Now, that I've accumulated at least 1,001 games, it's about time I play them. And review them. It may take a while, but I'll try to get it done.

Today, May 25, 2012, I have broken the 1,000 game collection record with my 1,001th video game. I do admit, if the website featured all of the DSiWare, PSN games, and iOS apps I own, I would have reached 1,000 some time ago. Still, I'm happy to have reached this level. What's next? Well, honestly, I'm not so interested in future game consoles and there aren't too many other games I desire so I probably won't go any higher than 1,100 which is around the amount of games AlphaOmegaSin last said he had in one of his YouTube videos.

Digimon World 3 (Actually, it was a Digimon World 3 case with Rayman and Spongebob Squarepants: Super Sponge inside)

NBA Jam (Actually, it was a NBA Jam T.E. cartridge for Sega Genesis in an NBA Jam case with a NBA Hangtime Instruction Manual)

I started reviewing it tonight. If I had off tomorrow, I would just push myself to finish, but I've got to run an orientation for students that goes from 8am-4pm, so I'm headed to bed. I want to have this done by Sunday night.

The short version is that I'm giving it an 8/10, with potential for that to be a 9/10 before I'm done. It really is a fantastic game and an incredibly addictive multiplayer experience. My only problem comes from the overabundance of cutscenes (a disturbing trend in modern gaming) which too often breaks the flow of the amazing action.

I thought I'd crap out my thoughts on this game while they are still somewhat fresh. I hope that Journey lovers don't take this as a personal attack, because it's not.

I understand that my personal aesthetic may make me a poor candidate for appreciating games like Journey; indeed, I am so bored by this kind of stuff that I can't get far enough in the game to warrant writing a proper review.

But I have to ask to nobody in particular... what's the appeal? Bear in mind that I am the same hater of all things beautiful and stripped down who doesn't have much love for Ico and Shadow of the Colossus either.

But getting back to Journey: it's a very simplistic game. I may be wrong (again, I only passed 3 or 4 'levels') but here is a title where you can really make do with one button.

The good old Sonic the Hedgehog games only made use of one button function too. But those games offered some semblance of challenge and there was lots to see and do.

Not Journey though. This 'game' is a bland beige tour through a wasteland with cyclopean structures jutting out here and there, involving hopping about and riding carpets to no worthwhile end.

On some occasions, I can pierce the heavy veil of pretentious praise from supporters and see that they love the game because it offers something 'different and beautiful in its simplicity.'

I think back to Out of This World, which was a game that was different and offered a simple, yet beautifully told story of friendship. But that game also had sick puzzles and hard as hell shooting elements. That game killed you a lot.

I imagine OoTW in an alternate universe, where Lester and the big alien just hold hands and run and jump to the end. That would have been something else.

...and I'm done doing Atari 2600 for a while. I have two rough drafts for Tutakham and Atlantis set. I just want to type up a No Escape! review before moving on.

Thank you both very much!

There's a new landing page for the site, which I know is always a surprise but I hope that you'll all find the new layout useful. It should more effectively highlight a variety of new content for people who visit the site for the first time, while the content that more regular users tend to enjoy most is right near the top of the page (or requires less scrolling to reach).

I've posted in more detail on the forums. You can view that topic right here.

In other news, I've taken additional steps to disable iframes on the forum, both in messages and in signatures, as they can serve as a security exploit. I know some people like to use things that include iframes, but there's no telling who might control the content on the other end, so it was an appropriate change. Have a great weekend, everyone!

Good luck, man. Every now and then, something comes along that takes priority over reviewing video games online, and I suppose this just about registers as such.

It's months later, I know, but I'm finally setting the first words to paper in a review of this unique running game. I don't want to spill my opinion too soon, but it's one of the more conflicted opinions I've had about a "game." And yes, those quotes are intentional.

Hey, congrats! The kid sounds really cute. :)

It's a shame you put this in your blog. I don't think people read these anymore, so that's probably why you didn't get any responses. I'm glad I checked, though! I was wondering when this day would come.

Good luck with raising the little guy. If we happen to see any activity from you in the next few weeks / months, then great. But if not, that's fine, too. You have a whole new chapter in your life now, and I hope you enjoy it.

Dragonvale has sucked me into its simple economy. Breeding dragons, waiting for their habitats to fill with dragoncash while asleep and buying pretty decorations such as snowy trees, flower beds and coloured flags. It's beautiful and engaging in a pointless and effortless way. Like Chao but without the personality or effort required.

My son, Grayson, was born today about quarter to 2 PM. 8lbs, 10 oz, healthy, and a very irritable sleeper like his dad [seriously, you lightly nudge this kid and he's like, "I'm trying to SLEEEEEEP WAAAAAAAAAH!"]. As such, you probably won't see much of me over the next few weeks. I hope to continue retro reviews, writing them if I get any downtime. I hope to complete some more Atari 2600 reviews (rewriting my reviews for Shark Attack and Tax Avoiders, and covering some games I haven't reviewed yet) before moving on to something like NES, arcade or Game Boy rewrites.

I actually composed a top fifty list for albums, but I only posted it on Facebook. There are a few adjustments I'd probably make (having since seen them live, Kasabian and Bombay would both be higher), but here it is:

50. The Go! Team – Rolling Blackouts
49. Kasabian – Velociraptor!
48. Mother Mother – Eureka
47. Austra – Feel It Break
46. Bon Iver – s/t
45. TV on the Radio – Nine Types of Light
44. I Break Horses – Hearts
43. The Rural Alberta Advantage – Departing
42. Cold Cave – Cherish the Light Years
41. Boris – Attention Please
40. Lykke Li – Wounded Rhymes
39. Little Scream – The Golden Record
38. Yelle – Safari Disco Club
37. Cults – s/t
36. Moonface – Organ Music Not Vibraphone Like I’d Hoped
35. Jessica 6 – See the Light
34. Patrick Wolf – Lupercalia
33. Arctic Monkeys – Suck It and See
32. This Will Destroy You – Tunnel Blanket
31. Hooray for Earth – True Loves
30. The World/Inferno Friendship Society – The Anarchy and the Ecstasy
29. Asobi Seksu – Fluorescence
28. Yuck – s/t
27. Friendly Fires – Pala
26. Florence + the Machine – Ceremonials
25. Zola Jesus – Conatus
24. Is Tropical – Native to
23. Radiohead – The King of Limbs
22. Bombay Bicycle Club – A Different Kind of Fix
21. The Decemberists – The King Is Dead
20. Explosions in the Sky – Take Care, Take Care, Take Care
19. MUTEMATH – Odd Soul
18. Battles – Gloss Drop
17. Holy Ghost! – s/t
16. Handsome Furs – Sound Kapital
15. Iron & Wine – Kiss Each Other Clean
14. The Black Keys – El Camino
13. VHS or Beta – Diamonds and Death
12. The Rapture – In the Grace of Your Love
11. Starfucker – Reptilians
10. Junior Boys – It’s All True
9. Justice – Audio, Video, Disco
8. Wilco – The Whole Love
7. The Joy Formidable – The Big Roar
6. St. Vincent – Strange Mercy
5. Feist – Metals
4. The Dodos – No Colors
3. The Antlers – Burst Apart
2. Cut Copy – Zonoscope
1. M83 – Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming

Dreamcast:

Soul Calibur (Xbox 360)
Virtual-On (Xbox 360)

Gameboy:

Adventure Island (3DS)
Alleyway (3DS)
Burgertime Deluxe (3DS)
Double Dragon (3DS)
Kirby's Dream Land (3DS)
Super Mario Land (3DS)
Super Mario Land 2 (3DS)
Tetris (3DS)

Neo Geo:

Alpha Mission II (PS3)

N64:

The Legend of Zelda: Majora'a Mask (Wii)
Mario Party 2 (Wii)

NES:

Balloon Fight (3DS)
Donkey Kong Jr. (3DS)
Excitebike (3DS)
Ice Climbers (3DS)
Kid Icarus (3DS)
The Legend of Zelda (3DS)
Metroid (3DS)
NES Open Tournament Golf (3DS)
Ninja Gaiden III (Wii)
River City Ransom (Wii)
Super Mario Bros. (3DS)
Super Mario Bros. 2: The Lost Levels (Wii)
Ubran Champion (3DS)
Xevious (3DS)
Yoshi (3DS)
Zelda II: The Adventure of Link

PC:

Alpha Protocol (PC)
MLB 2K9 (PC)
MLB 2K10 (PC)
MLB Manager (PC)
Portal 2 (PC)

PlayStation:

Castlevania Chronicles (PS3)
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night (Xbox 360)
Lilo & Stich (PS3)
Mega Man (PS3)
Mega Man II (PS3)
Mega Man III (PS3)
Medevil (PS3)
Resident Evil: Director's Cut; Dual Shock Edition (PS3)
Resident Evil 2: Dual Shock Edition (PS3)
Saiyuki: Journey West (PS3)
Resident Evil 3: Nemesis (PS3)
Um Jammer Lammy (PS3)

SNES:

Contra III (Wii)
Final Fight 2 (Wii)
Final Fight 3 (Wii)
The Legend of Zelda: A Link To The Past (Wii)
Super Castlevania IV (Wii)
Super Metroid (Wii)
Super-Punch Out! (Wii)

Turbo Grafx 16:

Alien Crush (PS3)
Devil's Crush (Wii)
Galaga '90 (Wii)
Splatterhouse (Wii)

No, I don't think I'm going to enjoy it. Not one bit.

Top 10 Action Games:

1. Mega Man 2
2. Mega Man 3
3. Mega Man 4
4. Contra III: Alien Wars
5. Contra 4
6. Super Casltlevania IV
7. Mega Man 9
8. Bayonetta
9. Devil May Cry 4
10. Mega Man X5

Top 10 Adventure Games:

1. Tomb Raider II
2. Tomb Raider III
3. Tomb Raider Anniversary
4. Tomb Raider
5. Castlevania: Circle of the Moon
6. Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin
7. Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
8. Metroid: Fusion
9. Metroid: Zero Mission
10. Super Metroid

Top 10 2D Fighting Games:

1. The King of Fighters '99/Evolution
2. The King of Fighters XI
3. The King of Fighters 1998/Dream Match 1999
4. The King of Fighters 2002
5. Real Bout Fatal Fury Special
6. Real Bout Fatal Fury 2
7. Street Fighter II Series
8. Street Fighter Alpha 3 Series
9. Street Fighter III Series
10. Guilty Gear X Series

Top 10 3D Fighting Games:

1. Tekken 5
2. Soul Calibur II
3. Soul Calibur IV
4. Power Stone
5. Marvel Vs Capcom 3
6. Soul Calibur III
7. Mortal Kombat 9
8. Mortal Kombat: Armageddon
9. Mortal Kombat: Deception
10. Rival Schools

Top 10 First Person Shooters:

1. Goldeneye 007 (N64)
2. Halo: Reach
3. Halo 2
4. Halo 3
5. Bulletstorm
6. TimeSpliiters: Future Perfect
7. Call of Duty 4: Modern Wafare
8. Unreal Championship 2
9. Ultimate Doom
10. Duke Nukem 3D

Top 10 RPGs:

1. The Granstream Saga
2. Suikoden II
3. Final Fantasy VII
4. Final Fantasy X
5. Threads of Fate
6. Legend of Dragoon
7. The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening DX
8. Star Ocean: The Second Story
9. Alundra
10. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

Can you provide a link? I think I know where it is on Amazon, but I'm not sure.

I've been playing quite a few iPad games and an NES RPG that I'd like to review but probably won't get around to it so I'm gonna make a few notes about them here.

8Bit Ninja
Simple sliding/dodging game but great fun. Large fruit falls from above as you move your ninja right and left to avoid being squashed. Sound effects are lovely: you hear his footsteps and the sound of melons, lemons, oranges, and dragonfruit falling.

But you also get little coins that fall as well as various devices to avoid death. A shuriken, a shield, a rocket, landmine that you can upgrade from the shop to make the effects last longer. And earn badges for things like slicing dragon fruits, and reaching level 15. Each time you start again and go through the same patterns of falling fruit: at set times the patterns change, with the fruit falling faster, more of them, coming from different sides of the screen.

As well as upgrades you can open new venues and unlock three more variations of ninjas. BGM is lovely traditional chinese tinkling. Soothing.

Didn't get any physical games, though I wanted the new Mario. I did download 4 digital games, though, and...

Pushmo is addictive.

Mutant Mudds is pretty fun.

Gargoyle's Quest is old school goodness.

Dragon Crystal sucks.