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gamersonthego · 5 years

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Chase Koeneke’s Top 10 Handheld Games of 2018

2018 could’ve been a bummer of a year. The game I was most excited about – Fire Emblem: Three Houses – got pushed to 2019. We were getting a new Pokemon game...but it was based on a mobile game and was fundamentally changing the formula I loved. And outside of Smash Bros., there was little left I was anticipating.

And yet, 2018 turned out to be a fantastic year in handheld gaming. I got a turn-based strategy game that’s up there with any Fire Emblem game I’ve ever played. That Pokemon game ended up being pretty great! And there were a bevy of unexpected indies that kept me entertained all year long. Here are my top 10 handheld games from 2018 (as well as a few honorable mentions).

Honorable Mentions: Mark of the Ninja Remastered, Gris, Kingdom Rush Vengeance, Donut County, West of Loathing

10. Minit (Switch, PS4, Xbox One, PC)

I like to take my time in games – fully exploring worlds, talking to NPCs, reading item descriptions. In that sense, Minit, a top-down Zelda-style game that only allows you to play in one-minute sessions should be my nightmare. But it’s not. In fact, I really liked it. Minit’s limitations freed me from my thinking and made me engage with the game on its level. In a world dominated by GPS and a games’ landscape dominated by easily accessible maps, there’s something refreshingly challenging having to commit the area to memory and make plans on not only what to do next, but how to make it there in time.

9. Golf Peaks (iOS, PC)

I’m bad at real golf, but golf video games, especially the ones that don’t try to meticulously recreate the sport, are my jam. Mario Golf on the Game Boy Color is one of my favorite games ever. Golf Story was one of my favorite games last year. And Golf Peaks takes that crown in 2018. Golf Peaks expertly mixes golf, card and puzzle mechanics to make for a uniquely pleasing combination. New obstacles are layered in world by world and get increasingly bizarre, until what you’re playing is barely recognizable as golf. Golf Peaks feels meticulously crafted, and it makes for a difficult, but rewarding experience. Unfortunately, because it’s so bespoke, it’s a finite experience, and once you’ve completed it, there’s little reason to revisit it. A new world has been added since the game’s release, but after completing it in less than an hour, I’m back to waiting for more.

8. Alto’s Odyssey (iOS, Android)

Alto’s Adventure was one of my favorite games of 2015, a gorgeous and fun take on the infinite runner genre. Alto’s Odyssey further refines the formula by adding in even more things to do. The silky-smooth jumps, grinds and backflips return, along with the sublime wingsuit power-up, but they are joined by Tony Hawk-style wall rides that add a new dimension to the game. With uniquely skilled characters to unlock and upgrades to literally and figuratively grind for, Odyssey will keep you busy for a long time. It’s one of those rare phone games that’s good for play sessions both long and short, and its action never gets old.

7. Final Fantasy XV: Pocket Edition (iOS, Android, Switch, PS4, Xbox One, PC)

I was intrigued by Final Fantasy XV on the PS4, but ultimately bounced off its combat and general milling about. Pocket Edition fixes both of those issues and lets me enjoy what I really like about the game: its story and its characters. The miniaturized version of FFXV has turned it into a linear game with simplified controls (touch controls if you’re playing the phone version). The way it retains quite a bit of the themes and depth (and voice acting) of the original game despite streamlining it never ceased to impress me. And weirdly, playing Pocket Edition has actually reawakened my desire to play the original game. I want to see this treatment given to other Final Fantasy games.

6. Florence (iOS, Android)

Florence is not a game I would traditionally play on a phone. It’s not an infinitely replayable, puzzling experience like Threes or Drop7 or even a Kingdom Rush. But it is an experience, and one I deeply appreciated. Florence made me feel more than any other game this year, and it did it in a game that takes only about a half hour. It tells a mundane, yet impactful story about relationships. It’s beautiful. It’s funny. It’s tragic. But most of all, it’s real, and it uses its touchscreen controls to great effect to make you feel like you are an active participant in the story. It’s somehow simultaneously abstract and extremely specific, and I think it’s something everyone should witness.

5. Pokemon Let’s Go Pikachu/Eevee (Switch)

This is the Metal Gear Solid 2 of Pokemon. Let me explain. In MGS2, you play as Raiden, and you learn that you are being put through a similar adversity to the original MGS’ Shadow Moses Island in the hopes of turning you into another legendary hero like Solid Snake.

In Pokemon Let’s Go, things start familiar enough to anyone who’s played the first generation of Pokemon games (particularly, Yellow). You get a starter, you battle your rival, you face Brock and Misty and the other gym leaders and you stumble into and interrupt a nefarious Team Rocket plot. It’s all there. Except then you run into Blue, who is the real rival from the first generation of Pokemon. Which means your rival isn’t your rival. And you aren’t you. It’s fascinating and I ended up loving it.

Mechanically, it’s a weird mix of adding from more recent games while also stripping away complexity. Mega Evolutions are in. Held items are out. HMs are out. Steel, dark and fairy types are in. And there are some brand-new mechanics like catch combos that are a fun and new way to engage with Pokemon. It’s not all rainbows (I’m still not sold on the GO-style catching system,) but I hope the next mainline Pokemon game takes a little inspiration from these games. And I hope they remake Gold and Silver in this style too.

4. Holedown (iOS/Android)

Holedown became my go-to phone game for most of 2018. While you can beat it in a manner of hours, the game is so addictively fun and replayable with its final, seemingly endless level that you’ll be happy to dive back in again and again to improve your score. Holedown is satisfying in every sense of the word. Endorphins rush when you see and hear massive streams of balls ping-ponging off walls. Hitting the perfect angle to keep the combo going higher and higher is intensely gratifying. It’s so easy to play and understand, and yet you’ll be learning new tricks after your hundredth attempt. Holedown rules. Play Holedown.

3. Super Robot Wars X (Vita, PS4)

OK, this one’s a bit of a stretch. Super Robot Wars is not available in the US last I checked (though it is available in English.) Also, I did not play its handheld Vita version. Instead I played it on the PS4. So, on one hand, this game doesn’t really belong on this list. On the other hand, I love Super Robot Wars X so much, so it’s staying.

This was my first dip into the series and immediately found it to be an incredibly dense and confusing experience. It’s a turn-based strategy game like Fire Emblem, which sounds right up my alley, but the number of things to account for is staggering. To list all its mechanics would be a daunting exercise. Slowly, but surely, I learned to engage with more and more systems until finally, I felt like I could see the code, that I had entered the Matrix. I suddenly knew strategy game kung-fu. The game would set up almost impossible odds and, sometimes after an insane amount of consideration, I’d find a solution. I could boost the range on one weapon for the one turn I need it. Or maybe that shield I’ve never used would actually come in handy here. Oh wait, this pilot has a special skill I could utilize. The solutions are always there, you just have to look for them. It’s a beast of a game, but one I became utterly mesmerized with.

2. Dead Cells (Switch, PS4, Xbox One, PC)

I jealously watched early access PC players make run after run on Dead Cells. I heard people extol the game’s virtues on countless podcasts, and then, finally, the game released on Switch and I too could experience its splendor. And boy, did it deliver. Dead Cells bends over backwards to tailor the game experience to you. It allows you to choose what and when to unlock new skills, letting you further customize your arsenal as you play. It accounts for novice players who need to take their time getting through its sprawling levels while also providing options for crafty veterans who are able to speed through its content. And yet, as much as it caters, you’ll inevitably get to a point in your run where the game says “OK, now we’re going to test you.” I have failed that test every time. I have not beaten Dead Cells. But I am damn sure ready to try again.

1. Into The Breach (Switch, PC)

Where Super Robot Wars X is a turn-based mech strategy game on a macro scale, with an inconceivable amount of systems and options to deal with for your double-digit army of robotic fighters, Into The Breach stuffs all the same intensity into a comparably tiny grid and only a trio of battlers. It maintains the perfect amount of complexity, making every unit, every weapon, every move and every choice matter. It’s the ultimate chess game. And just when you think you’ve wrapped your head around its mechanics, it hands you a new team of mechs that plays completely differently. Runs are short, but meaningful, and the optional challenges (that let you unlock more new teams) push you out of your comfort zone to learn new strategies. Not only is it my favorite game of the year by a country mile, it might be one of the best games of all time.

#goty #gotggoty2018 #chase koeneke #minit #golf peaks #alto's odyssey #final fantasy xv pocket edition #florence #pokemon let's go #holedown #super robot wars x #dead cells #into the breach

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newsupdatedaily · 3 years

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The Best Casual Games for iOS and Android [March 2021]

What are the best casual games on iOS and Android that you should have on your phone? Sometimes, when you want to take a break for even just five minutes or so, you’ll often tend to pick up your phone. Unfortunately, there’s no new notifications, but you still want to look at the screen for a while only so you can tune out from what’s going on around you. You’ll look for your favourite game next,…

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#asphalt 9 legends #bad north #best casual games ios android free paid download android #casual games #Games #gaming #holedown #ios #mini metro #mobile games #mobile gaming #plague inc

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famicon · 5 years

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holedown

#random

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prozd · 5 years

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my favorite things this year

Here are my favorite things I consumed this year.

favorite movies

1. Into the Spider-Verse

2. Won't You Be My Neighbor

3. The Act of Killing

4. Three Identical Strangers

5. Black Panther

6. The Death of Stalin

7. The Anthem of the Heart

8. My Life as a Zucchini

9. Crazy Rich Asians

10. The Look of Silence

also good: The Handmaiden, The Boy and the Beast, Paddington, Undefeated, Captain Underpants, Spotlight, Isle of Dogs, BlacKkKlansman

favorite video games

1. Super Smash Bros Ultimate

2. Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle

3. Fire Emblem Warriors

4. Card Crawl

5. Holedown

also good: Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc, Battle Chef Brigade, Florence, Peggle Blast, Pokemon Quest

favorite anime

1. My Hero Academia 2

2. Aggretsuko

3. Full Metal Panic: Invisible Victory

4. Laid-Back Camp

5. A Place Further than the Universe

also good: Wotakoi, Tsuredure Children, Made in Abyss, Hinamatsuri, Land of the Lustrous

favorite TV shows

1. OK K.O.

2. Terrace House: Boys and Girls in the City

3. Barry

4. Tokyo Encounter

5. My Brother, My Brother and Me

also good: Craig of the Creek, The Good Place, The Crown

favorite board games

1. Pandemic Legacy: Season 1

2. Deception: Murder in Hong Kong

3. Time's Up! Title Recall

4. Azul

5. Clank!/Clank! In! Space!

6. Terraforming Mars

7. Secret Hitler

8. Mansions of Madness: Second Edition

9. One Night Ultimate Werewolf

10. Spyfall

11. Dixit

12. Five Tribes

13. Blood Rage

14. Legendary: Villains

15. Scythe

16. Lords of Waterdeep

17. Captain Sonar

18. Codenames Duet

19. Suburbia

20. Telestrations

#year in review

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ursasru · 5 years

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Despite the lightning stopping the parade, and all the stop and go along the way, I had a great time! It was great to see people i haven't seen in a while, meeting new people, and seeing the contingent grow again this year. I have to toss out a special thank you to Slade, Aries, and Tj for helping me get my backpiece attached., as well as everyone else who kept me from getting tangled up! Also, a huge thank you to Pup Spike and all the pups who helped make sure I was okay and could get to Touche afterward. Now to get everyone to come see the Windy City Kingsmen in Down The Rabbit Holedown at Under The Gun Theater THIS FRIDAY!!!!! https://www.instagram.com/p/BzZuDI2H0eS/?igshid=1eeiw86g1bj6v

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operationrainfall · 4 years

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Nintendo Download for 11/7/19

Well folks, I hope you’re all having a better week than me, since I’ve been coughing and wheezing all week of this Nintendo Download. But as I’m starting to feel human again, I’m here to cover your weekly Nintendo Download! As this is the first Download of November, there’s officially no focus on Halloween hijinx anymore. We have a few featured titles, some new events, the usual sales and some…

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indiehangover · 5 years

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Ball-bouncer games are one of my favorite genres for on-the-go gaming. When I heard about Holedown, a $3.99 mobile game that promised a lot of heart and a terrific ball-bouncing, block-destroying, precise-aiming experience, I was intrigued. I’ve only purchased a couple mobile games in the past – Gorogoa and Super Mario Run – but a polished game of this type sold me on the idea of purchasing my third mobile game. With so many free games like it available, I had to know if the polished graphics, upgrades, and planet delving made this worth the purchase.

Title: Holedown Developer: grapefrukt games Platform: iOS Game Version: Final Review Copy: Purchased by reviewer Interface: iPhone 5s Available on iOS and Android

Dig deep underground by shooting balls and breaking blocks, traversing your way to the planet cores. With limited shots per round and some blocks fixed firmly to the wall, thoughtfully strategize and aim for maximum impact. Knock down as many blocks as possible while collecting crystals for upgrades and getting deeper beneath the surface.

Holedown is a cute mobile game that puts some solid twists on the classic block-breaking, ball-shooting genre (seriously, there HAS to be a better name for them!). For those not familiar, these games typically lay out a screen with various blocks that have numbers on them. Your job is to break these blocks by hitting them with the slew of balls you’ve got. You aim where you want to fire and then let go, and each hit on a brick lowers the number on it by one; once it hits 0, the brick breaks. Each turn, the bricks move toward you, with a new row added behind them, and if they get to you the game is over. To make things even crazier, the new bricks typically have a number at least one higher than the number of balls you fire, so you need to rely on bouncing shots as much as possible each turn.

But Holedown is unlike many of the games I’ve played. Each level (aside from the black hole) has a definitive goal, and you have a limited number of shots to reach it. The challenge is not only to avoid crashing (by having a block come up to you) but also to clear the blocks as quickly as you can so you descend faster. This creates a unique balance where you’ll want to clear higher blocks as fast as you can, but also try to break lower ones so that you don’t get overwhelmed when you rush toward them.

Another major twist is that the blocks aren’t all independent of one another. If you take out a block, all of the blocks above it will be destroyed as well unless they have a screw in them. This blends bubble shooter mechanics in with a new genre, making a perfect shot against the bottom of the screen even more effective since a surgical strike on one or two blocks can clear the whole screen, rapidly boosting you deeper toward the core faster.

Finally, unlike every other game of this type I’ve played, the blocks aren’t all the same size. Some are regular squares, while others are all sorts of tetrominoes (Tetris shapes), and some are even more ridiculous. Typically, the bigger the block is, the higher the number on it will be. But bigger blocks are also easier to hit more than once in a shot, and because they all have rounded corners, it’s easier to make shots bounce like crazy.

As you clear levels, you’ll pick up crystals from some blocks, and these can be used to upgrade various stats. Unless you’re a ridiculously intelligent AI that can calculate every angle perfectly, you’ll need to increase all of these to progress through the game’s handful of levels. I’m a sucker for any game with upgrades, and there really is a terrific sense of progression. Going back to the first level after maxing everything out is almost hilarious, as even the worst shots can practically clear the screen.

However, I was really disappointed at how few levels there were in Holedown. Games of this sort usually have hundreds of levels, and I assumed there would be at least a couple dozen to get through here as well. Sadly, Holedown has only 6 (including the endless black hole), and the progression is wonky. Because there are so few levels, there’s a huge difficulty curve between them. If you’re upgraded enough to make it through the third level, for example, you’ll barely get anywhere at all in the fourth. You also don’t earn crystals any faster in harder stages, so it’s much easier to go back a level or two and grind there than it is to earn one or two crystals (if you’re lucky) in the most recently unlocked level.

Holedown reminds me of what I’d always heard about older online FPS games: sure there’s a campaign, but it’s basically there to get the player acquainted with the game before playing the “real game”. The difference is that, in Holedown, the “real game” is the black hole. The black hole is a limitless level where you dig deeper and deeper until you inevitably crash. Even after unlocking everything you’ll still collect crystals, but they don’t seem to have any purpose anymore. I’ve tried the mode several times after unlocking everything, but there’s not even a “revive for 50 crystals” option or “start 30 meters deeper for 20 crystals” or anything.

The lack of levels alone makes it hard to recommend Holedown when there are so many free games with hundreds of levels out there. It definitely has more polish than a lot of the free games, and they don’t have an adorable mole-like creature telling me to seize the means of production the way Holedown does. But unless the lack of ads is that important to you, or you want to support some indie devs who clearly put some heart (but not so much depth) into their game, it’s likely not worth dropping money on this one.

#indiegame Holedown from #indiedev @grapefrukt is a "ball bouncing spectacle" on iOS and Android, but is the charm, polish, and lack of ads worth the price for this mobile game? Ball-bouncer games are one of my favorite genres for on-the-go gaming. When I heard about Holedown…

#android #Google Play #grapefrukt games #Holedown #iOS #mobile #physics #strategy

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apkify · 6 years

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Holedown v1.0.2 Apk

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#Holedown #Holedown Apk #Holedown Mod Apk

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jkottke · 6 years

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My Recent Media Diet, Special In Denial That Summer's Over Edition

I've been keeping track of every media thing I "consume", so here are quick reviews of some things I've read, seen, heard, and experienced in the last month or so. This installment has a few things on it from a trip to NYC and is also very movie-heavy. In addition to the stuff below, I also finished Sharp Objects (HBO series, not the book) and Star Trek: Voyager, both of which I reviewed last time. I'm almost done with Origin Story...might do a whole separate post on that one. Up next in the book department: Now My Heart Is Full, The Good Neighbor, or Fantasyland.

Mission: Impossible - Fallout. I'm not a particular fan of the series, but this was so fun that maybe I should be? Love the practical effects. (B+)

Bundyville. This podcast came highly recommended by a reader but as soon as Cliven Bundy opened his mouth to speak I realized I did not want to spend a single second of my life in this asshole's ville or town or mind or anything. Maybe this makes me intolerant or incurious? Not sure I particularly care...there are worthier things I can choose spend my time on. (-)

Radiohead at TD Garden, 7/29/2018. I somehow won the Ticketmaster lottery and got floor tickets, so we were about 35 feet from the stage. Cool to see my favorite band that close. (A)

French Pastels: Treasures from the Vault, MFA Boston. I don't have much experience with viewing pastels but these seemed simultaneously alive and dreamy. (A-)

Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain. One of our culture's recent great storytellers. It's dated (and cringeworthy) in places, but that Bourdain voice and perspective is right there on the page, almost fully formed. In the chapter about Tokyo, you also get to witness the prototype for Bourdain's third and, arguably, greatest career as a culinary and cultural observer of far-flung places. Pro tip: get the audiobook read by the man himself. (A)

My new electric toothbrush. Why didn't anyone tell me about this sooner? My teeth feel (and probably are) so much cleaner now! (A-)

Holedown. I've spent too many hours playing this. It sucks I hate it it's so good and I can't stopppppppp. (A-/D+)

David Wojnarowicz exhibition at the Whitney. A strong show about an artist I didn't know a lot about going in. (B+)

Celebrating Bill Cunningham exhibition at the New-York Historical Society. The exhibition was in a small room and featured very few photographs, so I was a little disappointed. But I did get to see the Norman Rockwell/FDR exhibition, including this arresting painting. (B)

Through a Different Lens: Stanley Kubrick Photographs at the Museum of the City of New York. Even though I have the book, the original photos were worth seeing in person. (B+)

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Eighth Grade. The feelings generated by watching this film -- dread, crushing anxiety -- closely approximated how I felt attending 8th grade. Well played. (B+)

Sorry to Bother You. If you haven't seen this, don't watch or read anything about it before you do. Just watch it. (A-)

Arbitrary Stupid Goal by Tamara Shopsin. This had me thinking about all sorts of different things. Recommended. (A)

Succession. This wasn't quite as good as everyone said it was, but I still enjoyed it. My tolerance for watching rich, powerful, white assholes, however entertaining, is waning though... (B)

The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood. Unsurprisingly more spare than the TV series but still powerful and unsparing. (A-)

The Dark Knight. If not the best superhero movie ever, it's close. (A-)

Crazy Rich Asians. A romantic comedy with a strong dramatic element rooted in family & cultural dynamics, women who are strong & interesting & feminine in different ways, and a wondrous setting. Also, put Awkwafina in every movie from now on. (A-)

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Won't You Be My Neighbor?. Fred Rogers was a relentless person, a fantastic example of a different kind of unyielding masculinity. I sobbed like a baby for the last 20 minutes of this. (A)

BlacKkKlansman. Messy. I didn't really know what to feel about it when it ended...other than shellshocked. Was that the point? (B+)

Tycho's 2018 Burning Man Sunrise DJ set. Always an end-of-the-summer treat. (A)

Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure. I watched this movie at least 100 times in high school. Despite not having seen it in probably 20 years, I still knew every single line of dialogue -- inflections, timing, the whole thing. (A+)

Foggy hikes. (A+)

American Animals. This is like Ocean's 11 directed by Errol Morris. Stealing things is more difficult than it seems in the movies. (B+)

Past installments of my media diet are available here.

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