Comments 647

Re: Talking Point: What Game Do You Wish You Could Forget?

Solomon_Rambling

@Batfan2425

Fair question! I really enjoy the gameplay loop because each run feels different based on which rooms, bosses, and items you encounter. The items are what makes the game exciting for me, and there are 717 items that interact and synergize in different ways. The Binding of Isaac also has a ton of unlockables (640 "secrets" are available in Repentance) and 34 characters, all of whom need to be played multiple times to unlock everything. Unlocking everything on a single files takes hundreds of hours, and those of us who are ridiculously into the game try to unlock everything on each of the game's three files.

The game has a massive amount of content, but if the gameplay doesn't interest you (or if you don't like roguelikes), there's not much motivation to get all the extra stuff. My playtime is also high because of all the content updates. I put a few hundred hours on Rebirth on the Wii U, several hundred hours on the expansion Afterbirth+ when it came to the Switch, and even more hundreds after Repentance came out on the Switch a few years back.

Hope that answers your question!

Re: Talking Point: What Game Do You Wish You Could Forget?

Solomon_Rambling

I love this topic! Without question, my choice would be the Binding of Isaac. I started with Rebirth on the Wii U and have logged close to two thousand hours over its expansions. I would love to start Repentance without any of the bias I had from Rebirth. At this point, I’m Isaac’ed out but would enjoy reliving what was the first in my burgeoning romance with rougelikes.

Re: Feature: Zelda's Forgotten Steward - Who Is Hidemaro Fujibayashi?

Solomon_Rambling

Born in 1972 and he’s already 60. Working on Zelda must be tough.

It’s fun to learn about these figures who will helm the Nintendo franchises in the future. Although we’re still a decade or so away, I’m interested in how Nintendo’s creative direction will shift with a new generation of directors who have never met or been mentored by the likes of Miyamoto, Aonuma, and Tezuka.

Re: Soapbox: "Go Outside, Get Some Fresh Air" - Why Won't Outmoded Gamer Stereotypes Die?

Solomon_Rambling

At the end of the day, I think news is going to be sensational because it attracts viewers. We, as a society, love to criticize what strays from what we believe is normative and healthy. I think the world is becoming more open-minded, but we’re a fair ways away from eliminating stereotypes, whether they’re about a person’s hobbies, sexual orientation, gender identity, race, neurodivergence, political beliefs, etc., etc., etc.

I agree with Lane in questioning why we haven’t adapted to accepting video games as part of everyday life. Parents still struggle to understand how to monitor and limit a child’s screen time. Video games are not inherently unhealthy, but they are stimulating enough to override interest in other activities if a child has no other outlets. If parents don’t take the time to diversify a child’s interests and activities, you’ll get kids who prefer to play video games all the time. It’s time we all learn how to integrate video games into what we conceptualize as healthy living, and it’s up to the adults to understand this and teach their kids about healthy gaming practices.

Re: Talking Point: Could Nintendo Go Another Year Without A Switch Successor?

Solomon_Rambling

I can predict Nintendo’s future just about as well as I can predict how the stock market will change, and I haven’t made a dime with my stock investments. That said, I’ll be bummed if a new console doesn’t release next holiday season. I have enough games on my wishlist and backlog to carry me through another year, maybe two, but I’d love to see what Nintendo can do with new hardware.

Re: Video: Felix Shares His Top Five Switch Games Of 2023

Solomon_Rambling

I’m glad you all are taking the Top 15 approach because it can be a bit tiring hearing about Wonder and TotK and Wonder and TotK. Cocoon and RDR are on my wishlist, and I enjoyed F-Zero 99 even if my best finish was third.

My Top 5 this year was:

5. Tunic
4. Vampire Survivors
3. SpiderHeck
2. We Love Katamari REROLL + Royal Reverie
1. Inscryption

Still haven’t finished TotK, but it probably would replace Tunic. Great game but too much of a retread for me.

@Ooyah

I’ve heard some people mention Mr. Sun’s Hatbox, just not on this website. You would know better than I would, but it sounds like it’s a niche game that really appeals to some but doesn’t make an impression with most gamers.

Re: WTF: What Exactly Is This Switch eShop Garbage, Nintendo?

Solomon_Rambling

“As we have said in the past, this least-possible-effort 'content' is hardly new on the eShop, but it is baffling that Nintendo doesn't seem to see the damage being done to its image.”

Where is the evidence to substantiate this claim? How are we quantifying this damage? I dislike these trash titles just as much as the next person (especially all the fake GOTY/Marvelous/Complete “editions” showing up on the new or upcoming pages), but are they really doing any damage to Nintendo’s image? I imagine us Nintendo Life readers are more vocal about these issues, but is the greater public really bothered by this stuff? These types of titles were on the eShop years ago, and Nintendo’s image has seemed untouched.

Re: Review: Dodonpachi DaiOuJou Blissful Death Re:Incarnation (Switch) - Poetic Bullet-Hell Perfection

Solomon_Rambling

Reading this review was like hearing a sommelier gush about a vintage wine, and I appreciated that. Even having read about all the strengths in this review, I don’t think I could even recognize the intricacies Massey detailed so articulately. I’ve tried a few shmups over the last fifteen years, and although I can enjoy them, I’m doing well if I can survive. Score-chasing is a distant thought.

I don’t think I’ll get the game because I have Mushihimesama on my wishlist for now, but this review was a treat!

Re: Poll: Rate Your Favourite Switch Games Of The Year 2023

Solomon_Rambling

My favorite game I played this year was Inscryption. I loved all the game mechanics and how the story evolved. Tunic was another highlight, although it got a little too complex for its own good at times.

Tears of the Kingdom was probably the “best” game I played that came out this year, but I think I have enjoyed playing We Love Katamari REROLL and Vampire Survivors more. Overall, it was an incredible year for me.

Re: Your 'Nintendo Switch Year In Review 2023' Stats Are Available Now

Solomon_Rambling

896 hours across 83 games, although I imagine I opened several of those for a few minutes and then closed out.

Most played:
1. Tears of the Kingdom at 88 hours (still working on it)
2. PowerWash Simulator at 42 hours (my main game while recovering from back surgery)
3. Vampire Survivors at 39 hours (although I have significantly more hours on my tablet)

Nothing surprising, but I liked the breakdown this year better than last year’s!

Re: No Gravity Games Is Giving Away 12 Free Switch Games This Month (North America)

Solomon_Rambling

I’d be interested in Nintendo Life writing an article or producing a video about the quality (or ‘quality,’ as Norman put it) of these games. Having played Nova 111 on the Wii U, I have a sense that not all of No Gravity Games’ catalogue is a wasteland of garbage, but the majority of their releases seem to fall into that category. I have to hand it to the publisher for creating a novel promotion, but twelve days of coverage on Nintendo Life seems excessive especially when other (arguably better) publishers may have equally great sales. Nakana.io is one publisher that comes to mind, and I believe every game in their catalogue is going for a buck right now.

Of the three games revealed so far, only Creepy Tales 2 has reviews on Metacritic, and that one is sitting at a 69.

Re: Talking Point: What Are The Worst Parts Of Your Favourite Games?

Solomon_Rambling

Katamari Damacy’s two stages in which you have to roll up the largest cow or bear. The game is fun because you’re a huge lumbering ball of imprecision, so having to avoid tiny objects for those two levels sucks out the fun. I did think it was cruelly ironic but funny that the developer decided to bring back those levels in the sequel.

Re: Site News: Nintendo Life Turns 18 Today

Solomon_Rambling

I hopped on the bandwagon during the VC Reviews days and later WiiWare World. This 18th birthday certainly makes me feel old, but I’m thankful to have had this website for the last 15 years. Wonderful staff, wonderful articles. It’s been a joy to see how much this site has grown!

Re: Round Up: The Reviews Are In For WarioWare: Move It!

Solomon_Rambling

As much as I enjoyed Smooth Moves back in the day, I was worried the motion controls would cause some issues for Move It. I’m certainly not an old fart yet, but moving about while playing has lost its luster for me. I’m a slothful creature who yearns for couch potato activities.

Given how close we are to a new console, this may be the first WarioWare game I skip. I hope the young whippersnappers enjoy it.

Re: Annapurna Interactive Collection Contains 12 Acclaimed Games On One Switch Cartridge

Solomon_Rambling

I really like this publisher and am very tempted to splurge on this. Gorogoa and What Remains of Edith Finch are two of my favorite games on the Switch, and I liked Donut County. Three more games are on my wishlist, and I wouldn't mind playing the other six. I only wish soundtracks were included as part of the collection.

I wonder when preorders will open or if I already missed the window...

Re: Review: Super Mario Bros. Wonder - The Best 2D Mario Since The Super NES

Solomon_Rambling

I must say, a 9 score is insulting. This should be a 12 out of 10. Mind you, I haven’t played the game and have only read the Joy/Con section of this review, but I can’t help but feel O’Reilly is a terrible reviewer because his review doesn’t align with what I believe this game deserves in terms of a number. I’m glad others before me have already attacked the Cons which are obviously Joys.

Otherwise, great review! I will probably buy this, but I have never enjoyed the 2D Mario games as much as I have the 3D ones. Each 3D Mario has seemingly redefined what the series can do, and it’s hard for me to imagine how Nintendo can revolutionize the 2D format when the move to 3D was the genre-defining change back in the 90s. Still, I’m interested in the Wonder seeds, so I’ll hope I have a blast when I eventually do try Wonder out.