2020 has been such an unspeakably miserable year for me that it doesn't even deserve me writing about why that is. So screw that, I'm gonna write about video games instead.
I haven't always been a consistent gamer, and over the recent years (aside from my annual Christmas tradition of beating Mario 3) I barely played them at all. This changed in 2020, due to a combination of being stuck at home by myself for like 98 percent of this hell year, and discovering YouTube shows like Angry Video Game Nerd that rekindled my love of retro games (especially the Super Nintendo, which I played more than any other console). My actual SNES died a decade ago, so most of these games I beat were using an old emulator (without save states). Anyway lets get into this
#12 - Mario's Time Machine (SNES)
Beaten before 2020? - Who cares
Recommend? - Dear god no no no no no
I really only played this (and the Waldo game) just to see if they're as bad as I remember from when I was a kid. At least "Waldo" is short. This game is bloody awful and tedious.... you spend a good chunk of the game as Mario on a surfboard trying to collect mushrooms and go into whirlpools. WTF? Sure, it's an educational game (though several of its facts are historically incorrect) but there are ways they could've combined that and made this actually something resembling fun. Mario traveling through time, thwarting Bowser and his koopas? That could've been awesome! And I enjoy reading about history!
But no... it sucks and you'll be bored after five minutes. Bad repetitive music, flat graphics, annoying quiz questions, irritating dialogue... combine that with probably the most unsatisfying and lazy ending in any Mario game (apparently there are three endings and I got the bad one, but I'm never playing this shit again so screw that)... this is legit the worst game I've ever played long enough to beat. They should send it back in time to where it can never be found.
#11 - The Great Waldo Search (SNES)
Beaten before 2020? -- Yep. Who can't beat this?
Recommend? -- Only as a joke
This is probably the easiest video game I've ever played. And one of the worst, though it slips into "so bad it's hilarious" territory. I remember getting it probably when I was ten and being excited, since I loved the Waldo books, then being extremely confused after beating it so quickly. I tried it again here 20+ years later... and beat it again in twelve minutes. Twelve. On "Expert Mode" no less. It's the kind of game I like to show people only because it's so funny in its awfulness, but even as a joke it lasts even less time than the game itself.
#10 - MVP Baseball 2005 (PC)
Beaten before 2020? -- not sure. Can't remember if I played 2004 or 2005 back in the day
Recommend? -- If you like baseball games and don't care about updated rosters
There's not much to say with this one. It's a perfectly fine mid-00s sports game and it give me my fix when MLB was shut down during the late spring. The graphics aren't pixelated too much and the different stadiums are distinctive and unique (aside from bad crowd animation, which seems a constant in these games). I like this one, and seeing these old rosters is definitely a nostalgic trip (top of my head I think only Albert Pujols and Miguel Cabrera are still active players).
Since you usually can't "beat" a sports game, I count this one since I won the World Series. All right next.
#9 - Kirby Superstar (SNES)
Beaten before 2020? -- No
Recommend? - Yes
A very colourful game, with tons of fun items for Kirby to use and the graphics are stunning. My only complaint is while the different games have their own unique quirks, overall the game is on the easy side and the levels/bosses do get somewhat repetitive in their design. Still though it has some neat moments, like the one where Kirby has to take down a giant airship, or a boss battle where you fight a trio of enemies in RPG hit point style. It's a fun, lighthearted adventure.
#8 - Aero The Acrobat 2 (SNES)
Beaten before 2020? -- Yes
Recommend? -- Yes
One of my favourite games on the more obscure side, Aero 2 finds you controlling an acrobatic bat (get it) on a quest to destroy an evil clown. The graphics and level design are why I love the SNES, with three dimensional backgrounds and big levels filled with secret bonus stages. It also has one of my favourite soundtracks of all time, and there's an entire level based on disco music! The biggest flaw is that the story, while creating its own world, feels underdeveloped and somewhat vague. Nevertheless this game is fun, hilarious and great to look at, with enough tricky secrets for replay value. I love this game and it feels weird to rank it so low, but I played a lot of great games this year.
#7 - Super Mario Bros 2 - All-Stars Edition (SNES)
Beaten before 2020? Yes
Recommend? - Yes, but it's not a typical Mario game
Probably my least favourite of the original NES Mario trilogy, but still a wonderful game. It was strange at the time (early 90s) when I first played it, since I was surprised how you could choose between the four different characters and each one has their own strengths and weaknesses. I've always chosen Luigi, which many people have told me is the character they pick the least, but I'm just used to his weird jumping mechanics I guess.
My only faults are I find it the easiest early Mario game, and some of the dungeons can get a bit tedious and predictable in terms of having to grab the key and evade the floating masks, over and over. Still though, the final world is hard as steel to beat and definitely provides a good challenge. A great game and always fun to pop in and listen to the delightful music of the overworld stage.
(also for you nerds out there yes I now about how it was Doki Doki Panic in Japan etc etc)
#6 - Super Mario Bros - All-Stars Edition (SNES)
Beaten before 2020? - Not without Game Genie as a kid
Recommend? - Uhhh... duh?
To be totally upfront, if this were the original NES version it would rank higher. The All-Stars version, while more colourful, gets a bit monotonous with the backgrounds and the updated iconic music just doesn't sound as good as the 8-bit classic.
Other than that, there's not much else to say. It's the first goddamn Super Mario Bros... undoubtedly one of the most important and famous video games of all time. And it's awesome of course. I also find it rather difficult, especially once you get to World 8 and every kind of enemy is coming out to get you (Hammer Bros in this game are evil, man). Actually beating it is extremely satisfying, knowing that finally the princess is not in another damn castle! Anytime I'm in a barcade (which has been a while obviously) I have to give this game a go.
#5 - Mega Man X (SNES)
Beaten before 2020? - No
Recommend? - Yes
I came into this with basically no experience playing any Mega Man games. I never owned any of them, and when I first started playing emulators this game slipped through the cracks. Which is a shame because this game is just damn awesome. Cool weapons, distinctive levels, a basic but effective storyline, and of course... the soundtrack is just amazing. I'm not sure if it was my learning curve from being so unfamiliar with the controls or the difficulty of the game itself, but I had a very hard time playing this game at first. The bosses regularly pummeled me until I finally found one I could beat, and it then got quite easier once I got more weapons and more powerups (I've heard Mega Man games usually have a specific order of bosses to beat to make things easier, but I didn't want to cop out and look it up). The final stages are still a great challenge, and beating Sigma felt really damn good. A nearly flawless game.
#3 - Super Castlevania 4 (SNES)
Beaten before 2020? - Yes a few times
Recommend? - Oh hell yes
I would've really loved to have given the original Castlevania on the NES a solid go, since it's a game I owned as a kid, is notoriously extremely hard and as such I could never get past Stage 10 as a youngster. Unfortunately my NES emulator doesn't even allow a controller to work and beating the game using a keyboard, which while undeniably super impressive, is an experience I'm sure will overwhelm with frustration (I actually did try one night and did get to Stage 12, so take that eight year old me!).
On to Castlevania 4, though, one of my favourite games of all damn time. The game is perfect: awesome controls (whip in any direction), the level design is extremely innovative for the early 90s (like the levels that rotate) and look distinct in their colourful creepiness, while the music is just so kickass. The intro, with the lightning hitting the gravestone as fog rolls in, still gives me chills every time. It might not be as hard as the earlier games in the series (which again are notorious for that) but it always provides a sizeable challenge even for someone like me who has played it so much, especially once to get to the bosses before Dracula (who himself is also a frustrating battle). Straight up, I love this game and the journey is always fun, creepy and satisfying.
#2 - Legend of Zelda: A Link To The Past (SNES)
Beaten before 2020? - No
Recommend? - Yes yes yes
Before this year I'd only played Link To The Past once a little over a decade ago, and while I got pretty far I guess late-teens me got bored with it (dumbass). I am glad I came back to it, as it is widely considered one of the greatest video games ever made and it lives up to that reputation easily. There is so much I could talk about in this game in regards to the various characters, the story, the diverse overworld etc... and all those elements add to its greatness. This is such an immersive game because it takes you to a world filled with so much detail, so much to explore and gradually uncover that when you think of so many modern games that do the same thing, it's unbelievable a game like this came out thirty years ago. Maybe the graphics aren't as realistic as those newer games, but I like the colourfulness on display here. It's simply a masterpiece that will probably hold up another three decades.
#1 - Super Mario Bros 3 - (SNES/NES)
Beaten before 2020? Many times
Recommend? - Yes yes yes yes yes yes
This shouldn't be a surprise if you know that this is my favourite game of all time, and one that brings back so many memories every single time I play it. This year I beat it on my SNES emulator this past holiday season (though not without some public frustration) and on the original NES at a friend's house several months ago. To be honest I don't really have a preference on which version I like better: the classic NES version still looks great by 8-bit standards, while the All-Stars version beautifully spruces up the graphics and adds some really stunning backgrounds. It's also always a harder game than I remember: I think this year I came in a bit overconfident (especially after beating the NES version so recently) and forgot how hard this game gets near the end. Some of the levels in World 8 are just insane with enemies and jumps that need to be perfectly timed. Anyway, it's the best. Love it.
Well hope you enjoyed this dive into retro games. Some of you might wonder and ask why don't I play any more modern games. While sure, I have played games like GTA 5, Fallout 4 etc at friend's houses... the desire to buy a modern console just has never been there for me. I stopped around the time of GameCube and never much liked that one anyway. There's something about a game from the 80s/90s done well, I guess I just find it more appealing and nostalgic. Anyway, until next time.
