Piczle Cells (NSW) Rapid Review

Do you like puzzle games? Do you own a Nintendo Switch? Do you have an interest in puzzles games on the Nintendo Switch that launch today on the eShop? Then, you may just be interested in the next game in the Piczle series published by Rainy Frog: Piczle Cells. How does this cell-based puzzler stack up? Pretty darn well, especially for its $4.99 price tag. Let's check out the game together with the SPC review.

Adequate and Affordable Cellular Service

Puzzle games are plentiful on the Nintendo Switch, and now arrives the combo of developer Score Studios and publisher Rainy Frog's latest installment in their Piczle series of puzzlers: Piczle Cells, to add to the hybrid console's library. Simple enough to learn, though possessing a somewhat sizable learning curve to become comfortable with its gameplay and main mechanic, Piczle Cells winds up being a solid puzzle game overall.

The concept of Piczle Cells revolves around the titular cells that you slide across an 8x6 board. The end goal of each level is to finish it so only one cell remains. That's of course easier said than done, as different cells are different colors, and react uniquely when pushed together. Green cells are the smallest, then there's blue, yellow, and ultimately green. When single cells of the same color are pushed together, they absorb one another, creating a mass of two cells that can no longer be slid around. It's only until a third cell of the same color gets pushed into this mass that a new cell color is formed, allowing it to be pushed around yet again. Three green cells pushed together create a blue cell, three blue cells pushed together create a yellow cell, and three yellow cells create a green cell. 

Learning the basics with the initial batch of 20 puzzles in Piczle Cells gave me more trouble than any others.

When cells of different colors slide into one another, the cell that gets slid into basically serves as a wall, stopping the slid cell from moving anymore. Otherwise, a cell will slide from one side of the board and appear on the other until it returns to the spot where it was originally slid. In other words, if you slid a cell to the right without a cell to block it from moving anymore, the slid cell would slide past the right edge of the board and reappear on the left before coming to a spot on its original position. You can probably guess that using different colored cells to stop the movement of other cells you slide is required to solve many of the puzzles in Piczle Cells. In fact, pretty much every puzzle requires this, in addition to crossing over the edge of the board to appear on the other side. 

Each batch of 20 puzzles begins with a visual tutorial of the batch's central mechanic,
whether it be walls or exploding cells.

As you can imagine, the basic building blocks of Piczle Cells are quickly iterated on, adding new mechanics and tricks to keep things interesting. The game contains 100 puzzles, and each new batch of 20--these 20 can be played in any order, and you only need to complete just over half a batch to unlock the next--introduces a new gameplay concept to make for a fly in the proverbial ointment. Once you think you've mastered the game, the developers toss in something to shake things up considerably. This can be walls that serve as obstacles to block cells from being combined easily, special cells that change places with whatever cell is slid into them, and conveyor belts that move cells along a specific path. 

Understandably, new concepts and mechanics are introduced to keep each new puzzle batch interesting.
This batch introduces these big, red cells that explode upon impact with another cell.

Funnily enough, I struggled most with getting the basics of the game down. The beginning batch of 20 puzzles was the one that I spent the most time on, as there were no real gimmicks like walls to make puzzles easier. Once I learned how cells interacted (and pausing the game shows miniature "equations" that serve as a helpful reminder until you get it down pat), I was sliding and combining cells like a pro. No doubt later puzzles eventually perplexed at times, but nothing compared to the near 20 minutes of bewilderment that early puzzles presented to me.

Piczle Cells supports both analog and touch screen controls. The latter, however, has one issue with it that I noticed appear rather often for the short time I played with touch controls. While the controls themselves read fine, with me sliding my finger to send cells flying left, right, up, or down, there would be occasions where the game would see itself combining cells out of essentially thin air after a touch input on a cell on an adjacent square from yours truly. It would make puzzles unsolvable. That said, the ability to take back as many turns as you like or simply restart a puzzle by holding down the ZL button makes for these issues to be easily digestible instead of overly frustrating. 

Still, this particular bug occurred more times than I cared to see in my brief time using touch controls, so I eventually opted for analog input instead. The button controls feel natural and nice as well. You can use the analog stick or the D-Pad of the Switch to move the cursor while the four Switch controller face buttons serve as the four directions you can slide a cell. If you are left-handed, you can alternate the D-Pad's functions for the face buttons, using the latter to move the cursor and the D-Pad/analog stick to slide cells.

If you get bored with the standard purple board and background, "orange" you glad you can change the color yourself?

Piczle Cells has a pleasant enough look to it. The cells are cute and reminded me similarly of Dr. Mario's viruses, only cuter and less angry. The game allows you to change the background and color of the board to one of six different colors, so if purple grates on you at any time, you can just swap to say, pink, black, or blue, for example. What won't grate is the chill music, offering a nice, relaxed, laidback vibe. Less impressive in a technological sense is the opening video, but even then, there was a charming feel to it regardless.

As a puzzle game, Piczle Cells will put your brain through the wringer, giving you 100 brain busters of cell sliding, combining, and solving to enjoy. The core concept and gameplay mechanic is structurally sound, but once these 100 puzzles have been completed, there's not much else to keep you returning to the game. While puzzles have multiple solutions, there's really no incentive to find new ways to solve them, unless you really, REALLY are loving the game. The appearance of that aforementioned touch screen control-related bug made that control option less than functional, so go into the game thinking you'll be using analog exclusively (unless you have more patience for bugs than I) and you'll be fine. At any rate and even with these issues, Piczle Cells is hardly a puzzle game that I would call a tough cell--er, sell! In fact, I recommend it.

[SPC Says: C+]

A code was received by SPC from the publisher for the purpose of writing this review.

The Tuesday 10s - E3 Moments

In less than a week and after a year's absence, E3 returns with E3 2021. This is traditionally the gaming megaevent where the biggest players in gaming converge to reveal the latest cornucopia of software and sometimes even hardware that will make waves in the following year and beyond. E3 2021 is quite different this year compared to previous events--being all digital for one, and also lacking one of its biggest players, PlayStation, which won't be attending this year in any capacity. Still, E3 is essentially "Gaming Christmas" for many, and with this installment of The Tuesday 10s, I wanted to mention some of SPC's most favorite, memorable moments that have happened in E3's illustrious past--both high highs and low lows. 

"Everyone is Here!"

We're going to start with the most recent memorable moment of E3 and go back in time from here with Nintendo's E3 2018 showcase. Now, if you weren't a fan of Super Smash Bros., then this showcase was quite a bit of torture for you, as it took up a significant portion of the presentation. However, for everyone else, Masahiro Sakurai revealed something truly spectacular for the latest game in the Super Smash Bros. series. Not only was almost every stage returning from past Smash Bros. games, but every single playable character ever featured within a Smash Bros. title would return for the game. It was a hype-worthy announcement for Smash fans that really put the "Ultimate" in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle Reveal

After having leaked early, as is typical of many Ubisoft projects in all honesty, Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle was prematurely mocked and made fun of. The idea of the game seemed ridiculous to many, offering nothing that many Nintendo fans and gamers like wanted. However, when the game was officially revealed at Ubisoft's E3 2017 presentation, the game got an immediate 180 in opinion. Not only did game development guru Shigeru Miyamoto appear on stage with Ubisoft's CEO Yves Guillemot in an impressive display, but Mr. Miyamoto would talk about the game as well to further hype potential players. This worked considerably, and it made for an incredibly heartwarming moment when the game's creative director Davide Soliani couldn't contain himself and started to cry at the overwhelming positive response to the game he helped make and a gaming hero in Miyamoto speaking about the game as well. In such an oftentimes cynical and downright trashy at times industry, it was a breath of fresh air to see a lovely moment like this at E3.

The PlayStation Trinity 

Sony's E3 2015 was the stuff of legends--nay, the stuff of dreams. Three long awaited games were finally announced in one stellar showing of a conference. Final Fantasy VII Remake was one of these, offering an official announcement after a tech demo tease several years and E3s prior. Then, there was The Last Guardian, though smaller in stature by comparison, exited its perceived vaporware territory and saw an updated trailer and more. Finally, the next installment of Yu Suzuki's Shenmue series, Shenmue III, received an announcement and subsequent trailer as well. While the quality of this trio of games varied at the end of the day, it was without question an awesome sight to see during Sony's E3 2015 showing.

PlayStation's Used Games Tutorial

After Xbox pretty much crapped the bed with its reveal of the Xbox One at E3 2013, the waters were red with the sight of blood, and PlayStation was ready to pounce. The fear of used games no longer being an actual thing after Xbox's event sent chills down the spines of many gamers, so the question of whether Sony's PlayStation would follow suit with its PS4 hung in the air. However, that question was definitively answered with echoes that reverberate throughout the gaming world during PlayStation's E3 2013 event. One simple, short, and sweet video would reveal the answer that used games were here to stay on Sony's console, and that answer ended in an exclamation point that delighted gamers all around the world. 

Nintendo 3DS Reveal

We'll see another debut of a Nintendo handheld later in our journey through E3s past, but first let's take a look at what is currently the last dedicated handheld Nintendo has made: the Nintendo 3DS. The system debuted at E3 2010, offering the promise of glasses-free 3D--nowadays a throwaway gimmick of sorts, but then was a cool innovation (and to be fair, it did make many games on the system much more appealing and immersive), as well as new games in classic Nintendo series such as the return of Pit in a starring role with Kid Icarus: Uprising, the Nintendo 3DS seemed poised to make waves right out of the gate. Sure, soon after we'd get the price announcement of $250 and a lackluster launch lineup that would result in the 3DS stumbling early on, requiring a quick price drop and some ambassador games to early adopters. Still, it's all too easy to forget about that since the handheld now ended up with one of the best libraries of any portable. Your mileage will vary, of course, on that, though!

Konami's Bizarre but Awesome 2010 Conference

Awkwardness is just natural when you're doing a live show, but Konami took it to almost uncomfortable levels at times with its 2010 conference at E3. There was Tak Fujii's utterings of "one million troops", his unenthusiastic "wow", and "extreeeeeeeme"-ness. There were luchadores slapping one another, a stare that could kill involving two developers of Silent Hill: Downpour, and stage demos that were painful to watch at best. All in all, you have one of the most unforgettable and humorous (for all the wrong reasons) press conferences in E3 history. Needless to say, Konami took a different tact and approach with its future E3 showcases.

Sony's E3 2006 Misfire 

A "misfire" is a kind way of putting Sony's E3 2006, one that would spawn countless (read: endless) memes and jokes from its presentation. This was at a time when Sony and PlayStation were at its cockiest, resulting in some much needed hubris. Sony ultimately got just that with a showcase haunted by the cries of "RIIIIIIIIDGE RACER", "giant enemy crabs", and a price reveal for the PlayStation 3 that practically handed Nintendo and Microsoft the generation. While Konami's 2010 press conference was more comical and bizarre than anything, Sony's was almost painful to witness. You'd have hot takes soon after on how Sony killed their brand, but fortunately, the PS3 rebounded through some aggressive moves, and nowadays the PlayStation brand is as strong as it ever was--maybe even more so. 

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess Reveal

Say what you will about The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess today--I personally adore the game, but others aren't too hot on it--but the announcement and reveal of the game was no doubt incredible. After The Wind Waker's more colorful and cartoony style, the promise of a more "mature" Zelda game sent many Nintendo fans into an absolute frenzy with a trailer for Twilight Princess that echoed with a stirring symphony and choir vocals. Then, by the end of the trailer, Shigeru Miyamoto took the stage, waving the Master Sword and Hylian Shield in his usual charming and cool way. This marked the end of a rather impressive showing for Nintendo, after having conceded marketshare to both Sony and the then-new player in the market, Microsoft. It showed that Nintendo was down but ultimately nowhere near out.

Nintendo DS Reveal

From the same E3 2004 press conference that introduced the world to both The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess and Reggie Fils-Amie, the world also saw the debut of one of gaming's most successful platforms of all time and the most successful handheld of all time: the Nintendo DS. Featuring two screens, a bottom touch screen, local and more excitingly Wi-Fi communication for free online play, the astonishment that was a new premiere Metroid game that was revealed along with the system, and much more, the Nintendo DS was like Reggie at the show--ready to kick ass, take names, and was all about playing games. And as the sales and impressive run of the system shows, the rest--as they say--is history.

"$299."

We end our trip through memorable E3 moments with the very first E3 and the moment that made PlayStation an immediate important player in the gaming industry. It was E3 1995, and SEGA was riding high on not its announcement of its Saturn gaming console. Not just that, but the company had announced that the system was having a surprise launch immediately after its show. Priced at $399, SEGA was feeling great about itself. Well, that was until this new, young, fresh face in the gaming scene, Sony saw its first opportunity to witness blood in the water and the company surely struck hard. At the time, SCEA's president was Steve Race, and he promptly took to the stage during E3 to talk about this then-unknown quantity called the PlayStation. All he had to utter was one thing, "$299", and then he promptly left the stage no sooner than he had taken it. Applause then shook the room, followed by a death knell to any sign of the SEGA Saturn's success. A new player jettisoned into the gaming arena with a bold and ultimately successful play, which changed the gaming landscape forever. 

===

What E3 moments are your favorites and most memorable to you? And if you have a topic you'd like to see featured on a future installment of The Tuesday 10s, let the SPC community know in the comments section below as well!

King of Seas (NSW, PS4, XB1, PC) Review

After SuperPhillip Central's weekend celebration, commemorating 13 years of SPC, we now turn towards what will be our 1,000th review in just two more reviews! But, let's not make haste, as we have King of Seas on deck for the review treatment. This high seas action-adventure game is all about pirating, plundering, and possibly whatever else your heart desires! Does King of Seas sink or swim? Let's find out with the SPC review.

King of Zzzs

Yo-ho-ho! A pirate's life for me! Combine Sid Meier's Pirates with some of Rare's Sea of Thieves, and you have a small sampling of what 3DClouds and Team17's King of Seas has in store for its prospective pirates on its procedurally generated seas. Unfortunately, a strong start to this adventure is followed by a massive grind and giant annoyances that send this top-down perspective pirate game sinking to the bottom of the briny deep.

King of Seas starts off promising enough, offering a tale of revenge and redemption as your character's father, the king, is murdered, and your name is number one on the list of suspects. The royal armada sinks your ship after a tutorial mission, leaving the scene promptly after assuming you went down with the ship. Unfortunately for them but fortunately for you, you're taken under the tutelage of a band of pirates who decide to help you in your quest to clear your name and find the person or persons responsible for the murder of your father.

Your ship is yours to customize as you "sea" fit, so outfit away and set sail!

You start off your newfound pirate life with a ship that the pirate boss gives you, and you're able to outfit it with a wide arrange of equipment to boost its stats and abilities, such as hulls, decks, sails, crew, cannons, and more. You can either find new equipment from plundering sunken vessels, destroying ships for their goods, salvaging it from the bottom of the sea, or even simply purchasing it from one of many port towns around the world. As the game sports a procedurally generated world, no two adventures on the high seas are ever alike.

Ahoy, captain! A sunken vessel to loot for booty!

But, quickly you soon will discover that the pirate life in King of Seas is less of a thrill and much more of a grind. This isn't just relegated to the never-ending supply of simple side quests, such as sinking a certain ship, delivering goods to another port, or escorting ships to safety as they slowly sail behind you. No, this is true of the main campaign missions as well. An early one requires you to earn 20,000 Gold in order to purchase a new ship. Fine enough, but this essentially requires the aforementioned tedious and rote side quests, many of which have no rhyme or reason for their difficulty ratings. One mission requires you to deliver a package to another port, and that is somehow worth the same amount of experience as having to destroy a particular ship that can sink you in two hits.

The "no rhyme or reason" rule applies to more than just side quests. It's beyond my understanding how damage is equated in King of Seas' naval battles, too. Sometimes an enemy who is the same level as you will sink you in a few shots while other times it will take seven or eight. The fact that battles are relatively basic and amount to circling around one another, waiting for your ship's cannons to be pointed at the enemy in order to damage them, didn't instill any pleasure either. Additionally--and as I found out the hard way--other ships level up with you throughout your journey, so the only real reason to accumulate experience is for earning new perks and abilities.

Skirmishes on the seas can sometimes show some moments of excitement. Sometimes.

Furthermore, death in King of Seas--or at least getting your boat destroyed--results in you being transported all the way back to the pirate base. Generally, this is located far away from any other notable location in the game. Thus, having the "pleasure and privilege" of sailing halfway across the world map just for a chance to possibly succeed at a mission, only to fail, sink, and get sent all the way back to the pirate base is less than fulfilling and more than frustrating. I felt I was wasting my time with the game when I was sunk, as not only is combat boring and tedious, but failing and being transported back to the WAY-out-of-the-way base isn't too motivating. Quite the opposite, in fact. The lack of any fast travel options is further disappointing.

It also doesn't help that your ship initially sails at a glacial pace, even with full sails up. Contending with the wind is simply obnoxious, as I found it generally going in the opposite direction I needed to head. Now, controlling your ship, whether it be a Sloop, a Frigate, or what have you, is an enjoyable enough process. You use the front bumpers of the controller to raise and lower your sails. Up to three sails can be raised for maximum speed, and the left bumper lowers them, so you can turn and corner more easily. The back triggers access the cannons, with LT firing the left cannons and RT firing the right. Through slowing your ship to a stop by lowering all of your ship's sails, you can use medical packs on your ship to heal it--but only if it's at a dead stop without any enemies around. Otherwise, you'll be a sitting duck with foes around you, as you desperately try to heal, and your ship will end up being at a literal dead stop.

One of many port towns within the procedurally generated world of King of Seas.

King of Seas isn't smooth sailing in its presentation, either. The Nintendo Switch version, which was the build of the game I played for review, has some choppy frame-rate issues, not just in sea skirmishes with enemy ships, but also just normal sailing as well. Another issue I have with the game's presentation is that the font for ship names and other aspects of the game are just way too tiny. It's difficult to read them at least on the Switch's handheld screen, and even on a TV, they're just unacceptably small. Meanwhile, on a more positive note, I did enjoy the music while sailing the seas and doing battles with other boats. It has your typical, heroic, swashbuckling sound to the themes, and I appreciated the melodies and feel of each piece presented to my aural cavities. 

Between the groan-worthy grind that is the campaign and utterly uninspired side quests, and tons of time wasted within its slow sailing, lack of fast travel, and punishing deaths, King of Seas is a lot of floundered potential. The base of the game is inspired with regard to controlling your ship and presents some excellent ideas, but the game's economy, glacial sailing speed, and campaign woes all lead to a game that capsizes not too long after the adventure starts to unfold.

[SPC Says: C-]

A code was received by SPC from the publisher for the purpose of writing this review.

SuperPhillip Central's 13th Anniversary Celebration: A Banner Kind of Day - A History of SuperPhillip Central Through Banners

As of this past Saturday, SuperPhillip Central as a site is 13 years old. That's a lot of posts, reviews (which, as an aside, the 1,000th review will be published this month), articles, and history. The latter piece is especially important, and it just so also happens to be the focus of this particular article. I wanted to take a quick look back--and not to sniff SPC's own farts here--at the history of SPC through a visual component: our site's banners over the years. Starting back in 2008, SuperPhillip Central was an incredibly simple blog with but a lot of quantity not so much quality when it came to posts. It's my hope that the opposite is more true nowadays, and that I've established a better balance with my writing and posts.

Nevertheless, on June 5, 2008, SuperPhillip Central was born. We had a relatively basic banner, but it gave the blog a cozy, personal approach. Pardon all the poorly designed "snow" that I plastered all over and ruined this banner for, but this is the only version of the original banner that I have left. It featured the SuperPhillip sprite (an edit off Mega Man 7's Mega Man sprite, of course) against a cool-looking futuristic city. I don't recall who originally made the banner, but without their generous help, perhaps SuperPhillip Central wouldn't have reached the same level of success as we have today. (Oh, lord, that totally sounds like I'm blowing smoke up my own butt here, so I apologize for that!) That said, I thank the original creator of this banner: whoever and wherever you are!

A year later, SuperPhillip Central's banner started to resemble what you see nowadays, at least with its color scheming. There is the standard red and blue, but the logo of course is much different. I originally was going to use the logo (aside from the "Central" part) for a goofy test project I was making in one of the RPG Maker PC games. But, fortunately, I was able to recycle the logo for the banner of the blog! Here's what it looked like in December 2009, complete with the actual blog. What a trip this was, finding it! It even has SuperPhillip in a poorly-made-by-me Santa hat! (There's a trend here that if this was an early banner, and something looked terribly off about it, you can bet I had my hand in making it!)

SuperPhillip Central would eventually go into what I like to joke as its "goth phase", with a dark background with a cyber feel to it. This is where this next banner popped up, and it should be immensely familiar to those of you out there reading the blog today!

Not only did SuperPhillip Central have a new banner and new logo, but around 2015-2016, our blog featured an alternating banner. It was luck of the draw which one you'd get, and those three banners above are just a sampling of what was available to viewers. It wouldn't be until around 2017 that SuperPhillip Central would adjust to what you see nowadays on the blog's banner: a new themed banner, generally of the big games releasing and/or being reviewed that particular month. 

Like so! This one from November 2017, featured two platforming juggernauts: Mario and Sonic, though their games couldn't be more different on a quality basis. Yes, even as someone who liked Sonic Forces, this much was obvious! 

This would lead to specialty banners for SuperPhillip Central, such as this one for the site's 10-year anniversary three years ago:

And finally, let's not forget the special SuperPhillip Central Best of [insert year here] Awards series of banners, such as this one:

I was particularly proud of this one, as other than the original logo/banner, everything else was edited by me in Inkscape. That's a far cry from my crappy looking snow in our December 2008 banner! I mean, sure, it's still nothing special, but I made it my own two hands!

...ANYWAY... I hope this relatively quick journey through some of the history of SuperPhillip Central through its banners has been an enjoyable one, AND I hope it wasn't too self-congratulatory either. I tried to walk a fine line between talking about the history without patting the site's back too much. I probably failed, so I apologize. 

But, this is where you come in. Without your views, without your comments, without simply your engagement with this site, SuperPhillip Central would serve very little purpose. Sure, it's fun to write, but it's even more fun to engage with you, the reader and the audience that this site has fostered. You are truly special to me, whether you're a regular reader, a frequent commenter, or you just passed by once or twice and then said, "nope, this site isn't for me." Thank YOU for everything, and for making writing for SuperPhillip Central these past 13 years (and hopefully more as we move forward together) very much worth it!

- Phil

(As an aside, I think I used this somewhat dopey drawing as part of SPC's banner in 2012. It was so short-lived that I don't even have a copy of it anymore in my files! As you can imagine, the feedback from the less-than-excellent attempt at digital artwork was less-than-well...super!)

SuperPhillip Central's 13th Anniversary Celebration: Games of the Year Throughout the Years

Welcome to the beginning of SuperPhillip Central's 13th anniversary celebration! This entire weekend dedicates itself to the celebration of SPC being online for 13 years now. Today of all days is the actual anniversary of SuperPhillip Central. 13 years ago, on June 5th, 2008, SuperPhillip Central debuted. It was a much smaller scale, much less professional (well, if you can even imagine that since SPC isn't the most professional gaming site around even to this day!) site, and now we've grown quite considerably over the past decade and some change.

This weekend features a couple of unique articles to help commemorate the 13th anniversary, and that begins this morning with a trip back in time. For the past 13 years and at the conclusion of every calendar year, SuperPhillip Central does another kind of celebration--this time of the best and brightest in gaming for that year. It's always the SuperPhillip Central Best of [insert year here] Awards! For this first special anniversary article, I've decided to take a look back at each of the previous 13 games awarded SPC's prestigious Game of the Year honors and see what my thoughts are about them in 2021. So, let's get started, shall we!

Game of the Year 2008: LittleBigPlanet (PS3)

What I said then: 

"With 40 cleverly concocted levels already in the game from Media Molecule to explore and collect costumes, stickers, and level pieces in, one of the deepest level creators ever seen on a console, and a multitude of users designing mind-boggingly awesome levels both based off games and totally unique, LittleBigPlanet is my personal Game of the Year. It was a close race with Brawl as both games scored the same, but not only is LBP a new franchise but it's one that I've already spent an exhaustive amount of time creating levels and playing online with friends."

What I say now:

It's quite bizarre to think that 13 years ago I was doing my very first SuperPhillip Central Best of... Awards show. Time certainly does fly. It's less bizarre, however, that my pick for the Game of the Year for 2008 was none other than the original LittleBigPlanet. For one, it checked the box of being in my favorite genre: the platformer, and for another thing, it incorporated some of the most incredible and infinitely ingenious and full of sensational tools to help players make crafty creations, whether unique objects for full-scale levels. While later games in the series, particularly LittleBigPlanet 2, have since outshined and out-crafted the original LBP, I still hold Media Molecule's original opus with high regard an even higher esteem.

Game of the Year 2009: New Super Mario Bros. Wii (Wii)

What I said then:

"Another platformer earns game of the year. I must be sensing a pattern here. Regardless, with over seventy-five levels, nine worlds (one hidden), multiple cool power-ups like the awesome propeller cap that lets your hover and float in the air for a limited time, catchy music, and a bounty of hilarious multi-player experiences, there's no doubt in my mind that New Super Mario Bros. Wii is the game of the year."

What I say now:

This is another case of a game that won Game of the Year honors at SuperPhillip Central that has since had better, more improved sequels. It's certainly true that New Super Mario Bros. Wii remains an excellent entry in the 2D Mario series, as it's astonishingly capable and magnificent on a level design basis, but for me, New Super Mario Bros. U on Wii U surpassed it in quality. Does that mean I would change my thoughts about the Wii entry today and perhaps change what I would have chosen as Game of the Year for 2009? Absolutely not. New Super Mario Bros. Wii, though as much as it's easy to ignore and forget, introduced so many--for lack of a better word--NEW things within 2D Mario like multiplayer and various power-ups, that it's hard to ignore how important it is to the series' evolution. Or, depending on who you are, lack thereof with regards to evolution.

Game of the Year 2010: Super Mario Galaxy 2 (Wii)

What I said then:

"With more diversity than any other game released this year, Super Mario Galaxy 2 is the ultimate video game. It's what video games are foremost all about. Not story, not heavy-handed cinematics, or intense violence, but FUN! And Super Mario Galaxy 2 delivers fun in spades. Nintendo EAD once again shows while they are the kings of video game design with this incredibly enjoyable, colorful 3D platformer. There is no better game this year, and there was some tough competition."

What I say now:

Another Mario game getting top honors at SuperPhillip Central, Super Mario Galaxy 2 did indeed show Nintendo EAD as a top talent within the gaming sphere, especially with regard to platformers. In 2010, I increasingly showed more and more frustration as the video game industry--and often in less than mature ways--towards its focus on wanting to continue to play second fiddle to the movie industry by trying to have games be movies instead of actual games. Nowadays, it's painfully obvious to see that there's room for all kinds of experiences within the industry and our hobby. If only twentysomething year-old me understood that back then. Regardless, and excuse my diatribe there, Super Mario Galaxy 2 presented players with essentially an expansion. It was Super Mario Galaxy but MORE--more levels, more innovative and unique ideas, more challenge, and really, more fun. 

Game of the Year 2011: The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword (Wii)

What I said then:

"The Wii may have went more with quality than quantity in 2011, but it possesses the exclusive that beats out the rest with The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. Following a touching and charming story of finding Link's lost friend Zelda, this entry to this beloved franchise showcases five years of Nintendo's efforts in motion control. What most of us thought the Wii would be at its launch has finally been realized with Skyward Sword. From the intuitive swordplay to the tightrope walking, the bomb rolling and throwing to the wall climbing, and the fluid swimming to the weapon aiming, Skyward Sword shows an unprecedented amount of love and polish in its controls and gameplay making it my choice for Game of the Year 2011."

What I say now:

Again, time certainly does fly. Ten years ago I was awarding The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword with Game of the Year honors, and now this July we have Skyward Sword HD slashing and slicing its way onto the Switch. The culmination of the promise that was the Wii's motion controls, Skyward Sword offered unprecedented awesomeness in its myriad Wii Remote uses. Nearly every means to control the world within Skyward Sword used motion controls in profound and generally fantastic feeling ways. However, as an experience, this Zelda game really hit home the notion and realization that the series as a whole needed some serious shaking up as it was getting a bit long in the tooth. Who knows if the Zelda series ever got that much needed shaking up, after all! (Wink, wink!)

Game of the Year 2012: Xenoblade Chronicles (Wii)

What I said then:

"In a genre that is hard for me to stick with most games, Xenoblade Chronicles hooked me in for the long haul, throughout its 100+ hours of gameplay. With most RPGs, I find myself losing interest a good way through because the game can't keep my engaged. With Xenoblade Chronicles, that wasn't a problem. There was always one hard enemy I wanted to take down, one path through an expansive dungeon or area that I wanted to explore, or one quest that I wanted to complete. Everything about Xenoblade Chronicles is near perfection: the awesome soundtrack (which did win runner-up for Best Original Soundtrack this year, after all), the well done voice acting, the jaw-dropping locales that are rich and ripe for venturing through, and the appealing combat system that demands your attention and great teamwork. Xenoblade Chronicles is without any question my favorite game of 2012. It was a fond farewell to the under-appreciated Wii."

What I say now:

Another game that has already seen a Nintendo Switch HD remaster, the original Xenoblade Chronicles on Wii and by extension its New Nintendo 3DS port are now pretty much redundant when there's a much better, much more improved, much prettier version to be found on the Switch. Nevertheless, the original Xenoblade Chronicles was a breath of fresh air for me as a Wii owner in 2012. I hadn't experienced such an open world before, teeming with secrets, lovely locales, and dangerous creatures that could one shot my party if I strayed too closely to them. It's just amazing to me how this game required a fan campaign to get localized over here, and Nintendo of America begrudgingly accepted, though releasing the game in short supply. Now, Xenoblade is one of Nintendo's most important franchises, and the publisher even eventually purchased Monolith Soft due to the game's success. While I vastly prefer the Switch remaster, there's no question that the Wii game was something truly special back in 2012, and really, it still is.

Game of the Year 2013: The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds (3DS)

What I said then:

"For the first time in SuperPhillip Central history our Game of the Year comes from a handheld device. The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds was a welcome change to the typical formula of the Zelda series. It offered an amount of freedom that made modern Zelda games before it look like they had the amount of freedom of wearing a straitjacket. Being able to rent and then buy items for Link's arsenal meant the world was open for Link to explore, and in Lorule the order of dungeons could be determined by the player. The excessive hand-holding of past games was gone, as was the severe linearity so many Zelda games prior had suffered from. The incredibly quick pacing also was like a breath of fresh Hyrulean air. Combine this with some brilliant dungeon design, familiar locales, an awesome new wall merge gameplay mechanic, and creative boss battles, and you have what we considered to be a genuinely easy choice for our Game of the Year for this sixth annual awards ceremony."

What I say now:

The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds is a Zelda game I consistently come back to, as it's nearly everything that I loved about past 2D Zelda games, only presented in a much more palatable format. The ability to explore dungeons any order you wanted, and freely explore both Hyrule and Lorule, basically shows that A Link Between Worlds was both a bridge and a link between the classic Zelda experience and the more open-ended structure we've seen with Breath of the Wild. The wall-merging mechanic remains one of my favorite gameplay mechanics in a Zelda game, as it really forced players to think in multiple dimensions and was just cool to boot! With a colorful art style, a brilliantly realized world and series of dungeons, and a stellar soundtrack that I love listening to-to this day, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild isn't just Game of the Year for 2013 on SPC, it's one of my favorite games to this day to play.

Game of the Year 2014: Super Smash Bros. for Wii U (Wii U)

What I said then:

"After the relative disappointment that fans experienced with Super Smash Bros' showing on the Wii with Brawl, many felt that they were owed a better game from the ever-hardworking Masahiro Sakurai and his team. Well, while I wasn't one of these people, I definitely am of the opinion that Sakurai and friends achieved practical perfection with Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, a game which not only plays well for both casual and competitive players (and everyone in between), but it is an absolute love letter to any fan of Nintendo history. Super Smash Bros. for Wii U is jam-packed with content-- so much so that even after nearly a hundred hours of playing the game I have yet to see all that there is to see. Most importantly, though, this new console version of Smash Bros. is just an amazing pleasure to play. It feels responsive, it plays great, and it looks extraordinary, making it my favorite game of 2014."

What I say now:

It says more about the type of gaming year 2014 was that one of my least favorite Super Smash Bros. games was Game of the Year back then. Not to say that Super Smash Bros. for Wii U is a terrible entry in the franchise. It's simply not as innovative or as strong as past or even future entries. If I had to select a new Game of the Year, if such a hypothetical scenario was presented to me, I'd probably swing towards Mario Kart 8 or Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze as my picks that had more of an impact on me. That said, I did enjoy a lot about the Wii U incarnation of Smash Bros., as it offered loads of lovely stages, an enhanced roster with some of my favorite additions in the series such as Mega Man, Little Mac, Rosalina, and more, and was the most recent entry featuring those sensationally awesome collectibles--trophies. Sure, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate has since redefined what the Smash Bros. can and should be, but there's no doubting that I had a serious love for the Wii U entry back in 2014.

Game of the Year 2015: Super Mario Maker (Wii U)

What I said then:

"Probably the game I spent the most time with in 2015 was also the one that I enjoyed playing the most. It's Super Mario Maker, and I can't help but keep coming back to this delightful game. It's more than a game, though. It's a level creator to make Mario levels in. While that concept is by no means new, Nintendo somehow managed to make the arduous process of creating games and make it fun, accessible, and easy for anyone to do. Whether you're wanting to create articulated masterpieces of levels or just want to mess about with the level creator, fun is a few seconds away as soon as you pop in that Super Mario Maker disc into your Wii U. Even after several months of playing the game, I still see myself coming back to Super Mario Maker, playing others' levels, getting ideas for my own works, and creating some courses of my own. These reasons and more are why Super Mario Maker is SuperPhillip Central's Game of the Year 2015."

What I say now:

Although Super Mario Maker is quite basic in comparison to its Switch sequel, I cannot ignore how much of a revelation the original Mario Maker was back in 2015, nor the amount of hours I spent dilly-dallying around with the ultra-accessible creation tools. Anyone could make the levels of their dreams, and this particular anyone did. Sure, missing objects like slopes and even checkpoints at launch for the latter stifled some creativity for many, but the pure joy and the novelty of being able to almost effortlessly create a Mario level from scratch was truly something special to behold. Since its launch, the Wii U servers have since gone offline, so many of us original Mario Maker creators have moved on to the Switch sequel, which just so happens to have been runner-up for GotY for 2019. 

Game of the Year 2016: Ratchet & Clank (PS4)

What I said then:

"A franchise that was getting a little long in the tooth due to multiple near-yearly releases, Ratchet & Clank got the reboot button blasted down hard, just in time, and the end result is my favorite game from 2016. This hybrid of tight platforming and run and gun shooting with engaging and often exotic weaponry offered intense gameplay with a dash of slower paced sections as a nice palette cleanser from time to time. Although the number of planets was less than past games in the series, each one was stocked to the brim with personality, character, beauty, content, and secrets. The game also retained the series' trademark humor and off-the-wall characters. All of these things added up to me having a difficult time putting the game down, especially when playing through the game multiple time was so rewarding, especially upgrading weapons and adding to my bolt count. If anything, Ratchet & Clank proves that you can teach an old lombax new tricks, and it makes me eager to see where developer Insomniac Games takes the series next, because this first taste of Ratchet and his robot buddy Clank on the PS4 has left me seriously aching for more."

What I say now:

Ratchet & Clank is one of, if not my absolute favorite franchise in the PlayStation first-party powerhouse of properties. It combines intense weapon-based action with humorous writing and clever platforming and gadgetry to create a series with much more hits and than misses. It's a series that I buy PlayStation consoles for--as Future Tools of Destruction got me into buying a PS3, and then 2016's Ratchet & Clank got me into seeking out a PS4. The latter was most definitely worth the $400+ price of admission to the PlayStation 4 ecosystem, as not only did I get a whole slew of excellent games on my PS4 throughout the years, but also Ratchet & Clank's 2016 entry was a stupendously solid, wonderfully fun and well executed game. It is one that I still think highly of to this day, and routinely return to it to revisit and unwind with. It may have removed some of the content from the very first Ratchet & Clank, which this 2016 entry was a remake of, but really, for me, it cut out a lot of the unwanted fat and excess, while implementing lots of fresh gameplay additions to make for a better game--nay, my Game of the Year for 2016!

Game of the Year 2017: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (NSW, Wii U)

What I said then:

"The developers basically outlined the usual gameplay and elements of the Zelda franchise on a chalkboard, took that board, and erased everything on it, eschewing old conventions to make a wholly original game that still retained that feeling, spirit, and magic of the Zelda franchise. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild bestowed on to players the most freedom seen in any series game in the past. After the initial tutorial area was completed, you were allowed to go anywhere you wanted. See that mountain? You can climb it. See that river? You can swim it. If you were prepared, you could make Breath of the Wild as hard, balanced, or as easy as you wanted in your run. Take to the fiery mountains where the Goron tribe call their home to get more challenge at the start of the game, or take it easy and head to Zora Domain after your departure from Kakariko Village.

The world was your oyster, the sandbox was yours to explore, and the various lands, areas, people, and puzzles making up the land of Hyrule all felt unique from one another. There is something to be said about a game that has flaws that don't tarnish the overall experience for me. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is no perfect game, but what it is - is a gameplay experience, memorable journey, exciting adventure, and lovely game world that has now rivaled some of my favorite games ever made."

What I say now:

Like many of you out there, I was absolutely floored by The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and wait with bated... well, breath for any word of the sequel. I put over 80 hours into Breath of the Wild, and even then, that's on the shallow end of the pool of playtime that many of you have gotten out of the game. I no doubt wish to return to the kingdom of Hyrule to explore the Great Plateau once more, enter into Hateno Village again, roam the seaside, and many mountainous areas. Even with my somewhat sizable 80 hours of playtime with Breath of the Wild, I just hit the tip of the iceberg as to discovering the world. There's so much to see, so much to do, and so much to uncover that simply writing this description of what I say about the game now makes me want to start a new playthrough! 

Game of the Year 2018: God of War (PS4)

What I said then:

"Much like Kratos mellowed and matured from his Greek adventures, God of War as a series grew up and matured itself, too. While I would consider past God of War games to be enjoyable, well crafted "junk food" gaming experiences, this God of War is different. It's something truly special, offering a touching, heartfelt, emotional journey with Kratos and his son Atreus to reach a suitable place to lay the ashes of someone special to them both. Along the way the two's relationship goes through the necessary ups and downs and concludes in a seriously satisfying way. The gameplay eschews the faraway camera from past games, bringing forth an over-the-shoulder perspective instead, allowing for a more intimate approach. This perspective allows players to get more involved and invested with the brutality of battles, as well as invest in the jaw-dropping landscapes and environments God of War presents to players."

What I say now:

You can just imagine how big the grin on my face was when I learned that the sequel to 2018's God of War will arrive on the PlayStation 4 as well as the PS5. This is totally selfish of me, as I don't particularly have a use for a PS5 right now, but at the same time I'm glad more people will be able to enjoy whatever Sony's Santa Monica Studios creates for its sequel to SPC's Game of the Year 2018. That said, while I very much found God of War to be an incredible gaming experience, and one that successfully reinvented and revitalized the series, I would have to say that I wouldn't make it GotY for 2018 if I was choosing that honor in 2021. No, I would choose Super Smash Bros. Ultimate to fit that role, as while God of War impressed me to no end with its creative mastery, world-building and storytelling, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is still a game I enjoy to this day. I've gotten way more bang for my buck out of Ultimate, and the game is just one of the best fighting games I've ever had the pleasure to play. The added DLC and duo of Fighter Passes has only increased my fun and admiration for the game as well. That notwithstanding, God of War remains a masterful title, and I quiver with anticipation to see what Santa Monica Studio cooks up for the sequel!

Game of the Year 2019: Kingdom Hearts III (PS4, XB1)

What I said then:

"Perhaps a big surprise as SuperPhillip Central's pick for Game of the Year 2019, considering that I don't particularly care for the nonsensical story of the series, but Kingdom Hearts III did surprise me with its excellent quality. I loved exploring the more complicated and involved level designs of the Disney worlds--unrivaled in the series by their size, scope, and density, battling tremendous creatures with the multifaceted combat which allowed different approaches to how I wanted to tackle enemies, and I was astounded by just how gorgeous of a game Kingdom Hearts III truly is, even running on just the base PS4 hardware. Moments like sailing an open world sea in the Pirates of the Caribbean world or teaming up with Buzz and Woody to take on the Heartless in the Toy Story Toy Box world hold high in my gaming memories this past year."

What I say now:

Although I was pleasantly surprised by Kingdom Hearts III and do find it to be an incredible and impressive game, especially with the added DLC that Square Enix boosted the life of the game with, I can't help but say that I wouldn't give this numbered Kingdom Hearts sequel Game of the Year honors in 2021. Instead, I'd struggle not to give Super Mario Maker 2 that title instead. Maker 2 is a game that I love due to its accessible and ultimately exponentially enjoy creation tools as is a routinely return to, unlike Kingdom Hearts III that has since been in storage on my PS4 shelf ever since beating it and obtaining the Platinum trophy. Still, I can't argue that Kingdom Hearts III didn't deserve lots of admiration from yours truly back in 2019. I absolutely adored the game, loved its open levels, side quests and activities, its more accessible combat, and insanely stupendous soundtrack, which I recently purchased on iTunes. Kingdom Hearts III may not be my pick for Game of the Year 2019 nowadays, but it's a darn tootin' great sequel and action RPG in general.

Game of the Year 2020: Animal Crossing: New Horizons (NSW)

What I said then:

"A game released at the right place and at the right time, for many, Animal Crossing: New Horizons was the perfect pandemic game. It allowed players to be social with one another in a responsible, virtual way, as they ventured to one another's islands to enjoy each other's company. The game itself is also a true and radical upgrade from past installments, offering more freedom than ever before. The ability to customize and craft your island as you see fit to truly make it your own home away from home was unprecedented for the series, and was a long awaited one, for that matter. Starting with a desolate deserted island covered with weeds at the beginning of the game and seeing it blossom and flourish into a bustling island community is one of my defining moments of 2020."

What I say now:

Seeing as I awarded Animal Crossing: New Horizons with SuperPhillip Central's Game of the Year for 2020 only six months ago, it's not too big of a surprise to see that my thoughts about one of Nintendo's top-selling Switch games has become relatively unchanged. Now, I don't really visit my island of Central much at all anymore, but that is common for me to bounce off a game after spending over 300 hours with it throughout a year's span. It's much more uncommon for me to even play a game for over 300 hours, much less do it consistently over a year! However, I did just that with New Horizons, and although I don't play the game nearly as much as I did at launch and throughout 2020, it will always hold a special place in my gaming heart as the game that helped me through the pandemic, and also simply as the game that is my favorite entry in the Animal Crossing series yet.

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Stay tuned for more of SuperPhillip Central's 13th anniversary celebration, as more of the festivities continue this weekend!