Danny

22- PARANORMASIGHT: The Mermaid's Curse

Ahhh man I can't believe we got a new one of these. I found it a bit harder to read than the first, but once it got going, I was totally hooked. Loved this cast and the lore, though it took more brain power than I was expecting 😂

I hope we get a third one!!

21- Ys I & II (PCE CD)

I vastly preferred this version of Ancient Ys Vanished to the PSP remakes I played a few years back. I feel like this story is so well served by the 90s anime visuals, early English dub and straightforward bump combat.

It was so cool to experience this after Origin, too!

20- FUR Squadron Phoenix

I was happy to play through a new game by a dev who I know really loves the original Star Fox style of gameplay. Phoenix is much beefier than the first game, though it still sort of feels like it ends before it gets going. Still a fun time!

If you love 3D platformers, you gotta go play Demon Tides

It's that *good* shit

Congratulations!!! Can't wait to play it

19- Ys Origin

Took me 4 years to come back and run through the Fact brothers' routes, but I'm glad I did. Toal's especially was super fun to play-- dashing like crazy and fighting up close works super well for me. I enjoyed seeing the full story come together, even if it took 3 playthroughs 😂

18- Umineko Ep5: End of the Golden Witch

It's so satisfying to have finally *properly* read the VN that, quite honestly, set me on the path to becoming the huge mystery VN fan I am today.

I love the addition of Knox, Erika is a great villain and the ending is peak cinema!

Now I take a break lol

I've put off Ys X untill now and am so excited to finally play it with Proud Nordics!!! Can't wait to finally see the story of X

17- Ys IV: The Dawn of Ys

Every once in a while, I stumble on an older game that totally opens my mind to a new type of game, a new style that I had never appreciated before. This was such a blast, with excellent music, story and visuals. I finally *get* bump combat 😂

The English fandub rules!!

16- Omaze

Fun little playdate game that starts to ramp up the ideas the more you play. I enjoyed figuring out how to navigate each challenge, and the use of the crank was great!

I'll be seeing circle mazes everywhere for a while now 😂

I literally shouted

PARANORMASIGHT WAS SO GOOD FUCK YES THERE'S A NEW ONE!!!!

15- Star Fox 64 3D

Took me far too long to finally finish a playthrough of this... It's honestly fantastic. I wish they would release this version again. It's gorgeous, and saving between levels feels like a no brainer. The 3D effect is a nice bonus, too. Really makes the visuals pop.

14- Metal Storm

I've stopped and started this game many times-- it was a bit tough for me to clear back in high school. I finally went through it over the last few days and had a blast. Such a cool game for its time/hardware. The gravity mechanic and wrapping screens made me expand my brain!

13- Umineko Ep4: Alliance of the Golden Witch

This was one of the tougher 07th reads for me... More than most, it has a tendency to go on and on, repeating the same stuff 😂.

That said, I really enjoyed the Ange/Maria sections and the way the parallel stories complement each other.

On to Chiru!!!

12- Pokémon Yellow

As of today, I have finished every gen of Pokémon! I was just a bit too young to have my own copy of RBY as a kid, though I did of course play FRLG.

Pikachu starts to feel a bit fragile in the 2nd half, but this game is still a wonderful concept. I loved playing it under level!

11- Keith Courage in Alpha Zones

Sometimes, you just gotta do a full playthrough of Keith Courage in Alpha Zones to prove that you can. And that's what I did. No one can tell me I didn't play this game.

10- Super Monkey Ball

I was able to clear the beginner and advanced modes, but expert was too unforgiving for my tastes!

That said, I really enjoyed this game. It's such a great usage of the GC controller. Surprisingly amazing music too, and the game exudes peak SEGA vibes.

9- Kururin Paradise

So thankful this received an English patch. Now that I've finished it, I have (unfortunately) finished all Kururin games! This one was hard as heck, but a fun, charming adventure to clear.

I could be wrong, but I have a feeling there's nothing else quite like this odd series.

8- Big Hops

This is the first game I've cleared this year that released in 2026!

And what a first game. A damn respectable 3D platformer that gave me tons of options to traverse each area. I loved imagining ideas for how to overcome each challenge. It was extremely satisfying to clear!!!

7- Mega Man World 4 DX

Another excellent colorization hack... It honestly feels like I'm playing a brand new classic MM sometimes.

I feel like 3 and 4 start to shift the GB titles from demakes/ports into unique entries with ideas and levels that make them feel distinct. Can't wait to try 5!!!

6- Umineko Ep3: Banquet of the Golden Witch

This is really where the heart of Umineko starts to shine, imo. I can see so many core threads and arcs start to really rear their head. What a phenomenal setup to one of the wildest mystery rollercoaster rides of all time.

I feel the exact same way, turning 30 in a month!

5- Mega Man World 3 DX

What an excellent colorization hack!! I don't have too much to say about the game itself (it's another fun, well made handheld MM) but I was so impressed with the colorization. This was a ton of fun to play through on my new analogue pocket!

4- Super Mario Bros. Deluxe

What an excellent way to play the original SMB... And it was my first! I found it very tough as a kid, but today, I cleared all the star courses! It really has so many neat fixes and updates-- I'm shocked they haven't remastered this version and made it standard.

The ideal ship dynamic is a good one.

Not bad 😂

Ahhh I miss this so much. Hope I can get back to it one day

3- Umineko Ep2: Turn of the Golden Witch

My biggest 07th fan sin is that when I was younger, I skimmed over massive chunks of WTC3 and 4. I was foolish and had a bad attention span!

Ep2 is a great start to the meta-narrative. It's interesting to really read, knowing the direction this story goes!

2- A Balanced Brew

This one was reeeeeally fun to master the crank controls for. But hoo boy, it's tough!!!

The things some people do for their coffee 😂

1- Sektori

I rang in the new year with a total banger... This game is exhilarating. It was such a rush to overcome every grueling, intensely difficult obstacle while feeling powerful (and vulnerable) as heck. Really scratched that shmup itch

This genre scares me 😂

PINNED GAMING THREAD 2026!!! Will this be the one where I finally finish Golden Sun???