I have some time on my hands, and this ROTW hasn't been done yet. Let's do this!
Snow Dragon - Worm Jazz ***REVIEW OF THE WEEK***
Puzzle game reviews are typically boring, but this one certainly isn't! You did a great job of livening up a fairly straightforward game by giving a nuanced look at what it has to offer and what it misses. The smooth jazz portion is on point because why include references to the genre and only utilize one potentially public domain song that doesn't really do it justice? And honestly, I've come to enjoy smooth jazz myself because one of my employees plays it at work and it's actually quite enjoyable if you find the right artists (as you indicated).
OD - Nemesis THIRD PLACE
You basically confirmed what I always suspected about this game: it's another dialed-back Game Boy title that feels like the a mere shadow of what the series has to offer. You did a great job of outlining the franchise without assuming the uninitiated know anything about it, first describing its core elements before jumping into the final point: this is just a mediocre shooter whose only saving grace is a detailed options menu that allows you to cut through some of the late-campaign BS. It's a good review, and yet another bit of evidence to add to the point that OG Game Boy, for the most part, hasn't aged well.
Dementedhut - Columns SECOND PLACE
I remember this game being Sega's answer to Nintendo's Tetris. Here we have another puzzler review that's most certainly not boring because it provides a little history. Also, it rightly digs at the game for missing its creator's point. It was initially intended to be a relaxing match-three piece that anyone could play and enjoy at their own leisure, and Sega tried to turn it into "not-Tetris." Sadly, it didn't work out in their favor, and this is what we're left with.
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It was a tough call for this week because everyone took straightforward games that usually don't set anyone up for good writing material and made fantastic observations using all of them. This was an atypical week that ended up proving you can do terrific work with simple material. (I didn't proofread this because even though I have some time on my hands, I also have other stuff to do on this fine Sunday afternoon).
Snow Dragon - Worm Jazz ***REVIEW OF THE WEEK***
Puzzle game reviews are typically boring, but this one certainly isn't! You did a great job of livening up a fairly straightforward game by giving a nuanced look at what it has to offer and what it misses. The smooth jazz portion is on point because why include references to the genre and only utilize one potentially public domain song that doesn't really do it justice? And honestly, I've come to enjoy smooth jazz myself because one of my employees plays it at work and it's actually quite enjoyable if you find the right artists (as you indicated).
OD - Nemesis THIRD PLACE
You basically confirmed what I always suspected about this game: it's another dialed-back Game Boy title that feels like the a mere shadow of what the series has to offer. You did a great job of outlining the franchise without assuming the uninitiated know anything about it, first describing its core elements before jumping into the final point: this is just a mediocre shooter whose only saving grace is a detailed options menu that allows you to cut through some of the late-campaign BS. It's a good review, and yet another bit of evidence to add to the point that OG Game Boy, for the most part, hasn't aged well.
Dementedhut - Columns SECOND PLACE
I remember this game being Sega's answer to Nintendo's Tetris. Here we have another puzzler review that's most certainly not boring because it provides a little history. Also, it rightly digs at the game for missing its creator's point. It was initially intended to be a relaxing match-three piece that anyone could play and enjoy at their own leisure, and Sega tried to turn it into "not-Tetris." Sadly, it didn't work out in their favor, and this is what we're left with.
---
It was a tough call for this week because everyone took straightforward games that usually don't set anyone up for good writing material and made fantastic observations using all of them. This was an atypical week that ended up proving you can do terrific work with simple material. (I didn't proofread this because even though I have some time on my hands, I also have other stuff to do on this fine Sunday afternoon).
The only thing my milkshake brings to the yard is a subpoena.
