#Best Video Games Super Nintendo

[a-fool-225]

Patisserie Peach!

[simseez]

Donkey Kong Country 2 - Stickerbrush Symphony

[wariodemambo]

HEY — LOSER HUNCHED OVER THEIR COMPUTER SCREEN LIKE A ZOMBIE! YEAH!!! I'M TALKING TO YOU!

ITS-A WAAAARIO — NINTENDO'S BIGGEST STAR!! Taking time out of my SUPER BUSY life of being handsome, rich and beloved by all just to interact with lucky YOU!! Don't you feel special???

For fifty gold coins a pop, here's a list of what to (probably) expect from this blog...

Getting to look at ME, Wario.

Being able to give me even MORE gold!

Hearing ALLLLL about my INCREDIBLE adventures!!

Mario getting punched in the schnoz!!! (REAL) (NOT CLICKBAIT)

And, of course, the right to brag about following the most SUCCESSFUL GAME DEVELOPER OF ALL TIME!!

WHAT'RE YA WAITING FOR!? Hurry up and like or reblog this post if you wanna interact! I AIN'T GOT ALL DAY!

ㅤㅤㅤ 【 Inbox | Rules | About | Wario De Mambo 】

[zombiplays]

New Luigi’s Mansion Episode on my YouTube channel

[mk-wizard]

Final Fantasy IV: The installment every FF game SHOULD strive to be like

Hello, friends. Let me tell you about the most underrated installment in the series which near and dear to me because it was not only my introduction to Final Fantasy, it was my introduction to RPGs in general. It is the game the showcased the best of what Final Fantasy brought to gaming, or once did rather, and it is in my opinion the game every other one should have strived to be like... Final Fantasy IV aka Final Fantasy II in North America.

FF7 gets a lot glory, honourable mentions, spin offs and a lot of games since its creation strive to be just like it if not inspired by it, but I think that the franchise is completely wrong when it comes to which game it should focus on being more like. FF4 is the one all FF games should strive to be like because it really is a gem. The amount work, time, effort and love put into it not only shows, it’s stood the test of time. Even now, you can replay the most primitive version of it (the SNES) and it will still be impressive even compared most modern original games now. Yes, it has modern remakes and a few spinoffs though it still doesn’t get the recognition or appreciation it so rightfully deserves. And here is my case as to why...

Note that there are spoilers ahead!

Number one, it had the best music. Like I said, you can play the most primitive version of this game and it will still impress you. For a Super Nintendo game, the music sounds like it was played by an actual orchestra. The prelude alone sounds heavenly and Golbez’ theme sounds like something out of the underworld (more on him later). While the modern music on more modern consoles of FF are nice, none come close to the quality FF4 had. It was more than just about giving each character their own theme song. Every single piece suited the setting and mood it was made for.

Number two, it had the best protagonist: Cecil Harvey. Ever since Cloud appeared, the trend of FF was to have weird or broody kids play hero. Cecil was a real man who did not play hero. He IS a hero. He is a leader, brave, intelligent, responsible, selfless, kind, faithful and doesn’t need to be convinced to do the right thing. He just does it. In fact, that is exactly how Cecil’s entire journey began: with an act of honour. When he realized his king was evil after being tricked into burning the village of Mist to the ground, he had enough and began his rebellion then and there. Also, he inspired others to join him in doing right. I admit Cecil left a big pair of shoes to fill, but I wish more creators in FF would at least try to make their protagonists more like him.

Number three, it had the best antagonists. Yes, I meant for that to be plural because unlike all other FF games, Final Fantasy didn’t have just one main antagonist. It had two. The most obvious one was Golbez who just visually alone is serious, frightening and menacing. He isn’t a pretty boy at all. In fact, I even imagine his voice sounding like that of Darth Vader’s. As said before, his theme resonates with evil. He is also the perfect foil and adversary to Cecil because he’s also a leader, relentless, bold, daring, sadistic, cruel and competent. On top of that, he’s a tragic villain done right because it turns out that he was mind controlled this whole time since he was a teenager. Yet, even when he is freed, he still behaved like a badass and even took accountability for his misdeeds. Golbez knew the world would not forgive or pity him that easily nor should it, so he decided to face penance like a man and start a new life on the moon.

The other main antagonist who was memorable is Kain Highwind who also happens to be Cecil’s best friend and foster brother. What also sets him apart from all other FF main antagonists is that you only fight against him once and then, for most of the game, he fights alongside you only to betray you without a warning at the worst possible time. Another thing that sets him apart is that he’s not a tragic villain. He’s a corrupted hero. He is a good guy who made bad decisions and caved into his jealous towards Cecil making him susceptible to being mind controlled. In other word, Golbez played up that which was already there. And like him, Kain accepted that a simple “I’m sorry” was not enough to make up for the things he did and you respect that about him. I mean, he almost killed Rosa and he loved her (more on this later). There has not been a main antagonist like Kain since.

Number four, it had the best romance. A lot of the romances in FF these days are not healthy nor do they feel like they make any sense especially because the characters tend to be underage. The last believable romance I saw was between Zidane and Garnet, and even then, it cannot compare to the love between Cecil and Rosa. They not only have great chemistry together, they’re an item from the beginning and should I also mention that FF4 did a love triangle first? Moreover, it showed it accurately in how they are not fun or cute. They always end with someone getting hurt. You see, Kain was also in love with Rosa and tried to pursue her, but Rosa only loves Cecil. Moreover, though she needed saving a couple of times, she is also just as much there for Cecil. She is his greatest support, believer and is as every bit as stubborn when it comes to doing what is right as he is. Plus, she is the best healer in FF series in general as she is the only one who ever managed to learn Curaja (aka Cure 4) making her and Cecil a power couple. By the way, Cecil and Rosa got married, had a son together and are still going strong. How many FF romances went THAT far?

Number five, it had the best airships. The airships have always been a staple for FF, but you don’t get to use many all at the same time like you did in FF4. You got an airship that had a crane that helped you carry the hovercraft while flying, an airship that had a drill which helped you dig your way out of a mountain from the inside out, and airship that literally takes you to the moon and back. And the best part is, every time you got new one, you still had the others in your garage. I admit that FF5 also had multiple transportation vehicles that stayed in your inventory, but none of them impressed me the way FF4′s did.

Number six, it had the biggest and best set of worlds to explore. As well as having many airships to travel with, it had many worlds to explore. It had the usual overworld, but there was also a vast underworld to see. Moreover, the moon itself is a whole world to explore on its own not one dungeon that comes and go. Most FF games only have one world to explore or one at a time to explore, then there’s no going back. FF4 was not like that. Every world stayed intact and was there to continue being explored as the game went on.

Number seven, it had the best side quests. Like I said, the multiple worlds offered so much to explore and what you would find did not disappoint you. It had side quests that not only added to the experience, but also to the story as though you’re meant to take time to see what lies beyond. And everything you find is genuinely useful from Summons to Weapons. You’re left with the genuine impression that if you don’t complete these quests, you’re missing out. I admit FF5 and FF6 also had great side quests, but they did not surprise me the way FF4 did. I mean, how often do you get a side quest that lets you find out for yourself that not only is your friend still alive, you have a hand in saving him?

Number eight, it had the best story. The most important part of any RPG is its plot and FF4 did not fail to deliver. It’s story plays out like a TV series that you could binge watch over and over again. In fact, if one FF game SHOULD be adapted and faithfully to a TV series it should be this one. The story and character development is just so well done and really draws you in. Did you know that FF4 was the first video game that actually made me cry? When Tellah died, I am not ashamed to say that I cried and not just because I was a kid who felt bad for a character. When Tellah died, you really mourned for him because you got to care about him and what he went through. And I am grateful to this series for making me feel that way because it taught how to write tragedy right.

Number nine, it has been remade again and again, yet still always winds up still being good. I admit it translates best to being 2D and cartoony, but even the CGI 3D version on the DS was was still great and the voice actors selected were pretty much how we imagined them to sound in our minds. More importantly, the remakes always stay faithful to the source material which tells me that deep down, the creators know how perfect FF4 is.

In short, FF7 may be the franchise’s cash cow, but FF4 is its masterpiece. And I can say openly without shame that upon learning that it is getting yet another remake, I am considering purchasing it just to play it because I MISS playing it over and over again. This game not only shaped my childhood. It helped me in my writing.

Anyway, this is all just my opinion on FF4. I would like to know yours and if you disagree, which game was the best in your opinion and why? Thanks for reading and as always, stay safe.

PS: If you haven’t played FF4, play it especially if you are an FF fan. You won’t be disappointed.

[redlettermediathings]

[flojocabron]

My Nintendo Switch purchases from the last few days. Three are from Walmart, and the one on the right is from BestBuy. Walmarts are putting up clearance already, so I got a few for less. From one store, I got super monkey ball banana blitz hd for $14.99 and from another Walmart diablo3 eternal collection for $22 and Persona 5 strikers for $19.99 despite the sticker on it. The videogame mutazione was purchased for $15.00 from Best Buy. Keep on the lookout for sales these next few weeks as black friday approaches.

[lovebooksforeversblog]

Still not over this masterpiece 🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌🤩💞

[clovers-housetree]

Activities for Regressors Without Caregivers! (or just fun regression activties!)

(Although you're always welcome here if you'd like any form of comfort anyway! ^w^)

This one's kind of a long one, after the few tips I list, I've mentioned an app I use called Finch, which will be talked about below the cut.

Since that's the case, I'll put my little ending message here instead:

Knowing how to take care of yourself can take a lot of work and practice, but I believe it's worth the effort, because then you'll be a happier and healthier you! Especially if you can find ways to make it fun!

I'm more than happy to be here for you and offer my support in any way I can, anyhow! I'm proud of you for doing what you can, I know it can be very hard.

I myself don't have a caregiver for when I regress, so most of the time I end up taking care of myself! Here are some fun activities and things I do when I regress to keep myself calm and happy! ^w^

Paci mentions/pics not long after the first section for those of you who'd rather not see 'em.

♥ Arts and crafts! I absolutely LOVE coloring and making bracelets with beads, something not too complicated for little hands, but also something fun!

With coloring, you can buy coloring books, or draw something of your own to color in- even printing out a page you find online, coloring digitally, or tracing over something to color in could work! I prefer coloring more than drawing personally because I don't draw all the time, but I bet I could learn a little thing or two from the artists around here!

For bracelets (and other jewelry), strings can be hard to knot with little hands (at least they aren't those small, slippery clasps!!), but the beads shouldn't be too hard to handle if you're careful! Even just planning out patterns is fun!

Here are some My Little Pony bracelets I made, and the decorations I did for my pacis!

♥ Making playlists! Dancing is fun, and a good way to get the zoomies out, but you can just make playlists for any occasion! I have playlists that help me pet-regress, songs with sounds I like, adventure playlists... (Well- a lot of these are still in progress, but- you get the point!)

I also love those playlist videos on YouTube! Animal Crossing, Super Mario Galaxy, Minecraft and music box music are typically my go-to to help me settle or just make for comfy background music! Here's one of my favorites, shadowatnoon has lovely Nintendo music mixes!

♥ Playing with your plushies! You can take them on adventures, or make your own!

Like Toby, climbing The Great Pillow Mountain!

(This is Toby by the way, he's one of my best friends and a VERY good hugger!)

You can play games with them, too! Toby's REALLY good at hide and seek... Maybe you can find him for me? :0

♥ Finding shows to watch! I really like Paw Patrol and Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles at the moment. Plus, you can look at agere content and fics from shows you like! People make really cool stimboards and moodboards, for example, and I like reading through all the fun stories people write!

Here's a silly picture of Rocky I found! :3

Finch

Finch is a self-care app where you take care of your very own little bird friend by taking care of yourself!

You can set daily goals, or for each day (or more specific ones as well I think.). By completing these goals, you give your bird energy to go on adventures! They usually come back with a funny little story or silly questions, because they're learning, too!

Through completing these goals (or daily, at least), you can get Rainbow Stones, which you can use to buy clothes for your bird, make them different colors, or give them furniture for their house!

They're also LGBTQ+ and disability-friendly!! :3

This is my little bird, Honeydew! You're welcome to friend me as well if you'd like, my code is: Z3E2T7VRK6

It's helped me learn a lot about taking care of myself and keeping track of my goals, and I get little rewards for it! I've used the app for several months now, and it's helped me out a lot!

"Fluttershy protects this blog! SFW interaction only, please and thank you! ^w^"

"Wouldn't show a kid? Doesn't belong here!"

[janmisali]

Super Mario Bracket: WALUIGI vs WARIO

"I will defeat you... And reignite my passion for challenges!"

Waluigi

SEED: 4 (90 nominations)

PREVIOUS OPPONENT: Boo

SPECIES: Human

DEBUT: Mario Tennis

NOMINATION EXAMPLE: Waluigi's always been my favourite Mario character, this guy's awesome. Characters like Mario, Wario, Luigi, Peach, etc. were all born special, they were destined for greatness. Meanwhile Waluigi's just a guy. He's just a dude who likes to play sports and sh*t and hype up Wario, no superpowers or anything (apart from that one time when he swam on land but what's canon anyways?). He cheats because he knows he's at a disadvantage going up against people like Bowser or Mario, accusing them of cheating because they were born special. Waluigi is the proletariat. A true everyman. And the fact that 2023 was the first year since his inception in 2000 where he did not appear in a video game is sickening, Nintendo is silencing the voice of the Mario universe's everyman and they should be called out for it.

[Super Mario Wiki article]

"Wario! I gotta win!"

Wario

SEED: 13 (45 nominations)

PREVIOUS OPPONENT: Captain Syrup

SPECIES: Human

DEBUT: Super Mario Land 2

NOMINATION EXAMPLE: Love the games, love how he plays in smash, love that despite originally we was going to be just an evil mario he evolved as a character and has so much personality that still persists and translates really great into his stories and games

[Super Mario Wiki article]

[link to all polls]

[dr-spectre]

So.... This game is 2 years old now huh?

Honestly... I don't think i have a TON to say about this game. It's just a great ass fucking video game that has given me a lot of fun and great memories!

This game came out during my final year of school, which is kinda funny considering that Splatoon 3 acts like a "finale" to a trilogy. It's interesting how those kinds of things work out eh? Splatoon 2 came out at the start of my secondary education, and Splatoon 3 came out at the tail end of my final year.

I remember thinking before the game came out, "why do we need a Splatoon 3? This is pointless, it's just more Splatoon 2." And then my mind was quickly changed once i got to play the Splatfest test fire and the actual game itself.....

I completed ROTM in such a short amount of time and i documented my reactions to my friends. Although i was spoiled in that Deep Cut had boss fights and Mr. Grizz was the final boss, ROTM still gave me a giant smile to my face all the way through. It was so fun, so charming and just a really good single player experience.

One of the things that i LOVE about Splatoon 3 is the vibe. I just love the location of Splatsville, i love the aesthetics, the lighting, the model improvements from Splatoon 2, the music, it's my favourite art style/aesthetic out of any of the Splatoon games by far. It just feels so polished, i don't know how to exactly describe it.

Also the fact that this game won best multiplayer game of 2022 over CALL OF DUTY! OVERWATCH 2 AND MULTIVERSUS MAKES ME SO GIDDY AND HAPPY!

PEOPLE GOT MAD ABOUT THIS AND THAT MAKES ME WANNA EVIL LAUGH! All of those fucking depressed and sad Call of Duty players who whine and complain about how "wahh modern gaming sucks!! There's no good games anymore wahhh!! It's all microtransactions wahhh!!" BITCH! SPLATOON 3 IS LITERALLY THE GAME YOU'VE BEEN ASKING FOR!! Yet you won't play it because it's on Nintendo huh? Yeah... You're a fucking PUSSY!! YOU'RE WEAK!! You're SCARED to be seen as less of a manly man!! You only wanna play games with oily dirty buff men.... Yet you call others who play games like Splatoon gay? Hmm..... Sounds like you're a wittle insecureeeeee!!!!

Have fun rotting in microtransaction hell you LOSERS!! GAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anyways.... uh.... sorry....

I also fucking love Deep Cut too. I thought i wasn't gonna like these guys and i remember thinking when i first saw them "oh... okayyyy..."

But now? I love these bastards.

I love their dynamic and how they are bandits but they actually wanna help the people back in Splatsville. That is such a cool and unique take to have for Idol characters. The Squid Sisters are very cutesy and so are Off the Hook, but Deep Cut aren't. They are loud, messy, chaotic, in your face, rude, etc. They are about contrast and the character designers did a phenomenal job at conveying that theme via their backgrounds and looks.

Another thing that i love about Splatoon 3 is that it also acts as a celebration of things that have come before, Inkopolis Plaza and Square return as hubs, old colour combos from previous games act as loading screens, most of the music returns in the jukebox, it rewards long time fans for sticking around and for a long running franchise IT'S SUPER IMPORTANT to have that stuff!!!

Seeing the improvements in the model quality from Splatoon 1 to 3 genuinely makes me kinda emotional, it shows how far we've come in just a little under 10 years...

It really homes in on the point that... These characters, have grown up with us.... The Squid Sisters are about to reach their mid 20s, Pearl is nearly 30 fucking years old!!!

And the last thing i wanna bring up before i talk about the Grand Fest...

...Is Side Order.

This fucking DLC... My god... Being able to experience it by myself and just enjoy the stuff i was seeing, being able to SCREAM AND CRY AS MUCH I WANT WAS SO IMPORTANT TO ME DUDE!

When i got to the 10th floor in the tutorial and i saw Marina Agitando staring me down.... I did the loudest gasp a human could possibly do and my jaw was hung to the floor for a solid MINUTE!

Marina's first fucking dev diary made me cry and scream, THAT IS NOT A JOKE!!!! THESE CHARACTERS ARE THAT IMPORTANT TO ME!

And the final boss.... Made me cry, it broke me down, i was singing along to Ebb and Flow as best as i could, it felt like i was brought back to 2018, being in my room, listening to that song on repeat... I feel like a kid again....

I love this song... i love it so much... Like it's not the most hype finale song ever, but, the emotion behind it, the build up from Splatoon 2... The power this song has in it's meaning... It's some good shit man...

So yeah! I love Splatoon 3!!! It's my favourite game out of the series and anyone who is gonna jump into this game now is gonna have a LOT to chew on.

And... It's both sweet and sad that we're at the end. This is it... The moment we've been waiting for. The final Splatfest to end them all. The event 9 years in the making.

The Grand Festival...

I am extremely excited and so FUCKING NERVOUS for this Splatfest!!!! I know i am going to cry and be so overwhelmed with joy. Seeing the Squid Sisters and Off the Hook perform their old songs again after all of these years is gonna make me sob so loudly it's not even funny.

These characters genuinely mean the world to me and it's gonna be so fucking hard for me to watch their final major appearance and say goodbye. Cause after this, we don't know what's gonna happen. I know they will come back, they have to but... In what capacity? That's what I'm scared about...

So yeah, let's savior this moment when it eventually arrives, take all the time you need to be engulfed in the Grand Fest.

Thank you Splatoon 3, you have given me so much.... It's not time to say goodbye just yet but, i wanna watch you as you walk into the sunset with your head held high....

[weirdmarioenemies]

If you are a Fan of the Mushroom Kingdom, you've certainly heard the news by now, but just in case: Nintendo has recently announced that Charles Martinet is stepping down from voice work in Mario games. He will continue to work with the Mario series, now as a "Mario Ambassador", as which he will "continue to travel the world sharing the joy of Mario and interacting with [us] all".

We're not going to act like this isn't somewhat of a sad occasion. It is! We can assure that we, as Mario Fans, are saddened by the news. That being said, this is not a sad post. It is a happy post, to celebrate the joy and whimsy Charles has brought us with his voice acting for all this time!

Charles Martinet was, until very recently, one of gaming's most unsung heroes. I'm sure most of the public didn't think about him until he was snubbed for a celebrity casting in 2023's The Super Mario Bros. Movie. Even if we would't come to know his name until later on, for all of us here at weirdmarioenemies dot tumblr dot com, Charles Martinet was the voice of the most formative years of our lives, and the times we (and we're sure most of our readers) spent with his characters will stay with us forever. He is also a fairly prolific voice actor outside his roles within the Mario franchise, with credits in everything from Skyrim to JoJo's Bizarre Adventure.

However, Charles and Mario seems to be a match made in heaven, as he really seems to embody the spirit of Mario. Truly, they could not have cast a better talent for the character! Always jolly, kind, silly, and having so much fun, whether voicing the characters for games, appearing at events, or just making his own fun little videos!

It is almost surreal to think that we've come to the end of an era, but at the same time, it represents the beginning of a new one, for both Mr. Martinet and the franchise as a whole! We are so excited to see where both will go from here. We wish Charles all the best and hope he continues to have lots of fun doing whatever it is a Mario Ambassador does! We also wish luck to the new voices of Mario and friends, and hope they have a lot of fun with their roles! With all that being said, from all of us, thank you so much Charles Martinet. For everything.

[terezis]

was listening to hit video game podcast the besties (the episode was a bracket discussion of "best game console") and became righteously infuriated by their opinions (joke.) but i need to know what the people think

also these choices are based on what they discussed in the episode and that is why i did not include xyz, sry. now what's the best console, to you. i know my answer but i don't want to sway the results

[milesluna]

2024 GOTY Write Up

In 2024 I got a full time job for the first time in four years, and you know what? It turns out you don't get to play as many video games when that happens.

And yet, I persisted. I think there was a common theme among my favorite games this year, and it's that I had to meet many of them on their terms. Yes, some whisked me away from the moment I hit start, but overwhelmingly I found myself really clicking with these titles when I paused, reconsidered how I felt the game wanted me to play, and adjusted my pace to meet their intentions.

This year's write up is a bit rushed, but I got it in just before the buzzer! I hope you'll enjoy. If any of you ever want to talk about these games, you know where to find me.

Before we get started, here are my Honorable Mentions:

Crow Country - If a survivor horror game was also a cozy game that ALSO made you laugh.

Batman: Arkham Origins - A gritty origin story where Batman has an ARC?! And he’s kind of a DICK?! Let’s GOOOO!!!

Sonic x Shadow Generations - It's the best Sonic game ever made. Full stop.

Shenmue - A time capsule of a game with disastrous ambition. Both ahead of its time and utterly wrong in what it assumes everyone wants from an open world experience. I love it. Sea of Theives - The perfect game to enjoy with your morning coffee or evening edible. Relaxing if you want it to be, harrowing if you want it to be.  

Now…

My Top 5 Games from 2024

#5 - Astro Bot

The best Nintendo game of the year was made by Team Asobi for the PlayStation 5, and baby it’s Astro Bot. There is delightful imagination and a surprising level of polish covering every pixel of this adventure. In fact, I think it’s surprise that winds up being Astro Bot’s greatest strength. Each main stage introduces a novel mechanic that must be mastered, boss fights feature multiple phases that often turn the literal world on its head, and secret challenge stages leave players with nothing more than their basic move set while demanding a level of mechanical precision that would make Super Meat Boy blush. There is no filler in Astro Bot, only a tangible love for the art, science, history, and joy of video games.

#4 - Dragon's Dogma 2

Like Death Stranding, Dragon’s Dogma 2 is a game that thrives on friction. Traversing the world is genuinely treacherous and requires careful planning before leaving the (relative) safety of a city or village. Maybe you think you can save some time and resources by spending money on a fast-travel wagon, only for said wagon to be attacked by a gang of goblins… and for that fight with goblins to be interrupted by giant griffin that will pick you up and carry you across the kingdom before you’re able to wrestle out of its talons. When things go wrong on your adventure, and they WILL go wrong, the systems and possibilities spring to life. If you pay attention to your surroundings, though, and listen closely to the many hints the game drops for you, you’ll survive… if only just barely.

#3 - Balatro

I think Balatro is going to be my exercise bike companion for quite some time. This silly game of poker hands and multipliers makes time melt away, almost alarmingly so. I’m actually hesitant to call the game “fun”. “Hypnotic” feels more appropriate. The looping, otherworldly soundtrack, spiraling background, and floating UI elements all seem tailor-made to pull players into a dreamlike trance, and boy oh boy do they succeed.

#2 - UFO 50

Goddamn, what a triumph. UFO 50 contains 50 full-length games that would’ve shared shelves with Super Mario Bros or Dragon Warrior back in the 80s. Just about every prominent genre of that era is represented in this collection, from Shmups to JRPGs. I think my favorite aspect of this game is how it makes you more aware of your own gaming proclivities. Everyone I know who plays this game has a different list of favorites; a different game that “made everything click”. For me, that game was Bushido Ball - a surprisingly complex title where samurai play soccer. Every title only requires the use of 2 buttons, every title has its own “historical lore”, and every title - no matter how obtuse or challenging it seems - is excited for you to uncover its secrets and achieve victory.

#1 - Helldivers 2

Helldivers 2 had a well-deserved moment in the spotlight when it first launched. It was a perfect storm of fun that managed to convince players to fully buy into the world of the game and had them gleefully shouting “FOR DEMOCRACY” over and over again. That is an impressive thing to do. I’ll never forget the days when TikTok was filled with “wartime footage” backed by Creedence Clearwater Revival while players urged one another to “join the fight” as if freedom actually depended on it. Then that honeymoon phase passed. But you know what? Helldivers 2 is still my go-to game when I’m looking to have fun with friends within a matter of minutes after sending out the call on discord. The game manages to feed your explosion-fueled power fantasy and SECONDS LATER humiliate you by flinging your worthless corpse halfway across the planet. When I win in Helldivers, it often feels like I barely managed to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. When I lose in Helldivers, I laugh. Every time.

And now…

My Top 5 Games NOT from 2024

#5 - Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age - Definitive Edition S

I fear JRPGs. I know myself well enough to be wary of most games that consider 10 hours of playtime an introduction. However, I’m currently experiencing a very unique moment in my life wherein I’m leaving my beloved home and venturing out into the larger world for an adventure. Perhaps that’s why the Dragon Quest XI demo called to me in a way it never had before. I’ve enjoyed spending about an hour with it before bed every night, chipping away at it slowly and letting it charm me with its characters and story. Earlier this year I would read chapters of the Dragon Ball manga before bed, now I feel like I’m finally experiencing life inside of one of Akira Toriyama’s worlds. Since I started playing a few weeks ago I’ve put about 13 hours into Dragon Quest and have only just had the full world map revealed to me. Rather than feeling my usual level of intimidation and disinterest, I find myself excited to see where this adventure will take me next.

#4 - Resident Evil 2 (1998)

A few years ago I finally realized that Resident Evil is my favorite long-running video game series, with the RE2 Remake firmly positioned as one of my favorite games of all time. Replaying the original RE2 over a long weekend was a blast of an experience I won’t soon forget. This campy, pixelated puzzle box of a game managed to get a few genuine jump scares out of me and plenty more smiles. The famous ink ribbon save system was so effective at repeatedly forcing me to ask myself “Can I check just one more room? IS the risk worth the reward?!” As I slowly peeled away the mysteries of Raccoon City, I realized the game I held in my hands was a perfectly tuned, mechanical mouse trap (copyright Umbrella Corp).

#3 - Assassin's Creed: Ezio Trilogy

Outside of AC2, I never quite jived with this franchise, but this year I went through my typical phase of simply wanting to exist in a video game world… and Italy called to me. What happened next, I never could have expected. I devoured the Ezio Trilogy. I had forgotten about the days when “open world games” were significantly smaller and simpler, and by god did it make me realize how much I miss those days. Despite presenting a story with more than a few grating characters and a plot that loses the… plot, these three games made me fall in love with Ezio. It isn’t often you get to spend time with a character from the moment they are born to the moment they die. Ezio’s death and his reflections on his legacy brought actual tears to my eyes. The most interesting legacy of all, though, was the one being forged by Ubisoft at the time these titles were originally released. Seeing video game sensibilities evolve over the course of these three games, for better and for worse, was a fascinating experience.

#2 - Red Dead Redemption 2

You know how I said I like existing in video game worlds? This game world is the best. RDR2 was my hunting and fishing simulator for a few weeks, and then I figured I might as well finally try to finish it. I used to hate how slow this game felt, and then I realized the game was begging me, PLEADING me to slow down. Arthur Morgan and his friends are all running out of time, and there is a wonderful moment when the player and Arthur both realize that the time they have left is more valuable than anything else they have ever chased after in the shrinking West. There’s not much else I can think to say about RDR2 other than that it lived up to the hype. I look forward to returning to it as John Marston from time to time for years to come.

#1 - The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD Remake

I started the year rekindling my love for the WiiU. It’s one of my favorite consoles and there was no better game to bring me back to it than the Twilight Princess HD Remake. I feel like these days there are four types of Zelda games. There are the DS-style games (that nobody likes). There are 2D Zelda games, my favorite of which is Link Between Worlds. There are the two Immersive Sim Zelda games, Breath of the Wild being my favorite of the two. And finally, there are the Puzzle Box 3D Zelda games… and this year Twilight Princess officially dethroned Ocarina of Time as my favorite. Again, this is a game I enjoy simply existing in. It is bursting at the seams with interesting characters, both big and small. I adore the art style and music. I adore the melancholy tone. And (coldest take in the universe) Midna is THE best Zelda companion to ever grace us with her presence. According to my save data, I’d tried Twilight Princess twice in the past and both times I made it to the Water Temple and bailed. Back then, the game just felt like it was trying to be Ocarina. Little did I know that as soon as you emerge victorious from Lake Hylia, the game takes on an entire new personality of its own. And I fucking love it.

[oxycodone-soup]

As someone who has watched @janmisali's "how many Super Mario games are there" video several times and is eagerly awaiting the sequel (don't worry, I filled out the new survey already), I noticed something interesting in the beginning of GMTK's newest video. During the intro, he says he's played "... every single mainline entry in the Super Mario Brothers series". Naturally, my first reaction was to figure out what exact list of games that is. During this scene (mostly as a gag), he's set up a stack of games on the side. From bottom to top, they are:

Super Mario 3D World New Super Mario Bros U Super Mario Galaxy 2 New Super Mario Bros Wii Super Mario Sunshine Super Mario Galaxy New Super Mario Bros New Super Mario Bros 2 Super Mario 3D Land Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS Super Mario 3D All-Stars Super Mario Maker 2 Super Mario Odyssey Super Mario Maker Super Mario Bros Super Mario 64 Super Mario Bros 2 (aka "USA") Super Mario Bros 3 Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins 2 Unidentifiable SNES/Super Famicom cartriges Super Mario Land

This is mostly similar to the "popular" 18-game list in the jan Misali video, with a couple differences. GMTK does include all 3 Maker games, which is completely fine since it's consistent.

While making this list I learned that the European SNES used the same design as the Super Famicom. I think this makes it likely that one of the unidentified carts is The Lost Levels, which would make the list otherwise match Misali's. I think the best candidate for the other cart is Yoshi's Island. Both of those appear in the video footage, but I don't know how to confirm either guess.

If someone has Mark Brown's contact and wants to waste his time asking for his justification on the enumeration and classification of the mainline series of games within the Mario franchise, let me know.

He also includes the following games in the video as footage, although seeing as the video also includes a lot of non-Mario games this probably means nothing for GMTK's opinion on what games are part of the mainline series:

Super Mario Bros Wonder Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island Super Mario Bros Deluxe Super Mario Bros: The Lost Levels New Super Luigi U New Super Mario Bros U Deluxe Super Mario Run