Always nice to see someone enjoy the stupidly named New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe.

Its by far the best of the New series, so much so that I'd still recommend it to people who were left a little cold by the other 3.

7. Metroid: Zero Mission (GBA)
The GBA remake of the NES original (emulated through a Vita emulating a PSP). There was significant slowdown from somewhere in that chain. That's the only complaint.

This is excellent. The small-ish size of the 8-bit world creates a snappy upgrade path that keeps sucking you in for just another 5 minutes, just one more corridor. Backtracking is also minimal. Or at least, it's so quick getting everywhere that it's never a chore. And the soundtrack for each area is so good that it's actually nice to keep going through the same old bits to hear the tunes again (especially the central first bit).

When starting, the first screen to the left is the morph ball power up. It could have easily started you with the morph ball, or had it to the right. But in those days you never went left. So the player instinctively trundles on to the right, finds an insurmountable obstacle and then is forced into backtracking. Finding the power up through exploration, then getting it to do the thing to get somewhere new. It tells you the whole design of the game in three or four screens. 

It's pretty similar to Super Metroid really. But possibly better. SM seems like it was more or less an upscaled original Metroid. So then redoing that original game in 16-bit makes it all a bit familiar. That's probably stopped it being a 10.

This also has a post-game bolt on mission which is really good. I was initially a bit pissed off because I thought I'd finished the game. Then it strips you of your powers and you have to sneak around to find your power suit. Then you get the full powered thing and rampage back through the level. This whole thing works really well. Especially as I'd raced through and missed a load of stuff in the main game. So then getting the whole package unleashed and ploughing through the enemies is massively satisfying. 

It's a very good game. The weapons, the movement, the breadcrumb trail of clues, puzzles and power ups half-leading you and half-pushing you through the maze. Pretty easy combat for the most part then ramps it up at the end for the bosses. 
[9]

You’d love it.

Dead Dance! As non-Capcom and SNK vs. fighters go, I quite liked it back in the day. Just behind Turtles Tournament Fighters. Maybe.

I'd rather play it again than most of the 16-bit also-rans, even the ones that received okay marks in a few mags, like Primal Rage (shite) and Clayfighter (never got the appeal).  One of the absolute worst was Brutal: Paws of Fury, tried that for the first time a couple of years ago.  Bafflingly bad for '94.

Moot_Geeza wrote:

Just realised I can play that on my PS Mini now. Will pgive it a go in a fee weeks, always fancied it. One of the few certified GBA bangers I never picked up.

Ruh roh

2. Donut County
Simplistic, indie puzzle game. Each level sees you moving a hole to swallow objects that increases the size of the hole allowing you to swallow larger objects. Kinda neat at first but not much substance, I think I was hoping or expecting something more akin to Katamari. Cutscenes got old really quick, the script mercifully skippable. Short enough to not irritate too much but a passing, uninspiring fancy. 5

8. Chu Chu Rocket (GBA)
Played 75 out of the 100 SP levels (I skipped Mania mode). It was getting a bit annoying towards the end. The puzzles become less and less about logic and experimentation and more about brute-forcing your way to a solution through trial and error. It's really good for a while though. Some levels are a cinch. Others need a bit of work. And others I stared at and played with for ages before the kick-yourself solution became clear. Nice, simple idea with huge creative mileage. 

I don't know if this can be properly appreciated without the MP and the early 2000s internet buzz, which seems to be why it's so fondly remembered. I youtubed the MP and it looks like chaos. 

Anyway, this is fine. 
[7]

I think it’s a bit like going back to SNES Bomberman. It’s still going to be good but you’re not getting at the thing that made it special at the time.
There’s a very good 50 or so levels in there from what I’ve played.

I have finished [2] games this year.

Destiny 2: Beyond Light
Detroit: Become Human

Both with similar naming schemes. Curious.

13. Phogs! - Xbox One (10-12hrs)

Puzzle adventure made for two.  I played this with Tilly, who's 6 now, and we had problems.  Big problems in places.  I like to keep on keeping on, she likes to dilly dally and mess around, and as you each control the heads of a creature that's attached in the middle this led to some infuriating tugs of war and at least one or two major strops apiece. We had to have a cool off period from playing it for a week or two earlier in the year.  The Eurogamer review suggests not attempting to play it with a second player for the sake of sanity/healthy relationships, but it's absolutely a co-op experience to the core for me.  You could play it alone (with each analogue stick controlling a head), but why would you, with so much else worthy of attention these days?  It's designed around the constant push & pull - without it it'd just be a charming , quirky yet middling puzzle game.  You can both grab things with the L1 & R1 buttons and stretch with the L2 and R2 buttons, and that's it.  Everything is expertly designed around this limited sausage snakedog conceit, and they've crammed so much in.  I was surprised how long it took to finish actually, there's a decent amount of game here, plus some worthwhile secrets to hunt down and absolute non-stop variety in the stages.

Viewed as a co-op experience, this could have been something extra special.  With a better engine and general tweaking/tightening/sanding of rough edges this would've genuinely been something to shout about.  It all looks and feels just a touch flimsy though. You'll get stuck in or behind things.  You'll curse the controls.  You'll have to manually respawn as glitch workarounds.  BUT, it's still delightful despite the whiff of jank.  Don't sleep on it if the premise appeals; there's Nintendo levels of cutesy craft on display with some of the ingenious puzzle design.   It might not have the spit and polish associated with The Big N, but it's brimming with so many great ideas it reminded me of Tearaway on occasion.  I thought I'd be going with a [7], but the highs were so much fun and run up to the ending so memorable I'm giving it the [8] it deserves. 

Spoiler alert, not that there's a plot to speak of:
It was a wild ride for us, take a look if you have a willing co-op partner or like to moan about a lack of originality in games. 

7.Assassins Creed: Valhalla - 65 Hours - 8/10 - Xbox Series X

Strange one this as I’m not sure how much I enjoyed it vs how much I wanted to enjoy it. Easy stuff first, it’s stunning, like really stunning. Think I’ve played all the next gen stuff across both and this has impressed the most. The countryside is absolutely beautiful, the detail is incredible. The sky was forever making me stop to have a look and the light through the trees never got old. The weather effects deserve a mention too. Really is a stunner. Sound design was all of that too...just not writing it again.

Game world was a step up for me over the last two as it did feel tighter, and a smaller map was much easier and more fun to navigate. Didn’t have to travel for a bloody age between fast travel points, sometimes I just wanna get on with it. I enjoyed the story in the fact that I enjoyed the Viking theme, enjoyed the complexities of the brothers etc and their warring and pillaging. Some of the characters and story arcs were excellent. The odd thing here was the inclusion of the Assassins Creed at all, maybe I missed something but it never tied in what part if any of it played in the crazy sci-fi over story, they did with the last two, so though it’s mental it made some sense, but this just threw in 10 minutes of the future stuff making it even more pointless.

I enjoyed the story, the characters, building a community, the weapon and armour upgrade system was brilliant, it looked stunning so why aren’t I sure? I don’t really know, the combat didn’t feel quite right, and when you’re slaying hundreds of enemies that’s not good. It felt as if it was pointing towards a big ending with you collecting kingdoms fealty to you for when you need call upon them, but when you have them all it just...ends. I just don’t get it. Whilst I enjoyed it though it felt a little long it’s just left me kind of cold as it never really went anywhere or meant anything. I’m a huge fan of the new Assassins Creeds, and this could have been the best, but it ended up leaving me more...confused than disappointed.

Still gets an 8 as there was so much good, but such a wasted opportunity to be the best Creed.

I'm simultaneously working on my fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth games

I'm about to start playing the first game I've booted up in 2021.

7 is about right for Gris imo. I think I gave it an 8 and regretted it. Gorgeous game though.