2020 Games in Review

At the beginning of the year, I decided to write down every game I played. Turns out, I played a lot of games! Probably more games than I will ever play in a single year again in my life.

I wrote these reflections very quickly, trying to get it under the wire before the new year drops. I’m not sure who these are for, but in the next year I am going to try and write these more regularly, every month, so that my thoughts can have more room to breath and I’m not trying to remember things so far out from playing them. EDIT: If you like this, perhaps you would like to sign up for an email newsletter with similar (smaller) updates during 2021? https://tinyletter.com/efajardo

Anyways, here we go:

JANUARY

  • Fire Emblem 4: Genealogy of the Holy War (SNES)
    • A tactical role-playing game that has the player command a growing army of colorful characters as they navigate political intrigue across an entire continent and multiple generations.
    • This game bookended my year — I started in January and am finishing it up as I write this. This game is special, the scope of the character drama and the realized world manages to stand above the 3D open world games of today. I also read 2451 pages of the manga adaptation in two weeks.
  • Legend of Zelda: A Link To The Past (SNES)
    • The definitive 2D Zelda.
    • Good game, I replay  it every couple of years but I never finish it. Always get bored of the dark world for some reason.
  • Star Wars Battlefront II (PS4)
    • EA’s controversial take on the popular Star Wars Battlefront series had a rocky launch that caused the game to practically 180 direction over years of patches.
    • I like this game, it requires zero brain and I can’t be good at it.
  • Pokémon Mystery Dungeon DX Demo (Switch)
    • The demo for a 3D remake of a GBA/NDS spin-off of Pokémon
    • I looooove the original game, but wasn’t really interested in the remake beyond using the demo to take the personality test with all my friends. Maybe I didn’t play more because I gave it my heart and it gave me Machop.
  • Dark Arms: Beast Buster 1999 (Neo Geo Pocket)
    • Shoot gun and sometime shoot special gun to capture zombies like Pokémon.
    • This game is weird as hell. It rules.
  • Smash Bros. Ultimate (Switch) 
    • The fighting game famous for slamming together franchises now slams together it’s entire history in a single opus.
    • I will never stop playing this game. There is an endless fountain of design lessons in every corner.
  • Tokyo Mirage Sessions FE Encore (Switch)
    • A spin-off of the influential Shin Megami Tensei series. Pop idols fight demons and vague allusions to a couple of Fire Emblem characters appear?
    • I want to like this game and we have so much in common but I think we are just on different wavelengths.
  • Mario 64 co-op mod (N64 hack)
    • NICE.
  • Out Run (Switch/3DS) 
    • The classic arcade game about vibing while driving a car.
    • Out Run is a sublime game that gets better and better the more you play it. I habitually give it a run when I have ten minutes to spare.
  • Final Fantasy Adventure (Game Boy)
    • A Zelda-style top down action game. 
    • The opening to this game gripped me completely. You awaken in a gladiatorial pit fighting monsters, and then flee for freedom. The fast paced adventure, companion system, and hilariously overpowered battle mechanics captivated me and left me with a memorable experience I will carry for a long time.

FEBRUARY

  • Odama (GameCube)
    • Control an army and their giant stone pinball using a microphone.
    • This game is weird. Solid source of two hours of non-stop laughter.
  • Mario Galaxy (Wii)
    • A 3D platformer with twisty gravity.
    • Beautiful art direction, but the cohesion of the levels seems more random than I remembered it being. Still fun, and maybe in the end cohesion doesn’t really matter all that much.
  • Fire Emblem: Three Houses Ashen Wolves DLC (Switch)
    • 2019’s hit “what if chess pieces could kiss” gets some new pieces — the teenage mutant ninja turtles.
    • The new standalone story isn’t very memorable, but the new characters integrate into the main game very well and open up fun new possibilities for New Game+, which is exactly what an obsessive fanboy like me wanted.

MARCH

  • Asuka 120% Burning Fest (Dreamcast?? Saturn??)
    • Goofy school club captains fighting game.
    • Every single attack can be parried and counter parried, making for the most edge of your seat matches. I don’t know the character mechanics very well, but the game is so readable and dramatic that it instantly became one of my favorite fighting games to watch being played.
  • Granblue Versus (PS4)
    • Stylish fighting game based on a transmedia gatcha franchise.
    • I only skimmed the barest surface of this game but it seems neat.
  • Metal Gear: Ghost Babel (GB Color)
    • A largely forgotten 2D stealth game.
    • This game combines the original 2D Metal Gear design with some more modern mechanics from the 3D games, and it made me hungry for more innovations in 2D stealth. The pixel animation is also g.o.r.g.e.o.u.s.
  • Metal Gear AC!D (PSP)
    • Turn based stealth game + card game???
    • This game trades out action for tactics, and in doing so lays bare many interesting mechanics. Each action is a resource, and there is plenty of time to think over the consequences. I only spent a few hours with it but want to study this game further.
  • F-Zero Climax (GBA)
    • High speed sci-fi racing game.
    • This game is pretty okay. A fine portable F-Zero game, except that the original F-Zero can be played portably, and feels better than this one. The draw distance is limited by the hardware, and that makes racing occasionally frustrating.
  • F-Zero Maximum Velocity (GBA)
    • Like F-Zero Climax, but with totally new characters.
    • I have no interest in returning to this game. I can’t remember what disappointed me with this game, but that might be a testament to how unremarkable it was.
  • F-Zero GP Legend (GBA)
    • F-Zero with an involved story and branching missions.
    • I wonder what was in the air during this generation that led to old franchises trading out their arcade roots to experiment with Saturday morning cartoon narrative focuses. It’s a neat direction to take F-Zero, and I was excited to get to know the characters better but the strict mission design quickly frustrated me and I realized I would rather just play pure races.
  • Animal Crossing: New Leaf (Switch)
    • The long awaited community sim arrived on Switch with a greater focus on crafting systems and online play.
    • As much as anything, game design is about controlling the texture of friction across various activities. Overcoming friction can be fun, and when it isn’t fun that friction should be minimized. Animal Crossing has a particular relationship to friction because it is intended to be played slowly over the course of months. This requires lots of friction — the player’s goal must be far away — but it still requires immediate satisfaction, otherwise why come back? I think crafting mechanics are a great answer to this. It feels good to acquire resources, and it is satisfying to pay them off with a produced creation. Additionally, it has never been easier to share those creations with friends. I think this makes for the best Animal Crossing yet. However, the recipe of friction still isn’t perfected. Some goals come too easily, and many people pay off their debts within days, while other goals have too much friction. For example, I could easily add another room to my house, but I do not feel like there is a worthwhile path to decorating it in a way my friends would be excited by. I played intensely for months and wouldn’t trade that time for anything, but the core reward loop would need tweaking for me to intensely get back into it again.

APRIL

  • Final Fantasy VII Remake (PS4)
    • A landmark blockbuster, videogame’s closest equivalent to “Star Wars,” reimagined with modern technology and design sensibilities.
    • I have no experience with the original, but this game made me understand why FFVII is beloved. As soon as I was done with it I wanted to be playing it more, and that feeling stuck with me the rest of the year. Big, ambitious, sentimental, real and fantastic, the parts that shine outweigh all the things that drag. My favorite game of the year.
  • Resident Evil 3 (PS4)
    • Another remake, of a less classic game.
    • Adapting to the pandemic, this was the first game my friends coalesced around to experience together over a stream. Not as engaging as the Resi2 remake.
  • Heart Throb: Custom Date (Google Sheets)
    • My friends converted this 80’s fantasy dating card game into our own custom version, playable online through Google Sheets.
    • I highly recommend creating your own custom version of the highly obscure 80’s card game and playing it with your friends online.

MAY

  • Crisis Core: FFVII (PSP)
    • A prequel to Final Fantasy VII.
    • The blend of turn-based and real-time action that made FFVII Remake so compelling starts to take shape here, but it is slapped with a random slot machine game mechanic that never lets me feel completely in control. Cool to see the years of experimentation that payed off later.
  • Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops
    • The first attempt at a 3D portable Metal Gear bridges the gap between
    • This game technologically and narratively bridges my two favorite Metal Gear games, Snake Eater and Peace Walker, but suffers from a complicated control scheme and empty levels. Incredible that the MGS3 engine is running on a smaller syster, it has the exact same physics and textural feeling as Snake Eater.

JUNE

  • Advance Wars (GBA)
    • Control cute little soldiers and tanks in a tactics game by the creators of Fire Emblem.
    • This game is so beloved, and the game mechanics and art are incredible, but I was surprised to find myself so repulsed by the cutification of recognizable war.
  • Fire Emblem Heroes (iPhone)
    • It’s Fire Emblem, gatcha’fied!
    • I personally don’t have a problem with gatcha games, but the tactics gameplay is (literally) skippable and the other mechanics were inscrutable to me before it tanked my phone’s battery.
  • Kirby’s Dream Course (SNES)
    • Kirby is a golf ball.
    • This game is wonderful and everyone should play it. Excellent date game, and the Switch version has online play!
  • Mario Kart (SNES)
    • The first Mario Kart used “Mode 7” technology to create the illusion of a 3D racetrack.
    • This game is so crunchy and slippery I love it. I love all Mario Karts.

JULY

  • Puyo Puyo 2 (SNES)
    • Multiplayer Tetris with cute bloby faces!
    • I am bad at Puyo Puyo.
  • Smash Tennis (SNES)
    • It’s tennis!
    • I am bad at Smash Tennis.
  • Panel de Pon (SNES) aka Tetris Attack
    • It’s Puyo Puyo with a Mii Fighter costume in Smash Bros!
    • I am bad at Panel de Pon
  • Star Fox 2 (SNES)
    • A long unreleased sequel to the technologically impressive Star Fox.
    • I had a blast with this game! It is very short, which would have been a hurdle if it was sold standalone, but was perfect for my busy life. Densely packed with excitement — a wonderful evening game.
  • Doom 64 (N64)
    • Doom but with original maps.
    • Fun.
  • Clubhouse Games (Switch)
    • 51 classic games like Chess and Poker given a luxurious digital recreation.
    • Games are part of ancient world culture, and I’ve sometimes dreamed of an anthropologically focused game that preserved and contextualized folk games around the globe. I was surprised to find a sliver of that dream in this. The games are tactile and effective, and playing “Hit and Blow” with my mom made her laugh harder than I have ever seen in my life.
  • City Connection (SNES)
    • A car driving platformer?
    • I do not understand how to play this game.
  • Super Mario Bros. 3 (SNES)
    • Arguably the best Mario game.
    • I have only played the first couple of worlds I’M SORRY I’LL PLAY IT NEXT YEAR.
  • Kirby Air Ride (GameCube)
    • Drive fantastical vehicles from the Kirby world in races and open world competitions.
    • Nothing in games has captured the feeling of Air Ride’s City Trial — a multiplayer open world collectathon. I crave a spiritual sequel to refine and expand on that gameplay.
  • Super Mario Strikers (GameCube)
    • Hockey game turned into a soccer game starring gritty Mario characters.
    • The over the top VO lines in this game are top tier. My favorite Christmas many years ago involved playing this game all day with family and friends.

AUGUST

  • Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (N64)
    • This game invented half of the rulebook for 3D action games.
    • I played Ocarina for the first time in college, so I don’t have nostalgia for it, but experiencing it again I was struck by how gorgeous the art direction is. The beauty of those spaces shakes me emotionally just thinking about them.
  • Man of Medan (PC)
    • An interactive schlocky horror game from the creators of Until Dawn.
    • Tried to play it with friends, but it could not overcome the conversations we would rather be having with each other.
  • Sekiro (PS4)
    • Dark Souls but with katanas
    • Never played a Souls game before, but I tried this one because I like parrying. I am the only person on earth who thinks From Software games look ugly.
  • A Short Hike (Switch)
    • Take Breath of the Wild and Animal Crossing and shrink it down to the purest essence.
    • Best game I played all year. I cried at how perfect it is.
  • Mega Man 7+8+9+10 (SNES)
    • Mega Man.
    • After jumping from the NES to the SNES, Mega Man suddenly had to search for an evolution. The game was once hallmarked by pure simplicity, but the technological leap daunted it out of continuing that path. None of these games seemed to have a definitive answer, as each swerved to wildly different approaches.
  • Mega Man X 1+2+3+4+5+6+7+8 (Various)
    • Mega Man reboot.
    • I can’t remember the distinct games very much, but seeing the series evolve from it’s very pure and simple roots into a totally different wild thing was like seeing the entire history of videogames flash before my eyes. I played each game for an hour or two, but I didn’t realize that still added up to more than 16 hours straight.
  • Mega Man Z 1+2+3+4 (GBA)
    • Mega Man reboot rebooted with a new protagonist and mission structure.
    • After swimming in the confusing miasma of Mega Man X, these games offered a solid identity that I immediately grabbed onto. I spent much more time with these and would have happily finished them if there weren’t more games I wanted to explore.
  • Mega Man ZX 1+2 (DS)
    • Mega Man reboot rebooted.
    • I got bored.
  • Fall Guys (PS4)
    • 100 players push each other off obstacle courses.
    • I cynically bounced off this sensation instantly. I love the game on paper, but I couldn’t feel in control of my character and I didn’t see any way to improve.

SEPTEMBER

  • Mirror’s Edge Catalyst (PS4)
    • A big budget sequel to a first-person platforming experiment.
    • The more this game gets forgotten the more I find myself thinking about it. The bloat of a AAA release breaks the parts that people loved about the original, but I find every creative decision and their ramifications fascinating. 
  • Super Mario 3D Land (3DS)
    • This Mario combines 3D gameplay with 2D level design sensibilities.
    • I always have a good time playing this game, but with some distance I can see that it is less bursting with ideas than the Wii U follow-up, and my memories of this game are fairly uniform.
  • Mega Man 1+2+3+4+5+6 (NES)
    • The original Mega Mans.
    • I beat some classic Mega Mans for the first time and had a great time! My journey is complete, I now feel like I understand Mega Man, and I love it.
  • Metroid Prime (GameCube)
    • The eerie alien exploration game goes 3D.
    • This game holds a treasured place in my memories, but the mystery of exploration can’t be recaptured in a replay, and the combat alternated from boring to frustrating in a way that killed my enthusiasm.
  • PUBG (PS4)
    • The original breakout Battle Royale game.
    • I played this game a ton on my phone last year and was very good at it, and was shocked by how unpleasant the console experience was by comparison. 
  • Kirby Fighters 2 (Switch)
    • A fighting game with Kirby that is not Smash Bros. but does look like Smash Bros.
    • Who would have thought that a fighting game where every character has the same silhouette would have readability issues? Any game that invites comparisons to Smash Bros. will suffer.
  • Hidden Folks (Switch)
    • Where’s Waldo but animated and interactive
    • Cute, good, so easy to make you get angry at yourself for not thinking it yourself.
  • Extreme-G (N64)
    • An F-Zero sort of sci-fi racing game with weapons
    • The mechanics do not click into place.
  • Super Mario 64 (N64)
    • This game wrote the other half of how to do 3D games.
    • What can I say about this game? It’s Mario 64.
  • Mario Party 2 (N64)
    • The second in a long series of party games, this one refines it into a definitive form.
    • I love Mario Party. It isn’t about fairness, it is about being an engine of conversation and drama.
  • The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask (N64)
    • Ocarina of Time’s assets repurposed into a surreal and apocalyptic new game.
    • We didn’t play Majora’s Mask this year, Majora’s Mask played us.
  • After Burner II 3D (3DS)
    • Fighter jet arcade game given a stereoscopic 3D upgrade.
    • I played this game so hard I broke off my 3DS joystick. I love it.
  • Mega Man Legends (PS1)
    • A 3D adventure with new characters.
    • I vibe with this game so hard and I wish I was playing it right now. I will come back to you one day, Mega Man Legends…
  • Sky Kid (NES)
    • Cute side scrolling fighter plane game.
    • I like simple games, and I like flying planes, so I like this game perhaps an unreasonable amount.
  • Trip World (Gameboy)
    • A cute side-scrolling platformer with tiny animals
    • I do not understand the mechanics of this game but it is cute and I like it. I will return to it one day and I will understand it.
  • Pokémon The Card Game (Gameboy Color)
    • The videogame turned card game turned back into a videogame.
    • This game rules. I want a sequel.
  • Pokémon The Card Game 2: Great Rocket (Gameboy Color)
    • The sequel to the videogame turned card game turned back into a videogame.
    • Hell yeah, a sequel!
  • Ufouria (NES) aka Hebereke
    • A “search action” platformer with shitpost-Sanrio characters.
    • I am obsessed with this game and it’s characters. One of the rare games this year that I picked up and played to completion.
  • Sugoi Hebereke (SNES)
    • A top down fighting game! Those never happen!
    • Without a translation I had very little idea what was going on, but my love for the character mascots ensures I am going to play this more.
  • Moon (PS1)
    • An anti-RPG that inspired Undertale.
    • I am sorry Moon I will go back to you and play more next year — you deserve it and I did not give you the time you need.
  • Among Us (iPhone)
    • Multiplayer murder mystery that took the world by storm.
    • I was critical of Among Us at first, but after spending more time with it I take it all back. This game is a gem. Totally deserving of carrying so many social interactions in 2020. Viva Among Us!
  • Fire Emblem 1: Shadow Dragon & The Blade of Light (NES)
    • The original tactics fantasy RPG.
    • I tried to play this game by pointing a phone with google translate at the screen. The joke is on me — a few months later an official english release surprised everyone.
  • Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadow of Valentia (3DS)
    • A remake of the 2nd Fire Emblem game, considered the black sheep of the franchise.
    • I only played a few levels before arbitrarily deciding I would play through these games in release order, and now I look forward to playing it in 2023.
  • Mario Kart World Tour (iPhone)
    • Mario Kart gatcha’fied!
    • I played this to get some promotional pins (which then sold out before I could get them). I love all Mario Karts. I won every single race I played. 
  • Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order (PS4)
    • Big ol’ single player adventure game.
    • The mixture of game mechanics and influences produce an interesting flavor, but the balance is not quite right. Like many people, I am eager for a sequel. I have no doubt they will nail it with a clearer picture of what the game is.

OCTOBER

  • Tony Hawk Pro Skater 1+2 (PS4)
    • The smash hit skateboarding games of the 00’s get a new coat of paint.
    • I want to spend a lot of time with this game in the new year and really soak up it’s powers.
  • Sensible Soccer (SNES) aka Championship Soccer
    • Soccer, but up and down instead of left and right.
    • The characters are 12 pixels tall. Perfect game 10/10. All about passing and positioning, with clear view of the field and sublime kicking mechanics.
  • Fire Emblem 3: Mystery of the Emblem (SNES)
    • A remake of the first game with improvements and an entire new sequel.
    • After so many stabs at playing more Fire Emblem, this is the one that clicked with me and unlocked how to play all the others. The level design is amazing, each map produces distinct memories. Great game but I screwed up the ending and can’t beat the boss.
  • Nintendoland (Wii U)
    • Party games that take advantage of all the Wii U’s weird features.
    • While all other games jumped to other platforms this one will sink into obscurity with the Wii U, like a captain aboard a sinking ship. A loss for humanity.
  • Badge Arcade (3DS)
    • Crane game for virtual pins on a dead console.
    • I came to this microtransaction machine five years after it stopped updating. It is part of a fleshed out ecosystem that the 3DS has that the Switch lacks, and I am only appreciating in retrospect.
  • 3D Classics Sonic the Hedgehog (3DS)
    • It’s Sonic the Hedgehog in stereoscopic 3D!
    • Wow, it’s Sonic the Hedgehog in stereoscopic 3D!
  • 3D Classics Twinbee (3DS)
    • It’s Twinbee in stereoscopic 3D!
    • Wow, it’s Twinbee in stereoscopic 3D!
  • 3D Classics Excitebike (3DS)
    • It’s Excitebike in stereoscopic 3D!
    • Okay actually this one is a little more interesting, because they made actual 3D geometry for this conversion! 
  • 3D Classics Kid Icarus (3DS)
    • It’s Kid Icarus in stereoscopic 3D!
    • This is the best way to play Kid Icarus. I was delighted, and played the game up to the end where I realized I had screwed up the level system and trapped myself. Read the manual of old games before you play!

NOVEMBER

  • New Super Mario Bros. Minigames (DS)
    • Various small minigames experimenting with the DS touchscreen.
    • Despite playing these only a couple of months ago, I have no particular memory of these.
  • Star Wars Podracer (N64)
    • A sci-fi racing game across the Star Wars galaxy
    • I didn’t have an N64 growing up, but I fondly remember playing this game at friends’ houses. Not as interesting as my memories of it, as there is basically no interaction between the racers.
  • Kid Icarus Uprising (3DS)
    • An on-rails/third-person shooter by the creator of Smash Bros. and Kirby.
    • Masahiro Sakurai is my favorite designer, and it is a joy to see him deeply in his indulgent bullshit. Unfortunately the controls are a pain to engage with for long periods of time — a game too good for the system it is on.
  • Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town (Switch)
    • A 3D remake of the GBA Harvest Moon game.
    • I can talk about Harvest Moon games for hours upon hours. There is no summary I can write that doesn’t risk spilling into a long essay.
  • Fire Emblem 7: The Blazing Blade (GBA)
    • The first Fire Emblem game to release internationally.
    • Some of the best pixel animation ever made. A breezier game than the others, and refreshing respite while playing the complex and demanding Genealogy of the Holy War.
  • Star Wars Squadrons (PS4)
    • Flight sim with classic spaceships.
    • This game did the impossible: it made me want a flight stick and VR headset.
  • Jackbox 7 (PC)
    • A collection of association party games.
    • Somehow, seven iterations in, these things keep getting better.
  • 13 Sentinels (PS4)
    • A mysterious sci-fi visual novel.
    • This is one of those twisty narrative games where I can’t tell if the destination will be worth the journey. It is gorgeous and complicated, but the narrative design mechanics are tedious.
  • Picross 3D Round 2 (3DS)
    • A sudoku-like puzzle game reimagined in 3D.
    • I adore this game! It completely hooked me and rewired my brain. My obsession became, perhaps… unhealthy.

DECEMBER

  • Picross S (Switch)
    • The first Switch iteration of the 2D Picross puzzle games.
    • Compared to the other Picross games, this one is disappointing. It seems very low effort, relatively, and the only unique game mode is a step down from the standard mode. It lacks any sort of grading that encourages or rewards me for playing better.
  • Picross DS (DS)
    • It’s Picross!
    • The UI lacks some notation features that help the later entries, but puzzles are better designed than the Switch version.
  • Devil May Cry (PS2)
    • The first in a long-running and influential action series.
    • Frankly I had a hard time deriving any pleasure out of my brief time with this game, and I plan on jumping straight to later entries.
  • Pokémon Pinball Ruby & Sapphire (GBA)
    • A pinball game with Pokémon!
    • Did you know the Picross S and Picross DS studio made this game? That fact astounds me. This game is a classic and I would love for them to make another.
  • Yakuza 0 (PS4)
    • A crime drama brawler.
    • Played this myself a few years ago, but re-experienced it while watching my friend stream the entire game. The character drama is so juicy and delicious.
  • Garfield Kart Furious Racing (PC)
    • It’s Mario Kart but with Garfield.
    • I watched my friends stream this so I am obligated to mention it. I have no thoughts about this game.
  • Fire Emblem 5: Thracia 776 (SNES)
    • A mid-quel, taking place during a timeskip in the middle of Genealogy of the Holy War.
    • December was when I seriously dove into Genealogy, and when I hit the time skip I was curious about the fate of some characters so I briefly checked out the opening levels to this game. In my quick time I really appreciated seeing the evolution of the game systems and tighter direction, and I hope I can find time to return to it if fatigue doesn’t set in.

And that’s all the games I played in 2020! I made a conscious effort to explore lots of franchises in as much of their entirety as I could, to see the evolution of their design. I internalized too much to fit into a retrospective of this sort, but the surprising discovery I made was that I gravitate much more to games with strong characters. Metal Gear, Fire Emblem, Final Fantasy, what compelled me to get through any of my frustrations with them was my desire to spend time with characters I loved. I used to joke that games only have stories because single player games would make you lonely without them, and I still believe that, but not diminutively. Without the company of people during this year, I found great comfort in the company of dramatic characters.

Unfortunately, as a creator, I don’t know anything about creating characters. My inability to confidently craft narrative design killed my progress on a personal project at the beginning of the year, so with these lessons I have a new field to grow in.

Here’s to the next year of great games~