Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column

[SlowPokemon]

Favorites of Video Games 2017

Here are some of my favorite gaming experiences of this past year.

A few changes: I've had to retire the "best use of 3D (Nintendo 3DS)" category this year. Nintendo has all but stopped supporting this signature feature of their handheld, disappointing many fans of 3D. First-party Nintendo releases such as Hey! Pikmin, Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions, Mario Party: The Top 100, and Pokémon Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon; and even series which previously released 3D entries, such as the Layton Series, have been excluding it from new releases. The only games I played this year in 3D were Poochy & Yoshi's Woolly World and Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney, which both include a lovely 3D effect, but neither of which uses it in significant enough ways to justify honoring them specially. Sadly, I don't believe we'll be seeing 3D gaming for much longer. I also retired the "Best DLC" category as the only real contender of my played games is Breath of the Wild, and I haven't even touched the second batch of DLC for it yet.

I am also adding two new categories. The first is "Best eShop Game," as I felt that a number of my favorite releases this year were digital-only. The other is "Best amiibo." This, obviously, will cover any amiibo releases by Nintendo during the calendar year. In picking my choice, I will consider the following: figure design, compatibility, and in-game function. Like everything else on this list, it will largely be dependent on my personal opinion.

In addition, there are a few games released prior to 2017 that I only got around to playing this year. Though the titles are older, I still want to acknowledge how much I enjoyed them. These include:

1

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword

(2011) -- Wii U download (originally on Wii)

I've been slowly but surely working my way through a massive backlog of Zelda games over the past year or so, ever since first completing Ocarina of Time 3D and falling in love with the series; a late bloomer, for sure, but there it is. Following a replay of Majora's Mask 3D, a game which I loved so much that less than a year after playing it I decided to carry out a 100% completion run; and experiencing the massive but overwhelming open-world adventure Breath of the Wild; I felt an urge to try out one of the more classical Zelda games. Skyward Sword turned out to be a perfect fit for when I played it, though it became apparent that the hype surrounding its release inflated the critical reception. On the other hand, it turned out that because of the too-positive critical reception, audience hatred I had seen for the game was also grossly exaggerated. I had a great time with the game, and I must admit that even as I grew frustrated with Nintendo's insistence on drawing out the story a good ten hours past what felt natural, I never once tired of the game's motion controls, which were as innovative as they were marvelous. On the whole, I found Skyward Sword a delightfully challenging, surprising, and thoughtful game, though of course it is held back by its poor late-game pacing and by the technical limitations of the hardware on which it appears. You can read a more detailed account of my thoughts in the review elsewhere in this thread.

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2

Root Letter

(2016) -- PlayStation Vita (also on PlayStation 4)

Root Letter, released in late 2016 for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita, is supposedly the first in a new series of mystery adventure games/visual novels with an interesting hook: rather than the same characters or storylines continuing from game to game, each will contain a different set of characters and will focus on a different area of Japan, making the setting a prominent part of the plot. Root Letter takes place in the Shimane prefecture, a rural area of Japan with plenty of nature and historical interest. The main character, who is nicknamed Max, is in search of a childhood penpal whose mysterious final letter has haunted him ever since he first received it. Though the mystery drives the player forward, with bizarre alternate story paths and strong characters throughout, the game's biggest strength is actually in the setting. A serene, lovely music score follows the player throughout the majority of the game, and the beautifully illustrated backgrounds and mouth-watering descriptions of local seafood really made me feel like I was taking a relaxing vacation to the Shimane prefecture. The story isn't the greatest--I got the feeling the localization work was a bit too literally translated, and some of the plot points were painfully predictable--but the setting and characters alone made the game something special that I keep wanting to go back to, even a mere year after I first played it.

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3

Steins;Gate 0

(2016) -- PlayStation Vita (also on PlayStation 4)

I loved Steins;Gate when I played it in 2015. It was the type of story-based game I enjoy more than any other: an intensely slow burn, with plot elements that by the end are developed nearly perfectly. More notably, its science-fiction elements, which usually make me skeptical, were implemented in such an organic and believable way that I hardly remembered they were fictional. But all of the clever plot devices and time travel chaos ultimately fell second to the endearing, fascinating, and above all, painfully human characters. When I finished the game, I felt like it was quite possibly the most objectively perfect video game narrative I had ever played. Any sequel, I decided, would not be able to add anything necessary. Does Steins;Gate 0 prove me wrong? No--but it's still a great time. Taking place in one of the alternate endings of the original game, this version of Rintaro Okabe is a man who's completely dropped his "chuunibyou" persona, suffering intense anxiety and PTSD from his awful experiences in July and August 2010. As the entire game takes place in a bad end scenario of the first game, it does come off as something of an unnecessary "what-if?" story, or a supplementary rather than a mandatory follow-up, but it's an incredibly entertaining one. I adored the new characters, especially Dr. Leskinen, a goofy professor who worked in the same research laboratory as Makise Kurisu, and Maho Hiyajo, his assistant who is twenty-one yet frequently is mistaken for a middle-schooler. When all was said and done, I felt like I understood the characters a bit better, since this game swaps perspectives frequently and lets you get inside the heads of characters other than Okabe. It's an admittedly unnecessary but thoroughly enjoyable game, and one that would certainly get a "Best Story" nomination had I played it last year (though likely no more than that).

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Without further ado, here are my picks for favorite gaming of 2017.

BEST MULTIPLAYER

Spoiler

1-2-Switch

As per usual for me, multiplayer games weren't really on my priority list this year. Regardless, it's tough to beat the multiplayer chaos of 1-2-Switch. The game is an oddity even by Nintendo standards, as it is a video game where you...don't look at the screen? It takes a solid half hour or so to get past the awkwardness of "looking each other in the eye," as the game repeatedly insists you do, but oh man, is it a good time after that. From the fun (players reach for their Joycons when they hear "FIRE!" in a quick-draw) to the hilarious (the aptly-named "Fake Draw," where the voice shouts words that sound like "FIRE!" but are actually "FILE," "FOUNTAIN," "FOOT," and many others), from the impractical (cradling a baby, which requires you to play in handheld mode) to the downright bizarre (the infamous cow-milking), the various minigames and actions the game sets for the players are more hit than they are miss, even if the price tag is steep for essentially a collection of tech demo minigames. Still, about the time I tried the "Copy Dance" game and my friends and I were gasping for breath between fits of laughter, I was sold.

Honorable mention: Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Pokémon Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon

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BEST amiibo

Spoiler

Link (Majora's Mask)

This turned out to be a tougher category than I had expected. After all, we got no less than TWELVE Zelda series amiibo, all of which are fascinatingly designed and--in the case of the Breath of the Wild amiibo especially--feature wonderful detail and functionality. Ultimately, my pick of the Link (Majora's Mask) figure comes from my love for the games featuring the Hero of Time, and it's a great figure to represent that, especially when displayed side-by-side with the Link (Ocarina of Time) figure. The choice to model it after the character art of Link holding the Goron Mask gives it that trademark Majora's Mask bizarre factor; the Goron Mask is a frankly ugly thing that clashes with the cute design of Link. The only thing that I wish the amiibo had was the Mirror Shield, with that strangely haunting face on it, but as it stands, the design of the Hero Shield is well-crafted and probably suits Link's aesthetic better. What pushed this amiibo above the more detailed figures such as Link (Archer) and Guardian for me was the functionality--I mean, come on, who doesn't want Fierce Deity armor? I would like to note that although I could make an argument for literally any of the Zelda amiibo released this year, my true honorable mention goes to Goomba. It's just about the last character you would expect an amiibo of, and it's a really cute figure that has cool functionality with the Bowser's Minions quest of the new Superstar Saga remake.

Honorable mention: Bowser (Wedding Outfit), Goomba, Guardian, Link (Archer), Urbosa

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BEST GRAPHICS

Spoiler

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BEST SOUND DESIGN

Spoiler

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

This year's Zelda was out of this world--more specifically, out of this open-world. Featuring a sprawling Hyrule roughly the size of Rhode Island, 120 clever puzzle shrines, and more hidden Koroks than you can shake an anthropomorphic stick at, Breath of the Wild was a masterclass in open-world game design and blew pretty much everyone and their brother out of the water. A game with the sheer number of elements this one has demands intensely focused sound design, with appropriate effects, music, and character voices. Of these, the sound element that Breath of the Wild best accomplished was that of music. More specifically, the game does an incredible job of knowing when not to use music. Most of Hyrule features harsh, natural silence, with only the sounds of birds and your footsteps accompanying your trek through the wild. A few well-timed piano cues (always soft and lonely) accent this beautifully, and whenever Link approaches a town or something similar, the music swells in sneakily, but the days of full-blast music scoring every minute of his adventure are long gone. This is some of the most effective and immersive sound design I have ever experienced in a game.

Honorable mention: Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony

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BEST MUSIC

Spoiler

Super Mario Odyssey

If you ask someone to hum a tune from a video game, what are they going to sing? It's tough to say for sure, but there's a good chance they'd come up with that iconic "da-da da da-da da!" that opens the Super Mario Bros. Ground Theme. The Super Mario games have always been known for catchy, expansive soundtracks that enhance the playing experience and generally perfectly match what's going on in the game. Super Mario Odyssey is here with the biggest collection of music tracks yet (we know this because of the in-game sound test, which allows you to change the music to your liking at any time), and all of it is high quality. The game's main theme is soaring, whimsical, and joyous, reminiscent of Super Mario Galaxy's lush orchestral tones, and the vocal song "Jump Up, Super Star!" has taken the Internet by storm for a good reason. That song alone elevates Super Mario Odyssey to something truly special--it's worth seeking out the in-game quest that lets you hear it--and the 80-odd additional tracks fit the many worlds and battles of the game wonderfully. Truly a great soundtrack, and one I feel confident I'll be listening to for quite a while.

Honorable mention: Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony, Layton's Mystery Journey: Katrielle and the Millionaires' Conspiracy, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

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BEST REMAKE

Spoiler

Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions

This was the only real contender this year for me. Games like Undertale and Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney were simple ports that added a few new features; Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Cave Story+, and Poochy & Yoshi's Woolly World added a few new stages or modes of play that didn't amount to quite as much mileage; and Pokémon Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon had enough that was different from their original counterparts that they didn't even feel like remakes to me. Superstar Saga is a remake of the GBA classic from the ground up, and the game has never looked better. It's truly a gorgeous game, and though they ditched the 3D for this outing, the game can run at 60 fps because of it, which means it looks slightly cleaner and smoother than Alpha-Dream's previous 3DS titles. But what really makes this remake worth the buy is the Bowser's Minions part of the title--a new mode that will run you a good ten to fifteen hours, taking the role of a Goomba (seriously) who works behind the scenes of the main plot to rescue an amnesiac Bowser from the evil clutches of Fawful and Cackletta. Though the battle gameplay is strategy-based without much actual input from the player, and the "story" plays out more like a series of comedy skits with goofy characters and punchlines, it fits in marvelously with the Mario & Luigi canon and amusingly fills in the gaps of some of the main story--gaps that no one was really wondering about, but which are hilarious to learn of regardless. (Ever wonder why Mario ended up getting a Poison Mushrooom from that Toad in Little Fungitown, or just how Birdo ended up working for Popple, anyway? This is the game for you.) It also extends the runtime of the game to a solid 45 hours if you want to 100% complete all of the challenges as I did, which means we get a game that's nearly twice the length of the original. Pretty good deal, if you ask me.

Honorable mention: none

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BEST STORY

Spoiler

Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony

In my "Best of 2014," I awarded Best Story to the first two Danganronpa games, which released within a year of one another and which offered such a compelling two-part story that I couldn't pick one over the other. Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony is its own thing entirely, and I have absolutely no qualms in saying it surpasses those two games easily. Though the game up to a certain point follows franchise patterns and hits familiar beats, this game really stands apart in its ultimate refusal to conform to audience expectations, instead delivering a shocking, satirical finale that makes a relevant statement about modern society. In my review, I wrote: "The game's finale may well be the most polarizing ending I've ever seen, coming as it does totally out of nowhere in the eleventh hour and slamming into the player with the force of a freight train; but regardless of whether you like the direction the narrative takes, it's undoubtedly got a lot to say about society and the state of games in general without ever becoming too preachy--a quality that the game itself is proud of." I couldn't have put it better myself. Do yourself a favor and pick this one up next time it goes on sale. Just, you know, play the first two games first.

Honorable mention: Layton's Mystery Journey: Katrielle and the Millionaires' Conspiracy

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BEST GAMEPLAY

Spoiler

Super Mario Odyssey

There are few greater gaming pleasures than running and jumping along as Nintendo's mustached plumber. This seems like a given, or maybe it seems like an overstatement, but after an excruciating four years without a new 3D Super Mario game, Odyssey is an absolute joy. Honing back to Super Mario 64 by sticking to the basic "explore 3D environments, collect the collectibles" formula, Odyssey nevertheless feels utterly fresh and brilliant thanks to its beautifully designed worlds, stellar collection of new mechanics (notably the "capture" technique which Mario uses to control various creatures), and, above all, the finely-tuned movements and responses of Mario. Here's hoping this isn't Mario's final 3D Switch outing.

Honorable mention: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

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BEST eShop GAME

Spoiler

Pokémon Gold & Silver

I didn't really have any plans for an 18-year-old Virtual Console title to become my favorite digital-only game of 2017, but it edged out the competition fairly easily. I haven't touched my own copy of Pokémon Silver in years, because the battery of my cartridge ran dry in 2004 or so and I have been unable to use it since. This re-release proved delightful for me. I couldn't believe how well it's aged, and also could not believe the effect of the long-forgotten nostalgic things. My favorite thing about these games is playing at night, and I'm not sure how to describe why other than "look at the soft, warm glow of the windows all lit up." Playing at night just felt somehow comforting, like an old scent from my childhood that I hadn't smelled in years. And it helps that the gameplay is as good as it was when it came out. As with Super Mario Bros. 3 compared to the first Super Mario Bros., it's almost impossible to believe that these games are on the same console as Pokémon Red & Blue. The quality of life improvements cannot be overstated, and the balancing done to the combat--though far from perfect--greatly enhanced my experience. The cherry on top of all this is Game Freak's decision to leave the original glitches intact, meaning that I was able to travel Johto with all three starter Pokémon by using the well-known PC glitch. I may prefer the more detailed, beguiling atmospheres of Pokémon Ruby & Sapphire, but these games are regarded as classics, and rightly so.

Honorable mention: Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney, Picross S, Snake Pass

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BEST GAME OF 2017

Spoiler

Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony

Someone asked me what my game of the year was the other night, and I was surprised to find myself thinking of this one despite other, more beloved series of mine getting new entries. What ultimately gives Killing Harmony the edge, after a few months away from it, is the memory of being utterly absorbed in its world. I lost two weeks of my life to this game, and I'm not exaggerating. For a solid two weeks, I was either playing this game or fantasizing about getting home later and playing this game. It's pure, deliciously demented joy from start to finish, and the fact that it challenges your notions about fictional narratives is kind of an amazing bonus. Zelda was a crazy huge feat, and Super Mario Odyssey gave me a wonderful 3D platforming exploration experience, and Pokémon somehow reeled me in again with essentially remakes of a title I played a year ago, but...Killing Harmony stuck with me. Not only do I not want to forget it, I don't think I'm capable of forgetting it.

Honorable mention: Layton's Mystery Journey: Katrielle and the Millionaires' Conspiracy, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Pokémon Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon, Super Mario Odyssey

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BEST GAME OF 2017 THAT I DIDN'T PLAY BUT WOULD REALLY LIKE TO

Spoiler

Yo-kai Watch 2: Psychic Specters

I added this category on a whim, because there were so many great games I simply didn't have time for this year. Yo-kai Watch is one of those franchises that I'm endlessly endeared to despite never having played any of it, simply because the art style is adorable and it's developed by Level-5, who of course is a deeply beloved company to me. I missed the first game and both of the dual-release sequels, but I'm considering jumping in with this updated version of the second. Anyone have any thoughts about the games?

Honorable mention: ARMS, Doki Doki Literature Club, Ever Oasis, Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle, NieR: Automata, Splatoon 2, probably a million others that I'm forgetting. The life of a gamer is not easy. Sigh.

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What are your own lists like? Agree or disagree with any of my thoughts here? Post comments below if you want!

[Dudeman]

Did you mean to leave "Best Graphics" blank? Otherwise, this was a great read! Loved your picks and your explanations. I really wish I had more time on my hands to play more stuff.

[Olimar12345]

He always does that lol.

[SlowPokemon]

Lmao actually the first time I did this list in 2012 or whenever, I accidentally left Best Graphics blank and it's kind of become a yearly tradition

I also think that graphics are maybe the least important thing to me in a game so it also doubles as social commentary if you like

[Dudeman]

Lmao actually the first time I did this list in 2012 or whenever, I accidentally left Best Graphics blank and it's kind of become a yearly tradition

I also think that graphics are maybe the least important thing to me in a game so it also doubles as social commentary if you like

lol wow I love this, excuse my ignorance

[BlackDragonSlayer]

but the graphics
they're really what this is all about
the graphics

[Dudeman]

DEM GREEEEHHHHHHFIKS

[Maelstrom]

My list:
Best Graphics - Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice
Best Soundtrack - NieR: Automata
Best Voice Acting/Sound Design - Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice
Biggest Disappointment: Metroid II Remake
Best Story: NieR: Automata
Best Gameplay: Hollow Knight, with NieR: Automata in close second
Most Fun I Had All Year - DOOM 2016
Best Game: Damn, this is hard. It's between Hollow Knight, NieR: Automata, and Hellblade. Out of those 3, I think I'll have to go with NieR.
Also shoutout to OneShot for being a great game
crap crap crap I forgot Fire Emblem Echoes came out this year and idk how to compare it to games that are so vastly different so here's a second list
Games I enjoyed every moment of that I played this year:
DOOM 2016
Fire Emblem Echoes
NieR: Automata
Hollow Knight
Nuclear Throne
Umineko Question Arcs
Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice
OneShot
Inside
Furi

Note that I have not yet played Danganronpa V3 because it's expensive on steam and I don't like spending money.
Also, I think I only played 2 nintendo games to completion this year: Ace Attorney 6 and Fire Emblem Echoes

[SlowPokemon]

Favorites of Video Games 2018

Here are some of my favorite gaming experiences of the last year.

I excluded ports from most of the categories (the exception, obviously, being best remake). If it was a totally new reimagining of a game, as is the case with this year's Pokémon, it was eligible for any of the categories, but if the new version isn't significantly, well, new, I didn't allow it for consideration. No "Best Music" award for Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze this year, sadly. As has become the standard, I want to write a bit about a few games that were NOT released in 2018, but which I played for the first time this year and think are worth checking out. These include:

1

Chaos;Child

(2017) -- PlayStation Vita (also on PlayStation 4)

This game, largely removed from but set in the same universe as the Steins;Gate games, came out right at the tail end of 2017. I won a download code giveaway of this game via the official Steins;Gate Facebook page on January 2 of this year, and was kind of thrilled to play it. It's a visual novel, just like Steins;Gate, with a gripping science-fiction plot about reality, illusions, and the daydreams we slip into every day. Also, there's a mystery involving a series of grotesque and horrifying murders. The horror element in Chaos;Child really set it apart, and it alternately delighted, disgusted, and thrilled me. I'd thoroughly recommend it to anyone who enjoyed Steins;Gate, but wanted a more supernatural and horror-oriented storyline. The only problem I had with this game was the frustratingly lengthy script--it took me the better part of two months to complete, roughly the equivalent of 80-100 hours. With enough trimming down and tightening, this could have been a fast-paced, intense ride, but the way it is now, Chaos;Child is a sort of series of starts and stops, grabbing and shaking you right before it relaxes for a few hours to focus on the mundane and slice-of-life activities of the characters. Not for the faint of heart, nor for the faint of attention span.

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2

The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD

(2013) -- Wii U

In August of 2016, I reached a landmark in my gaming history: I finished a Legend of Zelda game for the first time. (It was Ocarina of Time 3D.) I've since been working my way through a good chunk of the Zelda canon, but I undertook a huge mission this past summer: play all of the console games in order of release. The idea came about after I realized that this was entirely possible using only a Wii U, thanks to the Virtual Console library. I zoomed through the Nintendo 64 versions of Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask, marveling at how well they compared to their 3DS remakes, and then had a blast with The Wind Waker HD, whose cartoonish art style and radically different overworld left me shocked. It took me a long time to get used to the Great Sea, but once I figured out how the game worked (and found the Swift Sail--thanks for that, Nintendo) I was in heaven. Whether it was spending an entire day with my roommates finding all of the guide fish in the sea to fill out my map, puzzling through a forest dungeon with a Korok toddling cutely behind me, or delighting in a game of hide-and-seek on the charming Windfall Island, everything I found lying in my path during this game was sheer gaming fun. It was especially astonishing to note the similarities to last year's Breath of the Wild in terms of being essentially an open-world game, without much pressure to get on with the story. While my Zelda marathon plan fell apart midway through Twilight Princess HD, The Wind Waker HD was easily one of my top gaming experiences of the year.

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3

The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds

(2013) -- Nintendo 3DS

Seriously, what was up with this franchise in 2013? A Link Between Worlds is to date the only top-down / 2D (technically) entry in the series that I've been able to complete, and it was far from a slog. I marathoned this game in February in the space of four days, unable to stop myself from exploring nearly every inch of Hyrule and Lorule. Talk about immersive 3D, and talk about a crazy fun way to spend four days on a 3DS. This is easily one of the best titles on the system, and I'd advise anyone who hasn't played it to take advantage of the low price point and do so as soon as they can.

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4

Zero Escape: The Nonary Games

(2017) -- PlayStation Vita (also on PlayStation 4)

The Zero Escape franchise is a must-play for fans of choose-your-own-adventure novels, murder mysteries, suspense thrillers, sci-fi and time-travel plots, and (hear me out) shitty 90s escape-the-room puzzle games. This collection, released last year, bundles together the first two games, Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors and Virtue's Last Reward, which combine to make up perhaps the best collection of modern visual novels available on the market. While Virtue's Last Reward is largely unchanged from its spectacular standalone Vita version, 999 is completely remastered, with HD art, a new adventure mode where you can skip the expository text, and an all-new dub by professional voice casts in both English and Japanese. If you've never checked out the series and it sounds interesting, this is a perfect place to start, and if you're itching to revisit 999, this is the way to do it. It was a lot of fun to rediscover these games.

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Without further ado, here were my favorites this year:

BEST MULTIPLAYER

Spoiler

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

Yeah, I don't even know how they do this. What kind of magicians are Nintendo that we can get a new Smash Bros. every few years and still become completely entranced by each new entry, still get sucked back into the addictive beat-em-up gameplay, still find new characters to love and new tricks to delight in? I don't know, but it's clear that Ultimate is the only fighting game I'll ever need to play for the rest of my life. With a fantastic balance of swordfighters (like Marth and Link), brawlers (Little Mac and Ryu), mages (Corrin and Zelda), tricksters (Duck Hunt and Bowser Jr.), and quirksters (Mr. Game & Watch and Luigi), there is really something for everyone here. As I mentioned when I gave this same award to Super Smash Bros. for Wii U in 2014, the messy and lovingly crafter amalgam of worlds is what gives this game its charm, while the easy-to-learn, tough-to-master combat system is what gives it longevity. One of the best games of the year, period.

HONORABLE MENTION: Super Mario Party

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BEST amiibo

Spoiler

Octoling Boy [Splatoon series]

Slim pickings for amiibo fans this year, but still a few gems to be found. The Octoling threesome is a cute and charming top pick for me, with their punk aesthetic and anti-Inkling vibes. The sullen pose and disdainful glare on the Octoling Boy, coupled with that improbably huge paintbrush, makes it my favorite release of the year. The Octopus itself is hilarious and quirky, and the Detective Pikachu release from earlier this year has the novelty of its massive size, but the detail on this amiibo is just great.

HONORABLE MENTION: Detective Pikachu, Octopus, Ridley

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BEST GRAPHICS

Spoiler

Octopath Traveler

For the first time in the history of these yearly reviews, I actually have a pick for Best Graphics. It's usually an unspoken rule that I leave the category blank and don't explain why, but Square-Enix's Octopath Traveler absolutely dazzled me with its detailed sprite work, pop-up book dioramas, and mesmerizing blur and shading effects. The JRPG stuff in Octopath isn't as revolutionary as other games out there, but the visuals send this game into another orbit. In fact, it's so much an integral part of the experience that I would go so far as to say that the game wouldn't have sold nearly as well without the unique visual hook. I hope to see more of this style in the future.

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BEST SOUND DESIGN

Spoiler

Layers of Fear: Legacy

Layers of Fear is probably the most fun and genuinely scary horror game I've ever played. It's so terrifying and tense that it almost feels out of place on my Nintendo Switch, you know? Despite the oppressive, horrifying dread that lurks around every corner, and the disturbing images thrown at you once in a while, and of course the occasional jump scare, it's the sound design that really makes this one such a terrifying gem. Small creaks, phantom knockings, and--my personal favorite--faint murmurings that grow louder and more ominous the closer you get to key objects are punctuated by the creepiest use of Cyril Scott's "Lotus Land" I've ever seen, as well as some hideously hammy voice acting. This truly over-the-top acting somehow doesn't let up the tension. But in all fairness, it's hard to lighten the mood of any game that introduces the player to as many broken, toddling baby dolls as this one does.

HONORABLE MENTION: Death Mark

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BEST MUSIC

Spoiler

Octopath Traveler

Octopath Traveler claims another aesthetics award, proving that presentation really can make or break a game. This game's music is not subversive, quirky, or ironic in the least. What we have instead is a strictly classic video game soundtrack. There's absolutely nothing wrong with this. With almost no electronics in the score other than reverb effects, these soaring, beautiful melodies breathe even more life into the world of our pixelly heroes and their unique struggles and feats. While most of the tracks are simply for small chamber ensembles, the sheer variety of tones here is just wonderful. For fans, I'd like to mention that the game's soundtrack is available for purchase on iTunes, and I'd recommend giving it a look even if you haven't played the game. These kinds of ambitious projects are what remind you why you fell in love with game music to begin with.

HONORABLE MENTION: Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

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BEST REMAKE

Spoiler

Luigi's Mansion

It seems like I played a LOT of remakes this year. We got Switch ports of Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze and Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition, a Switch remake of Pokémon Yellow Version in the form of Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! / Let's Go, Eevee!, and in an odd, very Nintendo way, the delightful 2014 game Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker arrived on both Nintendo 3DS and Switch. Even Undertale got the Switch treatment, with a new boss fight to boot. And on the mobile front, Professor Layton and the Curious Village, aka my favorite game of all time, got an HD remake complete with new cutscenes and all of those downloadable puzzles I never got to play on Nintendo DS. But all of these, even Layton, paled for me in comparison with the GameCube classic Luigi's Mansion, remade from the ground up for Nintendo 3DS. It's true, this one doesn't have too many fancy new features, outside of a stunning new multiplayer mode that lets two friends complete the main story and rematch portrait ghosts together, an achievement checklist, and dual-screen map support. But it secures the top spot for me for one minor reason alone: stereoscopic 3D. I've always been a big fan of the 3DS's 3D effect, right from day one, so it was a bit disappointing when Nintendo stopped supporting it on first-party releases. But longtime Luigi's Mansion fans will recall that it was originally intended to be developed in 3D--and Grezzo, the awesome team behind the Zelda remasters as well as Ever Oasis, have made this dream a reality. It's a blast to see the mansion as it was originally intended to be seen.

HONORABLE MENTION: Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker (Nintendo 3DS)

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BEST STORY

Spoiler

Psychedelica of the Ashen Hawk

Bit of an odd pick for story of the year, but I didn't play very much in the way of plot-based games. It was Aksys to the rescue with their "Summer of Mystery," releasing one PlayStation Vita game a month in June, July, and August that was mystery-focused and featured an otome-style gameplay, where you play as a female character and romance guys. While I normally tolerate the otome genre at best and hate it at worst, the focus on mystery and plot rather than romance made these titles a welcome diversion from the norm. Of the two I've played, Psychedelica of the Ashen Hawk was the better, immersing me in its unique medieval world. The main character is Jed, a girl who has had to live an entire life as a boy because of a "witch's mark" she's had since birth. This lends an interesting dynamic to Jed's love interests, who only know her as a boy for much of the story. In the end, it was the captivating, snow-covered setting that caused this one to stick out to me, and I fell in love with the world even more than I did with that of the runner-up, Octopath Traveler.

HONORABLE MENTION: Octopath Traveler

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BEST GAMEPLAY

Spoiler

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

The combat system of this game is insane. I can't even fathom how it feels so different from the Wii U incarnation, but it's tighter, faster, more exacting. This game forces you to get adept with the controls, and makes it remarkably fun to try out new fighters, rewarding you with secret combos and fun tricks. I don't know what else to say, but this is pure gaming bliss for me.

HONORABLE MENTION: None

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BEST eShop GAME

Spoiler

Undertale

Yeah, this is a weird choice for a number of reasons. It's technically just a port with some new content, yeah. It technically has a limited physical release (which I went for), yeah. But after playing the entire game again on Switch, for the first time since 2015, I have to say that Undertale really deserves this award. It feels at home on the Switch in a way that it just didn't on PC or PlayStation. It's such a Nintendo-esque game, in some ways literally (it was heavily inspired by EarthBound) but in spirit as well. The quirky characters, moving storyline, humorous script, wonderful music, and innovative gameplay just feel like they belong on a Nintendo platform. It holds up just as well three years later, too. It's a game whose negligible faults are only noticed because it rightfully got as popular as it did. Never mind the naysayers: this is a game that deserves a place on every Switch console out there. And if you've played it before, play it again, or watch a friend play it blind. There's no competition for me; Undertale is the best eShop-exclusive game on the Nintendo Switch.

HONORABLE MENTION: INSIDE, Layers of Fear: Legacy

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BEST GAME OF 2018

Spoiler

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

This should have been a tough choice. I should feel at least a little conflicted about naming Ultimate my game of the year. But I don't. For all its aesthetic and sensory pleasures, the gameplay of Octopath Traveler can't hold a candle. As tried and true as Pokémon's familiar formula is, Let's Go, Pikachu! / Let's Go Eevee was frankly an embarrassment and insult to Switch owners, even with all of its cutesy charm. As much as I adored puzzling through Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker, rediscovering the clever tricks of Luigi's Mansion, and tromping my way across the islands of Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, the joy I've gotten with just a few weeks of the new Smash has trumped all of that. Buy this game. Learn to play. Share it with your friends. Laugh, fight, curse, and above all marvel at the work Nintendo put into this ambitious crossover that plays like a love letter to gamers.

And then prepare for the new fighters coming our way in 2019. Piranha Plant, here I come.

HONORABLE MENTION: Octopath Traveler

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BEST GAME OF 2018 THAT I DIDN'T PLAY BUT WOULD REALLY LIKE TO

Spoiler

7'scarlet

This entry in Aksys's Summer of Mystery event sounds so intriguing, and although I picked it up with the other two, I've yet to even put it in my Vita. The slice-of-life mystery thriller vibe is what makes this the game I look forward to experiencing most.

HONORABLE MENTION: Jake Hunter Detective Story: Ghost of the Dusk, WarioWare Gold, Mario Tennis Aces, Kirby Star Allies, Mega Man 11 probably a million others that I'm forgetting.

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Hope you enjoyed this, I had fun typing it up. Comment below please if you want!

[Dudeman]

BEST GRAPHICS

Spoiler

Octopath Traveler

For the first time in the history of these yearly reviews, I actually have a pick for Best Graphics. It's usually an unspoken rule that I leave the category blank and don't explain why, but Square-Enix's Octopath Traveler absolutely dazzled me with its detailed sprite work, pop-up book dioramas, and mesmerizing blur and shading effects. The JRPG stuff in Octopath isn't as revolutionary as other games out there, but the visuals send this game into another orbit. In fact, it's so much an integral part of the experience that I would go so far as to say that the game wouldn't have sold nearly as well without the unique visual hook. I hope to see more of this style in the future.

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WHAT IS THIS SORCERY

I'd throw Mega Man 11 into the list of Best Unplayed Game of 2018 honorable mentions, personally (I mean, personally I played it, but assuming you didn't I'd throw it in there). It simultaneously trims things down to good ol' basic running and gunning (and sliding) while also adding the Double Gear mechanic that streamlines the game for beginners and allows fun new options on how to tackle stages. I love how much detail you put into these little yearly reviews so I hope you continue doing this in the future!

[SlowPokemon]

Right you are, friend. I haven't played it, but I would like to. I added it to the list. I also fixed some formatting things.

Glad you enjoy my write-ups. Did I interest you in any particular games this time around?

[Dudeman]

I've been hearing enough praise for Octopath Traveler as-is, but seeing you praise it just gives me more reasons to play it that I've been ignoring. I don't dislike JRPG's, but I've never found myself particularly drawn to, say, Final Fantasy or Chrono Trigger or the Bravely games, but I get the feeling that I really need to play Octopath at this point.

[E. Gadd Industries]

^I agree, I've heard some really good things & some really good covers of the OST. And I'm also a sucker for anything with good aesthetics, story, and creative design choices, so just based on these reviews and others, ima need to get it at some point.

And buy Undertale for Switch. Ngl, I didn't know there was an extra battle on the port version!

[SlowPokemon]

Favorites of Video Games 2019

As always, here's a small write-up of my favorite gaming experiences of the year. I was kind of light on games this year, playing a select few games for large amounts of time. In addition, the depressing fact is that the Nintendo 3DS, my favorite system of all time, is basically officially dead. A new survival horror game is dropping for the console today, but while I definitely plan on picking it up I feel that it might be the last thing I'll be able to purchase for the system.

Ah, well, we had a good run, and even if Nintendo seems to have stopped supporting the beautiful little handheld, at least there's a backlog of games so huge that I could feasibly be working on it for the next several years. The Switch is now officially the console to have if you're a Nintendo gamer, and we had a year that overall was more well-rounded and surprising than the comparably uneventful and remake-heavy 2018. I'm retiring the "Best amiibo" category, not because there weren't some really neat ones this year, but because I don't care too much about the Smash line, which means that the Link's Awakening Link figure is the winner by default. I did pick up Piranha Plant and Ivysaur as well, though, and I have to say I adore the figures.

Like the last few years, I spent a good chunk of time playing older games that I missed, so I'll start off with the games that I played for the first time this year and are worth talking about.

1

The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap -- Wii U Virtual Console (originally released in 2005 on GBA)
The Game Boy Advance was my first-ever gaming system back in the day, and whether it's nostalgic or just my fascination with simpler video games, I've never grown tired of the look and sound of games for that system. The 32-bit graphics and clever soundfonts are manipulated to an absurd extent in The Minish Cap, making it a strong contender for the best-looking GBA game I've ever seen. And to think I somehow missed out on it back in the day! Maybe my late arrival to Zelda would have been different if I hadn't. Either way, Capcom's sprite work on this game is masterful, the dungeon design is stellar, and the overworld is full of fascinating detours and hidden areas (both miniscule and massive). The twenty hours I spent on The Minish Cap might well have been the most fun gaming I had all year, especially factoring in that specific tinge of nostalgia and delight that comes with playing a game for an older system for the first time as if it's brand new.

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2

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD (2016) -- Wii U
It seems hard to believe, but I only just saw the second half of Twilight Princess in January of this year. If you've talked to me about Zelda before, you know that I have a bit of a tough time with this one, having tried in vain to play the entire thing a total of three times before finally seeing the end. All of my complaints from before still hold true--namely, the overworld is not only too big, but too boring. Nearly every moment I wasn't in a dungeon, the game was sending me on tedious tasks across the barren, ugly map: to rescue a Zora prince, to learn sumo wrestling, to capture creepy lice-like insects in Twilight realms, and, in a truly horribly designed bit with bafflingly bad controls, to keep a carriage on its desired path while eliminating threats. But the dungeon design is so ridiculously good that I can't even hold the overworld sections against Twilight Princess. From the beautifully convoluted Lakebed Temple to the creepy Arbiter's Grounds, I enjoyed every single dungeon in this game. The second half of the game had some real winners, too, particularly the amusing digression in the Snowpeak Ruins--the details of which I of course won't spoil here for those of you who haven't adventured through this Zelda yet. It was worth getting to the end and seeing how the plot wrapped up, so thanks to everyone who recommended it.

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3

DELTARUNE Chapter 1 -- Nintendo Switch (originally released in 2018 for PC)
This game did technically release on Switch in 2019, but since it's the exact same game that was on PC last year, it didn't feel quite right to count it in any of the categories. As a follow-up to Undertale, anything is going to fall shy of expectations, and of course we're looking only at the introduction to what promises to be a much bigger adventure, but even in these first five hours it is abundantly clear that Toby Fox has given us an even more surreal, alluring atmosphere than before. Deltarune (a mysterious anagram of "Undertale") was supposedly inspired by a dream, and the game's aesthetic reflects a dreamy and hypnotic tone. Though the adventure itself feels like a dream, of course, even the exposition on either side of this first chapter feels like a strange dream you might have about Undertale, with familiar characters appearing with new names, clothes, and personalities, Majora's Mask style. This little preview of Toby Fox's next big work has me incredibly hyped up to see what the final product will look like. Don't miss this free download!

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And now, the 2019 winners!

BEST MULTIPLAYER

Spoiler

Luigi's Mansion 3

There weren't a lot of options here in the games that I played, but the multiplayer in Nintendo's newest adventure starring Luigi is honestly much more fun than it has any right to be. Even ignoring the addictive online Scarescraper mode, a friend in the room can pick up a controller and explore as Gooigi, Luigi's hilariously disgusting, oozy alter ego. Definitely play this with a friend if you can.

HONORABLE MENTION: None

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BEST GRAPHICS

Spoiler

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BEST SOUND DESIGN

Spoiler

Luigi's Mansion 3

Taking the second award in a row is the esteemed Luigi's Mansion 3, which is sort of ridiculously well-made. The craftsmanship here, courtesy of Canadian developers Next Level Games, is such that I can actually talk about craftsmanship in a video game. It's probably the most technically advanced game Nintendo has ever produced, with a number of physics systems ensuring that literally everything in the entire game is interactive. One of the most disappointing limitations with Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon on the Nintendo 3DS is that when you'd go up to, say, a shelf and use the Poltergust, everything would simply rattle. Here, every tiny knickknack on every crowded shelf, all the individual sheets of paper in a stack of hundreds, even the lightbulbs on a desk--all of it reacts and can be improbably schlurrrped into your vacuum cleaner. The sound design is great throughout, of course, but where it really shines is the tactile sensations of the various objects you can manipulate with your Poltergust, and of course the disturbingly squelchy character of Gooigi. I'm willing to bet there's not a single person out there, whether a child or an adult, who didn't laugh in delight and disgust the first time they heard the noise of Gooigi squeezing through iron bars or a sewage pipe. Again--this is really the finest and most satisfying point-and-click-turned-arcade-beatemup I've ever played. The only honorable mention I want to talk about in detail is Untitled Goose Game, which features in addition to all sorts of goosey honks a soundtrack composed entirely of fragments of Debussy music--quirky and funny in context, but truly hilarious for classical music lovers.

HONORABLE MENTION: AI: The Somnium Files, Fire Emblem: Three Houses, The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening, Untitled Goose Game

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BEST MUSIC

Spoiler

Pokémon Sword & Pokémon Shield (Minako Adachi & Go Ichinose)

This was a really tough call, because both the newest Pokémon and the newest Fire Emblem have massive soundtracks with hardly any tracks that don't serve their respective games well. On the whole, though, the knockout duo of Minako Adachi (who really wowed me with a stellar lineup of tracks in Sun & Moon) and Go Ichinose (who is responsible for a huge amount of Pokémon tracks from Gold & Silver onward) edged out the Fire Emblem trio with a soundtrack inspired in equal parts by British rock music and a classic Pokémon style. The absence of Hitomi Sato is the only thing that rings disappointing about this otherwise charmingly retro score.

HONORABLE MENTION: AI: The Somnium Files (Keisuke Ito), Fire Emblem: Three Houses (Takeru Kanazaki, Hiroki Morishita, & Rei Kondoh), Luigi's Mansion 3 (Chad York & Darren Radtke)

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BEST REMAKE

Spoiler

The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening

Again, the Switch thrived on remakes and re-releases this year, and it was a tough call. Steins;Gate Elite seemed like a great choice for being (to my knowledge) the first hybrid anime and game (I'm still wondering how the hell they got the system to work that well). Then my mind went to New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe, which in spite of sporting the second-most-ridiculous title of the year proved engaging enough to tempt into 100%ing a game I had already 100%ed on Wii U back in 2015. The 3DS got two strong contenders right at the outset of the year in remakes of both a Nintendo DS and Wii game that are each about a decade old. And of course, my two favorite game series both have an entry in this competition. Layton's Mystery Journey: Katrielle and the Millionaires' Conspiracy - Deluxe Edition, sporting the first-most-ridiculous title of the year, improved by swapping forty or so of the original version's worst puzzles for new ones, going a long way toward fixing my complaints. Longtime favorite of mine Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box even found new life on mobile devices, with HD visuals and previously unavailable puzzles. Meanwhile, Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy got one final facelift as it made its way to all major platforms, adding multiple new language support options and offering HD play on television for the first time.

But you know, none of these can even hold a candle to the amazing work that Grezzo and Nintendo have done with the remaster of Link's Awakening, a game which I sampled on the 3DS virtual console but never got more than a few hours into. Though a Game Boy title is the last thing anyone expected as a Switch candidate, it makes a fantastic complement to Breath of the Wild and the toy set aesthetic has gone a long way toward making this brief, tiny game (I 100% completed it in about 20 hours) among my favorites on the system. It's filled with wonder and magic in every frame, every area, every character, every dungeon, and even every small bit of dialogue. Though the word "tiny" pops up often when discussing this game, there's nothing miniscule about its heart and charm.

Honorable mention: Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey

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BEST STORY

Spoiler

Fire Emblem: Three Houses

Again, this was a really close call--Link's Awakening's little heartbreaking fable of a half-forgotten dream swirled around my mind far longer than I expected. It's a simple, slight plot, but a haunting one, and if not for the fact that it's really 26 years old, the decision might have been tougher. As it is, Fire Emblem: Three Houses is my top pick. The fascinating story of a country divided in three factions felt oddly timely with the current international political climate, and the fact that there are three different routes with unique characters and storylines in a game that took me ninety hours just to see the first ending just cements the award for me. I've not even reached the end of my second playthrough, but I love the twists and turns and above all the characters that I've gotten to know as I continue to explore Garreg Mach and the various battlegrounds of Fódlan.

I'd also like to call special attention to my other honorable mention, AI: The Somnium Files. This bizarre, thoroughly unique game from Kotaro Uchikoshi (the director of the Zero Escape series) kept me enraptured for about 40 hours of timeline-hopping, dream-deciphering, sexual-innuendo-laden fun. When you stop finding it strange that your assistant is an artificial intelligence who lives in your eye socket and occasionally takes the physical form of a realistic eye, protrusions and all, you know you're at least getting something different from the norm.

HONORABLE MENTION: AI: The Somnium Files, The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening

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BEST GAMEPLAY

Spoiler

Fire Emblem: Three Houses

I touched on what makes the story and characters so great before, but the gameplay rhythms of Three Houses are shockingly addictive. I've never played a game in the series before, but the new Persona-esque choice to split your time between exploring the school to forge bonds with your students and battling in epic, colossal chess matches with human players just felt right. I couldn't put the game down, and the pacing and length meant that it was one of those games that just became part of my life for a month or so. I loved the experience of playing this game.

HONORABLE MENTION: The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening, Luigi's Mansion 3, Pokémon Sword & Shield

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BEST GAME OF 2019

Spoiler

Fire Emblem: Three Houses

It was honestly such a toss-up for me this year, but I figured any game I spend over 100 hours on in a month or two is worth game of the year for me. There were so many charming games I played this year, and Link's Awakening, Luigi's Mansion 3, or even Pokémon could easily have won the top spot if it wasn't for the attachment I felt to my troops in Three Houses. I didn't even get to talk about games like Yoshi's Crafted World, whose cardboard renders kept me smiling throughout, or the innovative Nintendo Labo VR Kit (my first foray into the Labo scene). But really, Fire Emblem is a killer app that I feel totally good about as my game of 2019, even if the more classical Link's Awakening is what I might return to more often in the future.

HONORABLE MENTION: The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening, Luigi's Mansion 3, Pokémon Sword & Shield

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BEST GAME OF 2019 THAT I DIDN'T PLAY BUT WOULD REALLY LIKE TO

Spoiler

Astral Chain

This game, curiously marketed by Nintendo and apparently dividing a huge player base, just looks endlessly interesting to me. It seems like a game I'd either love or hate, and I look forward to finding out which it is sometime in the future.

HONORABLE MENTION: I can't even remember. There are always things.

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What do you think? Did you play these games? Do you have any recommendations for me? Let me know in a comment!

[mikey]

1

The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap -- Wii U Virtual Console (originally released in 2005 on GBA)
The Game Boy Advance was my first-ever gaming system back in the day, and whether it's nostalgic or just my fascination with simpler video games, I've never grown tired of the look and sound of games for that system. The 32-bit graphics and clever soundfonts are manipulated to an absurd extent in The Minish Cap, making it a strong contender for the best-looking GBA game I've ever seen. And to think I somehow missed out on it back in the day! Maybe my late arrival to Zelda would have been different if I hadn't. Either way, Capcom's sprite work on this game is masterful, the dungeon design is stellar, and the overworld is full of fascinating detours and hidden areas (both miniscule and massive). The twenty hours I spent on The Minish Cap might well have been the most fun gaming I had all year, especially factoring in that specific tinge of nostalgia and delight that comes with playing a game for an older system for the first time as if it's brand new.

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<3