As I found out the hard way, having piles of games or anything else at your disposal can bring on what some call 'decision paralysis' and overwhelm the subject with sheer abundance. When I started with handhelds, usually I'd buy a game and play it through to the end (or till I've hit a wall) before buying the next one. This was mostly due to being short on time and/or money; this is still the case now. Yet I own even more games and consoles than before. Go figure. On to what I've been playing so far.
Toukiden: Kiwami (Vita)
Released for the PSP, Vita and PS4 systems, I chose the Vita port to add to my collection of Monster Hunter clones for the portable console. The only MH game I've played in length being Monster Hunter Freedom Unite for the PSP back in the day. As for this game, you're the newest member of an organization defending feudal Japan against an onslaught of Oni (demons). Another difference from Monster Hunter is that instead of having to capture a monster for materials or cutting them out of its corpse, you sever and purify their limbs to get what you need. Of course this all goes toward armor, weapons and side quests. Last I left off, I was going for a full-on beetle motif, as a way of overcoming my entomophobia (fear of bugs). And while the game has its share of multiplayer options, you can have up to 3 NPC's to pick up the slack. Cuz I know there's literally no one else on my block playing Monster Hunter, let alone a clone. An expansion of the original game Toukiden: The Age of Demons, Kiwami features more story, more characters, more weapons; really, more of everything.
Splatoon 3 (Switch)
Next is what I can honestly say is the game where I've spent the most time online. Ever. Picking it up again after a long hiatus, I skipped the latest Splatfest and focused on winning new gear from Salmon Run to level up in online battles. At some point my team went up to one of those giant King Salmonids and I always forget to splat the smaller Salmonids to get their eggs to chuck at the King and cause actual damage. With Splatfest now done, you'd think that there's the newest Splatoon title, Splatoon Raiders, to look forward to. But seeing as that's a Switch 2 exclusive, I see a lot of scraping and saving in my future before I can even think of buying it.
Time Diver: Eon Man (NES)
Developed in 1993 by Taito, this unlicensed, unreleased title has long since made the rounds through ROMs and emulators. And I don't have to download either cuz it's already on my R36S. This side-scroller stars a crime fighter from the future protecting the world of tomorrow today. And yesterday. And also tomorrow. On top of main character Dan's ability to ricochet off walls and slash foes Strider style, the player acquires more abilities for each level cleared. Abilities that require points to actually use. Dealing with enemies and traps that drain your health bar in seconds, Eon Man is one of those games where save points really come in handy. At least for me.
Street Fighter IV: Champion Edition (Mobile)
Having tried the mobile versions of both Mortal Kombat and Injustice 2 (and not having enough memory for either), fighting games on cell phones were never my thing. When it comes to Street Fighter, I have plenty of other options. Whether it's having the roster and soundtrack from Ultra Street Fighter IV (give or take) or firing Hadokens by poking the screen, or buying all the DLC for just over a dollar, something about this port piqued my interest enough to download it and play it straightaway. If the above pic isn't enough of a sign, this has gotta be the weakest port of SFIV; even weaker than other portable versions you can name. Yet apparently my phone's processor isn't enough for me to use the online multiplayer. On the other hand, who's playing this online?
Marvel Cosmic Invasion Demo (Switch)
Without knowing how many physical and digital titles I own, my biggest game collection is on the Switch; my Game Boy collection being a close second. So even if I skip the Switch 2 (and I just might have to), I've got enough to keep playing for as long as my Joy-Cons hold out. But it's good to know that games are still being released for Switch 1, like this one. The latest in a long line of Marvel-inspired side-scrolling beat 'em ups (which ironically, are available in the upcoming Marvel MaXimum Collection), this title stars fan favorites like Spider-Man and Wolverine, along with more obscure additions like Beta Ray Bill and Phyla-Vell as they fight their way across the universe to defeat cosmic big-bad Annihilus. With pixelated 2D sprites and backgrounds, one can compare Cosmic Invasion to the likes of Scott Pilgrim and River City Girls. As far as gameplay goes, it's just as over the top. At the start of the single-player demo, you choose 2 characters to fill one of 4 slots, the rest presumably filled through local/online multiplayer. Call me spoiled, but if there was an option to fill the slots with computer-controlled heroes, then maybe the solo campaign wouldn't fill so empty.
Kingdom's Return: Time-Eating Fruit and the Ancient Monster Demo Ver. (Switch)
Finally, I'm wrapping this up with a 2D side-scrolling RPG from Inti Creates, responsible for such mainstream titles as Mega Man Zero and Mega Man ZX, and indie hits like Blaster Master Zero and Mighty Gunvolt Burst. Having tried many of their games, I was excited to check out Kingdom's Return for its anime-ish aesthetics and retro-style gameplay. Choosing from 4 warrior classes, the player fights their way through colorful platforms and collecting materials along the way. Those materials go toward restoring and maintaining a fallen kingdom in a building sim minigame. Compared to IC's past works, I expected a more hearty challenge. So far, the simplicity of Kingdom's Return leaves me on the fence as whether I'll eventually pick up the full game.
If you've made it through all my rambling, thank you. Next time I hope to catch up on reading both my physical and digital backlog of books. And I hope you'll join me then as I continue making my way to the Top of the Heap. So long, everybody!
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