10 games I would replay this year if I let myself replay games

I used to replay games all the time; I rarely allow myself to do it today.

Why? The main reason is I'd rather spend my free time on games I've yet to play than those I've already experienced. Or at least that's how I've felt the last couple of years.

I'm not quite ready to change my tune here, but if I were, I'd start with one or more of the following games, each of which have been bouncing around in my brain, begging to be replayed, in recent weeks and months.

Chulip (PS2)

I've got a huge soft spot for games made by Love-de-Lic and its many offshoots. Of all the ones I've played so far, though, Chulip has proven the least compelling. I think that's because the Chulip is both quite dark and quite slow. Still, I appreciate and respect its odd and off-kilter aesthetic and story, so hopefully those aspects will carry me through my next Chulip playthrough--should one ever happen.

EarthBound (SNES)

It's been eight years since I last played this cult classic. In the meantime, I've finished both its predecessor, Mother, and its sequel, Mother 3. To be honest, a part of me would prefer to replay the first Mother rather than this follow-up, but I'm going to do my best in the next year or two to push those irrational feelings aside and return to EarthBound, aka Mother 2, instead.

Endless Ocean (Wii)

Considering how popular the Wii was during its peak, I never understood how this game failed to reach a wider audience. It certainly deserved one, in my opinion. Exploring Endless Ocean's watery world was equal parts soothing and awe-inspiring the last time I played the game, and I could use a little (OK, a lot) of both in these uncertain times. 

Fantasy Life (3DS)

After Pocket Card Jockey (below), Fantasy Life is the 3DS game that has stuck with me the most over the years. I've wanted to return to it ever since my first--and thus far only--playthrough ended. Although I usually prefer turn-based RPGs to real-time-action ones, Fantasy Life bucks that trend. Why? My guess is it's due to the game's wide and whimsical selection of jobs and weapons, which conspire to make it a joy to play despite its lack of random battles.

Final Fantasy: The 4 Heroes of Light (DS)

As much as I enjoyed playing Bravely Default and Bravely Default II, I'm not sure I enjoyed either title more than I enjoyed this 2010 precursor. Which isn't to suggest The 4 Heroes of Light is the best of this JRPG bunch. It's not. It may be the most charming, though, and that goes a long way with me. I also adore this game's soundtrack, which isn't as bombastic as that of the first Bravely Default but holds its own otherwise.

Hotel Dusk: Room 215 (DS)

In a perfect world, I'd play through Hotel Dusk once a year. It offers players such a cozy vibe and such a captivating cast of characters that it's like the video-game equivalent of comfort food for me. This world is far from perfect, though, and so annual replays of this CiNG-made treasure are not an option. But maybe I could get myself to return to it every other year?

Pocket Card Jockey (3DS)

Despite what I said earlier about rarely replaying games these days, me replaying this digital-only curiosity is nothing new. Should I find a way to boot it up again in 2022, it would be the fifth time I've done so, if memory serves. If you're wondering what makes Pocket Card Jockey, developed by Game Freak of Pokémon fame, so seductive, my answer would be that it's a rare example of "the complete package"--cute visuals, curiously captivating gameplay, and cool, jazzy OST.

Raging Loop (Switch)

Why would I choose to replay a visual novel I finished less than two years ago? For starters, I loved my first playthrough of Raging Loop so much I immediately wanted to experience it again. Also, it promises a seemingly aptly titled "Revelation Mode," which promises all kinds of additional content--including the ability to hear side characters' thoughts and witness scenes outside the protagonist's perspective.

Theatrhythm Final Fantasy (3DS)

My recently realized desire to play through Theatrhythm Final Fantasy a second time comes as a bit of a shock to me. Although I adored the time I spent with this game back in 2013, I've rarely considered returning to it. Now that it's back in my mind, though, I can't stop thinking about it. Mark my words: should I actually boot up some of the games highlighted here in 2022, Theatrhythm Final Fantasy will be among them.

Void Terrarium (Switch)

I get the distinct impression that most folks don't even know Void Terrarium exists, and yet here I am, desperately wanting to give it a second go. Similarly to the above-mentioned Pocket Card Jockey, Void Terrarium successfully mashes up a pair of gaming genres--roguelike dungeon-crawler and digital pet--that really shouldn't work together. It also boasts a sweet and somber story that makes the experience even more worthwhile.

See also: 12 old and new games I want to play in 2022

Ten questions with Drew Mackie, host of the Singing Mountain podcast

I've got a confession to make: although I dearly love video game music (VGM from here on out), I pretty much never listen to it when I'm not actually playing a game.

Except, that is, for when I'm listening to an episode of the Singing Mountain podcast.

The thing is, I'd likely ignore Singing Mountain just I like ignore most out-of-context VGM if Drew Mackie weren't its host.

That's not just because of the dulcet tones of Drew's NPR-ready voice, by the way. You see, he and I go way back--in a manner of speaking.

Drew Mackie and Wario

I first became a fan of Drew's around the time I launched the blog you're reading right now. He had his own blog at the time, Back of the Cereal Box--it still exists, though it's been defunct since early 2018--that not only regularly covered video games, but regularly covered the kind of games I tend to enjoy.

In the years since, we've become friends via the comments sections of our respective blogs as well as on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Anyway, between our similar taste in games and my appreciation of Drew's way with words, you bet your sweet bippy my ears perked up when he announced in mid-2017 his next venture would be a VGM podcast.

Speaking of which, Drew recently agreed to answer a few questions not only about why he started Singing Mountain, but how he named it, why he likes 16-bit VGM so much and more.

The Gay Gamer: You launched the Singing Mountain podcast just over two years ago. What spurred its creation?

Drew: To be honest, I had my first podcast and I thought I might do this as a side project to draw attention to the main project--do short little episodes about VGM and then tell people at the end that I have this other nostalgia-based podcast about movies. Very quickly thereafter, Singing Mountain ended up being the project I enjoyed more and before long, I ceased that first podcast and started tinkering around with what I could do with this VGM podcast format. I actually didn't know much about the VGM podcast community and quickly had to educate myself.

The Gay Gamer: Why did you name it Singing Mountain anyway?

Drew: Chrono Trigger! The original OST for Chrono Trigger has one track that you don't hear in the game because that area ended up being omitted from the final version of the game. That's "Singing Mountain." And that name alone evoked something magical and made me wonder about what this lost area might be like. The song has since been used in subsequent ports of Chrono Trigger, but I would still like to see the creator's original vision for it.

This wonderfully beefy piece of cover art wasn't used
for an episode, but I'm including it here anyway

The Gay Gamer: What has been your favorite episode so far?

Drew: "Ric Ocasek in Moonside," an episode I liked so much I actually made it twice, just to iron out the kinks and make it as good as I possibly could. This episode is about EarthBound, but also me and the general way that music can linger in your head for years, unattached to lyrics or anything that could help you identify what song you're actually remembering. If that makes sense.

The Gay Gamer: Which episode do you think is most emblematic or representative of Singing Mountain or even of your taste in game music?

Drew: People make fun of my titles sometimes, but as a gay dude who likes pretty things, I gotta say that the most representative episode of my show is one is called "A Beautiful Place by Moonlight." A big theme throughout Singing Mountain is how I like softer, quieter, more relaxed music, and this episode was all about music that evokes the night but not in a way that's sinister or, like, dark, if that makes sense. It's about how sometimes things are prettier at night. I like thinking of a really abstract theme and then figuring out the weirdest collection of music I can get together that fits that theme. Also, the cover art made me happy.

Runner up: the one about VGM that sounds like italo disco, because I feel like people aren't aware of italo disco, generally, but would be into the idea of disco and new wave having a baby. They actually have an italo disco night at one of the gay bars in L.A. and this makes me very happy. (Not that I'm taking credit for it.)

Drew's Birdo-focused cover art for Singing Mountain's
"The Best Saxophones in Video Game Music" episode

The Gay Gamer: What is your favorite aspect of creating an episode?

Drew: Knowing that I'm my own boss and can do whatever I want. That sounds bratty, but I like that I can break format any way I want and it's OK. I've never had an in-office job where I had that much freedom.

The Gay Gamer: What's the hardest or most annoying part of creating an episode?

Drew: Trying to decide between "I can make this work" and "maybe I can't, maybe I should go in another direction." I don't like putting something out there that I don't think is worth the listener's time, and if I can't deliver the goods, then I need to go with plan B. This last week, I actually ended up not posting an episode, just because nothing was coming together. I'm hoping the time off lets me come up with a good idea.

The Gay Gamer: I always look forward to seeing the cover art you create for each episode, and I'm sure I'm not alone there. I'm guessing you enjoy it too? How long does it usually take you to make a piece of cover art? And what's your process for making one?

Drew: Sometimes the pixel art takes me as long as the episode itself, but only because it's my favorite part. It's basically just doodling, really, because I'm taking existing, official pixel art from Spriter's Resource and then screwing with it and making it weird or taking stuff from two different contexts and making them exist together. It's weirdly relaxing, even when I'm doing it at 2 a.m. because the episode is done and I'm still trying to figure out the art.

The rad cover for a heart-pounding episode
called "A VGM Dance Party"

The Gay Gamer: You obviously have a particular fondness for game music from the 16-bit era. Is that simply because you grew up in the '90s, or is there more to it than that?

Drew: On one hand, yeah. I was born in 1982, so most of my video game playing happened in the 1990s. It's my pop culture sweet spot. However, there is a less objective reason why I focus on 16-bit stuff. Super Marcato Bros. is another VGM podcast, hosted by composers who can talk about music on a technical level. One of the hosts (I think it's Will) has said that he thinks 8-bit VGM is the pinnacle of the genre--and yes, it is a genre--because the technology with which VGM composers could make music was very limited. In order to make music sound good, those 8-bit composers had to be clever enough to work within those restraints and find was to make the technology sing. Alternatively, they could compose melodies that are so purely good and catchy that they'd sound good even being played with those limited means. Often they did both.

I totally think this is true. As video game technology evolved, the restraints gradually went away. So composers coming along later didn't have to be as clever or the melodies nearly as perfectly composed. Coming right after the 8-bit age, the 16-bit stuff is still feeling those restraints but also getting a little more wiggle room, technologically speaking. To me, 16-bit is the best, because you still had to be fairly clever but you could also benefit from a wider range of sounds and consequently do a little more. And then as you get into the PlayStation and Nintendo 64 era it kinda gets... less catchy, I would say.

Drew and his adorable pup, Thurman

The Gay Gamer: Regardless, what are your favorite 16-bit soundtracks?

Drew: EarthBound (because eclectic), Seiken Densestu 3 (which is Trials of Mana now and I'm so glad people get to hear how Hiroki Kikuta took his work from the first Secret of Mana to a slightly darker place), and Super Mario RPG (because I actually think Yoko Shimomura is the most versatile composer working today, having composed this and the original Street Fighter II and Kingdom Hearts and Mario & Luigi and a billion other things). Oh, and the Donkey Kong Country trilogy. And then Treasure of the Rudras would probably be the one less famous OST from this era. Also Lufia II is better than you might remember.

The Gay Gamer: Do you have any favorite game soundtracks or even individual songs that come from outside the 16-bit era? If so, what are they?

Drew: Samurai Shodown! Especially the first three. Because I feel like the SNK fighters aren't remembered necessarily for their music, but the composers really nailed the mood of these games. And the DarkStalkers games are where Capcom always liked to get weird and experimental and kinda gay, if I'm being honest. And that includes the music. And then Wario Land 4 is just.... fascinatingly bizarre.

See also: 'Ten questions with the guys behind the best GameBoy game you've probably never played, Tobu Tobu Girl'

Apropos of nothing, I'm going to give the Hobonichi Techo another try

Over two years ago, I excitedly bought my first Hobonichi Techo planner. I also bought a rather snazzy, EarthBound-themed cover for it, which can be seen below. (Additional photos of it fill this old post.)

Embarrassingly, I never used it. Not a single pen or pencil mark made its way onto my Techo's beautifully papered pages.

I can't even tell you why, though I have a feeling the fact that its arrival coincided with me starting a new job had a little something to do with it.

Given that money-down-the-drain experience, what on earth pushed me to order a 2018 Hobonichi Techo? I guess I just want to try again. Plus, I'm feeling inspired by the "Games Played Report" project Bill Sannwald, aka Mister Raroo, has so diligently chipped away at this year. (See the latest "Games Played Report" post here.)

Who knows if I'll actually be able to fill up this second Techo, or even just fill a handful of its pages, but I'll certainly give it my best.

While we wait to see how I do, you may want to head over to 1101.com to check out this year's selection of Mother-inspired covers and products. Four 2018 Techo covers feature EarthBound imagery, with my personal favorite being the red leather Mr. Saturn one.

I also really like this "Magicant Map" Weeks planner--to the point I very nearly bought one before (wisely, I think) deciding against it.

Introducing: the Singing Mountain podcast

I've been a fan of Drew Mackie's Back of the Cereal Box blog ever since I first came across it--which was shortly after it made its debut in early 2003, if memory serves.

If this is the first you're hearing of Back of the Cereal Box, boiled down, it's a pop-culture blog. Or, as Mackie himself puts it, it's a "record of the weird ways pop culture intersects with [his] life."

Often, it's a record of how pop culture intersects with his life as a gay man who has long loved video games.

Considering all of the above, it shouldn't surprise that Mackie piqued my interest when he revealed his plans to launch a podcast about video game music.

Singing Mountain is the result of those plans. In the four podcasts he's published so far, Mackie's discussed Super Mario RPG, the Mega Man series, The Great Giana Sisters and EarthBound.

That's not the full extent of what's covered in Singing Mountain's initial batch of episodes, mind you. The latest ("Ric Ocasek in Moonside"), for instance, focuses on EarthBound while also bringing Mackie's childhood, The Cars, Salvador Dali’s “The Persistence of Memory,” the litigiousness of Beatles and even Janet Jackson into the mix.

Hell, Mackie may even introduce you to a new word or two if you keep your ears peeled. He certainly expanded my vocabulary a bit when he dropped the word diegetic into his commentary on Onett's arcade theme.

See also: posts about The Nichiest Podcast Ever

Help me decide if I should buy (another) OG 3DS or New 3DS

Here's the thing: I've been itching to replace my "flame red" OG 3DS for ages now.

The main reason, of course, is that I never really wanted a red 3DS. I wanted a pink one. I won't bore you with the long-winded story about how and why I ended up with a red rather than a pink 3DS, but the gist is that I've never quite been able to quash my longing for the latter.

Another reason I want to replace my not-pink 3DS: its bottom screen features so many scratches and scuff marks--thanks to games like Maestro! Jump in Music--it's starting to drive me batty.

And then there's the fact that Nintendo just tossed the ROM for its cult-favorite SNES RPG, EarthBound onto the North American eShop--and made it only playable on New 3DS systems.

That last comment might prompt some of you to wonder why I'm asking for your advice as to whether I should buy another (this time pink) OG 3DS or one of the smaller New 3DS units. After all, if I choose the first option, I won't be able to enjoy on-the-go EarthBound in a fully legal manner.

This is true, of course, but I can't say it's done much to sway me one way or the other. I guess that's due to the "power of pink"? OK, so it's also probably due to the fact that I've grown pretty fond of the OG 3DS' design in the last few years. (I used to despise it, especially in comparison to the wonderfully sleek cases that house Nintendo's DS Lite and DSi handhelds.)

Whatever the case my be, I'm all sorts of confused about which model of 3DS I should buy in the next few days, so I'm asking for some input.

Which device would you pick up if you were in my shoes: a "pearl pink" OG 3DS or a non-XL New 3DS?

We're nearly legal (aka The Nichiest Podcast Ever #17 is now available for your aural pleasure)

Are you the sort who likes to listen to silly people chat about video games during your free time? If so, you'll probably get a kick out of the latest installment of The Nichiest Podcast Ever.

What do Anne, Mollie and I blather on about this time around? A bunch of recently released and soon-to-be-released North American games, for starters, Also, a small handful of just-announced Japanese games.

Oh, and all of the above are niche-y as hell, of course.



We also spend a couple of minutes discussing our ever-embarrassing backlogs, with SaGa Frontier 2, We Love Katamari and The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D being a few of the games I singled out.

Finally, we pull out our favorite pom-poms and cheer on a trio of titles we think deserve a bit more attention. (Actually, my pick--the fabulously EarthBound-esque Undertale--has gotten a whole lot of love on line as of late, but I bring it up here anyway because I'm enjoying it so much.)

Sound scintillating? Point your Internet browser of choice to radio.morningproject.com--or search for "The Nichiest Podcast Ever" on iTunes, I guess--and have a blast.

A trio of spooky games I'm hoping to play between now and All Hallows' Eve

For those of us in North America--and any other locale where folks celebrate the holiday--it's that time of year again. And when I say "that time of year," I of course mean Halloween.

While my compatriots spend the next couple of weeks prepping costumes, planning parties and popping orange and black candies into their mouths, I'm going to spend them playing spooky games. Specifically, I'm going to play--or maybe I should say I'm going to do my best to play--the following trio of Halloween-appropriate titles.

Undertale (Mac)--The good news here is that I've already started playing this just-released, EarthBound-esque RPG. The bad news: I've only played about an hour and a half of it so far. I have no doubt that will change appreciably by the end of this coming weekend thanks to all of the grins and chuckles it's already produced.

My favorite aspects of Undertale at the moment, by the way, are its colorfully creepy "overworld" graphics, its wonderfully witty text and its unexpectedly unique gameplay. A highlight of that last component: if you want, you can dance, flirt or simply chat with baddies rather than beat them up during this title's battle scenes.

Corpse Party (PSP)--I put a small handful of hours into this game a couple of years ago while traveling for one reason or another. That playthrough came to a screeching halt, though, when I got stuck and couldn't figure out what to do next. Why didn't I turn to GameFAQs or some other online resource? I have no idea, I'm sorry to say.

Thankfully, I'm feeling decidedly less stubborn these days--especially after listening to my podcast pal, Mollie, rave about this original entry in the oddly titled Corpse Party series while we recorded the 17th installment of The Nichiest Podcast Ever a few nights ago. So, look for me to give the game a second chance (and write about it in one or more future blog posts) between now and the end of this month.

Clock Tower (Super Famicom or WonderSwan)--Can you believe I've never played any of the many versions of Clock Tower that have been released over the years? I can't. OK, so that's not completely true. I spent about 30 minutes with the Super Famicom release earlier this year, but I quickly gave up on that campaign when the game's scissor-wielding antagonist popped up and scared the living daylights out of me.

I can't guarantee the same thing won't happen again when and if I return to this pixelated horror title, but I can guarantee I'll do my best avoid it. Who knows, maybe playing it in black and white will help?

Any you playing any spooky, scary or otherwise Halloween-esque games this month? If so, which ones--and what do you think of them thus far?

In honor of Satoru Iwata, here's my most recent contribution to #CIBSunday

I don't often contribute to the social-media phenomenon that is #CIBSunday, but I decided to make an exception today because I recently acquired a copy of Mother 2 for the Super Famicom and showcasing a few photos of its beautifully minimalist packaging here seemed like an appropriate thing to do given the recent passing of Satoru Iwata, who helped whip this classic RPG into shape back when he worked for HAL Laboratory.



As for what took me so long to add this brilliant game to my collection, well, a big part of the story is that my initial plan was to buy a complete-in-box copy of the North American release, which of course is known as EarthBound. In the end, though, setting aside $300 or more for such a purchase was a bit too much for me to swallow, so I put my dreams of owning some form of this classic RPG on the back burner and turned my attention to other titles that would be far easier to obtain.

I returned to this quest a month or so ago after I came across (while perusing eBay, naturally) the copy of Mother 2 that can be seen in the snapshots shared throughout this post. That was mainly due to the fact this particular copy was cheaper than most of the ones that make their way onto the auction site these days, but it also was due to me figuring I've learned enough Japanese by now to stumble my way through Shigesato Itoi's eclectic adventure in its native language.

Anyway, enough about that. The stars of this post are the lovely box, cartridge and instruction manual that make up the entire Mother 2 package. Personally, I'm not sure which element I love the most--the outer box, with its iconic logo, or the inside of the aforementioned manual, which includes some of the most wonderful clay models you're likely to come across in the gaming world.  

Mother 2's cart label (below) is pretty awesome, too, of course.

Sadly, it'll probably be a while before I stick this cartridge into an actual SNES or Super Famicom and give it a go. After all, I don't own either of those consoles at the moment--or at least I don't have one with me here in Seattle. An old SNES is sitting in a closet in my parents' house back in Madison, Wisconsin, but I won't be able to get my mitts on it until at least Christmas.



Sure, I could use this as an opportunity to, at long last, pitch in and pick up a Super Famicom Jr.--a system I've wanted for ages--before then, but the reality is I'll probably just wait until the holidays so I can spend that money on some other game-related treasure that catches my eye in the coming months.

What all of that said, what do you think of this game's packaging, or what do you think of the game itself? Share all of the lurid details in the comments section below, if you're the sort who's open to such things.

MUSE: Together Is the New Alone (PS4 and Vita) looks a lot like EarthBound and Yumi Nikki, which of course means I'm already in love with it

Full disclosure: I've yet to actually play Yume Nikki, mainly because it's currently only playable on Windows-based PCs, and I no longer own such a computing device. (Not that I'd be all that likely to play it on my MacBook either, but if it were possible I'd probably at least consider experiencing it that way at some point down the road.)

Still, I've long wanted to play it due to its unsettling, EarthBound-esque visuals.



I don't know if I'd say the graphics that have been shown off for the in-the-works PS4 and Vita game known as MUSE: Together Is the New Alone are quite as unsettling, but they've definitely got an edge to them that exists somewhere between what's found in Yume Nikki and most of EarthBound.

This upcoming release, announced during the recent BitSummit event, is being made by Baiyon, who you may know as the art director and musician behind PixelJunk Eden. (Apparently, Pygmy, the development studio that ported La Mulana to Vita, is lending a helping hand.)



Unfortunately, as with at least one of the other Vita games I've mentioned in the last couple of days, a specific release date has not been revealed for MUSE: Together Is the New Alone.

What is known is that this is the gist of MUSE's story: “A young girl lays in a never-ending slumber. One day, a boy finds notes and paintings belonging to the sleeping girl. Guided by these tokens, he sets off on an adventure in the hopes of awakening her once again.”



Does that sound appealing to any of you? Or do you not care about this game's story because the rest of it looks so darn good? Let me know one way or the other in the comments section below.

Oh, and if you're interested in MUSE for any reason whatsoever, you may want to keep an eye on its official website, muse-alone.com.

A few more words on Satoru Iwata's passing

I know. I should've returned this blog to its "regularly scheduled programing" by now. Actually, that was the plan--until I came across a couple of things today that prompted me to push that back yet again so I could ruminate once more on the passing of Nintendo's Satoru Iwata.

Actually, I think most people would be hard-pressed to describe the post I published yesterday about Iwata's untimely death (due in some way to the "bile duct growth" he first told the world about last year) as some sort of meditation.

In my defense, I was in shock. It wasn't the kind of horrific, gut-wrenching shock that hits you when someone truly close to you dies (or even nearly dies, as the case may be), but it was shock all the same.

So, I cobbled together a few sentences that let the world--or at least the minuscule segment of it that frequents this blog--that this seemingly kind and gentle business leader (I say "seemingly" because I obviously didn't know the man personally, so all I can go on is the persona he presented to the public) had died and also passed along a couple of his most noteworthy professional accomplishments.

What those sentences failed to convey were many of my own feelings on the matter. Of course, what are you supposed to say when someone you didn't really know passes away?

Yes, I respected him greatly, I thoroughly enjoyed watching him "host" many of the "Nintendo Direct" videos the company he led for the last decade-plus occasionally offered the Internet-enabled masses and poring over the many "Iwata Asks" interviews that allowed him to geek out with fellow game creators has become one of my most-cherished pastimes in recent years, but even then it feels strange to admit that I'm genuinely sad that he's no longer alive.

This morning, though, I came across the following farewell message that was penned by Shigesato Itoi, who worked side by side with Iwata to wrap up development of Mother 2 (EarthBound) in 1994, and its tenderness moved to such an extent that I couldn't help but share it here:

No matter the farewell, I think the most appropriate thing to say is “we”ll meet again.” We are friends so we”ll see each other again. There is nothing strange about saying it. Yeah. We’ll meet again. 

Even if you didn’t have the chance to put into words how sudden it was going to be, how far you’d be traveling, or how you went much earlier than expected, I know you went wearing your best. 

You always put yourself second to others no matter what, helping anyone who needed it whenever they needed it. You were that kind of friend. Although you may have been a little selfish for the first time ever by taking this journey. 

The truth is though that I still don’t believe any of it. I feel like I am going to receive a message from you inviting me out to eat at any moment. I wouldn’t mind if you were to ask me like always if I had some free time. Even still, I’d ask you as well. 

Still, “we’ll meet again.” It would be great to hear from you whenever and wherever; I’ll being calling to you too. I’ll call if I have something to discuss or I want to tell you a great new idea I’ve had. 

We’ll meet again.

Then again, you’re here with me now.

(Note: the text above was translated by kamedani.tumblr.com, while Itoi's original words can be read at 1101.com.)

R.I.P. Satoru Iwata

I had a different post, about a game that's sure to interest at least a few folks who frequent this blog but is far from important (especially in grand scheme of things), all lined up to be published today, but then I heard that Satoru Iwata, who has served as Nintendo's president since 2002, had passed away.

In light of that sad, shocking news, I decided to move things around a bit and instead publish this too-brief post about the man who has, along with Shigeru Miyamoto, personified Nintendo for the last 10 to 15 years.

All that's known about Iwata's untimely passing at the moment is what the company shared in a simple note on its Japanese website last night:



"Nintendo Co., Ltd. deeply regrets to announce that President Satoru Iwata passed away on July 11, 2015 due to a bile duct growth."

Iwata's career in the gaming world began long before he took the reins at Nintendo, of course. First he worked for HAL Laboratory and helped produce titles like Balloon Fight, Hoshi no Kirby (Kirby's Adventure) and EarthBound.



In 1993, 10 years after Iwata started at the Tokyo-based Nintendo affiliate, he was named its president.

Seven years later, he joined Nintendo to head up its corporate planning division, and in 2002, Iwata succeeded Hiroshi Yamauchi in the company's corner office.

With all of that said, I'd just like to reiterate the message that makes up this post's headline: rest in peace, Mr. Iwata. You will be missed, and you will be remembered.

#ADecadeofDS: Contact

Amount of time devoted to this game since I started playing it just over a month ago--Eleven hours, 31 minutes.

Most recent boss toppled, location reached or milestone achieved--I can't believe I'm making this comparison, but the last boss I remember conquering (there are surprisingly few in Contact) actually reminded me of that pink whale that sits in wait at the end of The New Zealand Story's first stage. Here, however, the entity that you're sucked into and forced to battle from within is an Egyptian pyramid.

The most recent location I encountered, though, clearly was a take on Tokyo's famous Akihabara district. A particular highlight of this area: some of the "enemies" found on its upper reaches included refrigerators and vacuum cleaners that had been imbued with life.

Overall comments on the experience so far--I don’t know about you, but I’ve always found it “interesting”—and I don’t necessarily mean that in a good way--to finally play through a game I’ve had my eye on for ages.

There are all sorts of reasons for that, of course, but a big one for me is that it’s far too common for my curiosity in long-ignored titles to grow to such an extent that I wind up considering them at least a bit of a letdown after I start playing them.

Has that been the case with my maiden voyage through Grasshopper Manufacture’s Contact so far? At risk of sounding wishy-washy, I have to sheepishly admit that the answer is: in some ways, yes, and in some ways, no. That said, I’ve found the 11 or so hours I've spent with this dual-screened adventure up to this point to be more positive than negative, which is all most folks are going to want to know (especially if they're trying to figure out if they should follow in my footsteps and play it or not).

Some of the things that have made it a satisfying experience: its dual art styles (one of which harkens back to games like EarthBound, while the other recalls more lushly illustrated 16- and 32-bit titles), its eclectic and appealingly video-game-y soundtrack, its rather cryptic story and its overall "feel." (In regard to that last bit, I simply have a blast moving the protagonist around Contact's many gorgeous environments.)

As for the few aspects that have had me, at times, wanting to hurl my 3DS against the nearest wall in anger, they would be Contact's fairly hands-off battle engine (although if you're like me at all, it'll grow on you over time), its stiff challenge and its stubborn dedication to being head-scratchingly obtuse. (Let's just say I've had to turn to GameFAQs on more the one occasion to figure out what I was supposed to do next or how I was supposed to defeat a boss.)

Do I wish some of the above-mentioned pitfalls had been fixed, or at least partially smoothed over, before this intriguing DS title was plopped onto store shelves? I guess you could say that. Still, I've enjoyed this undertaking quite a bit despite its sometimes-off-putting quirks, so it's hard to rail against them too mightily.

Will I continue to play this game in the coming days, weeks and maybe even months?--I sure hope so. Normally I'd offer up a solid "yes," and without hesitation, especially since I seem to be fairly close to the finale, but that's just what I said about My World, My Way--a game I liked more than I've liked Contact so far--as well as a few of the other DS titles I've recently played, so I know it's far from out of the question that I'll continue the trend (of not living up to these predictions) with this Rising Star Games-published effort.

Do I recommend it to others?--Oh, boy, this is a tough one. If you're the kind of person who generally gets a kick out of playing RPGs that attempt to do things differently, I think you'll at least find this adventure to be interesting--especially if you can nab a rather inexpensive copy of it. If you're not the genre's  biggest fan, though, or if the only Contact carts you come across cost more than $30 or so, I'd probably recommend spending your hard-earned cash elsewhere.

Next up--Bokujou Monogatari: Youkoso! Kaze no Bazaar e (known in other regions as Harvest Moon DS: Grand Bazaar) and Penguin no Mondai: Saikyou Penguin Densetsu!

See also: previous #ADecadeofDS posts

Out of this world: Nintendo's first Mother game finally earns an English release (via the Wii U eShop) as EarthBound Beginnings

I'm sure all, or at least most, of you have heard this news elsewhere already, but just in case you're among the handful who haven't: last night, Nintendo decided to shock everyone and drop an official English localization of the original Mother game on the Wii U's European and North American eShops.

This is the 8-bit precursor to the SNES game, EarthBound (known as Mother 2 in Japan), that has garnered quite the cult following in the two decades since it first hit North American store shelves in 1995, for those of you who are lacking a bit of knowledge about this series of wonderfully and endearingly odd RPGs.



Another morsel of info some of you may or may not know about Mother (aka EarthBound Beginnings): Nintendo translated the game into English shortly after it hit the streets of Japan (in 1989, for the Famicom), but its North American release was scrapped at the last minute in favor of its 16-bit sequel.

If you'd like to learn a bit more about this heretofore-unreleased NES title before handing over nearly seven of your hard-earned dollars for a digital copy of it, you may want to check out the trailer above or the message from series creator, Shigesato Itoi, that can be seen below (and here).



You also may want to check out a couple of previous posts I've published about this game--one of which features a few photos of Mother's fabulous box and cartridge, and one of which offers a glimpse at its similarly stellar instruction manual.

The only other thing I've got to say about this whole she-bang is that I sincerely hope the powers that be at Nintendo eventually decide to put EarthBound Beginnings on 3DS eShops around the world, too, as it would be a real shame if only Wii U owners got to experience it.

To whom it may concern: I'm finally spending some time with Contact (DS)

Almost two months after I announced I was putting my annoyingly titled #ADecadeofDS series on hold for a while (I know I said in that post it would only be back-burnered for a couple of weeks, but unfortunately life has intervened since then in a fairly aggravating way), I'm finally ready to return to it.

Actually, I returned to it first thing Monday morning, when I replaced the My World, My Way cart that's been stuck inside my trusty red OG 3DS for the last eight weeks or so with the Contact cart that I've been itching to play since I first picked it up just over two years ago.

In the meantime, I've put an hour and a half into this Grasshopper Manufacture-developed DS title--mainly while bussing to and from work each day. (Which means I should put a few more hours into it by the end of the week--and even more than that during the upcoming holiday weekend, especially since I'll be stuck in a car on more than one occasion.)

What do I think of it so far? My short and sweet response: I really like it. In fact, I think you could say I really, really like it--as along as you don't have an issue with me saying "really, really" in a blog post instead of something a smidge more descriptive.

In particular, I really, really like Contact's aesthetics--its surprisingly disparate graphics, especially. At first, I couldn't but but bemoan the fact that the entire game didn't utilize the pixel-y, EarthBound-esque look that depicts the professor's side of the story (not to mention screen).

After I let the experience settle a bit, though, my stance on the lower-screens more painterly approach to things softened to a pretty great extent, and now I'd even say I find it rather appealing. (Although I still prefer the decidedly 16-bit visuals used for the professor's portion of this charming-so-far adventure.)

I'm also fairly fond of what I've heard of Contact's tunes, although emphasis has to be placed on "what I've heard." Playing the game on a noisy bus, even with headphones, isn't the best way to get a feel for the quality (or lack thereof) of a game's soundtrack.

As for this title's story and battle elements, I'm enjoying the former more than the latter at the moment. Of course, the story's enticingly mysterious right now, and its penchant for breaking the proverbial "fourth wall" is proving to be both engaging and entertaining, so my current preferences probably shouldn't be all that shocking.

That said, Contact's battle scenes, which are of the hands-off variety in a way that brings Xenoblade Chronicles to mind, while somewhat boring at the outset, eventually become sort of interesting, if not entirely thrilling. Who knows, though, maybe there are some surprises in store for me in this regard that I've yet to experience.

Have any of you played this 2006 (2007, if you're Australian or European) release? If so, what did you think of it?

Look for more of my impressions of Contact early next week, by the way--in the form of my 10th #ADecadeofDS write-up.

See also: previous #ADecadeofDS posts

Just in case you haven't seen enough game and system photos as of late...

Please accept my apologies for the recent deluge of "photo posts." I'm a busy and stressed guy at the moment, and this is the easiest way for me to keep this blog up to date while also dealing with all of the stuff in my life that actually pays the bills.

Don't worry, though, I'll soon--as in, later this week--begin a month-long break from the certificate program that's been eating into my free time, and that will make playing and writing about games a lot easier (not to mention more enjoyable).

In the meantime, why not take a gander at the following photos, a few of which were published to my Flickr photostream in recent weeks, one of which was published to my Instagram account during the same timeframe and the rest of which have yet to be published anywhere.

The photo above was taken around the time I wrote my last "A Decade of DS" post, naturally. And, yes, I bought the European version of Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo Tales because I prefer its more minimalistic cover art to what the designers at Square Enix concocted for the North American release of the game. 

This photo, on the other hand, was taken shortly after I received my copy of Koei's Pop Cutie! Street Fashion Simulation and before I began playing it (for another of my recent "A Decade of DS" posts).

You may remember that I mentioned in my last post--about the beautiful light pink and white Vita that arrived on my doorstep just over a week ago--that I've already bought a retail Vita game, with the game in question being the original Danganronpa.

Why did I sit my copy of Danganronpa on top of my copy of Catch! Touch! Yoshi! for Nintendo DS? Because I wanted to show just how small the boxes of Vita games are--a fact that quite honestly shocked me during my first run-in with NIS America's highly acclaimed title.

In yet another recently published post, I blathered on about the Hobonichi Techo I picked up after landing my new-as-of-six-weeks-ago job. Although I included a whole bunch of photos in that post, I didn't include the one seen above, which showcases both the "Onett" (yes, of Mother 2 and EarthBound fame) cover and the Mr. Saturn pencil board I bought alongside this Japanese planner.

My "A Decade of DS" post about Maestro! Jump in Music may not have been as joyous as I expected it to be (before I actually played the game), but it still produced the snapshot shown above, which I originally shared with the world via Instagram.



Finally, this photo was nabbed shortly after my pal, Jess, bought and sent me the sparkly purple PSP-3000--more of that story can be read here--that seems to be itching to launch the wondrous Qix clone (kind of, but not really) that's known outside of Japan as Patchwork Heroes.

Did any of these photos stand out for you in particular? If so, why? Also, if you have a Flickr or Instagram or similar account that often highlights photos of games or systems, please let me know about it in the comments section below.

I will hug, and pet and squeeze my new Hobonichi Techo and call it Mother (or maybe Onett)

I've wanted a Hobonichi Techo ever since I first became aware of the existence of this popular Japanese daily planner--which is produced by Shigesato Itoi's company Hobo Nikkan Itoi Shinbun, aka Hobonichi--some time ago.

The Itoi connection is of the main reasons for my interest in this product, of course--hello, the man gave the world three of best video games ever in Mother, Mother 2 (EarthBound) and Mother 3--but another is I love that a culture of creativity and customization (for lack of a better phrase) has built up around these planners in the last few years.

So, in early January, when the "Onett" (yes, the same Onett that's found in Mother 2 and EarthBound) cover once again became available for purchase--it was sold out for a while at the end of 2014--I nabbed one.

Although it was left on my doorstep a few weeks ago, it took me until this past weekend to take some photos of it.

Before we get to my snapshots of the snazzy Onett cover, let's check out the similarly snazzy packaging that protected my Techo and related products as they made their way across the pond.

As nice as Hobonichi's packaging is, there's little question that it pales in comparison to the Onett cover (and associated components) that I mentioned earlier.

For example, check out the Mr. Saturn-branded "pencil board" (above) that was stuck inside my Onett cover. (You can slide this accessory under the page you're currently writing or drawing on to keep from marking the ones below it.)

As for the Onett cover, well, it kind of speaks for itself, don't you think? (It's showcased in the photos above and below this text, in case anyone missed that fact.)



Unfortunately, I haven't actually started using my Techo, so I can't yet share with you any cute, crude or otherwise creative doodles. (That's mainly what I'll be including in my planner, in case you're curious.)

As soon as that happens, though--and it should be soon, as I did a bit of "practice doodling" on random pieces of paper over the weekend--I'll photograph or scan my favorite concoctions and then publish them here, on Instgram, on Twitter and maybe even on deviantart.

My favorite games of 2014 (that were released before 2014)

As much as I enjoyed playing through the handful of titles discussed in yesterday's "favorite games of 2014" post, I found the ones addressed below--some of which were released in 2013 and some of which were released long ago--to be far more adventurous, unique and exciting experiences.

Attack of the Friday Monsters! (3DS)--One part "summer vacation sim" and one part rock-paper-scissors card game, this Kaz Ayabe-designed eShop title is the kind of release that causes some people to proclaim it the best thing since sliced bread (or the gaming equivalent, at least) and others to deride it as boring tripe. Can you guess which side I lean toward? Actually, I wouldn't call Attack of the Friday Monsters! a masterpiece, but it certainly deserves praise for providing the medium with a thoughtful and heartwarming story and for prompting feelings of nostalgia where they have no right to exist.

EarthBound (SNES)--Would you believe that I'd never "beaten" this classic RPG before this year? I'd played through bits and pieces of it before then, but none of those previous playthroughs got me even halfway through its story. I'm glad I finally got over that hurdle in 2014, as this is the rare digital adventure that somehow, someway gets more fascinating and thrilling with each and every step. In fact, I loved the time I put into Shigesato Itoi's second foray into the world of video games in 2014 so much that I'm considering devoting a similar amount of energy to it this year.

Final Fantasy Adventure (GameBoy)--Here's another game that I touched on as a teen but failed to complete until 2014. And just like the above-mentioned EarthBound, once I finally sunk my teeth into this portable endeavor I couldn't help but kick myself for not making my way through it earlier. Of course, it's kind of hard to believe I didn't make my way through it earlier, as it's basically a GameBoy-based precursor to Secret of Mana (which means it's equal parts Final Fantasy and The Legend of Zelda), a game that I all but offered my soul to in the early 1990s. Sadly, I still haven't seen Final Fantasy Adventure's credit roll, but I'm going to do my best to rectify that in 2015.

The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds (3DS)--Speaking of games that have prompted me to kick myself in 2014, a good part of me wishes I could go back in time and purchase A Link Between Worlds earlier than I did, as it really should have been among my "favorite games of 2013 (that were released in 2013)." Oh, well, better later than never, right? Anyway, A Link Between Worlds is the best, most refreshing Zelda offering I've encountered since I first obsessed over Ocarina of Time back in 1998. The highlight of this tightly produced package, in the opinion of yours truly: the combat, which feels so good that it's easy to forget you're nudging a circle pad and pressing buttons rather than actually racing around and swinging a sword with all of your might.

Slime MoriMori Dragon Quest 3 (3DS)--Considering how much I loved (more like frothed at the mouth over) Slime MoriMori Dragon Quest 2, aka Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime, it's almost unfathomable that I waited until just a few weeks ago to begin its 3DS-focused follow-up. That inexcusable feet-dragging can be blamed, at least in part, on this game's not-so-appealing aesthetics, although now that I've gotten used to them I can say without hesitation that they're less atrocious than they first appear to be. There are other flaws worth mentioning here, too, such as how Slime MoriMori 3's gameplay is nearly a mirror image of its predecessor, but none of them really matter thanks to the fact that the overall enterprise is just as fun as Square Enix's earlier effort.

Solitiba (3DS)--When I first heard that this Game Freak-developed eShop title would combine horse racing and solitaire, I was more than a bit disappointed. Granted, I was glad it wasn't going to be yet another Pokémon sequel or spin-off, but I wasn't sure this confounding mash-up would be a whole lot better. Boy, was I wrong. Every single element of Solitiba is so spot-on that the entire endeavor winds up being thoroughly entrancing. In fact, I've had a hard time putting it aside for other games since I started playing it a number of months ago--which goes a long way toward explaining how I could've put nearly 60 hours into it in such a short period of time.

Sweet Fuse: At Your Side (PSP)--To be honest, even after being convinced (by the overwhelmingly positive word of mouth attached to it) to pick up a copy of this portable visual novel, I wasn't at all sure I'd like it. My only prior experience with the genre involved playing through another PSP title, Hakuōki: Demon of the Fleeting Blossom, and while I found that game to be surprisingly fascinating, I worried it would be difficult to replicate those feelings with this seemingly less serious counterpart. I needn't have fretted, of course, because Sweet Fuse is every bit as captivating as Hakuōki, if not more so. I'm still not a fan of how such games basically force players to use a walkthrough if they want to wind up with the men of their dreams, but even with that "requirement" in place Sweet Fuse is well worth a look if you find its premise at all intriguing.

Honorable mentions: Etrian Odyssey IV (3DS), Taiyou no Tenshi Marlowe (GameBoy) and Zoo Keeper 3D (3DS)