A Video Game Design Blog
After watching last week's Nintendo Direct, it's plain to me that the Nintendo Switch is winding down its life. Just as the 3DS's later years were filled with ports and remasters such as Metroid: Samus Returns, Fire Emblem Echoes, and Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga, we are seeing the same lineup appear for the Nintendo … Continue reading My Selfish List of Remakes, Remasters, and Ports for the Aging Nintendo Switch
Last year I attended a single day of PAX West, and it was my first gaming convention ever. While the bright lights and loud sounds were a bit overwhelming, I got this electric feeling trying out games, meeting developers, and watching other people play. I wanted to go again. And so this year I attended … Continue reading PAX West 2023: Harder, Better, Pax-er, Stronger
Many historically impactful games have been re-released this year, including Metroid Prime, Resident Evil 4, and several of the classic Final Fantasy games. In a lot of this discourse I've noticed people making claims such as "You can skip Final Fantasy I, II, III, and V, but Final Fantasy IV and VI are must-play games." … Continue reading Should Some Video Games Be “Required Reading?”
The Nintendo Switch is now 6 years old. With the recent February Nintendo Direct completed, fans and journalists have ramped up in their speculation about the hybrid console's future. Some think that the Switch's successor may be announced at the end of the year and that 2024 may see the arrival of Nintendo's next console. … Continue reading The Nintendo Switch’s Legacy
Welcome to 2023, everyone! As is tradition, I start every new year by looking back and taking stock of last year's experiences. I played many games in 2022, and they're all very different from each other. Some games were from familiar franchises like Splatoon 3 and Xenoblade Chronicles 3. However, for most of 2022, I … Continue reading My 2022 in Gaming
The mountains of Renais were usually peaceful. However, their calmness was interrupted by a horse rushing through the trees. A proud but wounded knight rode upon it. A princess clutched the knight's waist. In the distance the burning castle of Renais was getting smaller and smaller. Exhausted, the knight Seth stopped and to dress his … Continue reading History of the Emblem, Chapter 5: Eirika
Roy's our boy! Roy's our boy! This is what the audience chants when Roy, a mysterious red-haired swordsman, is winning a match in Super Smash Bros. Melee. It was a memorable cheer; any Melee player could chant it even today. But back in 2002, Melee fans had little explanation about who this character was or … Continue reading History of the Emblem, Chapter 4: Roy & Lyn
I often wonder how the Western video game market would've been different if we had Japan-exclusive games like Mother 3 released here. As infamous as that game is, its actual audience will forever remain limited to diehard fans. Only the fans willing to find the fan translation and emulate it will actually experience the game. … Continue reading History of the Emblem, Chapter 3: Sigurd & Leif
Sunlight fills the cathedral windows, causing Celica's red hair to glow. She bows her head. Her hands are clasped together: "Mila, our Mother Goddess, please hear my prayer. Our crops are dying. Abominations are rising from their graves. Rigel has invaded our homeland. I can no longer stand idly by. What must I do?" Celica … Continue reading History of the Emblem, Chapter 2: Celica
I remember feeling the heat from my desk lamp on my cheek. It was comforting, in a way, as I stayed up late into the night sketching out mountain ranges, archipelagoes, and the names of kingdoms. I had always loved fantasy, but when I was thirteen, the Lord of the Rings trilogy lit a fire … Continue reading History of the Emblem, Chapter 1: Marth
Hookshot, Charge Beam, Revive 