personality-wise, which leads to plenty of laugh out loud moments in support conversations.
Visually, the game is superb and well-polished, with the environments especially looking absolutely beautiful, and the music is as great as you'd hope from a Fire Emblem game.
2014
The gold standard of remakes since 2002.
The atmosphere is on another level, and is almost obscenely frightening, especially on your first playthrough. The puzzles, and the way item inspection plays into them are the perfect level of challenging to keep your brain alert, so that there's never a dull moment in the Spencer Mansion.
The game is the perfect length too, especially once you start learning shortcuts to get around quicker, meaning it's perfect for speed gaming - it's worth your time, too, as some of the unlocks you get for beating the game quickly are fantastic to toy around with.
The atmosphere is on another level, and is almost obscenely frightening, especially on your first playthrough. The puzzles, and the way item inspection plays into them are the perfect level of challenging to keep your brain alert, so that there's never a dull moment in the Spencer Mansion.
The game is the perfect length too, especially once you start learning shortcuts to get around quicker, meaning it's perfect for speed gaming - it's worth your time, too, as some of the unlocks you get for beating the game quickly are fantastic to toy around with.
2011
An absolute classic game, that carefully combines, scares, camp, and a little splash of James Bond-esque 'spy movie' into the mix for good measure.
The gunplay, and the shooting mechanics are balanced to ensure that every encounter feels tense, especially on Professional mode. The inventory management is ridiculously inspired. The camp. Oh, the CAMP. It's glorious.
The perfect length for replaying over and over, with Mercenaries mode to keep you addicted and coming back for high scores. This game is a true winner.
...Now, why the hell does the Switch version NOT have gyro aiming?!
The gunplay, and the shooting mechanics are balanced to ensure that every encounter feels tense, especially on Professional mode. The inventory management is ridiculously inspired. The camp. Oh, the CAMP. It's glorious.
The perfect length for replaying over and over, with Mercenaries mode to keep you addicted and coming back for high scores. This game is a true winner.
...Now, why the hell does the Switch version NOT have gyro aiming?!
2010
Because one Super Mario Galaxy game wasn't enough to contain all the game's fantastic ideas.
Sequels can go into one of three different categories - completely unrelated to their predecessor to try something new, being an evolution of said predecessor that expands upon its ideas, or made quickly to cash in on something's popularity.
Do I REALLY need to say which one this game is?
...It's the second. If you say it's the third then I'll sneeze in your mouth.
Sequels can go into one of three different categories - completely unrelated to their predecessor to try something new, being an evolution of said predecessor that expands upon its ideas, or made quickly to cash in on something's popularity.
Do I REALLY need to say which one this game is?
...It's the second. If you say it's the third then I'll sneeze in your mouth.
An absolutely fascinating game, in that it's effectively a 3D Metroidvania. The music is pretty good, the visuals are... Not the best, and especially when I was younger the actual layout and 'critical path' for exploration and to progress was an absolute nightmare to figure out.
There's a nice variety in locals, and a shocking amount of areas to boot. This game isn't setting the world on fire, but it's not really THAT bad, either.
There's a nice variety in locals, and a shocking amount of areas to boot. This game isn't setting the world on fire, but it's not really THAT bad, either.
2005
Not the WORST thing in the world, but very forgettable, especially compared to the console versions. The 'boss fights' were simply doing things on the touch screen at the right time, like frantically turning a crank, and hoping for the best.
The actual clue-gathering portion beforehand, aka the very basic puzzle-platforming with the disguises, isn't memorable in the slightest. I can't even remember what disguises were actually in the game!
The actual clue-gathering portion beforehand, aka the very basic puzzle-platforming with the disguises, isn't memorable in the slightest. I can't even remember what disguises were actually in the game!
2006
Yet another fun, unique game in the DS' infinite ocean of such games. Square Enix collaborating with Nintendo again, for the first time in YEARS, for a basketball game? It's the type of curio that could ONLY come about from the wild frontier days of the console.
It's simply fine. The art style is funky, the music just as much so, and the gameplay is as touch-screen reliant as you'd expect. Much like other Mario sports games, the AI become cheatsy little fuckers - especially in the later on stages - which can make it frustrating, but the sheer oddity of the game, Final Fantasy characters and cameos included, carry the day.
It's simply fine. The art style is funky, the music just as much so, and the gameplay is as touch-screen reliant as you'd expect. Much like other Mario sports games, the AI become cheatsy little fuckers - especially in the later on stages - which can make it frustrating, but the sheer oddity of the game, Final Fantasy characters and cameos included, carry the day.
The type of game that could only exist in a vacuum of when the DS was the hot new Nintendo console on the market, and in its stride - especially given the gameplay revolves entirely around the touch screen.
Far more sophisticated than the previous game in the trilogy, with some surprisingly good music, as well as a fascinating story and plenty of little nips and tucks to gameplay to make it more engaging.
A damn shame that we can never get spinoffs like this again, given how necessary the two-screen setup is for it to exist.
Far more sophisticated than the previous game in the trilogy, with some surprisingly good music, as well as a fascinating story and plenty of little nips and tucks to gameplay to make it more engaging.
A damn shame that we can never get spinoffs like this again, given how necessary the two-screen setup is for it to exist.