SilasP
I've always heard great things about this game as a very solid platformer and I've got to say that it delivered in every aspect.
I love the art style. The sprite designs were great, giving a mix of very modernistic designs along with these strange vague enemies that you might see in a plaformer from the late 80s/early 90s.
The music and sound design fit perfectly in the overall approach. While I didn't find myself humming any particular tune, they were certainly enjoyable throughout the game.
Lastly, while the story isn't exactly the deepest thing, the ending surprised me in how it made me feel. I won't spoil it but the final moments spiked some emotion in me that I certainly wasn't expecting.
This game was a solid game to play while travelling with the switch, would recommend to anyone looking for a quick and fun game that isn't too challenging. Looking forward to playing the sequels
I love the art style. The sprite designs were great, giving a mix of very modernistic designs along with these strange vague enemies that you might see in a plaformer from the late 80s/early 90s.
The music and sound design fit perfectly in the overall approach. While I didn't find myself humming any particular tune, they were certainly enjoyable throughout the game.
Lastly, while the story isn't exactly the deepest thing, the ending surprised me in how it made me feel. I won't spoil it but the final moments spiked some emotion in me that I certainly wasn't expecting.
This game was a solid game to play while travelling with the switch, would recommend to anyone looking for a quick and fun game that isn't too challenging. Looking forward to playing the sequels
2014
This game has not aged well at all. I feel like only nostalgia / love of the future games could make you finish playing this. Gave me no reason to keep playing. At least the HD Remaster makes it look OK
1997
I went into this game thinking that it was a classic. This game has not held up well at ALL.
The movement is clunky and difficult to get used to, the gameplay is very so-so, especially considering the fact that it is a sequel to one of most highly regarded platformers (Yoshi's Island on SNES).
However, the visuals are nice, the artstyle is cute and is a well-done evolution from the 'drawn' artstyle of it's predecessor. The music is... interesting; I didn't like it that much but I can understand why others would.
And after a bit of time playing, I got used to the controls and at some points even found it slightly rewarding. But in the end I decided it wasn't worth going back to complete all the possible levels, I'd much rather play a different game.
Also the boss fights are an absolute joke they took probably 30 seconds if I were to compile their times together because they were that easy
The movement is clunky and difficult to get used to, the gameplay is very so-so, especially considering the fact that it is a sequel to one of most highly regarded platformers (Yoshi's Island on SNES).
However, the visuals are nice, the artstyle is cute and is a well-done evolution from the 'drawn' artstyle of it's predecessor. The music is... interesting; I didn't like it that much but I can understand why others would.
And after a bit of time playing, I got used to the controls and at some points even found it slightly rewarding. But in the end I decided it wasn't worth going back to complete all the possible levels, I'd much rather play a different game.
Also the boss fights are an absolute joke they took probably 30 seconds if I were to compile their times together because they were that easy
I heard a lot of good things about Hollow Knight prior to picking it up. It's some of my closest friends top 10 games so I had to give it a try.
The combat and movement in this game is extremely fluid and fun, mastering it was the best part once retrieving all the movement options, I felt like I could fly around the screen hacking and slashing as I went.
I have slightly mixed feelings about the exploration aspect, but that might come from a personal like of having SOME direction, which in Hollow Knight you're given almost none at all.
Difficulty levels throughout the game felt really random. Some stuff earlier on is way way harder than the final boss (which I beat first try, not bragging as I didn't beat any other boss first try).
The high quality art style, animations, expansiveness, and characters in Hollow Knight are something any game dev would wish to get a fraction of, and the gameplay is almost unmatched in this genre.
I'm only on 56% completion as of writing this but I fully expect to return and tack on another bunch of hours in the future
The combat and movement in this game is extremely fluid and fun, mastering it was the best part once retrieving all the movement options, I felt like I could fly around the screen hacking and slashing as I went.
I have slightly mixed feelings about the exploration aspect, but that might come from a personal like of having SOME direction, which in Hollow Knight you're given almost none at all.
Difficulty levels throughout the game felt really random. Some stuff earlier on is way way harder than the final boss (which I beat first try, not bragging as I didn't beat any other boss first try).
The high quality art style, animations, expansiveness, and characters in Hollow Knight are something any game dev would wish to get a fraction of, and the gameplay is almost unmatched in this genre.
I'm only on 56% completion as of writing this but I fully expect to return and tack on another bunch of hours in the future
1986
At first I tried playing this game blind. About 5 hours in I realised this game is pretty much unplayable without knowing exactly where to go / what to do unless you want about 10x amount of hours.
With a guide this is a super fun game and holds up pretty well. I would always try to figure something out by myself at first before looking it up but if I figured it out it would always feel super rewarding. I just didn't feel like spending 1hr+ every time I was stuck because in the end I'd just get stuck about 10 minutes later due to the nature of the game.
I can understand why this game was so big for it's time, and as a Zelda scrub I'm looking forward to playing some of the more highly regarded titles in the future
With a guide this is a super fun game and holds up pretty well. I would always try to figure something out by myself at first before looking it up but if I figured it out it would always feel super rewarding. I just didn't feel like spending 1hr+ every time I was stuck because in the end I'd just get stuck about 10 minutes later due to the nature of the game.
I can understand why this game was so big for it's time, and as a Zelda scrub I'm looking forward to playing some of the more highly regarded titles in the future
2013
While this game seems really cool, indepth, and something to potentially sink 100s of hours into, I just could not get into it. Maybe one day, who knows
Played on Switch
This game is incredible. As a Zelda scrub, after playing the original game I thought 'wow yeah I can see why this game was huge back then, doesnt hold up well now though'. What I didn't expect was that the next (playable) entry was not just going to blow my mind but also holds up almost perfectly even now over 30 years later.
The art, the animations, the music, the sound design, the overworld, the dungeons, the bosses, the gameplay; everything was absolutely fantastic and I would highly recommend this game to anyone, especially as it's on Switch.
I didn't expect this to be one of the best games I've ever played but here we are.
This game is incredible. As a Zelda scrub, after playing the original game I thought 'wow yeah I can see why this game was huge back then, doesnt hold up well now though'. What I didn't expect was that the next (playable) entry was not just going to blow my mind but also holds up almost perfectly even now over 30 years later.
The art, the animations, the music, the sound design, the overworld, the dungeons, the bosses, the gameplay; everything was absolutely fantastic and I would highly recommend this game to anyone, especially as it's on Switch.
I didn't expect this to be one of the best games I've ever played but here we are.
1998
If someone says that this is their favourite game, they are either lying, or blinded by nostalgia.
While this game has incredible charm, art style, dialogue, music, sound, the gameplay is extremely painful for a good portion of the time. In my opinion this game is about 33% too long and forces you to collect too much to allow a casual playthrough.
The boss battle at the end feels like total bs when you lose because you're then required to farm eggs & feathers again to have a chance.
I won't say I didn't have any fun in this game because there were a lot of points where I did, however the most frustrating parts overshadowed them; whether the camera made it impossible to see or the framerate dropped to ~10.
With all this said, I am going to eventually play the sequel, and I hope that they largely improve upon these issues, since this was Rare's first 3D platformer
While this game has incredible charm, art style, dialogue, music, sound, the gameplay is extremely painful for a good portion of the time. In my opinion this game is about 33% too long and forces you to collect too much to allow a casual playthrough.
The boss battle at the end feels like total bs when you lose because you're then required to farm eggs & feathers again to have a chance.
I won't say I didn't have any fun in this game because there were a lot of points where I did, however the most frustrating parts overshadowed them; whether the camera made it impossible to see or the framerate dropped to ~10.
With all this said, I am going to eventually play the sequel, and I hope that they largely improve upon these issues, since this was Rare's first 3D platformer
2020
For a demo, this is one of the best games I've played in a while. Despite being kind of short, it is VERY long for a demo with lots of depth. As a collector of retro games / consoles, this game was a joy to me as I got to go through and collect artifacts from PlayStation's history. The game itself displays beautifully what the system (and controller) are capable of.
2023
Disclaimer: FUCK JKR - TRANS LIVES MATTER
This game fulfilled many dreams of what an open world game set in the world of Harry Potter would be. Of course it's not perfect, but all the different spells, the combat(!), the graphics, music, and general gameplay were very gratifying and had me excited to play every time I stepped away from the game. The story / characters weren't amazing and the inability to fully role play and choose my characters personality was frustrating considering you're given some differing choices, however your character would then revert back to their polite kind selves if no choice was given 1 minute later.
Overall I had a lot of fun and it's definitely up there with the must play open world games of this generation.
This game fulfilled many dreams of what an open world game set in the world of Harry Potter would be. Of course it's not perfect, but all the different spells, the combat(!), the graphics, music, and general gameplay were very gratifying and had me excited to play every time I stepped away from the game. The story / characters weren't amazing and the inability to fully role play and choose my characters personality was frustrating considering you're given some differing choices, however your character would then revert back to their polite kind selves if no choice was given 1 minute later.
Overall I had a lot of fun and it's definitely up there with the must play open world games of this generation.
1994
Played on Switch (not an option)
What a game! An incredible platformer that may not add anything new to the genre (even in '94) but makes up for that and more with it's super smooth movement, incredible art and BANGING music.
Playing this game with a friend is a guaranteed fun time, especially when emulated on a console like the Switch.
My only gripe is the control scheme on the pro controller, I wish they'd add an option to remap the buttons for the SNES games on Switch.
What a game! An incredible platformer that may not add anything new to the genre (even in '94) but makes up for that and more with it's super smooth movement, incredible art and BANGING music.
Playing this game with a friend is a guaranteed fun time, especially when emulated on a console like the Switch.
My only gripe is the control scheme on the pro controller, I wish they'd add an option to remap the buttons for the SNES games on Switch.
2001
I wasn't sure what to expect out of Pikmin, and my first few 'days' in game worried me, once I got the hang of it, this game was so much fun!
Crash landing on an alien planet, Captain Olimar makes an unlikely bond with a race of creatures known as Pikmin, who help the player complete puzzles and fight enemies in order to retrieve all the lost parts of his ship to get back home.
While I'm not a massive fan of time limit games, I felt like the time given for each level was fair and was always a good challenge to restrategise if a day was failed.
The world building in this game is incredible, full of character and the gameplay extremely rewarding.
Very excited to play the sequels in the future
Crash landing on an alien planet, Captain Olimar makes an unlikely bond with a race of creatures known as Pikmin, who help the player complete puzzles and fight enemies in order to retrieve all the lost parts of his ship to get back home.
While I'm not a massive fan of time limit games, I felt like the time given for each level was fair and was always a good challenge to restrategise if a day was failed.
The world building in this game is incredible, full of character and the gameplay extremely rewarding.
Very excited to play the sequels in the future
1992
Played on Switch
It's obvious after playing this game why Mario Kart became such a hit. It's also pretty amazing how similar this game has stayed in it's 31 years of iterations, a testament to how solid the idea+execution was in the first place.
The music, art, gameplay are all very fun and especially unique in the SNES era. This is one of the best uses of the Mode 7 graphics system to simulate a pseudo-3D experience.
After all these years though, there are some parts of the game that are truly frustrating. The CPUs are essentially their own beast in this game who often have TAS level responses when it comes to dodging obstacles, paired with an unlimited supply of items that makes racing them truly a nightmare on some maps. The sound of the kart engines racing near/past you are grinding on the ears (luckily not included in 2P). And the game is just generally pretty difficult to control, especially with the lack of a brake/reverse button. Also while the Mode 7 graphics are great for it's time, most obstacles are essentially 2D and only really visible within a couple seconds of running into them, which can be pretty annoying.
Overall I was pleased with the first entry into this incredible series, but I'm certainly glad I can move onto something a bit more modern.
It's obvious after playing this game why Mario Kart became such a hit. It's also pretty amazing how similar this game has stayed in it's 31 years of iterations, a testament to how solid the idea+execution was in the first place.
The music, art, gameplay are all very fun and especially unique in the SNES era. This is one of the best uses of the Mode 7 graphics system to simulate a pseudo-3D experience.
After all these years though, there are some parts of the game that are truly frustrating. The CPUs are essentially their own beast in this game who often have TAS level responses when it comes to dodging obstacles, paired with an unlimited supply of items that makes racing them truly a nightmare on some maps. The sound of the kart engines racing near/past you are grinding on the ears (luckily not included in 2P). And the game is just generally pretty difficult to control, especially with the lack of a brake/reverse button. Also while the Mode 7 graphics are great for it's time, most obstacles are essentially 2D and only really visible within a couple seconds of running into them, which can be pretty annoying.
Overall I was pleased with the first entry into this incredible series, but I'm certainly glad I can move onto something a bit more modern.
2017
For a game with so much hype behind it, I felt like it was going to be easy to disappoint. However, this game alone made me feel better about boss battles from all the previous games that disappointed me!
While the run and gun levels are OK, I'd say the game really shines with it's boss battles, and it knows it.
The game is of course incredible to look at, the style is consistent and really well done, the mechanics felt smooth and super fun to move around with, and the music/sound in general really matched the vibe of the game and never got sickening to listen to when playing the same level 100 times over!
My main gripe with the game was the one or two lag spikes that happened over the course of the gameplay. I expect this is something to do with the Switch, but was still unwelcome nonetheless in a game where every micromovement matters.
I'd put this game up there with Celeste in terms of difficulty and how good it felt to beat.
Taking a break before playing the DLC because it has me feeling burnt out, but if anything I'm just excited to get back to it whenever I do!
While the run and gun levels are OK, I'd say the game really shines with it's boss battles, and it knows it.
The game is of course incredible to look at, the style is consistent and really well done, the mechanics felt smooth and super fun to move around with, and the music/sound in general really matched the vibe of the game and never got sickening to listen to when playing the same level 100 times over!
My main gripe with the game was the one or two lag spikes that happened over the course of the gameplay. I expect this is something to do with the Switch, but was still unwelcome nonetheless in a game where every micromovement matters.
I'd put this game up there with Celeste in terms of difficulty and how good it felt to beat.
Taking a break before playing the DLC because it has me feeling burnt out, but if anything I'm just excited to get back to it whenever I do!
2017
A vibrant, fun remake of a Playstation classic.
The gameplay, while simple, is a good challenge in some parts, but randomly extremely easy in others. I could tear through 3-4 levels and then be stuck on 1 part of 1 for ages.
My main gripe with this game is the lack of a need for full 3d for many levels, partial 3d would have worked much better and having it be full didn't add anything but confusion for some. Also the hit/hurtboxes were very odd.
Other than that, the colours, music, sound design, voice acting, animations and art style made this game a pleasure to play, as a must play for platformer fans.
The gameplay, while simple, is a good challenge in some parts, but randomly extremely easy in others. I could tear through 3-4 levels and then be stuck on 1 part of 1 for ages.
My main gripe with this game is the lack of a need for full 3d for many levels, partial 3d would have worked much better and having it be full didn't add anything but confusion for some. Also the hit/hurtboxes were very odd.
Other than that, the colours, music, sound design, voice acting, animations and art style made this game a pleasure to play, as a must play for platformer fans.