5 games I bought in 2015 that I've regrettably (some might say embarrassingly) failed to play

Here's an admission that should shock almost no one: I bought quite a few games--both old and new--in 2015.

Even less shocking to those of you who've been reading this blog for even a few weeks: I've only played a handful of those pick-ups so far.

I'll spend some time chatting about the ones I've actually spent time with in a post that'll be published in a couple of days. In this one, though, I'll blab about some of the ones I've regrettably (and embarrassingly) ignored.

Clock Tower (WonderSwan)--I was so excited when I finally acquired a WonderSwan system (along with five WonderSwan games) a few months ago. I've been buying WonderSwan games for a number of years now--read about some of them in these previously published posts--but until my black WonderSwan Color arrived on my doorstep in mid-October I was unable to play them. Anyway, you'd think that all of this would've prompted me to cram my freshly obtained Clock Tower cart into the aforementioned portable as soon as possible. After all, I've wanted to experience some version of Human Entertainment's point-and-click horror game for ages. Alas, it's still on the to-do list. As is the case with all of the games mentioned here, though, I'm planning to rectify matters in 2016.

Code Name: S.T.E.A.M. (3DS)--I'll be honest here: I wasn't entirely sure what to think of this turn-based strategy game when Nintendo first unveiled it. Sure, Intelligent Systems' involvement thrilled me, and I also loved that they dared to take the genre in a unique direction with the comic-book setting and steampunk aesthetic on display here. On the flip side, though, I wasn't so enamored with their seeming obsession with garish colors. Still, I pre-ordered a copy as soon as I was able--and then promptly neglected to even open it after it was delivered.

The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D (3DS)--True story: I've wanted to play Majora's Mask ever since I conquered the original Nintendo 64 version of Ocarina of Time back in the day. For whatever reason, though, I passed on Majora's Mask when it was released in 2000. Actually, I believe my brother and I owned a copy of it at one point, but I never went through its adventure myself. With that in mind, I happily pre-ordered this 3DS remake-of-sorts and then ... you know how this story ends by now, right?

Taiko no Tatsujin V Version (Vita)--When I first heard that the folks at Bandai Namco were prepping a new Taiko no Tatsujin game for the Vita, I was stoked. I own and love all three of the Taiko titles that were released (in Japan only, sadly) for the DS a few years back, and that affection pushed me to purchase iterations for the PSP and 3DS, too. So, why not add V Version to the pile, too, right? Unfortunately, I didn't give my Vita the attention it deserved in 2015, so this and other releases basically fell by the wayside. Hopefully that won't be the case in the coming year.

Yomawari (Vita)--Of all the unplayed games name-checked in this post, this one bugs me the most. Why? Yomawari is "my cup of tea," as that old saying goes. Specifically, it's cute, it's scary and it's portable. Yet it continues to sit in the same stack as the titles noted above. Admittedly, one reason I've been dragging my feet when it comes to booting up my copy of this Nippon Ichi production is that I'm a bit worried the in-game text will be over my head. Even if that proves true in the end, though, I won't know it for sure until I've actually given Yomawari a try, wouldn't you agree?

With all of that out of the way, what are some of the games--new or old--that you picked up in 2015 but failed to play?

So long, 'Bye-Bye, Backlog,' hello, 'Baby Got Back(log)'

I know it may seem a little late in the game (pun intended) to change the title of this particular series from "Bye-Bye, Backlog" to "Baby Got Back(log)," but, really, it's only early May, so there are nearly eight months left in the year to make use of the new moniker.

I can't claim responsibility for "Baby Got Back(log)," by the way--that honor goes to reader Tony Sadowski, who recently suggested it via The Gay Gamer Facebook page.

I thought it was so spot-on perfect that I couldn't help but steal it--with Tony's permission, naturally--and put it it to use.



And who knows? Maybe I'll continue this little "project" of mine next year, too. Not just so I can type "Baby Got Back(log)" as often as possible, mind you--although I'd surely be lying if I said that wasn't at least a slight source of inspiration.

Anyway, aside from that, I probably should tell you a bit about the games I've played since the last "Bye-Bye, Backlog," er, "Baby Got Back(log)" post I published.

Sadly, I've only enjoyed two titles in that time, both of which were nabbed from the 3DS eShop: Crimson Shroud and Witch & Hero.

I'm absolutely loving the former game, by the way. I love its graphics, its soundtrack--even its quirky, table-top-RPG-esque gameplay. I can't say I understand everything that's going on at the moment, but I'm guessing I'll get up to speed eventually.



I'm also continuing to enjoy Witch & Hero, of course, although not as much as I was earlier in the week. That's mainly because I'm stuck on the final boss. Here's hoping I can topple him tomorrow, so I can type up a "somewhat gay review" about it.

In the meantime, are any of you playing either of these games--or have you in the recent past? If so, what do you (or did you) think of them?

And if you aren't playing (or haven't played) either of them, what games are you playing right now?

And May's 'Bye-Bye, Backlog' selections are ...

... Crimson Shroud, Fire Emblem: Awakening and maybe Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon. I'm also hoping to wrap up my EarthBound playthrough.

I know, none of the above-mentioned titles were included on the list I mentioned in this post, but all of them are fairly recent additions to my gaming backlog, so I'm going to do my best to tackle them this month (while I also continue to chip away at Super Mario Sunshine, of course).

Will I "beat" all of them? I highly doubt it, but I'll give it my best shot.

The main reason I'm attempting to play through so many of my backlogged games between now and the end of May, by the way: I'm fully expecting THE "DENPA" MEN 2: Beyond the Waves (releasing on May 30) and Animal Crossing: New Leaf (due out on June 9) to hog my attention throughout the month of June.

Anyway, have any of you fine folks played any of the three 3DS games mentioned at the top of this post? If so, what do you think of them?

See also: previous 'Bye-Bye, Backlog' posts

My Month with Super Mario Sunshine, Part 4

Considering my initially negative reaction to Super Mario Sunshine, I think it's pretty amazing that I lived up to my promise and played it throughout the month of April.

Even more amazing: I'm still playing it, and I'm not planning on stopping anytime soon. I doubt I'll write about it after today, though--outside of an eventual "Great Gaymathon" review, I mean--so I thought I'd wrap things up with a post about the five aspects of this GameCube title that I've come to love the most. Here they are:

1. The secret stages--Everyone seems to say these FLUDD-less levels are by far the best in the game. I don't entirely agree with that (because I think a number of the "regular" ones are stellar, too), but I definitely agree they're pretty great. Sure, they make my palms sweat as much as any other game I've ever played, but that just adds to the ecstasy I feel when I finally conquer one.

2. "The Sand Bird is Born"--Speaking of sweaty palms, when I first encountered this Gelato Beach stage, I was pretty sure I'd never beat it. That was OK with me, though, as the idea of playing it over and over and over again brought me more joy than you can imagine. What can I say? There's something magical about a level that takes place on the back (and side) of a soaring bird made of blocks of sand. 

3. "The Wilted Sunflowers"--I wasn't sure if I should include this stage or the "Wiggler Ahoy" one from Gelato Beach when I started writing this post a few days ago. Because I already covered Gelato Beach in the bullet point above, I decided to go with this one, which is part of Pinna Park. Plus, it involves toppling egg-shelled turtles in order to revive wilted sunflowers. That said, I consider both of them to be surprisingly (and pleasantly) unique takes on the "boss battle" formula. 

4. Noki Bay--As much as I love Gelato Beach and Pinna Park, I'm pretty sure Noki Bay is the first world in Super Mario Sunshine that quite literally caused my jaw to drop. To say it's gorgeous is like saying Peach's voice (particularly in this game) is grating. By the way, if the designers and programmers at Nintendo could pull this kind of thing off all the way back in the early 2000s, I'm pretty sure they'll be able pull off some similarly amazing things with the Wii U in the coming years.

5. Yoshi--Yes, Yoshi's inclusion in Super Mario Sunshine is, for the most part, pointless. (Or so I've been told--I'm not sure I'm far enough into the game to say that myself with any assurance.) Still, I'm glad someone pushed for him to be included, as I find riding the little fella around Delfino Plaza to be a joy unto itself.

I know some of you are big fans of Super Mario Sunshine. If that aptly describes you, what are some of your favorite aspects of this summery three-dimensional platformer?

See also: previous 'Bye-Bye, Backlog' posts

My Month with Super Mario Sunshine, Part 3

If you follow me on Twitter, you likely already know that I've had at least a slight change of heart when it comes to Super Mario Sunshine.

Oh, the wonky camera still makes me want to throw my WaveBird controller against the nearest wall with alarming regularity, as do the game's annoyingly vague directives, but I've also come to accept (if not embrace) those quirks in an effort to experience as much of this GameCube title as possible before the month is up.

Anyway, getting back to my newly softened view of Super Mario Sunshine and what prompted it, may I present Exhibit A:



Honestly, as soon as I was plopped onto the roller-coaster car that first appears around the 2:30 mark in the video above I was pretty sure I was going to love this level. Well, not only did I love it, but it almost single- handedly revitalized my interest in the entire adventure. I mean, if I can encounter such a wonderful stage at this early-ish point in the game, what other surprises await further down the road?

Also helping, of course, is that I'm doing my best to be patient and to take my time as I work my way through Super Mario Sunshine's many challenges.

Does that mean I'm going to finish this sucker before April turns into May? I kind of doubt it, but at the moment I'm planning to continue playing it past that point regardless--which I consider to be quite an accomplishment considering my initial impressions (read them here and here).

My Month with Super Mario Sunshine, Part 2

So, my second week with Super Mario Sunshine is over. How did I do this time around--you know, compared with the disaster that was my first week with Mario's most major GameCube outing?

To tell you the truth, I didn't do much better in week two than I did in week one. In part, that's because all sorts of things once again conspired to keep me from gaming as much as I would have liked. (I'll spare you the details.) It has to be said, though, that it's also due to me just not enjoying this game--for all of the reasons I mentioned in my last Super Mario Sunshine write-up and then some.

Still, I gave it a go and collected a handful of additional Shine Sprites. I only nabbed two of them, though, after turning to videos on YouTube. Before that, I had no idea how I was supposed to accomplish the goals mentioned at the start of each respective stage.

That, in a nutshell, is my biggest problem with this title at the moment. All too often I have no idea where I'm supposed to go or what I'm supposed to do in a given level in order to snatch its precious Shine Sprite.

Before you call me an idiot: I never had this problem with Super Mario 64 or either of the Super Mario Galaxy games. Maybe I'm just trying to run through things too quickly? Or maybe I should better pay attention to the things that are being said to me by the odd-looking residents of Isle Delfino?

Regardless, I'm not quite to the point of giving up on Super Mario Sunshine, although I'll admit to being awfully close to that breaking point. I'd say that if things don't improve appreciably within the next few days, I'm going to move on to something else. Life is too short, in my opinion, to waste time on games that make you want to stomp on your controller until it's a pile of plastic dust.

Speaking of games that produce violent reactions: when I wasn't attempting to play Super Mario Sunshine last week, I attempted to play one of the latest games to hit the 3DS eShop, Game Freak's HarmoKnight.

As flawed as I've found the latter title to be so far (I'll explain in further detail in a "somewhat gay" review of it that'll be published tomorrow), I've enjoyed it more than I've enjoyed Super Mario Sunshine--although even HarmoKnight has made me consider throwing my 3DS against the nearest wall on more than one occasion.

My Month with Super Mario Sunshine, Part 1

At long last, I've started playing through Super Mario Sunshine--a game that was released all the way back in 2002 but which I didn't acquire until a few years ago.

So far, I've only played this tropical-themed, GameCube-based platformer for about three hours. I had hoped to spend a bit more time with it than that in the last week or so, of course, but that's all I was able to devote to it due to an overly busy work schedule and an annoying bout of tendinitis (at least that's what I think it is) in my right arm.

What do I think of Super Mario Sunshine after capturing my first seven "Shine Sprites"? Here are the game's pros and cons as I current see them.

Positives:

FLUDD--Although Mario's water-squirting accessory is far from perfect in my mind, I'm still enjoying tinkering with it. I especially enjoy making use of its hovering capabilities.

Isle Delfino--To be honest, before I began I wasn't sure if I was going to like Super Mario Sunshine's resort-like setting. Those apprehensions flew out the window as soon as I set foot into the title's first real stage ("Road to the Big Windmill"), which is so bright and cheerful that only avowed curmudgeons are likely to find it off-putting. That said, it'll be interesting to see if the atmosphere retains its freshness throughout this adventure or if it becomes a bit stale and repetitive over time.

Non-FLUDD stages--I've lost track of how many people have told me over the years that this game's "secret stages," which don't allow players to use Mario's FLUDD contraption, are its highlight. Given all of that hype, you'd think that I may have found them underwhelming. I haven't. In fact, the break they offer from the Isle Delfino levels has been refreshing so far, as has the "old school" challenge they offer.

Negatives:

A little help, please?--Although I've only played through a couple of Super Mario Sunshine's many stages so far, I've already found myself lost on more than a few occasions. One of those occasions ("Petey Piranha Strikes Back") was due to the title not properly showing me what I was supposed to do (or, rather, where I was supposed to find ol' Petey), while another ("Red Coins of Windmill Village") was due to me being unable to discern the location of an unearthed Shine Sprite. Granted, I'm usually against games doing too much to hold a player's hand, but in this case I think a bit more could be done to let someone know

Playing blind--As much as I've been annoyed by the above-mentioned situation so far, it's nothing compared to his one, which centers on Super Mario Sunshine's often-wonky camera. Especially frustrating for me has been attempting to jump from the ground or a roof or a wall onto one of the game's many tightropes, although attempting to race along the tops of said walls and roofs can be just as trying.

Given all of the above, what's my current consensus of this GameCube "classic"? Sadly, I have to say that I'm finding it more annoying and less enjoyable than I imagined I would before I booted it up for the first time.

That's mainly because of all of the problems I'm having with its camera, though, so hopefully I'll come to terms with that aspect of the game in time. (If not, don't be surprised if this series of posts ends with me sharing that I've put my trusty WaveBird controller through our TV or one of our walls.)

Now that I've had my say, what do all of you think of this game--and my impressions of it so far?

See also: previous 'Bye-Bye, Backlog' posts

And April's 'Bye-Bye, Backlog' selection is ...

... Super Mario Sunshine for the GameCube.

Yep, I'm going to jump back into this "Bye-Bye, Backlog" project that was rather unceremoniously placed on the back burner in March.

I should warn you, though, that it may get pushed to the background again in the future, as I've definitely learned over the last few months that this isn't really the way I like to game.

What I mean is that I prefer to play games without any pressure. I choose games that interest me and then I play them until I'm not longer interested in them--even if that means quitting before I've seen the end credits.

A project like this pushes me to play a specific game as much as possible each week--which, in a way, is a good thing, but which also is a bad thing, as some weeks I just don't feel like playing the game I'd committed to earlier.

All that said, I'm going to give this project my best shot from here on out.

Getting back to this month's selection, Super Mario Sunshine: I have to admit that I'm a bit baffled by the fact that I've yet to play this GameCube platformer.

After all, I have tremendously fond memories of playing through Super Mario 64 as a teen (and again as a college student). Also, I had a similarly heartwarming experience with the Super Mario Galaxy titles that were released for the Wii in 2007 and 2010, respectively.

Of course, I was pretty late to the GameCube party--I only picked up the lunchbox-like system after it had plummeted in price to $99--so maybe my lack of interest in this three-dimensional Mario adventure shouldn't be so surprising after all?

Regardless, I'm looking forward to acquainting myself with this title's uniquely tropical setting (or so I've heard) as well as Mario's oddly named FLUDD device soon.

Have any of you played Super Mario Sunshine at one time or other? If so, what's your opinion of it?

I'm taking a rain check RE: this month's 'Bye-Bye, Backlog' selection

You may have noticed that I've yet to publish a "My Month with ..." post in March. That's because I've decided to step away from my backlogathon for the time being.

Don't worry, I plan to get back to it again in April, but for the next few weeks I'm going to focus on the small pile of 3DS games that either have already found their way to my doorstep (expect to read about one of them tomorrow, by the way) or will do so soon instead.

I'm also going to spend some quality time with a game I haven't played in ages--with that game being Shigesato Itoi's magnificent EarthBound (or Mother 2 to you purists).

Why have I decided to turn back the clock and play through this Americana-themed RPG like it's 1995 once again? To be painfully honest, it's because I've never actually seen this game's end credits (gasp!) and I'd finally like to do so.

All of you fellow EarthBound fans should be happy to hear that I'm already off to a good start. After playing the game for a few (four or five, maybe?) hours this weekend, I've reached Peaceful Rest Valley and I'm not too far away from rescuing Paula and putting my days as a lonesome adventurer behind me.

I have no idea how much more of the game I'll be able to play this week given my real-life workload and my desire to continue working my way through Fire Emblem: Awakening, but I think I'll be able to put at least a few additional hours into it.

In the meantime, do any of you consider yourself to be EarthBound fans? If so, what are some of your favorite memories as they relate to this charmingly humorous and heartwarming title?

See also: Previous 'Bye-Bye, Backlog' posts

My Month with Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime, Part 2

Let's start this "Bye-Bye, Backlog" follow-up post like the last one, shall we? Here are the relevant stats related to my monthlong playthrough of Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime so far:

*Playtime: 11 hours, 19 minutes
*Slimes rescued: 75
*Locales opened: 6 (Backwoods, Callmigh Bluff, Flucifer's Necropolis, Forewood Forest, Mt. Krakatroda and Tootinschleiman's Tomb)

I'm not going to share the number of tank-on-tank battles I've completed to this point because, honestly, I lost track long ago. Suffice it to say, I've taken part in a fair few in the nearly nine hours I've spent with Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime.

An interesting note about those aforementioned tank battles: although I wasn't a fan of them during my first week with this DS title, I've come to adore them in my second. That's chiefly because I finally progressed far enough in the game to unlock the ability to add a few crew members to my trusty Schleiman Tank--which not only makes these battles more mentally manageable but also more strategic and even fun.

(The highlight of these tensely tactical tête-à-têtes for me thus far: letting my trio of baddies-turned-goodies buds load ammo into my tank's cannons while I infiltrate the opposing vehicle and keep its crew from sending any projectiles in my direction.)

Aside from that, I'm still thoroughly enjoying Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime's charmingly realized graphics, cheerful soundtrack and of course the rest of its captivating gameplay (which is centered around the slippery protagonist's "Elasto Blast" move and ability to stack friends, enemies and items on his pointy little head).

As such, I now know without a doubt that I'm not going to stop playing this game until I see the credits roll, and I have a pretty good feeling that's going to happen sometime in the next week.

Can you believe I may actually finish one of my "Bye-Bye, Backlog" selections--and possibly before the month is up?

See also: Previous 'Bye-Bye, Backlog' posts

My Month with Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime, Part 1

I thought I'd take a more straightforward approach to this month's "Bye-Bye, Backlog" follow-up posts. For instance, here are a few stats related to my playthrough of Square Enix's Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime, which was released for the DS in late 2006:

* So far, I've played the game for just about three and a half hours.
* In that time, I've saved 24 of my kidnapped (slimenapped?) buddies.
* I've only opened up two locations: Forewood Forest and Tootinschleiman's Tomb.
* Unfortunately, I can't remember how many of the game's tank-on-tank battles I've experienced up to this point, although I want to say I've completed four or five.

Other than that, what do I like and what do I hate about Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime right now? Actually, I can't say I hate any part of it. On the contrary, I like pretty much every aspect of this adorable overhead action-puzzler.

My favorite aspect has to be the core gameplay, which mainly involves slamming into enemies (with the titular Rocket's "Elasto Blast" move), popping them into the air and then catching them on your back (or should I say head?). That captured baddies can be stacked--three high--and tossed at their cohorts is the icing on this pixelated cake.

That only makes up a portion of Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime's gameplay, though; with the other part consisting of the above-mentioned tank-on-tank battles. Surprisingly (to me, at least), I'm not enjoying these sequences as much as I'm enjoying the overworld (for lack of a better word) ones. Too often they feel like a chaotic mess, with me flinging bullets and rocks and whatnot at the enemy tank without much rhyme or reason. Maybe I'm just missing some heretofore strategic element of these encounters?

Other than that one stumbling block, though, I'm having a lot of fun with this game and I'm very much looking forward to unlocking additional locations and rescuing more of my slime buddies. As such, expect me to put another few hours into the game this week and look for me to publish a second "My Month with Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime" next Monday (if not before).

See also: Previous posts related to the 'Bye-Bye, Backlog' project

'Bye-Bye, Backlog' diary entry #1: Chulip

Well, I actually went through with it.

Yesterday, I started playing Chulip, Punchline's weirdo adventure game that Natsume rather quietly released for the North American PlayStation 2 in 2007 (nearly five years after it hit store shelves in Japan).

I didn't play it for very long, unfortunately, as I had too many other things to do. I was able to devote about an hour to it, though, and I plan on putting another hour or so into it today.

As for what I think of it so far:

* I love the art style, which kind of reminds me of the Nintendo 64 version of Mother 3 that never saw the light of day.

* I'm similarly fond of the soundtrack, and even the oddly garbled voices that spew forth whenever you decide to chat up one of your neighbors.

* Speaking of odd, that's about the only word I could use to describe Chulip's localization. Was it intentional, or did the folks at Natsume rush it? I have no idea, but I'm guessing it's the latter, as it's often hard to discern what you're supposed to do next.

* My only real complaint about the game so far: the lovelorn protagonist's walking speed. Would it have been so hard for the crew at Punchline (Chulip's developer) to provide players with a run button à la Animal Crossing? I have a feeling the lack of one is going to grow into a rather sore point as I spend more and more time with this quirky PS2 title.

* Conversely, my favorite aspect of Chulip so far is the animation that's triggered whenever you try to kiss someone who isn't in the mood to be kissed. Sadly, you can't overdo it or you'll find yourself staring at a "Game Over" screen.

Anyway, that's what I think of the game after my admittedly brief first experience with it. Expect to see another round of impressions this time next week. In the meantime, please share your own thoughts and opinions in the comments section below.

See also: 'Bye-bye, backlog'

Bye-bye, backlog

My blogging friend and podcasting cohort, Anne (aka apricotsushi), recently mentioned on Twitter that her husband challenged her to pick one game from her backlog each month this year and play it through to completion.

Considering the depressing size of my own gaming backlog, I thought it might be wise of me to do something similar over the next 12 months.

So, between now and the end of 2013 I'm going to choose one of my many woefully overlooked games and play it for an entire month. If I'm able to "beat" any or all of these games, great, but if not, that's OK, too.

As of now, here are the games I'm considering tackling as I work my way through this so-called challenge: Chulip (PS2), Corpse Party (PSP), Deadly Premonition (Xbox 360), Dewy's Adventure (Wii), Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime (DS), Half-Minute Hero (PSP), Inazuma Eleven (DS), Mr. Driller: Drill Spirits (DS), Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask (3DS), Romancing SaGa (PS2), Super Mario Sunshine (GameCube) and, finally, Xenoblade Chronicles (Wii).

Full disclosure: as some of you are likely aware, I've already started a few of these games (namely, Corpse Party, Deadly Premonition, Dewy's Adventure and Xenoblade Chronicles). None of them were played for more than a few hours, though, so I think it's OK to include them here.

Also, know that the list above is not in any way set in stone. Well, other than Chulip, which I've already decided will be the game I'll tackle this month. OK, so Corpse Party, Deadly Premonition and Xenoblade Chronicles should be considered "sure bets," too, but the rest are just possibilities at the moment. (For instance, already I'm thinking of replacing, say, Mr. Driller: Drill Spirits with another PS2 title I've been meaning to play for ages, La Pucelle: Tactics.)

I'm not yet sure how I'll update all of you in regards to my progress, by the way. Maybe I should try to publish weekly blog posts (titled something like, "Bye-Bye Backlog Diary Entry #1: Chulip") to keep myself in check?

Five games I have to rip from their shrink-wrap and actually play in 2013

Anyone who thought yesterday's post--about the five games I have to get back to (and hopefully finish) in 2013--was shameful is sure to flat-out swoon (in a bad way) as a result of today's post, which shines a forlorn light on a handful of games that I've not only failed to wrap up, but failed to unwrap.

Once again, I'll focus on just five games in this post, although I sincerely doubt that's the extent of my still-shrink-wrapped backlog.

1. Chulip (PS2)--Of all the games I own but have yet to play, this obscure PS2 release is the one that pains me the most. After all, it's completely "my cup of tea," as they say--it's Japanese, it's quirky (which often goes hand in hand with being Japanese, I know), it's cute ... oh, and it involves kissing people in public. Why have I not played this again?

2. Dewy's Adventure (Wii)--Full disclosure: I've actually opened this one. Not only that, but I've played a tiny bit of it. Just a tiny bit, though--probably just 15 minutes or so. Even then, it was quite a few years ago, so I hardly remember what it was like. I do recall being at least mildly (if not mostly) turned off by its motion-controlled gameplay, though, so I'm feeling apprehensive about picking it up again. Don't worry, I'll "take one for the team" sometime next year just so I can finally review the damn thing.

3. Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime (DS)--I only bought this Square Enix game a few months ago, so I don't feel as bad about this unopened game as I do the others included here. Still, you'd think I would've at least freed it from its plastic wrap and checked out its manual--especially given my love for the Dragon Quest series' slime character. Would you believe me if I promised to boot it up in the next few months?

4. Hot Shots Golf (PSP)--This is a fairly recent acquisition, too, if memory serves. Given my overwhelmingly positive experience with its sister title, Hot Shots Tennis, though, I'm shocked it's remained imprisoned in its original packaging for so long. Does this mean my love affair with my PSP is almost over? Say it ain't so! Maybe the spark would be rekindled if I picked up a pink or purple (lilac, really) PSP in 2013.

5. Pilotwings Resort (3DS)--Note: I could have included another 3DS game, Steel Diver, on this list, too, but since I decided to focus on just five unfortunately overlooked titles I had to make the tough decision to focus on just one of them. That said, I'm not sure why I went with Pilotwings Resort. Maybe it was because I was far more interested in it than in Steel Diver when I bought both games from Best Buy for $10 total late last year? Regardless, I'm sure I'll get around to playing them eventually, although I'd be lying if I said I'm currently excited about the prospect.

Now that I've had my say, I have to ask: Are any of you in the same boat? Are there unwrapped or simply unplayed games in your collections that you'd like to spend some quality time with in the coming 12 months?