#3d puzzle challenge

[hearthomelesbian]

sometimes you play an older game and its not very good and you think "wow nostalgia was really carrying most ppls feelings on this one". BUT. sometimes instead you play an old game and its pokemon emerald <3

[animatingforfun]

This was a pure joy to work on.

For the behind-the-scenes story of how I made this animated mini-short, click “keep reading” below.

I started this 6 weeks ago, just before Nintendo shut down its 3DS and WiiU servers. The server shutdown meant no more multi-player online play for 3DS games, like Mario Kart 7, but also no more uploading to the Butterfly Animation online gallery directly from the app.

As an homage to the Inchworm and Butterfly Animation apps for the DSi and 3DS that I’ve been animating on since 2011, I originally was just going to animate just a single shot featuring something butterfly related.

But the story evolved as I began asking myself a series of "what if" questions that I had fun answering, like, “what if it was a little girl playing dress up as a butterfly?” And then “what if she was first cosplaying as a caterpillar then the butterfly?” “If this is a story of growth, what if she stumbles? What is her attitude when she stumbles?” “What if the design of the girl was something like Isao Takahata or Yoichi Kotabe would draw?”

Making this was the embodiment of everything I hope to achieve with my personal animation: to let creativity flow and just have fun animating and creating.

Since this mini-short was animated on my Nintendo 3DS, there was a memory limit of only 100 drawings, which was a bit of a challenge for longer or complex actions, but was a fun puzzle to solve. Sometimes limitations force you to come up with even more creative solutions. (I was able the squeeze in more drawings than the memory allowed, and filled it to the max!) :)

The song I used is from Rebecca Sugar’s album, "Spiral Bound", and perfectly fit the theme of the short. Initially, while I was drawing the character, I found myself humming a tune from Steven Universe that dealt with beginnings, endings, and not being ready. It’s amazing how the brain can subconsciously pick the playlist!

In the end, that song, sung by Steven’s father in the show, didn’t quite fit, but then I remembered another song by Rebecca Sugar which was more on theme with my story, called “My Own Way to the End”. The whole album is wonderful! You can check it out here:

Painting the backgrounds for this was the most challenging thing for me, but also the most eye opening! After painting, I would look around at the trees in the neighborhood differently. So many colors when you really look closely.

There’s so many talented people at my work and it was great that I could ask them for advice. One person I asked was the talented Tia Kratter, who happened to teach a mini-painting class for the animators while I was working on this short. I asked her for advice on one of the background paintings and she asked great questions which challenged me to try different things, but I still felt like I was having fun and playing without fear of failure. I mean, it was still hard though! Hahaha!

If you’ve read up to this point, thank you for reading this. :) I hope you enjoy this mini-short as much as I enjoyed making it!

[mechncheese]

im sorry i should have asked this before i rigged and weight painted him. But i am a Coward. so haha do you have any idea what science cont tc's back kibble n wing joints look like?

i had this as a sort of improvised stand-in to show how it Could work functionally but im not sure i like how it looks compared to the rest of the model

base of wings are attached to a slot on the back kibble and can move and rotate vertically. then extends out from there to meet the wing proper at a joint which can be moved independently from the first joint in the back. the extra joint is so he can raise and lower his wings a bit more than if they were just attached, if that makes sense

i also was struggling find any good references for seeker back kibble in general to go off of (+ i am Toyless so no physical references) so just any critiques about the whole thing would be welcome. to clarify, im not asking for art or refs that may not exist yet, just opinions

sorry for sending in more of a text wall than usual ive been mulling over this a bit LOL

NO WORRIES AT ALL OMG THIS IS A REALLY INCREDIBLE, I SEE HOW IT WORKS REALLY NICELY !! I think that it functions really smoothly, esp for improvising ! It's super impressive holy shit

I'm so fr I didn't really think about how Thundercracker's wings would functionally work/fold until today and since receiving this ask, I threw myself into a frenzy trying to also figure it otherwise it'd become an itch in my head </3

I know you said you weren't looking for art or refs and just opinions, but I work better when I work things out visually so I’ll give you my take on how I think TC's wings might work-- This was like a fun challenge/puzzle to me !

also clarifying you totally don't have to go with this or anything of the sort, this is just how it might work in my head !

Sliding hinges along the side of his back was the first thing I thought of ! I also separated the base/shoulder of the wings into two parts so it lets the wing fold down. Also similar to what you have going there’s a gap inbetween the back where the hinge is and that can allow the base of his wings to slide closer into to the back (I’m so bad with explaining words I hope that makes any sense </3)

HONESTLY I'M NOT A GREAT ENGINEER and I took a lot of liberty with the fact that Im working with 2D so idk how difficult any of this would transfer to 3D ! Feel free to alter/change this however you please if you so wish !

THAT'S REALLY AWESOME THAT YOU IMPROVISED WHAT YOU HAVE IM SO SERIOUS, I HAD ALL 4 OF MY JET TRANSFORMER FIGURINES TO REFERENCE AND I WAS STILL SCRATCHING MY HEAD FOR LIKE.. a good few hours about it

Again, you don't have to go with any of this at all ! This is mostly me brainstorming as well ! What you have is incredible, esp for going off of no reference for his back kibble and wing joints !

[googleplaysore]

Fairy challenge game with a fusion story! Pass a puzzle level and beat thief Bob

Do you love a weegoon playstrom game?

Take part in our running race battle and savethegirl!

All the riddles will challenge your attention and improve your genetic skills! A level has a tricky story scenario that you will need to use your brain to solve fusion problems. For example, between the Pirate Bob and his grandmother. Beat the grandmother in a funny fashion hairchallenge! Only the smartest people will be able to pass that impossible hair puzzle!

You can even go further and deletestory for creating a new one with your own characters like Toca tocaboca in any location you want: tocakitchen, kitchen 2 or everything else! Go for it! Make convict characters, create thief stories, and play the way you want.

FEATURES:

🎯 Hundreds of DOP puzzles and IQ tests to riddle!

🎯 Relax, find missing clues and solve a thiefpuzzle!

🎯 Be the bro and savethepirate date!

🎯 Simple to learn and fun to play!

🎯 Challenging mind games with an endless variety of obstacles!

🎯 Improve your thinking skills by playing thinking games!

🎯 Great exercise for the brain rush!

🎯 There are plenty of opportunities to dress up your character. Choose the best outfit

🎯 Exciting Race 3D levels with a twerk battle at the end!

🎯 Dancing background music is a right choice!

You could save your time and refuse from all other freeplay games because our game is similar to mondayoff, miniit, matchingham, popve, upperpik or generationrush altogether! Blow your brain out and start solving helping games with choices in Comics Hair Challenge: Fairy!

[prokopetz]

idk if this is in your wheelhouse at all, but you seem to have pretty broad knowledge on niche video games. so, do you know of any 3d platformers revolving around gliding/flying? something like mario 64’s wing cap but then an entire game built around that kind of movement, or maybe like a king’s bird but then in 3d. or even 2d games. i just want to zoom

Games of that sort aren't a major interest for me, but I'm sure there's something in my library that will fit the bill.

Hmmm... it's not precisely Wing Cap style flight, but have you given Exo One a spin? It may not look like a platformer based on the trailer, but it plays like one in practice because figuring out how to build sufficient momentum on the ground to sustain long glides is the core of most of its challenges. It's a personal favourite, and there's a free prologue available if you want to try before you buy. Wonderful music and visual design, if that's a priority.

AER: Memories of Old might be another one to look at, though it's not zoomy in the way that Exo One is, and the flight elements are mostly for traversal between points of interest; the actual puzzles and such take place in short underground dungeons where opportunities for flight are limited. Still, it has a nice big overworld to fly around in.

I'm going to plug A Short Hike, too, though it's really more of a walking sim than a 3D platformer, because mechanically its flight is probably the closest of any game in this post to matching your cited examples, even if the pacing is more sedate than what you're likely looking for.

If you're willing to let the "platformer" dimension slide and allow pure arcade-style flight games, your options are, of course, much broader, including titles like Lifeslide and Superflight, but I'm not going to go into those at length because I'm not sure how big a priority the platforming stuff is for you.

(Also, I know someone in the notes is going to plug The Pathless if I don't, so I'm going to head that off with a fair warning: it does have speedrun-friendly flying/gliding mechanics, but they're not the game's main focus, and it's not what you'll spend most of your time doing. Lots and lots of ground-based zoominess, though!)

[taffywabbit]

oops i accidentally wrote a review for zelda II: the adventure of link

(originally posted to Cohost on Feb 22, 2024. you can ignore this if you want, i just wanted it archived somewhere before that site disappears)

Finally beat Zelda II for the first time last night (I forced myself to finish it before starting Splatoon 3's Side Order DLC, because I knew if I didn't push through to the end of the Great Palace THIS time then it'd be years before I tried beating it again. This is probably my 4th or 5th attempt at this point). Not that this is a particularly hot take by most people's standards, but I don't think it's all that good, at least from a gameplay standpoint.

I don't regret playing it though, because I think I'm finally able to put my finger on the stuff I actually disliked about it vs the stuff that was honestly fine, or even (very rarely) actually good? I'm kinda fascinated by it, honestly. Sequels where they immediately screw around with the first game's formula (to mixed results) are neat! FE Gaiden is another example that comes to mind (hey they should give Zelda II the Shadows of Valentia treatment, that could be really cool actually).

Obviously Zelda II has a reputation for being kind of a rough experience. It's an NES game, and NES games are often susceptible to being frustrating, buggy, hard to control, or overly punishing. Sometimes, all of the above! And for what it's worth, the original Legend of Zelda was a tough and sometimes very cryptic experience as well. But I feel like the two games are challenging in drastically different ways, and I think TLoZ ended up being the formula that was retained in the long term primarily because its method of challenging the player overall did a better job of inspiring curiosity and exploration. Despite narratively being a direct sequel (with a really badass story premise that is unfortunately not really conveyed at all in-game) Zelda II took a different approach to nearly every element of the original's gameplay, which is a pretty bold move I suppose. Whether or not it succeeds at anything is fairly subjective, but it's undeniably had a lasting impact on the series, as well as the people who grew up with it (and then they went on to make some really excellent mid-2000's flash games inspired by it that I frankly enjoyed a lot more than this... and also a weirdly solid licensed Adventure Time game on the 3DS? I should go back and play that sometime, it's really fun).

Where to start with this...? Uhhh, the EXP-based leveling system where you choose what stats to put your points into is interesting! It creates a risk-and-reward system for fighting enemies instead of avoiding them, whereas in most other Zelda games besides BotW/TotK, the only reward for killing monsters is "they are no longer bothering you while you solve puzzles, and also sometimes they drop rupees/hearts/ammo". It also introduces a bit more player choice in what areas you'd like to get stronger in first, which is cool! I just wish it actually mattered in a way that let you feel powerful for even a moment. Instead, leveling Life (which is functionally just defense) is never enough to actually make you feel like you can afford to take a hit - the expectation seems to be that leveling Attack, Life, and Magic is something you do purely to keep up with how badly every single thing in this game wants to stomp you into the ground and soak up a million hits and waste all your magic. You CAN skip out on leveling one stat to prioritize another, or even try to evade tough combat situations entirely, but if you aren't leveled enough and in the exact things the game expects you to be WHEN it expects you to be, you'll immediately bump into some new asshole who jumps out of nowhere and can cut you down in 2-3 hits. Leveling doesn't make you tangibly stronger, it merely keeps the game barely playable.

This actually ends up being the core problem I have with Zelda II's design, far more than just the combat being clunky and overly punishing or the levels being visually samey and super hard to navigate. In most Zelda games (and also in a lot of other RPGs!), you get a better sword or a new power or item, and it opens up exciting new options for both exploration and combat. In Zelda II, you level up or earn a new item/spell, it's useful for maybe 20-30 minutes, and then it's immediately nullified. Wow, you got the Fire spell! Now you can finally deal with Tektites and Basilisks (which are immune to all other attacks) on the way to the next area! Well, I hope you had fun with that, because Fire doesn't work on most things you run into afterwards.

Easily the biggest game-changer is when you unlock the Downward Thrust sword technique, and finally have another option for combat besides just crouch-hopping and poking monsters with a dull butter knife. It's satisfying to use, it looks cool (by this game's standards), and it even has some utility for crossing hazards or defending yourself against swooping enemies! Cool! Unfortunately, they don't let you play around with that for long either, before nearly every enemy you see starts rolling up with helmets or shells that make them immune to attacks from above, and you never really get anything like that again (the Upward Thrust exists later, but it's far more situational and frankly not very fun or intuitive to use). Rather than feeling like you're being given tools to overcome challenges and stay above the difficulty curve, it feels like you're constantly just slightly underequipped for everything (even if you grind to earn extra stat levels) and any edge you're given is swiftly taken away from you. (Except the Reflect spell, which is ALWAYS a banger after you get it because it makes your shield Actually Do Its Damn Job after nearly every enemy starts shooting projectiles you can't block. Good work, Reflect spell.)

I feel like I grew up hearing plenty of people talk about the overall difficulty of Zelda II, though most of the complaints about its puzzles were surface-level jabs about the short cryptic NPC text, and none of that prepared me for just how ridiculously obtuse its mandatory puzzles/secrets can be. I genuinely have no idea how anyone would EVER find the Life spell - pretty much your ONLY source of healing outside of towns, since there are no hearts to pick up in this game - without some kind of guide. I was FURIOUS when I finally looked up where to find that lady's mirror and discovered that you have to walk into one of the houses, go over to the table that looks EXACTLY like every other table in every other house in the entirety of Hyrule, crouch, and press B, and you'll just pull the mirror out of nowhere. This type of interaction does not exist ANYWHERE else in the game and there's no in-game hint to indicate that you should try this. Absolutely maddening.

This and its predecessor are both games that seemingly expect you to have the physical manual on hand to help you find secrets, but at least in the first game, the way the game was designed was consistent enough that you COULD feasibly find your way to the end of it without a guide. Bombable walls in dungeons always being located in the center, things like that. It had rules and it could generally be trusted to follow them. Zelda II, in comparison, has a final level (the Great Palace) in which there are numerous rooms that look IDENTICAL and if you make one wrong turn you can go through the entire [very difficult and dangerous] dungeon on a path parallel to the one you need to be on, only to hit a dead end and be able to see the spot you're supposed to be reaching on the other side of a wall. Except you would also never KNOW you need to get there, because it looks like another dead end full of monsters but there's actually a completely invisible hole somewhere in the floor over there that drops you into the hallway leading towards the final boss. Also there is no map. TLoZ had a map. I don't know why this game doesn't have a map. Possibly because if you try to look up maps online, most of the dungeons feature non-Euclidean spaces? Idk, even a Super Metroid-style grid map would've done wonders here.

The combat is... fine? I truly don't understand how anyone thinks it's GREAT though. Zelda II is kind of like a version of Castlevania where you don't have a whip and instead have to stab everything at extremely short range, and also sometimes enemies have shields so you have to crouch sometimes to stop them from blocking you. It feels tense and high-stakes but only because, as I mentioned earlier, you really cannot afford to take stray hits in this game. Most enemies chew through your health at an alarming rate, even with the Shield spell active, and there's almost no way to replenish it unless you use a Life spell (which costs a huge chunk of your magic, possibly softlocking you if you end up in a place that requires other spells to progress). I got better at the combat over the course of my playthrough, but I never felt like I got good at it - most of my victories against strong enemies felt like pure luck and there were rarely consistent strategies for success. All of this combined with the fact that Zelda II has limited lives (and I mean LIMITED - there are only six 1-UPs in the entire game, which can each only be collected once) and getting a Game Over anywhere outside of the final palace will send you all the way back to the starting area, and it makes for an incredibly stressful experience. Even making use of savestates to lighten the fear of death can only do so much to improve it.

Overall, I think that Zelda II is a game that has a lot of really promising ideas, but then just absolutely flops when it comes to the execution. I didn't have a better way of organizing these but here are a few examples of elements I DID particularly like, even if they didn't always stick the landing:

I like the idea of the RPG leveling system in theory, but wish it was more empowering in practice and actually let the player make meaningful choices instead of just being required to survive. Choosing to hold off on a Life upgrade and instead save up just a little longer to boost your Attack feels awesome, until you time one of your inputs wrong and get destroyed. In a game with better-tuned difficulty and combat, this system would be great!

I REALLY like that Zelda II introduced a magic system to the series! I think it's cool as hell to have Link learning and casting spells to protect himself, solve puzzles, and exploit enemy weaknesses, instead of relying purely on items. (It's honestly weird to think that a system I associate so strongly with classic Zelda gameplay has only actually showed up in 4 of the games?? I guess you could consider the runes/hand abilities in BotW/TotK to be kind of like modern spells, or the slowly-refilling energy gauge in ALBW to be the most recent iteration of a Magic Meter, but both are highly debatable. Anyways I just think they should let Link shapeshift into a fairy again, that was cool.) But most of the spells in this are fairly situational and your access to magic refills is so limited that you rarely have the freedom to experiment with the spells' secondary functions (hey did you know the Spell spell turns most enemy types into slimes? that's wild. I wish I'd known that sooner).

The overworld functioning like a traditional JRPG, with top-down exploration broken up by semi-random enemy encounters, was something I honestly didn't hate. It's a little weird for Zelda, sure, but I could see it working well to support other systems in a more polished game. Overworld encounters that switch you into a type of gameplay other than turn-based JRPG combat are something I've always been fascinated by!

Anyways, weird game! I'm glad I finally got closure so I could figure out how I personally feel about it, independent of whatever the random youtubers I watched as a teenager thought. And now I never have to play it again :)

[i-did]

mechanic!Neil is so interesting, did u have any thoughts on him to share? it seems like u were a bug part in coming up with the idea?

It was fully a joke at first after seeing this post and seeing an absolutely jerry-rigged car working, insisting its 'fine'.

I don't remember everything we said since it was a mix over snapchat and tumblr, and I wont remember whose idea was whos since me and @oyabun-draws have the same brain sometimes.

Check out the art this ask is referencing

it started with hot-wiring, how to steal a car, how to choose ones that the alarms didn't trip when he needed to force the manual window down just enough to unlock it from the inside. choosing a car that will be low profile and absence wont be noticed.

everything he knew was just what he needed to know to survive, his mom not one for mechanics herself and not caring if she bought a lemon for a few hundred under the table or not, just riding it until it died and were onto the next one.

then once his mom dies and it gets down to the low thousands, each car he stretches longer and longer. its a lot of trial and error, and there can be a hundred fail-points in a car -- specially one that's not going to be missed -- but some are quick temporary fixes and others aren't worth the risk. many things easily spotted just by knowing what to look for while doing a slow walk around the car, watching and waiting. as someone who got into cars for a hot minute, it really is almost all five senses. smelling for oil, or stale water, listening for rattles, the feel of the acceleration, looking at the seams between the panels or uneven wear on the tires. the full bodied experience of it draws him in, and the way its as physically challenging as it is mentally, a puzzle to solve, with an answer keeps him hooked. he can lie to himself and say its practical, while he applies his math-brain to a 3D puzzle with no formal training but trial and error and shocking himself on accident.

he ends up settled somewhere low-key, a chop-shop run by Wymack who isn't involved in anything too intense, mostly just under the table fixes for people not wanting to fuck over their insurance rate, and occasionally sawed off serial numbers and stolen parts he turns a blind eye too. He's someone who's willing to bend the rules for people stuck between a rock and a hard place.

Cars are serious, they are deadly machines and Wymack takes the safety of his customers seriously, and he really goes out on a limb trusting Neil and his work. Neil is oblivious to the fact that he's accidentally made somewhat of a name for himself as someone people could go to who could solve one problem 10 different ways with different super cheap price points and leave it up to the customer what they want. No formal training and suddenly in a little under the year people know of him, trust his results despite any formal training.

[ccakecrumbz]

Low Energy Regression Activity Ideas ... ☀️🌈

( more activities below the cut )

Writing (1)

1a. make simple/detailed lists ( list favourite items, fun plans, etc. )

1b. write about favourite toys/objects. give them backstories, names, interests and more!

1c. journal about your regression with a diary app / physical notebook ( or write for fun! )

Watch (2)

2a. imagine yourself in favourite shows as you watch them

2b. get cozy with stuffed animals and watch a movie. turn the lights off, gather comfort items

2c. go outside/sit at a window and count the birds you see ( dont stop until you reach 5+ birds) if no birds, count object of your choice

Hands-on (3)

3a. work on puzzles ( jigsaw, crossword, wordsearch, etc. ) you dont need to finish them <3

3b. play with sensory toys such as slime, fidgets, chews, rattles, etc.

3c. play colour-search! choose a colour and make a list of items with said colour. make it harder by randomizing the colours

3d. take a bath ( or shower ) and play w/ water toys or shower markers

3e. make a bed nest out of pillows, blankets, stuffed animals, and more! build your fortress and get cozy

3f. colour in a colouring book ( use your non-dominant hand for a challenge )

3g. draw on blank paper ( draw whatever you want, skies the limit! )

3h. use scrap paper to craft origami! here you can find easy step-by-step guides

Browser games (4)

4a. explore the depths of the ocean here! The Deep Sea shows you how far down marine critters swim. mobile-friendly

4b. take care of and adopt cats here! Kittytoy is a cute pixel game like Nekoatsume. mobile-friendly

4c. pack your bags and sort your items here! Snug is all about aimless packing to your heart's content

4d. Nitrome has a vast selection of exciting games to pass the time! some games are suited for bigger kids. mobile-friendly

4e. Looking for a quirky sensory game? Dooots is all about popping shapes, funky music, and includes unique backgrounds. mobile-friendly

4f. If you want to decorate fancy cupcakes, Royal Icing is an easy pick! Decorate to your heart's content! mobile-friendly

[bowlofmie]

some of my favorite DS games I never see people talk about (as a DS owner of 15 years) :

Petz Rescue Endangered Paradise

this is a random one, but it's genuinely really good. the characters have a lot of depth and are interesting. the characters design is really nice and I love the colors. teaches a lot about environmentalism and has an interesting story that plays with modern science and indigenous land. worth a play!

Tetris ds

such a cool version of tetris! i love all the extra modes and the classic NES Nintendo theme! lots of fun, and up there as one of my favorite versions of Tetris, and that's saying something.

Peggle ds

oh yeah. I had a peggle moment. that lasted a hot minute. thanks Doug Doug. I literally couldn't sleep because I was thinking about this game. and I really like this version of it! there's an extra kind of peg that isn't in the regular version and I think it's a nice addition, and it's every bit as satisfying but completely portable! not to mention it comes with both peggle and peggle nights!

Diddy Kong Racing ds

I have extremely vivid memories of playing this until my ds lite died, charging it, and then playing it again. i love that you can explore an open world in this game. it's the main thing that kept me coming back, but the racing is also lots of fun and the graphics feel so nostalgic and fun. I may have even played this solo more than Mario kart DS.

Mario Party ds

when I think of Mario party, this is what I think of. being able to play with one cartridge and 4 people anywhere is absolutely unmatched. and if you're alone, the solo play and puzzle games are really fun on their own! i still play this game with my little sisters regularly, and it was a classic in my childhood friend group. probably the most popular game on this list, but I wanted to mention it.

NYT Crosswords

such a cool game! the graphics are really well done and so are the sound effects. I love that there's a multiplayer option so you can solve a puzzle with a friend. I used to play it with my partner and it was lots of fun. the puzzles are a lot more difficult than modern day nyt crosswords, but they have a hint option if needed.

Bejeweled Twist

I got this game at a GameStop for like 5 bucks when I was a kid and I was genuinely hooked. I played it constantly. there's more to it than regular bejeweled so it kept my attention, but there's also lots of levels and puzzles

Art Academy

as an art student, I have to say that this game and it's sequels on the 3ds can function as essentially a semester or so of art school. they teach a lot of the basics in a really approachable way, and I learned a lot from them. also a big fan of how they replicated traditional media digitally. super charming and cute recurring characters, like Bacon the dog, make it feel more grounded. the lessons are really good, but it also just feels nice to doodle.

Gardening Mama

this was my favorite of the ___ing mama games when I was younger. I actually learned a lot about real gardening that ended up being helpful irl. it's a simple game, but being able to make your own garden and harvest from it is such a fun extra feature.

Retro Game Challenge

you get sent back in time and have to beat classic video games to get back. so much personality. it had me actually laughing at some points. the graphics are so classically DS and I love them. lots of fun!

G. G Series Wonderland

an Alice in wonderland themed top down shooter? uh yeah?? really fun and fast paced! i like to play this one mindlessly.

G. G Series Hero Puzzle

really cool! almost a tetris rogue-lite? there's combat and upgrades and weapons and its really fun!

GO Series Bass Fishing and Fishing Resort

my favorite fishing game!! so much personality! so many cute little mechanics and the characters are so cute! begging on my hands and knees for more people to play this game!!

Picross 3D

thank you to Best Buy for having this game on a tester DS back in the day. i love love love this one. the graphics are classic DS, and look so clean and fun. the puzzles themselves are so well designed, and I love the sound track. i have so many hours in this game it's maybe embarrassing. gotta say I was a little let down by the sequel because there was so much less personality, but it was still fun.

Over the Hedge: Hammy Goes Nuts

got this game with my original ds lite when I was around 8. I was so obsessed with it lol. there's a lot to do, and I always felt like I was exploring a big world. (not to be confused with the game of the same name on the GBA. for some reason that one is a golf game?)

DK Jungle Climber

genuinely very confused that I've never seen anyone talk about this one. it's a lot of fun and it was one of my favorites as a kid (my L button was broken though so it was a bit rough to play at the time lol) lots of personality, satisfying gameplay, and lots of fun levels to play!

Alice in Wonderland

reminds me a bit of a Metroidvania. cute characters and interesting dialogue. lots of interesting mechanics and fun to explore.

Wario Master of Disguise

i love the wario land games and this one is a fun one I never see lumped with the rest of them. there are some touch based micro games but I think they're fun and as is the case with every wario game, great level design and so much personality.

Sims 2 Castaway

try to pry this game out of my dead hands. try. i love this game. i have so many hours in it. lots of depth and fun things to do! the PSP version is also lots of fun!

Sudoku Ball

this is a funky one. solve sudoku puzzles that are in a big ball and also solve mysteries at the same time. a little bit layton-esque? also reminds me of detective Conan for some reason.

Tinker Bell

almost reminds me of animal crossing or stardew with lots of little mini games. one of my childhood faves.

Pac Pix

another childhood fave. you draw pacmen (? pacmans?) and catch ghosts. cool graphics and fun gameplay.

SEGA Super Stars Tennis

my favorite tennis game! so fun! the graphics are really cool, love all the character options, and the gameplay is so fun.

Tamagotchi Connection Corner Shop 3

build up little shops in a tamagotchi town! my mom used to get so mad because I used to play this game at full volume because I loved the sound effects lol. i particularly love the archeology game and the piano game, but they're all lots of fun.

[laxmiree]

[CN] MLQC’s Lucien - Strategy Game Date - English Translation (1/2)

⚠️ SPOILER ALERT!! ⚠️

This post contains a detailed spoiler for a date that has not been released in EN yet! Feel free to notify me if there are any mistakes in the translation~

"Wow, if you remember someone, they must be really impressive!"

"Not at all. In fact, on most of the days we've played, he couldn't even win a pack of biscuits."

"So, about the same level as me then~"

"But MC is special to me. Whether it's ‘biscuits', 'candy', or even 'unreasonable requests', you always manage to win them over in another way."

Translation under the cut!

[T/N: Before reading the date, I highly recommend you all to read this R&S: Regarding What Book Doesn't Say (and while at it read The Victim Who Disappeared too~). This date contains important references to that R&S, and I would like to analyze this date later in comparison with it at the end of this date🥺 There's also some reference to S1 chapter 23 but I'm gonna assume that y'all already read it u.u.]

If you want to follow along with the voice, you can follow it here.

-

[Call- On The Way Home from Work]

Lucien: I just saw your missed call, what's wrong?

MC: [worriedly] I was just wondering why Professor Lucien, who clearly got off work an hour ago, still hasn't come home yet.

Lucien: [chuckles softly]  Sorry, I was held up a bit by something.

Lucien: If you're not too busy, could you bring a trolley and come pick me up at the small park outside the complex?

MC: I certainly can, but what happened?

Lucien: I was stopped by that old gentleman who often plays chess in the park, and he invited me to play a game with him.

MC:  Hmm? Why did that grandpa suddenly "abandon" his friends and come to you?

Lucien: Today, his chess friend stood him up, so he was searching the whole park for a "destined" person who could play chess.

Lucien: And on my backpack, I happened to have a chess pendant that you gave me.

MC: Oh~ But the Xianqi (Chinese chess) Grandpa plays and international chess aren't the same type, right?

Lucien: There are indeed quite big differences between the two, but luckily, I'm not too unfamiliar with the rules of Xiangqi.

MC: Judging by Professor Lucien’s tone, it seems like he has won~

Lucien: It was a narrow victory.

Lucien: However... I'm having some regrets now.

MC: Why?

Lucien: Things seem to have gotten a little out of hand after I won the game. He enthusiastically invited me to solve an endgame puzzle—

[Trivia: In chess, endgame refers to a chess problem where only a few pieces remain on the board, and the challenge is to find the best moves to win or achieve a draw.]

Lucien: And after I solved it, I found out that this puzzle has apparently been around for a few years.

MC: Wow! That's amazing...! So, doesn't that mean the brilliant Professor Lucien is going to become a big celebrity in the park?

Lucien: [sighs] ...But they're a bit too enthusiastic.

Lucien: [he sounds so helpless and dumbfounded it's cute LOL] To celebrate, that grandpa and the elderly watching the game gave me all the eggs, rice, and cooking oil they got from the supermarket.

Lucien: I couldn't refuse at the moment, so now I'm stuck here, overwhelmed by this weighty goodwill.

MC:  Pfft, hahaha~ So that's why you asked me to bring a trolley and rescue you!

MC: I think I see you! Hmm? Are you buying something?

Lucien: [chuckles] Mm, I just found a flower vending machine here.

Lucien: After all, I did ask my girlfriend to come rescue me, so I figured I should at least buy a bouquet of flowers as a thank you.

[Prologue-Surprise Journey]

MC: You're going to compete against the world champion of 3D chess next week?!

When I arrive home from work and step into the entryway, the news hits me like a brick, leaving me frozen in place.

[Trivia: 3D Chess is a variant of traditional chess that adds a third dimension with multiple horizontal layers. It's different and more complex compared with classic 2D chess because besides being able to move horizontally, it can also move vertically between layers, and naturally, it has different rules compared to the classic (I tried to search the rules of one type of 3D chess and ended up being confused at it HAHA). Most ppl def can't easily learn it in one try unless you're Xu Mo]

Lucien calmly takes my bag and nods slightly.

Lucien: Mm, the tournament organizers invited Carl to play a simultaneous exhibition.

[Trivia: In chess simultaneous exhibition means one player plays against multiple opponents at the same time]

Lucien: Besides me, there will also be many 3D chess players and enthusiasts participating.

MC: ...Wait a minute, Lucien, you haven't been scammed, have you?

MC: There are a lot of scams going around these days that seem to trick people with things like registration fees.

[gurl why would you think that the great and mighty™️ Professor Lucien would get scammed🤣]

Lucien: That possibility certainly can't be ruled out, but I've already confirmed it.

Lucien can't help but chuckle a bit and opens the official website of the International Chess Federation.

Following the movement of his fingertips, I quickly found Lucien's name on the shortlist.

MC: So awesome…

MC: You've obviously only been playing 3D chess for a month, yet you're already able to participate in such a competition.

Lucien: This type of game is actually not that difficult once you grasp the rules.

MC: ...That's precisely something a genius would say.

He winks a little smugly, smiles, and pulls me into his arms.

Lucien: So, would MC like to go together?

Lucien: I recall you don't seem to be very busy next week.

MC: Of course, I would like to!

MC: This is your first time participating in a chess tournament, so I wouldn't want to miss it.

Lucien: That's good to hear. Otherwise, I might have to repack my suitcase.

Following his gaze, I notice he's already packed some of my clothes in the suitcase and I can't help but laugh.

MC: You already knew I'd say yes.

Lucien: Mm, after all, it seems like MC can never bring herself to turn down my requests.

[Date]

=[Part 1]=

MC: The guesthouse you chose is so beautiful!

I lean out from the villa window and look outside; the warm breeze passes through the tropical orange trees, stirring sweet orange-scented ripples on the clear pool water.

MC: This garden is exactly like a scene from an American movie, I feel like a pool party is about to start any second now.

Lucien: [chuckles] After I finish my competition, we might as well have a pool party here too.

MC: Sounds good! Then I…

I spin around excitedly, but then my gaze is suddenly caught by a vibrant blaze of crimson, making me fall silent.

Lucien is dressed in a cherry-red suit paired with an olive-green tie, giving off a bold retro vibe.

Complementing this look, a sleek leather belt with a ring buckle and a tilted round hat adds a touch of simplicity and style.

Lucien: [teasingly] If you keep looking at me like that, I might actually get a little shy.

Despite saying so, he doesn't shy away and instead approaches me with a smile.

MC: It's just so stunning... Did this Great Chess Player pick this outfit specifically for the competition?

Lucien: There will be a lot of people at the competition, so maybe this will help me better attract the attention of a certain little lady.

[T/N: Great Chess Player (大棋手 - dà qíshǒu) is how MC teasingly and admiringly refers to him while little lady (小姑娘 - xiǎo gūniang) is Lucien's special term of endearment to MC. So yes, he's the one picking the outfit to attract her attention, just like male peacocks displaying their feather🤣 Please don't be harsh on his color choice because he literally can't see them🥲]

MC: [pouts] Humph, I want to protest~

MC: Even without any help, I can still instantly spot you in a crowd!

Lucien: [chuckles] Of course, I believe that. But I also have a selfish motive.

He gently pinches my puffed-out cheeks and meets my gaze with a smile.

Lucien: [gently and sincerely] Just thinking about you watching me throughout the competition... it'll likely fill me with strength.

���———————–

In the vast venue, a hundred chess players are seated at their tables, eagerly awaiting the arrival of Carl, the world champion.

The audience seats are already packed with hundreds of spectators, and the broadcasting equipment, along with the commentators, is set up and ready to go.

Feeling the solemn atmosphere, I shrink back a little and quickly walk over to the family seating area within the venue to sit down.

Host: Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the International 3D Chess Championship!

Host: Here today, we have chess elites gathered from all around the globe.

Host: They have emerged from fierce preliminary rounds and will face Carl, the champion of the International 3D Chess Championship, in a head-to-head battle.

Just then, on the large screen suspended above the venue, a refined-looking man is waving and greeting the crowd below.

Host: Following the classic tournament rules, each player will have 120 minutes to make their first 40 moves, after which they will have another 60 minutes to complete the rest of the game.

Host: To ensure fairness and smooth progression, a team of referees will supervise the entire match.

Host: Please remain quiet during the match so that the players can concentrate.

Host: We hope you all enjoy this feast of intellect and strategy!

As the match bell rings, the first game appears on the big screen.

Carl opens with a knight's jump, using the black pieces. Time flows in silence for a long while before his opponent finally makes their move.

Just as the unfamiliar and complex cross-layer moves are starting to make my head spin, the game reaches Lucien's table.

Facing Carl's aggressive opening, Lucien doesn't panic. Calm and collected, he establishes his defensive formation.

I quietly note the position of his piece, trying to summon the knowledge I learned from playing classic chess with him in an effort to keep up with the game.

However, as the game progresses, I quickly become lost amidst the complexity of the situation.

Thankfully, that splash of cherry-red color always manages to blur out the world, allowing me to clearly see him every time I look up.

While waiting for his turn, Lucien leans back and intently watches the live screen, unlike the others who are engrossed in studying their own games.

[This passage implies that, unlike other players who are focused solely on their own games, Lucien is observing the matches on the live screen to study the world champion's strategies and gameplay. Also, this passage is an interesting parallel with how Lucien sees the world - to him, her color blurred the world around her, allowing him to see her clearly🥺]

Yet whenever it's his turn to make a move, he does it extremely quickly.

After a few rounds, players on the field are gradually eliminated and leave, but Lucien remains seated, his remaining time nearly equal to Carl's.

Most of the time, his expression remains calm, only occasionally does his brow and eyes curve slightly as if he's noticed some clever moves.

Even though he's far away, I feel like I can see that fascinating and captivating world through his eyes.

I gaze for a long time, so long that I only snap back to reality when Carl sits down opposite Lucien.

The stage is empty, and before I realize it, only that red figure remains.

The black and white sides are locked in a tense struggle, like a small battlefield. Pieces fell constantly, yet new attacks were relentlessly launched.

A hushed silence gradually spreads over the audience. Finally, the timer goes off, and the referee, who has been observing from the sidelines, rises to his feet.

He takes a step forward, waiting for Lucien to put down the piece in his hand, pick up a pen and write something, then seal the paper in an envelope.

As if on cue, the people around me rustle and leave. I instinctively get up as well, feeling puzzled, and head towards Lucien, who is also departing.

MC: Is the match over?

Lucien: Not yet, it's just that the official match time is up. Now the moves are sealed, and the match will resume in an hour.

MC: I see. So, what do you think?

Lucien: Although the situation is a bit tense right now, I've more or less deduced the strategy he'll likely use.

He narrows his eyes, looking like a smug little fox.

MC: Wow, I knew you were good, but I'm blown away that you've been able to hold your own against the world champion for so long…

Lucien: Would you mind holding onto that compliment until the 26th move and telling me again later, MC?

MC: Um?

I suddenly figured something out, and in that instant, I found the answer in those confident eyes.

Lucien: By then, I'll have won.

=[Part 2]=

Lucien wins.

At the 21st move in overtime, Carl topples his cornered king piece and concedes defeat.

It's not that I never thought he would win, but seeing Lucien standing on the podium, the clear reality of his victory washes over me along with the tide of applause.

I clap with extra force, wanting to convey all my heartfelt congratulations to him.

MC: Congratulations, grand champion!

As the award ceremony ends, after waiting by the side of the stage, I step forward and greet the person before me with a big hug.

An icy chill clings to him, yet the voice that falls upon my ear is incredibly gentle.

Lucien: [chuckles] I received all of MC's congratulations.

Lucien: Even though you were a bit far away, the way you clapped so enthusiastically was especially adorable, just like a little seal.

MC: Of course! As your girlfriend, I can't let myself be outdone by anyone else…

??: Mr. Lucien, congratulations.

A stranger's voice suddenly interrupts the conversation as Carl, dressed in a suit, walks over in surprise.

Carl: I'll always remember this match, I hope to see you again on the competition stage someday.

Lucien: Thank you, there will be a chance.

Lucien nods politely, and only after watching the other person disappear into the crowd does he speak, his voice tinged with uncertainty.

Lucien: Was that Carl?

MC: Hmm? Even a superbrain like you can have face blindness?

Lucien: Perhaps I was too focused on the chessboard, so I didn't pay attention to his appearance.

Lucien: Besides, his clothes seem completely different from what he wore this afternoon.

Seeing him explain earnestly, I can't help but laugh.

MC: [laughs] If I were Carl, I think I would be more hurt that my opponent, whom I faced for half a day, doesn’t remember me than about losing the match.

MC: Speaking of which, you don't forget everyone you've played chess with, do you?

Lucien: [stunned as if hit by a memory of someone from his distant past] …

It’s as if something leaps into the depths of those dark eyes along with my words, and they suddenly blink quickly.

Lucien: Not quite everyone.

MC: Wow, if you remember someone, they must be really impressive!

Lucien: Not at all.

Lucien: In fact, on most of the days we've played, he couldn't even win a pack of biscuits.*

MC: So, about the same level as me then~

I can't help but curve my lips into a smile, and it seems as though my rising smile also slowly melts that touch of indifference.

Lucien: [chuckles] You're right, it's about the same level. But MC is special to me.

Lucien: Whether it's ‘biscuits', 'candy', or even 'unreasonable requests', you always manage to win them over in another way.

MC: [laughs happily] Hahaha, that friend of yours would probably think you're way too biased if he heard you say that!

Lucien smiles faintly as if my words allow him to vaguely picture that person before his eyes—

Fuzzy... distant... yet somehow a little vivid.

Lucien: Perhaps, but all of those are just assumptions.

MC: Even if they are assumptions, aren't they still based on deductions from the past?

I hook my finger around his, gently swaying our hands together.

MC: Even if the past may be gone, isn't there still “something” from it that continues to run through your life in different forms;

MC: Accompanying you as you pass by and meet many amazing, yet lovely and warm people?~

Lucien: Of course, I have never denied that.

It was as though an imperceptible wound within those profound eyes had been quietly mended, allowing a trace of a smile to escape.**

Wanting to keep that smile lingering for a while longer, I wrinkle my nose.

MC: But... I've clearly played chess with you too, and several different kinds! Yet the first person Professor Lucien thought of wasn't me!

Lucien: …

Seeing his eyes widen slightly, I smile with satisfaction.

MC: Hmph, looks like I need to work harder! In that case, I'll start by learning 3D chess!

I take the prize chessboard from Lucien's hands, giving it a gentle shake.

MC: Please teach me, Teacher Lucien.

✂———————–

[T/N]

*: the biscuits!!! I'm sobbing ;-;, turns out Lucien still remembers Fan Zihang/Zack so clearly... I hope we'll get another mention of Fan Zihang/Zack on his birthday too huhu.

**: I'm taking liberties in translating this one 😂. The original line is “那双幽深的眼瞳里似有道小小裂隙被悄悄填上,终于泄 出一点笑意。” which if literally translated it will be “In that pair of deep and dark eyes, it was as if a small crack had been quietly filled up, finally revealing a hint of a smile.”. The 'crack' can symbolize an unhealed wound from the past. As it gradually fills, this wound is slowly mending, allowing him to release some of his past burdens and letting a hint of joy show through his eyes. Or, you can also think of it as a frozen lake that slowly melts and reveals a small crack, allowing the sunlight to fill in and showing what's in the water all this time (there's happiness from those past memories too).

Next: Part 3 & 4-> [Here]

[mindblowingscience]

The 2024 Nobel Prize in chemistry recognized Demis Hassabis, John Jumper and David Baker for using machine learning to tackle one of biology's biggest challenges: predicting the 3D shape of proteins and designing them from scratch. This year's award stood out because it honored research that originated at a tech company: DeepMind, an AI research startup that was acquired by Google in 2014. Most previous chemistry Nobel Prizes have gone to researchers in academia.

Continue Reading.

[pietepiet]

Hey I love your art very much! Just wanted to ask you if you have any ressources/tutorials to recommend for learning Blender?

Hey, thanks for the kind words! Honestly most of my Blender learning has been just messing around with it and looking stuff up as I need it, but here's a couple tutorials that got me started: MortMort's "Blender Zero 2 Hero" tutorials These were very useful in understanding Blender's UI, and come with some tips for pixel art textures in Blender that will be helpful for low poly stuff specifically. Cherylynn Lima's Low Poly Modeling tutorials These use an older version of Blender, so the UI and some shortcuts will be different, but they're great for getting an understanding of the box modeling process used in low poly models. Imphenzia's Low Poly Character Modeling tutorials This is a link to the newer version of his tutorial videos, which goes over the same kinda stuff as the older ones that I used. These were particularly great for getting a quick grasp on rigging low poly characters for animation. Besides those tutorial videos, an additional resource I used was The Models Resource, which collects video game models for viewing in Blender and other 3D art applications. I used this site to study lots of low poly models from stuff like PlayStation 1, Nintendo 64 and Nintendo DS games. I also participated in challenges like #256FES very early on, because I strongly believe that having limitations or challenge goals makes it much easier to learn how a program works. Especially limitations (like 256FES' "use only 256 tris and a 256x256 texture") really force you to learn and puzzle solve to get the most out of your model. My last tip would be: if making your own art is the ultimate goal, then don't feel like you have to learn everything about a program before you start doing your own art. Just get started, then problem solve as you go! It can be fun and gratifying to follow along with tutorials because they produce pretty results in the end, but for me personally I vastly prefer just being creative with a program and figuring out what I need to do as I stumble upon problems. Hope this helps! Good luck on your Blender journey! :)

[maybe-a-dinosaur]

oikawa tooru big fan of puzzles. thinking about how dedicated he is to his craft like he works so hard to be good at what he does he opens a puzzle and locks tf in. pieces scattered across the table his formula is corners first then all the edges he builds the frame then he starts at the bottom and works up. if any of the pieces come stuck together he breaks them apart immediately and mixes them in he does not take shortcuts he likes a challenge. they completely consume him like hyperfocus to the max once he starts he can’t stop glasses on hunched over the table puzzling away. he generally doesn’t keep them once he’s finished he lets it sit for a bit takes a picture for his records then disassembly begins with little to no fanfare he doesn’t really need people to know (unless it’s a BIG puzzle then it goes on his instagram story) it’s just something he does for him he can focus for a while it gives him a sense of accomplishment and he stretches really well afterward. his favorites are pictures of places like scenic shots of nature or cities and puzzles of famous artworks like monet or van gogh or hokusai but if a puzzle comes into his possession he’s doing it at some point no matter what the picture is.

hanamaki takahiro never finished puzzles. he likes them in theory and is super excited to start them but gets bored or distracted within an hour and walks away. he works on them intermittently for a week or so while they sit and collect dust and are inevitably put away before they get finished. his attention span just isn’t long enough anything more than 50 pieces isn’t getting done. the only ones he ever finishes are the 3d like moving puzzles with the ridged pieces the ones that hurt to look at they’re usually less pieces and he likes the texture and they’re stupid pictures he completes them and picks them up of the table then crumples them apart. he really likes the idea of puzzles just doesn’t usually like them in practice, they’re too time consuming need too much focus and he’s a busy man with too much other shit to get into.

matsukawa issei is not a fan of puzzles. like he’ll help put together a piece or two if someone else is working on one but will never go out of his way to assemble a puzzle like he doesn’t care they’re not his thing he’s bored already. however he is a big fan of brain teaser/fidget puzzles like wooden puzzle cubes and puzzle boxes and metal knot things. he knows how to solve a rubik’s cube can do it in under 2 minutes no biggie he doesn’t even own one himself he just goes “can i try” whenever he sees one and flies through it. he can even solve one with his eyes closed just looks at it for a minute shuts his eyes boom solved. all these give him something to do with his hands conventional puzzles are too much sitting still and looking he needs to fidget or straight up not move none of this half and half nonsense.

iwaizumi hajime completely impartial when it comes to puzzles. he’ll help oikawa on one if he’s asked to but never seeks puzzles out he gets the appeal they’re just not for him personally. he saw a comic book puzzle one time that was really cool but that’s the extent of his interest tbh. iwaizumi isn’t a huge fan of sit down activities that aren’t competitive (anti puzzle pro video game) but as nerdy as it sounds has always been a fan of reading . graphic novels real books even the newspaper something about it is engaging and relaxing enough at the same time for him to sit still for an extended period of time. middle aged married iwaoi on weekends tooru does a puzzle at the table while hajime sits on the couch and reads a book they’re both wearing glasses they take a break at 2pm to take a nap together and go on a walk then are back at it by 4.

[adorablediscoveries]

The Hardest Puzzle in the World Has 5,000 Pieces, Each a Different Color

The 5,000-piece multicolored puzzle is the latest version of a previous 1,000-piece edition and is proving to be even more challenging to complete. The difficulty lies primarily in the absence of a specific image to recreate as a reference point. This time, the challenge is to piece together thousands of color gradients, each printed on an individual tile.

"The idea came to me while working on a particularly difficult puzzle, noticing the subtle differences in shades of blue in the sky," Habicht said. "I realized that without the image details to help place a piece, I relied solely on an intuitive sense of color. Placing a single tile was much more satisfying than working on the areas with detailed imagery."

In addition to the 5,000-piece version, the artist has also created a round puzzle and a 3D sphere featuring the same multicolored design, where the hues lighten toward the North Pole and grow darker at the South Pole.

"Working on the puzzle is strangely calming and relaxing, almost therapeutic. When each piece fits perfectly into its correct position, it feels like a small victory."

[gaymer-hag-stan]

On the 3rd of January, twenty-five years ago, Resident Evil -Code: Veronica- was released in Japan for the Dreamcast (as Biohazard -Code: Veronica-.)

Code: Veronica follows Claire Redfield as she searches for her brother, Chris, after being captured by Umbrella Corporation and imprisoned on a remote island. The game features intense horror, puzzles, and combat against zombies and bio-organic weapons. Unlike previous entries, it uses real-time 3D environments, enhancing its cinematic feel. The story delves deeper into the Umbrella Corporation’s dark experiments and introduces key villains like Alfred and Alexia Ashford. It remains a fan favorite for its gripping narrative and challenging gameplay.

[alligator-with-a-top-hat]

I started playing Samus Returns! I didn't expect to get as sucked in as I am, but I really like what they're going for here, especially since I'm fresh from my third playthrough of the original Metroid 2.

Unsorted thoughts:

This is a great looking game, especially for 3DS. It would look good even if the graphics weren't as good as they are (and they are very good for the system) because the visual design and art style are also extremely solid. The Metroids look great, the environments are pretty and Samus looks great. Her base power suit design in this game is one of my favorites now that I have a chance to properly see it in action.

The music! The freaky ambience is literally so good. They took the original game's sound design and made it work. Hearing the bloops that became the EMMI zone sounds in Dread is unnerving in the best way. They took everything that worked about the original's music + better sound hardware so you can really see what they were going for 1991

The level design is extremely solid. Something that's clicking now that I've played both this and Dread is that MercurySteam's level design is much more tightly plotted, if that makes sense, than the in-house Nintendo games. It feels much more puzzle-oriented than platforming oriented, and thus the world feels more video gamey than the original.

Semi-related is the enemy placement. The MercurySteam games are crowded with enemies compared to the games that came before. It means there is a constant flow of action, which is good from a gameplay perspective but also cuts into the atmosphere, since you can't really stop and absorb your surroundings.

That said, the action is much more engaging. Enemies have more complicated behaviors than before, so when multiple types of enemies are in an area it creates unique challenges that are fun to deal with. I don't mind the counter; attacks are highly telegraphed but still come in fast enough to provide a challenge, and the game gives you plenty of other ways to handle enemies besides so there is variety in combat.

Every time I enter a new area I think of the AM2R equivalent. "That's the Golden Temple!" "That is my friend the Hydro Complex :)"

Comparing the level design choices of the two different remakes is fun! Where AM2R was faithful with some embellishment, Samus Returns shakes things up while clearly paralleling specific parts of the original so it's familiar but not so familiar. It's also nice to see that there were things in the original Metroid 2 that were so clear that both remakes interpreted it in the same way, like Area 2 being a reservoir

The Metroid battles are way more fun than in both the original and AM2R. The original game is much more combat focused than any other Metroid game because of the sheer number of Metroid bosses, and this game makes sure the encounters are fun, challenging, and not repetitive, which the original (and to a lesser extent AM2R) had trouble with. No two Alpha Metroid battles in this game have been the same and I really appreciate that, especially compared to how basic they are in the other two (and in AM2R's case, they're so basic they kinda have to cheat by giving them a dodge in the later fights to keep things difficult).