12 new and old games I want to play in 2022

I did a pretty good job of spreading the love around last year in terms of playing a variety of games on a variety of systems. Sure, the majority of the games I played were played on my Switch, but four were played on my Vita, one was played on my 3DS, and three were played on my DS.

I'm going to try my best to keep that up this year, as the following list of old and new games I want to play in 2022 should make clear.

7th Dragon (DS)

I've wanted to play this Imageepoch-made DS RPG since it was first announced due, mostly, to its adorable character designs and Yuzo Koshiro-composed soundtrack. Hopefully they'll be enough to overcome 7th Dragon's annoying components, of which I've heard there are a few. I'm no stranger to old, frustrating RPGs, of course, so fingers crossed that experience helps me out a bit, too.

Bravely Second (3DS)

I've started this Bravely Default sequel twice since I got my hands on a copy in early 2016. On both occasions, I walked away after just a few hours of play, feeling decidedly disinterested. Will this third attempt be the charm? I have my doubts, but after thoroughly enjoying Bravely Default II (and having a similarly positive experience with the original release), I'm willing to give it a try. If things don't click this time, though...

For the Frog the Bell Tolls (GameBoy)

Oh, look, another game I've tried a couple of times. I don't remember ditching For the Frog the Bell Tolls, or Kaeru no Tame ni Kane wa Naru, because a lack of interest, though; rather, I think my previous attempts simply began at the wrong time. That said, I do recall finding this GameBoy title's battles a bit curious, so here's hoping they--as well as the rest of this retro adventure--strike me as appealingly curious during my next go-round.

Fuga: Melodies of Steel (Switch)

I've yet to play the other two games in the Little Tail Bronx series, so why am I champing at the bit to play this one? For starters, I'm intrigued by its tank-centric gameplay. I also rather like how it looks. That's it, really. Now I just need the game to (finally) go on sale, as its $40 asking price is a little too steep for me.

Katamari Damacy no-Vita (Vita)

Truth be told, I'd rather We Love Katamari be ported to the Switch so I can play that game portably. With that being an impossibility (for the moment, at least), I'll settle for giving this Vita entry in the series a go. Don't worry, I'm well aware it pales in comparison to earlier releases. It's still Katamari Damacy, though, right?

NEO: The World Ends with You (Switch)

Being the serious TWEWY fan that I am (though I only finished it for the first time last year), I was beyond excited when this sequel was announced in late 2020. NEO: TWEWY released at a weird time for me, though, and so instead of playing it right away, as planned, it was unceremoniously ushered into a closet to be played at some future date. That future date is going to be sometime in 2022, if I have anything to say about it.

Okaeri! Chibi-Robo! Happy Richie Oosouji (DS)

Chibi-Robo! totally is a "me" kind of series--and yet I've only ever played a bit of its very first entry, released for the GameCube. I'm going to attempt to rectify matters by diving into this direct follow-up (I think?) in 2022 thanks the English fan translation that's been available for the last five or so years.

SaGa 2 (DS)

I was enamored with this game, known as Final Fantasy Legend II in my neck of the woods, as a kid. Mind you, I was enamored with reading about it, not playing it. Oh, I bought and played it, and of course enjoyed it, but I never quite got into it like I did its predecessor, which I played for hours on end. Hopefully a second attempt in 2022, via this DS remake from 2009, will prove more compelling.

Undernauts: Labyrinth of Yomi (Switch)

Here's another game that I eagerly anticipated playing last year as soon as I got my hands on a copy, only to drop the ball when that happened due to the timing of the release. I continue to think this dungeon-crawler looks masterful, especially its intriguing, near-modern-day setting, so don't expect me to ignore it for much longer. 

Voice of Cards: The Isle Dragon Roars (Switch)

I can't muster much interest in Square Enix's major productions these days, but the company's smaller efforts? I nearly always adore them. I suspect that trend will continue with this card-themed RPG, especially since its demo impressed me to a surprising degree. In particular, I appreciated its slow pace and mysterious vibe. I can't wait to find out if I feel the same way about the full, final product.

Weapon Shop de Omasse (3DS)

I adored what I played of Level-5's inventive Guild series games back when they released here in 2012 and 2013. Attack of the Friday Monsters! and Crimson Shroud were my favorites, but I also enjoyed The Starship Damrey and Aero Porter. One Guild release I've yet to experience is this "rhythm fantasy RPG" that has players forge weapons for would-be heroes to rent for upcoming quests. 

Yomawari: Midnight Shadows (Vita)

Although it occasionally irritated me, the original Yomawari impressed me overall when I played through it last year. I especially liked its compact setting and its cute-but-also-plenty-unsettling aesthetic. I've been meaning to take a stab at this follow-up ever since, but the timing's never been right. I'm going to force the issue soon, though, due to the fact that a third Yomawari game is releasing in Japan this April.

See also: my favorite games of 2021 and my favorite games of 2021 that weren't actually released in 2021

Five Nintendo 3DS games I want to play in 2020

I know I had the Nintendo DS on the brain in 2019, and I'll probably still have it on the brain this year, but that doesn't mean there's no space in my noggin for that dual-screened system's immediate successor.

In fact, I'm currently scheming as to how I can fit the following 3DS titles--and maybe a few more--into my 2020 gaming schedule.

Bravely Second--Unlike some folks, I loved Bravely Default. Yes, even "that part." So why haven't I played its sequel? I have no idea. The only reason I can come up with is that the urge to start my way through Bravely Second always seems to hit me around the time I finish some other RPG. I guess this means I need to get out in front of such obstacles in 2020. So, the next time I feel like playing an RPG, I'll reach for my long-ignored copy of Bravely Second and then put it through its paces as quickly as possible.

Detective Pikachu--I'm not the biggest Pokémon fan around, but I bought this spinoff anyway early last year because it was on sale. OK, so another reason I bought it is I've developed a soft spot for adventure games in recent years--especially ones that seem quirky. I'm guessing Detective Pikachu also is a bit simplistic given its target audience, but that's fine by me. I'd much rather deal with that than deal with a mystery that forces me to search the internet for assistance every few minutes. (Yes, I'm looking at you, Touch Detective.)

Hey! Pikmin--The staff at developer Arzest, previously responsible for Yoshi's New Island, really went out on a limb when they decided to turn the Pikmin franchise into a strategic side-scroller with this portable release. By most accounts, their risky maneuver didn't pay off, but I don't care. I already own a copy of Hey! Pikmin, so I might as well play it. Who knows, I may end up liking it. It certainly wouldn't be the first time I enjoyed a game everyone else seems to hate.

Persona Q--True story: I didn't own Persona Q when I bought Persona Q2 last summer. Once I had a copy of the latter game in my hands, though, I felt a bit weird about not also having its predecessor. So, I kept my eyes on Amazon, and when it put Persona Q on sale a few months ago, I snapped up a copy. To the surprise of no one, I've yet to boot up either title. I hope to do that and a bit more--OK, a lot more--at some point in 2020.

Project X Zone--I know a lot of people have a rather low opinion of this strategy RPG that's packed full of Capcom, Namco, and Sega mascots. I also know a couple of people who like it quite a bit. That glimmer of hope combined with the inclusion of characters like Darkstalkers' Morrigan Aensland, Space Channel 5's Ulala, and Valkyrie from Valkyrie no Bouken, has me itching to give Project X Zone a try in 2020--even if it proves to be a turd after all is said and done.

See also: '10 Nintendo DS games I want to play in 2020'

What a difference a vacation makes (or, impressions of the Bravely Second demo, Final Fantasy Explorers, Return to PopoloCrois, Witch & Hero II, Yo-Kai Watch and more)

I don't know how many of you noticed, but I haven't played too many games over the last few months.

That wasn't because of anything negative or dramatic, mind you. Mainly, it was because I just "wasn't in the mood."

You know how it is sometimes, I'm sure. Thanks to trying to fit a whole bunch of things into a single day or week--my day job, freelance gigs, maintaining this blog, making dinner, exercise and more--I had a hard time mustering the energy and even the interest required to properly dive into any of the many games that are hidden throughout my house at the moment.

All of the above came to a halt when my husband and I went to California for vacation a couple of weeks ago. While there, I spent a surprising amount of time playing the handful of games (and demos) name-checked above and detailed below.

I've played each of the following for more than three hours so far, by the way--well, with the exception of the Project X Zone 2 demo, which I blew through it about 45 minutes.

Bravely Second (demo)--To be completely honest, I dreaded starting this demo. Online impressions of the Japanese and European versions of the full game left me assuming it would pale in comparison to its mostly awesome (in my humble opinion, of course) precursor. Although that may prove to be the case after I tackle the retail release, this demo currently has me in good spirits. It's gorgeous as all get-out, naturally, but that's just the icing on the case as far as I'm concerned. Far more important to me is that the characters are likable and the battles are just as engaging as they were in Bravely Default.

Final Fantasy Explorers--Here's another game I didn't expect to enjoy. I put an hour or two into its Japanese demo ages ago and walked away from it thinking it was little better than ho-hum. Still, I bought a physical copy of the North American release basically to prove to the powers that be at Square Enix there are plenty of people who'd like them to localize their 3DS titles for Western markets. So, imagine my surprise when I found myself having a blast with this Monster Hunter wannabe (although Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles wannabe might be a more accurate description). I can see how its gameplay could become stale over time, but for now I like its focus on fetch quests, its varied environments and its nostalgia-satisfying selection of enemies.

Project X Zone 2: Brave New World (demo)--Of all the games and demos I've spent time with in the last few weeks, Project X Zone 2 was the most disappointing. By far. That's not to say I hated every one of the 45 or so minutes I put into it, mind you. Actually, I found its fight scenes to be pretty thrilling--if far from "deep." They weren't enough to make me want to track down a boxed (or even digital) copy, though. Project X Zone 2's ridiculous wordiness has something to do with that, I'm sure, as does the confusing nature of its battles. (Yes, the latter are exhilarating, but only to a point--mainly because they feel very random and button-mashy.)

Return to PopoloCrois: A Story of Seasons Fairytale--This is the first of all the titles mentioned here that I stuck into my trusty 3DS while traveling to California. Curiously, I liked it so much early on that I thought I'd play little else during my trip. In reality, I gave three hours to it, found it "nice enough" (far from great, in other words) and then moved on to something else. (Final Fantasy Explorers was next up, I believe.) Don't worry, I'll circle back to it soon, and I plan to finish it at some point. Still, I'd be lying if I said it's blown me away up to now. I'm not entirely sure why that is, though I have a feeling its rather dull battles are largely to blame. Here's hoping things pick up in that regard after I return to it.

Witch & Hero 2--Although I put about two hours into the Japanese version of this game in the days following its release, I felt a little out of sorts during that time. I guess the new gameplay "hook"--you can move the witch as well as the hero in the sequel--really threw me for a loop at first. Thankfully, I've felt a lot more comfortable while making my way through the first 26 or so stages of the North American iteration. Being able to control both characters is a nice addition, by the way, as are the new tunes, locales and baddies. What isn't so nice is that, after the Witch & Hero II's tough opening salvo, the journey veers toward cakewalk territory.

Yo-Kai Watch--I've looked forward to playing Level-5's Pokémon competitor in a language I fully understand since the first game hit the streets of Japan back in 2013. Because of that, I fully expected the final, localized product to let me down. Guess what? It hasn't. Yo-Kai Watch is as charming as can be--from its setting, to its soundtrack, to its characters (including the titular ghoulies), to its battles. The latter really have me by the short and curlies right now, I've got to say--even though the associated micro-games probably make me look silly during my morning and afternoon commutes. The side-eyes are worth it, though, because the just-mentioned mini-games add some much-needed zip to an RPG component that's more often than not bored me in recent years.

See also: all of my 'Shall We Do It?' posts

Raise your hand if you're planning to pick up a copy of the Bravely Second Collector's Edition

I don't know how many of you have been following the drama related to the stealth (for lack of a better word) North American release of the Bravely Second Collector's Edition, but here's the gist for those who feel out of the loop.

Basically, early last week, Nintendo unveiled a Bravely Second Collector's Edition for the North American market.

Included in this premium release, which will hit store shelves alongside the 3DS RPG's standard edition on April 15: a copy of the game (duh), a 10-song soundtrack and a 25-page "deluxe art book." I'm not entirely sure what "deluxe" means when it comes to game art books, but I have a feeling it means the book has a hard cover.

Oh, and all of the above comes packed inside a rather lovely outer box.

Unsurprisingly, copies of the Bravely Second Collector's Edition aren't going to be cheap. In fact, one of them will run you a not-unsubstantial $69.99.



You might think the steep asking price would make them readily available, especially given the rather negative reaction to this game's 2014 predecessor, but that's not the case.

As anyone who has attempted to pre-order this version of Bravely Default from Amazon will tell you, copies seem to be severely limited at the moment.

If you're interested, you may be able to grab one via gamestop.com, so be sure to check it out if you've got designs on owning this particular Collector's Edition. And what if you just want the regular edition? Amazon has you covered.

So, how many of you already have nabbed a North American copy of the Bravely Second Collector's Edition, or how many of you want to nab one in the coming weeks or months?

Let me know in the comments section below. And let me know, too, if you're simply interested in this title's more straightforward (and decidedly more affordable) standard version.

6 3DS games I'm looking forward to playing at some point in 2016

Along with the pile of 3DS games mentioned in my recent pair of "5 games I bought in 2015 that I've regrettably (and embarrassingly) failed to play" posts, I'm also looking forward to playing at some point in 2016:

Bravely Second--I know a lot of people hated Bravely Default, and I mostly understand why that is. Personally, though, I loved the game. Yes, it had its shortcomings--chief among them, for me at least, being its annoying chattiness--but the rest of it was so sublime It wasn't hard for me to overlook the ugly bits. I've heard that this oddly named sequel has its own share of pitfalls, but I'm determined to buy and play it anyway. I mean, there's no chance Bravely Second's negatives will be anywhere near as bad as Default's, right?

Dragon Quest VII--I've wanted to play through the original PlayStation iteration of the game ever since I quite literally wrenched myself away from my beloved copy of Dragon Quest IX. What's kept me from starting that predecessor? The astronomical pricetags usually attached to complete versions of Dragon Quest VII is one. Another is that VII's supposed to be  a real time sink. Thankfully, this 3DS remake addresses both if those problems (in a way), as launch copies should be $50 or even $40, tops, and the length issue will be less of a worry due to its portability. In other words, this sucker can't be released too soon, as far as I'm concerned.

Final Fantasy Explorers--I'm kind of baffled that I decided to pre-order the North American version of this Final Fantasy offshoot, to tell you the truth. I downloaded and played the game's Japanese demo shortly after it was made available in late 2014 and walked away from it feeling ambivalent. On the one hand, Explorers looks a bit rough. In fact, it wouldn't surprise me at all if someone revealed that the game began life as a DS game before being ported to the 3DS. I also don't much care for the odd aesthetics of this title's character models. On the other hand, I thought Explorers' real-time gameplay was at least competent, and I'm strangely attracted to adventures that focus on completing quests these days. At any rate, I'm not going to cancel my pre-order now, so hopefully the positives outweigh the negatives once I finally plug this cart into my trusty 3DS.

Fire Emblem Fates: Conquest--Of course I went with the version of Fates that will allow my male protagonist to woo one of the game's muscle-bound brutes, right? The question is: will that be enough for me to spend more time with Conquest than I did with Awakening? (Last time I looked, I'd put just under eight hours into the 3DS' first Fire Emblem title.) I don't know, but I sure hope it will, as I really enjoyed what I experienced of Awakening.

Return to PopoloCrois: A Story of Seasons Fairytale--The PopoloCrois (or PoPoLoCrois, if you're a Japanophile) series has intrigued me since I became aware of its first entry, a PlayStation game. That RPG--as well as its sequel and roguelike spin-off, both of which also were PSone titles--featured some of the loveliest sprite-based visuals you're ever going to see in a video game. Sadly, developer Epics veered away from that aesthetic for this curious mash-up, which combines PopoloCrois' setting and turn-based battles with some of Harvest Moon's--I mean A Story of Seasons'--farming-focused gameplay. Oh, well, at least Return to PopoloCrois' polygonal graphics still look pretty good.

Witch & Hero 2--The original Witch & Hero first caught my eye about three years ago due to its 8-bit-esque enemies, which look like they were pulled from an old Dragon Quest game. I was a bit shocked when I actually bought and played this FK Digital title, though, as it plays nothing like that classic series of RPGs. Instead, it's a twitchy, arcade-action game that confidently leans toward tower-defense territory. Will this soon-to-be-released sequel be more of the same or offer up something new? I have no idea, but I'm anxious to find out one way or the other.

Are there any in-the-works 3DS games that are causing you to salivate in anticipation of their impending (during 2016) release? If so, let me know about them in the comments section below.

Random musings on the other games that were and weren't mentioned during last week's Nintendo Direct broadcasts

The trio of Nintendo Direct broadcasts that aired a couple of days ago featured a bunch of wonderful looking games.

Two of them: localized versions of the 3DS iterations of Dragon Quest VII and VIII, which amazingly are being brought to both Europe and North America by Nintendo at some point in 2016.

Of course, Nintendo also ignored a bunch of 3DS and Wii U games during these latest Directs.

Speaking of which, here are a few thoughts on some of the ones that actually earned a mention as well as some of the ones I wish had been mentioned.

First, the chatter about the ones that were given a nod:

Bravely Second (3DS)

Bravely Second: End Layer--Unfortunately for North Americans like myself who are chomping at the bit to play the English version of this Bravely Default sequel, the only attention Second received in the Nintendo Direct aimed at our neck of the woods was a sentence or two. Still, among those few words was a promise that the game would hit store shelves here this coming spring, so I won't complain too loudly about that oversight. (If you call Europe home, you'll be able to get your hands on Bravely Second within the first three months of 2016.) Anyway, although I would've loved a specific release date or glimpse of the title's Western box art, I'm happy we at least were given confirmation it'll be out soon.

Final Fantasy Explorers--I've had the North American version of this 3DS-based MonHun wannabe pre-ordered for some time now, so it would've really sucked if I thought the footage included in this Direct was subpar to the point of turning me off of the game entirely. Delightfully, that wasn't the case. In fact, the gameplay showcased here made me even more interested in this title than I was earlier. Sure, it's more than a little rough around the edges, with low-poly character models and a shockingly iffy frame rate, but even then it looks like good fun to me. The question is, do I keep my pre-order in place for the standard edition, or do I cancel it so I can go for the pricey collector's edition instead?

Fire Emblem Fates (3DS)

Fire Emblem Fates--This is another 3DS title I pre-ordered a while back. Did the snazzy special edition, which features all three versions of the game (Birthright, Conquest and the digital-only Revelation) as well as an art book and a carrying pouch, prompt me to ditch that "standard" copy in favor of this $80 counterpart? Nope. Don't get me wrong, the Fire Emblem Fates SE sounds awesome, but I've only played about seven hours of Fire Emblem Awakening thus far, so I don't think I need to own three different iterations of its follow-up. Or at least I don't need to own all three right from the get-go.

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD--Ah, a Wii U game. Finally! Sadly, unlike a lot of people, I don't find this one all that appealing--and I would say that even if I actually owned a Wii U system. That's not a rip on Twilight Princess, mind you; rather, it's more of a comment on how I feel about the Zelda series as a whole these days. In other words, if we're not talking about throwback games like A Link Between Worlds (which I adored), I just can't muster up much interest.

Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam (3DS)

Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam--If you'd like, you can take some of what I just said about Twilight Princess HD (the part about not being able to muster up much interest, mainly) and use it here, too. Why? For starters, the Mario & Luigi series has never really done it for me, especially from an aesthetics standpoint. I'm feeling similarly apathetic about the Paper Mario series these days--which is a shame, as I loved its first two entries for the Nintendo 64 and GameCube. Both Super Paper Mario for Wii and Sticker Star for 3DS ended up boring me to tears, though, and none of what I've seen of Paper Jam makes me think it'll provoke a more positive reaction, so until and unless that changes, this game is getting a "hell no" from yours truly.

Pokémon Blue, Red and Yellow--It's about time, Nintendo. It's about time. Why the company decided to wait until the end of the 3DS' life to add this trio of classic RPGs to the system's Virtual Console is beyond me. Did it have something to do with Nintendo's crack team of engineers figuring out how to make it so gamers could swap monsters, which most folks surely consider to be a staple of this decades-old series? Maybe. Whatever the case may be, I'm glad I'll finally be able to try my hand at Yellow. I finished Red way back when, and later picked up a copy of Blue, too, but Yellow's always been a mystery to me. Hopefully the wait will have been worth it.