viewtifu1backlog

[viewtifu1backlog]

2020 Backlog Progress in Retrospect

2020 was the year of finally finishing the backlog. The final game ended up being Disco Elysium back on July 1st but in the months since I’ve built up a list again. Going forward I’m hoping to keep the backlog at 10 games or less since I’ve found I do like having a wider list of games to choose from after finishing something. After finishing over 100 games in 2020 there were a ton of classics that I finished for the first time, so many so that making a top 20 list was very difficult. I’ve always made this end of year breakdowns for my own archives but I thought it would be fun to share it this year alongside the full list of what I finished!

Top 20 of 2020 First Time Finished

1 Sakura Wars (Sega Saturn) 2 Skies of Arcadia (Dreamcast) 3 Dragon Quest XI S (Switch) 4 Shiren the Wanderer: The Tower of Fortune & the Dice of Fate (Switch) 5 Ultima Underworld: The Stygian Abyss (PC) 6 Red Dead Redemption 2 (PC) 7 Mega Man Legends 2 (PS1) 8 Shining Force II (Genesis) 9 Xenoblade Chronicles X (Wii U) 10 Super Mario Odyssey (Switch) 11 Sea of Thieves (PC) 12 Phantasy Star IV (Genesis) 13 Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair (Switch) 14 Shenmue (Dreamcast) 15 Last Window: The Secret of Cape West (DS) 16 killer7 (PC) 17 Moon: Remix RPG Adventure (Switch) 18 Maniac Mansion (PC) 19 ZeroRanger (PC) 20 VA-11 Hall-A: Cyberpunk Bartender Action (PC)

Favorite game of 2020: Sakura Wars

When I was looking back at this year, the game that stuck the most with me was easily the original Sakura Wars for the Sega Saturn. Back in December of 2019 the english patch released online and I was so excited to finally be able to play the first entry in one of Sega’s biggest franchises for the first time. I had yet to play any games in the series beyond just fumbling around an import copy of various games on Saturn and Dreamcast and I was glad to be able to experience it with such a well-made fan patch. It’s a very simple strategy game mixed in with lite RPG and Dating mechanics but there’s such a great charm to how well everything mixes together. The way they mix in the animated cutscenes throughout each chapter make it feel like you’re playing a classic mid 90′s anime and it was just a nice cozy experience the whole way. I managed to play through it twice this year and tinkered around with later entrees in the series but I’m hopeful that the sequel will get picked up as a fan translation project soon, otherwise I’ll probably be going through those games the old fashioned way with a printed out GameFAQS guide at my side.

Date breakdown of everything new or finished in the backlog this year:

12-13-20 Started: Cadence of Hyrule: Crypt of the NecroDancer  (Switch)

12-12-20 Beat: Shiren the Wanderer: The Tower of Fortune and the Dice of Fate  (Switch)

12-06-20 New: Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon and the Blade of Light  (Switch)

12-05-20 New: Shiren the Wanderer: The Tower of Fortune and the Dice of Fate  (Switch)

12-02-20 Beat: Super Mario Sunshine  (Switch)

11-30-20 Beat: Dragon Quest Builders  (Switch)

11-27-20 New: Steins;Gate  (PC)

11-26-20 Beat: Shantae and the Seven Sirens  (Switch)

11-25-20 Started: Shantae and the Seven Sirens  (Switch) Beat: Travis Strikes Again: No More Heroes  (Switch)

11-21-20 New: Cadence of Hyrule: Crypt of the NecroDancer  (Switch) New: Vitamin Connection  (Switch) New: Paper Mario: The Origami King  (Switch) Beat: killer7  (PC)

11-18-20 Beat: Metal Slug 6  (ARC)

11-14-20 Started: Travis Strikes Again: No More Heroes  (Switch)

11-13-20 Beat: ESP Ra.De. Psi  (Switch)

11-12-20 New: Travis Strikes Again: No More Heroes  (Switch) New: ESP Ra.De. Psi  (Switch)

11-11-20 Completed: No More Heroes  (Switch)

11-08-20 New (Null): Cave Story 3D  (3DS)

11-07-20 Completed: Gate of Thunder  (TGCD)

11-06-20 New (Null): No More Heroes  (Switch) Beat: No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle  (Switch)

11-01-20 Beat: Danmaku Unlimited 2  (PC) Beat: Triggerheart Exelica  (DC) Completed: Gradius II  (NES)

10-28-20 Completed: Costume Quest  (PC) New (Null): No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle  (Switch)

10-25-20 Started: Murder By Numbers  (Switch) Beat: Blue Wish Resurrection  (PC) New: Blue Wish Resurrection  (PC)

10-22-20 Beat: A Hat in Time  (PC) New: A Hat in Time  (PC)

10-17-20 Beat: Thunder Force AC  (Switch)

10-16-20 New: Thunder Force AC  (Switch)

10-14-20 New (Null): Slime Mori Mori Dragon Quest 3: Daikaizoku to Shippo Dan  (3DS)

10-13-20 New: Shantae and the Seven Sirens  (Switch)

10-12-20 Beat: Chex Quest  (PC) Completed: Mega Man 5  (Switch)

10-07-20 Beat: Mega Man Zero 3  (Switch)

10-05-20 Beat: Cave Story+  (Switch)

10-04-20 Completed: DELTARUNE Chapter 1  (Switch) Started: DELTARUNE Chapter 1  (Switch)

10-03-20 Completed: Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney − Trials and Tribulations  (3DSDL)

10-01-20 Started: Dragon Quest Builders  (Switch)

09-27-20 Beat: Star Ocean: First Departure R  (Switch)

09-25-20 New: Murder By Numbers  (Switch)

09-20-20 New: DELTARUNE Chapter 1  (Switch) New: Dragon Quest Builders  (Switch) New: Romancing SaGa 3  (Switch)

09-19-20 Beat: VA-11 Hall-A: Cyberpunk Bartender Action  (PC) New (Null): Super Mario Galaxy  (Switch) New (Null): Super Mario Sunshine  (Switch) New (Null): Super Mario 64  (Switch)

09-16-20 New: Star Ocean: First Departure R  (Switch)

09-14-20 Beat: Armed Police Batrider  (ARC)

09-13-20 Beat: Moon: Remix RPG Adventure  (Switch)

09-10-20 New: Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura  (PC)

09-07-20 Beat: Disgaea 5 Complete  (Switch) New: VA-11 Hall-A: Cyberpunk Bartender Action  (PC)

09-05-20 Beat: King's Quest: Quest for the Crown  (PC)

09-02-20 Completed: Ultima Underworld: The Stygian Abyss  (PC)

08-27-20 Started: Moon: Remix RPG Adventure  (Switch) New: Moon: Remix RPG Adventure  (Switch)

08-23-20 Beat: Wario Land III  (GBC)

08-19-20 Started: Wario Land III  (GBC) Completed: Broken Age  (PC) Beat: Bomb Monkey  (3DS)

08-17-20 New: Chicken Wiggle  (3DS) New: Mutant Mudds Super Challenge  (3DS) New: Xeodrifter  (3DS) New: Bomb Monkey  (3DS) New: Mutant Mudds  (3DS)

08-16-20 New: Ultima Underworld: The Stygian Abyss  (PC)

08-15-20 Beat: Maniac Mansion  (PC)

08-14-20 Beat: Devil May Cry 3 Special Edition  (Switch)

08-10-20 New: Wario Land III  (GBC)

08-09-20 New: Maniac Mansion  (PC) Beat: Red Dead Redemption 2  (PC)

08-03-20 New: Disgaea 5 Complete  (Switch)

08-02-20 Beat: Star Wars: Dark Forces  (PC)

08-01-20 Beat: Donkey Kong Country 2  (GBA)

07-31-20 New: Star Wars: Dark Forces  (PC)

07-25-20 New (Null): Devil May Cry 3 Special Edition  (Switch)

07-24-20 New (Null): Cave Story  (Switch)

07-20-20 New: Shin Megami Tensei  (SNES) Beat: Mega Man X4  (Saturn)

07-17-20 New: Donkey Kong Country 2  (GBA)

07-16-20 Beat: The Wonderful 101: Remastered  (Switch)

07-12-20 Completed: Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers  (NES) Completed: Rockman 8 FC  (PC)

07-11-20 Completed: Mega Man 8  (Saturn)

07-09-20 New (Null): The Wonderful 101: Remastered  (Switch)

07-06-20 Completed: Darkwing Duck  (NES) New: Red Dead Redemption 2  (PC)

07-04-20 New (Beat): Streets of Rage 4  (Switch)

07-01-20 Beat: Disco Elysium  (PC)

06-30-20 Beat: ZeroRanger  (PC) New: ZeroRanger  (PC)

06-25-20 New (Beat): Super Puzzle Fighter II X  (Saturn) Beat: Resident Evil  (Switch)

06-20-20 Beat: Xenoblade Chronicles X  (WiiU)

06-17-20 Started: Resident Evil  (Switch)

06-16-20 Completed: G-LOC: Air Battle  (Switch) New: Resident Evil  (Switch) New: G-LOC: Air Battle  (Switch)

06-08-20 Started: Disco Elysium  (PC)

06-06-20 Completed: Time Bokan Series: Bokan to Ippatsu! Doronboo Kanpekiban  (Saturn)

06-05-20 New: Disco Elysium  (PC) Completed: Mega Man X3  (SNES)

06-04-20 New (Null): Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition  (Switch)

06-01-20  Completed: Super Mario Odyssey  (Switch)

05-28-20  Beat: Mega Man Zero 2  (Switch)

05-25-20  Completed: Diablo  (PC)

05-15-20  Completed: Aladdin  (Switch)

05-13-20  Beat: Bayonetta 2  (Switch)

05-10-20  Completed: Seaman  (DC)  Beat: Shining Force III  (Saturn)

05-02-20  Completed: Spider-Man vs. The Kingpin  (GEN)

05-01-20  Beat: Etrian Odyssey II: Heroes of Lagaard  (NDS)

04-29-20  Beat: Phantasy Star IV  (GEN)  New: Spider-Man  (GEN)  Beat: Mega Man Legends 2  (PS)

04-25-20  Started: Phantasy Star IV  (GEN)  Started: Seaman  (DC)

04-24-20  Beat: Shenmue  (DC)

04-20-20  Completed: Last Window: The Secret of Cape West  (NDS)

04-19-20  Beat: Sea of Thieves  (PC)

04-14-20  Started: Last Window: The Secret of Cape West  (NDS)

04-13-20  Beat: Shining the Holy Ark  (Saturn)

04-10-20  Completed: Professor Layton and the Unwound Future  (NDS)  Beat: Professor Layton and the Unwound Future  (NDS)

04-02-20  Beat: Boktai: The Sun Is in Your Hand  (GBA)

04-01-20  Started: Professor Layton and the Unwound Future  (NDS)  Completed: Mega Man Legends  (PS)

03-29-20  Completed: Phantasy Star II  (GEN)

03-27-20  Beat: Panzer Dragoon: Remake  (Switch)  New: Panzer Dragoon: Remake  (Switch)

03-26-20  Beat: Skies of Arcadia  (DC)

03-22-20  New (Null): Animal Crossing: New Horizons  (Switch)

03-17-20  Beat: Goldeneye 007  (N64)

03-14-20  Completed: Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair  (Switch)

03-09-20  Beat: Kirby and the Rainbow Curse  (WiiU)

03-07-20  Completed: Popful Mail  (SCD)  Completed: Retro Game Challenge  (NDS)

03-06-20  Beat: Mega Man Zero  (Switch)

03-05-20  Beat: Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair  (Switch)

03-03-20  Beat: Bangai-O Spirits  (NDS)

03-02-20  Beat: Super Monkey Ball 2  (GCN)

03-01-20  Beat: Shining Force II  (GEN)

02-29-20  Started: Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair  (Switch)

02-26-20  Completed: Aliens Infestation  (NDS)  Beat: Banjo Tooie  (N64)

02-21-20  Completed: Ecco: The Tides of Time  (SCD)  Beat: Kirby & the Amazing Mirror  (GBA)

02-18-20  Completed: Shinobi Legions  (Saturn)  Beat: Phantasy Star Online Ver. 2  (DC)

02-16-20  Beat: Super Mario Odyssey  (Switch)

02-14-20  Started: Super Mario Odyssey  (Switch)

02-13-20  Beat: Blazing Chrome  (Switch)

02-12-20  Beat: Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age - Definitive Edition  (Switch)

02-08-20  Completed: Alex Kidd in the Enchanted Castle  (GEN)  New: Shinobi Legions  (Saturn)

02-04-20  Beat: Shinobi  (Switch)  New: Shinobi  (Switch)

01-30-20  Beat: Sakura Wars  (Saturn)  New: Blazing Chrome  (Switch)

01-23-20  Beat: Fatal Fury: Mark of the Wolves  (DC)

01-21-20  Beat: River City Girls  (Switch)

01-20-20  Completed: Charge 'n Blast  (DC)  Beat: Gunvolt Chronicles: Luminous Avenger iX  (Switch)

01-17-20  New: Sakura Wars  (Saturn)  Beat: Iconoclasts  (Switch)

01-16-20  Beat: Guilty Gear X  (DC)

01-14-20  Beat: Daytona USA: Championship Circuit Edition  (Saturn)

01-12-20  Beat: Power Stone 2  (DC)  Completed: AI: The Somnium Files  (Switch)

01-11-20  Completed: Azure Striker Gunvolt 2  (3DS)  Beat: Azure Striker Gunvolt 2  (3DS)

01-09-20  Completed: Super Return of the Jedi  (SNES)

01-08-20  Beat: Mega Man ZX Advent  (NDS)

01-06-20  Beat: Disgaea PC  (PC)  Started: Mega Man ZX Advent  (NDS)

[viewtifu1backlog]

Thoughts on Clearing the Backlog

Back in the fall of 2015 I was frustrated and tired of having a giant collection of games that I had barely played. I sat at about 1100 games with around 70% of them unfinished or not even played. Just looking at all the great games I had yet to try that I was adamant I’d get to “someday” got exhausting. When you have 700+ choices of what to do next it can seem like an enormous task just picking a game. I decided that I’d make a point of keeping track of what I was playing and always having some sort of progress to work on, with Front Mission on SNES being my first game as part of this project. I was hoping just to get to a few games I had always wanted to but close to 5 years later I have finally hit the point of finishing off my entire collection.

While my total collection overall has shrunk slightly since I’ve started, I made it a point to clear out the piles of games that were bought cheaply or for no real purpose on systems I didn’t care as much about. Bargain bin purchases bought in large quantities for systems like the PS2, Xbox 360, and PS3 were sold off and instead I doubled down on expanding my knowledge with classics on systems like the Sega Genesis, DS, and Saturn. I was still regularly buying games and searching for new fan translations to try but instead of buying something because it was cheap at the pawn shop, I was actively seeking out games I had researched and wanted to experience firsthand. It has been immensely satisfying to have been able to not just obtain big collections for these systems but also have played through them all firsthand. On its own playing something like Clockwork Knight or McDonalds Treasure Land Adventure might not be the most memorable experience but when it’s part of diving into a huge chunk of that system’s or company’s library as a whole it can be an interesting part of learning more about a moment in gaming history.

A major focus when it came to clearing my backlog was to not just find what was or was not worth my time, but also try a wide range of games and seek out recommendations. There were many gaps in my knowledge and platforms I had barely touched. I gained a new appreciation for western PC RPGs by playing through classics like Fallout 1+2, Baldur’s Gate, and Planescape Torment. Growing up I always preferred the flash and style JRPGs had but I have come to respect the amount of freedom and customization titles like this brought to the genre, despite them being harder to initially learn. Another aspect of gaming that opened to me as part of this focus to try new things was the world of Japanese Adventure games and the more niche titles with a stronger anime aesthetic. Games like Danganronpa, Trails in the Sky, Xenoblade 2, and Sakura Wars would be games I would not have been as open to before because of their look and character designs but I’ve come to really appreciate just how wildly different games like this can be from the standard.

I guess the next main question after capping off a 5-year long goal is “What’s next?”. While I am not enthusiastic about going right out and buying a giant stack of games again, I do still want to knock titles off my “must-play” list and keep trying new styles of experiences. That can range from playing through well-known popular series like Metal Gear and Kingdom Hearts in their entirety for the first time, to challenging myself to try early PC RPG/Adventure games like Ultima and King’s Quest. What I am most interested in right now though is having the chance to replay and further explore some old favorites again. I think after finishing 100+ games a year for 5 years, I can justify spending a little time going back through the catalog.