Mini-reviews of the 19 games I finished in 2019, part two

My last post featured mini-reviews of 10 of the 19 games I finished this year. Here are some similarly succinct write-ups for the remaining nine titles I completed in 2019.

Last Window: The Secret of Cape West (DS)--I first played and finished Hotel Dusk: Room 215 back in 2015. I wish I could give you a good reason as to why it took me until 2019 to play and finish this follow-up, which released in 2010. The best I can come up with is I wanted to savor the experience and felt like I couldn't do so until this year. At any rate, I loved Last Window--much like I loved Hotel Dusk. Although these two point-and-click murder-mystery titles are strikingly similar, they're just different enough to be equally enthralling. There's no question in my mind that I'll replay both--many times over--in the coming years.

The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening (Switch)--Given my love of the GameBoy, it probably seems strange that I didn't play Link’s Awakening back when the original version released in 1993. I did download the GameBoy Color DX version from the 3DS eShop a few years ago, but I only put a couple of hours into it before walking away for some reason I can't remember. So, what did I think of this Switch remake? I liked it. I wouldn't say I loved it, though. That's mainly because I regularly had to refer to a guide to figure out what to do or where to go next. I also found the game a bit disjointed. All in all, it was far from a turd, but it also didn't live up to my expectations--or to my previous, more positive experiences with the series' first release, A Link to the Past, or even A Link Between Worlds.

The Liar Princess and the Blind Prince (Switch)--I did more than finish this Nippon Ichi Software-made game once; I finished it twice. That's how much I enjoyed The Liar Princess and the Blind Prince. What was it about it this darkly cute puzzler-platformer that prompted such adoration? Its touching, fairy-tale-esque story was the chief culprit, though its unique gameplay, soothing tunes, and eye-catching art style played key roles, too. By the way, I'm far from done with this title, which also can be played on the PS4 and Vita (though the latter was a Japan-only release). In fact, I wouldn't be shocked if I beat it a couple more times in 2020.

Luigi's Mansion 3 (Switch)--I developed a bit of a love-hate relationship with the 3DS port of the original Luigi's Mansion when I played through it last year. Did the same thing happen when I played through Luigi's Mansion 3 this year? I'm sad to say it sort of did. On the love side, there are the Pixar-worthy graphics, the beautifully varied floor themes, and the surprisingly creative puzzles. On the hate side, there are the frustrating controls and the occasional lack of direction. In the end, I'm glad I bought, played, and finished Luigi's Mansion 3, but I'm not sure I'll ever return to it.



Mother 3 (GameBoy Advance)--Those of you who've known me for at least a little while should be well aware of the fact that I'm a late bloomer when it comes to Nintendo's  deservedly ballyhooed Mother series. I didn't play through its second entry, called EarthBound in my neck of the woods, until 2014. And I waited all the way until 2017 to do the same with the original Mother. I adored both titles, so I approached Mother 3 with the highest of expectations. Although I can't say it disappointed me, I can say I didn't like it as much as I thought I would. The chapter structure kind of turned me off, plus I thought it felt a tad padded. That said, I have every intention of replaying it at some point down the road--after I've replayed the first two Mother games, of course.

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney (Switch)--I hate to admit this, but sometimes the hype surrounding a game turns me off to the point that I stubbornly ignore it. That's what kept me from playing classics like EarthBound and Undertale for so long, and it's what kept me from diving into the Ace Attorney series, too. As was the case with those aforementioned titles, I'm now hitting myself for my stupidity. I can honestly say I loved nearly every minute of the 20-ish hours I put into the Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Switch port this spring. If I had known its characters, soundtrack, and writing were so brilliant, I would've raced through it when the DS port made it way stateside back in 2005.

Rhapsody: A Musical Adventure (DS)--I avoided this DS port of Nippon Ichi's PlayStation RPG from 2000 for ages because the word on the street was that it was filled with game-killing glitches and bugs. I finally threw caution to the wind and picked up a copy this summer, though--in part because my curiosity got the best of me, and in part because I desperately wanted to play a short game for a change. Well, guess what? The risk paid off. I had a blast with Rhapsody. Its colorful cast of characters--the fiendish Etoile, in particular--was the highlight for me, but I also got a kick out of its puppet-focused battles and its Easter-egg aesthetic.

Touch Detective (DS)--Despite my years-long fascination with developer BeeWorks' Funghi mascot, I didn't play the game that birthed it until early 2019. My thoughts after putting over seven hours into said DS title (which was just enough to reach its end credits)? Touch Detective is the definition of "mixed bag," though for me its positives outweighed its negatives. As for its bright spots: those would be its marvelously weird aesthetic, characters, and mysteries. Admittedly, that last component confounded me more than I'd usually like, but it didn't annoy me here as it often does in similar situations.

Unou no Tatsujin: Soukai! Machigai Museum (DS)--This game was renamed QuickSpot when Namco released it in North America. I bought a copy of the Japanese version--hey, it's got the better cover illustration--after some folks on Twitter recommended it. A few bucks and about a week later, I was done with it. Don't take that as complaint. I was done with it because I'd gone through all of its spot-the-difference stages (or whatever you call such things). Yes, this is a digital, dual-screened photo-hunt game. Sounds like I real snooze, I know, but it's actually quite nice--thanks in large part to all the lovely art packed inside it.

My most popular posts of 2017

Before I start cranking out forward-looking content for 2018, let's take one last look at 2017.

Specifically, here are this blog's 12 most popular posts from last year (arranged in order of most views to least). If you see a headline that doesn't look familiar, check it out. Who knows, you may have missed a real gem.

1. Five overlooked GameBoy Advance games you need to play as soon as possible

2. Ten questions with the guy chiefly responsible for the English fan translation of Ripened Tingle's Balloon Trip of Love



3. The best 3DS eShop games you've never played (or, 10 overlooked 3DS eShop games you need to try as soon as possible)

4. Nice Package! (Mizzurna Falls, PlayStation)

5. If Nintendo put me in charge of a GameBoy Classic Edition, here are the 30 games it would include

6. Five favorites: Famicom leading ladies



7. A few thoughts on Golf Story for Switch now that I've put about eight hours into it

8. Five overlooked Nintendo DS games you need to play as soon as possible

9. Nice Package! (Bubble Bobble, Famicom Disk System)

10. Don't mind me, I'm just completely obsessed with Nintendo's Mother at the moment



11. In honor of the 28th anniversary of GameBoy's Japanese release, here are a handful of my all-time favorite GB games

12. My 10 Most Influential Games: Balloon Kid (GameBoy)

I'm not finished with my "most influential games" series, by the way, although I did forgot about it for a while. The same is true of my "Welcome to WonderSwan World" series. Look for new entries for both to be published soon.

See also: my most popular posts of 2016

Five overlooked GameBoy Advance games you need to play as soon as possible

So far, my "five overlooked games you need to play as soon as possible" series has offered up posts about (what I consider to be) unfortunately ignored Famicom, PC Engine, PlayStation, Game Gear and GameBoy gems.

This entry obviously focuses on a handful of disappointingly overlooked GameBoy Advance titles.

I've got at least a few more such posts up my sleeve, by the way--in case any of you are worried the one you're reading right now is this series' last hurrah. In fact, the plan is to publish write-ups about PSP, DS and 3DS games I think you need to play as soon as possible, and I'll also likely publish follow-ups to my earlier GameBoy and Famicom features as well.

In the meantime, here are five GBA games I believe too many people have turned up their noses at (intentionally or not) over the years.

Guru Logi Champ--Do you like Picross? If the answer is yes, you'll undoubtedly like this 2001 title, which was developed by the wizards at Compile. (They gave the world Aleste, Gunhead and Puyo Puyo, among other classics.) Don't worry, Guru Logi Champ is no simple Picross rip-off; it takes the basics of Nintendo's electronic nonogram games and runs with them, injecting a smidge of action and a dash humor into what's usually a rather sedate experience. Add in the fact that Guru Logi Champ's box and cartridge are among the most appealing ever produced for the GameBoy Advance (see photos of both in this "Nice Package!" post) and it's not hard to understand why pretty much anyone who's played this colorful puzzler is sure to recommend it.

Hatena Satena--Here's another wacky GBA game that's similar to Picross. It's quite a departure from Gugu Logi Champ despite this fact, though, and that's likely because Hatena Satena also recalls another classic puzzler, Minesweeper. Although I'd say Guru Logi Champ is more immediately accessible than this Hudson-made game, don't take that to mean I'm suggesting you pick up the former over the latter. If forced to choose between the two from an aesthetic standpoint, I'd go with Hatena Satena, no question. (Of course, Guru Logi Champ is a looker, too.) Also worth noting: copies of this 2001 title should be much cheaper than those of the above-mentioned one. The only problem here is that Hatena Satena may not be easy to find these days, so be patient if you want to add it to your collection.

Hitsuji no Kimochi--This is likely to be the most "controversial" of all the game recommendations I make in this post. Why? Though Capcom both developed and published this 2002 title (released outside of Japan as Sheep), it hasn't received the best of reviews in the years since. Still, I think it's worth checking out if you're open to trying something different. That's what you get with Hitsuji no Kimochi, after all, as it's an action-puzzle game that tasks players with herding--you guessed it--sheep. Admittedly, its graphics could be better, and it's hardly the longest of GameBoy Advance titles (offering just 24 stages), but it's also unique and sports some wickedly cute packaging (see it in all its glory here), so you could do worse than hunt down a copy if you need to fill out your GBA library.

Slime MoriMori Dragon Quest: Shōgeki no Shippo Dan--This 2003, Japan-only release isn't as good as its successors, the first of which is known by many North American fans of the Nintendo DS as Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime. Still, it's well worth buying and playing if you enjoyed that dual-screened follow-up. Anyone who has experienced Rocket Slime will feel right at home with Slime MoriMori Dragon Quest, as both titles feature the same gameplay--save the latter's frantic tank battles. In other words, you spend a lot of time flinging an adorably vacant blue slime around a vaguely Zelda-like overworld. And you spend nearly as much time picking up and flinging the many enemies and items that litter those same playfields. You also gather resources and rescue slime buddies, activities that should sound familiar to anyone who's at all knowledgable about this title's highly acclaimed DS sequel.

Zooo--If this game's name doesn't ring a bell, how about Zoo Keeper? For whatever reason, developer Buddiez, Inc.--or was it publisher Success?--changed the series' name from Zooo to Zoo Keeper between the release of this title and its 2004 sequel. Thankfully, the gameplay's basically the same no matter what it's called, although of course there are no touch controls in this iteration. That's actually the main reason I like Zooo the most out of all these animal-themed, match-three puzzlers. For me, the Zoo Keeper DS and 3DS games are too easy because of their stylus-focused controls, while being forced to use the GBA's d-pad and face buttons in Zooo creates a kind of tension that makes you feel really good whenever you hit any sort of milestone. Bonus: pretty much any copy of Zooo you come across these days is sure to be bargain-basement cheap.

Are there any GameBoy Advance titles you think are overlooked and thus deserve more love from the masses? Let me and others know about them in the comments section of this post.

Nice Package! (Hatena Satena, GameBoy Advance)

This obscure, Japan-only puzzler from 2001 was one of eight titles I included in my recent post full of #HudsonMonth game recommendations.

Why do I think people should play it? For starters, its gameplay is similar to that of the ever-popular Picross.

Also, the visuals and audio offered up by Hatena Satena are light years beyond what you'll see and hear in your typical Picross title. Need proof? Check out this "let's play" video of the game.



Another reason I think folks should play--or at least buy a copy of--Hatena Satena is that its packaging is stunning.

I'm especially impressed with its box cover, which can be seen in the photo above. My personal favorite element of it: the logo, which is so heavily stylized that it's nearly impossible to decipher.



I also like the cover's depictions of Hatena Satena's adorable, Super Milk Chan-esque cast of characters, of course--the part-alien, part-octopus protagonist, in particular.

Speaking of whom, his or her smiling face also can be found on the game's cartridge label.

The snapshot above offers a glimpse of Hatena Satena's instruction manual. Unfortunately, the majority of this booklet is filled with text and screenshots--much like the manual that was produced for a similarly overlooked (and sadly Japan-only) GameBoy Advance puzzler called Guru Logi Champ.



The back of Guru Logi Champ's box is a bit of a bummer, I've got to say. Why its artists and designers couldn't have continued the front cover's brilliance on the reverse is beyond me. I guess someone at Hudson decided the space had to be covered with explanatory text instead.

Have any of you played Hatena Satena? If so, please share your thoughts on it in the comments section of this post. Also feel free to share your impressions of Guru Logi Champ, if you've played that GBA puzzler.

See also: previous 'Nice Package!' posts about Guru Logi Champ and Hitsuji no Kimochi

Nice Package! (Guru Logi Champ, GameBoy Advance)

While researching and writing my post of #HudsonMonth game recommendations--which includes a brief mention of this unfortunately obscure puzzler--over the weekend, I came to the shocking realization that the only photo I've published of Guru Logi Champ since acquiring a copy of it in early 2010 is of its cartridge. (Here is the post in question, in case you're curious.)

That's a real shame, as not only is Guru Logi Champ one of the best GameBoy Advance titles around, but its box, cartridge and instruction manual sport some of the best cover (or label) art around.

Don't take my word for it. A single glance at the photo below is all you should need to be convinced of the greatness of this Compile-made game's packaging.



If that's not quite enough to sell you on it, check out the following:

Yes, the flaps on Guru Logi Champ's box feature depictions of the game's adorable duck-like characters.

Those same creatures are plastered across the GameBoy Advance puzzler's instruction manual, too, as you can see in the snapshot above.



Guru Logi Champ's cart label is a slight variation of the main cover art. Hey, at least there's a little difference--too many publishers of GBA games used the same designs on both surfaces, in my experience.

If you'd like to learn more about this 2001 release, by the way, you can do so by reading my Guru Logi Champ review. Also, you can ogle the most interesting pages of the game's instruction manual in this "Manual Stimulation" post. And if you'd like to see a few more photos of its box and cartridge, check out this Flickr album of mine.

See also: previous 'Nice Package!' posts

Get your piping hot #HudsonMonth game recommendations here!

In case you weren't already aware, December is "Hudson Month," according to my friend Anne Lee (of the Chic Pixel blog).

What does that mean? Basically, it means you're supposed to play one or more games made by the now-defunct developer and publisher Hudson Soft sometime this month and then blog or tweet about the experience (using #HudsonMonth in the latter scenario)--if you're willing and able, of course.

If Hudson Soft doesn't ring a bell, maybe the names of some of the company's most famous releases will: Adventure Island, Bomberman and Bonk's Adventure.

Although there's nothing wrong with playing through one of those titles or their sequels for this game-along, there are many other--and oftentimes better--options available to you, such as the following:

DoReMi Fantasy: Milon no DokiDoki Daibouken (Super Famicom)--There weren't many side-scolling platformers made for the Super Famicom or SNES that can compete with Nintendo's own Super Mario World or Yoshi's Island. DoReMi Fantasy is one of the few. Greatly helping matters is this cart's gameplay, which is reminiscent of Mizubaku Daibouken's. Physical copies (loose or complete) tend to be absurdly pricey these days, but that's not a problem if you've got a Wii or Wii U, as DoReMi Fantasy can be bought from both of their online shops for just a few bucks.



Hatena Satena (GameBoy Advance)--If you like Picross or even that old standby, Minesweeper, you'll love this 2001 Japan-only GameBoy Advance title. That's because Hatena Satena combines elements of both of those popular puzzlers, and the resulting effort more than stands on its own. Even better, Hatena Satena has a funky aesthetic that puts that of its predecessors to shame. Relevant aside: Compile's Guru Logi Champ will provide you with even more Picross-y thrills should Hatena Satena not fully satisfy your craving.



Kororinpa (Wii)--This is one of those early Wii games that made full use of the system's motion-sensing controller. In fact, Kororinpa is played by twisting and turning the Wii Remote to do the same to the title's labyrinthine levels--with the goal being to roll a ball (or something resembling a ball, at least) from each stage's entrance to its exit. That's harder than it sounds, of course. Thankfully, the game's colorful backdrops and chipper background tunes help take the edge off some of its tension. Bonus: cheap copies of both the first Kororinpa and its sequel can be bought via eBay these days.

Monster Lair (TurboGrafx-16)--If you're a PC Engine aficionado, you likely know this game by its original name, Wonder Boy III: Monster Lair. Whatever you call it, though, it's a great little game that's one part platformer and one part shoot 'em up. There's more to Monster Lair than its intriguing gameplay, though. The game's also a real looker thanks to its liberal use of color and its big, bold sprites. Its soundtrack is pure bliss, too. Relevant aside: I saved up and bought a pricey TurboGrafx-CD add-on as a teen solely because of this game.

Nuts & Milk (Famicom)--This single-screen platformer (don't be fooled, it's nothing like Bubble Bubble) was the first third-party game to be released for the Famicom. Despite that, and despite the fact that Nuts & Milk is just as fun as many classics from the same era, maker Namco never brought it to North America. Thankfully, it's easy enough to play in 2016 and beyond no matter where in the world you live. Actual carts are both abundant and cheap (on eBay and the like), or of course you can go the old "boot up the ROM" route. (If you own a Japanese 3DS, Wii or Wii U, you can buy Nuts & Milk from that region's Virtual Console. Unfortunately, the same can't be said if you own a recent Nintendo system that originates from North America or Europe.)

Princess Tomato in the Salad Kingdom (NES)--All you really need to know about this 1991 release: it's an old-school point-and-click adventure starring anthropomorphic pieces of produce. That alone should make you sit down and play it, in my opinion. If that's not enough, consider its grin-inducing visuals and its jaunty soundtrack. Also, Princess Tomato in the Salad Kingdom can be picked up quickly and cheaply via the Wii eShop if you have that Nintendo console or the Wii U. Why the higher-ups at Konami (which now owns Hudson's intellectual properties) have yet to slip the game onto any region's 3DS eShop is beyond me.



Saturn Bomberman (Saturn)--If you play just one of the games discussed here, let it be this one. In my humble opinion, this is the best, most enjoyable Bomberman game to ever see the light of day. Plus, its graphics are so adroitly drawn and animated they'll make you tear up. As for Saturn Bomberman's music, I can't say it'll make you cry, but it'll definitely help set the mood for a properly thorough play session. If you're without a Sega Saturn and a copy of this game, by the way, you can buy the next best thing, Bomberman '94 for the PC Engine, from the Wii eShop or the PlayStation Store.

Star Parodier (PC Engine)--I fell in love with this overhead, vertical-scrolling shoot 'em up the second I found out one of its selectable ships was a PC Engine system that takes down oncoming enemies with HuCards and CDs and deflects their projectiles using controllers that double as as shields. (You can choose to pilot Bomberman, too, curiously enough.) Sadly, that's about the wackiest thing you can say about Star Parodier. The rest of its content is quite a bit less intriguing than similar games like Parodius and Pop'n TwinBee. Still, this Super CD-ROM2 title is well worth checking out if you're a fan of the shmup genre in particular or cute games in general.

Are you a fan of a Hudson Soft-made or -published game not discussed here? Let me--and others--know about it in the comments section below.

It's easier than ever to take a Magical Vacation--even if you don't know Japanese

Like a lot of people, I've wanted to play the Brownie Brown-made (and Nintendo-published) Magical Vacation since I first became aware of it in the lead up to the GameBoy Advance's early-2001 release.

What's stopped me from doing so? The language barrier is the biggest reason, no question. Although I'm (slowly) learning Japanese, I still haven't learned enough to understand the story in games like this one.

Thankfully, that's no longer an issue--or at least it no longer has to be an issue. That's because an English fan translation patch hit the Internet the other day that makes Magical Vacation accessible to schmucks like me who aren't quite ready to stumble their way through an RPG that otherwise displays text they don't understand.

To learn more about this patch--or, you know, download it--go to romhacking.net.

Before you grab it, though, you might like to know the Magical Vacation patch contains a few glitches, typos and chunks of untranslated text. It's still quite playable, and even enjoyable, based on what I've been told, but I thought some of you would appreciate hearing about the above-mentioned issues before diving into this candy-coated (yet also surprisingly dark--again, based on what I've been told) adventure.

Are any of you planning to give this a try? Or maybe you're already making your way through it? If your answer to either of those questions is yes, please let me--and others--know in the comments section below.

Nice Package! (Hitsuji no Kimochi, GameBoy Advance)

Would you believe I bought this game, known as Sheep outside of Japan, without knowing a thing about it (other than it was made and published by Capcom and sported a precious cover illustration) a couple of years ago?

Actually, if you've been following me here--or on Facebook or Flickr or Twitter--for any length of time, you probably would believe it.



You'd also probably understand why I purchased it. I mean, just look at its packaging:



Very likely the most adorable thing you've seen all day, right? Perhaps even the most adorable thing you've seen all week or month or year.

Hitsuji no Kimochi's cartridge label (below) is pretty cute, too, if you ask me.



Does the interior of this Japanese GameBoy Advance title's instruction manual follow in the charming footsteps of its cart label and outer box? Yes, in a way--as this next photo shows:

Like most GBA manuals, though, it's a bit too wordy for its own good--or at least that's my opinion of the matter.

Or maybe I should say it doesn't have enough illustrations to compensate for all of the text it throws at readers.  

Oh, well. Every other aspect of Hitsuji no Kimochi's packaging is so swoon-worthy is easy enough to overlook the fact that its instruction manual is a bit disappointing.

Hell, the sheep-branded box flaps (see above) alone would be enough for me to get over that so-called disappointment.



If only I could assure you that Hitsuji no Kimochi's in-game graphics or gameplay are as delightful as the rest of it. Unfortunately, but not surprisingly (am I right?), I've yet to play the damn thing, so I can't do that.

Have any of you played it--or any other version of the game? (Apparently it was released for the original PlayStation, PC and Mac as well as the GameBoy Advance.) If so, what do you think of it?

See also: previous 'Nice Package!' posts

Happy 15th anniversary, GameBoy Advance!

On Mar. 21, 2001, Nintendo released its second handheld game system--or third, if you count the GameBoy Color--in Japan.

The system in question, of course, was the GameBoy Advance.

North America, Europe and Australia didn't get the 32-bit console until three months later, in early and late June, respectively.

The GameBoy Advance garnered a lot of attention early on thanks to its 32-bit processor, its backward compatibility with the GameBoy and GameBoy Color and its impressively long list of launch-day titles--including Super Mario Advance, Kuru Kuru Kururin and ChuChu Rocket!

Speaking of Super Mario Advance, another feather in the GameBoy Advance's oddly shaped cap was the fact that it eventually housed a slew of Famicom and Super Famicom (or NES and SNES, depending on your perspective) ports.

Despite all of the above, I didn't join the GBA club until fairly late in the game. In fact, I waited until after the laptop-esque GameBoy Advance SP was released in 2003 to make that move.



Actually, I waited until sometime in 2005, as I remember buying both a black GBA SP and a copy of Pokémon Emerald at a local Toys R Us to keep me entertained during an upcoming work trip.

Although I was slow to warm up to this particular portable, I now consider myself to be a pretty big fan of it thanks to the number of must-play games that were made for it during its too-brief existence.

Some of my favorite GBA carts: Final Fantasy V Advance, Guru Logi Champ, Mother 3, Rhythm Tengoku, Slime Mori Mori Dragon Quest and Zooo (aka Zoo Keeper).

Of course, I've yet to experience a bunch of the system's most intriguing titles, like Magical Vacation, Screw Breaker (aka Drill Dozer), Sennen Kazoku and Tomato Adventure.

How about all of you? Do you have fond memories of the GBA and its impressive catalog of games? If so, please share them in the comments section that follows.

See also: 'Happy 4th anniversary, Vita!' 'Seven ways you can celebrate the 27th anniversary of the PC Engine's release' and '15 memories in honor of the Sega Dreamcast's 15th anniversary'

Gunman Clive gallops onto the ... GameBoy?

To be perfectly honest, I think I would've preferred a Neo Geo Pocket Color or WonderSwan Color "demake" of Bertil Hörberg's Gunman Clive to the GameBoy-ified version that can be downloaded from gunmanclive.com, but don't take that as a complaint.

After all, even this pea-green-and-black recreation of the first Gunman Clive's first level is pretty darn awesome.

It was produced by Hörberg himself, by the way. Here's what he had to say about the effort on the site linked to above.



"I've always felt that it's basically a GameBoy game at its core. I emersed myself completely in the world of 8-bit assembler code, four-color tiles and monochromatic screens, and I enjoyed myself tremendously.

"But it ended up taking a lot more time and going a lot slower and than I anticipated. After over a month of intense development I finally have a presentable demo. There's a few more things I'd like to do with it, but I don't know if I can justify spending any more time on it."

I haven't yet tried it for myself, but apparently this ROM can be played using any "decent" GameBoy emulator or even on an actual piece of GameBoy, GameBoy Color or GameBoy Advance hardware--assuming you have access to a working flash cart.

Shall We Do It? (bidding a fond farewell to Sweet Fuse and finally digging into Bravely Default)

"Oh, hell no."

Those three words were the first ones that came to mind when I wrapped up Sweet Fuse: At Your Side for the first time over the weekend.

That's because, after spending about a week and a whole lot of hours on this PSP-based visual novel, the first ending I encountered was a bad one. (As in, the guy I had the hots for didn't admit to feeling the same about me, er, my 18-year-old female avatar.)

I considered that to be completely unacceptable, so I promptly decided to go through the whole affair again--which is easier than it may sound in Sweet Fuse (and many other such games), as it offers players the ability to fast-forward through text that's already been read.

The problem is, I made a wrong choice at the very beginning of that follow-up attempt (these games are all about making the right choices--to the extent that most fans refer to a guide while working through them) and as a result I wound up not being able to re-woo the character in question.

So, after that campaign ended an hour or so later--also badly, I might add--I gave it another go. This time lasted just 45 minutes or so, and guess what? I finally ended up with the man of my dreams. Er, sort of. I think.

Was it all worth it? Surprisingly, I think it was. Although Sweet Fuse started slowly for me, its story--a murder mystery set at a video game-themed theme park, basically--eventually sank its claws into me, as did its colorful cast of characters.

I have to admit that I only found two of its woo-able men to be at all attractive--the "mature" (he's all of 32) journalist, Ayumu Shirabe, seen in the screenshot above, and the wild-haired "escort," Ryusei Mitarashi--but the rest of the bunch were interesting enough that it didn't bother me much, if at all.

As much as I enjoyed this experience, I can't help but think only a small fraction of today's gamers would find it similarly enthralling. That's largely because of the Choose Your Own Adventure-esque gameplay, by the way, and not because it's aimed at women and girls.

Still, that hasn't hurt this game's main competition in the Western world, Hakuoki, from finding a surprising amount of success, so maybe I'm selling non-Japanese gamers a bit short?

Regardless, just know that the main thing you do when you "play" Sweet Fuse is read. Once in a while you're asked to select between two or three options that will advance the plot in various ways, but other than that you'll be advancing lines of text with your PSP's X button.

If that doesn't bother you, I'd highly recommend giving the game a go should you own the requisite hardware.

A game I wouldn't give such a hearty recommendation to at this point, although I'm admittedly still at the very beginning of its adventure, is Golden Sun for the GameBoy Advance.

I've had this one for ages now, but for all sorts of reasons failed to boot it up until this past weekend.

Now, before I get too negative, let me just say that already I like a number of things about this portable RPG: I like its graphics (yes, even though they exist in that rather unattractive and awkward space also filled by games like Donkey Kong Country), I like its basic gameplay (which is like if Shining Force were turned into a traditional, turn-based RPG) and I like its soundtrack, too.

What don't I like? For starters, I hope that whomever designed the stairs found throughout the initial town was fired shortly after Golden Sun's release. On more than one occasion I've become stuck because I couldn't see the steps that supposedly had been carved out of the stony backdrop.

Actually, I hope the person in charge of this town's layout was fired, too, as it's a far too circuitous for its own good, if you ask me.

Oh, and then there's the fact that after an hour or two of gameplay I've still yet to find my way out of said town. Admittedly, it's possible I just haven't been paying close enough attention to what the game's NPCs are saying, but I doubt it.

Don't worry, I'm not planning to give up on Golden Sun anytime soon as a result of the above-mentioned shenanigans, although I wouldn't expect me to beat it anytime soon. After all, I just began Bravely Default, and anyone who has been coming here for even just the last few months should know that game is likely to take the bulk of my gaming attention for the foreseeable future. (Hell, I spent eight to 10 hours on the Bravely Default demo alone.)

Speaking of Bravely Default, I've played about three hours of it the other day and, boy, were those three hours a blast. I'm happy to report the full game eases folks into the experience a lot better than the demo did.

My favorite part of Bravely Default so far: the "party chat" feature. I can only imagine how much time this added to the game's localization effort, so I'm glad the people responsible for it decided to keep it intact.

This feature allows gamers to gain a bit of insight into the feelings and motives of each party member, by the way. As far as I can tell it can be completely ignored, so those of you who'd rather just get on with things are free to do so.

Other than that, I'm also loving the game's battle system, of course, as well as its graphics (or maybe I should say "art style") and soundtrack--although none of that should come as a surprise, as I loved all of those things in the Bravely Default demo, too.

Are any of you also working your way through this beautiful RPG at the moment? If so, what do you think of it so far?

One last thing: should you want to read a few impressions of another game I've spent some quality time in recent days, click here to check out my initial thoughts on the Japan-only puzzler, Zoo Keeper 3D.

Also, click here to scroll through previous "Shall We Do It?" posts.

Four Japanese retro games I'd like to buy (and play, of course) in 2014

I know I've complained once or twice (or 24 times) over the last few months about the size of my gaming backlog, but that doesn't mean I can't add a few more titles to the pile in 2014 if the fancy strikes, right? Right?!

As for which retro games I'll be stalking on eBay should the "need" arise, here are the four that currently top my "consider buying in 2014" list:

Wario Land Advance (GameBoyAdvance)--Also known as Wario Land 4 in the West, this GBA title is a fairly recent addition to my lengthy "to buy" list. I'm sure this will sound strange to some of you, but I've never been a huge fan of this Nintendo character outside of the WarioWare series--although I bought and played a bit of the first and second Wario Land games. I hardly loved either of them, though, which is the main reason why I passed on this 2001 sequel. For a whole host of reasons, though, I think 2014 may be the year I finally give it a go.

Mesopotamia (PC Engine)--It's been some time since I've added a PC Engine game to my collection, and that's a real shame--in part because it's kept me from picking up ones like this Atlus-made oddity (which was released in North America as Somer Assault). I mean, it isn't often that you can play a platformer-ish game that stars what can only be described as a Slinky with a gun. Bonus: its cover art (see it here) is as appealingly unique as its gameplay.

Pajama Hero Nemo (Famicom)--This title, which was renamed Little Nemo: Thre Dream Master when it was brought to the US, is one of my favorite games of the 8-bit era, no question. Admittedly, I was better able to meet its challenges back when I was a teenager, but I still get a kick out of it today. It helps, of course, that it features some of the best sprites to appear in the medium. Anyway, I've been meaning to pick up a complete-in-box copy of the Japanese release for ages now, and I'm hoping I'll finally go through with it sometime this year.

Rhyme Rider Kerorican (WonderSwan)--Here's another game I've had my eye on for some time. The main reason I've yet to get it: I still don't have a WonderSwan system to play it on. Other than that, though, it's a pretty attractive import-only retro title, as it's readily available and it almost always has an accessible price tag attached to it. (By the way, if you're curious to know more about this funky portable rhythm game, whose art style has long reminded me of the PaRappa the Rapper series), read the review of it over at stuckinthe90s.webs.com.)

Which retro games (Japanese or not) are you guys and gals hoping to acquire sometime next year?

Five favorites: Japanese GBA box art

The GameBoy Advance may not have stuck around as long as Nintendo's other portable systems, but it still produced a pretty wonderful catalog of games.

It also produced a pretty wonderful catalog of cover art--including the five showcased in this post, which I currently consider to be my favorites.

Final Fantasy Tactics Advance--Although this game didn't click with me like its PlayStation-based predecessor, the same can't be said for its box art, which is colorful, elegant and even a bit wistful. (I'd like it to be known, by the way, that this post--and this cover art, in particular--has prompted me to give this game another shot sometime soon.)

Mr. Driller A--I'm sure some of you will question the inclusion of this piece of cover art, and I completely understand that. To be honest, I wasn't sure if I should include it myself. In the end, though, I decided it deserved a spot on the list because of its bold use of color (pink for the win!) and its adorably cheerful (and kind of retro) art style.

Ōgon no Taiyō: Ushinawareshi Toki (aka Golden Sun: The Lost Age)--True story: the box art above is my favorite of the bunch. I love that it's so stark, yet also dramatic. It certainly isn't the kind of cover art the folks at Nintendo produce every day. The question is (to those of you who've played it or its predecessor): does the game itself stack up to its beautiful box art?

Tomato Adventure--Clearly I like colorful cover art, especially when it comes to handheld games. As such, it should go without saying that I'm completely in love with Tomato Adventure's packaging, which seemingly includes every hue imaginable. Oh, and it gets bonus points for sporting an awesome logo, too.

Slime Morimori Dragon Quest--This beautiful piece of box art earned a spot in this post due in large part to the smiling slime that serves as its focus. It features plenty of other appealing elements, too, though--like Don Clawleone's shadowy presence in the background. (I'm also quite fond of this game's logo, which is a lot less busy than the ones that have been used for the Dragon Quest Monsters series.)

Honorable mentions: Final Fantasy V Advance, Guru Logi Champ, Klonoa: Empire of Dreams, Zelda no Densetsu: Fushigi no Bōshi (aka The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap)

See also: five favorite pieces of European DS box art, Japanese DS box art, North American DS box art, Japanese PSP box art and Japanese Wii box art

All I want after Christmas is ...

One of my blogging buds, Minee, recently published her holiday wish list on her site, Vast Sea of Games, and then asked her readers to share theirs in its comments section. I liked the idea and thought it might be nice to do something similar here--and then I realized I'm not really asking for anything gaming-related for Christmas.

I'm sure that sounds kind of strange given my usual proclivities, but there's a good reason for it: the only people in my life who give me Christmas presents at this point are my parents, and they tend to give me (along with my brother and our spouses) small gifts and a nice amount of cash rather than larger gifts such as game systems and the like.

Will I be buying any systems or games with this impending holiday haul? Of course! In fact, I've already got my eyes on a few potential purchases, including the following:

Zoo Keeper 3D--I have a feeling I'm a member of a very small (and, let's face it, very odd) club of gamers thanks to my interest in this Japan-only 3DS title. What can I say? I love the GameBoy Advance version of the game (called Zooo, strangely enough) and also quite like the DS iteration, so I'd like to try this one, too.

Possibly one or more import-only DS games--Which ones, you ask? 7th Dragon (above) is one. Nora to Koku no Koubou: Kiri no Mori no Majo (aka Noora and the Time Studio: The Witch of the Misty Forest) is another. Oh, and Maestro! Jump in Music, too--which is a Europe-only DS release, strangely enough.

Definitely an obscure GameBoy title or two--In fact, it's extremely possible I'll forego all of the above and blow my entire wad on obscure (and mostly Japanese) GameBoy titles, like the one pictured above. That is how obsessed I am with this 24-year-old handheld at the moment.

Although there's a chance I'll spend my Christmas cash on something else--don't be too shocked if a Game Gear, Neo Geo Pocket Color or PSP game enter the fray, for example--the best bet is that you'll see a few posts focused on one or more of the above once the holidays are over.

Now that I've had my say, what gaming-related presents are all of you hoping to receive from your loved ones (or, like me, buy for yourself) this gift-giving season?