Another year, another fight finished.
Worst Game of 2020: Just like last year, I played a LOT of garbage in 2020, and... most of it came from the Gameboy Advance, again. Guess that console's games haven't aged the best.
5) CIMA: The Enemy Straight out of my Disappointments of the Year awards returns CIMA: The Enemy. I was THIS close to giving up on the game and moving on to greener pastures, but my completionist inside just wouldn't let it happen. And maybe I should've, because I didn't get one iota of fun out of this cart.
4) Gold and Glory: Road to El Dorado There's no gold or glory on this disc, only pure garbage. The game ran at what felt like sub 15 frames per second, the puzzles were boring and the plot was almost indecipherable. It's a shame, because the movie is really good and I think this was the right genre to adapt the game to.
3) Carebears: Care Quest
I know we shouldn't judge kid games under the same standards we do other games, but kids still deserve better than this. Most mini games are functional, I guess, but they are boring, like incredibly boring, there's no way a kid's attention span could keep invested in this. It's also very lazy, the people that made this game didn't care at all.
Runner-up) Remothered: Broken Porcelain
This one actually hurts. The first game was SO good despite its shortcomings, and it seemed like they had a higher budget for this one. But it's worse in every single way save for its story. The entire game is a bugfest, and it can't be finished. Even after patching the game, it CAN'T be finished. This game should've never been released.
Loser) Franklin the Turtle
Well, at least it's not broken, right? But even though it has more activities than Carebears I found it even more boring. Maybe exactly because it has more activities is why I found it more of a chore. Interestingly, now that I see both covers side by side... the same developer made both games! Jesus, seems they were stuck making garbage.
Best Gameboy Advance Game of 2020:
Despite all the garbage I've been going through with the GBA, I gotta admit that I really like this handheld, probably because it was like a little Super Nintendo, one of my favorite game systems of all time... and one I never owned. I've always liked SNES-era sprite art, and this system has a lot of that. Anyways, at least I got to play a few really good games this year... even if I also had to endure a lot of garbage.
5) Marvel's Invincible Iron-Man
For a game that came out before the MCU was a thing, a game that pretty much came out of the blue, before Iron Man was more mainstream and way past his animated series' demise.... it's surprisingly good. I mean, I don't know why this game exists, but I'm glad it does. It's a snappy, fast-paced sidescrolling shooter that's fun for a spell and works fantastically for a handheld game.
4) Konami Krazy Racers
This was, for me, one of the more memorable games of the GBA's lifespan. Ever since a schoolmate lent me the game for the first time I knew there was something about it I really liked. This year I finally got to own the game and give it the time it deserved, and it was every bit as good as I thought. The controls are quite decent, the cast of characters is appealing and the racing mechanics are solid, making for one of the best Mario Kart clones out there.
3) Disney's Magical Quest 2 Starring Mickey and Minnie I like the GBA because it reminds me of the Super Nintendo, so I'm a sucker for this SNES rereleases. Magical Quest 2 was a great game back then, and it still is. I won't pretend it's a love letter for Disney fans, because it isn't, but anyone that likes a good platformer is in for a treat. I'd only wish it was a bit longer!
Runner-up) Shining Soul II
Shining Soul II is a game that is a few tweaks away from being a true GBA must-have, but as it stands, it's still a fine game. It's a Diablo clone that gets most elements right, slaying monsters, leveling up and getting better loot feels as rewarding as it should for this type of game not to wear out its welcome. There are plenty of character classes to try out and a fair amount of dungeons to conquer in your quest to get even stronger.
Winner) Castlevania: Circle of the Moon
The first Metroidvania released after Symphony of the Night was no slouch. It's a bit more rudimentary and smaller in scale, but it kept what made the SOTN so good in-tact. Fact of the matter is, future Metroidvanias would only get better than this one, but hey, this first attempt was SO good that it paved the way for more sequels to come.
Best Nintendo DS Game of 2020:
Well, y'know, I always thought the 3DS wasn't such a good successor to the DS, and well... let's just say that there aren't many 3DS games left I'm interested in, however, the DS keeps on delivering, it had a massive game library, with so many options that it probably has something for everyone.
5) All Kamen Rider - Rider Generation 2(DS)
For a series that started on the DS, it's kinda shocking that the PSP version of the sequel is the superior version. That aside, the DS version is more than an acceptable way to experience this title. As a lover of Kamen Rider(Even if I haven't seen anything post-Decade!) and Beat'em ups, this game manages to score on all fronts. For Kamen Rider fans, we get a ridiculous amounts of Riders to play as, and while they are pretty similar they do have their small differences, and for beat'em up fans we get a simple but solid set of mechanics that don't let the game get stale as you pummel your foes all the way to the end.
4) Professor Layton and the Unwound Future
What a way to end the original trilogy! The puzzles are the best they've been so far, with plenty of variety, but also featuring a refined script and art to keep things interesting. But what really put this game above the first two, for me, was its very interesting story that kept me hooked, as I wanted to discover the mystery behind Future Luke.
3) Professor Layton and the Last Specter
I wasn't expecting much out of a prequel, but the new characters really earned a spot in my heart. Leaving the core game aside, which is as good as previous games, this one also featured a decent 'London Life' game inside that could've easily been sold on its own, and I'll admit I spent more time playing that little game than I thought I would!
Runner-up) Elite Beat Agents
So there's a reason this game inspired so many clones and games that aped its rhythm tapping mechanics, even someone as rhythm-handicapped as me can appreciate how well crafted everything is. And to compliment the gameplay we get some truly hilarious sub-stories and a pretty good song selection, even if they are just covers.
Winner) Super Scribblenauts
What a concept, yo! It's so brilliant, that the fact that the first game failed to capitalize was nothing short of tear inducing. But the developers didn't give up and the publishers knew they had gold in their hands, so they tried again with Super Scribblenauts, and it was a major success. Improved controls and an expanded dictionary of words and adjectives to toy around with make for a truly unique game that's also fun to play. It's so good that I wish it had more stuff to do and more levels and obstacles to clear, because the tools you get are almost limitless, so it's hard not to want MORE to do with them. Even though the game already includes a more than fair share of stages.
Best Nintendo Switch Game of 2020:
The Switch pretty quickly cemented itself as one of my favorite consoles of all time. But since Covid struck and covid sucks, now my girlfriend became the Switch's foster mommy because Animal Crossing came out, so I didn't spend as much time with it as I did last year. Regardless, I played most of the best games this year on this console.
5) Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove
Proof that the best of the best I played was on Switch is the fact that the lowest placed game on this list is all sorts of amazing, and like every other game on this list, a personal favorite. While it's styled as the classic games of the NES, the game plays better than pretty much anything that came out that era. All four main characters feature their own simple but solid core mechanics that makes each campaign fun for very different reasons.
4) The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Complete Edition
As far as Western RPGs go, this one could easily be my favorite, toppling Morrowind. The game has a great story, great side quests, great characters and fun combat, alongside a huuuuuuuuuge bevy of content to go through. It's a game that can keep you occupied for weeks on end without growing stale.
3) Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age Definitive Edition
I'm not much of a fan of Dragon Quest, but then again, I've only played IX before. I wasn't expecting to like this game so much, but yet I did. I fell in love with the protagonists and loved my time with the game. While the mechanics are fairly archaic, because these games always stick to their roots, the fantastic visual design keeps everything fresh, so it's easy to keep invested in this slow-paced games for its 100+ hour long duration.
Runner-up) Dead Cells: Prisoner's Edition
Since I first played this game it became a personal favorite of mine, and it has only gotten better since then. The core game was fantastic from the get go, but the new, additional content only makes it even better, with more bosses to fight, more weapons to unlock and even the ability to customize the Beheaded with costumes. And it's not just lazy palette swaps, some of them change details on his armor or even, well, turn him into a her. In my mind, there's no better indie game than Dead Cells, but it's also a Timeless classic.
Winner) Final Fantasy VII & Final Fantasy VIII Remastered Twin Pack
Final Fantasy VII wasn't the first game I've ever played, and as I grew up, other games would eventually claim its spot as my favorite game. Metal Gear Solid 2, Disgaea, Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, Persona 4... but, eventually, it got to the point that no other game left a bigger mark on my than FFVII. No other soundtrack manages to tug at my heartstring so hard as this one. No other story means so much to me as this one. This Switch port looks great.... and even include the quirky mouths that the PC port, the version I actually grew up with, added. It features a slightly better translation too, as well as cheats to make it easier to play. But the best part about it? I can now play it anywhere, at any time.
Best Playstation 1 Game of 2020:
The Playstation 5 might be out, and yet, I'd still much rather play my self-contained PS1 games instead of paying for games that would rather be a live service than, well, a proper videogame.
5) X-Men VS Street Fighter
I've never spent much time with X-men VS Street Fighter nor Marvel Super Heroes VS Street Fighter, since by the time I got my hands on the console ports I already had Marvel VS Capcom and Marvel VS Capcom 2. Which is sort of a shame, because both games are actually really good. I went with XVSSF instead of MSHVSF for one simple reason.... I like this game's roster a bit more.
4) Rising Zan: The Samurai Gunman
Devil May Cry is cool 'n' all, but.... Zan wielded a sword and gun before. Action games from this era haven't aged the best but Rising Zan is pretty good. It has a few framerate issues, but the combat is fast paced and fun, but it also has a brilliant, silly plot that keeps the game engaging. Just who is the next idiot you'll have to style on next?
3) Dead or Alive
Clearly, Tecmo were perverts from the very beginning. However, Dead or Alive always rose above its sleazy nature thanks to very simple core mechanics that made fights exciting, fast paced and easy to get into. DoA 1 is no exception, setting up what would eventually become a long-standing saga of fighting games. And ridiculous breast physics.
Runner-up) Dino Crisis 2
Since I first played T.R.A.G. a few years ago, I developed a soft spot for tank controls, so as soon as I figured out that this was actually an action game... I was hooked. The story is dumb, and I sorta disliked how Regina gets pushed to the side, but the gameplay was something special, y'know? It is a bit off putting at first, it is, because the series began as survival horror, and now points starting jumping out of fallen dinosaurs, but the more I played it, the more I liked it.
Winner) Marvel VS Capcom: Clash of Super Heroes
After I got done playing Marvel Super Heroes VS Street Fighter, despite how much I liked Marvel VS Capcom in my youth, I thought it wouldn't get better. I mean, I didn't really like the roster(No Ken? No Wolverine?) and these games were pretty similar to each other.... but I was wrong. While I don't have a 'favorite' in this game, I appreciate the roster for its variety and how well it represents both Marvel and DC. And while it is true, the game is pretty similar to what came before, the new announcer and SFX and music makes everything feel so, SO hype. It has a different kind of energy that just makes it stand out from what came before.
Best Playstation 2 Game of 2020:
My favorite console of all time, I'm a bit disappointed I didn't play more games on this system. That said, I'll admit I probably played the best of the best already, so the games in my PS2 backlog won't be as good. Still, what little I played this year wasn't half bad.
5) Rune: Viking Warlord
I don't know why, but I've this weird soft spot for early PS2 games and PC-to-PS2 ports. They have this awkward look and feel to them that I just find endearing. Rune is no exception to that, something feels odd about the game, and that makes me like it just a bit more than I probably should. Personal endearment aside, Rune is a good hack and slash and not a bad way to spend some time.
4) Shadow of Destiny
Shadow of Destiny was deliciously weird. The awkward character interactions, the nonsensical decisions by the main character, the roundabout way he went about saving himself from death, the honestly weird secondary characters.... Shadow of Destiny is very surreal, and that's one of the things I love the most in the media I consume. This game was very memorable if anything, which grants it a spot on this list.
3) Sega Classics Collection
Not every remake in this collection is a winner, and I bet some purists might find it sacrilegious to remake classic games with budget 3-D graphics, but I felt this disc had a nice variety of games as well as a very fun remake of the original Outrun. Said remake is worth the price of this game by itself, and it's that very game that earned this collection a spot on this list. Plus, the games themselves might not be accurate to the original renditions, I wouldn't know as I'm not much of a hardcore Sega fun, but I enjoyed them for the most part, I think there's good value in here. If anything, get it for Outrun, the game is as fun as the original, but the new budget 3-D look makes it appealing to look at.
Runner-up) Spongebob Squarepants: Battle for Bikini Bottom While I watched the show early in its life, I quickly outgrew Spongebob, to the point that I don't really like him. And that should speak volumes about how great this game is. The PS2 era had plenty of collectathons, although I don't think any were as fun as the ones from the previous era, however, Battle for Bikini Bottom is quite close. It has a ton of fun platforming obstacles to go through, as well as an interesting set of abilities to play around with. Honestly, even if you dislike Spongebob, if you enjoy platformers and collectathons, this one is worth a look.
Winner) Ridge Racer V
Well, iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit's Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiidge Raceeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeer! Giving this series a chance was the best idea I had this year, as I found another racing franchise I enjoyed almost as much as Outrun and Mario Kart. The music is amazing and really gets you invested in the race, plus, its simple but fun drifting mechanics are quite enjoyable. A lot of franchises struggled when jumping from PS1 to PS2, but Ridge Racer only got better.
Best Playstation 3 Game of 2020:
The PS3 didn't get as much attention as I probably should've given it, but this year I learned to appreciate all that it actually gave us. While the PS4 is full of mainstream titles that play it safe as variations of the open world formula, developers had more leeway on the PS3 and actually tried some rather fun stuff. I wouldn't stay it's as varied as the PS2 or the DS, but hey, it's quite decent!
5) WWE All-Stars
WWE All-Stars got better the more I played it. While it's a bit slower paced than what I usually enjoy, which made some moves look as if they lacked oomph, the artstyle and over-the-top signature throws eventually won me over. It's very easy to play, and rather fun. I also liked how much effort was put behind it, the Legends VS Stars mode was REALLY good, I loved how the spliced pre-existing footage to create fake promos for fights between retired and modern wrestlers, sometimes making it look as if they were talking to each other!
4) Ridge Racer 7
Ridge Racer V was really good, no doubt about it, but Ridge Racer 7 made some tweaks to the formula that really put it over the edge. Over the ridge, if you will. The game at its best is entrancing, as you learn how to drift and take corners like the best of them. The addition of Turbos were something I didn't think the series needed, but boy, now I almost dislike playing RR before this new addition. Almost, they are still great games after all
3) Ultra Street Fighter IV
A lazy game born out of Capcom's greed-induced mistakes... Ultra Street Fighter IV is still Street Fighter IV at its core, and it added a few simple tweaks to keep things interesting, like delayed wakeups and the ability to pick both Ultras at the same time. I don't think this is a must-have upgrade, unlike Super or even Arcade Edition, but if you really like SFIV, it's not a bad excuse to revisit one of the greatest fighting games of all time
Runner-up) Dead Space 2
Take Dead Space and give it a bigger budget and you get Dead Space 2. It's basically Dead Space but on a larger scope: More weapons, more environments, more monsters, more everything. And when your game is as good as Dead Space, 'more' is the way to go. Dead Space 2 solidified Dead Space as one of the greatest horror game franchises yet, because even though Dead Space 3 faltered a bit, you still have a duology of top-notch action/horror games.
Winner) Dead Space
To be fair, I like DS 1 and 2 pretty much almost the same, so much so that which game I like more might depend on when you ask me. As a matter of fact, when I hurriedly made these lists, Dead Space 2 was placed first. But as I thought about it... Dead Space 1's charm really edged it out this time. There's something about being stuck on the Ishimura, with the repetitive, but endearing, trips through the on-rails transportation system from chapter to chapter that made the original Dead Space a bit more memorable, at this time anyways. Maybe next month I'll be swearing up and down about DS2's superiority
Best Playstation 4 Game of 2020:
I can't say I'm the biggest fan of the PS4/XOne generation of games. They are filled with PS3 ports and games that tick every open-world trope possible. Even Spider-man, for as good as it was, had you doing a lot of busywork. However, I haven't played many PS4 games, so that's why I had more 'good' games to play on this console... because I've already played most of the best the other consoles I own have to offer!
5) Garou: Mark of the Wolves
Y'know what, sure, it doesn't have as much content as other fighting games I played this year, it's true.... but few games feel SO good to play. Sure, Mortal Kombat XL has a giant budget, with pretty 3D graphics and a fantastic Story Mode... but it just doesn't feel as good to play as Garou. SNK brought out their A game for this one, and it shows.
4) The Evil Within(Playstation 4)
Playing it again made me realize that The Evil Within isn't perfect... but it's still one of my favorite Survival Horror games of all time. It plays really well, I love the character and monster design, and the non-linear plot is interesting, even if a bit hard to decipher. Hey, it's a horror story, if you don't get all the details that only makes it scarier! The upgrade system I feel is one of the most enjoyable aspects of the game, as growing stronger makes it feel worthwhile to try to defeat your enemies with limited resources, as well as motivate you to explore your surroundings for goodies. It also has some weird stuff, like going into a 'mirror' world to save your game, which is managed by a creepy nurse lady. It's surreal, it's weird and it plays really well, this is a classic, and I'll die on this hill.
3) Trials of Mana(Playstation 4)
Trials of Mana, as a remake, excelled in every single area that Final Fantasy VII Remake disappointed me. It's a beat-by-beat remake, which is what I'd expect out of a remake, but giving everything a beautiful new coat of paint. The areas in which the original aged the worst, namely the combat, has been completely remade to make it more exciting and entertaining, making for what I feel is a perfect remake.
Runner-up) The Yakuza Remastered Collection
I don't think Yakuza has a single bad entry among the numbered games. I'd argue that Yakuza 0 is the weakest entry but the Western fandom would have my head, for whatever reason, it's a fan favorite. The Yakuza Remastered Collection brings together Yakuza 3, Yakuza 4 and Yakuza 5, all great, fantastic crime thrillers that managed to bring the beat'em up genre into the modern day. Yakuza 3 is a bit slower paced than the other games in the series, but I think it has some of the nastiest villains. Yakuza 4 has a dumb fun story, that I'll defend to this day, as well as being the first Yakuza game to introduce multiple playable characters. Yakuza 5 is the biggest Yakuza game EVER, with a ton of characters and side content to delve into. Since all three games are pretty similar I suggest not playing them back to back, not that that takes away from how great all these games are.
Winner) Mobile Suit Gundam Extreme VS: MaxiBoost ON
Quality triumphs over quantity every time... but what if you could have both quantity and quality? Mobile Suit Gundam Extreme VS MaxiBoost ON features at least 130 unique playable mobile suits, as well as having its own unique brand of 2 on 2 versus arena fighting. It's one of my favorite games ever made, and for anyone into Arcade-like games, like me, it's a clear winner.
Best Playstation Vita Game of 2020:
Vita means life, yo! This year I decided to turn on my Vita again. Man, how I loved this handheld, if only it had received more games. Games like Killzone Mercenary proved just how much potential this console had, potential Sony squandered. But then again, it had the same issue as the Switch. It's hardware was so weak that any other console at the time could run its software, so not porting it to other consoles meant out missing out money. With little to no exclusives, and since most multiplat games looked and ran better on other consoles... there was no reason to own the PSVita port, unless you were a weird guy like me.
3) YS: Memories of Celceta
I haven't really played as many Ys games as I would've liked, but Memories of Celceta is another solid entry into the series. Well, the few YS games I played were pretty solid anyways. Memories of Celceta feels a bit slippery at first, but it's easy to get into the groove of things, and it was a fairly enjoyable RPG to play on the Vita.
Runner-up) YS: Memories of Celceta
Killzone Liberation on the PSP was fairly mediocre to be honest, so I didn't have the highest of hopes for another handheld Killzone game, but it turned out really well. It's by far the best first person shooter on the system, and it plays so well that it makes it look easy, so it's bewildering why Call of Duty Declassified and Resistance Burning Skies weren't as good. The graphics are almost PS3-like, and I enjoyed how the game felt heavy, y'know, like your guns had weight to them. It was fairly unique, I think.
Winner) Mortal Kombat(Playstation Vita) If you don't mind trading graphics for portability, which, y'know, I love the Switch so of course I don't, Mortal Kombat on the Vita kept absolutely everything from it's big brother on home console, slapped in a few new costumes as well as some silly modes and fitted it on a small Vita card. And while it looks ugly, well, VERY ugly, it plays as well as the home console version, which is what really matters. All in all, this is another game that shows how much potential de Vita had.
Best Game of 2020:
Well, here we are, the final countdown. I should get on it before 2021 arrives, shouldn't I?
5) Mortal Kombat(Playstation Vita)
Hey! It's only been a few paragraphs since we last met! Mortal Kombat on the VITA has a lot of content and great gameplay, if you like Mortal Kombat anyways, making it a bonafide fighter on a handheld.
4) Marvel VS Capcom: Clash of Super Heroes
Capcom's 90s fighters were something else, weren't they? Marvel VS Capcom has some amazing spritework, and top-notch gameplay, other fighting games just couldn't compare. And as crippled as this version is in comparison to its Arcade version I still think this alternate take on the same game deserves some praise, as it plays really well despite it being confine to 1 on 1 fights.
3) Dead Space
Visceral Studios had so much potential, and they had so much talent... but EA was EA and shut them down. Their work speaks for itself, Dead Space was their first stab at a project this big and they knocked it out of the park from the get-go. Clearly inspired by Resident Evil 4, they took horror into space, paying tribute to space Horror by using some of their most endearing tropes. It's not just skin deep, as the gameplay offers a more free-form take on REvil 4's combat, while granting the player some very satisfying weaponry. It might not lean to heavy on the 'survival' part of survival horror, but it does its best to entertain the player until the end.
Runner-up) Mobile Suit Gundam Extreme VS: MaxiBoost ON
I've said it before when talking about other entries in this franchise, but I feel as if these games were tailor-made for someone like me. The game is very easy to play, but it offers so many different ways to actually play it thanks to its massive roster of unique playable characters. The core mechanics are so good that as long as they keep adding more and more characters, I'll be coming back over and over again.
Winner) Final Fantasy VII & Final Fantasy VIII Remastered Twin Pack
Final Fantasy VII is my game of the forever, so of course it was gonna be my favorite game of 2020. I loved coming back to this game again, and being able to play it at my leisure in such a comfortable way. Heck, I remember I came back home slightly buzzed after a party(Pre-Covid, of course) and clocking in some quality materia grinding hours before hitting the sack. Playing this masterpiece only got easier, and I'm so thankful for that.
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