Category Archives: 7 Star Games

Dr. Mario 64 Review

Posted on by
Reply


My Nintendo marathon continues with the classic Dr Mario title! This one definitely goes way back to the point where I can’t say that I really knew anything about it. Well, I’m proud to say that the game surpassed my expectations all the way through as it had a real story to help enhance the overall gameplay. It’s definitely a tough game so get ready to have to react very quickly. The blocks definitely don’t wait around and you need to get rid of all the viruses ASAP!

Basically the story involves an evil scientist deciding to spread a disease to everyone and he has an army of monsters protecting him. You get to choose at the start of the game who you want to play as, Wario or Dr. Mario. Naturally I went with the Doctor and from there on your adventure continues. Can you stop the scientist in his mad quest for power or is it all over for humanity? One thing’s for sure, without Bowser here this should be a little easier for the heroes compared to usual.

The gameplay is your classic Dr. Mario style but if you’re not familiar with it, I’ll explain. Basically blocks fall down from the sky and you have to carefully organize them so that they land on the virus of the same color. Once you have 3 blocks connected to the virus for a total of 4, all of them will be destroyed. You win the level when all of the viruses are destroyed but if the opponent does this first then you lose. Another thing to watch out for here is that when your opponent makes matches of his own, it causes extra blocks to fall on your side. That can mess up your strategy so be ready to adapt on the fly. Ultimately it doesn’t change your objective but if there’s a lot of debris on the top you may have to clear out some normal blocks from the bottom to shift things around.

Speed is absolutely your best asset here so move as fast as you can and you should be good. Always try to be a few steps ahead of your opponent and you’ll be fine. Obviously this is easier said than done though which is why I say that the game is very difficult. The more levels you go through, the faster the blocks start falling down and by the end it’s seriously hard to focus. Without access points you will probably have to replay the levels a whole lot of times. The worst part is when you make an error because that can sabotage a whole run. The game is very unforgiving in that area and of course there is still some RNG in the mix too as it all rides on how quickly your opponent moves. Underestimate him at your own peril.

The graphics are definitely pretty solid here. I won’t say they’re at the highest grade or anything like that but you always know what’s going on and the character models are on point. The soundtrack is a little more on the forgettable side but they work well enough to keep you calm while moving the blocks around. Would I prefer rock music? Yes, most definitely but it’s okay. I wouldn’t say the soundtrack is bad or anything like that.

The game’s overall length is fairly quick. It won’t take you long to beat the game and I couldn’t tell if there was any real replay value to be found here. I guess maybe in increasing your score and multiplayer but I do think the game could stand to have more content. With how easy the gameplay is from a development point of view, they really could have made dozens of levels here. I don’t get why more games don’t just make a super long story mode. Maybe they’re worried it would drag on? I figure having more content is almost always a good thing though.

Overall, Dr. Mario 64 is definitely a fun game. It’s one that is absolutely enhanced by the fact that it has a real story mode which is why more games should do that. It just makes the whole experience more memorable and it will stand out against other games in the same genre. The fact that it has more dialogue than the average Mario game is just an extra bonus. This is a game that really got forgotten by most so I recommend checking it out and seeing this little gem in Mario’s history. You just don’t want to miss it and I loved the Dr. Mario mobile game so this shows that the franchise still has a ton of untapped potential. Lets see Nintendo bring this one back into the spotlight already!

Overall 7/10

Pokemon Snap Review

Posted on by
Reply


Pokemon Snap is one of those games I was heavily aware of but never really got to try playing back in the day. It looked like fun but at the same time I wasn’t about to shell out the big bucks back in the day just to take pictures of Pokemon. Well now with the Switch Online I can finally give it a shot and it is a lot of fun. It’s a little on the short side but it did take me two batches to complete it so maybe 4-5 hours total. There are 7 worlds where you get to go around and catch a bunch of Pokemon although the final world only has one as a final boss fight so maybe I should really say that there are 6 worlds.

Basically Todd is hired by Professor Oak to take a lot of pictures of each Pokemon to fill up the dex and this is really a top priority mission. When taking a picture you want to get the maximum amount of points and so there are a few criteria for this. First is the size of the Pokemon, the larger it is in your picture, the more points you get. Then you get points if you got the Pokemon in a cool pose. If the Pokemon is in the center of your photo then you get a X2 bonus. Finally if you got more than one of the same Pokemon in your shot then you get even more points.

Points are extremely important here because that’s how you unlock new powers and new worlds. The other factor is how many species you have taken a picture of so even if you don’t have a great shot, make sure you snap a picture of every Pokemon. You will keep on replaying the levels in order to get better shots until you’ve unlocked the next area and even then you can go back. In fact it’s not even that you can go back but that you must. See, there will always be some Pokemon you can’t get initially until you have their power up. For example you will unlock the apples to lure Pokemon to you, the Pester Ball to wake them up, and the whistle to make them dance and use their special abilities.

You will even be able to accelerate your car later on to bump into Pokemon and cause them to turn around. Note that you can’t control the car to move in any direction or anything like that but just speeding up is handy. Of course the car is already fast at some points which makes snapping the photos tricky so you want to keep that in mind. You need to have quick reaction times at all times in order to stay ahead or you will be putting yourself in a rather tricky predicament. Just try, try again until you’ve perfected your craft.

At the end of each level you choose one of each photo of a unique Pokemon that you’ve taken to give to Oak. If it’s your first time then there’s nothing to compare it to and it will be accepted right away but if you’ve already taken a photo before it will be compared and you can keep the better photo. Sometimes a photo that you think is better will end up having a lower score due to some of the criteria I mentioned earlier. It’s all very seamless though and I have to give the game massive credit for how clear the menus are. It never feels like a hassle to hand in the photos. All of the menus are very intuitive.

There are a ton of quality of life features within the game that make this feel like a AAA title. The levels are bite sized so they go over fast and the music is very calming. The soundtrack is really quiet solid all the way through and the graphics are nice too. This is definitely one of the higher end Nintendo 64 titles in those regards. Then the replay value is also considerable because there are so many ways you can try and tackle each level. Do you focus on apples or pester balls? Learning the reactions to each Pokemon will take time and then there’s RNG involved so sometimes a Pokemon will appear and other times it won’t. You have to memorize different chains of events for some while just waiting for others.

There’s just a whole lot of content here even if the main story isn’t very long. Also the decision to make the final photo with Mew an actual boss battle was brilliant. That was a lot of fun and just really stuck out next to the catches. It was a pretty fun way to end the game. Having a proper final boss is always a great idea after all and even once I beat the game there were plenty of secrets that I did not explore.

Overall, Pokemon Snap is a game that was developed very well. I had a lot of fun with this one. I still would have hesitated to buy this game at full price without a doubt but playing it now I can really appreciate the effort into it. I’ll definitely buy the new Pokemon Snap at some point although I would definitely like to wait for a true sale because again, as long as it’s around $50 or so it’s just not tempting enough to purchase. Granted, I’m sure the new one is longer with more Pokemon so maybe I should research just how long it is. In the meantime I recommend checking this one out.

Overall 7/10

Sonic Superstars Review

Posted on by
Reply


It’s time we had a talk about the latest Sonic game. I’ve always been more of a 3D Sonic fan to be honest and tend to mention that at every opportunity but the 2D games are fun enough. It just feels like they go against the nature of Sonic which is to run really fast. Ironically you are allowed to blast through stages at full speed much more often in Super Mario Bros. Wonder, another example of Mario just dominating in the 2D space. Sonic needs to stick to 3D and this game has all the issues the 2D titles tend to have. That said, it is still a pretty good game but I don’t think it will remain in most peoples’ memories for very long.

The general plot is that Fang and Trip are working for a mad genius known as Dr. Eggman. Eggman wants to destroy a blue speedster known as Sonic The Hedgehog and by utilizing the powers of the chaos emerald and time reversal technology, he may actually have a chance this time. Fortunately Sonic has his friends at the ready. Tails, Amy, and Knuckles are around to do their part and back Sonic up. Together there is no foe that can overcome this force for good!

There is barely a plot in the game though so you are really playing for the gameplay. I don’t really get why Sega refuses to let the 2D games have their own big stories. Sure you want to keep it distinct from the 3D titles but you could absolutely have fun plots with voice acting and everything in the 2D days. Just look at how top tier titles like Shantae handle this. You can interpret the general story from the animations we get of course but it won’t end up feeling quite as grand that way.

For the gameplay I don’t really have any issues. It’s very classic with how you can jump, run really fast, and spin dash. You maneuver through the levels by activating different devices and defeating enemies. At the end of the level naturally you will end up going against a giant boss as well. There is a lot of variety with the bosses and they’re all solid except for the final boss where I had issues with the sheer length. Difficulty isn’t a problem, it’s good when a final boss is tough but having to replay long segments can always be annoying. That final battle took me quite a few tries.

One thing I would recommend is using your chaos emerald powers as much as possible. They make a massive difference in combat. Fortunately the chaos emeralds are all in spots that are easy to find. I managed to gather them all during a normal playthrough which was nice since it meant I wouldn’t have to try and search them out later on. Now that’s really nice since usually they can be super hard to find. It can just be tough to get in the habit of using the powers since you’re so used to just using the normal platforming tricks but trust me when I say that it’s highly worth it. In particular summoning an army of mini Sonics does a lot of damage during boss battles.

The graphics are really great. The game feels like its in true HD the whole time and the character models are on point. It’s one of the clearest games I’ve played in some time. I would say the retro art style actually does a lot to support the game’s graphics there since there is less to load up and it can all be processed really quickly. The soundtrack is less memorable though as there are no real standout tracks here. You’ll forget them as soon as they have ended which is definitely not ideal. I suppose it’s better than having a bad soundtrack though.

The actual story is fairly short so you should beat it in 4-5 hours or so. There is some replay value though as you can play through the game again as Trip. Then there is also the journey of trying to get the Platinum trophy for this game which should also be a fairly long task at least. It doesn’t look particularly difficult but I’m betting it will add another 6-8 hours of playtime which is always cool. There is also a multiplayer mode here and while I didn’t get to try it yet, it looks like they really did put a good amount of effort into i.

If you’ve enjoyed the previous Sonic 2D games then you will enjoy this one. It’s really as simple as that. That said, it just feels like the devs could have pushed this a lot harder. Give us more true cutscenes during the story, incorporate more characters, and also just make the game longer. I wouldn’t blame someone for waiting until there is a price drop to pick this one up because it really is over in the blink of an eye. It doesn’t feel like the $60 experience even if it is polished. Also for all the marketing about Fang returning he pretty much played 0 role in this game. There wasn’t much point to his inclusion particularly as he doesn’t get a 1 on 1 boss fight where you have to deal with his gun. He’s always in a mech for some reason but I suppose Sonic The Fighters spoiled me on that one.

Overall, Sonic Superstars is definitely a fun game. The experience doesn’t last as long as you’d like but the technical elements are really up to par. The game looks really great and while the soundtrack isn’t the best, you’ll still enjoy the tunes while you play through the game. It’s why I would say this embodies what it means to be a very good game. It’s not great or anything but there’s never a moment where you’re wishing that it would be over already.

Overall 7/10

Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl Review

Posted on by
Reply


I knew that this game was going to be a winner the instant it was announced. It still took me a little while to buy it but hey…better late than never right? It does feel a little barebones though which is why you wanted to wait for a discount because at full price this would really not be worth it at all. There is no story mode so you will just be playing arcade mode over and over again for the single player content. The multiplayer is the main hook of the game of course but I wouldn’t say that it is a very strong hook to be honest compared to the competitors. If you look at the game on its own though then it does well enough.

So you’ve got a decent amount of characters here. I’m pretty sure it’s over 20. All the classics like Spongebob and Danny Phantom. Admittedly I did not watch a lot of Nick as a kid so the character roster is definitely not as nostalgic as it would be to someone who grew up with the characters. That being said, I still know most of the characters through reputation so that’s something. I feel like the Ninja Turtles have the best movesets here. The weapons really help them have a solid range.

That said, I played way too casually to really be giving any serious tier list advice here. Try all of the characters and see what you think. There is definitely a lot to absorb here. The gameplay is the same as the Super Smash Bros experience. You have normal moves, specials, a third jump, and power attacks. Use these to knock the opponent off of the platform so they can lose a life. Repeat the process until time is up or all stocks have been removed. Then at that point you will have won the match.

There aren’t many unlockables to be had here but you can alter the rules so that the matches are all different. You can also jump online and fight other players. As mentioned that is a pretty big draw since you can fully test just how good you are. It’s easy to style on the computers of course but the real test is going up against other people who have put in a lot of time. The online servers will probably be pretty dead once the sequel comes out so you should keep that in mind. Of course there is still local multiplayer mode as well and some trophies will require you to be on there for quite a while.

There is a lot of replay value here thanks to the multiplayer options. So while the single player is rather limited, that is really just the tip of the iceberg in terms of the total experience. So keep that in mind, particularly since the price for this game is relatively cheap right now. It’s really not bad value for your dollar and in general I just love fighting games. So getting to play one is always a real treat even if there isn’t much to it. A fighting game is a great genre in that you don’t need much. As long as the gameplay is smooth and implemented carefully then you should really be all set.

The graphics are pretty good here. Perhaps not top of the line or anything like that but they are modern with no obvious issues. The soundtrack is more on the really underwhelming side. There weren’t any tunes that really stood out to me. There also aren’t a lot of stages so you will really be hearing all of the tunes over and over again as you try to beat arcade mode with everyone. Yes for the review as well as to get some more trophies I went ahead and completed the game with every character. Let me tell you, that was not easy! Or maybe it’s more accurate to say that it was easy but a little tedious.

Overall, Nick has a solid fighting game on their hands. It isn’t ruined by any random mechanic like the PS All Stars game either. So this one gets to really stand the test of time. It’s just a shame that there couldn’t have been a few more modes, features, and other stuff to make it stand out. Would have been so much fun! Instead it just fades away compared to the competition. It stands up to the test of time on its own but will always be seen as the B product instead of the A one. As long as Super Smash Bros exists that will be true for pretty much 99% of platform fighters but I still like to think that some day someone will come up with a rival so high budget and stuffed with features that even Smash can’t scare it away.

Overall 7/10

My Hero Ultra Rumble Review

Posted on by
Reply


It’s always cool to see another free to play game on the market. You’ve really got a lot of potential with those to make a super long running game with a huge cast. Of course because it is such a tempting option, it means that there is a ton of competition and the average game will be forgotten about almost immediately. Such is the battle that these games have to go through. That being said, My Hero is a solid one among the pack. I may not be keeping it around for long as I go back to other games but it does certainly have a good amount of potential.

As with most online games there isn’t really a story so you will be jumping right into the action from the jump. You can do team battles with computers, other players, unranked and ranked. There is one main issue that you may have already guessed here though and that is that there is no single player mode. Cmon that doesn’t quite seem right shouldn’t single player mode be a guarantee? I want to test my luck in surviving the map. Hopefully this is a mode that is added soon.

Regardless the general gameplay is that of a 3D fighter. You can run, jump, and use your standard attacks as well as projectiles and supers to try and take the other opponents down. I believe the match starts with 25 teams of 3 and you will see the numbers dwindling down as the fight goes on. Interestingly they hide the number of fighters left once you’ve reached a certain amount of teams. I’d prefer to see the number at all times but I guess it’s to add some tension.

I wasn’t able to get a win yet but I did come in 3rd once which was pretty neat. As with Fortnite a good strategy can be to avoid the fighting and hide in the buildings or bushes gathering weapons and armor until the end. The only tricky thing is that in a team battle your teammates often won’t want to do this so at the end it’s you against 3 fighters and you’re really not winning that. At that point even a pro would have trouble since the game is made to reinforce teamwork. 3 on 1 is an incredible disadvantage for you.

During the match there are item cards which will appear and you can use them to level up your super attacks. Naturally there are health and armor potions as well. Additionally there are civilians all over the map and if you heal one they will drop a bunch of power ups too. The level ups are really handy so I recommend grabbing a bunch. From there it’s really just about taking your opponent down.

One thing the game does well to differentiate itself from other survival games is how this one has so many buildings. In some stages you are really spending your time jumping around and doing all kinds of acrobatics rather than running through the forest. The downside is it can make it much easier to dodge attacks and prolong a battle for a while but the shrinking field will take care of that eventually.

The graphics are pretty solid too. Naturally this won’t look quite as solid as a AAA game targeted for single player campaigns and things like that but the game is very colorful and I’d say it works really well. There isn’t much of a soundtrack but in a game like this I can see how that would be distracting. You really want to be able to see the other characters after all and hear their approach. Optional music would still be cool though.

It can be a little hard to see the opponents closing in on you with how busy the maps are but i think that’s likely intentional. It means that you always have to keep your guard up or it’s all over and I’m definitely cool with that tension. While it can feel like a button masher when the opponent gets near, you can quickly tell the difference in skill when two characters are going at it. Personally I’d like the game to let teammates play the same character though. I always wanted to play as Deku because he has the best moveset but a teammate would grab him and so you aren’t able to proceed with the match until one player changes characters. In the end I would change just so I didn’t hold up the match for too long.

Overall, This is a pretty fun game with a lot of replay value due to the online system. I do think it’s a game that will be many times more fun if you have some friends to play with rather than the randoms for the online matches. You can activate voice chat which helps but for the most part you’ll feel like you are on your own otherwise. The gameplay is fun but can probably feel a bit repetitive after a while so I would recommend playing in lots of short bursts as opposed to long marathon styled play.

Overall 7/10

Skelattack Review

Posted on by
Reply


It’s time for a classic kind of platformer. Skelattack is a fun little game that plays a bit like Celeste with the endless lives and constant checkpoints but also takes queues from Shantae with the close quarters sword action. It’s a solid game all the way around but one that is a little limited by the short length. If it was just a little longer that would be perfect but ultimately that’s how it was meant to be.

The game starts you off as a skeleton in the underworld. He has amnesia but that’s actually normal. The way things work down here is after you die in the human world, you are taken to the underworld to lead a whole new life. After you have been dead for a while and conquered some trials, you are then able to learn about your past. It’s just about time for that here but then the underworld is attacked by the pesky humans. The humans tend to come down here every now and again to steal the Blue Flame of Life. This is what allows the underworld to function and gives all of the dead people complete immortality. If it is taken then everyone will die..for good this time. Of course the humans want it so they can enjoy these perks. What can one skeleton and a bat do against these armies though?

So yeah that’s a fun plot to work around. Naturally you can bet on some twists for once the skeleton gets his memories back. I wouldn’t say that there is anything particularly shocking in the game but it’s not really going for that vibe anyway. This is more about the adventure and just enjoying the gameplay the whole time. The game’s a bit weak on the banter side with the main characters but it tries pretty hard and does get serious when needed. The cast is fairly memorable as well which is always a good thing.

In terms of the length that I mentioned earlier, you can probably beat the game in around 3-4 hours. It’s not particularly hard for the most part so that length shouldn’t change much but there is an asterisk to that. So when you die you can quickly respawn and you just lose more and more gems each time. Not a big deal since you respawn when you have 0 gems anyway. However, the one big thing to watch out for is that you won’t have enough money to buy any health upgrades.

The one part of the game that can actually be really tough is the bosses and I finally figured out why. Basically since I was always out of gems I never had enough money to buy upgrades. Those upgrades extend your health bar which makes things easier but I ended up having to beat the game with the default amount. It’s a good incentive for you to play a bit more carefully. Honestly once I knew that we had unlimited lives I did not play carefully at all so I died over and over and over again. I probably racked up well over 100 deaths but that’s what happens when you get lax. It’s why I don’t really hold it against immortal villains in shows and such when they get sloppy because it does make sense to an extent.

For the bosses just memorize the attack patterns and ultimately you will be okay. In a lot of ways it’s like fighting a classic Mega Man Zero type of boss. They’re fast, hit like a tank, and have a lot of health. It feels really satisfying to defeat them though because the bosses are well made. This is also why it’s nice to have so many checkpoints and of course no big cutscenes to have to skip through. After you die the first time, the boss just starts right when you enter the room and I appreciate that. It’s a good quality of life feature.

Meanwhile the graphics here are pretty good. It’s definitely going for that classic sprite kind of look and it works well for the game. The levels are vibrant with lots of colors and I definitely have no issues there. The soundtrack is also pretty good. Perhaps not the most memorable or anything like that but I definitely enjoyed listening to all of the tunes. Maybe throw in an extra rock or metal song for next time and then we’d really be cooking.

There are trophies in the game but none of them are missable so for once it doesn’t really affect the replay value. In general I would say the game doesn’t really have any. Once you complete it, that’s it so there’s nothing to extend the length. That’s why you have to play for the fun gameplay/story and just not worry about it ending so quickly. I can’t imagine the price would be very high already so this is your chance to jump in and grab it.

Overall, Skelattack is definitely a fun game. It may not last very long but I didn’t really have any negatives to speak of. So it ends up being a positive experience all around with no buts or caveats. That’s what you want to see from any title in the end. I’d like to see a sequel someday and then they can make things a little longer to make this a true sequel. They can also probably experiment a bit since this one was content to just be a basic platformer but it’s risky since you also don’t want to bring in a gimmick that hurts the title. Don’t fix what isn’t broken after all. I’d recommend checking this game out but definitely make sure that you get it at a good price. Then you will really have no regrets or anything here.

Overall 7/10

Astria Ascending Review

Posted on by
2


This is one of those RPGs I hadn’t really heard of until I happened to see it online during a sale. Why not pick it up right? More times than not any RPG will end up being a fun game since you get used to the characters and have a fun time with them. In general this isn’t one of the strongest ones in terms of story but it did have full voice acting which I appreciated and makes for a fun experience. It took me over 25 hours to complete so the size is fairly good too.

The game starts off with a bunch of people being chosen as the 333rd generation of demi gods. This is seen as a great honor as you defend the planet. The catch is that you are now fated to die very shortly. I forget if you have 3 months to live or 3 years but once your term is up then you die. Definitely a rotten deal most would agree but you gotta do what you gotta do. The world is usually in harmony so this is an easy task but not this year. A villain group seeks to disrupt the current state of things by granting people free will but with dangerous methods. The heroes must stop the villains…but do they have a point?

This is where the story doesn’t really go as far as it should. The theme of the villains potentially being right isn’t really explored at all. Lets look at the context here though. In the current world everyone has to keep on heating this fruit called the harmony fruit. The more you eat it, the more you fall in line and so all of the different races are kept apart and everyone is happy. The villains believe that this is a false happiness and one that is actually enslaving them so they have decided not to eat the fruits.

The main characters disagree with this but it does seem like the fruit is actually hurting the heroes. Of course the game wasn’t tryin to get too morally gray so the villains start murdering people and so they have to be stopped. I would have liked an ending where the characters agree to stop having people eat the fruits or something. At least address it, but that doesn’t end up happening this time. Ah well, the story we get is still good with a lot of different villains and even a bit of a body count. The situation is definitely very serious right from the jump.

As for the gameplay, it’s effectively your classic turn based system. You can use 4 party members at a time. If they lose during battle but you still have one member out, you can swap them out for your other allies in storage. It’s a pretty cool idea in theory but the health points in this game can be low so using up a turn to summon these guys would usually have them down in an instant. I would recommend just buffing up your main four fighters as much as possible.

You do this through level ups but also by using your earned special points to unlock new moves and power ups. this part can be tricky because you don’t get much SP during normal battles. So there is one helpful thing to do and that is to go back to the colosseum and defeat the boss all over again. You can beat him in 2-3 turns as you get stronger and he will always get you 25SP. That’s like completing 10 normal battles which take a lot longer than this boss. So that’s what I did for many hours and finally powered up enough circles to beat the final boss. Without that I would have definitely not had a chance. Those guys hit like a truck.

Personally I advise using almost every upgrade on health, just one or two on MP will be enough. That’s because later on you will learn skills that cut MP consumption in half which is absolutely crucial. You will be glad you had the health later on since it helps you survive the powerful blows later on. Additionally if you use Kress in your party, she has an attack that converts your health points into pure magic power. Trust me that is also really good in a pinch. Each character has some really strong attacks so use them wisely. Especially since some bosses are immune to a bunch of different attacks so you just have to figure out what to hit him with.

You’ve also got super attacks, summons and such so this is just the tip of the iceberg. The gameplay is reasonably deep which is why I recommend playing around with the characters and finding out what your style is. There’s also some basic platforming here but for the most part it’s just around for kicks so you don’t need to practice for it or anything. There’s a very random dice game of sorts that is in but there’s only one battle required for story mode and you can skip the rest of them.

The graphics are definitely solid here. It’s going for a bit of a retro feel but the illustrations are on point and I like all of the designs. The soundtrack is more on the forgettable side though. I couldn’t really tell you any of the tunes at this point. They all just go in one ear and out the other. I feel like a lot more effort could have been put into those. The rest of the effort could have gone into balancing the EXP and SP gained. It just didn’t feel very well balanced at all and the fact that I grinded for hours and hours but never got close to filling out the tree isn’t a great sign. At least it does feel satisfying to see yourself getting stronger and stronger.

Overall, Astria Ascending is definitely a pretty fun game. The story is good even if a whole lot of meat is left on the bone. You still get to enjoy the big battles and of course the gameplay is really solid which helps as well. It could use a little balancing but ultimately you have the freedom to go in a whole lot of different routes on your own which is good. No two battles will end up being the same as a result. The voice acting is still a really big plus as well and you’re getting a lot of bang for your buck so there’s a lot to enjoy here. Definitely worth a purchase.

Overall 7/10

Kirby’s Star Stacker Review

Posted on by
Reply


It’s always neat to play a new Kirby game and especially when there’s one that you hadn’t even heard of before. I definitely didn’t know anything about this game but I have to say that it holds up pretty well. I do wish it was translated though because it can be hard to find the mode that you want to play. I ended up spending most of my time in some kind of unlimited survival mode. I made it all the way past 600 matches there which was cool but naturally the story mode is more fun.

It’s hard to say what the plot is per say but it seems like some kind of dark spirit is taking over all of Kirby’s friends. The young hero must now defeat each and every one of them in order to bring them back to their senses. It won’t exactly be an easy feat and yet it is something that has to be done. Without the powers of Kirby the world is doomed. Are you ready to put your matching skills to the test?

I’d always have a bit of a hard time describing exactly what the gameplay is but the best way for me to describe it is that it’s sort of like Tetris but instead of fitting shapes together, you’re matching blocks based on color. They are all in the same shape though. The more connections you make, the higher your opponent’s tower goes. Whoever is unable to keep up with the rise and has the tower go past the top of the screen first loses. This is definitely not for the faint of heart for that reason as the speed will continue to increase as the game goes on. There is no safe area! You really have to make sure you keep up.

The soundtrack is pleasant and charming enough as you go through the game. I feel like Nintendo kept giving this their A game even though it’s not exactly one of the mainstream titles. Additionally the visuals are solid and have held up well over the years. I definitely had no issues there.

In theory you’ll easily complete this game since you can rewind and use access points but the rounds are fast enough where you never feel tempted to do so. With all the RNG running around and how much of a good time you will be having regardless, you’re just ready to dive in and have some fun. One thing to note is that in the Kirby version of this gameplay there are stars running around in addition to the usual colors. Think of the stars as a wild card, they can help you connect to any color. So if you have two reds, if you have a star in the middle it will connect them for you.

It’s a bit of a tricky dynamic to get used to compared to the normal rules but it does help this one stand out. There are also bombs around but personally I actually found those to make things a little more difficult. They would ruin combos I was getting ready to use rather than actually helping me out of a pinch. That’s the way that I saw it at least. Still, just go for those combos and ignore the gimmicks around you. Eventually you’ll be where you want to be, at the top of the rankings taking down all opponents!

Overall, Kirby’s Star Stacker is a pretty fun game. There isn’t a whole lot to say about a game like this because it’s all pretty straight forward but that doesn’t take away from the experience. I had a good time with it and it would be even better if the game was translated. I can’t believe this didn’t come to America sooner. If it was in the mobile age then I think things would have been different because this kind of game sells really well on the phone. The gameplay is easy and addictive so all you need is a quick story and you’re set. There’s a good amount of content here and since it’s free if you already have the Switch Online, I recommend checking it out.

Overall 7/10

Final Fantasy III Review

Posted on by
Reply


It’s been a very long time since I completed Final Fantasy II. Finally it was time to get back in there for the third game. This one changes some things up with the mechanics and it’s pretty interesting how each of the first 3 games have had something experimental going on. I wonder if that will keep going with each title or if it’ll eventually settle into what I consider to be the classic RPG type.

The story starts with a vague message about light and darkness as we then cut to the main characters who are about to be tasked with saving the world. We’ve got a fairly varied crew here with a princess who is being a bit of a rebel, a classic hero type, a body guard, and other colorful characters. They have to bring the light back to the world and it turns out there are two worlds around as well. As you go to each land you learn more about the people and the troubles befalling them. The game’s early enough where I wouldn’t say the story is particularly deep but it is definitely there throughout compared to the first two games where often times there wasn’t really much dialogue happening at all.

Additionally a big change is that the main character himself can actually talk here. Trust me that’s a big change from the first two games where he was completely silent. I wouldn’t say that any of the characters particularly stand out though so that will be a job for the 4th game or maybe the installments after that. For now that just hasn’t happened yet and I would say the same is true of the villains. So that’s also part of why you won’t remember the story too clearly by the end either. You’re really here for the gameplay more than anything else so lets jump into that.

This game uses a classic level up system. You fight enemies in turn based combat and get stronger. One big change though is instead of an MP system you have magic divided into levels and none are learned as you level up. You have to buy each spell and then equip into the level slots for each character. Whether the character can actually use the spell will ultimately come down to which class you have equipped. Some classes simply can’t learn any spells and others can learn some but not others.

Aside from leveling up your own level you also level up the class that you have equipped as you go through the game. Everyone starts off with a standard class and then as the game goes on you can go into other ones. Ultimately I would say to leave Standard as soon as possible since it won’t help at all in the end. Also the reason you want to switch sooner than later is each class starts back at level 1 which lowers your attack power by a whole lot. For example if you’re level 70 but with a level 1 class then you’ll be hitting so weak that you may get folded by a level 40 opponent. Your equipment still comes into play as well but it can be tough enough to find strong weapons as it is.

I changed my class several times during the game which isn’t optimal so find your favorite one soon. I recommend one top tier healer class, 2 attacking ones, and then a dark mage. With that squad you will be well equipped to take on just about every challenge. I’m not going to say it is literally unbeatable or anything like that but it will be a very strong squad that is hard to stop. I was finally able to beat the game after getting everyone to level 75 and it still wasn’t what I would call easy so keep that in mind.

The final level is a boss rush of around 10 bosses which is really hard to deal with. You do get healed after 5 of those fights at least so you should plan them out well. In general this is one of my issues with the game though which is that you can only save outside of a dungeon. Some of these dungeons are fairly long so going all the way through one and then dying is rough. I lost to the final boss several times and it would always take around an hour to get back to where I was. It did help inflate the play time to over 40 hours but I think the game could have been a little more user friendly in that respect.

Meanwhile I also think the equipment could be a little less fussy. When you change classes all of your equipment is taken off because different classes accept different things. So often times you would have to go find a shop to get some equipment but most of the time the shop wouldn’t have all of the options. This then takes you back to square 1 which isn’t easy. Mix that in with a lack of a good map and that could make things tricky as well. Some of these issues really just come down to the game’s age but others are just game design choices that I would say did not work particularly well.

The graphics look pretty solid though and the soundtrack is on point. I would say the technical aspects are on point and of course I really can’t complain about the length. Being over 40 hours is really fantastic so I can’t possibly fault that. I don’t think you’re going to get much better than that in any RPG when going through the story since that’s not even counting the post game. There’s definitely a lot to do here so you’re getting a ton of bang for your buck. While it will take you a while to beat the game, there is always a lot of hope due to the nature of a level up system like this. For example if I had still been stuck I could have tried switching classes again, hard grinding to level 80, etc.

Now there is one huge pro tip I would mention now since I didn’t learn about this until the final boss. You can use any kind of spell on all allies at once by pressing the right arrow on your D Pad. Why? Who knows, but it’s a really good hidden feature. I started using the heal on everyone at once which was a massive game changer. I can tell you now that I would not have been able to defeat the final boss without that. Honestly I wonder if I could have beaten him at a lower level if I’d known about it sooner. So yeah this is a tip I recommend you really take to heart.

Overall, Final Fantasy III is a pretty fun game. The gameplay is fun and the overall experience is solid. I had some problems with a few of the gameplay mechanics here and there but in the end you’ll spend dozens of hours here and will be glad that you did. Final Fantasy is always the first title you think of when discussing long RPGs and the length here certainly lives up to it. You have to put in a lot of work to get to the end of the game but it’s all worth it and you will feel a tremendous sense of pride and accomplishment.

Overall 7/10

Bomberman Tournament Review

Posted on by
Reply


Bomberman has returned for his next adventure! When playing through the story mode you’ll probably be wondering why this is called “Tournament” but it does have a multiplayer mode and there are some optional tournaments you can enter with the creatures so I guess that’ll do. Personally I’d say it is a bit of an untapped resource here since there’s a lot you could do with the whole Pokemon homage. As it stands you only have 2 mandatory fights in the whole game.

The basic plot is that Max has gone missing and now the Dastardly Bombers are running around causing trouble. Bomberman is called in to take these guys down once and for all. Let me tell you, this guy is absolutely ready for action and won’t be taking prisoners. Does he have the bombs needed to blow up all of the enemies around him or is he quickly going to find out the limits of his own abilities? One thing’s for sure, they never should have messed with Bomberman’s planet!

The gameplay is your classic Bomberman style to an extent with a few extra additions. You use bombs to clear out debris and enemies as you try to get to the goal. During a boss fight you use the bombs strategically to box the enemy in and land some serious damage. Where it’s a bit different here is the game’s part RPG style so you actually capture a lot of Pokemon (Karabon, but it’s so similar I’m just going to call them Pokemon) and they have special abilities. Things like kicking the bombs, throwing them, moving through walls, etc. It’s a pretty interesting way to add some depth to the gameplay although the only mild annoyance is to switch your equipped Pokemon (You can only have 1 equipped at a time) you have to go into the start menu and switch through some tabs. Like I said, not the most convenient option for sure.

Some abilities are permanent at least so you don’t need the Pokemon equipped. Another benefit to having one equipped is that any items you find along the map are automatically added to that creature’s level. You’ll see a lot of attack, defense, and special point boosts. They all go to the one you have equipped and so if you have none equipped then they are just wasted. There are tons of these everywhere so you don’t need to go out of your way to grind them. You’ll get the power ups fairly quick, trust me on that. I didn’t focus on this and I still won my two matches rather quickly.

There are also a small handful of minigames in the story but only like 2-3 so you can easily forget that they’re even a thing here. It was still nice to see though. So the game gets props for having a lot of different gameplay styles in the mix. I also think it tried a little harder to have a grand story as it’s all played fairly serious and the villain designs were on point. It’s a lot older so there isn’t any voice acting or any of that but the story’s on point.

The graphics could stand to be a little more detailed but they work well enough. You can always follow the action of what’s happening here. The ost is also surprisingly good, there are actually a number of solid songs as you go through the levels. That’s also good because it’s a fairly small soundtrack so you need to prepare to hear each song quite a few times. The story I’d say is probably like 4-5 hours give or take. It took me longer than expected mainly because I happened to bump into a game ending glitch in the first world. The character just would not let me heal the Pokemon to continue. I had to replay the world 2 more times after the initial playthrough before it finally worked. I still don’t know what the problem was but in the end I just followed a video walkthrough for that level exactly. I must have been doing something in the wrong order but it was definitely a bit of a bizarre glitch.

Well, glitches can happen anywhere I suppose. On the whole the game is still fun enough where you will have a good time. You are rewarded as you play through by getting stronger and stronger. It’d be nice if more of the secret caves had nice stuff in them though. Half the time it’s an NPC just telling you basic information and you wonder why they were hidden. Give me more power ups and hearts. The game isn’t a cakewalk but it’s not too difficult so you should have a smooth time even without a lot of the bonus hearts to help you out with. Always keep a potion on hand just in case you need it.

For the most part you’ll find most of the collectibles just while playing normally anyway. Each world doesn’t trigger its story until you talk to someone so to be on the safe side I always talked with everyone in every village so you end up grabbing everything else too. My main advice in the gameplay/boss battles is to run and gun. Constantly throw out as many bombs as possible behind you and that should help give you the edge in combat. Bomberman veterans will really know how to trap the opponent right away but I’m definitely more casual. So I find the best way is to just throw out a lot of bombs and eventually you will hit the opponent. Just make sure you don’t get hit too because your own bombs do 2 hearts worth of damage to you.

Overall, Bomberman Tournament is a pretty fun game. The Pokemon addition is pretty fun but the battles feel like a missed opportunity since they weren’t incorporated into the story all that much. Additionally there is no gameplay in those as you’re just watching the characters fight each other. I definitely would have changed that up a bit to have active gameplay in the mix as well. It would make the fighting feel more engaging and would encourage you to level them up. Instead it’s basically full RNG which isn’t quite as satisfying. You are playing for the bomb gameplay first and foremost though and that is as smooth as can be. The Bomberman series definitely understands how to pull that off without a hitch by this point.

Overall 7/10