My Discoveries

One of the biggest surprises to come out of 2025 so far, Pipistrello is a fantastic 2D Zelda-like with tight puzzle design, fairly open exploration, charming writing, and a lovely GBA-inspired aesthetic completely with colorful chunky sprites and Hoenn-ass trumpet sounds. Everything about this game is just dripping with polish and confidence, and it nails the spirit of why I love these kinds of action-adventure games to begin with.

The fact that we got a new GBA game in 2025 is nuts, and the fact that it was also the long-lost second Shantae game makes things even crazier. But even once that novelty has faded, it's still a very solid action platformer with gorgeous pixelart, the typically cheeky Shantae writing, and fun 2.5D puzzle design. It may not be on par with Pirate's Curse or Half Genie Hero, but it brings back a lot of that classic Shantae charm that I honestly felt was a bit lacking in Seven Sirens.

Probably the best game Siactro has made to date, a short but consistently engaging thrill ride that combines all the best aspects of his previous games, with fast and fluid movement, level design that keeps getting more interesting, a metric ton of neat bonus content and secrets, and a stellar soundtrack that left my jaw on the floor at certain points. Definitely one to check out for Sonic Adventure fans, especially since it's only $5.

Low-key my favorite Switch 2 game so far. Forgotten Land is my second favorite game of all time, and Star-Crossed World is just more of that. The new levels are more complex and layered than anything we've seen from this series so far, the soundtrack is one of Kirby's absolute best, the terraforming crystalline visuals put the Switch 2's power to good use, and the new final boss is so tough it makes the base game's one feel tame by comparison. I do wish the story had a bit more meat on the bone, but as a gameplay experience, this is some of the best Kirby content ever.

A kickass Genesis shmup produced and composed by Yuzo Koshiro, Earthion has some stellar stage designs and a unique upgrade system that aims to address the infamous "Gradius syndrome", making for a really accessible entry point into the genre. It's also just an awesome love letter to Thunder Force, complete with a killer soundtrack that easily lives up to that lineage.

Possibly my new favorite ninja game ever made? Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound is a fluid, rewarding, and masterfully-paced action platformer that perfectly captures the satisfying flow state that I love about the original NES games. The level design starts strong right from the get-go, but it somehow manages to keep one-upping itself all the way until Ragebound's phenomenal final act, all accompanied by a kickass synth-rock soundtrack. While Shinobi seems to be getting the bulk of the attention this year, I found Ragebound's more fast-paced and arcade-y approach a lot more appealing.

An incredibly creative and addictive platformer with a great sense of flow, especially once you start going for big combos, and the ways it which it influenced both Mario Galaxy and DKC Returns is fascinating. Sure, using the Wii Remote isn't as novel as using the bongos, but the added precision of a more traditional control scheme and the more generous progression allows me to appreciate the fundamental game design even more.

Basically Katamari crossed with a platformer, by the developers of Katamari for that matter. It's not too hard, but it is consistently pure, joyous fun, with a charming presentation, fun levels and bosses, and a banger of a soundtrack. Definitely one of the Wii's coolest and strangest cult classics.

What a lovely collection! While it isn't the best way to play the first six mainline Kirby games nowadays, it still holds up as a charming package between its in-depth history menu and especially its new challenge mode. As a Return To Dream Land diehard, it's very cool to experience some new original challenges built on its engine. It's short but definitely worth checking out for anyone who wants just a bit more of that Modern Kirby goodness.

I'm at a loss as to why Vanishing Earth got such tepid reviews when it released because it's a great shmup that can absolutely stand alongside the best the PC Engine had to offer. Tight controls, fun mechanics like a dodge roll and a combo meter, dynamic stages that make good use of the 3D visuals, a perfect level of difficulty to get beginner players into the genre, tons of replay value like secret missions and a Caravan mode, and a godly soundtrack, what's not to love?

Goldeneye gets the bulk of the attention for good reason, but Eurocom's follow-up is a surprisingly capable sequel that actually exceeds it in some areas. Visually impressive for the hardware, cinematic stages that emulate the movie far more closely, CPU functionality for the multiplayer mode, and most of all, a gameplay loop that actually incorporates more gadgetry and spying. Secretly one of the best FPS games on the console.

Developed by the people who would go on to make Eschatos and Bunny Must Die, Dicing Knight. was essentially the product of a Wonderswan game jam but was so good, it spun off into a retail release. This is a very addicting dice-themed roguelike with silky smooth spritework, fluid combat, a catchy soundtrack, and a brisk pace that perfectly suits handheld play. Definitely one of the Wonderswan's best games.

This JP-only Game Boy Color game manages to marry fun action combat, fluid movement-based platforming, and thoughtful puzzle-solving so well that it can easily rival other puzzle-platformers on the system like DK94 and Wario Land 3. Add in some fluid spritework, a catchy soundtrack, and a surprisingly hefty runtime, and Samurai Kid is basically the purest form of a hidden gem.

I really like how Capcom's 3D fighting games from the 90s distanced themselves from the realism of Virtua Fighter and Tekken, instead going for cartoonishly over-the-top frenetic pacing, and that even applies to their big Dreamcast mech game. Tech Romancer is such a cool, dumb fun fighting game in every sense of the word, these massive mech battles that move at the speed of Rival Schools, letting you wreck cities in the process. It even has a surprisingly developed story for every single character, and an in-depth shop with items you can buy with money you earn playing minigames with the VMU.

A surprisingly fluid 3D fighting game with a sick sense of style. The animal transformations are a wonderfully weird and fun comeback mechanic, and the whole game feels really tight and responsive. The mode roster is also quite cool, boasting a Story Mode with detailed lore for all the characters, and a goofy Custom mode that lets you toggle a variety of options like model changes and visual tweaks.

I've been slowly working through the Ace Combat games lately and Ace Combat 3 really blew me away, but specifically the JP version which has 50+ missions, branching paths, and a shockingly deep cyberpunk story with stellar aesthetics, complex characters, and some dark meta themes that genuinely made me uncomfortable at points. And from a gameplay standpoint, the mission quality was impressively high despite the sheer amount of them and once you get used to the weightier plane physics, they're incredibly satisfying to master. This really could've been such a big PS1 classic if it released here as intended.

I've also been working through the Armored Core games and Silent Line was a huge hit for me. The campaign is one of the series' best with a ton of really creative and memorable missions, the customization is some of the most robust with over 400 parts to use, the Arena is a very satisfying challenge, and the general mysterious atmosphere really sticks out. I'd recommend playing AC3 first, but Silent Line is an absolute must-play if you're into tough mecha action games.

While I'm personally not finding it quite as funny as Nichijou, City The Animation is still more of Arawi's lovably surreal and heightened comedy. But what really surprised me was the bigger emphasis on continuity, with episodes building onto each other and bringing all of the characters together for payoffs that can be as satisfying as they are surprisingly melancholic.

In the wake of the Coyote vs ACME situation, it was quite a shock at the time to have a 2D animated Looney Tunes movie slip through the cracks and release in theaters. For that reason alone, this is a very important movie, but it helps that it's also a genuinely good time. Wonderfully animated, endlessly charming, frenetic, and surprisingly touching, this is just a fun showcase of what makes the Looney Tunes so lovable and how they still have a place in media to this day.