RR529

Despite it's reported issues I've decided to bite the bullet & get Ninja Gaiden Master Collection, but I'll definitely be grabbing Alba: A Wildlife Adventure down the line as well.

Playing through The Missing Heir & quite enjoying it, even if progression can be quite obtuse.

I'll probably get the Girl Who Stands Behind at some point in the future.

I'd personally put VIII up top, but that top three is solid regardless.

I think I picked up the 2018 version in a PS Store sale sometime last year and haven't gotten around to it yet.

Anyone with more knowledge know what the differences are between that and this "remake"?

Japan for sure. Toriyama's style is synonymous with DQ, and represents the art direction in game.

I actually finished it off a few weeks ago & enjoyed it despite it's issues, though I'll be interested in replaying the earlier missions (where the issue was more prominent) to see how it's improved.

XI is brilliant, but I think VIII still slightly edges it out for me (at least the 3DS version, which modernized it a bit by getting rid of random encounters). XI is certainly more gorgeous, but VIII's party & narrative structure just resonated with me a bit better.

IV & V (the mobile ports of the DS versions) are great too, though, and have the absolute best narrative setups (each party member getting their own little adventure before meeting up in IV, & growing up, finding love, & having kids in V).

Glad to see Republic Commando make it in! Despite it's performance issues it's a really solid game. I know it at least hit the number 13 spot over here in NA for a time, but I don't know how well it did overall for the month.

Hope they're around for many more years. I've played Blaster Master 0, Mighty Gunvolt Burst, & Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon and they were all fantastic little games that held me over between bigger releases.

Not too much Star Wars in my gaming history, and what titles I did play (Super Return of the Jedi/SNES, Episode 1: Pod Racer/N64, & Starfighter/PS2) I never beat, at least not without cheats.

I've been getting more into them recently though. After getting it for cheap I ran through Battlefront II's (2017) story mode, played Vader Immortal on PSVR which was cool, Republic Commando on Switch which was tough but fun, and am now working my way through Jedi: Fallen Order.

Looks good, but since I only recently started New Pokemon Snap & have the Famicom Detective Club games to look forward to, we'll see where I'm at by the time this releases.

Just got New Pokemon Snap, and am looking forward to Famicom Detective Club, Asha in Monster World, Mario Golf, Ninja Gaiden Trilogy, Skyward Sword HD, & Mon Hun Stories 2 in the coming weeks & months.

I'll admit that Nintendo needs to announce some big first party bombs for the later half of the year, but if you can't find anything to play in the coming months I can't help but think that's partially your own fault (not directed at anyone in particular, just general sentiment I'm seeing).

The frame rate is definitely a bit janky, though it hasn't been enough to keep me from enjoying the game, and I do think it runs a lot smoother in the latter two campaigns (though issues still pop up from time to time).

I'll probably have the game finished by the time the patch drops (I think I'm almost done with the last campaign), but I'm glad it's coming relatively quickly.

Nearing the end of Republic Commando & despite the frame rate hiccups have been enjoying it.

Would be interested in seeing this hit Switch.

I started playing this during the last Tour, and I actually quite like it. I do 4-6 races a day (a couple in the morning with breakfast, and a couple during lunch break at work), and that's enough to clear all the Cups & earn your guaranteed High End reward well before the Tour is over.

In spite of all the offers I don't think it's too bad about pressuring you for money, since it doesn't look like it's possible to run into a difficulty spike/wall since you choose your own difficulty & there's no stamina system in place.

Fantastic game. I admittedly left it unfinished back on PS2 due to a variety of distractions (I had finally gotten a GameCube around the same time so was playing Twilight Princess as well, and later in the year got a Wii & 360, so next gen excitement took over), but finally got back to it with the HD version on Switch & saw it to the end.

Judging by the comments you'd think this was on the same level as Senran Kagura, Moero Chronicle, Gun Gun Pixies, or DOA Extreme, though it doesn't look nearly as fanservicy as those titles.

Granted, the character design is definitely a tad sexualized, but more par for the course as far as JRPGs go rather than something that really sticks out, except maybe the frog girl (maybe it's because the cast is entirely female?).

I did get the VR kit which I had fun playing around with, but admittedly I haven't touched it in over a year.

The blaster does look pretty cool though, so I have it displayed with my other gaming stuff.

It looks fantastic, but the procedurally generated levels is a huge turn off.

Yeah, it's been pretty noticeable for me. Not enough to ruin the experience, but surprising it's even happening at all given it's an OG Xbox game.

I like how it graphically kind of looks like a really polished/modern take on a PS1 era game.

After recently subbing to Disney+ & loving the Mandalorian I'm in a bit of a Star Wars mood, so will shortly be starting this on Switch & Jedi: Fallen Order on PS4.

The Japan/Europe cover this time.

@NEStalgia, it's at #7.

I agree that's a criminally low spot for it (it's definitely better than at least Zestiria).

New Pokemon Snap & Star Wars: Republic Commando in April.
The Famicom Detective Club duo & Wonder Boy: Asha in Monster World in May.
Mario Golf: Super Rush & Ninja Gaiden: Master Collection in June.

Definitely not a slow period in terms of interesting releases.

"Zestiria led in Europe." Europe has the worst taste confirmed, lol. (jk)

Is kinda disappointing that Zestiria is so high up the list though. It's an okay game, but definitely the bottom rung of all the Tales games I've played. (Abyss = Vesperia > Berseria > Zestiria).

If it weren't for all the text I would have gone for Japan, but as it stands I voted for the US cover.

Europe is a non starter this go around.

I've imported a few things from Amazon Japan & AmiAmi over the years without much issue, so at least it's not as much of an issue as it was in the 90's or early 00's, unless I'm missing something.

Glad to see Tales of the Abyss make the cut. Probably my favorite JRPG on the system... until DQVIII released.

I'd really love one, but I just can't bring myself to put down that kind of money for something well over a year off.

@BRAINFOX, @burninmylight, @silverthornne, thanks for all the explanations!

I just watched the original Macross (subbed version) for the first time around this time last year.

Despite it's age I found it to be a pretty engaging experience, however this game doesn't look that good, IMO.

How much did the Robotech rebranding change the story (other than Americanizing the MC's name)? I know they connected it to two other anime, but did they mush all three together in one, or were they still more or less seperate & just insinuated to be related?

Loved XC2! I do think XCDE is an easier game to get into as it's not held back by the gacha system & field skill requirements (which are pretty big knocks against XC2), but in almost every other regard I like XC2 just as much if not more.

I loved collecting rare blades, but I think had they tied them all to completion of sidequests rather than the gatcha system it'd been better.

That Shin-Chan game looks gorgeous! I wish more modern games opted for detailed pre-rendered backgrounds like that.

Awesome pick! I was actually relieved when it was revealed to be Smash related, as I just got off a 140 playthrough of XCDE, and am not sure if I'm ready to jump back into another Xenoblade epic, lol.

I loved this when I played it back on 360 a few years ago. I may eventually get this for the extras, but I'm in no hurry.

I would love to see more Tales games hit Switch, just not Zestiria or Berseria as I've recently played them on PS4 (and Zestiria particularly was a decidedly very average game). Bring on the Symphonia collection PS3 got, the Xillia games, or Graces F & I'd be game, though.

I liked the first one well enough, but Sakura Samurai was my favorite one of those little eShop only projects.

I'd like to see that one revisited.

@AstroTheGamosian, I picked it up for the first time in months last week (first time in 9 months, if what my villagers said is true), and outside of some weeds that needed pulling, my island was exactly the same as I left it (same building placements, villagers, etc.) so New Horizons must be much more forgiving in that respect if what you say about New Leaf is true.

This looks fun, but I found Banana Blitz HD to be a stiff challenge in the later worlds (I couldn't finish the second post game world), so I'm not sure if I'm up for it.

I played it on PS4 & it was a great comfort food JRPG. It was nice going back to something a bit more simple in scope compared to all the Xenoblades & Final Fantasies of the world, and I liked the general gameplay/combat loop moreso than the recent Tales games I've played.

@Burning_Spear, similar case here. I got a wireless Power A controller back when Luigi's Mansion 3 released (my Joy Con had started to drift at the time), and haven't had any issues with it.

The original Paper Mario (alongside FFX & the first Kingdom Hearts) was one of the games that really got me into JRPGs. I never owned it proper, but the local video store kept letting me renew my rental without giving it back, so I was eventually able to beat it, lol. It'd be really cool if it got a Switch remake in TOK's engine (or an HD port bundled with Thousand Year Door & SPM).

While the series has changed & Sticker Star was pretty mediocre, I thought The Origami King was a great game.

@BongoBongo, Xenoblade wouldn't appear in a list of best selling 3rd party titles as it's 1st party.

In fact XC:DE is in the 1st party list in the article, just below Pikmin 3.

12/20. This was tough.

Voted Jet Black because that's what I had, but it's a great looking system regardless (seriously considered voting for Silver, White, Gold, or Gundam ones, they all look so great).

Cool to know about the Hanshin Tigers variant. The team gets mentioned in almost every Rumiko Takahashi interview I've read (mangaka of InuYasha, Ranma 1/2, & Urusei Yatsura) since it's her favorite team.

Kinda makes me wish Arc System Works would make HD entries in their "Family" arcade sports lineup that they loaded the 3DS eShop with.

I actually played a ton of Family Tennis 3D & a Solitaire (card game) that was part of the range too (I know they made a bunch though, including bowling, kart racing, & volleyball entries, amongst a few others).

This doesn't look bad, though I'd like to see more themed courts.

I'm really tempted to jump into the last one with all the praise it's gotten, but I tried out Lydie & Suelle and didn't think much of it (though that one seemed to be pretty badly optimized for Switch, which probably didn't help).

I actually think the graphics are kind of charming, like it's going for a lost PS1/DS/3DS platformer being cleaned up in HD kinda look. I know it's more than likely because of budgetary limitations, but I can dig it.

Absolutely my favorite 2019 Switch title, and I feel the best exclusive since 2017's big hitters (BotW, Odyssey, & XC2).

Great setting (one of the few heavily sci-fi themed exclusives on the system to boot), with a slick presentation, satisfying combat, and a decent amount of variety (between the combat, investigations, platforming, and the occasional stealth segment, bike section, or puzzle).

For negatives, I think the platforming sections in the Astral Plain could be a bit wonky, and I agree the final boss was a huge difficulty spike (though I managed to push through it on the difficulty above the easiest), but overall it was a fantastic experience.

I usually prefer the anime stylized Japanese art of games from this era (rather than the westernized art seen over here) since it more closely resembles what the devs themselves likely intended, however, as others have pointed out Japan's art this time around simply isn't that good (the head/face of the guy with the blond hair in particular looks goofy), so this is one of the few instances in this scenario where I voted for the US variant.