A cute kiss of death: early-ish impressions of Uchu Shinshuchu for Nintendo Switch

If you've ever dreamt of playing an old-school action-platformer that has you kiss enemies rather than jump on or otherwise attack them, Uchu Shinshuchu may be the game for you. Or it may not be, as even after conquering 25 of its 51 stages I'm still teetering on the fence as to whether I like or loathe this digital Nintendo Switch title.

My main issue with Uchu Shinshuchu, which tasks players with saving the world from an alien invasion using the power of their puckered lips, is that you have to get really close to an enemy to kiss it. That would be fine if the game provided its protagonist (named Saturday-Chan) a life or health bar and flubbing a kiss resulted in damage rather than death, but it doesn't. As such, you die when you lean in to kiss an enemy but instead miss and run into it.

Uchu Shinshuchu's start screen

That said, I've come to (mostly) appreciate this mechanic. It's strangely... fitting? You generally need to be bold to kiss someone, after all. Well, boldness is required to succeed at Uchu Shinshuchu, too.

A second issue with Uchu Shinshuchu, which may be even more damning than the first one, is that there's no backtracking. If you get stuck on a particular stage, you need to beat it or start over from the very beginning of the game.

Uchu Shinshuchu's story is as wacky as its gameplay

That hasn't proven to be a huge problem for me yet, but what has proven to be a problem is getting stuck during a boss encounter. I'm currently on the game's fifth boss and having a devil of a time defeating him. So, I can either keep trying or give up.

On a related note, another of Uchu Shinshuchu's unique gameplay components has you "befriend" (for lack of a better word) all enemies you kiss. You can toss these so-called frenemies at their comrades to stun them, which then makes them easier to kiss and befriend.

Yes, you kiss enemies into submission in Uchu Shinshuchu

That's cool and at least somewhat useful during the game's regular stages. It's nearly useless during boss fights, though, as if you don't defeat a boss on your first try (and if anything you're like me, you won't), you can't make use of these tossable frenemies. Why? Because you lose your cache of captivated frenemies when you die.

As a result, you usually have to tackle Uchu Shinshuchu's bosses solo. Considering how close you need to get to kiss them, this can be a frustrating challenge. I have a feeling a lot of folks will quickly give up on the game because of this alone.

You'll see this message a lot while playing Uchu Shinshuchu

Which is too bad, as I otherwise like Uchu Shinshuchu quite a bit. Although I found the kissing "attack" off-putting at first, it's since grown on me to the point that I now view it as a pretty novel addition to the often-staid platformer genre. Also, the game has a nice, if simple, look to it and a peppy soundtrack that recalls similar offerings of yesteryear (think Mega Man and the like). It helps, of course, that I don't mind dying over and over and over again. On the contrary, it usually cracks me up. If it's likely to drive you mad, you should probably give the game a pass.

Speaking of buying or passing on Uchu Shinshuchu: I paid $2 for it. The game usually goes for $8. I wouldn't recommend buying it at full price. I'm fine with having spent $2 on it, but I doubt I'd be as happy if I'd spent $8.

See also: why The Cruel King and the Great Hero is a better bedtime story than it is a satisfying JRPG

10 Nintendo DS games I want to play in 2020

I don't know what got into me this year, but whatever it was pushed me to play more Nintendo DS games than I've played since the dual-screened system's heyday.

I'll chat about those DS titles in an upcoming post. What I want to discuss today are the DS titles I'm hoping to buy and play in 2020.

Again--I've heard this CiNG-developed game pales in comparison to the rest of the company's DS releases, like Trace Memory and Hotel Dusk, but I want to play it anyway. I've loved every other title it put out before filing for bankruptcy in 2010, including the aforementioned ones, so I think it would be only fitting for me to try Again, too--even if it proves to be a disappointment in the end.

The Dark Spire--Those of you who still follow the DS probably know why I've yet to play, or even buy, this Success-made dungeon-crawler. For the rest of you, the reason is complete copies of The Dark Spire go for a pretty penny these days. Still, it's intrigued me for so long that I'm planning to bite the bullet on it sometime in the coming year--bank account be damned.

Japanese cover art for The Dark Spire

Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings--For reasons I can't remember, I avoided nearly all of the Final Fantasy and Mana games Square Enix brought to the DS. (The sole exceptions: Final Fantasy III and Final Fantasy: The 4 Heroes of Light.) I guess the word of mouth on them must've been bad? Regardless, I've long thought they looked brilliant. Revenant Wings, especially. I have little idea as to how it plays, but that's rarely stopped me before.

Flower, Sun, and Rain--I bought this DS port of Grasshopper Manufacture's second-ever game (originally released in Japan for the PS2) shortly after it was discussed while recording an episode of The Nichiest Podcast Ever. In other words, it's been sitting on a shelf, sadly unplayed, for quite some time. Here's hoping I can make it the second Grasshopper-made game I've ever played--after another of its DS titles, Contact--as soon as possible next year.

Infinite Space--I've got to be honest here: I don't actually know much about this one. I know it was made (in part) by PlatinumGames. I know it was published by Sega. And that's basically it. OK, so I know it's set in space, too--hence the second part of its title. Whatever. I've heard and read such good things about Infinite Space that I couldn't help but buy it when it was reprinted a couple of years back. The current idea is to get off my butt and finally play it within the next 12 months. Fingers crossed.

North American cover art for Knights in the Nightmare

Knights in the Nightmare--Is it strange that I want to play this 2009 release even though I've never played any of Sting Entertainment's other "Dept. Heaven" titles? I suppose so. The thing is, I'm not the biggest GameBoy Advance fan in the world. (Gulp!) And though I love the PSP, I rarely pull mine out these days. In other words, it's unlikely I'm going to play the series' first two entries--Riviera: The Promised Land and Yggdra Union--anytime soon. So why not skip right to the more-accessible-for-me third (or fourth, according to the people who call the shots) entry?

Magical Starsign--Here's a game I bought after asking folks on Twitter to name some underappreciated DS titles. I'd always liked how it looked, but I'd also heard rumblings that it was boring. When a few of the aforementioned social-media acquaintances suggested otherwise, though, my wariness toward this Brownie Brown-developed role-player dissolved like a Kool-Aid packet into water. Helping matters: even new copies of Magical Starsign are fairly cheap at the moment.

Magician's Quest: Mysterious Times--You might think that, given my love of the Animal Crossing series, I'd have played this Konami-published knockoff by now. Well, I haven't. That's mostly because I've never liked its aesthetic, if I'm to be honest. Still, I'm in such a DS mood these days that I'm seriously considering games that previously failed to attract my interest. Magician's Quest may have to wait until late in the year to be played, however, as Animal Crossing: New Horizons is sure to take up all of my life-sim bandwidth from spring to autumn.

North American cover art for Mystery Dungeon

Mystery Dungeon: Shiren the Wanderer--Full disclosure: the only reason I don't already own this iteration of the vaunted Shiren the Wanderer series is its hideous North American box art (see above). Also, this isn't the kind of game someone like me is even going to attempt to play through in Japanese. (That region's cover illustration is leagues better than ours, naturally.) I'm going to push my prejudices aside, though, and nab a copy soon so I can see how it stacks up against the other Mystery Dungeon games I've enjoyed to date.

Nostalgia--This is another game I've waffled on buying for ages. Still, I'm thinking of flopping over to the "buy" side of things in 2020 for two reasons. One is that Red Entertainment, of Tengai Makyou fame, had a hand in making it. Another is that the similarly talented Matrix Software helped with its development, too. I have a feeling Notalgia won't live up to the pedigrees of either company, but I'm willing to take a chance on it anyway.

See also: '15 Nintendo DS games you should think about starting in honor of the system's 15th anniversary'

Bet you didn't see this one coming: Success is bringing a Touch Detective rhythm game to the (Japanese) 3DS later this year

Specifically, the game, to be called something along the lines of Osawari Detective Ozawa Rina Nameko Rhythm, will hit Japanese store shelves--hopefully both physical and digital ones--on Nov. 13 carrying a price tag of ¥4,800 (about $46).

My initial reaction to discovering this thrilling piece of news while checking out japanese3ds.com yesterday was, of course, to drop whatever I was doing so I could pre-order a copy.

Thankfully, that wasn't possible on any of the sites I regularly peruse (like amiami.com and play-asia.com), as upon watching the game's first trailer--which can be found here--this morning, I'm no longer so sure it would be a wise way to spend my hard-earned cash.

Naturally, it's possible I'll have a change of heart between now and when Osawari Detective Ozawa Rina Nameko Rhythm is released. In the meantime, maybe I should finally give the game that started it all--the first Touch Detective title for the DS--a try?

(Box art and other information obtained via japanese3ds.com)

Let's Play: 'Which Box Art is Best?' (Osawari Tantei 1, 2 1/2 and 3 edition)

I'm not entirely sure why I'm as interested in the Touch Detective (Osawari Tantei in Japan) series as I am. After all, my copy of the first game, released for the DS back in 2006, is still sealed, and I've yet to even buy its 2007 sequel.

I guess it's all due to the adorable protagonist, Mackensie (Ozawa Rina in Japan) and her just-as-adorable mushroom companion, Funghi.

Regardless, the series has me by the balls at the moment, at least to an extent. Which is why I'm publishing a post about the box art that's been produced for the first three Osawari Tantei titles (the last of which was unveiled late last week).

Speaking of which, here is the first Osawari Tantei's cover imagery:

And here is the second game's:

As for the cover art produced for the third game (the title of which translates to Touch Detective Rising 3: Does Funghi Dream of Bananas?), here you go:

This third entry in the Osawari Tantei series hits Japanese store shelves on May 1, by the way. Hopefully we'll hear about a Western release in the next few months.

And if we do, I promise I'll not only unwrap my woefully ignored copy of the first Touch Detective, but pick up the second one, too--and play both of them before the 3DS sequel lands on our shores.

In the meantime, I probably should state which of the three box arts seen above I like the best. My first thought is to go with the first one, due in large part to its simplicity. That said, I like the latest one, too--its soft colors, especially.

How about all of you? Do you prefer one piece of Osawari Tantei cover art over the others?

SHOCKING NEWS: Zoo Keeper 3D doesn't suck

I have to be honest here: I bought Zoo Keeper 3D expecting to be disappointed by it.

I know that doesn't make much sense--why would I go ahead and spend my hard-earned money on a game that I was pretty sure I'd dislike? Well, the thing is, I didn't think I'd completely hate it. I just thought it would pale in comparison to the series' first handheld release, 2003's Zooo, much like that game's DS-based follow-up did.

So, imagine my surprise when I started playing Zoo Keeper 3D a few days ago and couldn't stop. And not only couldn't I stop playing it, but I couldn't stop grinning while I was playing it.

What's so fun about this iteration of everyone's favorite zoo-themed, match-three puzzler? I've got two words for you: Encho Battle.

That's the name of my favorite Zoo Keeper 3D mode, for those of you who aren't in the know (and I'm guessing that's a good portion of you). In it, you battle to the death (or something like that) against the game's balding curator.

The general rules here are the same as they always are in these Bejeweled-esque titles: rid the game field of as many tiles as possible by placing three or more of the same design--in this case, different animals' faces--in a row.

What sets this mode apart from the others included in Zoo Keeper 3D is that here, getting rid of alligator, giraffe, monkey and panda tiles earns the player "offense" points, while doing the same to the elephant and hippo tiles earns you "defense" points.

As for why you need either of those things: at the end of every round (they only take a few seconds), you and the curator--I'm assuming his name is Encho--square off a la Punch-Out!! If he has more offense and defense points than you do, your health meter decreases. Allow it to dry up completely and it's game over.

Something I love about this particular mode: it means business. As in, I've played it about 25 times now (at least), and so far I've racked up just seven or so wins.

Speaking of challenges, the "Score Attack" mode included here is pretty tough, too. That may be because each game is limited to a single minute, though--as opposed to the six-minute games found in the other Zoo Keeper titles.

You can extend that a bit, but I have to confess that I'm not entirely sure how you do it. I've been able to eke out games that lasted a minute and a half and two minutes, but that's it--and I have no idea what I did to earn those extra, precious seconds.

Zoo Keeper 3D features a few other modes as well, of course, but I've yet to play any of them. If you want to know their names, there's "Normal Game" (traditional rules apply), "Tokoton" (rid the field of 100 of each animal), "Quest," "Puzzle" (which seems similar to games like Nazo Puyo) and "Friend Battle" (versus mode, basically).

Two last comments before I hit "publish": although Zoo Keeper 3D's soundtrack isn't as stellar as the one featured in the first Zoo Keeper, it far from sucks. (In fact, the tune that plays throughout each "Score Attack" battle is largely responsible for my continued attempts at this mode.) Also, the little animations that play out on the top screen (while the action takes place on the lower one--if you choose) are a lot cuter and a lot more interesting than they have any right to be.

See also: 'One of the many reasons I'm glad I finally picked up Zoo Keeper 3D: it comes with an actual manual'

One of the many reasons I'm glad I finally picked up Zoo Keeper 3D: it comes with an actual manual

After months of threatening to do so, I finally bought a copy of Zoo Keeper 3D--aka one of the most overlooked Japanese 3DS games around.

You may not realize or remember this, but I've long been a big fan of the first Zoo Keeper game, released for the GameBoy Advance as Zooo.

I like the DS version well enough, too, although not nearly as much as I like the GBA "original"--mostly because I consider the dual-screened iteration to be a smidge too easy.

My slight disappointment with the DS-based Zoo Keeper is what kept me from going ahead and picking up the Japan-only 3DS sequel until now, actually. I just couldn't shake the feeling that it would leave me feeling similarly let down.

I'm going to save my first impressions of Zoo Keeper 3D for a separate post that'll be published later this week (or early next), but I can share now that my initial fears were unwarranted.

Also, after playing it for a fair bit over the last few days I have to say I'm both shocked and saddened that Zoo Keeper 3D has yet to see the light of day outside Japan.

Gaining access to it via the eShop would be especially nice, in my opinion, as this is exactly the kind of game I'd like to have on my 3DS at all times.

Rather than obsess about this title's lack of a Western release, let's focus on its packaging and instruction manual and insert, which can be seen in the photos above and below.

Sadly, the manual I gushed over in this post's header isn't as fabulous as it could've been. Where are all of the adorable illustrations of the zoo's mustachioed curator that I expected to see, for instance?

Oh, well, at least the game's plastic wrapping came with a rather cute "10th Anniversary" sticker attached to it.

See also: 'For the ninth game of Christmas, the UPS man brought to me ...'

A few quick-and-dirty impressions of Osawari Tantei Nameko Daihanshoku (aka Touch Detective: Funghi's Big Breed)

Although I've been playing a wide range of games lately--turn your attention to the "Now Playing" section to the right for proof--the one I've been spending the most time with this week, surprisingly enough, is Osawari Tantei Nameko Daihanshoku (aka Touch Detective: Funghi's Big Breed).

Because this import-only 3DS puzzler hasn't been talked about much in this part of the world (or in any part?), I thought I'd share at least a few impressions of it here:

It's basically Zoo Keeper, with a couple of twists--If you've ever played Zoo Keeper, you've basically played Funghi's Big Breed. Well, kind of. The big addition to this game is that if you align four tiles in such a way that they form a square, something that looks an awful lot like a bodybuilder Funghi (that's the name given to the little mushroom characters in this game, by the way) erupts onto the screen and wipes out not only the tiles that started the whole thing but the 12 tiles that surround them, too.



Oh, and if you align four tiles in a row, a wolf-like Funghi zips across the screen and takes out the entire column of tiles to the left or right (or above and below, if the aligned tiles are vertical rather than horizontal). Anyway, both of these changes add a nice bit of zip and even drama to the experience and help differentiate Funghi's Big Breed from its predecessor.

Its art style is all sorts of awesome--Although the main reason I decided to buy Funghi's Big Breed earlier this year was that its gameplay apes (for the most part, at least) that found in Zoo Keeper, another reason was its darkly adorable art style. Plus, I have a sort of inappropriate affinity for the Touch Detective series' Funghi characters.



It's got a great, boppy soundtrack--For me to consider a puzzler "top tier," it has to have a soundtrack that makes you tap your feet while also making your pulse race. Funghi's Big Breed succeeds at accomplishing both--although I wouldn't have complained if the folks at developer Success had produced a few more tunes (as they did in Zooo, the GameBoy Advance/PS2 version of Zoo Keeper).

It's a bit lacking in terms of modes--My only real complaint with Funghi's Big Breed at the moment--well, besides the fact that I think I prefer Zoo Keeper's slower pace and more limited rule set--is that it's a little thin when it comes to the number of modes it offers players. There's a "simple" mode (where all possible "matches" are constantly visible), an "earnest" mode (possible matches only become visible at certain points) and a challenge mode (where players are tasked with meeting specific requirements, such as capturing a certain number of one kind of Funghi or creating a certain number of chains).



For me, the simple mode is too, well, simple, while I've never been a fan of challenge modes in such games, so the only one I'm making use of right now is the "earnest" mode. Although it's a lot of fun, I wish Success had thrown in a "time attack" or even "Tokoton" (collect 100 of a single type of Funghi, a la Zoo Keeper) mode as well.

So, there you have it--my impressions of Touch Detective: Funghi's Big Breed (aka Osawari Tantei Nameko Daihanshoku). Sorry a few of the bullet points above are on the long-winded side. Also, be on the lookout for an actual Great Gaymathon review of this game in the next few weeks.

See also: other posts about this import-only 3DS game

On Touch Detective 3's completely brilliant subtitle

I know I'm pretty late to this particular party, but I have an excuse: I was on a plane--a bus and then a plane and then a train and then another bus, actually--when the game was announced a few days ago.

This 3DS title's full and official name, by the way, is Touch Detective Rising 3: Does Funghi Dream of Bananas?

I'm not entirely sure why the folks at (developer) Beeworks and (publisher) Success decided to add "Rising" to the title, but I'm guessing we'll find out soon enough.

As for why I think its subtitle is brilliant: I love that it seems to be a parody of--or at least a riff on--Philip K. Dick's classic sci-fi novel, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?

Sadly, all that's currently known about the third entry in the Touch Detective series is the above-mentioned name and that it'll be released (in Japan, at least) sometime this year.

Here's hoping someone brings it--and maybe Touch Detective: Funghi's Big Breed, too--to western shores sooner rather than later.

By the way, if this post hasn't quite scratched your Funghi itch, you may want to check out Chic Pixel's post about the "Funghi x Lawson food and folder campaign."

(Illustration and photos nabbed from famitsu.com, obviously.)

A few more photos of Touch Detective: Funghi's Big Breed (3DS)

I'm not sure any of you are interested in seeing more of or hearing more about Osawari Tantei Nameko Daihanshoku, the Touch Detective-themed puzzler I recently bought for my criminally underused (so far) Japanese 3DS, but just in case some of you are I thought I'd share a few additional photos of it today.

For starters, here's a better shot of the game's cover art, which I think is pretty nice--although I have to admit that I find the five-pronged thingamabob in the center of the logo to be ... curious. (I can't be the only one who think it looks like some sort of alien sex toy, can I?)



Sadly, the art that appears on Osawari Tantei Nameko Daihanshoku's cartridge (below) isn't as cool. In fact, I'm not even sure what it's supposed to depict. Anyone have any ideas?

Oh, and here's the little sheet of stickers that come with every copy of Osawari Tantei Nameko Daihanshoku (aka Touch Detective: Funghi's Big Breed). I'm not entirely sure what I'm supposed to do with them, but I like them all the same--the one featuring the burly mushroom especially.

Finally, here's a shot of the back of the game's case. Sorry it's kind of washed out--it's been gloomy here lately and quite a bit of post-processing had to be done on the photo for it to be presentable.



That's about all I can say about this import-only puzzler at the moment, I'm afraid, as I haven't played enough of it to talk about modes and options and such. I'm planning to put it through its paces shortly, though, and once I do I promise I'll do my best to shed some light on the situation here.

See also: 'I can't decide if I should hug my mailman or hit him' and 'Kind of embarrassing admission: Osawari Tantei Nameko Daihanshoku is my most-anticipated 3DS title at the moment'

Let's Play: 'Which Box Art is Better?' (Touch Detective 2 1/2 edition)

I don't know if any of you care to know this, but I've got the Beeworks-developed, Success-published Touch Detective titles on the brain at the moment--mainly because of my obsession with the series' soon-to-be-released (for 3DS) puzzler spin-off, Osawari Tantei Nameko Daihanshoku (aka Touch Detective: Funghi's Big Breed).

I'll have a brand-spanking-new copy of Osawari Tantei Nameko Daihanshoku in my grubby little (big) hands shortly, by the way, so keep an eye out for a post on it--if you're at all curious about it, of course.

In the meantime, I thought I'd publish another "Which Box Art is Better?" post dedicated to this charming (or so I've been told--I've yet to play one myself) series.

Last time, I focused on the first Touch Detective title, so today we're going to focus on the second, which is known as Touch Detective 2 1/2 in North America.

Speaking of which, here's the illustration that appeared on Japanese copies of the game:

And here is the art that graced covers of the North American version:

European copies of the game featured the same illustration, although it was rather garishly (and horrifically, if you ask me) colored:

Which one do I like best? Well, I'm sure you've already surmised that I'm not a fan of the Euro box art. With that out of contention, I guess I'll have to choose between the Japanese and North American covers.

Although I quite like the Japanese version's soft, almost pastel, paint job, I have to go with the North American option this time around as I feel it's far more illustrative of the game's content. Also, I really like how the designer(s) at Atlus decided to put the main character's hand to good use in the logo.

That's just my opinion on the matter, though; what's yours?

See also: Previous 'Which Box Art is Better?' posts

Let's Play: 'Which Box Art is Better?' (Touch Detective edition)

I've got the BeeWorks-developed, Success-published (in Japan) Touch Detective series on the brain at the moment thanks in large part to my recently professed obsession with the soon-to-be-released (and soon-to-be-in-my-grubby-hands) 3DS-based spin-off, Osawari Tantei Nameko Daihanshoku.

As such, I thought it would be fun to write up another "Which Box Art is Better?" post that focuses on these portable point-and-click adventures.

To get things off to a proper start, here's the art that graced Japanese covers of the first Touch Detective game (known over there as Osawari Tantei: Ozawa Rina):

And here's the illustration that appeared on copies of the North American release:

The European version's box art isn't too different from its North American counterpart, but I'm sharing it here anyway due to the fact that it's more colorful.

Finally, the more-precious-than-it-has-any-right-to-be box art seen below was used for the Japanese budget re-release of the game:

Which one is my favorite? Well, right off the bat I can tell you the Euro art is my least favorite (mostly because I find it a bit garish).

Strangely, I think the budget re-release cover would top my list (if one were to exist), even with its yellow border and excessive use of text. That said, I like the original Japanese and North American versions quite a bit, too.

Which one do you gals and guys prefer (assuming it could be said that you prefer one at all)?

See also: Previous 'Which Box Art is Better?' posts

Kind of embarrassing admission: Osawari Tantei Nameko Daihanshoku is my most-anticipated 3DS title at the moment

Oh, and in case you didn't already know it, Osawari Tantei Nameko Daihanshoku is a match-three spin-off of Beeworks' Touch Detective series of portable point-and-click games.

As for why I'm looking forward to this Japanese 3DS title as much as I am at the moment: for the last week or so I've spent more time than I'd like to admit playing (what I'm pretty sure is) the Osawari Tantei Nameko Daihanshoku demo that can be found at mg.success-corp.co.jp.



I know what some of you are thinking after watching the trailer above: isn't it just a Zoo Keeper clone with a few added bells and whistles? Yes, but that's OK with me, as I've long been a fan of that puzzler's gameplay.

Plus, you can't go wrong with all of the cute-as-buttons--not to mention penile-esque--Funghi characters  that are packed into Osawari Tantei Nameko Daihanshoku. (My current favorite: the fuzzy pink ones.)

For the ninth game of Christmas, the UPS man brought to me ...

... a complete-in-box copy of the GameBoy Advance puzzler called Zooo.

Most of you likely know this game by another name: Zoo Keeper. For some weird reason, its name was changed to Zooo when it was released for GameBoy Advance and PlayStation 2 in 2003 and 2004, respectively. Also weird: Said ports were released only in Europe and Japan.

As for why I imported the GameBoy Advance version of the game and ignored the more-easily-accessible DS version of it: I've found (through playing both versions via emulation) that I prefer the increased difficulty present in the former iteration.

Plus, I'm on a bit of a GameBoy Advance kick at the moment, and I liked the thought of being able to play this game on that great little handheld.

See also: Previous '12 Games of Christmas' posts

It's that time of year again

And when I say "that time of year," I'm talking about the time of year when I spend way too much time searching for games that will put me in a Halloween mood.

Speaking of which, here are four "spooktacular" games--two of which I've played before and two of which I haven't--that I'm hoping will scratch that itch in the lead up to this year's All Hallows' Eve:

Cotton 100% (Super Famicom)--This Super Famicom-based shmup, developed by Datam Polystar and published by Success (or is it the other way around?) in 1994, stars a broom-riding witch who is obsessed with candy and who has to fly through all sorts of dark and dreary environs in order to collect a bunch of missing gems. Could there be a more perfect game to play during this spooky-and-sweet season?

Jigoku Meguri (PC Engine)--The point of this pixelated platformer, developed and published by the folks at Taito in 1990: To help a portly monk complete a perilous trek through hell. It all sounds suitably horrific, I know, but in reality said trek is more cuddly than creepy. Still, the game is more than spooky enough to earn a spot on this list.

Splatterhouse Part 3 (Mega Drive)--Originally, I planned to include Namcot's Spatterhouse 2 in this spine-chilling playathon. After reading some negative reviews of that title, though, I decided to include the series' third installment, released in 1993, instead--mainly due to the fact that "Part 3" is less linear than its predecessors and, as such, allows the game's Jason Voorhees-like protagonist to explore each stage.

Sweet Home (Famicom)--I played through a bit of this survival-horror RPG, released by Capcom in 1989, last Halloween, but regrettably put it away after the holiday vanished into the ether like a vampire at sunrise. I say "regrettably" because Sweet Home is one of the most terrifically tense Famicom titles I've ever played. Anyway, hopefully this year I'll stick with it long enough to see an ending screen.

See also: 'Halloween-ish HuCards (and CDs)'