(Playstation 5) A new and old platformer all wrapped up in one adorable package!

Wow just wow! I can't highlight enough how much of a joy it was to play Astro Bot! The creators seemed to capture just the right energy of old 3D platformer meets new and modern gameplay. The use of the PS5 controller alone was phenomenal with great tilt controls, wind control by blowing into the controller's built-in mic, and even great haptic feedback on the shoulder buttons.

The story picks up from where the PS5 Astro Bot demo left off. Astro Bot and his crew of Playstation nostalgic franchise buddies get scattered across planets and its your job to save them by going to each stage. Honestly, this game feels like a great merger of Super Mario 64 and Super Mario World. It's a fun 3D world with so many different themes to levels and each of them reward exploration and innovation. There are even secret paths in some levels to unlock more levels. Graphically, the game shines quite literally. The game is bright and colorful and has amazing lighting and reflections. The music is so so good that it keeps you moving and grooving in every stage.

The game has a great range of difficulty, knowing when to let you just enjoy the journey and when to challenge you. It's rare that I feel this engaged in a game throughout. This was the first game in a long time that I played to 100% completion of every aspect of the game. Only a handful of games share that trait. Super Mario 64 and Super Mario World are some of those few.

If you have PS5, don't let this game pass you by!

(Sega CD) An underrated gem in the classic JRPG era!

The Sega CD catalog isn't all that big but a game that often comes up in "best of" lists for the Sega Genesis add-on is Lunar. It's a game that seemed to get overshadowed by the limited life of the console and the big hitter JRPGs of the era like Chrono Trigger, Final Fantasy, and Secret of Mana, but this truly deserves a place in the conversation.

There is a lot of charm going back to a game like this. The early CD-ROM technology allowed the developers to add some minimally animated cutscenes with voice acting and although limited, it still adds a nice touch to the storytelling. It's certainly what the next generation JRPGs were built from. Speaking of story, one of Lunar's strengths is its simplicity. It's a nice story about a hero reaching his potential and fulfilling his destiny to save the world. Your classic fantasy hero's tale! It features good and personable characters and a tasteful amount of plot twists to keep you engaged and is filled with a lot of fun and cheeky humor in its dialogue along the way. It's a sign that not all story-driven RPGs have to go ham on a convoluted story. I like my Final Fantasy's don't get me wrong, but this is a nice change of pace for the genre.

The gameplay compliments the feel very well. Characters come and go from your party but are well-rounded where you can have fun with melee and magic combat. There is even an "AI" feature to allow your characters to target and attack the characters it deems best to. It's not perfect and is pretty limited but it feels ahead of its time for games that can often get tiring from random encounters. It was nice to use when grinding my way through dungeons.

The game was well paced and I never felt like I had to halt the story to grind out levels for the party. It always felt like the game got me to where I needed to go with the gear I needed which is a testament to its good design. Playing this in its original was a treat and I would recommend this to any JRPG fan!

(Nintendo Switch) Quality story in a quality franchise!

Finally going back to the world of Breath of the Wild was really fun! A lot games since it came out have followed it's large relaxed, open world format but Zelda is definitely a master of this feel. Tears of the Kingdom does a great job of picking up from where it left off as its story is this game's greatest strength. You revisit familiar towns, see old friends, and embark on a very epic adventure that covers the vast history of this version of Hyrule. I particularly loved Princess Zelda's story arc as she had a huge and emotional part in Link's success.

The gameplay is nice and familiar from BotW. The biggest enhancement is the building ability. I personally am not a huge fan of building in games like this but that's just my personal take, I can't knock the game for it. The mechanic itself is very well designed and works smoothly and I can see how other players may really enjoy being able to get super creative with puzzle solutions.

Visually this game still looks great and the sparse piano music that rings out as you explore the world is the perfect touch! The farther I got into this game, the more I enjoyed it. A great way to add to this world!

(Game Boy) A strange but fun chapter in the Mario legacy!

Super Mario Land was the first Mario adventure to make its way to Nintendo's infamous handheld platform. With just four worlds, it is a pretty short game that features some very unique levels where you try to save Princess Daisy (not Peach)! Spaceships, bugs, and people(?) are the common enemies you see throughout the trek though there are some goombas and koopas too.

Honestly, the gameplay is pretty great! Minus a few hit box glitches from time to time, I think this does stand up to the quality of Mario just with a different look and feel. Its graphics are simple and certainly not as lively as the 6 Golden Coin sequel but it has a fun charm to it and the chiptune music fits right in (Muda Kingdom music is a banger)!

I think this game has been understandably overshadowed by what came for Mario after it but this is still a really fun playthrough for anyone wanting to see all of Mario's history!

(Sega Genesis) The game that started it all!

Having loved the Sonic franchise since I got a Sega Genesis for Christmas, it was great to finally go back to his origin. This game is laid out over 6 different worlds, all with their own terrain theme. Green Hill Zone and Spring Yard Zone are the classics for me here. Even being the first entry in the series, this game holds up as a solid 2D platformer that was clearly the start of something big. The soundtrack is a HUGE part of this Sonic experience too. Anytime I go back to these games, the songs bring hit me with that wave of nostalgia.

Sonic 2 and 3 are definitely more polished renditions of this game but it still shines bright as a classic!

(Sega Genesis) The start of prime X-Men gaming!

Going back to this game reminds me of revisiting the first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles game on the NES. When I was younger, this game always seemed impossible to beat. The hard hit boxes and limited use of mutant powers originally felt like it missed the mark but playing it now has changed my perspective.

The game brings in a lot of fan favorites with big sprites that are reminiscent of the 90s cartoon and for the first X-Men game on the Genesis, the story really brings a lot of classic and deep cut villains and levels. I loved this as it is a great service to the fans; it wasn't afraid to embrace X-Men lore. The whole game is centered around a hacked Danger Room where you visit iconic settings like the Savage Land, Muir Island, and even the apocalyptic future of Days of Future Past.

The most controversial part of this game has always been the limited use of mutant powers with a "energy bar". I admittedly didn't like this either as a kid however, after playing with a more tactical approach, I really started to enjoy what this game was trying to be. On the surface, it looks like it's a side scrolling beat 'em up but it really feels more like a light metroidvania game. I think that's where its reputation has gone wrong. You think you are going to run and gun through levels shredding through enemies but levels have multiple paths and tiers that you explore and may even have to backtrack on. Perhaps the most infamous and innovative part is at the end of Mojoverse level (another deep cut), the player must "reboot the Danger Room" after the virus is cleared. To do so, a hint is given in the game manual to hit the reset button on the console itself which is a terrifying notion but a really cool idea in execution.

If you haven't given this a go in a while, I highly recommend retrying it through different eyes. It's a really fun experience and even carries that signature Genesis-feel soundtrack with deep synthy bass. Being a HUGE X-Men fan, I now have a whole new respect for this game!

(PC) A great and wacky time with friends!!

Peak is the latest in the viral games flooding social media feeds with cute graphics, crazy clips, and brilliant use of proximity chat. The premise is simple, you are a squad of cub scouts stranded on an island after a plane crash and you must ascend many mountains to find your trip home!

Like a lot of games in this "genre", it really comes alive when you play with friends. We played with a big group via use of the Unlimited mod, which increases the players over the original 4 limit (highly recommend!!). The climb is tough and helping pull your friends along the way increases your odds of making it through and honestly increases the fun as we all had a blast! Different items and food are scattered about your journey. Some aid you and some hurt you but it's up to you to figure out which ones are which.

I can't stress enough how much fun it was embracing the chaos of it all with a large group. The proximity chat creates a lot of memorable moments and you find yourself really invested in getting the team to the top, even if it means making sacrifices and leaving yourself or others behind. If you die on the trip up, you become a ghost that can follow/spectate the remaining players and even help them by talking to them along the way and providing climbing advice. This was a brilliant move as it keeps everyone engaged, even after they are eliminated, which I find to be a common problem amongst group games like this. And each mountain provides a revival point at the top so you still can come back in for the next stage. The difficulty is there but not unattainable. Chances are you won't beat it the first go around but as you and your buddies get the hang of the controls, layout, and items, you'll find yourself at the top!

Graphics and sound are cute and goofy. As you play more, you can unlock funny outfits and customize your character to make the visuals even more memorable. This game isn't deep but it doesn't need to be. It is just goofy and fun. So if you have big group and are looking for a few fun/random nights to play something different, I would highly recommend this one!

(Nintendo Entertainment System) Disney on the outside, Mega Man on the inside!

Being a big Disney cartoon fan as a kid, Darkwing Duck is one of the first games I remember getting when the NES came out! Partnering with Capcom was a great idea that brought many great Disney games like Ducktales and I would consider this part of that classic Disney game era.

Right from the beginning, you can immediately tell this game was influenced by the design of Mega Man. DD's main weapon is his gun that can utilize a couple of different ammo types that you find along the way. The mechanics are made up of fine tuned platforming with pattern based enemies that you navigate to a boss room at the end of each level.

The music is a perfectly recreated from the show in that 8-bit tone and the sprites beautifully represent the Disney characters from the show. The game is much shorter than a typical Mega Man game but I think that is by design since the Disney audience was likely much younger than the typical Mega Man fan. However, this game still provides a good challenge! Finding out the tricks to each boss become very important to successfully save the day!

I had a blast revisiting this one and beating it all the way through for the first time!! A real feel good beat for me. As DD always said, "Let's get dangerous!"

(PC) Chaotic, nightmarish, and loads of fun!

I know there are a lot of "backrooms" games out there but this to me comes through high on the list with a really immersive experience. Still in Early Access at the time of this writing, me and 5 friends dove into this over two nights. The premise is for you and your team to complete small objectives and solve puzzles to escape each level. The levels are sparse and spooky which reflect the stress from a nightmare. Each one has a completely different feel and keeps you on your toes as you stumble your way through.

The graphics are surprisingly great and the use of proximity chat keeps things intense if you get separated from your team. We are all looking forward to more levels to be released but even the game so far made for an extremely fun time!

(Nintendo Switch) An extra mini game that packs a full punch!

Having played and beaten Super Mario 3D World on the Wii U, I splurged and got the Switch version only for the Bowser's Fury add-on that I had heard was great. This game isn't long but it does feel like a good merge of Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Galaxy. The story sets Mario and Bowser Jr. teaming up to save Bowser from some dark power that has taken control of him.

The world is essentially one big zone that features mini worlds that you freely run and surf between and collect Shines. There's plenty of fun Mario power-ups including the fun Cat Suit! As you get closer to get all the Shines, Bowser will power up and grow to a giant sized version to attack you. Eventually you can fight back as a giant Cat Suit Mario. It is as ridiculous as it sounds, but fun nonetheless.

It's definitely not the best Mario experience out there but fun as a fully 3D platformer on the system. I'm sure it was made simply to push the re-release of the 3D world game since Wii U was an underperformer.