Balan Wonderworld was 2021.
5 Likes
Suddenly remembering this 100% percent earnest piece of Balan apologia:
Meanwhile, Nintendo owners finally have a good reason to want a “Switch Pro” – to play Balan Wonderworld to an acceptable standard.
And the clincher:
Is it the worst game of 2021? Hell no. I’d take another Balan Wonderworld over another Bowser’s Fury.
(I know the author well enough (an avowed fan of Aero the Acrobat) to know they are not doing a bit here, and I think that’s wonderful.)
6 Likes
I keep telling people I can’t wait to see the games made by the present day kid who loves Balan. Gonna be wild.
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The year: 2050
Balan Wonderworld has overtaken Earthbound as the number one inspiration game for “indie” games. Heaven help us all.
13 Likes
tbh I think Dark Souls and Spelunky are the new biggest inspirations, Earthbound really only being carried by Toby and a few RPG Maker developers. When I think of the stuff that infests the “new releases” page on steam, I think of “roguelike made by person who hasn’t played rogue or a traditional roguelike” and “generic action RPG with a respawn mechanic thus granting it the soulslike label”
7 Likes
YIIK still has a lot to answer for.
9 Likes
Suddenly thankful men in my family die young
6 Likes
Baba Is You level editor turned a double digit playtime into a triple digit.
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Oh yeah! Thinking about it because I played it so early in the year 13 Sentinels was really really good and would have easily left it off my top list if I didn’t think about it right now.
3 Likes
This appears to be the only mention of Astalon in all of SB. I’m not very far in but I’m immediately impressed with it. It’s like a modern Legacy of the Wizard.
7 Likes
remember 2021 lol
COVID feels like it was all a bad dream.
3 Likes