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

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.

Shall We Do It? (Coming Out on Top, Fantasy Life, Harvest Moon: The Lost Valley and Slime MoriMori Dragon Quest 3)

The first eight days of 2015 have been a bit tumultuous for me, I've got to say, but thankfully that hasn't kept me from putting a good amount of time into the handful of games that are named in the header above.

(I've also been working on my weeklong not-quite-playthrough of Okamiden, of course, but you'll have to wait until Monday to read my thoughts on it.)

Anyway, as is par for the course for these "Shall We Do It?" posts, here are a few impressions of the titles that have hogged my attention since the holiday season came to an end.

Coming Out on Top (Mac)--For the longest time, this gay dating sim completely avoided pinging my radar. Eventually, though, I noticed that its official NeoGAF thread was getting a lot of action (pun intended) and so decided to see what was causing all the hubbub.

Two playthroughs later, and I can report, without hesitation, that Coming Out on Top is a blast if you're into visual novels that drop you into the trousers of a cute college boy and then let you, well, get into the trousers (eventually, at least--assuming you do and say the right things) of other cute guys.

As is typical of the genre, you're probably going to have to turn to some sort of walkthrough if you want to nab some of these studs, but if you can get over that hump you'll likely get a kick out of it.

A couple of highlights for me so far: the ability to modify, on the fly, the facial and body hair of each of your potential paramours; the amusing and clever writing; and the surprisingly effective sex scenes.

Fantasy Life (3DS)--Last time I published one of these posts, I mentioned that I'd finished this RPG's main story. In the ensuing two or so weeks, I've chiseled away at its post-game adventure, the bulk of which takes place in a unique locale called "Origin Island."

That journey got off to a rather bumpy start, I'm sad to report, thanks to the fact that Fantasy Life's overt chattiness continues well into its bonus content. Once I finished skipping through all of that blather, though, it wasn't long before I was back to giddily bashing baddies with the best greatsword I could get my hands on (or make myself, as a blacksmith).

The DLC pack adds a bunch of new areas, enemies, materials and even pets to the proceedings, by the way, so it's well worth buying if you enjoyed the main campaign.

I've now spent just over 90 hours with the game, in case you're wondering, which means I've put more than 15 hours into the add-on content alone. Not bad for $9, if you ask me.

Harvest Moon: The Lost Valley (3DS)--Although I got this controversial cart for Christmas, I failed to get past its title screen until yesterday. I've only devoted about two hours to it since then, but even that brief foray was enough to make me wonder if maybe this game isn't as bad as it's been made out to be (by my Nichiest Podcast Ever cohort, shidoshi, among many others).

The Lost Valley certainly looks better than I was expecting it to based on screenshots, though that doesn't mean I consider it to be a visual standout among 3DS titles. I'm also finding its gameplay to be acceptably entertaining this far, so it'll be interesting if that holds true after I've devoted a bit more time to it (which I'm planning to do tonight and this weekend) or if my attention and affection will deteriorate to some degree.

Slime MoriMori Dragon Quest 3 (3DS)--Sadly, I've barely given this Rocket Slime sequel any love in the last week or so, although I made some good progress on it early on in the new year. I'm now out on the open seas, tracking down new lands to explore and taking on any and all enemy ships that attempt to trip me up along the way.

That's one of the few ways in which Slime MoriMori 3 differs from its predecessor (the game known outside of Japan as Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime), by the way; rather than offering players more of the fairly infrequent tank-on-tank battles that were present in the series' second game, this third title ups the ante and not only increases their number (and switches them from tanks to ships, obviously) but also makes them more random, which I have found to be a welcome addition to the Slime MoriMori formula.

Another nice change of pace: it's possible to alter and upgrade your ship this time around, although I've yet to acquire the materials needed to accomplish that feat (or if I have, I've failed to figure out how to make use of them).

Although I've got plenty of other games on my plate at the moment, I'm going to do what I can to make sure Slime MoriMori 3 retains a spot on it for some time to come, as it's nearly as enticing as the DS title that came before it and that ended up being one of my all-time favorite games for the system.

See also: previous 'Shall We Do It?' posts

Here's how I spent my 2014 (3DS edition)

In case any of you are wondering: no, I won't be publishing other editions of this "series," as none of the other systems I used in 2014 were capable of recording how many hours I spent playing games on them.

At any rate, here's how much time I spent playing various 3DS games in 2014 (as per the "Activity Log" files on my Japanese and North American systems):

• Tomodachi Life ... 127:43
• Bravely Default ... 99:45
• Fantasy Life ... 88:08
• Etrian Odyssey IV ... 59:20
• Solitiba ... 57:30
• THE "DENPA" MEN 3 ... 42:19
• The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds ... 20:30
• Yoshi's New Island ... 12:31
• Super Mario 3D Land ... 12:10
• Rusty's Real Deal Baseball ... 6:30

The only "results" that surprised me were Etrian Odyssey IV and Rusty's Real Deal Baseball, as I had no idea I spent so much time with either title. Also, I'm kind of shocked I've yet to put more than six hours and 30 minutes into Slime MoriMori Dragon Quest 3. I guess that means I have to devote a bit more time to it in the coming days and weeks.

One last tidbit some of you may find interesting: apparently I spent just over 580 hours playing 62 "titles" (which includes the eShop, Activity Log and other apps, by the way) on my pair of 3DS systems in 2014.

Now that I've shared how I spent my 2014 (in regard to 3DS gaming, at least), please feel free to share how you spent yours in the comments section of this post.

My favorite games of 2014 (that actually were released in 2014)

If we're going to be honest here (and why wouldn't we be?), I'm far from the ideal person to write a post such as this.

Unlike a lot of folks, I'm not all that interested in the "next gen" consoles (as opposed to handhelds) that tend to dominate online gaming discussions these days, plus I spend at least half of my annual games budget on retro titles and systems.

Still, I've played through good number of games this year, so I'm publishing a pair of posts that focus on the handful I've enjoyed the most. Today's post covers titles that actually were released in 2014, while tomorrow's will cover those that were released earlier.

One thing to keep in mind as you review this particular write-up: I played zero Vita games this year--because I still don't own a Vita system, although I can guarantee that will change shortly--and I failed to play a number of highly acclaimed 3DS games that hit the streets in in the last 12 months, including Kirby: Triple Deluxe, Persona Q, Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney and Shovel Knight (although all of these take up space on my lengthy "wish list").

With that out of the way, let's get to some blurbs about my favorite games of 2014 (that actually were released in 2014):

Bravely Default--This Square Enix-made stunner, released early in the year in my neck of the woods, ably straddles the line between being an old-school RPG and a next-gen one. On the old-school side of things, there are the random, turn-based battles and the chibi character designs that harken back to the 8-bit and 16-bit Final Fantasy titles (as well as The 4 Heroes of Light spin-off, of course), while on the next-gen side there are the bevy of combat options (one of which allows players to avoid enemy encounters or otherwise alter how often they pop up), the online and multiplayer components and the surprisingly well implemented use of augmented reality. If you've read anything about Bravely Default, you're likely already aware of the fact that the second half of the game's story is a bit controversial (to put it mildly), and while it unquestionably deserves the criticism, I have to say that, for me, most of the related annoyance was forgotten following the final battle, the credit roll and what came after that--to the point that I'm pretty sure I'll willingly put myself through it all again (maybe more than once) in the not-so-distant future.

Fantasy Life--I don't know about you, but I've long been one of those gamers who want to wander off the beaten path in an RPG while in the shoes of something other than a sword-wielding warrior. Specifically, I've wanted to boot up a role-playing game that let me spend time as a shop owner or a weapon maker or even an inn keeper. Fantasy Life promises some of that and more--to an extent. On offer in this 3DS title are 12 different "lives" (jobs, basically) that allow players to act as miners, woodcutters, blacksmiths and cooks. As I'm sure you can imagine, some of these professions are more engaging than others. For me, angler, miner and woodcutter have proven to be the most fun so far, although I've also enjoyed the time I've spent as a blacksmith and carpenter--despite the fact that the latter pair's focus on repetitive and too-similar mini-games is sure to get on the nerves of some gamers. That's one area I hope is improved upon should a sequel ever see the light of day. Other than that, there isn't much wrong with the current iteration, as its art style is the stuff of childhood dreams, its gameplay is more entertaining than it has any right to be and its soundtrack ties all of the above together before topping it with a pretty bow.

Tomodachi Life--Following its Japanese release in 2013, the word on the Internet was that Tomodachi Life was a shockingly alluring mixture of Animal Crossing and The Sims. Although those folks were right on the money in attaching Electronic Arts' life-sim series to this similarly themed 3DS release, they were pretty far off the mark in adding Nintendo's animal-packed fave. That's because Tomodachi Life is all about populating an island-locked apartment building with family members, friends, celebrities and more and then watching them get into all sorts of wacky situations. The experience is more interactive than that description makes it sound, thankfully, but it has to be said that interactivity isn't the name of the game (pun intended) here. No, the point of Tomodachi Life is to revel in the hilarity of it all--and mark my words, it's often pretty darn hilarious (or at least that was my impression during the 100-plus hours I spent with it this past year).

Woah Dave!--It's pretty telling that this 3DS eShop game (iOS, Mac and PC versions also are available, and PS4 and Vita versions are on the way) has been available for just a couple of months and yet it still managed to make this list. Given my nearly lifelong love of simple, pick-up-and-play titles like Bubble Bobble, Donkey Kong and Ms. Pac-Man, though, I guess its inclusion here shouldn't be too shocking. Speaking of the afore-menitoned games, the developers responsible for Woah Dave! looked past them and toward Nintendo's original Mario Bros. for inspiration instead, which was a pretty genius move, in my humble opinion. After all, that sewer-centric platformer has been begging for some sort of modernist update for ages now. My only issue with this otherwise-enthralling affair: the titular Dave and his abstract adversaries are nowhere near as appealing as Mario, Luigi and their quarter-munching co-stars. Thankfully, you probably won't even notice, as if you're anything like me you'll be too busy scurrying about in an attempt to stay alive and nab as many coins as you can while you're at it to notice the humdrum character designs.

Honorable mentions: Coming Out on Top (PC/Mac), THE "DENPA" MEN 3 (3DS), Tappingo 2 (3DS) and Yoshi's New Island (3DS)

Shall We Do It? (Fantasy Life, Pinch 50, Slime MoriMori Dragon Quest 3 and Woah Dave!)

The last month or so has been so busy for me that I haven't had as much time as I would've liked to play games. Thankfully, things calmed down quite a bit this past weekend, and I took full advantage of the solitude to spend some quality time with the following four 3DS titles:

Fantasy Life--Would you believe that after 76 hours of play, I've finally finished this Level-5 RPG? Or, rather, I've finished its main campaign. I bought the game's day-one "Origin Island" DLC just before Thanksgiving, and I've yet to play--let alone conquer--it, but let's put that aside for the moment. (Plus, we are talking about post-game content here, so it's not like it negates my claim that I've completed the main part of the game.)

So, what are my near-final thoughts on this massive adventure? Well, for starters, I'd say it's easily one of the funnest, most engaging games I've played in 2014. That's mainly because of its MMO-esque gameplay, I have to say, although its job-swapping hook played an important role, too.

Speaking of Fantasy Life's job-swapping hook, my favorite jobs (or "lives," if you will) so far are the three "gathering" ones: angler, miner and woodcutter, though I'm also pretty fond of the blacksmith and carpenter ones. (Sadly, I've completely ignored the alchemist, cook, paladin or tailor professions up to this point.)

In less positive news: I still find this game's obsession with text to be annoying, and I worry that it's going to be the one thing that keeps a good chunk of folks from enjoying the experience as much as they otherwise would. Thankfully, it's limited to a quarter or less of the overall adventure. Most of the time, you're free to run around and fight beasts or gather resources, so keep that in mind if you're having a hard time with the wordiness of it all.

Anyway, I'm going to do my best to complete the aforementioned "Origin Island" DLC content as soon as possible, but don't be surprised if it takes me a while, as I'm pretty sure one of the other games discussed in this post (Slime MoriMori Dragon Quest 3) is going to take over my life for the next few weeks.

Pinch 50--I purchased this Japanese eShop title last month, but I barely played it until a couple of days ago. Which probably was for the best, as it's likely this game only would've added to the stress I was dealing with between then and this past weekend. That's because Pinch 50, made by Masanobu Endō (creator of classics like The Tower of Druaga and Xevious), is so masochistic it gives similar efforts like 1001 Spikes and Spelunky a run for their money.

Before you get the wrong idea, Pinch 50's gameplay is a thoroughly different beast than that found in the aforementioned pair of titles. In fact, Endō's game is remarkably similar in feel (and look) to that old Activision Atari 2600 classic, Pitfall, although Pinch 50 is about ten times tougher than the game that surely inspired it.

That's all I'll say for now, as I've only beaten the first 11 of this digital title's 50 stages as of last night. (Oh, and I died about 20 times while trying to finish one of the latter stages, with my giddy giggles rising in volume with each death.)

Slime MoriMori Dragon Quest 3--As I mentioned in Monday's post, I've had a copy of this Dragon Quest spin-off for more than a year now. Sadly, it's done nothing but sit in a drawer ever since--until this past Saturday, I mean. Now that I've started it, though, I have a feeling I won't stop until I've finished it--or until I've gotten so hopelessly stuck (or lost) that I give up on it. That's how much it's got me by the short and curlies at the moment.

Oh, sure, it isn't the best looking 3DS game in the world (the low-quality polygonal backdrops are far less appealing than the sprite-based ones found in this game's GameBoy Advance and DS predecessors), its soundtrack features a ton of tunes that also appeared in the first two Slime MoriMori titles and its gameplay isn't all that different from the second one (known as Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime in North America), but none of that has kept it from being a thoroughly thrilling affair.

One new element in Slime MoriMori 3 that's really impressed me so far is its watery overworld, which is traversed by ship. It kind of recalls the sailing sections of The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, although this 3DS game's ship-centric action is far less annoying and monotonous than what's found in that GameCube effort.

Also, the boss battles in Slime MoriMori 3 have proven to be surprisingly entertaining thus far, although I've only experienced three of them to this point. (Oh, and they make great use of the stereoscopic 3D technology packed inside the 3DS, with most of these encounters featuring impressive pop-out effects.)

Should folks who can't currently play this Rocket Slime sequel be upset that it's failed to make it to their respective region? I'm not sure, to tell you the truth. Although I'm having a lot of fun with it at the moment, it's so similar to the aforementioned DS title that I don't think you're missing out on a whole lot by not having easy access to the 3DS iteration.

Woah Dave!--Is this eShop game still on sale (in North America, at least) for just 99 cents? If so, I'd highly and heartily recommend nabbing a copy of it as soon as you're able.

Normally, I'd attach a little disclaimer--such as, "if you like single-screen platformers that feature old-school graphics and twitch-y gameplay"--to a recommendation like the one above, but in the case of Woah Dave!, I'm pretty confident that almost anyone who owns a 3DS (or a PC or smartphone) will get a kick out of this game.

Should you require some sort of description of its gameplay before handing over your hard-earned 99 cents to this title's developers, does "it's like the original Mario Bros. on speed or 'shrooms--or both" suffice?

Even if it doesn't, do yourself a favor and pick up some version of this trippy soon-to-be-classic. It won't disappoint.

Shall We Do It? (Fantasy Life, Final Fantasy Explorers Light and Solitiba)

There's a reason I haven't published one of these posts in some time. (Not since Oct. 14, in fact.) Actually, there are two reasons, with one being the North American 3DS title, Fantasy Life, and the other being the Japanese 3DS eShop title, Solitiba.

Although I've put far more time into the former than the latter in the last month and a half, I've gotten such a kick out of playing both of them that no other game has been able to steal my attention away from them.

Well, that's not completely true. I forced myself to download the Japanese demo of Square Enix's Final Fantasy Explorers (called Final Fantasy Explorers Light) a weekend or so ago, after all, and even gave it a few plays before stuffing it into a folder somewhere and moving back to Fantasy Life and Solitiba.

Anyway, keep reading if you'd like to read a few more of my thoughts on this trio of 3DS games.



Fantasy Life--You want to know how completely this recent Level-5 release has me wrapped around its finger? I've put 76 hours into it so far, that's how completely.

Actually, I probably should've said "had" rather than "has" in the sentence above, as I haven't booted up Fantasy Life since I played it for about four hours while flying from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to Seattle last Friday. Don't worry, I'll get back to it shortly. After all, I've loved pretty much every minute of it so far--and I've spent a lot of minutes with it.

I've accomplished a lot during all those minutes (and hours) of play, of course, although I've yet to finish the game's main story. I believe I'm nearly there, though, so expect me to wrap it up between now and the next time I publish one of these posts.

The fact is, though, that most of what Fantasy Life has to offer people happens outside the confines of its main story--or, rather, happens while the main story is "on pause," so to speak. In my case, for instance, the majority of my experience with the game has been spent leveling up various "lives"--to the point that I've now spent a good amount of time with eight of the 12 jobs included here. (All of them have been brought up to "Hero" level except blacksmith, which is only up to "Master.") My favorites at the moment: archer and angler, I think, although I honestly get a kick out of all of them.

I still find Fantasy Life's verbose nature to be a bit annoying, by the way, but it's easy enough to skip through all of the blather, so don't worry about it too much if you're on the fence about buying the game.



Final Fantasy Explorers Light--Although I downloaded this demo of Square Enix's upcoming Final Fantasy spin-off (for the 3DS) as soon as it was uploaded to the Japanese eShop, I put off playing it until a couple of days ago due to the fact that I've been luke warm (at best) on its art style ever since I first laid eyes on it a few months back.

Which is a shame, as now that I've spent some time with the game and seen its graphics in motion, it really doesn't look all that bad. It also doesn't look stellar, mind you, but it looks better than I thought it would based on my first impressions.

As for the gameplay, all I've gathered so far is that it's quest-heavy--it's similar to the Bravely Default demo, in that regard--and vaguely Monster Hunter-esque, although I hesitate to say the latter as Final Fantasy Explorers seems a lot less strategic than Capcom's money-maker.

I'm going to play Light for a little longer before making a decision about the full game, but I've got to admit that at the moment I'm leaning toward not picking it up--assuming Square Enix even bothers to release it in North America. (Because there's no way I'm importing and playing through the Japanese release.)

In a way, I kind of hope the remainder of my time with Light prompts a change of heart, because for some weird reason I really want to like it--even with its questionable art style. Why couldn't the artist responsible for, say, the original Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles have worked on this sucker?



Solitiba--I actually stepped away from this (sadly) Japan-only offering after putting about 35 hours into it. Not because I was tired of it, mind you, but because my copy of Fantasy Life arrived and I was just a bit more desperate to play it than I was to continue playing Solitba.

Now that I'm taking a bit of a breather from Fantasy Life, though, I have plenty of "brain bandwidth" to devote to Solitiba again.

In case you haven't gathered already, this is one of those games that latches onto you and refuses to let go without a proper fight. I guess that could be due to the fact solitaire is such a prominent part of it--and solitaire's right up there with games like Tetris when it comes to sucking you in and wasting more of your time than you thought it would, although of course it could be argued that one is a bit less exciting than the other--but I don't think that's entirely what's going on here.

No, I think the real reason Solitiba is so easy to pick up, and so hard to put down, is that all of its elements--the solitaire portions, the horse-racing segments, the magnificent art style, Game Freak's "golden touch"--combine and conspire to produce a whole that's far more enticing than the sum of these aforementioned parts.

As a result, I really hope the folks at Game Freak--or Nintendo, or some other publisher--are toiling away on English and other language versions of Solitiba, because I honestly consider it to be a gem that people all around the world, and not just those in Japan (or those, like me, who own Japanese 3DS systems), should be given an chance to experience.

See also: previous 'Shall We Do It?' posts

Hold on to your hats, ladies and gents--a new episode of The Nichiest Podcast Ever is here

Can you believe it? The Nichiest Podcast Ever is back, and only four months have passed since its last episode appeared, fully formed, as from the head of Zeus (or something like that), on the World Wide Web.

OK, so four months actually is kind of a long time. Still, there have been far bigger gaps between Nichiest Podcast Ever recordings than that in the past, so I guess we (Anne, shidoshi and myself) shouldn't be too hard on ourselves.

Anyway, as is typically the case, the three of us cover the niche-gaming gamut in this particular 'cast. Among the topics of discussion: shidoshi's experience at this year's Tokyo Game Show, all of our impressions and opinions of the just-released (in some parts of the world) PlayStation TV and new 3DS systems and the miraculous appearance of Vib Ribbon on the North American PlayStation Store.

We also chat about Solitiba (aka Soliti Horse), Mini Metro, Fantasy Life, Bayonetta 2 and Banshee’s Last Cry, a Chunsoft-made "sound novel" that began life (in the mid-1990s) as a Japan-only title--for the Super Famicom, PlayStation and GameBoy Advance--but earned a worldwide iOS release earlier this year via Aksys Games. Can you guess which ones I personally talked up?

Should any of you want to give it a listen, you can do so via iTunes or radio.morningproject.com.

Also, some of you may be interested to hear that, moving forward, the three of us are looking to record a new episode on the first Tuesday of every month. Here's hoping we're actually able to stick with that plan.

See also: 'Five reasons it's a shame Game Freak hasn't yet released its quirky 3DS eShop title, Solitiba (aka Soliti Horse), outside of Japan' and 'I've spent two weeks with Fantasy Life (3DS) and here's what I think of it so far'

I've spent two weeks with Fantasy Life (3DS) and here's what I think of it so far

The copy of Fantasy Life I pre-ordered months ago and have longed for ever since has been in my hands--or, rather, crammed inside my pink-and-white 3DS XL--for just about two weeks now.

In those 15 or so days, I've spent more than 45 hours with this Level-5-made title. (In fact, nearly 12 of those 45 hours occurred during my first weekend with the game.)

Given that, you might assume I consider Fantasy Life to be the greatest thing since sliced bread (or whatever the gaming equivalent of that would be). It's not, of course. Oh, it's a pretty stellar game overall, no doubt about it, but it's also got its share of flaws--with its sluggish start and subsequent wordiness being the two biggest.

My character, Lenna, early on during my playthrough.

Aside from those unfortunate niggles, though, I've found Fantasy Life to be an absolute joy to play thus far. As for why that is, here are what I hope to be a few pertinent thoughts:

Job number one--There's no question that, for me, the main draw of Fantasy Life was its vaunted job system. Specifically, the ability to spend my time in this game as a blacksmith or carpenter or cook--or all three, along with any of its other nine occupations--was something I considered too enticing to pass up. And you know what? Doing just that is even more fun than I thought it would be. Granted, some of the jobs aren't entirely what you may have imagined them to be--as a cook, you don't really help run a restaurant, for instance--but even so they're quite a bit of fun. (Note: I've only worked on five "classes" so far: angler, blacksmith, mercenary, miner and woodcutter--though I plan on trying out carpenter, hunter and tailor this weekend.) The best part, in my humble opinion, is that whenever you tire of one occupation, you can simply switch to another until you're ready to give the original one another shot.

Fishing is, by far, my favorite "job."

How can they be baddies if they look so goodie?--I doubt anyone is going to describe Fantasy Life as the most attractive 3DS game they've ever come across, but that doesn't mean it's not pretty darn easy on the eyes. That's especially true of the multitudes of enemies that players encounter while traversing its overworld. A healthy percentage of them wouldn't be out of place in a Dragon Quest game--and I mean that in the best possible way. Lumbering dragons, loping panthers, swooping owls and even shuddering trees (palm trees, in fact) abound, and all of them are admirably--and amusingly--constructed and animated. (One of my favorites is the blue bear who cartoonishly pirouettes upon being slain.) Oh, and the many men and women (and other creatures) who tend to accompany players on their journeys are similarly impressive from both a design and animation standpoint.

Although I also enjoy exploring caves.

The soundtrack of my life--Although I'm sure renowned composer Nobuo Uematsu has his detractors, I've never been one of them. As such, it shouldn't be too surprising to hear me say that I'm fairly enamored with Fantasy Life's soundtrack. The tunes that resonate with me most are those that are subtle and atmospheric--like the shimmering one that kicks in at the top of Mount Snowpeak or the one that's present while exploring Cacto Cove. The rousing, bombastic ones--like the jaunty overworld and boss-battle themes--are nice, too, don't get me wrong, but I tend to prefer the softer, more lyrical ones.

I told you I like fishing.

Whack-a-mole? More like whack-everything-in-sight--Another area of Fantasy Life that's really dug its claws into me so far is its battle system. Actually, it feels kind of funny to call what's present here a battle "system," as it isn't all that different from what's found in games like The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds (or A Link to the Past before it). Still, the combos and charged attacks that are included in Fantasy Life add just enough depth to the proceedings for them to seem fresh and fun--or at least keep them from seeming like brainless hack-and-slash affairs. Anyway, all that really needed to be said here is that, even after more than 40 hours of play, I still get a kick out of fighting this game's enemies--and that's not something you can say about a lot of RPGs these days.

Easily one of the prettiest areas of the game.

I know the above doesn't cover all that Fantasy Life has to offer, but I hope it covers enough to give interested parties an idea as to why I've enjoyed the game so much to this point--and why I'm not planning on putting it away anytime soon.

I'll do my best to share additional thoughts in an upcoming post or two (or maybe even--gasp!--a "Great Gaymathon" review), but in the meantime I'd like to hear from any of you who also are playing through this adorable RPG. What do you think of it so far? Which parts of it do you like best--or least?

Five new and old 3DS games I'm planning to pick up between now and the end of 2014

Hearing that Harvest Moon: The Lost Valley finally was available for pre-orders (over at Amazon, for instance) yesterday prompted me to consider just how many 3DS games I'm still planning to pick up through the balance of this year.

One of them is the aforementioned Natsume release, of course. As for why I'm looking to add The Lost Valley to my ever-growing 3DS games collection, despite the fact that I've never before played a Harvest Moon title (although I've long wanted to, believe me), the only answer I can come up with at the moment is that it's giving me good vibes. Specifically, I like its odd art style--which harkens back to the Nintendo 64 era, in some ways--although I like its Minecraft-esque gameplay, too.

The four other 3DS games I'm pretty sure I'll purchase--or ask for as birthday or Christmas gifts--between now and the end of 2014:

Fantasy Life--I've wanted to play this Level-5 RPG ever since I first heard about it back in 2010. In fact, I've wanted to play it so much that I bought a copy of the Japanese version late last year that I've yet to unseal. (Hey, at least it was cheap.) Don't worry, there's no chance my copy of the North American version of the game, which will hit store shelves in this neck of the woods this October, will remain unopened for more than a few minutes once it's in my possession. After all, I'm pretty sure it's going to be the next 3DS title I put more than 30 hours into before moving on to something else (such as The Lost Valley, perhaps?).

Kid Icarus: Uprising--Why has it taken me so long to acquire this one, and why am I finally doing it now (or soon)? My response to the first question is that I've always been a little wary of Uprising, mainly due to all of the complaints I've heard and read about its controls, while my response to the second question is that enough people I trust have assured me in recent weeks and months that the game's worth checking out even with its sometimes-awkward control scheme. Toss in the fact that I've been a Kid Icarus fan since the beginning, and it should be easy to see why I'm still keen on this follow-up.

Kirby: Triple Deluxe--My original plan, before Triple Deluxe was released in early May, was to pick up a copy of it at launch. That didn't happen for various reasons I can't currently recall (I'm guessing a biggie was that I spent the money intended for Kirby on a Japanese GameBoy title or two), unfortunately, but I'm still very much interested in playing this portable platformer--especially since it has more than a passing resemblance to Kirby's Return to Dream Land, a Wii release I absolutely adored.

Theatrhythm Final Fantasy: Curtain Call--Speaking of games I absolutely adored, the first Theatrhythm Final Fantasy has been one of my most-played--as well as most-enjoyed--3DS titles so far. I'm expecting to have a similar experience with this sequel, which will hit North American store shelves on Sept. 16. As much as I'm anticipating that date, I have to admit I'd be anticipating it even more if the amazing special-edition system that accompanied Curtain Call's Japanese release had made its way to our shores as well.

What, no mention of two other big 2014 releases, Persona Q and Super Smash Bros. for 3DS? Actually, I'm very likely to buy them, too, but probably not until sometime in 2015--along with A-Train: City Simulator, Hatsune Miku: Project Mirai Remix and hopefully a couple more currently unknown games.

Are any of you looking forward to any 3DS games in particular between now and the end of the year?

A few quick thoughts on Nintendo's presence at E3 2014 thus far

Yesterday at E3 2014 was quite a day if you're any kind of fan of Nintendo's systems or games. After all, not only did they offer up a 45-minute "Digital Event" (their pre-recorded take of the traditional press conference) that quite literally was crammed full of content, but they followed that up with a number of hours of "Nintendo Treehouse Live @ E3" coverage that shined even more light onto the titles that had been all-too-briefly discussed during the "Digital Event."

Here are a few quick thoughts on all of the above and more (as Nintendo announced a couple of 3DS games during one of the aforementioned "Nintendo Treehouse Live @ E3" broadcasts--which are the hit of this event, in my opinion):

Amiibo, eh?--To be completely honest, I'm not yet sure what I think of Nintendo's NFC-enabled "toys to life" figurines that will be put to use in upcoming games like Super Smash Bros. for Wii U (and possibly already released ones like Mario Kart 8, too). Still, I'm pretty sure I'll pick up at least a couple of them just so I can display them on my desk or something--especially if they release Birdo, Tingle, Pikmin or Ness ones.

Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker--I love it when Nintendo announces a game I didn't even know I wanted until I see it in action. Of course, it helps when the game in question looks as cute and charming (there's that word again) as this one does. Anyway, I'll definitely pick up Treasure Tracker after I finally acquire a Wii U, whenever that may be.



Fantasy Life--No, your eyes aren't deceiving you. This enchanting-looking 3DS title, made by Level-5 (of Professor Layton fame), will finally see the light of day in North America this October. Even better: it looks as though this is a localization of Japan's Fantasy Life Link, which added in an online multiplayer option. Now if Nintendo of America would just announce a North American release for Dragon Quest VII so I could die happy.

Kirby and the Rainbow Curse--Who could've predicted that Nintendo would ever make a sequel to one of the best (as well as one of the most over-looked, at least commercially) DS games around, Kirby's Canvas Curse? Honestly, this will be the first game I buy for my Wii U--assuming I wait until 2015 to buy one, I mean--thanks in large part to its drop-dead-gorgeous claymation art style (which can be seen it in all its glory in the trailer below).



Mario Maker--If you've ever wanted to make your own Super Mario Bros. levels, this 2015 Wii U title is for you. I'm not entirely sure it's for me, though. I mean, I like Mario platformers as much as the next guy or girl, but I can't say I've been chomping at the bit to make my own. As such, whether or not I buy this 2015 release likely will depend on its price. ($9.99? Sure. $39.99? Probably not.)

Xenoblade Chronicles X--This is the final name for the Wii U title previously known as X. And, truthfully, the teaser trailer shown during Nintendo's "Digital Event" was ... dreadful. Thankfully, the actual gameplay footage shown during its "Nintendo Treehouse Live @ E3" session looked worlds better. Definitely another title on my Wii U "wish list"--despite the fact that I've yet to finish its Wii-based predecessor.



Yoshi's Woolly World--First, I was glad to find out this Wii U game hadn't been cancelled (as had widely been feared). Then, I was sad to hear its release had been pushed into 2015. And after seeing some actual gameplay footage of it? I'm feeling both glad and sad, to be honest. I mean, I absolutely love the look of it, and I'm sure it's going to control like a dream, but it also looks a bit too derivative of Kirby's Epic Yarn. Hopefully this game's devs will be able to differentiate this one from that adorable Wii effort enough to make it a worthwhile purchase.

A handful of other 3DS and Wii U titles (mostly the latter) also were highlighted during yesterday's festivities, but I don't have much to say about them--well, other than to say that I like the looks of the Wii U Zelda title, but that in no way assures I'll buy it once it's available. I most likely will be buying Bayonetta 2, though, especially as retail copies (which will hit store shelves in October) will include the first game, too.

Now that I've had my say, what do all of you think about Nintendo's E3 2014 output so far--assuming you have any thoughts on the matter at all?

Four Japanese 3DS games I'd like to play in 2014

Let's be real here: it's likely I'm going to buy a lot of 3DS games in 2014. And when I say a lot, I mean it. A few of the North American titles that are likely to be picked up in the next 12 months, for instance: Yoshi's New Island, Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth, Kirby: Triple Deluxe and Bravely Default.

And then there are Japanese 3DS games like Zoo Keeper 3D, Theatrhythm Final Fantasy: Curtain Call and Hatsune Miku: Project Mirai 2 and the following quartet:

Fantasy Life--I truly wish I could say I'm looking forward to playing an officially localized (into English) version of this Level-5 game in 2014, but at this point that seems about as likely as Square Enix bringing Slime MoriMori Dragon Quest 3 to our shores. So, I'm thinking I'll finally cave and buy the Japanese version, even though that may not be the best idea given my current inability to understand the language. (Don't worry, I'm planning to get back to learning it after the start of the year.)

Labyrinth no Kanata--Another questionable choice considering I barely know a lick of the Japanese language at the moment, but how could I pass up a portable dungeon-crawler as nice-looking as this one? Plus, its box art (below) is the definition of gorgeous, and you know how I am when it comes to gorgeous box art. I'm not so sure the gameplay will prove to be as appealing as the graphics and cover imagery, but I'm willing to take one for the team and find out.

Taiko no Tatsujin: Chibi Dragon to Fushigi na Orb--The Taiko no Tatsujin series has intrigued me for years now, yet I still haven't played a single one. This entry seems to be fairly well received, so why not start with it? The only issue that could keep me from buying it is my fear of scratching the lower screen of my gold Pokémon Center 3DS LL.

Touch Detective Rising 3: Does Funghi Dream Of Bananas?--You'd think someone who owns but has yet to play the first Touch Detective game and hasn't even bought the second one wouldn't pine for this soon-to-be-released 3DS entry. Well, you'd be wrong in my case. It helps, of course, that this sequel has a great subtitle. Also, it's being made for the 3DS, which means it's going to be awesome.

See also: 'Four DS games I'd like to buy and play in 2014,' 'Four PSP games I'd like to buy and play in 2014' and 'Four Japanese retro games I'd like to buy (and play, of course) in 2014'

Who's up for another episode of The Nichiest Podcast Ever?

You didn't think Anne, shidoshi and I gave up on this venture, did you? Sure, it's been just over two months since the last one (our fifth) graced the world with its presence (ahem), but the only reason we didn't record one in March was that all three of us found ourselves a tad too busy. (OK, so it really was because shidoshi was busy. Anne and I didn't mind the delay, though!)

Anyway, we recorded another episode last night, and I'm hoping the five of you who listen to it (I kid--kind of) will enjoy this one every bit as much as you've enjoyed our previous efforts.

As for what we talked about this time around: well, we began by chatting about a trio of nichier-than-niche soon-to-be-released PSP games (Sweet Fuse: At Your Side, Class of Heroes 2 and Black Rock Shooter) as well as a trio of so-far-Japan-only 3DS games (Bravely Default, Fantasy Life and Sayonara Umihara Kawase) that, rumor has it, will see the light of day in the western world sometime soon. Oh, and we also (finally) chimed in on the PS4 and the next Xbox.

Finally, we all spent a few minutes cheerleading in support of some recently released niche-y games (I chose HarmoKnight, Anne selected Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate and shidoshi went with Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner: Soul Hackers) and played yet another round of everyone's favorite guessing game, "Nichiest of Them All."

If you'd like to listen to the first five episodes of The Nichiest Podcast Ever before taking in the latest one (which should go live within the next few days), you can do so here: radio.morningproject.com.

Not-so-new Bravely Default, Fantasy Life and Sayonara Umihara Kawase news

I say not-so-new in the header above because all of the information included in this post was revealed a few days (or more) ago. Although I wasn't able to mention it here when it was fresh for a variety of reasons, I thought I'd do so now.

For starters, it seems more likely than ever that Square Enix's Bravely Default: Flying Fairy and Level-5's Fantasy Life finally will see release outside of Japan.



In regard to Bravely Default, siliconera.com revealed last Wednesday that during the recent Game Developers Conference in San Francisco, "multiple trusted sources" confirmed that the thus-far-Japan-only 3DS RPG will be localized for English-speaking audiences. As for Fantasy Life, the same site reported on Tuesday that Level-5 has filed a U.S. trademark for the Animal Crossing-esque title (also for Nintendo's latest dual-screened handheld system).

Sadly, neither game has officially been announced for European or North American release, although it now seems likely that news will be shared sooner rather than later.

In other not-so-new 3DS news: the folks prepping Sayonara Umihara Kawase (it'll hit Japanese store shelves sometime this summer) unveiled the following trailer for this eagerly anticipated platformer on Friday.



Not to be a Debbie Downer, but I find it kind of disappointing. I know the Umihara Kawase games that were released for the Super Famicom and PlayStation (and later ported to the PSP and DS) could hardly be considered "lookers," but I think they were far more attractive than what's on display in the video above.

That said, I'm planning to follow through with my pre-order of this 3DS title and I'm also feeling hopeful that the team behind the game will make sure it plays better than it looks.

Are any of you excited about any or all of the above-mentioned news nuggets? If so, which ones--and why?

(Video via tinycartridge.com)

Animal Crossing x Disney? Consider me (surprisingly) intrigued ...

Although no one could ever confuse me for a Disney fanatic, I can't help but be intrigued by a Disney-themed game that'll soon be released (only in Japan, for the time being) for the 3DS.

The game in question: Namco-Bandai's Disney Magic Castle: My Happy Life, which will hit Japanese store shelves on July 11.

Based on the trailer below, Disney Magic Castle: My Happy Life appears to include elements of both Animal Crossing and Harvest Moon--with a bit of Fantasy Life's battles thrown in for good measure.



Oh, and according to tinycartridge.com, the game will feature over 80 Disney characters more than 1,000 collectible items. (Click on the link above if you'd like to catch a glimpse of the Disney Magic Castle: My Happy Life-branded 3DS LL that also will be released on July 11.)

After watching the trailer above, are any of you curious about this title, too, or am I alone this time around?

(Via NeoGAF)

I'm really liking the looks of Level-5's Pokémon-esque 3DS game, Youkai Watch, which of course means it ain't coming to North America

I wish I weren't as cynical as I am when it comes to the localization prospects of the Pokémon-esque RPG that is Youkai Watch, but it's hard not to be a bit of a grump when you consider how many great-looking 3DS titles have been Japan-only affairs thus far. (Yes, I'm looking at you Bravely Default, Fantasy Life, Labyrinth no Kanata and Taiko no Tatsujin: Chibi Dragon to Fushigina Orb, among others.)

Still, I'm crossing my fingers and toes in the hopes that my negative prediction is proven wrong, as it looks pretty darn awesome to these (horribly nearsighted) eyes.



I'm especially intrigued by Youkai Watch's weirdo "battle wheel," which can be spotted at the 42-second mark in the trailer above (and here).

Ol' Level-5 is really hitting it out of the park these days when it comes to the 3DS, isn't it? Not too long ago the company found a surprising amount of success with its Animal Crossing wannabe, Fantasy Life (which I've heard is pretty stellar, by the way), and now it's looking to capture a smidge of the Pokémon crowd with the still-without-a-release-date Youkai Watch.

Speaking of Japanese games with great box art ...

... here are a few recentlyish (don't worry, I know that's not a real word) revealed pieces of cover art that I can't help but find appealing.

1. Phantasy Star Online 2 (Vita)--As far as I can tell, the illustration you see above will only appear on some sort of special edition of Sega's upcoming (it's due out sometime in 2013) online RPG. I say "as far as I can tell," of course, because I know next to nothing about Phantasy Star Online 2. Based on how I feel about this particular piece of box art, though, I think I'm going to have to educate myself about it soon. (Note: I do wish this example featured about three or four fewer logos, as the bottom edge, in particular, is more than a bit cluttered at the moment.)

2. Fate/Extra CCC (PSP)--Oh, hey, another soon-to-be-released game that's as foreign to me as, well, soy sauce Kit Kats. Like Phantasy Star Online 2's cover art (above), though, this PSP RPG's packaging makes me want to know more about both it and its predecessor, Fate/Extra. (Speaking of which, have any of you played Fate/Extra? If so, would you recommend it to someone who generally enjoys dungeon-crawling RPGs?)

3. Fantasy Life (3DS)--Don't worry, I'm not going to say for a third time that I'm clueless when it comes to one of the games I'm highlighting here. In fact, I know quite a bit about Level-5's Harvest Moon clone, as I've been paying attention to it since it was first announced as a sprite-based DS title. Anyway, it's still unknown as to whether or not this one will make its way across the pond, but I'm hoping beyond hope that it is--especially if the folks at Level-5's North American arm decide to use this piece of cover art, too.

Six mouth-watering 3DS game trailers for your viewing pleasure

Although the Tokyo Game Show 2012 has been a bit of a dud (in my opinion, of course) as far as new game announcements are concerned, the event has been good for at least one thing: The release of a slew of awesome-looking 3DS game trailers, six of which can be viewed below.

Ace Attorney 5 (Capcom):



Bravely Default: Flying Fairy (Square Enix):



Fantasy Life (Level 5):