My 3DS (and DS) Play Time stats for 2015

If you read through (or at least glanced at) the "favorite games of 2015" post I published a few days ago, you may have walked away from it with the idea that I didn't play a whole lot of games last year.

Although it's true that I spent less time on video games in 2015 than I did in the couple of years before, that's mostly because I got a "real" job (as in, one that requires me to go into an office every day) in January and that put a damper on my ability to play the many 3DS, DS, PSP, Vita and other titles in my possession.

The "misty pink" Japanese 3DS I no longer own

Still, looking at the list below--which I cobbled together after reviewing the "play time" stats gathered by my three 3DS systems--I'm pretty impressed I was able to devote as much time as I did to the following 3DS and DS titles.

(Note: if I could figure out how long I played Dokuro and Danganronpa on my Vita, or Undertale on my Mac, I'd include them here and broaden this post's focus a bit. Unfortunately, that doesn't seem to be possible.)

1. The Legend of Legacy--39:00
2. Harvest Moon: The Lost Valley--24:13
3. 999--21:41
4. Hotel Dusk--17:18
5. Fantasy Life--13:41
6. Contact--13:15
7. Rhythm Tengoku: The Best Plus--12:45
8. My World, My Way--10:09
9. Okamiden--8:37
10. Pokémon Picross--5:17

Bonus round: I also spent nine hours and 15 minutes with the Nintendo Badge Arcade and nearly five hours with the DS version of Chrono Trigger by the time last year came to a close. And since the calendar flipped over to 2016, I've put another hour-plus into the latter release.

A note for the handful of people who'll care: I'm putting my #ADecadeofDS posts on the back burner for a couple of weeks

Don't worry, this doesn't mean I'm leaving my #ADecadeofDS series in the dust. On the contrary, I'm only stepping away from it for a short while so that I can spend some more time with a few of the DS games that have really struck a chord with me over the last month or two.

Specifically, I'd like to experience a bit more of what Awatama, Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo Tales, My World, My Way and Okamiden have to offer.

Once that's out of the way, though, I plan to jump back into the fray by playing Contact, Mr. Driller: Drill Spirits, Pac-Pix and a whole slew of other intriguing DS games.

In the meantime, you may want to read through the #ADecadeofDS posts I've already published--about games like Awatama, Catch! Touch! Yoshi!, Chocobo Tales, Maestro! Jump in Music, Okamiden, Pop Cutie! Street Fashion Simulation, Taiko no Tatsujin DS and Zombie Daisuki.

#ADecadeofDS: Okamiden

Amount of time devoted to this DS game in the last week--Seven hours, 23 minutes.

Most recent boss toppled, location reached or milestone achieved--Defeated Bullhead in Agata Forest.

Overall comments on the experience--Although I've been keen on the Okami series (if such a thing can be said to exist) since it debuted in 2006, I'd only ever spent a handful of hours with the original PS2 title before I booted up Okamiden for the first time last weekend. That rather anemic playthrough took place a number of years ago, though, and I can only barely remember it today, so it may as well be said that I came into this DS follow-up with fresh eyes.

A week later, I'm flogging myself for failing to tackle the game earlier. Admittedly, it features a decent number of flaws--a dodgy frame rate, some oft-awkward controls and disappointingly constricted play fields among them--but on the whole, Okamiden offers up a rousing and beautiful adventure that's more than the sum of its parts.

It would be easy (and kind of lazy, too) for me to say that my favorite of Okamiden's many "parts" at the moment is its art style--which is, without a doubt, pretty darn stunning. In reality, though, the game's aesthetics are at least matched in my mind by its story and boss battles. The former can seem a bit trite at times, actually, but for whatever reason I've more often than not found it sweet and even touching. As for the latter, they almost always overstay their welcome, but they're also inventive and interesting--or at least the one's I've experienced so far have fit that bill.

Another highlight: getting to know and use the "Celestial Brush" that serves as the centerpiece of this portable, Zelda-like offering. Sure, the game's often a bit too willing to spell out for players when and where to utilize these stylus-enabled symbols, but thankfully that rarely seems to dent the unique appeal this gameplay element brings to the proceedings (especially the battle scenes, which otherwise would feel simplistic and repetitive).

Will I continue to play this game in the coming days, weeks and maybe even months?--Definitely, and hopefully all the way through to the end credits.

Do I recommend it to others?--Yes. Some may find the art style to be disorienting or even off-putting, but they're the only folks I'd even think of dissuading from playing this game.

Next up--Catch! Touch! Yoshi! (aka Yoshi Touch & Go)

See also: Introducing #ADecadeofDS

Introducing: #ADecadeofDS

A couple of weeks ago (in this post), I mentioned I was planning to start a new series in 2015 that would ape the #YearoftheGameBoy posts I published throughout 2014.

Well, I can tell you now that the series is going to be called #ADecadeofDS, and although it was inspired by the above-mentioned GameBoy-focused posts, it's also going to go in its own direction.

(On a related note, the #YearoftheGameBoy posts that I publish in 2015, which will utilize the updated hashtag #AnotherYearoftheGameBoy, will be altered to follow in the footsteps of these DS-centric ones. More on that in a couple of days.)

Specifically, for this series' posts, I'm going to do my best to play through all of the DS games I've bought in recent years but have not yet started or finished.

My goal isn't to finish or "beat" all of these games, by the way; my goal is just to spend as many hours as I can with them in a single week. For example, I'm going to play my recently acquired copy of Okamiden for as long as I'm able this week, and when the week is over, I'll work up a post that will detail how many hours I put into it, how far I got (if applicable), whether or not I'll continue playing it, whether or not I'd recommend it to others and more.

At the end of each of these #ADecadeofDS posts, I'll announce which game will serve as the focus of the following week's write-up.

Sound interesting? I hope so. And even if it doesn't, at least it'll prompt me to hack away at my mountainous backlog over the next 52 or so weeks.

Christmas comes early thanks to Justin Difazzio

Remember how, a couple of weeks ago, I devoted an entire post to the game-related items on my holiday wish list? (If not, you can read it here.)

The first blurb in that post focused on the handful of Japanese and North American DS titles I'd love to get as gifts--with Okamiden being one of the games in question.

Long-time reader and commenter Justin Difazzio apparently decided that particular portion of my list was aimed at him, as he promptly mailed his completed-and-now-just-collecting-dust copy of Capcom's portable sequel to Okami to me.



The copy in question arrived on our doorstep on Friday afternoon. Justin even wrapped the darn thing (see above) in some snazzy paper and included a rather adorable card inside the same package.



Here's a shot of the game in its unwrapped state. I'd kind of forgotten how nice its box art is. (Its Japanese box art is nice, too.)

I haven't started playing it yet, but I'll get to it shortly. (As soon as I wrap up Fantasy Life, which should happen in the next few days.)

In the meantime, I'd like to offer a heartfelt "thank you" to Justin for sending this wonderful (early) Christmas present and for being an overall awesome guy.

Not sure if want: Okamiden's North American box art

According to the folks at gonintendo.com, the following art will grace the cover of Capcom's Okamiden when it's released stateside this coming spring:

For comparison's sake, here's the DS game's Japanese cover:

Although I don't hate the North American art, I don't exactly like it either. Of course, I'd buy the game even if its cover featured nothing but a steaming pile of Chibiterasu poo.

(Via gonintendo.com)

Now, *this* is what I call viral marketing

The folks at Capcom USA recently took to the streets of New York City in an attempt to raise awareness about the release of Okamiden.

Will the following poster prompt New Yorkers to run out and purchase a copy of this chibi-fied Okami sequel when it's released stateside in late March? I'm not sure, but who really cares when it's so darn cute?

I especially like the part (on the right) that reads, "Likes: the sun, painting [and] peanut butter."

Pre-order: Okamiden

A tale of two trailers

During its recent Captivate 2010 event, Capcom unveiled new, English-enabled trailers for two of its upcoming DS releases: Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective and Ōkamiden..

Here's the one for Ōkamiden:



(The one for Ghost Trick can be seen here.)

According to those in the know, Ghost Trick will see a Western release later this year, while Ōkamiden won't be heading stateside until sometime in 2011 (though it'll hit the streets in Japan by the end of 2010).

See also: 'Ghost Trick's box art is kind of kinky (and a little bit gay)' and 'Ōkamiden one step closer to being released in Europe and North America'