Jopo

Yay! My favourite podcast is back!
I feel like y'all really captured the female experience in this episode. Kelsey's fear of everyone kicking her out of Pew Pew Bang is so real!

Screenshot of a web app called Backlog Explorer showing a game library grid. A left sidebar includes Home, Dashboard, Library, Explore, Profile, and Add Game. The main area displays filters (status, platform, genre, mood, year completed, title sort) and alphabet navigation. Visible game covers include My Time at Portia, Moonstone Island, Monster Sanctuary, Monster Hunter Stories 2, Monster Hunter Rise, Minecraft, and Minami Lane. A banner at the top says ‘CSV import completed.'

Gosh I'm really liking seeing the full cover art for the games! So glad I finally made that change 😅

This piece made me remember that time in my life, and how the 3DS was really an important part of me having something that was still truly me/mine regardless of whatever relationship I was in.

Thank you for writing this. I remember hiding my 3ds back when I was in an abusive relationship because I didn’t want my partner to break it in rage (he had already broken my MacBook screen 😵).

Everything I dislike about games, like grinding, talking to every npc...I don't mind doing any of that in DQ. I feel like it respects my time even though I'm grinding? Even though I'm talking to every NPC? Even though I'm exploring every nook and cranny? How does it do that?

I cant stop thinking about #dragonquest y'all.
DQ11s was my first. I'm still playing the post game, but there's something about the post game that I'm not super duper about. So I also picked up DQ5 on my 3DS. And oh my gosh...why is it so good?

enjoyed hearing your thoughts on the demo on the podcast. As a new DQ fan, and currently obsessing over all things DQ, I've been really enjoying catching up with all the DQFM episodes :)

I'm looking forward to playing them!

Yes! Oh my gosh. Act 2 was 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
I love it so much.
Dragon quest 11 is my first dragon quest game and the first rpg I actually finished. And now I’m obsessed with dragon quest

Screenshot showing Backlog Explorer Library page with game cards showing the game title, platforms, genres, progress, and status badges. Games shown are Short Hike, Abzu, Animal Crossing New Horizons

Screenshot showing Backlog Explorer Library page with game cards showing the game title, platforms, genres, progress, and status badges when the user hovers over the card. Games shown are Short Hike, Abzu, Animal Crossing New Horizons.

Made some UI changes to Backlog Explorer...It now shows the full game art and then the information on hover...what do we think?

I hate to be that person, but dang I hope this comes to Switch one day 😅

a video game screen shows a princess and a plant with the number 0000703 on it ALT: a video game screen shows a princess and a plant with the number 0000703 on it

random gaming memory...
playing Super Princess Peach in the SVA elevator on my way to a photo critique class

Yay! One of my favourite blogs is back from holidays!

You inspire me to keep taking my walks outside. It doesn’t get anywhere near as cold here in the south of France as it does where you are, so if you can brave it…surely I can too 😅

Oh no!

Haha! Yes! I feel this 😅

This game made me think about how I take notes and why I take notes. Because so many of my notes in the in game notebook made 0 sense to me all these months later 😂

2. The Roottrees Are Dead - completed on January 9th 2026

I wish I hadn’t had so much time between when I first started this game (early 2025) and when I locked in and completed it. Because the first hour was really me just trying to remember what little thread I was pulling.

1. Lake - completed January 2nd 2026.
What I liked about this game is it made me think about my old friendships and reconnecting with an old friend. How there’s all this history between us but also, we are different people than we were 20 years ago. And yet, also still the same.

I’m going to attempt to keep a thread of games I completed this year (2026)
🧵

Oh absolutely! And also, please don’t feel like you have to reply!

Dear Chiara - January 10 2026 A letter to Chiara inspired by their letter to Oli

Hi @chiaracokieng.bsky.social !
I wrote you a letter ✉️
joanaponder.com/letters/lett...

Went back to #dragonquest 11. Gosh…this truly feels less like a “game” game and more like a world and friends I’m visiting.

When I first built my site I felt like it had to be "done" before I shared it. I’ve just reworked a lot of how I write about games and play there, and it’s a good reminder that this is a living practice, not a finished thing. And I'm excited to like actually "work" in there :)
joanaponder.com

I did it!! I rolled credits on #dragonquest 11s! A game that I started like a year ago.
I know there’s a third act, I know. But for me it was important to roll those credits before the end of the year and I did it! As a notorious non finisher of games, this feels like such a win!

Level Up Journal - Issue 02 The second issue of the Level Up Journal. In Issue 02, I explore permission, play, and the rules I follow around rest and gaming. I also share my thoughts on the games I played this month, and write a...

Eee!! 💛
Level Up Journal – Save File 02 is live!!
Inside: a deep dive into permission to play. As well as a letter to a game, collages, game thoughts, and a Co-op Mode question for you

Flip through it: joanaponder.com/blog/zine-is...
#zine #zinepromo

Haha yes! We had ours last night 😂

I would love that! I miss having a pocket sized handheld

Ellie is always my go to for cozy games! I never manage to leave a video without adding something to my wishlist

Oh my gosh. I’m loving dragon quest 11s. I know it’s taking me forever to get through because I play so sporadically but I’m in act 2 and it’s just so…good! Im constantly smiling and giggling. It’s so good. I’m going to try and finish this game before the end of the year. #dragonquest #backlog