Good luck with Mario 64, some of those 100 coin stars are mean.

I never did reply a while back, whoops. Yeah, Luigi doesn't even appear in every Mario game, but when he does I feel he should have SOMETHING to do, as opposed to Paper Mario where he's just stuck at home (even if it is done for a goof).
And if you want to be extra mean, you can ditch him during the epilogue: [Link] (Glitch? Easter egg? A glitch that was left in as an easter egg? We'll never know.)

As for Castlevania, I wouldn't recommend marathoning the series, at least not "Classicvania". Those games are physically and mentally taxing to finish as intended, though if you were to play with save states it would be a different story.

Kudos on ing Skyward Sword, too. I haven't played it but your review lines up with what I've absorbed from other people over time. "Somehow both over- & under-rated" sums it up.

Also, I like your new year's goals!
I am just afraid you're asking yourself too much. I am happy if I finish one game a month.

But you are right, things like these are nice to read on a Backlog page

No worries, I also took a while off from here, so I only reply today. It's no biggie, life goes first, internet is not even in the Top 10.

DKC is one of my favourite platform games, definitely one of the finest I have played yet, considering the time it came out. And yes, I love the water theme, it is iconic today, means it did do something right back in the 90s. Thank you for liking my theme, DKC is one of those games I could talk so long about!

I found SM64 levels with endless pits a lot more scary than those with ice and lava, but ice and lava take close second place, as far as "oh no, I really don't wanna fall down from here" goes.

Hidden Mansion replay? I did not know the game had such a thing. I obviously need to replay it, I guess. I finished it back in the days, but can't remember the Hidden Mansion. What is it?

Well, but that Bowser wasn't really Bowser now, was he? I liked the idea behind the battle, but I agree, they could also have been more creative. All in all, in was a fine ending for me though.

About our little discussion regarding Ocarina of Time, Wind Waker, and top rated games: I understand. I still think, I will always go with my emotions when it comes to "best games", because it is always a "my favourite games" kinda thing. A Link to the Past is a technical masterpiece. But I just did not have much fun playing it. So it will always be below Link's Awakening DX, for me, even if it is technically the superior game. I listen to my brain when I take decisions, but ultimately, the heart wants what the heart wants.
And I want more Zelda games!

But yeah, The Wind Waker has a less balanced second half of the game, while Ocarina of Time's second half is just amazing. Still, the final battle of The Wind Waker is, in my opinion, the best final battle of any Zelda to date (though some come close). The setting and the music are just so epic, and the moment of reflection before the battle is just... unexpectedly deep, for a Zelda game.

I hope you will enjoy Super Mario Sunshine when it comes to it.

I do have associations like that. Zelda is a cosy winter game, with deep immersion on my own time, both Wave Race and SSX are summer games, Super Mario Sunshine I associate with a warm and golden autumn, Resident Evil and Eternal Darkness are October/November games.
Some of these associations are obvious... I like the not so obvious ones. What are your not obvious ones?

Very thoughtful thoughts! I love me some Pokemon Ranger ... maybe that'll get a replay this year.

I do agree that something is off about the Wylde Flowers situation, but we will ponder it after our respective gaming endeavors. I also am biased and love Minish Cap but I respect the chronological order. Enjoy!!

1/22/2024

I've been thinking about my gaming habits in 2023 and how I want to proceed in 2024, so I decided to write down some things I want to do. I had much better focus last year as far as actually finishing the games I started, and I think it helped to have defined (but not confining) goals.

This is primarily for my own posterity but I do know that some people like seeing this kind of thing, so I'm sharing it here. I'll update it as I go.

Currently completing unfinished games from autumn and winter of 2023.

Completed:
🎄 Complete The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword 1/22

February thru March:
🎃 Replay Thief Gold
❄️ Beat Pokemon Ranger
🎃 Finish Luigi's Mansion's Hidden Mansion with all gold portraits & best ending
❄️ Complete Tell Me Why
🎃 Beat Oxenfree
❄️ Complete Super Mario 64
☘️ Replay The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap

Coming Soon:
⚔️ Complete The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Anniversary Edition

~

🎆🎇 2024 Goals! 🎇🎆
- Focus on a chronologically-ordered Zelda marathon, starting with Skyward Sword
- Achieve and maintain 70% or less unfinished games
- Achieve "Invincible" status at least once

Funny, I bought it with SoS:AWL on the same day and ... well, one of those won out for me and it wasn't Wylde Flowers. Great minds!

The progression is my complaint so far and a common one I hear. I'm maybe 4 hours in and finally the plot is revealing itself ... maybe. I also like a bunch of the characters (why can't I date Violet?? I am DEVASTATED) but some rub me the wrong way. I guess that's how most games in the genre go though.

Perhaps we'll both have to check in with it in a few months, I'll be playing P3R very soon

o/

curious to know your thoughts on wylde flowers! I picked it up on sale a while ago, am a few hours in and it's ... real slow. how's it going for you?

Well, one day it will be gone from your timeline, I guess. No hurry.

Gaming is more important than answering to messages. I also always just do that when I have the time. The meeting I am in right now just needs my ears. So... I can answer stuff here.

Also, Professor Layton!

Enjoy Skyward Sword!

Happy new year to you too hahaha

Oh, I already completed even Apollo Justice, it was an amazing travel, probably my favorite is the first too

I played in Spanish, I think the puns and jokes are well translated, they just have some typos like not starting or finishing the "?" and "!"

The only sad thing for me was Apollo Justice not surprising me with the PW being the first prosecuted, because I already played the start of that game when I was like 13 or smt like that

I just completed the first game... IT WAS AWESOME, THE PLOT, THE MUSIC, THE JOKES, ALL IS PERFECT, WHAT TAKE ME SO LONG FOR PLAYING THIS THING

And to think, I did not even plan for this to be out on the 25th anniversary when I designed the theme months ago... and now it just fits perfectly. Odd, how the world turns and bobs, sometimes.

Ugh, I disliked the sliding puzzles as well, all of them... some less then others, of course, but I was also never really good at them. Still, they are few and the quality of the puzzles overall is just amazing. Also, the story and the characters are just great. I just love the Professor Layton and Luke combo so much. I have played the sequel as well and despite not being as great as the Curious Village it is still really worth the time. One day I'll try the third one.

Talking about the levels in Mario 64 made me do some research on them and while I still stand by what I said, I might have to add a few things.

Lethal Lava Land certainly had some aggravating things, like the stupid Bullys that try to slam you into the lava and the fact that in some places, if you fall into the lava, you can hardly recover anywhere close. But I really liked the volcano, to be honest, and it is also the only fire world in the game (except for Bowser in the Fire Sea) so I can tollerate it just fine. It makes you skate on a koopa-shell on lava, that is quite cool, actually.
The research didn't make Snowman's Land any better, actually, I was reminded of the stupid place where the water is so cold, you take damage, bump into the ceiling, return into the water and take damage a second time again. Ugh! I guess that level got worse simply by talking about it.

Also, I just realized I confused Jolly Roger Bay with Dire Dire Docks. I prefer Jolly Roger Bay. But the music is the same, so... my statement is not wrong (preferring its music to most other stages).

Another stage I don't really like is Wet-Dry World. Those enemies that just throw you away are awful.

If you like spooky levels you must love Luigi's Mansion, right? Let me check your collection...
*five minutes later*
Okay, seems like you are in the same situation as me. You like Luigi's Mansion but have not yet played the sequels.

Also, favourite game is The Wind Waker, but it is 4(.5) stars out of 5. And Ocarina of Time has a 5/5.
Interesting top rated games either way.

Back to Boo levels: have you played Super Mario Sunshine yet?

About Mario's crying in Yoshi's Island... I am done with it! It was so annoying!
But the game is good!

Thanks, since my first language is spanish, I guess I'm going to play the 4 main games released on DS, and then decide if I want to play the 3DS and the spin-offs

Yes. He is very famous, I haven't played any game and I know the names of the principal characters (just by design, Gumshoe is my favorite)

Hi, do you recommend the Ace Attorney saga? I recognize the character from your banner but never give the saga a chance

Yes, the for Super Mario Galaxy would include doing the entire game again with Luigi. And they just changed the gameplay marginally, and even as Luigi you have to do the "Find Luigi" stars... which somehow was the thing that broke it to me. I am fine. I do not need to all my games. I just want to see what I feel like is worth seeing.

I have to say, I agree with Big Boo's Haunt being among my favourites, it is such a great level, and very mysterious on top. I was never too much into Hazy Maze Cave, but came to appreciate it because of the whole underground lake part. And the Metal Cap being basically hidden in a level in a level. I think it's the only cap that is like that.

I love Tick Tock Clock and Rainbow Ride, even if they are among the most difficult levels. And Tall Tall Mountain is also one of the greater ones. I think Whomp's Fortress and is my favourite level though, both because it is so nicely structured, iconic and also filled with different sections and a couple of mysteries. The best music goes to Dire Dire Docks.

I have never been a fan of the Desert or Lava levels either. The only Lava Level I like is the Bowser one. Also do not like the two snow levels, though the first one is rather bearable. The second one is... I dunno, just weird. Somehow small. And talking about small, Tiny Big Island is probably my least favourite level. Nice idea though.
So even "the worst" level has a nice tough. Which is why SM64 is so great. And yes, with Bob-omb Battlefield it has one of the best opening levels of any videogame.

I hope my advice will help. It helped me back in the day.

Yes, "still in time" for the American 25th anniversary. In Europe Ocarina of Time released on 11th December, so I am early for my region.
But it was as good a time as any, honestly. Ocarina of Time deserved all the praise and then some. Truly one of the best games "of all time".
Happy you like the theme!
I guess I'll keep it up throughout December and change it sometime around XMas.

And I see you have been playing Professor Layton. Such a cosy game! Hope you are liking it!

It never occurred to me that your name is a play on Dr Pepper until I saw your new profile pic. The soda-loving kid in me approves.

No worries, my answer is just as late. =)

What levels did you like the least in Mario 64? And which ones were your favourites?

I like Super Mario Sunshine, it's not a bad game and it certainly got a lot more "bad press" than it deserves. It is not Mario 64, but no game can be Mario 64, it created a genre. Doesn't mean there aren't better games out there than Mario 64.
I completed Mario Sunshine some ten years ago or so and did not regret it. It didn't change my life, but I didn't mind having it done.
I also tried to Mario Galaxy last year or so (or was it this year? It's all a blur) but I then realized what an odyssey that would be, so I decided to quit it at 120 Stars.

What is it about the Wing Cap levels? Do the controls feel weird? The best way I confronted them was to think of Mario as one of those paper planes. Then it clicked.

Sorry I should have clarified, by "first one" I was talking about the first Paper Mario, not original Thousand Year Door. But I know what you mean, the Game Cube was the last console to give me that magical "woah the future is here" feeling from the games alone, whereas the Wii did it with its new features. And yeah while it's nice to see the Game Cube finally getting the appreciation it deserves, the prices are out of control now, like everything else.

If you're feeling down that Paper Mario is over and want more, Stryder7x has a great channel covering all kinds of trivia and shenanigans, like how invisible penguins can crash the game: [Link]
I read your review and agree, Chapter 7 always stuck with me the most for its environments and music, especially the abandoned Crystal Palace. If you asked me to make a building themed around ice, glass, mirrors, solitude, and mind screws, that's about what I would have come up with.

Yeah, there was a time when you couldn't even give a CRT away, and now we want them all back. History repeats. The earliest flat screen monitors were TRASH, but they were shiny and new and didn't weigh a ton, so the CRT died so the flat-screen could grow. And just to rub salt in the wound, CRTs were perfected around the same time we started killing them off. 😔
Glad you found one you like. You might also like /r/CRTgaming. Lots of setup shots, how-tos, hardware news, and a pinned thread for buying/selling/trading : [Link]