Ganner

@SuprMattio Thanks man! Of all games and genres that exist I'd never think that this game would be such a game I'd sink any time into. After I finished Michigan and Alaska I was supposed to be done. But then I decided to just peak around Taymyr and I was hooked all over again. During Taymyr I kept looking more and more at the Season 9 scenario and here we go again! I didn't want to cheese the game in any way so I'm only using vanilla trucks. I love how you can pretty much play the game and complete whatever however you want. There's just too much to do but once I get "in the zone" the time goes by. The music in the game really adds to the experience I often turn off any YouTube/podcasts stuff I have in the background and just get to work

@JS_Comics Great I hope you like it! Are you using a N64 controller? To me it was like night and day when I finally got the controller. I'm aware there are many that don't like it but maybe it's a generational thing. I was in 7th grade when the N64 released and whenever I use it now the muscle memory instantly returns like no time passed.

The US version by a landslide so much I'm confident even Ray Charles would've agreed back in the day.

I will give a salute to the Japan version out of respect because the local game store at the time had it for sale. My brothers and I debated really hard about buying it (it was like $150 and it came WITH a N64 controller!). We knew we'd be forever legends with the neighborhood kids if we did but we ultimately decided just to wait the six months and get the US version. We were already worshipped enough being one of the first houses on the block with a N64

I picked up my physical copy of DK Country Returns HD (along with the cute DK barrel pen holder) so I'm hoping to start digging into that. Been looking forward to it since it was announced. Back in the Wii era the girl I was with at the time loved it, but I never got around to it. Was probably neck deep into COD.

I'll still be playing Snowrunner (Switch) whenever I can. I finally wrapped up the Taymyr map and boy that one was a doozy. So much opportunity to flip so the winch was a lifesaver in many scenarios! I didn't do any of the contests this time because to me they're very "immersion breaking". There's just something about them that bugs me.

I did bite the bullet and buy the Season 9: Renew & Rebuild DLC. I really like the whole wildfire scenario. I seriously promise though I've had my eye on this particular Season 9 back when I was still completing the Alaska map. It had nothing to do with me living in Southern California and actual wildfires are causing a ruckus (I'm nowhere near it but I definitely smelled it in the beginning). It's just a coincidence!

@Jimmy_G_Buckets LOL you should get some pointers from @Burning_Spear. When it comes to Balatro that dude is literally the defining the phrase, "Just hook it to my veins!!"

@JS_Comics On the N64 you should give Winback Covert Operations a try. I missed it back in the era because I'm sure I was still all over GoldenEye. Winback is pretty good and I believe it was revolutionary at the time due to the cover system. Obviously it's got plenty of that ol' N64 era jank but I had a good time with it. Be sure though to be as generous with the "save state" feature as possible because the normal saves in the game are few and FAR between. If you die it's back to the beginning of those long levels!

Also, I recommend Blast Corps (N64). A total classic from that era. I must have rented it dozens of times but could never beat it. There's some difficulty spikes and having no quick online/You Tube search on tips I just gave up as a kid. I got a crazy feeling finally beating it over 20 years later on my Switch

@Vivianeat This. This. This. As much as I am always curious to what's going on behind the veil, I'm so satisfied with my OG Switch. Backlog for years and beyond with this thing. In fact, there's so many games I'd love to replay again because not only were they so fun, but because there's just too much to play I had to move onto the next game once I beat it. Back in the old days of youth there was something to just keep replaying games that were so fun but with the endless options now it's not as easy.

To be honest Directs give me the craziest mix of excitement and anxiety. I look forward to all the upcoming goodies but then I start stressing about fitting them into my gaming plan.

@Zuljaras Honestly about 6 months ago I was thinking about opening up an Excel spreadsheet and start keeping track. Obviously, I didn't but between you and @JohnnyMind you two have the most interesting gaming lives I've ever known. As much stuff as you keep posting you make the Nintendo Museum look like a liquor store in the ghetto. Just looking at the wide variety of items in the pictures I kept thinking either you own a video game store OR you have a very unhealthy addiction to Ebay

Speaking about @JohnnyMind, bro have you ever completed a game? I mean straight up rolled the credits never looked back? I see your list every week and wonder at the rate you post about your game activities I don't recall ever see you saying:

"Insert Whatever Game (All done! Thanks for the memories!)

I wanted to open an Excel file on you also but between you and @Zuljaras it'd be a full time job!

@Rainz Yeah that game has some serious voodoo magic about it! When I first got it my attitude was very whatever I want to try something out of my usual go to game(s). In the beginning there were many moments I was like "yeah this is alright I'll put in just a little more then move on to the next game". I completed a few more things, earned some XP/found some upgrades and again was like "yeah alright I can now traverse that nasty mud a little better I'll just go a little more and turn it off". Fast forward 200 hours later and I'm looking at trucks and big rigs while out in the real world a lot differently now...

@TYRANACLES Haha yeah that's why I said previously I like to have a good diversity of trucks. I often times have some just chilling around the maps after I finish using them for something. Comes in handy when I flip and/or get stuck. For example, on Taymyr one of the contracts has you delivering a big cargo container. In order to complete it I HAD to have a truck with the big crane ready to go because I seriously lost the big container like 3 times before I got it to the destination! It was a pain but in a strange way it was fun beating that b@stard!

@Zuljaras I seriously gotta know something because it's driving me nuts. You may have explained/answered this previously but c'mon do you work at or own an independent video game store that sells everything? Or know somebody that does and you just raid the store every week? I ask this because 52 weeks of the year you post pictures of what you're up to and it's literally a Picasso of the most obscure games and systems. Stuff from virtually EVERY generation of video game existence. All that's missing is the old Tiger electronic handhelds (or maybe you already have posted them and I missed it!). There's hardly any carryover, too. It's such a "throwing spaghetti at the wall" approach to how you play games I'm always completely dumbfounded of what I see. Especially the picture evidence! What's going on over there?

As I wait for DK Country Returns HD to release I'll keep killing the time with Snowrunner (Switch). I'm getting really close to wrapping up Taymyr map and I've never flipped so much in the game ever until this map. Michigan and Alaska had some areas you had to tread carefully but Jesus Taymyr is so topsy turvy all over the place!

I finished Neva (Switch) last weekend, too. What a game! Perfect palate cleanser and/or something in between bigger games.

This topic is way too subjective. While there's plenty of games that many will agree upon however I believe each individual has games that defined it for them. It's like when they do those "top 10 best guitar players of all time" pieces. All they do is whack the beehive.

Heck yeah I've had it pre-ordered for some time...however the Gamestop I pre-ordered it at literally just closed down with no notice two days ago. I'm curious how I'm supposed to get it? They going to call me and let me know where it's moved to? I've read some stuff online about that's usually plan. I'll have to make some calls next week to the (very) few stores that remain in my area.

I totally understand everyone's gripe about the port and price. However, for someone like me that missed it back in the day this is perfect. In that era the girl I was with at the time had it and loved it however I believe I was neck deep into the whole "Call of Duty" phase. I missed a lot of games back then due that era so it's perfect for me to get another proper shot. Especially since all I have is the Switch. I ain't hunting down a Wii or something to play it again.

@sketchturner You're not alone. I really liked Other M. It wasn't perfect by any means and had its share of flaws. I also agree that the story went a little left field at times but overall, I had a great time with the game.

I think what really stood out to me at the time was they wanted to try something different, had a vision and just straight went balls to the wall with it held nothing back. In a lot of ways that's the best way to know for sure if something works or not. I loved it but understand those that didn't. It's all good because there's plenty of games out there that the majority went ape sh#t for and I was like "meh".

I have the physical of DK Country Returns HD and I'm so ready for it! As excited as I am for Metroid Prime 4 I'd be way more ready for it if they release remastered versions of Prime 2 & 3. Or at least some sort of release on Switch. I never played those so I can't touch Prime 4 until I get through 2 & 3. C'mon, Nintendo it's money on the freaking table!

I'm hoping to wrap up Neva (Switch). I'm about halfway through and wow what a game! I loved Gris and just knew I had to give my money to the developers for their next game.

I'll also keep at Snowrunner (Switch). The Taymyr map is such a beast and really making me work for the simplest of jobs.

I'm thinking this year I'm going to break some personal rules and buy some games on my backlog and dedicate myself to playing them this year (at some point). I usually follow the "beat a game buy a game" approach to keep my sanity but the downside is I usually miss out on good deals. There's some real good discounts that are expiring tomorrow so I really should jump at them. Especially since I got a good about of eShop cash for Xmas.

@Freek Call of Juarez Gunslinger is freaking awesome! Don't sleep on that one!

@TYRANACLES Yeah, I totally hear what you're saying. Thanks for helping me realize I'm not alone about the stressed part. When I was a lot younger I didn't stress nearly as much or if at all. The more games across multiple platforms the better! Now being older (I'm 40!) and time being so limited it makes me crazy having games waiting to be played. I found it a lot better to keep it limited HOWEVER I miss out on a lot of deals. On my phone though I keep a list of games that I hope to eventually get to. The list is soooo long!

Yeah, good take a break from Snowrunner as needed. Never forget that games are supposed to be fun. Snowrunner can be a very fun game but it can also just be the biggest brutal slogfest. If you're not careful you could be putting hours into it not realizing you're not having much fun. I know for sure I'm guilty of doing that so I try to recognize when it's happening and play something else. It's still one of my most favorite and rewarding games but after 100% Michigan, Alaska and digging deep into Taymyr (I originally intended to stop after Alaska) I tell myself it's time to slow it down some and get back to the backlog more. We'll see how well I do because once I get "in the zone" with Snowrunner the time fly's by and I'm having fun. But damn I know if I just didn't get Snowrunner back in mid September I'd be so much further in the backlog by now. It's why I quit anything Monster Hunter games. That franchise dominated my game time to the point I knew it was time to step away so I can play other games (add to the fact they were changing the mechanics of that game to something I wasn't completely down with). Snowrunner may have filled that spot unintentionally.

Back on Snowrunner (Switch). I'm tackling the Taymyr map like it owes me money! I'll admit though it kick's my @ss at times but I love the challenge of delivering the cargo through the worst of terrain. I'm also in a small 'in between' time since I polished off Epic Mickey (Switch) last week. My next top priority game will be without a doubt Donkey Kong Country Returns HD when it releases next month. I have a little time till then so I'm debating about grabbing something small that I can for sure finish but we'll see.

I got a bunch of Nintendo eShop cash for Xmas so I'm torn on what to do. I really, really want to keep on the backlog and not let Snowrunner keep throwing a monkey wrench into it. However, there's so many discounts right now so I'm debating about picking up the ones I'll play "for sure" this year (at some point!). I'm just horrible about utilizing discounts properly. Just knowing I have purchased game(s) waiting to be played stresses me out, so I tend to not buy anything until that particular game is "on deck". The major downside in doing that is I miss out on the discounts and end up paying full price. I guess I technically pay money to not be stressed however I miss out on those really good discounts. I'm a mess.

@Spider-Kev Yeah. There's actual good quality versions of BTTF the Ride and T23D on YouTube. There's also good quality video of Captain EO and the original Star Tours.

I actually finished Epic Mickey (Switch) so I'm back to Snowrunner (Switch). I might pick up a short game from my backlog before Donkey Kong Country Returns HD comes out but we'll see. Snowrunner tends to just take over EVERYTHING

@Spider-Kev Now that would be interesting. Oh man I used to geek out so much at Universal whenever I did that attraction! That and the Back To the Future one. I'd go on those both repeatedly. Sucks that both are gone and what they replaced them with doesn't come close.

Snowrunner (176 hours)
Hogwarts Legacy (98 hours)
Hades (69 hours)

Snowrunner was such a out of left field winner. I put hours into more games this year due to focusing on the backlog. I thought for sure Sifu would have been in that list but once Snowrunner dropped in it was Game Over for the backlog.

35 Games with 705 hours!

The most played:

Snowrunner (176 hours)
Hogwarts Legacy (98 hours)
Hades (69 hours)

I played more games this year due to focusing more on the backlog. I thought for sure Sifu would have been up there, too. I never would have ever thought Snowrunner would be on any list for me. Took a random chance with it and it took me by surprise. Put the backlog on ice and all I played was Snowrunner.

I love this game and I need to rotate it in more often. I used to put a lot of hours into it weekly. I'll definitely be playing this event!

Well, when shopping around for any sort named person to employ, I'm sure she didn't cost much and had the time. Whether you like her or not is irrelevant since someone of a Morgan Freeman caliber cost millions and a Daisy Ridley caliber cost about a down payment on new Honda Civic and a free lunch.

I've been doing really good sticking with Epic Mickey (Switch) with my limited game time and avoiding Snowrunner (Switch). If I boot up Snowrunner first, then nothing else will get touched that session. Some plans fell through this weekend so in theory I should be able to get some extra gaming in. My honey-do list though is growing even as I type this so we'll see where that leaves me. I'm really hoping to get far (if not done) with Epic Mickey so I can lose myself in Snowrunner again.

"The beatings will continue until morale improves."

I'm all for Nintendo following this logic as long as the game(s) are fun as hell!

(Obviously I'm not completely serious. Just what comes to mind when I read the headline )

I finally put aside Snowrunner (Switch) for a moment and started concentrating on Epic Mickey (Switch) more. I also did the Tetris 99 event because I can never get enough of that game. I used to put a lot of time into it but lately it's only during the events. I need to rotate it in more because I have such a blast with it.

I have a lot going on this weekend so my game time will be limited some. I'm "playing hooky" from work today so I can get a jumpstart on some of the errands and 'honey-do list'. There's also an annual tamale fest going on in my town a few blocks away so I gotta go indulge some! Once I get back from that I plan on cracking open beers and getting some gaming in. I need to be smart here though. I should play Epic Mickey first THEN Snowrunner. If I attempt the other way around, then I may never get to Epic Mickey

I swear when I first saw the thumbnail I thought it was an Ewok game or something.

@TYRANACLES Yeah the game can be quite unforgiving at times but that's the whole point. It can either be the most kickback rewarding experience or a total nightmare slog. What makes all the difference though is diversifying your vehicles and trying out what works for you. Also, getting those upgrades and opening up all closed roads is a must before you start tackling the tasks/contracts.

I'm only using vanilla game vehicles and no DLC so I don't game break cheese it. First of all, the only garages in Michigan are in Black River and Smithville Dam. You need to use some good planning strategy in order to get around for the others. I also recommend placing/using fuel trucks around to help with any fuel issues. Once I started trying different vehicles for various tasks it really made difference for me. Also really fun! The ANK MK38 Civilian was my main workhorse for a lot of things. Raise the suspension and throw on some good offroad tires and dominate the terrain! A real gas guzzler though. The White Western Star 4964 (found in Smithville) was another workhorse for a large variety of tasks. I used the Pacific P16 for the long log hauls and big oil equipment hauls. Slow but gets the job done. For anything scout related getting the International Loadstar 1700 was a godsend for me.

Everyone will have their own opinion on what works best. Once I started diversifying my fleet I found those (with as much upgraded of course) made all the difference in the fun factor. There's endless stuff online but I didn't want to cheese it and enjoyed the challenge of some things out for myself.

The normal week and weekends have been a bit busier and will continue to get busier as the holiday season gets deeper. With that my already limited game time is getting smaller. Oh well goes with the territory.

Anyways, when time permits I'll keep getting things done with my unhealthy addiction to Snowrunner (Switch). That Taymyr is very deceptive! It makes you think it's just another muddier version of Michigan but it's way more than that. So many of the roads have just the perfect angle of a slant and/or deep berm that tips you over in an instant! All cargo dumped after a long haul You really need to watch the speed, pay close attention to the terrain and utilize the wench at the right time! If you don't you'll be sitting in silence, staring at the screen trying to process what the f#ck just happened! LOL

I'll also try to get on to Epic Mickey (Switch). I really need to finish that in time so I can trade it in towards Donkey Kong Country Returns in January!

The only one I really care to see is the Sifu episode. That was one of my favorite games this year so I hope they do it justice.

Absolutely! Tropical Freeze is pretty much my top favorite platformer of all time. Back in the day my ex-girlfriend played DKCR and she loved it, but I never got around to it. Always wanted to so I'm looking forward to finally playing it.

I totally understand those that are tired of re-releases. However I have to admit for people like me that missed the boat back then it's perfect for me. Since having Switch I've been able to play games I missed and never thought would come around again reasonably. Tropical Freeze, Call of Juarez Gunslinger, Skyward Sword, Red Faction GW Remastered, DMC 3 are just a few examples I've had a blast playing because of the Switch!

Yikes how Olympus has fallen. Seriously I'm tired of saying this but just release a solid remaster of Mortal Kombat Trilogy and my money is yours. No bullsh#t. My money is yours.

I say it every time there's a Sega update and I'll say it again. I NEED General Chaos and Skitchin'. Those games were religion in my household back in the day and I'd be all over them again if given the opportunity. They're so damn fun!

I definitely will continue my Snowrunner (Switch) addiction however I'll seriously try to split time with Epic Mickey (Switch). I'm so horrible with playing multiple games. Once I get into a game, I just stick with it especially if my gaming time is already very limited. Last weekend the wife filled up my time with a bonus feature filled "Honey-Do List" my game time dropped to hardly at all. Then once the work week started I didn't get much time. Hoping to make up for some of that.

During those quick sessions I did fire up some Sifu (Switch). I just love that game so much and since I've been away from it, I wasn't the kung fu master I once was. Still a blast when time is limited.

@Purgatorium I hear you. I'm willing to bet vital parts of my anatomy most aren't telling the truth. Just showing off toys. Nothing wrong with that I find it very fascinating. I wish I had the time.

Oh man I believe I got this as a birthday or Xmas gift back in the day and I was all over it on my original Game Boy. In those days it was so impressive to see a game like that on the system. I remember being having a blast with this and the Game Boy version of Killer Instinct.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'll still be playing Snowrunner (Switch). Big surprise, eh? After I 100% the Alaska map I told myself that's it don't even look at the Taymyr map and get back to the backlog! I decided I'll just take a peek and that would be it. Yep, I started getting some tasks and contracts done. That place is a mud pit alright so yeah I'm excited for the challenge!

I really do though need to split up the time though and get back into Epic Mickey (Switch). It's hard because when I boot up Snowrunner the hours just tick by.

@FX29 @TheLastSkyLoftian I'm so with you guys. I have such a hard time dividing attention. When I'm in deep in a game it's priority. I can only deviate from it for something quick like a round or 2 of Tetris 99, a run of Balatro, Hades or Sifu (games that were at one time previously a priority but now beaten to the point of satisfaction). I try to do at least 2 "main" games but if one is better than the other then I can't sustain it. For example right now Snowrunner is literally taking over everything. I'm trying to add in Epic Mickey but when I play that one I feel the pull back to Snowrunner. Apologies, backlog.

@Burning_Spear Like you with Balatro it's pretty much my main game. Like I said in today's post I'm getting close to wrapping up Alaska and had intentions to stop there...but the next map and some of those DLC maps have been looking very interesting. Oh crap.

I'm so curious what you're going to do with yourself once you complete Balatro to your satisfaction. Will you drop it entirely and move on to another obsession? Or LOL are you institutionalized and experience any separation anxiety. To be honest it's happened to me after being super deep into a game. I experienced that with Hades and especially Everspace. With Everspace I had to uninstall it because I just kept doing runs even after I 100% it.

I'm sure those of you that have been paying attention are probably rolling your eyes about me saying every week I'm playing Snowrunner (Switch). I'm getting to the home stretch of wrapping up Alaska. It definitely had challenge and tough routes however I think Michigan was just a bit more challenging. Probably because Michigan had a few more longer challenging hauls but I really dug the snow setting of Alaska. Can't get enough of the music, too. I told myself I'm stopping after Alaska to get back to the backlog quest but the Taymyr map is looking more and more tempting!

I'll try to play more Epic Mickey (Switch) too. I played a little last weekend but Snowrunner kept scratching at the door. This freaking game. I quit the Monster Hunter franchise for this very reason.

@Burning_Spear You're a beast! The developers should honor you with your own Joker or something. How many hours do you have clocked in that game? It has to be closing in on my old Monster Hunter era hours.

@Rainz Hey now! Just warning you if Snowrunner clicks for you it could spell doom for other games. It's all I've been playing. The game has a real slow start to getting the hang of things so I recommend to take your time with it. It's not everyone's taste by a long shot. I never thought in a million years this game would be my new gaming obsession but here we are.

Also, I totally agree with you about Cereza and the Lost Demon. I absolutely LOVED that game. The gameplay, the writing, the art style, and especially the music had me every time I booted it up. Not all was perfect though. I absolutely HATED the map system. It was so confusing and the online guides I found admitted it's confusing even with help. They were not wrong! Other than that headache I love it.

Excellent so it wasn't just me. It got real annoying trying to get it started at times so it's 'music' to the ears that it got addressed.

@TYRANACLES I'm playing on Switch. Yeah the DLC does add up if you don't get it on sale. I think there's like 14 Seasons worth now. I don't have any of the DLC though just straight vanilla game. I didn't want to cheese the game at all with any of the DLC vehicles either. I'm sure the DLC is worth it because there's tons of hours per map alone so I even just one or two additional maps add like a 100 hours or so.

Like I said in my post originally I was just planning to get through Alaska and attempt to get back to the backlog...but after all this time I'm so into this game and my fleet of vehicles. It's so cool when you get some vital upgrades and start getting things done a bit easier. Still a challenge but having a better engine, raised suspension and a better gearbox with better tires makes you feel like a workhorse. We'll see what I end up doing. I'll most likely start the Russia level to at least check it out.

Snowrunner (Switch) keeps on being my backlog quest destroying time sink. I'm just over 135 hours into that beast and I started playing it about mid-September. What keeps fascinating me is that for the most part I'm just having a blast every time I play it. The only time the game grinds my gears (besides flipping over with cargo on the home stretch of a long haul) is when I ever attempt to play a quick session. This game is by no means generous to play it like that. If you try that you'll get nothing done and by annoyed. Every time I boot it up, I'm committing to getting some contracts and tasks wrapped up. By far the most 'out of leftfield' of a game. I thought for sure Sifu (Switch) was going to by my GOTY this year but Snowrunner may haul it out (pun intended). It made my flight to and from Maui last week feel super quick.

In an attempt to split things up a bit though I picked up Epic Mickey (Switch). Never got around to it back in the Wii era so it's great getting another shot at it. I played for a little and had a good time. I would put more into it, but Snowrunner keeps calling me. I'm getting pretty close to finishing Alaska and I told myself I'm stopping at that...but I'm having such a great time in Alask that the Taymyr level is starting to interest me...then there's all the DLC maps that are starting to look interesting...oh no what am I going to do My backlog is so mad at me and I was doing so well for a while before Snowrunner.

I'm in the camp of Bayo 1 and especially 2 were awesome. For 3 I feel it had the best gameplay. The new mechanic of controlling summons reminded me a lot of Astral Chain (which I absolutely LOVED) so I was quickly hooked. BUT...the whole multiverse thing completely lost me. I HATE multiverse stories. Once the story kicked in I was like "ah crap here we go let's just toss it all into a giant sandbox with a kid and his toys". I loved the gameplay but the story kept losing me. It was a very "yin yang" experience. Overall I had a good time and really happy with my purchase but yeah the multiverse thing was a total buzzkill. I'd would have preferred a "dimension" approach instead if they insisted on the type of story they came up with.

As for Viola...yeah I had mixed feelings. On one hand I did rather enjoy the change up of how to play the game. For me personally it freshened things up a bit and I still had fun. On the other hand I HATED her design. Totally reminded me of our world modern day social media "activist" type. I swear it's like they got a bunch of them together and instructed them to design a hip new character the kids will love. It's like on "The Simpsons" when Homer was tasked to design a new car for the everyday man. We all know how that turned out. And yeah I agree with others have said her attitude was also unbearable at times. I feel like they did her dirty and with more love & care Viola could have been a dope @ss character we'd all be clamoring for more of. Not the other way around. Just my 2 cents.

@Vyacheslav333 @JCWrites @MarioVillager92 Thank you!