Jim Norman, staff writer
I really, really want to finish Astro Bot this weekend! I’m so close to that 100% mark that I can almost taste it (gross) and have to move it out of the way to make room for the big plate of Switch goodness currently staring at me from the home screen.
The first is Botany Manor. I’ve had my eye on this neat puzzler for a while now and with less than five hours of play, it’s never looked more appealing. I’m also hoping to really give Sonic X Shadow Generations a shot – good Sonic games don’t come around too often, so hearing all the praise made me very excited indeed. Then I have one super-secret title that I’m desperate to spend a little more time with, but like I said, that’s it super secret. Ooh, a mystery!
Ollie Reynolds, staff writer
I’m currently jumping between Yakuza Kiwami and Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze. Both are excellent games, and the vast difference in tone is quite nice. I really hope we see something new in DK soon, because Country games are really some of the best platform games out there.
I also dive into Remastered Horizon Zero Dawn on PS5. It’s not my favorite game by a long shot, but the surprisingly comprehensive upgrades make the new gameplay seem worthwhile.
Gavin Lane, editor
I Halloween trick was a sprained ankle, a trip to the ER, and a bunch of bandages, so this weekend my doctor prescribed me not to do any of that walking malarkey. Which means I have permission to ignore pressing household chores and curl up on the sofa playing video games. Hey, maybe it was a treat after all!
So I’m planning on going to Botany Manor, polishing Zelda, and hopefully committing to something else in the backlog – I wouldn’t mind checking out the first wave of Atari 50 DLC before the second one arrives in a week or two. We wish you all well.
Alana Hagues, Deputy Editor
I’m buried in video games right now! Vampire Survivors is back in my regular rotation, and this weekend I’ll be checking out the Ode to Castlevania DLC — be sure to check back next week for my thoughts! That said, I started playing Balatro again, and it was a solid reminder that this is truly one of the best games of the year. I can’t count how many hours I’ve wasted every night on this.
I also finally started Trails through Daybreak and I’m loving it so far. Van is so refreshing as a protagonist. I also have Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven on my list. Also, the Stardew Valley 1.6 update is coming out on Monday, so I might have to reacquaint myself with that.
Um, do you think I’ve had enough?
Felix Sanchez, video producer
I have a train ride this weekend, so to pass the time, I’ll jump back into Shin chan: Shiro and the Coal City. I absolutely love the atmosphere and feel of the game, so I can’t wait to play more. I’m also hoping to finally finish Unpacking, which I started a while ago. Luckily, it’s a game you can come and go from!
Then if I get a chance, I’ll play some Super Mario Party Jamboree too hehehe.
Ethan Zack, Contributor
I have a fairly limited (and rather mixed) experience with Sonic games, but all the buzz surrounding Sonic x Shadow Generations convinced me to give the series another shot.
I’ve played every classic Genesis title through Sonic Origins Plus and I’m surprised at how much fun I’m having. Something about the gameplay just appealed to me in a way I didn’t before, and I’m finding that I can enjoy Sonic for its unique qualities rather than comparing it to other popular platformers. Dare I say I might be on my way to becoming a Sonic fan? Stranger things have happened this year.
Nile Bowie, associate
Truth be told, I’m a big fan of passive games that can be played on autopilot. I recently realized that PowerWash Simulator added some much needed gyro controls, so I’ve been playing a lot while listening to my favorite gaming and current events podcasts. I also grabbed a bunch of new Playdate games on sale this weekend and will be checking them out.
And despite not being a mobile game guy, I have to admit that Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket has sunk its claws into me. Opening boosters and fighting cards hasn’t felt this good to me since the long-gone days of Red and Blue on the Game Boy.
Kate Gray, Associate
I’ve been playing a few new games this week – Plucky Squire and Arranger to be specific – but apparently I pre-ordered Brotherhood and forgot, so I’ll switch to that! I’ve historically given up on Mario & Luigi RPGs pretty early on, so I’m hoping to stick with this one. I’ve always enjoyed the writing, but there’s often a lot of tedious backtracking/maze navigation in those early levels that I don’t care for!
Gonçalo Lopes, associate
The moment is near! Next time you read my WAYPTW entry, I’ll have reached (maybe even surpassed!) the 1000 physical Nintendo Switch game mark! Until that happens, I’ll be running between TRANSFORMERS: Galactic Trials, TMNT: Mutants Unleashed, Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven, Sonic X Shadow: Generations, Monarchy, Rogue Flight, Ys X: Nordics, and Vengeance Hunters this weekend. Hmm, I might need another twenty-five hours on Sunday to continue this.
I game of the week remains Yakuza Kiwami. Professional duties prevent me from playing this as much as I really want to, but at least this three-day weekend should help flesh out further progress on the streets of Kamurocho.
That’s what we have planned for the weekend, what about you? Let us know in the poll below which games you plan to launch in the next few days.
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