As summer winds down along with the temperature, news and rumors continue to surround Nintendo's Switch 2. But I'm too busy rummaging through the games for the Switch 1, in what's probably the biggest collection out of every other console I own. But playing multiple titles across 3 Switch consoles, I'm frustrated with having to redownload games after linking and unlinking systems. Adding to that is my fear of losing data in the shuffle, especially once the Switch family is officially phased out.
I'm able to forget my worries for the time being by revisiting some strategy RPGs left sitting in the back burner. But first is the newest action/adventure title from the makers of Shovel Knight . . .
Mina the Hollower (Demo)
A new heroine created by Yacht Club Games, Mina swings her trusty mace against freaks and monsters wreaking 16-bit havoc. A colorful "Zelda-Vania" of sorts, I'm lovin' it except for the occasional diagonal jumps over gaps. But the game's healing system, involving vials of health that are lost when taking damage, is the most frustrating concept for me (and the folks on the Steam forums). And I know I'll struggle with this all over again the next time I play--which will almost certainly be months after I download Mina on Day 1.
Monark (Demo Version)
Speaking of games from a favorite genre with pleasing visuals and questionable mechanics, here's a strategy RPG I started after vaguely remembering the trailer out of the blue, if that makes sense. As a student in prestigious academy, you're trapped on campus by daemonic forces and you fight your way out using a manifestation of your ego. It's not so much the gameplay--which includes the option to create your own techniques vs just learning them--that I take issue with. But it feels like I'm sloshing through more dialogue than in other games with as much dialogue. Maybe cuz I'm not playing the other games as often? I do like that in actual battles, members of your party can attack enemies automatically if they're within your vicinity.
Dark Deity
The next best thing to Fire Emblem, but not quite it, Dark Deity's more my speed in the turn-based strategy department. No mid-battle conversations and recruitments I might miss, no weapon durability issues, and no permanent deaths. Basically Fire Emblem on Easy Mode. And with Dark Deity's first and only DLC pack, the player can toggle between special swimsuit costumes for each character without having to complete the extra missions (above).
Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones (GBA)
Moving on, I'm also playing actual Fire Emblem on Nintendo's online service, though I've got the original game cartridge stashed somewhere; same with Fire Emblem '03. Playing this takes me back to when I was playing Fire Emblem: The Binding Blade on emulation, which I intend to restart eventually. Actually, all 3 games remind me of The Legend of Zelda's Oracle games and Link's Awakening, sharing the exact same graphics and gameplay. After the other games, Link's Awakening felt underwhelming. I'm rambling like this partly cuz I haven't written about my experience with The Sacred Stones while it was still fresh in my mind. Unlike with my next game . . .
Metroid Fusion (GBA)
When I suddenly decided to start Metroid Fusion, I had 4 ways to play: On my fake R36S handheld with save states and no Internet required, through Nintendo's online subscription with saves states and rewind features, downloading the ROM onto my phone, or waiting days to have the original cart delivered to me from eBay. After making it through the first few levels and bosses, thank God I went with the online subscription.
This the first Metroid title I've touched since Metroid: Zero Mission on the original GBA system way back when. Though enjoying the latter game very much, I can't say what made me stop there, or what made me want to play Fusion now. But I'm definitely out of practice with the challenge both titles offer.
In Fusion, a parasite infects bounty hunter Samus Aran and contaminates her suit before overrunning a research facility in deep space, leaving Samus to do some spring cleaning while in search of a cure. Meaning the player runs around level after level to fortify Samus' suit from the ground up for the inevitable final showdown. Ironically, the premise takes me back to when I played the isometric Metroid clone Scurge: Hive long ago and which I started playing again, though that's a blog for another day.
And we'll end it here. For the next blog I'm actually getting some reading done, and I hope you'll read about it as I double jump my way up to the Top of the Heap.
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