A Video Game Design Blog
Over the years I've served as an ambassador to Nintendo's more niche and obscure series, including Metroid, Fire Emblem, Xenoblade Chronicles, and Pikmin. This year, it's Mario's turn. Well, sort-of. We all know that Mario games -- Platformers and spinoffs alike -- are usually the highest-selling games on any Nintendo system. The mustachioed plumber doesn't … Continue reading A Newcomer’s Guide to Mario RPGs
Unicorn Overlord is a Real-Time Strategy RPG developed by Vanillaware and published by Atlus. It was released simultaneously on PlayStation 4 + 5, Xbox Series X + S, and Nintendo Switch in March 2024. MSRB is $60. I played the Nintendo Switch version. I'm not shy with how much I love the Japanese developer Vanillaware. … Continue reading Unicorn Overlord Review – A Worthy Heir to Classic Strategy RPGs
Considering I've been writing about the artistry of video games for over 5 years, it might come to a surprise to some of my readers to hear that I once saw video games as a juvenile and cringey waste of time in my early adulthood. I grew up surrounded by video games as a kid, … Continue reading What Video Games Have Taught Me About Art
Last week I tried to defend silent protagonists as a viable narrative option in video games, both for developers and for players. Today I tackle yet another controversial game mechanic: turn-based combat. This isn't a joke -- I genuinely enjoy turn-based combat, and I want to help explain why. I know, I know, it's silly … Continue reading Defending Turn-Based Combat
If you've played video games for a few years, particularly RPGs and Action/Adventure games, then you've probably experienced a game with a silent protagonist. Maybe it was Link from The Legend of Zelda, or maybe it was the Dragonborn from Skyrim, or maybe it was your main character from Pokemon or Persona. The prevailing attitude … Continue reading Defending Silent Protagonists
Not too long after I got my new Xbox 360, another friend told me that he had a PlayStation 3 lying around that he wasn't using anymore. He didn't give it to me, but he did offer to lend it to me for a while. How could I pass up the opportunity? And so, in … Continue reading Reviewing the PlayStation 3 in 2024
After Nintendo has a bullseye success, their next console always misfires, right? I mean, the DS sold over 150 million units, yet the 3DS only reached half that amount. And the Wii sold over 100 million units, but the Wii U barely broke 16. Nintendo's console sales look like a roller coaster track. As of … Continue reading Nintendo’s Next Console Won’t Flop, and Here’s Why:
It's March, which means it's time to celebrate another Switch birthday. This time our plucky hybrid is turning 7 years old, which is like age 63 in console years. I have quite a history with it by now, and I thought it would be a good time to look back on my favorite moments with … Continue reading The Nintendo Switch: 7 Years Old, 7 Favorite Memories
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow is a novel about fictional game developers creating and running their own studio. It was written by Gabrielle Zevin and published by Knopf in July 2022. I wish I had written this book. In the past, I reviewed Jason Schreier's nonfiction books Press Reset and Blood, Sweat, and Pixels. In … Continue reading Book Review: Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow
Near the end of 2023, a friend of mine told me that he had a spare Xbox 360 lying around, and he didn't want it anymore. I offered to pay him for it, but he insisted on giving it away. In his own words, "I just love seeing people enjoy collecting games." Yeah, I too … Continue reading Reviewing the Xbox 360 in 2024
Hookshot, Charge Beam, Revive 