Every Witch Way

 After last week's heat wave, I go back to my routine of flitting from one game to the next, starting with scratching my retro itch.

Sabrina: The Animated Series--Zapped! (GBC)

Having plenty of errands to run over the weekend, I had an urge to fire up my Modretro Chromatic for some Game Boy action to fill the dull spaces in between.  Looking for something easy and colorful, I went back to a side scroller based on the cartoon starring teenage witch Sabrina and her talking cat Salem.  Jumping on baddies' heads, gaining new abilities, and jotting down passwords for the next play session brings back fond memories of playing the same game just months ago.

Disgaea Mayhem: Demo Version (Nintendo Switch)

A hack-and-slash based on NIS/Ichi Nippon's strategy RPG's, I was already waiting on the collector's box set when the demo just dropped one day.  But for a download that ate up several hours and gigabytes, it was pretty light on content; you don't even get save data.  You button-mash through 3 levels, fight the boss and you're done.  Surely the full game has more, and I can always find something else to last me till Release Day.  Sure enough . . .

Fortified Zone (Game Boy)

Next up is an old run-and-gun I've only ever heard of when it dropped on Nintendo's paid online service.  Choosing between 2 characters, you shoot your way through maze-like enemy bases filled with jeeps, tanks and soldiers bringing knives to a gunfight.  Though I love getting my Game Boy Color fix, there's something about playing on the original Game Boy's pea-green screen.  Or in this case, playing on an emulation of said screen.  Though available for all regions, I've entered my Japanese Switch account by mistake,  but I'm so far along in-game I don't feel like starting over.

Tetris 99 (Switch)

Up next is this free-to-play version of the addictive puzzle game pitting the player against 99 (or is it 98?) other players online.  There are more modes available as DLC, but I only play to win a free background theme from the latest Maximus event.  This time the theme's inspired by the Star Fox remake for the Switch.  I've also scraped and saved enough in-game points to buy another one.

Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon (Switch)

It's been weeks since I've last played this title, but I've made so much progress that I feel it deserves a mention.  Especially since this completes my physical collection of the Bayonetta series with me playing Bayonetta 3 for just a little bit.  Cereza's plot and mechanics are, aesthetically speaking, an open book.  To escape a colorful enchanted forest, a young witch in training (obviously a younger Bayonetta) summons her first demon, using a plush toy as a vessel.  While the mainline games are straightforward hack-and-slash affairs, Cereza's gameplay is split between the title character and the demon Cheshire, to solve puzzles and fight foes respectively.  Basically, I was playing an edgier Sabrina remake.

And that's it.  If you made this far, thanks for your time and please join me next time as I run down my most recent books.  Thanks again and happy gaming!