Super Mario Bros Movies

Picture it, Cookeville, 1993. I open up the latest issue of Electronic Gaming Monthly and learn that they're making a Super Mario Bros movie. I'm both excited and wary. Movies based on video games were almost unheard of. There were a few game-adjacent movies, like Tron, Cloak & Dagger, and The Wizard. But as far as I know (and Wikipedia agrees), there hadn't been a theatrical film directly based on an existing video game.

It sounded like a bad idea. It wasn't like the SMB games had very deep plots. But if it did well, it would open the door for better game-based movies. Like Legend of Zelda, or dare I hope... Metroid?

The movie came out in May of 1993, and it was seven kinds of awful. Arguably it was "so bad it's good," but that kind of thing varies from person to person. It was very goofy. Half the time it tried way too hard to include elements from the games, like giving them jumping shoes. But it also changed too much from the games, like making the goombas lizards.

Anyway, some people my age have fuzzy nostalgic feelings for the 1993 movie, but objectively it's pretty bad. It's not faithful enough to the games to appeal to gamers, and non-gamers would just find it a confusing waste of film. But given the source material, if you'd asked me at the time, I would have thought it was impossible to make a good SMB movie.

In 2023 they released an animated SMB movie. I thought it was okay. Harmless and forgettable, but there were a few good laughs in there. There was some controversy at the time about casting Chris Pratt as Mario, but I thought he did an okay job. Overall I'm glad I saw it, but it didn't rock my world.

Today I saw The Super Mario Galaxy Movie. It was really fun. It had lots - I mean lots- of references and Easter eggs, some pretty obscure. I don't think there's a single Mario game that doesn't get some sort of nod. There's direct references to SMB2, Super Mario Odyssey, Yoshi's Island, even Super Mario Maker. And then there's peripherals like R.O.B. and the Super Scope 6. And there's references to other games like StarFox and Metroid. With all these references, it's almost like a Nintendo version of Ready Player One.

The movie is getting its share of hate, but I'm not sure why. Sure it's kind of shallow, but the last thing I want is a deep Mario movie. Some are complaining that it messes up the canon by (spoiler alert) making Peach and Rosalina sisters. But Nintendo has declared numerous times that the Mario games don't have a canon. Mario and company are merely digital actors, which explains why Bowser's trying to kill Mario one week, then playing tennis with him the next. If you're looking for continuity in Mario games, you're paying too much attention.

Bottom line is, Super Mario Galaxy is a great time if you're a Nintendo fan. It's fun for kids, with lots of nostalgia points for video game geezers like me.

Mortal Kombat II (2026 Film)

"Best Mortal Kombat movie" isn't a very high bar, but this was just fantastic. I liked the 1995 movie at the time, but in retrospect it was mostly the novelty of it all. There weren't a lot of video game-based movies back then, and MK was one of the better ones. The sequel, MK Annihilation, was so bad it's good, or so bad it's terrible, depending on your mood.

2021's reboot was a solid film, but it wasn't very memorable. It did a serviceable job of reintroducing the characters and had some decent action, but it didn't make much of an impact on me. The best thing I can say about it is that it's "good for a Mortal Kombat movie."

I don't have to make that sort of excuse for 2026's Mortal Kombat II. It's just a fantastic movie. It's just so pretty. The fights are beautiful, with backgrounds right out of the games, but presented in the hi-def glory only Hollywood can produce. 

The plot? Look, if you're not into video game movies, this isn't going to change your mind. It's pretty goofy. But it's the best possible telling of a Mortal Kombat plot. 

Feel free to skip the 2021 film and jump straight to this one. MKII does assume you've seen the former, but it's not hard to catch up. Introducing Johnny Cage helps, since the other characters have to explain the situation to him.

Thoughts on the characters:
Kung Lao - Excellent adaptation. The special effects on his hat are great.
Johnny Cage - Since Karl Urban is the biggest name in the cast, they use him as much as possible. I like how they address his age. Urban was a bit old to play Johnny Cage, so they framed him as an aging action hero who mostly makes money from conventions now. This was a good choice.
Kitana - She was my favorite character in the movie. Her relationship with Shao Khan reminded me of Gamora and Thanos. Kitana looks and acts spot-on for the character.
Shao Khan - Perfect. His helmet looks awesome. He's truly scary, even when doing the silly moves straight out of the video game.
Baraka - I really liked him, but he was probably one of the few special effects in the movie that didn't stick the landing. His CGI mouth wasn't bad, just sort of distracting.
Jade - She looked great, and her subplot really worked for me.
Scorpion and Bi-Han - Continuing their story from the first movie, it's more of the same. It kind of feels like they were written into the movie as an afterthought, an excuse to include two of MK's most popular characters. Still, it was nice to see them again.
Shang Tsung, Sonya, Jax, Raiden, and Liu Kang - Kind of bland, but not bad. They do the job.
Quan-Chi - I've always hated him in the games, but at least he moves the plot forward here.
Cole Young - Who? They spent the entire first movie telling his story, but he barely feels like more than an extra in this one. Considering the fan backlash against him in the first movie, this may have been the best decision.

Overall, it's a decent movie, with lots of fun action, and terrific VFX. People who haven't played the games might not find much to like, but it's a wonderful treat for fans of the games.

Life is Strange: Reunion - Final Thoughts

Spoilers ahead.

That was a fitting end to Max & Chloe's story. I'm glad this is going to be the last game with these characters, but I hope the series continues with new characters.

As I suspected, this is very much an apology game. This is totally a "fans complained, so let's give them what they want" game. And if you love these characters, it's a blast.

As a one-off game, it's not great. The story is very much "Double Exposure Part 2," as well as the end of the story started by the original Life is Strange. Playing this one by itself would be like watching "Return of the Jedi" as your first Star Wars movie.

It fixes the mistakes created by the last game. But it also undoes the tragic choice you have to make in the very first game. It weaves everything back together in a way that leads to a happy - if bittersweet - ending. I don't know if I really approve of this... the original game made an impact for a reason, you had to choose between two equally tragic endings. But Reunion merges the timelines into a universe that's the best of both worlds.

The characters deserve this happy ending, finally, but it does mean that the original game loses a little of its bite. Kind of like how Spock's sacrifice in Star Trek II feels less meaningful after Star Trek III.

My biggest fear was that I'd have to choose between Max and Chloe surviving. Well, my fears were groundless. The final choice really isn't that tough. I'd say it's on par with the final choice in Before the Storm.

I think this game's most interesting mechanic is just how much extra material they had to write based on your previous choices. At the beginning of Reunion, when it asks you what you picked in the original game, I told it I sacrificed Chloe. In my playthrough of Reunion, Chloe mentions that she's supposed to be dead approximately 6,000 times. I'll have to watch a YouTube walkthrough to see the alternate dialogue. I swear it had to be like programming two entire games' worth of dialogue.

There are a lot of possible outcomes in the end. Different characters can die in the fire, and different buildings can burn down. As usual, when I looked at my post-credits stats, I saw options I never noticed when playing the through the story. Like I said, I'm going to have to watch some YouTube playthroughs.

In my ending, two main characters died - Vinh and Owen. I didn't manage to stop any of the fires, and the buildings burned down. When presented with the final choice, I lied to Max. None of these are happy events.

And yet, this game left me with warm fuzzy feelings. That feels wrong, somehow, but at this point in my life, I'll take happiness where I can find it.

Ranking the Life is Strange Games:

1. Life is Strange

2. Life is Strange: Before the Storm

3. Life is Strange: True Colors

4. Life is Strange: Reunion

5. The Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit

6. Life is Strange 2

7: Life is Strange: Double Exposure

Life is Strange: Reunion - First Impressions

So, I'm about six hours into the newest Life is Strange game. So far it's a vast improvement over Double Exposure. 

An awful lot of it feels like an apology to the fans. Which can be bad. I mean, The Rise of Skywalker spent so much time trying to apologize for The Last Jedi, that it felt like it was written by a  PR committee (FTR I still loved it, but a lot of people didn't).

And Reunion does make some very obvious attempts to placate fans. It also makes a lot of "comfort references," like familiar music and legacy jokes (such as Max forgetting to water a plant).

Chloe is back. Regardless of what choices you made in the first game and Double Exposure, Chloe reappears and gets about as much screen time as Max. The writing is practically genius in the way it manages to honor all your major choices from previous games.

Like the last few games, Reunion asks upfront what choices you made in the earlier games. I've  played through LiS multiple times, so I've picked both endings. I had trouble deciding which one to tell Reunion I picked. Finally I chose "Sacrifice Chloe" because I felt it would make it that much more dramatic when Chloe showed up in Reunion.

And I was right. In fact, there's so much "You're supposed to be dead" dialogue that I'm wondering just how different the story is if you tell Reunion that you sacrificed Arcadia Bay.

Max no longer switches timelines at will like in DE. She's back to rewinding time like in the first game. And Chloe still has her backtalk from Before the Storm, though I've only gotten to use it twice so far.

There's a lot of foreshadowing, and it feels like the ending is going to be a real tearjerker. I don't know what to expect, but I know what I'm going to do if certain "Final Choices" are given.

Sacrifice Chloe vs Sacrifice Caledon University - Definitely save Chloe. It was a tough choice picking Chloe or Arcadia Bay, as it was a beautiful, charming town full of interesting people. But Caledon? Honestly I'd sacrifice Caledon for a grilled cheese sandwich.

Sacrifice Chloe vs Sacrifice Safi - Chloe wins. Safi is an annoying prankster, and even if she has good intentions (which is hard to say at this point in the game), she hasn't won my heart like Chloe.

Sacrifice Chloe vs Sacrifice Moses - Chloe wins again. Moses is a great guy, and I enjoy talking to him, but he's no Chloe.

Sacrifice Chloe vs Sacrifice Max - This is a real possibility. There are a lot of hints that Chloe is doomed, and it could turn out that the only way to save her is to eliminate the person who keeps screwing up time - that being Max herself. If it comes down to that, it's going to be a tough choice. I like Max better, but she had a good run. Chloe's never even really had a chance at life. I'll cross that road when I get to it.

Sacrifice Belgian Waffle vs Sacrifice Bacon Omelette - Oh, I don't know if my heart could handle it.

I'll write more when I finish the game. I'm trying not to play too much in one day, as I'm old and gaming hurts my back. But I'm also trying to get through this game before I start seeing spoilers. I doubt I'll finish the game today, but I should have it done by the end of the week.

Life is Strange: Double Exposure - Final Thoughts

This post contains spoilers.

I just finished Life is Strange: Double Exposure. I can't say I loved it, in fact it's my least favorite of the series, but I still enjoyed it a lot.

So, quick recap: Max is an adult now, and working at a university. She hasn't used her powers in years. As I mentioned in my previous post, you can choose which ending you picked in the first game, and whether Chloe was a friend or a sweetheart. Unfortunately, even if Chloe lived, the pair broke up off-screen between games.

It's easy to see why the writers felt they had to do this. They wanted to respect both endings from the first game, so they couldn't have Chloe play a major role in this one. It's one thing to have Chloe send you the occasional text, but it's another to record motion capture and tons of dialogue for a character only half the players will see.

So they had a good reason, but they still dropped the ball. They could easily have given Chloe an excuse to be away on a trip somewhere, so they wouldn't anger half their fanbase. But they also wanted to give Max some romance options, which is ridiculous itself given how skippable the romance is in Double Exposure.

The sad part is that it would be an easy fix even now. They could add a patch that lets you pick "we're still together" at the beginning, changes a few of Chloe's texts to explain her absence, and locks out both romance options. I'll be surprised if that isn't a fan-made mod by the end of the year.

But for the purposes of this review, I'm going to ignore the Chloe problem. Too many people are writing off Double Exposure for Chloe-related reasons, and I would rather judge the game by what's in it, rather than what's not.

So what's in it? Well, the game starts with a few scenes of Max hanging out with her new friends, including a woman named Safi. Then Safi gets shot and Max has to solve the mystery of her murder. Max soon discovers she has the power to shift between two alternate universes, and Safi is still alive in one of them. So she has the unique advantage of being able to solve Safi's murder with Safi's help.

Several characters seem to have a motive, but more weirdness is afoot. Doppelgangers of certain characters keep turning up and ruining their lives. Are these duplicates from alternate timelines? Things really come to a head at the end of chapter 2, when Max finds the last picture on Safi's camera: A pic of Max pointing a gun at Safi.

Max continues interviewing people on campus, using her power to get through locked doors, and rifling through desks for evidence. At the end of chapter 3 she comes face-to-face with herself, and has to chase herself down. Then we get a new revelation - the dopplegangers are actually Safi, who has a superpower of her own: shapeshifting.

Safi and Max talk about their superpowers, Safi explains why she hurt the people she hurt, and the two conspire to expose a local plagiarist. But then everything goes to hell. Safi loses her temper and breaks the minds of everyone nearby, Max's powers cause another storm to manifest, and there's another "Nightmare World" like the one in the final chapter of the original game.

Honestly, this is where the game lost me. There were an awful lot of "things happen because they happen" events, not to mention a good bit of filler. There was a part where Max kept going through hotel rooms that could have been lifted right out without anyone noticing.

Every game in the series has a signature "final choice," and some of them are more heartbreaking than others. The the original game presented you with a near-impossible decision, while True Colors gave you a more mellow "which happy ending would you like to view" choice. But the one in Double Exposure was so subdued I wasn't even sure if that was the final choice.

The ending seems to be setting up an Avengers-ish gathering. If this game makes enough money, the next game will definitely involve Max and Safi collecting more super-powered people. Maybe we'll see the return of characters from LiS2 and True Colors.

This might be wishful thinking, but there's also a line at the end of Double Exposure that implies that Max might get back together with Chloe (assuming she's alive in your game). Honestly, if the writers want to guarantee the next game sells better, they should announce Chloe's return right now. It could still respect the first game's ending. Maybe have an alternate character take her place (and a lot of her dialogue) if she died in the first game.

Note To Fans: If you ever want that to happen, then please stop threatening the staff of Deck Nine. They might just decide the Life is Strange franchise isn't worth it, and then Max & Chloe's breakup becomes permanent canon.

By the way, I bought the Ultimate version simply because I'd just gotten a bonus when Double Exposure was first announced. This version comes with some extra outfits and has a subplot where Max finds a lost cat. If you're on the fence about which edition to buy, personally I didn't find the bonus content to be worth the price. The cat is only in maybe four scenes.

Final Thoughts: Like every game in the series, Double Exposure is a beautiful game with difficult choices and a nice soundtrack. Unfortunately the plot isn't as interesting as its predecessors, and it contains some controversial writing choices. I like where the story arc is leading, though, and with a little luck the next game will knock it out of the park.

Ranking the Life is Strange Games:

1. Life is Strange

2. Life is Strange: Before the Storm

3. Life is Strange: True Colors

4. The Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit

5. Life is Strange 2

6: Life is Strange: Double Exposure

Life is Strange: Double Exposure – First Impressions

Note: This post contains major spoilers for the original Life is Strange game, but only minor ones for Double Exposure.

So if you’ve read this blog for any length of time, you know I’m a big fan of the Life is Strange series. I didn’t play any of them until 2018, three years after the original was released, but I’ve posted at least a dozen blogs about the series.

The newest entry in the series, “Double Exposure,” has caused controversy since it was first announced. For starters, it doesn’t officially release until 10/29, but people who pre-ordered the “Ultimate Edition” got to play the first two chapters two weeks early. Some people liken this to paying to be a beta tester. Other people just hated that you don’t get enough stuff for the extra $30. (In addition to playing early, you also get a couple of new outfits and a pet cat.)

There’s also been some behind-the-scenes turmoil within the company that’s causing controversy, and some of the early players are experiencing bugs, both major and minor.

But the biggest complaint is how they handled the ongoing canon of the series. The first Life is Strange game ended with a very difficult choice: Should Max allow her best friend Chloe to die, or should she let a hurricane wipe out the entire town of Arcadia Bay?

Personally I think sacrificing Chloe is the “better” ending, in that it feels more cinematic and gives the entire game a sort of Twilight Zone vibe. Pricefield shippers, put your torches down. This does not mean I prefer that ending or that I consider it more canon. All I’m saying is that it’s tighter, and it feels more like how a story should end.

But the other ending - Sacrifice Arcadia Bay - has the advantage of being more ambiguous, in a “The Adventure Continues…” sort of way. That’s the ending the comics start from, which makes perfect sense for an ongoing series. The developers claim neither ending is canon, which was the whole point of letting you pick your ending .

The game was followed by a prequel (Before the Storm), then two sequels that star mostly-new characters. Life is Strange 2 asked you which ending you picked in the first game, but it only affected a couple of scenes. The writers could have skipped mentioning the first game entirely, so your choice is basically “which fanservice easter eggs would you like to see?”

The next game, True Colors, gives your choice a bit more weight in the bonus story “Wavelengths,” in which a former resident of Arcadia Bay comes to terms with the first game’s tragedies.

The new game, Double Exposure, handles it a little differently. Instead of the UI just asking you point blank which ending you picked, it takes a cue from “Knights of the Old Republic II” and asks you through dialogue. (Okay, KotOR2 isn’t the only game to do this, but why make just any old reference when I can make a Star Wars reference?)

Near the beginning of Double Exposure, Max has a conversation with her friend Safi, who asks Max about a photo in her wallet. First she asks if Chloe was Max's friend or girlfriend. Then she asks what happened to her. Your only choices are “She Died” or “We Broke Up.”

That pissed a lot of people off, and I can see why. Many fans who picked the “Sacrifice Arcadia Bay” ending expected it to mean that Max and Chloe lived happily ever after. Together. Even though Double Exposure follows either ending, it still found a way to screw up the canon (or at least the headcanon) for a lot of players.

I wish Double Exposure had given a third option. They could have added “We’re Still Together But She’s Out Of Town” or something. But then they wouldn’t have been able to give Max dating options in the game. So far I could live without those relationship options, but who knows? They might become more relevant to the plot later.

Anyway, a good portion of the fan base is furious. Some players have gotten their game refunded, some are boycotting the company, and some have even gone as far as to threaten the programming staff. That’s never cool.

The problem is, the game ain’t over yet. We’re only two chapters in, and the rest of the game doesn’t release for another week. I’m not saying the ending will fix it, but it’s ridiculous to complain until you know for sure.

A huge part of Double Exposure involves travelling between two versions of reality. What if, in the final chapter, Max realizes that neither reality is the “prime” reality? Maybe both are skewed, and she has to find a way to get to the real one. By the end of the third chapter, she might be traveling among five or six realities. Maybe in one of them, Chloe and Max never broke up.

And maybe the game’s final choice lets you decide which reality you want to live in. Wouldn’t that be interesting?

Is any of that likely? No. Sometimes it feels like the game is foreshadowing a Chloe appearance, but I’m not going to hold my breath. They probably remain broken up. But complaining about it before you know for sure is like sending back your pizza while it’s still in the oven.

Personally I wish people would judge a story by what’s in it rather than what they wanted to be in it. Admittedly I can be hypocritical on that point. Sure, when Star Wars fans hated on The Force Awakens for tossing the old extended canon in the trash, I said get over it and enjoy the movie. But I still refuse to forgive Alien 3 for undoing the previous movie’s happy ending. Some people say the Alien 3 Assembly Cut is actually a very good horror movie if you give it a chance, but I can’t do that. Hey, I never said I was perfect.

Regardless, I intend to judge Double Exposure on its own merits, and so far it’s really good. The graphics have come a long way. I love the facial expressions. You can actually tell what people are thinking by their faces, and not in a cartoonish way. I love Max’s new ability to shift between two versions of reality. Some of the puzzles remind me of “The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past.” Especially the ones where you keep shifting back and forth just to get past obstacles.

The plot is predictable in places, but the biggest plot twists still surprised me. Especially the one at the end of chapter 2. There are a lot of suspicious characters milling about the game, but the real bad guy will probably turn out to be someone who never seemed sus at all. The game has some decent puzzles, but none of them have sent me online looking for a solution.

The game is a little glitchy in places. Note I’m playing on the Steam Deck. Sometimes I’ll go through a door and the new environment will load in one piece at a time, with weird bars at the top and bottom of the screen. Sometimes the sunlight looks like it’s going supernova, but only from certain camera angles. But none of this has been game breaking so far.

Like all Life is Strange games, the scenery is beautiful. They always pick gorgeous towns as their settings, and this one is no different. Though so far I don’t think Lakeport is as iconic as Arcadia Bay or even Haven Springs. I just played “Tell Me Why” a couple of months ago, so Double Exposure’s snowscapes kind of feel like more of the same.

I’m not in love with how you choose Max’s wardrobe at the beginning of each chapter. I can’t explain it, it’s just such an abrupt, no-frills clothing selection screen, and it feels like a placeholder for something better.

The soundtrack is excellent, as usual, though none of the songs have really resonated with me the way they did in some of the earlier games.

Overall I’m having a great time. I don’t mind the break-up thing, as I see this game as one of many possible timelines. I do hope they clarify that in the ending though, just to keep the other fans happy. I’m eagerly anticipating the rest of the chapters and I can’t wait to see how everything is resolved.

Injustice (2021 Animated Movie)

I loved the Injustice video games and the comics. The problem was, you needed to read/play both to get the full story. After the opening scene, the game jumps forward five years to a time when Superman is already in power. The comic fills in those missing years.

A quick summary for those not in the know: The Joker gives Superman a Very Bad Day. Superman is so traumatized that he loses his grip on morality and adopts a heavier stance on crime. The more people resist him, the more he doubles down. His views escalate until he is a full blown dictator.

The comics start out great, but some of the later years start to drag. The first year is especially quotable, with some of the best lines in the history of comics. The video game is a fun, solid fighting game with a well done story mode. The graphics are a bit dated at this point, but it often goes on sale for under $5. So if you haven’t played it, seriously, pick it up sometime.

With five years of comics and several hours of gameplay, it was hard to condense this story into a single animated movie, but I think they did a good job. The movie mostly draws from the comics, particularly the first year. In fact, I’d say that the first half of the movie is pulled straight from Year One. After that, it draws bits and pieces from the later years, smatters in a bit of the plot from the game, and throws in some original ideas as well. In other words, the climax is a little messy.

Now, here’s where I disagree with other reviewers. They complained that the movie wasn’t faithful enough to the source material. Actually, the first half is almost too faithful to Year One. Okay, there’s a few big changes. For example, one prominent hero is killed early on, probably just to avoid some plot holes. But I was quoting the comic as I watched the movie. My wife watched my lips moving. For the first half, I almost always knew what was about to happen. That’s pretty faithful.

The second half? Well, they did what they had to in order to tie things up. They could have made it an animated series instead of a movie, but I don’t think that was ever in the cards. Appreciate the movie for what it is, not what you feel is missing. I’m sorry your favorite scenes were cut, but suck it up and move on.

But on the flip side: Reviewers also praised the voice acting, and that’s the part I felt was a little weak. Okay, there was nothing wrong with who they cast for which voice. But again, I like the comics because they were so quotable. And when it came to the most memorable lines, the actors just didn’t quite deliver them the way I’d envisioned. They’re fine voice actors, but their comic timing was off, or they didn’t put the emphasis on the right words, or something. I know, follow my own advice and suck it up. But it irks me that they were so close to perfection.

They removed some plot elements that were only there to justify game mechanics. In the game, it was silly that Superman could go toe-to-toe with characters like Green Arrow without knocking their heads off in one blow. They explained this by inventing pills you could swallow that gave everyone the strength and durability of Superman. The movie thankfully removes this plot point. Seriously, the whole reason evil Superman is so scary is because he’s so powerful. Make everyone else just as tough, and the concept loses its teeth.

Also, the game involved characters from two universes, to explain why characters are able to fight each other. The movie does touch on the parallel universes idea, but not as heavily as the game. I won’t say more to avoid spoilers. But what it does with the idea, it does well, at least in my opinion.

Now, I know “Superman turns evil” stories have been done to death at this point. DC itself has put out stories like “Red Son” and “Crisis on Two Earths”, but the concept has inspired a lot of non-DC works as well, such as Invincible and Brightburn. But even though the idea is tired, Injustice is one of the best uses of the concept. And the Injustice animated movie is probably the most accessible way to see the story. It’s not perfect, but it’s definitely is worth a watch, especially if you haven’t read the comics or played the game.

Injustice is currently streaming on HBO Max.

My Favorite Games Redux

A couple of years ago, I posted a list of my all-time favorite games. While that list still holds up, I think it represents more of what I consider my "ideal" favorite games, rather than the games I would actually go back and play again.

I mean sure, I still consider Super Metroid to be the best video game of all time. But a lot of that is nostalgia and a general fondness for the game's universe. Realistically - here, now, and today - would I really be more likely to sit down and play Super Metroid than something more contemporary?  Probably not.

 

So here's my new list. The following games are ones that I actually keep going back to, sometimes years apart. Most of these are games I've purchased and played on multiple consoles or computers, and have owned both physically and digitally. These are the games I would take if was stranded alone on a deserted island. These are the games I would save if a computer virus threatened to wipe out all other games from existence.

 

Most of these also appeared on my previous list, but this time they're in a different order. For the most part, I will only include one entry from a series. This is because some sequels make the earlier games in the series obsolete. I put months of my life into The Sims 3, but I never touched it again once I started playing The Sims 4.

 

I'm going to focus on single player games for this list. Sure, Street Fighter II has earned its place in video game history, and we all have fond memories of the original Gauntlet. But the truth is, I don't game with friends very often. And when I do, we usually just gravitate to whatever multiplayer game is newest, rather than going back to the classics. Heck, offline multiplayer games don't even have to be good, they just have to enhance the time we spend together.

 

I'm also not including any puzzle games like Tetris or Bejeweled, even though I've put a lot of time into them. When it comes to single player puzzle games, I tend to think of them as ways to pass the time in a waiting room, and I'm just as likely to try a new one as I am to replay an old favorite.

 

I'm also excluding compilation games (like Super Mario All-Stars or Mega Man Legacy Collection) because I feel like that would be cheating. Individual games only.

 

Anyway, that's enough exposition. On with the list!

 

 

15. Dungeon Siege

    Owned on: PC (Disc/Steam)

    This is just mindless point-and-click fun. The sequels are better, and Torchlight outshines the Dungeon Siege series in every way, but there's something about the simplicity of the original Dungeon Siege that makes me want to reinstall it now and then. This is an RPG for when I don't have time for an RPG, and just want to cut a swath of destruction through enemy hordes.

       

14. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic

    Owned on: XBox, PC (Disc/Steam)

    I've installed and played through this game several times. The graphics haven't aged well, but remasters are coming, and I do intend to play through it again. This is the best non-theatrical Star Wars story I've seen, with a twist every bit as mind-blowing as the one in Empire Strikes Back.

 

13. Bionic Commando (NES Version)

    Owned on: NES, Gameboy, GBA (In "Capcom Classics Mini-Mix"), 360 and PC (Steam): "Rearmed" Version

    While I may have blasted the arcade version, the NES version of Bionic Commando is a delightful classic. It helps that it's been remade with better graphics, but even the NES version still has its charm. This is weird, but I've always had a thing for grappling hooks, ever since Luke used one in the first Star Wars movie. Video games with grappling hooks are especially fun, and Bionic Commando uses its grab-and-swing mechanic to great success.

 

12. Life is Strange

    Owned on: PS4, PC (Steam/GOG)

    It was difficult to restrain myself from putting multiple Life is Strange games on this list. It was even harder to decide which one deserved the spot most. The prequel has some of my favorite scenes, and the newest one has the best script, but ultimately I'm going to have to go with the original. It has the best plot, with all the time travel and the gut-wrenching decisions.

 

11. Dragon Age: Origins

    Owned on: 360, PC (Steam/Origin)

    Dragon Age is basically Knights of the Old Republic in a medieval fantasy world. But it ends up being way more exciting, IMO. I've played through this one at least four times, and I could easily see going through it again.

 

10. Super Metroid

    Owned on: SNES, Wii (Virtual Console), SNES Classic

    I've been in love with the Metroid series ever since I first found out Samus Aran's true identity. I love the sci-fi setting, the upgradable power armor, and the exploration. However, the original game has aged badly, and some of the later games leaned into aspects I don't enjoy, such as overly-long boss fights. Super Metroid, the third game in the series, is the best compromise between graphics and classic gameplay. Honestly it was a bit of a toss-up between this and Zero Mission, but the SNES holds a special place in my heart. I often say that Super Metroid is my all-time favorite game, but as you can see there are other games I'd be more likely to pick up and play.

   

9. Mega Man 2

   Owned on: NES, 3DS/PC (Steam): in "Mega Man Legacy Collection"

   Capcom always knew how to get the most out of the NES. The Mega Man games had vibrant colors, memorable character designs, and a creative premise. You have a character who can absorb his enemies' weapons, you can tackle the stages in any order, and you have near perfect controls. The Mega Man games are some of the most solid side-scrolling action games in the history of video games. And for my money, Mega Man 2 was the pinnacle of the series. It had great stage design and some of the most interesting bosses. Later Mega Man games sometimes felt like they were just going through the motions, but Mega Man 2 is inspired.

 

8. Final Fantasy VI

   Owned on: SNES, GBA, PC (Steam), SNES Classic, Android

   This was the first console RPG I really liked. I'd always shied away from games like Ultima and Dragon Warrior because they looked boring. At the time I felt like video games should test your manual dexterity, and having your attacks based on math just sounded dull. But then I read a glowing review of Final Fantasy III (the American name of FFVI for the SNES), and it convinced me to at least rent it. It seriously blew me away. The way these primitive little sprites could convey so much emotion, the sheer enormity of the plot, the huge variety in the way different characters worked... it all added up to something huge. And not to mention the length. Just when you think you've beaten the game, the bad guy shows up and destroys the world, and you realize... this game's only half over.

 

7. Crazy Climber

   Owned on: PS4

   This is one of the few games on this list that I've only bought once, but it's not for lack of trying. Crazy Climber was the first arcade game I really fell in love with as a child. I must have really tested my parents' patience, always making them drive across town for the one arcade that had Crazy Climber in it. I always wanted it for home consoles, even though I knew it would lose part of its charm - without twin joysticks, it just wouldn't have been the same game. It didn't matter, though, since it never seemed to come out for any consoles I owned. I'm just glad that when I finally managed to play it again as an adult, it was on a system with twin joysticks. And it holds up. Sure, the graphics are positively ancient, but like Pac-Man and Dig Dug, the visuals are exactly as good as they need to be. It was one of the first games I bought for my PS4, and I still keep coming back to it now and then.

 

6. Super Mario World

   Owned on: SNES, Wii (Virtual Console), SNES Classic

   I knew there had to be a Mario game on this list, but it was hard to decide which one. I didn't want to include Mario Maker because I consider it a multiplayer game - one of the best motivations to design cool levels is to show them off to other people. So it really boiled down to Super Mario Bros 3 and Super Mario World. But I have found over the years that I am a little bit more likely to go back and play Super Mario World. The controls are tight, the graphics are colorful, and every level is just pure, undistilled fun.

 

5. Chrono Trigger

   Owned on: SNES, DS, PC (Steam), Android

   Where do I even begin? Time travel! Multiple endings! Double and Triple Techs! A "New Game Plus" feature that gives the game infinite replayability! A lot of JRPGs lose their charm once you beat them, but Chrono Trigger is one of those games I can keep playing forever. It never hit me emotionally as much as the Final Fantasy games, but it's so much more fun. Honestly, in what other game can your party consist of a robot, a cavewoman, and a frog?

 

4. Super Castlevania IV

   Owned on: SNES, Wii (Virtual Console), SNES Classic, PS4/PC (Steam): in "Castlevania Anniversary Collection"

   Oddly, this is probably one of the less popular Castlevania games. It's not as nostalgia-inducing as the NES games, and it's not a "Metroidvania" like some of the other games in the series. It's basically a generic action game with a Castlevania theme. And I love that. There's no story to get bogged down in, there's no running back and forth to collect powerups, it's just a fun afternoon whipping monsters. It has gorgeous graphics and an excellent soundtrack. The controls are fantastic, with a multi-directional whip you can even use like a grappling hook in some places. It's just a solid platformer that I can pick up and play whenever I want.

 

3. Saints Row IV

   Owned on: PC (Steam), PS4

   This is one of the newer games to make this list, but I think it will stand the test of time. I believe this because before I tried the Saints Row series, I was resintalling GTA3 and/or Vice City every few years. But SR4 outshines those GTA games in every possible way, and it adds character customization, humor, and sci-fi elements. Open world games always have more replay value than other games, and SR4 is the best GTA-style game I've played. It's one of those games where I can spend hours driving around town or jumping from building to building, ignoring actual missions in favor of self-imposed challenges.

 

2. The Sims 4

   Owned on: PC (Origin)

   The Sims games have always been a guilty pleasure. In no other game can I spend so much time accomplishing nothing. It's one of those games I can play for an entire weekend, sun up to sun down, and then not play again for a year. The first Sims game came out more than 20 years ago, and I would bet good money that I've played a Sims game at least once a year ever since that first release. When your real life is having a downturn, nothing beats living vicariously through your digital avatars.

 

1. Skyrim

   Owned on: PC (Steam), PS4

   I know people tend to think that Skyrim is overhyped, or has at least outworn its welcome, but honestly? It's the one game I can always go back to, time after time. It's my comfort game. I've beaten the main storyline at least twice, spent hundreds of hours on sidequests, and yet I'm positive I've only seen half the game. I can't tell you how much time I've spent just running through the countryside, seeing what pops up. Admittedly the actual dungeons are a bit repetitive, but I can always find something to do that keeps me entertained.

 

 

And there you have it. Sometimes I don't think I know myself as much as I should. I've spent a lot of money buying classic games, trying to recapture my youth, only to see those games gather virtual dust in my Steam account. But the above list represents my actual gaming habits, not counting the weekly matches of "Beach Buggy Racing 2" and "Puyo Puyo Tetris 2" I play with my wife, or the solitaire I play on my phone when I go to the doctor.

 

Just those last three games - Saints Row IV, Sims 4, and Skyrim - could probably keep me satisfied for many more years, especially if I have access to mods. Sure, new games are nice, but there's something about replaying old favorites that just makes me feel whole.

Life is Strange: True Colors: Wavelengths

Note: Spoilers for the "Wavelengths" DLC for Life is Strange: True Colors.

When I first heard that Life is Strange: True Colors would have a bonus chapter, I didn't expect much from it.  I mean, yeah, I was glad that the game would have additional content, and I was excited that it featured my favorite character.  But I also remembered "Farewell", the bonus chapter of Life is Strange: Before the Storm, which was not particularly deep.

Don't get me wrong, Farewell was a great bit of storytelling, and the ending really tugged at my heartstrings.  But it didn't tell us much we didn't already know, and it was only about an hour long.  I figured Wavelengths would be similar - just a peek at Steph's first day as a DJ, without adding any real depth to the character.

I was wrong.  Wavelengths has way more content than I expected, even if the story confined to just a couple of rooms.  It took me about three hours to get through, though I think I can knock that down to two when I play it again next week.  

Wavelengths starts in the Spring, when Steph first got her job as a DJ in Haven Springs.  It has four chapters - Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter, before finally ending where the main game begins.  Oddly, even though it takes place before the main game, the bonus chapter isn't unlocked until you finish the main game.

When you first start Wavelengths, it asks you the same question that Life is Strange 2 did: Did you play the original Life is Strange, and which ending did you pick?  In LiS2, this didn't make a huge difference.  In fact, it only changes two minor scenes in the 16-20 hour game, scenes that don't affect the main plot and are only there as Easter eggs to fans of the original game.

But Wavelengths, on the other hand, relies heavily on Steph's past trauma, which will be different depending on your choice in the original LiS.  I've played through LiS more than once, making different choices each time, so I could have gone either way here.  But I said I sacrificed Arcadia Bay - I consider that ending closer to canon.  That choice ended up being referenced so much in Wavelengths, that I'm going to have to play through it again just to see the other version.

So for the rest of this blog, assume I'm just talking about the "Sacrificed Arcadia Bay" version, since I haven't played it the other way yet.  

In the first chapter, Steph starts her new job as DJ.  While in the sound booth, you can look around the room and interact with the various controls.  You have a phone, a computer, some office toys, some notes you can read, and access to a few records you can play or queue to play next.  Your tasks include taking phone calls and reading ads on the air.  You can also get up and walk around the record store, where you have other tasks, mostly involving cleaning up the store and decorating it.  

The second chapter takes place right after Pride, the third takes place around Halloween, and the fourth takes place on New Year's Eve.  Over the course of the game, the record store gets more and more cleaned up and redecorated.  Steph's desk accumulates more toys and trinkets.  Steph gradually gains the trust of the stray cat she found living in her walls.  She also slowly composes a song.

On Steph's phone, you can interact with her dating app, allowing you to swipe left or right for potential matches.  If you match with someone, you get to send them messages, some of which turn into pretty funny interactions.  None of them really turn out well for Steph, however, who keeps sinking deeper into depression.  

At one point she receives a package from her old gaming buddy Mikey, containing materials from their past tabletop campaigns.  Some of these items trigger audio memories from Steph's past.  You learn how she survived the storm in Life is Strange, who she lost, and some of what happened between the earlier games and now.  You even get to hear Chloe Price's voice in some of the memories.

Steph is only staying in Haven Springs because of her friend Gabe, and she keeps thinking about moving away.  She is haunted by her past memories, and even avoids Mikey for a while because he reminds her of past traumas.  Finally she agrees to run an RPG for him over video chat, and it helps her come to terms with things.

Not a lot actually happens in the story.  You hardly see any other characters in person, and it almost feels like Steph is in solitary confinement.  The story is very psychological, being more about Steph's emotional state than anything physical going on.  

There's a lot of fanservice in there for fans of LiS and LiS:BtS, to the point that I don't know if it will mean as much to those who started the series with True Colors.  I wonder what it does if you say you didn't play Life is Strange at all.  I suppose I'll have to play through Wavelengths two more times, once for "I saved Arcadia Bay" and once for "I never played LiS".  It's a sacrifice I'm willing to make.

When I finished True Colors, I came away thinking it was a little too short.  The story itself was just the right length, I just wanted... more.  With the addition of Wavelengths, True Colors now feels complete.  Overall, I'd say Wavelengths way more than just a "bonus story".  Wavelengths is the missing piece that True Colors needed to feel whole.

Beach Buggy Racing 2

In 2018 I reviewed Beach Buggy Racing, one of the best budget kart racers around.  Earlier this year we picked up Beach Buggy Racing 2.  It's a big improvement, but only if you put in the time to tweak the rules.

What's improved:  More tracks, more drivers, more weapons, tweaked weapons, the ability to carry two powerups at once, more customization, and a ton of graphical upgrades including night/day effects.  There's also a Hot Wheels themed DLC with some of the best tracks yet.

What's infuriating:  The enemy AI at higher levels is godlike to the point that the game is no longer fun.  You know what?  This is my blog, so of course it's time to ramble.  Twenty years ago there was a Mortal Kombat 3 port for the Gameboy Advance.  MKA was widely panned for having poor controls and limited characters, but one of the biggest criticisms it faced was insanely cheap AI.

Imagine playing rock/paper/scissors with against a computer.  Except instead of making its choice randomly, the computer just waits to see what you pick, and instantly responds with whichever choice beats yours.  Fun, right?  Well, that's how MKA was programmed.  You fire high, it ducks.  You fire low, it jumps.  You punch, it blocks.  You let your guard down, it hits you.  It was so good at executing the perfect counter to whatever you did, it was basically like your joypad was controlling both you and the opponent simultaneously.

Beach Buggy Racing 2 has four speeds: 100, 250, 500, and 1000.  Because we played BBR1 for a couple of years on the 1000 speed, we have to select that speed now or the game feels like it's playing in slow motion.  But here's the thing - under the default rules, BBR2 ties the AI to the speed.  So in order to play at the speed we're used to, we have to play against the hardest AI.

And by "hardest AI", I mean cheapest.  And by cheapest, I mean the computer is a cheating bastard.  In any given Mario Kart game, it's always annoying when you spend 90% of the race at #1, then get taken out by a blue shell in the final stretch.  But it doesn't happen every race, and it keeps one player from dominating the circuit, so it's all in good fun.  But in BBR2, every single damn time I'm in the lead, I get hit by multiple weapons on the final stretch.

It would be one thing if these were weapons I could learn to avoid.  I'd be perfectly happy if it was just a "git gud" kind of situation, where I had to develop the skills to dodge these weapons.  But you can't.  Sure, the weapons have a sound effect, but without the ability to see behind you, you can't effectively dodge them.  Not to mention several of the weapons are homing, and some are just too fast to dodge.

And it's not just when you're about to win.  One of the reasons racing games are so fun is the feeling of speed.  But in BBR2 at the fastest setting, you don't get to feel the speed that much.  Because you're constantly getting hit with items that slow you down, spin you out, knock you off cliffs, and so on.  So instead of long stretches where you feel the wind going through your virtual hair, it's more like race, pause, race, pause, race, pause... and it really isn't fun.

Another problem I have is that, well, I just don't believe that the enemies have actually picked up the weapons they use.  Like, I'll shoot at an enemy vehicle, and it immediately uses an invincibility powerup to counter it.  They just happened to be carrying an invincibility powerup that they hadn't used yet.  No, I don't believe it.  It happens too often to be a coincidence - they really are using powerups they never picked up.

But!  This is where customization saves the day.  The game includes several optional rulesets, and the ability to save your own custom set of rules.  I personally had to turn off the "link AI to speed" feature, then lower the AI all the way down to the lowest setting.  That way I can race at the fastest setting without constantly fending off unstoppable murderbots.  Unfortunately, doing so prevents you from unlocking a few cars, but them's the breaks.

So if you like kart racers, do buy this game, especially if you can get it on sale.  But if you find the difficulty a bit off-putting, take the time to customize the rules to your liking.  There is a wonderful gem of a game in here, but only if you take the time to fix it.

Life is Strange: True Colors

I just finished playing through Life is Strange: True Colors, and I couldn't be more satisfied.  It's not a perfect game, and it's not even my favorite in the series, but it is probably the best written of the four games.  

Minor spoilers ahead - I'll avoid major plot points.  I will mention the nature of the ending but not the specifics.  You might want to avoid looking at the screenshots.

The high points: The voice acting, the facial expressions, and the script.  Previous Life is Strange games had dialogue that even fans sometimes referred to as "cringe".  While I don't fully agree, I at least understand where they're coming from.  The dialogue in this one felt more natural.

The facial expressions were spot on, which is important for a game about emotions.  The main character, Alex Chen, was particularly expressive.  She had some of the best facial motion capture I've ever seen.

The scenery is beautiful.  It simultaneously feels more open world and more restrictive than previous games in the series - most of the chapters give you free reign of Main Street, but the number of locations you visit is probably the smallest in the series.  But while the area is small, it's an idyllic setting that make me long to visit Colorado.

Your choices matter.  You're a newcomer to a small town, and you need to get to know the other townsfolk.  You have to build relationships if you want them to stand with you later.

And Steph.  Just Steph.  I want to marry her, and I want to be her.  She's easily my favorite character in the series, and it was nice to see her in a larger role.

The low points:  The supernatural power this time feels a bit low key compared to the previous games.  Alex has the power to read people's emotions, and skim their surface thoughts.  Compared to LiS1's time rewinding, or LiS2's telekinesis, it's not nearly as impactful.  But the game makes good use of it.

The plot is a bit slow, and the conversations are very wordy.  In a way, it helps, because this is a game about building friendships and learning about the citizens of your new hometown.  But it also feels like there's a lot of padding to make the game longer.  Maybe it's because it was released all at once (instead of episodically like earlier games in the series), but it seems a lot shorter than the other games.

My favorite scene in LiS: Before the Storm was when you got to act in a school play.  A good portion of the story built up to the play, and it had a great payoff.  True Colors does something similar with a LARP event.  Unfortunately, I found the LARP to be a little bit tedious and more complicated than it needed to be.  It was a fun scene, but it just went on a little long.  

There is a huge difference, graphically, between the main characters and the extras.  While Alex is almost photorealistic, some of the other characters look like they were carved out of wood.  There's one guy who looks exactly like the plastic Santa robot from The Santa Clause 2.  It's funny when a group of people are in the same room, because the differences between the low res characters and high res characters really stand out.

Also, the game is full of graphical glitches, at least on the version I played (PS4).  There was some serious pop-in during scene transitions, and sometimes sections of the screen would go black when Alex was using her powers.  Hopefully these issues will get patched out soon.  Oh, and the load times are insane.

The ending:  Like the other games in the series, the ending does present you with a binary choice.  However, this happened after the climax, so it was more like deciding which "happily ever after" you wanted to see.  The actual climax reminded me of the courtroom scene in Chrono Trigger, with your previous interactions with the townsfolk determining which ones support you in your hour of need.

Screenshots:

My Choices: