{"id":21941,"date":"2022-01-07T00:01:04","date_gmt":"2022-01-07T00:01:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.gamerdad.com\/blog\/?p=21941"},"modified":"2021-12-18T13:57:01","modified_gmt":"2021-12-18T13:57:01","slug":"carys-best-games-of-2021-awards-show","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.gamerdad.com\/blog\/2022\/01\/07\/carys-best-games-of-2021-awards-show\/","title":{"rendered":"Cary’s Best Games of 2021 Awards Show!"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Boy this has been one roller coaster of a year, with lots of ups and downs.\u00a0 But it\u2019s the end of the year so you know what that means?\u00a0 It\u2019s time for my \u201cBest Games of 2021 Awards Show!\u201d\u00a0 Keep in mind that this is my list only and no other outside opinions contributed.\u00a0 And if a game isn\u2019t on this list, it either just didn\u2019t appeal to me as much or I haven\u2019t had a chance to play it yet.\u00a0 Ok with that out of the way, let\u2019s begin!<\/p>\n

BEST 3-D ADVENTURE<\/strong><\/p>\n

Ys 9: Monstrum Nox (PS4)<\/strong><\/p>\n

If there was ever a time I wanted to give the best game award to two games as a tie, this would be it.\u00a0 Between the other game that got the better award, Ys 9 is certainly the longer, more fulfilling game.\u00a0 But the other title won out in the end for reasons we\u2019ll get to in a bit.\u00a0 Ys is an action adventure hack and slash RPG series with a long and interesting history, and I\u2019ve always been interested in them, even when they weren\u2019t quite as readily available to play in the US.\u00a0 Luckily they are now, and while Ys Seven is still my favorite, I really liked Ys 8 as well.\u00a0 It had a neat tropical island setting with dinosaurs, and one of my brothers even called it \u201cJurassic Park: The JRPG.\u201d\u00a0 It also added some new gameplay elements like being able to build your own castaway town.\u00a0 Ys 9 has a more dark, goth theme as you explore a dirty city and giant prison instead of a colorful tropical island.\u00a0 So didn\u2019t think I\u2019d like it as much, but I ended up liking it a lot more than I thought I would.\u00a0 Ys series hero Adol finds himself in this town and cursed by a mysterious lady, and is forced to stay inside the city with a bunch of other cursed people.\u00a0 This \u2018curse\u2019 gives each of the team a superpower, and while useless on their own, once you get enough powers and can grapple hooks, glide, and climb walls, it\u2019s really fun to explore the sprawling city.\u00a0 Gameplay wise it\u2019s pretty much the same as Ys 8, with you building up a pub in town instead of a castaway village.\u00a0 There are lots of refinements to the things added in Ys 8, though, especially when it comes to sidequests.\u00a0 The characters are really likable, too, my favorite being Raging Bull (can you guess why?).\u00a0 In fact, when I beat the game, I was a little sad that I wouldn\u2019t be able to interact with these characters further.\u00a0 So yeah, while it may not be as good as the previous two Ys titles, if you want a great action RPG you can really sink your teeth into, Ys 9 will really fit the bill!\u00a0 This game also wins because it was there for me to escape when I was having to deal with a couple of rough months in the beginning of the year.<\/p>\n

Runners Up:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Balan Wonderworld (PS4)<\/strong><\/p>\n

A lot of reviewers bashed on this game, and for good reason.\u00a0 But I didn\u2019t think it was THAT bad, so that\u2019s why I put it on the list.\u00a0 Granted, it\u2019s not that great either, but it at least kept me interested until almost the end.\u00a0 In the game you play as a kid who is sad for some reason, but a mysterious magical flying dude with a top hat lures him to an abandoned theater where he is whisked to a magical land so he can help out others with their problems.\u00a0 The kid can don different suits that give him powers, and you must collect statues to open up new areas.\u00a0 If parts of this premise sounds like NiGHTS, there\u2019s a good reason for that.\u00a0 Yuji Naka, creator of Sonic and NiGHTS, made this game, too!\u00a0 Neat side story: one time at E3 I StreetPassed Yuji Naka on my 3DS!\u00a0 Anyway, like Sonic and NiGHTS, I feel like Yuji Naka has a lot of good ideas, they\u2019re just not executed very well in the games he\u2019s involved in.\u00a0 Here is no exception.\u00a0 My main problem with this game is that you have to collect way too many statues to proceed.\u00a0 After I opened up all the main areas, I still had 15 left to go before I could reach the final boss, so that\u2019s when I stopped playing.\u00a0 I think this game probably would\u2019ve been more accepted if it were released in the GameCube era.\u00a0 We just don\u2019t get as many colorful 3-D platformers like this anymore.<\/p>\n

Psychonauts 2 (PS4)<\/strong><\/p>\n

I was really excited for this one because the original was my Game of the Year back in 2006. \u00a0This one is still very good, but I didn\u2019t like it as much.\u00a0 The writing is still clever, but not as funny.\u00a0 Also I was mad this game didn\u2019t get a physical release.\u00a0 There are other reasons why I don\u2019t like this one as much, but we won\u2019t go into that here.<\/p>\n

BEST 2-D ADVENTURE<\/strong><\/p>\n

Metroid Dread (Switch)<\/strong><\/p>\n

This one kind of wins by default, since it\u2019s the only really good 2-D game I played this year, but it\u2019s still a very good game that would\u2019ve been hard to beat otherwise.\u00a0 It was so exciting to hear about this one back at E3 because it had been around 20 years since they first hinted of Metroid Dread back in Metroid Prime.\u00a0 Here\u2019s what I think happened.\u00a0 When Metroid Prime 4 got switched back to Retro Studios developing it, Nintendo reached out to the developers of Samus Returns on 3DS and asked them to make another one like it so people wouldn\u2019t have to wait so long for a new Metroid game.\u00a0 Then they just put the \u201cDread\u201d name on it to get people excited for it.\u00a0 Only problem I have with this game is that as of this writing, I still can\u2019t beat the last boss!<\/p>\n

BEST CLASSIC ARCADE REMAKE\/COLLECTION<\/strong><\/p>\n

Pac-Man 99 (Switch)<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Battle Royale games usually pit you against 100 or so other players as you fight to the death with the last one standing the victor.\u00a0 Most of these kinds of games are shooters, and because of that, I never thought I\u2019d play a Battle Royale style game.\u00a0 But a couple of years ago, Nintendo released Tetris 99, which I still play from time to time.\u00a0 Later they released a similar game called Super Mario Bros. 35, which I dabbled in a little bit, but not much (I\u2019m not as big of a fan of the original Super Mario Bros. game as people think I am).\u00a0 But boy they sure got me with their latest \u201899\u2019 Battle Royale style game featuring a classic.\u00a0 This time with Pac-Man 99, where you play the original Pac-Man game against 99 other players!\u00a0 It\u2019s available as a freebie to Nintendo Switch Online users.\u00a0 It\u2019s a lot of fun, and I can usually get pretty high in the rankings.\u00a0 I\u2019m better at it than Tetris 99 anyway.\u00a0 Plus it has a lot of cool DLC which I bought because I\u2019m such a Namco freak.<\/p>\n

Runners Up:<\/strong><\/p>\n

NEO GEO Pocket Color Selection vol. 1 (Switch)<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Game maker SNK is known for their fighting games, but they also made their own consoles, like the NEO GEO and subsequent arcade machine.\u00a0 When it came time for them to compete with Nintendo\u2019s Game Boy Color, they brought out the NEO GEO Pocket Color.\u00a0 This was a really awesome little handheld, and for a short while, I even liked it better than Nintendo\u2019s portable offerings.\u00a0 And now you can play a collection of ten NGPC games on the Switch!<\/p>\n

Wonder Boy: Asha in Monster World (PS4)<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

There is a series of obscure, but still fun 2-D platformers called Wonder Boy.\u00a0 There\u2019s some interesting history behind them, and they even tie into the Hudson\u2019s Adventure Island series in a way.\u00a0 But the fourth game in the series didn\u2019t even star a boy at all, but a girl named Asha instead.\u00a0 Originally this game was only released in Japan on the SEGA Genesis (called Mega Drive over there).\u00a0 But a while back they re-released it on the PS3, and I reviewed it a long time ago and loved it.\u00a0 And now they\u2019ve remade it with 3-D graphics and other improvements.\u00a0 I love some of the quality of life features, like being able to save at any time now.\u00a0 In the original game, you could only save at certain parts when you talk to sage.\u00a0 That sage is still here, but when you first talk to him he says, \u201cDid you know you can save at any time now? Guess that means I\u2019m out of a job!\u201d\u00a0 Anyway, if you like Shantae games, you\u2019ll definitely want to check this one out.<\/p>\n

Space Invaders Invincible Collection (Switch)<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Space Invaders is just as iconic of a classic video game as Pac-Man or Tetris.\u00a0 We probably wouldn\u2019t be where we are today without it.\u00a0 And now you can play nearly a dozen games in the series with Space Invaders Invincible Collection.<\/p>\n

Cotton Reboot! (PS4)<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cCotton\u201d is a series of 2-D horizontally scrolling shooters that were very popular in the 90\u2019s during the 16- and 32-bit eras.\u00a0 They star a candy-obsessed witch girl named Cotton who flies on her broom as she shoots down foes in spooky yet silly settings.\u00a0 It\u2019s an example of the \u201cCute \u2018Em Up\u201d subgenre of shooters similar to titles like Twinbee, Parodius, Fantasy Zone, or Ordyne.\u00a0 And now the series is coming back with Cotton Reboot!, based on the original game.\u00a0 Darkness has fallen over a fairy kingdom, and a fairy named Silk enlists witch girl Cotton\u2019s help to save the day (with a bribe of candy, of course).<\/p>\n

ActRaiser Renaissance (PS4)<\/strong><\/p>\n

When this was first announced during a Nintendo Direct, most people kind of brushed over it but I was really excited for it.\u00a0 I loved the original ActRaiser and rented it all the time on the SNES, so a remake was a big surprise.\u00a0 The only big thing I don\u2019t like about it is they added tower defense stuff to the town building mode, and I\u2019m not a big fan of tower defense.\u00a0 Here it just feels like they did it to pad out the gameplay.<\/p>\n

Super Monkey Ball: Banana Mania (Switch)<\/strong><\/p>\n

This is a collection of levels and mini-games from Super Monkey Ball 1 and 2, the best ones in the series.\u00a0 Only problem is they somehow ruined Monkey Target!<\/p>\n

BEST EDUCATIONAL GAME<\/strong><\/p>\n

Game Builder Garage (Switch)<\/strong><\/p>\n

I don\u2019t know if this was in response to Sony\u2019s \u201cDream\u201d game, but Game Builder Garage lets you create your own simple 2-D and 3-D games.\u00a0 It\u2019s kind of like WarioWare D.I.Y. except a lot more involved.\u00a0 It also feels like it uses a lot of assets from the Labo games, except without the cardboard.\u00a0 The game also has easy to follow, step by step lessons on creating games, and I think that they\u2019ll give kids the confidence to try programming themselves.\u00a0 It\u2019s one of those games where I can imagine kids saying, \u201cI can do this.\u201d\u00a0 And the words \u201cI can\u201d are very powerful indeed!\u00a0 And in today\u2019s world where programming skills are going to be in high demand for a long time, any way to get kids to be interested in learning more about these skills is very important.<\/p>\n

BEST SPORTS GAME<\/strong><\/p>\n

Mario Golf: Super Rush (Switch)<\/strong><\/p>\n

This one kind of wins by default, since it\u2019s the only sports game I\u2019ve played all year.\u00a0 But it\u2019s a lot of fun.\u00a0 Simple pick up and play controls, and lots of modes.\u00a0 You have your standard golf, but also a Speed Mode where everyone plays at the same time and you make them run to the ball to hit it again!\u00a0 But my favorite is Battle Mode where all the holes are in a stadium arena, and the first to sink three holes first wins!\u00a0 You can also use items to hinder the others here, too.\u00a0 There\u2019s also a Story Mode where you play as your Mii and take on Mario characters in tournaments and level up your stats and such.<\/p>\n

WEIRDEST GAME<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles (Switch)<\/strong><\/p>\n

I love the Phoenix Wright series so I was so happy to finally get this game in the US, as it was never released on 3DS outside of Japan.\u00a0 It\u2019s really two games in one, and pretty meaty, too.\u00a0 As of this writing, I\u2019m still playing through the second set of cases!\u00a0 Not only is this game weird because you play as a lawyer, but also because it\u2019s set in the 1800\u2019s in mostly London and you play as Phoenix Wright\u2019s ancestor!\u00a0 Even weirder is that you match wits and team up with Sherlock Holmes!\u00a0 Well, they call him \u201cHerlock Sholmes\u201d in the game, but we know who he really is!<\/p>\n

Runner Up:<\/strong><\/p>\n

WarioWare: Get it Together (Switch)<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

I love the WarioWare games, and they\u2019re always weird.\u00a0 This one\u2019s a bit light on content, but still fun.<\/p>\n

BEST PUZZLE GAME<\/strong><\/p>\n

Picross S: Genesis and Master System Edition (Switch)<\/strong><\/p>\n

It wins by default and it\u2019s just a Picross game, but I love it when they make Picross games where you make pictures based on other video games.\u00a0 I wish they\u2019d do that more often.\u00a0 I want a Kirby Picross!<\/p>\n

BEST MOBILE GAME<\/strong><\/p>\n

World Flipper (iPad)<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

I\u2019ve always liked video pinball games, even when I was a kid.\u00a0 One of the video pinball games I remember on the NES was Pinball Quest.\u00a0 It stood out because it combined elements of pinball with an RPG fantasy quest game.\u00a0 Granted the game was super frustrating but the idea was neat and I\u2019m surprised game makers haven\u2019t revisited that concept more.\u00a0 But now they have with World Flipper, a free-to-play mobile game that combines both pinball and RPG elements.<\/p>\n

And now for my Best Game of 2021 award.\u00a0 Taiko drum roll, please\u2026<\/p>\n

BEST GAME OF 2021<\/strong><\/p>\n

New Pok\u00e9mon Snap (Switch)<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

This was one of those years where there wasn\u2019t one sure-fire GOTY for me, like there was last year with Animal Crossing: New Horizons.\u00a0 But there was a lot of smaller, really good games this year that could\u2019ve won the GOTY for 2021.\u00a0 And that\u2019s not a bad thing either.\u00a0 I could\u2019ve easily given this award to games like Ys 9 or The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles instead.\u00a0 But I gave the award to New Pok\u00e9mon Snap because it was just as fun and way more accessible.\u00a0 I loved the original Pok\u00e9mon Snap, and countless fans, myself included, have wanted a sequel for many years.\u00a0 And now we finally got one!\u00a0 Took it long enough.\u00a0 Kind of surprised it didn\u2019t happen on the Wii U or 3DS, since both of them had motion controls AND cameras.\u00a0 This was one of those years where a lot of long dormant franchises got their due!\u00a0 Anyway, many people were worried about the new game, since the old one was made by HAL and the new one by Namco Bandai.\u00a0 But you needn\u2019t worry about my favorite game company Namco, as they blew it out of the water.\u00a0 More Pok\u00e9mon, better graphics, more things to do, and the main game is about ten times as long!\u00a0 I thoroughly enjoyed it and the game has universal appeal and that\u2019s why it wins the award.<\/p>\n

And those are my best games of the year.\u00a0 In the comments section, let me know what you think of my list, and tell me YOUR favorite games of the year.\u00a0 That\u2019s all for now!\u00a0 Later!\u00a0 –Cary<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Boy this has been one roller coaster of a year, with lots of ups and downs.\u00a0 But it\u2019s the end of the year so you know what that means?\u00a0 It\u2019s time for my \u201cBest Games of 2021 Awards Show!\u201d\u00a0 Keep in mind that this is my list only and no other outside opinions contributed.\u00a0 And […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":21933,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-21941","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-miscellaneous"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.gamerdad.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21941","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.gamerdad.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.gamerdad.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.gamerdad.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.gamerdad.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21941"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"http:\/\/www.gamerdad.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21941\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":21943,"href":"http:\/\/www.gamerdad.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21941\/revisions\/21943"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.gamerdad.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/21933"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.gamerdad.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21941"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.gamerdad.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21941"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.gamerdad.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21941"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}