One Battle After Another

 Though still playing Gen 3 Pokémon and Fire Emblem, I've switched it up again; this time to another beloved tactical RPG:

Disgaea DS (Nintendo DS)

Even before the announcement of the newest Disgaea spin-off, Disgaea Mayhem, I fired up this port of the original game one day after months of leaving the cartridge loaded onto my DS console.  My longest exposure to the series, I've lost to the first boss before having to start the game over.  My one other problem is moving around the isometric map, even when using a stylus.  As much as I enjoyed the challenge, I would move on to something new . . .

Disgaea: Vows of the Virtueless Demo (Switch)

Forgoing the complete Switch 2 download for a physical Switch 1 box set with a tea cup, I've decided to play around with the demo and save the data for when I load the cart.  Eventually.

On top of work, errands and watching old Japanese films, I'm stuck on the level Shogun Stupid, featuring baddies that always wipe out my party.  I've burned through my in-game funds, the Dark Assembly won't give me more, and the strategies I've picked up from YouTube videos don't work.  And speaking of blowing in-game funds . . .

Apex Legends (Switch)

My next game is your typical free-to-play slop I don't play nearly as often and takes up too much space on my Switch.  If you couldn't tell from the pic above, what pulled me back in was a collaboration event with the Mobile Suit Gundam franchise.  Specifically a bunch of limited skins and weapons you're better off paying for up front vs grinding to unlock everything.  Something I've learned the hard way when Overwatch had their Gundam event (and Cowboy Bebop).

Virtual Boy--Nintendo Classics (Switch)

To give a clue as to how old I am, my first experience with the Virtual Boy was way back when it first released in '95.  I was at a local Toys R Us as part of a school field trip, and I was lucky enough to try out the console on a kiosk display for a few precious moments.  Not playing nearly long enough for the thing to give me headaches, that was as close to the Virtual Boy as most people ever got before Nintendo finally added it to its online service three decades later.  And it still costs too much for what we actually get.

Without the $100 official headset or the $25 cardboard model, both of which the player must hold up to their face, you're stuck squinting at 2 red monochrome images on screen.  Or rather, that's how it goes if you don't know the solution.

Third-party companies have long since caught on to Nintendo's attempts at VR and offer equipment that's both affordable and adequate for the task.  Such equipment includes the Orzly brand VR headset pictured above.  With adjustable head straps and lenses, and padding along the latter for comfort, Orzly's headset provides optimal hands-free 3D viewing.  Or rather, as optimal as you can get on the Switch.

For someone who uses online gaming services as much (or as little) as I do, the current game selection looks just about right.  I've already found my jam in Punch-Out!! knock-off Teleroboxer, along with the Virtual Boy versions of Tetris and Wario Land.

That does it for now.  Next time, who knows?  Could be more of the same, could be something completely different.  We'll both have to wait and see.  Till then, see if you can out-game me to the Top of the Heap.