Sonicfan05
It’s been a while since the last mainline Mario game and that goes for 2D or 3D. The series returns with another 2D adventure and it does not disappoint. This is easily my favorite 2D Mario game ever made with really good level design, tight controls, and something creative happening in nearly every level. If I had one complaint I’d say a few collectibles can be way too obscure to find but that is a small thing in an otherwise near perfect 2D Mario game.
1991
The first game I remember playing. It was on my Dad’s phone as a little kid. As a Sonic fan I have a lot of nostalgia for this game but it still holds up as really good game over 30 years later.
1972
…it’s pong. Pretty self explanatory. The only reason it’s here is because I’m trying to log every game I can find that I’ve played and this technically counts. It’s one of the first games ever made though not THE first like many thing. It’s very simple isn’t really much to play now but it’s harmless and does hold a special place as one of the first ever video games.
What I thought would be a pretty simple and average platformer with a bare bones narrative is actually a shockingly expansive Metroidvania with a lot of legitimately funny dialogue and cutscenes, and an actually interesting world. I was pleasantly surprised by this little game.
1978
This is one of the most classic games in history. Unlike pong though, I legitimately find it to be pretty fun. Plus the titular space invaders are iconic.
1980
Yeah I know this may seem like a pretty high score for this game but…it’s Pac-Man. And almost every Pac-Man game is a great time. Of all the super retro games, this is probably my favorite. Nearly anyone can enjoy a round of Pac-Man. Never has a character design so simple been so iconic and Pac-Man truly is an icon. But it all started here with a legitimately great game about chomping ghosts.
2007
One of my favorite games of all time. I have a lot of nostalgia for this game as it was the first console game I ever played and was a staple of my childhood but even now it’s still an amazing game that branched out the scope of a Mario game to never before seen heights with a story and atmosphere that I think are my favorite of any of the 3D Mario platformers.
1981
You play as Jump Man (Mario) on a quest to save your girlfriend, Lady (Pauline) who has been kidnapped by the original Donkey Kong (Cranky Kong). This game is obviously known as the first appearance of Donkey Kong (although not the current day Donkey Kong. The version in this game would later become Cranky Kong), Mario, and Pauline. It’s pretty simple. You just climb up construction girders to get to DK and you must avoid obstacles he throws at you. You do a couple short stages and then the cycle repeats and you try to get a highscore. It’s okay but the impact it has had on gaming is truly remarkable.
1981
Galaga has always reminded me of Space Invaders but I actually enjoy it quite a lot more than Space Invaders. Space invaders was all about aliens invading you but in Galaga, you’re taking the fight to them. The controls feel tighter, there’s a nice variety of enemies, and I love the way that you can see space in the background and how your ship is flying through it. I really enjoy this one. I think a lot of people know Galaga as that one old game that was referenced in The Avengers, but I know it as a really fun retro game.
1981
Frogger is a pretty simple game. You cross roads and ponds to get to the other side. It’s pretty fun but the Frogger formula has been done in much more interesting ways by not only it’s own franchise but so many others.
1982
What is there to say about Dig Dug aside from being a decently fun game? Well how about how bizarrely morbid it is. You know the pookas? The little red guys with yellow goggles? They’re iconic, arguably more so than Taizo Hori/Dig Dug himself. Well the whole game involves you finding them and inflating them until they explode. Very oddly violent considering the happy exterior. Still a fun game.
1982
I like Qbert way more than I should. It’s a fun game with a decent gameplay loop and challenge but maybe it’s because I find Qbert the character so endearing or because I love Wreck-It Ralph and Qbert has a role in that but for some reason I love Qbert. It’s always satisfying to complete a grid.
2021
Psychonauts 2 is the sequel more than 15 years in the making and it actually lives up to the hype. As someone who loves 3D platformers, loves in depth stories, and loves when those genres combine but doesn’t see it too often, I’m happy to say that Psychonauts 2 is an awesome 3D platformer with really solid mechanics and an awesome story with various twists and turns. In the first game Raz was really cool to play as but now you’ve leveled up and have even more psychic powers to play with. All your psychic powers can be used to get through obstacles but what’s really cool is that practically every single one of them can also be used in combat and chaining your various psychic abilities together is really fun. The game looks really great going for an almost TIm Burton stop motion film style and it makes everything stand out. No level is like any other and it’s so exciting to see what comes next. The dialogue is also great and there are so many fun character interactions. It’s also a pretty accessible game and gives a recap at the beginning for anyone who hasn’t played the original. Throw on your thinking caps and go on a fun adventure that will certainly have your mind racing.
2018
One of my favorite games of all time. I’m a massive Spider-Man fan but even I was blown away by how good this game is. The combat? Incredible. You feel the weight of each attack and it’s satisfying every time you knock a guy out. The swinging? Exhilarating. You get to do all sorts of crazy moves while also feeling in total control. There’s fast travel in the game but you don’t even need it because you move at such great speeds. Side missions? Fun with a massive variety to choose from. They are so many collectibles and there are several different villains you can fight through the side missions. The story? One of the most engaging Spider-Man stories ever which gives us possibly my favorite interpretation of Peter Parker ever. If you haven’t played this game, go try it out. It’s amazing, no pun intended. Can’t wait for Spider-Man 2.
2018
As a fan of Undertale, I greatly enjoyed Deltarune chapter 1. The music was great, the combat is engaging, combining more traditional RPG elements with Undertale’s combat, and the characters were very endearing. I think my favorite is probably Susie. It is worth noting though that this a very small piece of a much bigger story and you should know that going it. It along with Chapter 2 is completely free so I highly recommend it.