Super Mario 64
Check out my write up on SM64 where I revisit the classic 24 years later. 

Design
There is so much rich, brilliant, innovative level design and use of three-dimensional space throughout the galaxy. The boss battles, of which there are plenty, are fairly simple yet always fun. And there’s a clever mixture of activities, spaces, puzzles, and upgrades, making it so that no level is like any other.

Tilt mechanic based levels such as surfing and golf don’t overstay their welcome. I would easily be frustrated by these types of levels if I was asked to collect 3-7 stars while tilting my way through bumpy waves or riding a ball on a precarious, narrow field. Instead the designers set up these levels to be one-and-done, a wise move on their part.

Much like SM64, and much unlike SMS, Galaxy is gracious with the 1-ups, and even strategically placed them in areas that are most dangerous. The creators recognize that punishing the players with limited lives is not fitting in this series.

Tutorials are cleverly camouflaged and well-integrated. For example, when first moving on ice a cute penguin challenges you to catch him. This allows you to get your feet wet (pun intended) before tackling the level. You never feel like you are being told what to do, and because the controls are so intuitive and finely tuned, picking up a new mechanic comes with ease.

Camera
The camera, which you would expect to be the biggest challenge in developing such a topsy-turvy 3D experience, works beautifully. It locks and adjusts to predetermined angles for most of the levels while allowing for freedom to manually rotate only in those areas where appropriate. It always feels right, focusing your attention on the path ahead with just the right amount of edge space to plan ahead. ​

In the Summer of 1996 I was 15 years old. One afternoon I wandered into the local Blockbuster (RIP) to browse the used video games they had for sale. That's where I first crossed paths with Super Mario 64 (and the Nintendo 64 for that matter), which was prominently displayed on the large demo machine near the entrance. At this point I had already developed a bias against 3D video games, not because of some perceived, inherent inferiority to two dimensions, but because in their pioneering state they were so aesthetically unappealing. I saw them as a new phase in gaming that simply wasn't ready for consumption. So when I approached the demo and lifted the Nintendo 64 controller I did so somewhat begrudgingly. It took about 5 minutes before I was hooked. Once it arrived at my home I devoted a weekend to acquiring all 120 stars, my eyeballs glued to the screen.

24 years later I revisited SM64 on the Nintendo Switch. Quite quickly the mechanics and acrobatic maneuvers came back to me. And while the blurry textures and blocky world looked even blurrier and blockier than memory, the dated piece that made me cringe and grumble the most was the camera. Back when 3D games started, solving for the camera was always a hot topic, and was so for years. In so many of these early 3D games the camera would collide with walls, zoom in and out unexpectedly, and unhinge left and right as the player traversed through the world. It was a time when providing two camera styles plus the ability to zoom in and out was considered groundbreaking. It made me wonder: If it wasn't for my nostalgic ties to SM64 would I have tossed this relic aside?

While the camera is clearly the worst aspect of SM64, it's the combination of the camera and the looseness of Mario's movements that cause the most pain. This is a platformer, albeit a more open world version of one, and with platforms comes pits. What this translates to is countless perilous moments where I am on the brink of reaching my goal just to end up slipping off a narrow, jagged polygon. I suspect I died just as much 24 years ago as I did with this recent play-through, but the difference is that way back then I interpreted these moments solely as challenging, whereas today I see them as both challenging and frustrating.

Camera and slippery Mario aside, this game is still extremely playable. It's such a delight to control the ninja flipping Mario and to collect stars within the expertly crafted levels. The designers smartly placed a variety of challenges in each course, and while they hint to what star to search for next, they left it up to the player to discover them in the order that they please. And each environment has its own special flare and theme, so moving between courses always feels fresh.  

Next up I have Super Mario Sunshine and Super Mario Galaxy. I'm told that the former has similarly frustrating camera and control problems, and since I have never played either of these games this will be an interesting test to see if I have the patience to play SMS all the way through. Here we go.

Metroid: Rogue Dawn is the unofficial, fan-produced prequel to the original Metroid. Unlike most ROM hacks (ugh, there's so many bad Castlevania ones...) this is a high quality experience that takes the foundation it is built upon and expands on it greatly.

Before I get into the details that make this such an excellent game and expansion on the Metroid world, first let’s look at the physical release that I opted for. Purchased from RetroGamesRemastered, an operation that produces physical releases of ROM-hacks and retro gaming rarities, the Metroid: Rogue Dawn print has everything you need to feel like you are back in the 1980s opening a fresh, crisp Nintendo game. Here’s what’s included:

• Box
• Manual
• Map
• Game
• Dust cover

Darkwood is a top-down perspective, horror video game where the protagonist is stuck in a creepy forest of which there is seemingly no way out. He must explore and scavenge for goods while battling horrific creatures. Shelters provide some protection from the demons of the night, and mysterious characters offer clues to his escape.

Whereas shelter-in-place is something we are all too familiar with in this COVID world we are forced to exist in.

I found some striking similarities between this game and our current landscape:

1. If I venture too far from my shelter I start to feel uneasy
2. When I come across a stranger I approach with extreme caution
3. I’m becoming better at crafting random things than I ever anticipated
4. I spend far too much time sorting my inventory and tossing out junk items
5. Danger lurks outside and is constantly trying to kill me
6. A shiny stone in the road is probably the most interesting thing I’ll see today
7. I fatigue easily
8. Everyone just seems sad
9. The air is toxic and there aren’t enough masks to go around
10. Just when you think you are almost out of the woods you realize you are still lost

I’m only on chapter 2 so I suspect more parallels will unveil themselves later. Stay safe out there everyone.

This is Moon:

Delightfully weird
Occasionally confusing
Surprisingly rewarding
Frequently soothing
Annoyingly cryptic
Pleasantly distracting
Satisfyingly nostalgic
Periodically tedious
Auditorily stimulating
Refreshingly funny
Unusually unfair
Importantly innovative
Endlessly mysterious
Utterly heartwarming

7/10

Baby Luka joined the world on July 16th, 2020. Leading up to his birth we prepared. We read books and articles (especially my wife), we learned from our friends, and we got the house ready. Everyone tells you that no matter how much you prepare you have to learn on the job, especially because every baby is unique. This is absolutely the truth.

Six weeks into our journey I am reflecting. This is my way to both remember this moment in time and guide others so that they can be just a little more (mentally) prepared.

I won’t tell you about particular techniques like the 5 Ss or other principles and tactics. There’s plenty of well-documented materials on these subjects already out there. And while I will argue that no amount of books will fully prepare you I do encourage you to read up so that you have a base level understanding. I personally found the courses and books to be informative.


The stuff they say you need and the stuff you later discover

There’s so much stuff that people say you need and we did extensive research prior to our birth date so that we could have the house armed and ready for the little terrorist. We were lucky to receive a ton of hand-me-downs and gifts, and our friends and family helped us understand how all the various tools work.

First, here are all of the items we had ready before the baby arrived:

• Clothes. So many clothes. Too many clothes. Don’t bother buying clothes yourself as this is the number one thing people will hand down to you. Because we don’t like clutter we ended up splitting up the piles of clothing into ages groups, and then boxed and labeled them for a later date.
• Nursery. Yes, get that set up before the baby arrives. In fact, do everything you possibly can before the baby arrives that is within your budget and power. Your future self will thank you, as there will be plenty of surprises down the road. For our nursery we have a crib, dresser, changing table, disposable pads for the changing table, diapers, diaper pail, diaper pail bags, book shelf, books, mobile, white noise machine, swaddles, blankets, burp cloths, futon, medical supplies (rash cream, gripe water, etc.), nail clipper, toys, water wipes, decorated wall with decals, monitor, hamper, pacifiers, and sheets.
• Boba Wrap. It protects your baby like the Cloak of Levitation.
• Boppy Newborn Lounger. Newborns love to be curled up a little, and aren’t stoked when laying flat on their back. This thing is our go-to device for plopping the baby down while we frantically run around the house.
• Pump machine, nursing pillow, nursing bras, pads, etc.
• Bath time stuff. You’ll need something to put them in, soap or shampoo that is baby safe, some sponges, and a baby towel.
• Baby safe laundry detergent
• Stroller and car seat combo plus a diaper bag

More quick reviews.

• The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages (Game Boy Color) - Easily one of the best Zelda titles and arguably the best dungeon design of any Zelda game.
• The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons (Game Boy) - Playing this back to back with Ages was so much fun. Compared to Ages, Seasons is a bit more action oriented whereas Ages leans more heavily on puzzles.
• Firewatch (PS4) - A simplistically delivered heartfelt story.
• Carrion (Switch) - Repetitive, confusing, boring, and unnecessarily convoluted. One of the worst Metroidvanias ever produced. And to brand this as “horror” is just silly.
• Panzer Paladin (Switch) - It’s got the retro look, fun weapons, and the cool anime inspired cut scenes. Gameplay and level design is where it falls short.
• Curse of the Moon 2 (Switch) - The sequel that satisfied the itch left by the original. And yet still I crave more.
• Mario Land 2 (Game Boy) - It’s intuitive, the power-ups are simple yet fun, you have freedom to chose what order to tackle levels, there’s secret stages, the check points curb any frustration, the water levels don’t suck, and Wario is awesome.
• Castlevania Adventure (Game Boy) - You move like you are walking through mid, there’s no sub weapons, the hit collision on Belmont is unfairly large, you lose whip upgrades with damage, the gap jumps are ridiculously difficult, and the level design feels disconnected from the reality of the environments they are meant to exist in.
• Brothers (PS4) - The mechanics are unique and at first a bit of a brain teaser to get accustomed to as it requires you to multitask in the truest sense of the word. It’s how I imagine drummers feel when they first learn how to play.
• Resident Evil: Gaiden (Game Boy) - Unlike the failed, overly ambitious Game Boy version of the original Resident Evil (an unfinished demo), Gaiden smartly employs a battle mechanic that fits into the simplicity of the hardware. Where it suffers is in the dialogue that seems to have been outsourced to an elementary school student.

I usually don't think to capture a screenshot when deeply immersed in a game. From time to time, however, something strikes me enough and I hit that capture button. Here's just a few of my favorites.