Gaming Year in Review 2023

It's been quite here; I am aware of that. You know that I am still gaming like crazy if you keep track of my Twitch channel, but outside of that, life has been somewhat busy, and I am dealing with some personal issues as well. That's life for you. One day you realize you are here, then you suffer, then you disappear. Sorry, things are somewhat frustrating right now but I'm doing my best. I have been livestreaming my official recaps for my gaming activities across platforms this year. I want to post those videos here. This article will be updated with more videos as if there are more to add. 2023 has been a busy year personally, especially since it involved a very exhausting move for me back in June. I just want things to settle down so I can enjoy my life a little more. Maybe in 2024. Hope your 2023 has been great and that it will be better next year.

Twitch Recap

Nintendo's Best amiibo Is Its Craziest

The Nintendo amiibos: they are mini, and they can be cute. Ever since the blunder of the initial lineup, they have also been getting better construction wise and thus their increased desirability with each release. I guess every now and then the amiibo design team gets a little nuts and would release amiibos of remarkable sizes like some from the Monster Hunter series and "The Guardian" from Breath of the Wild - I still regret not picking up the latter at its regular retail price when I had the chance to. I have never seen those in person however so imagine my shock when I saw this huge freaking thing at a retail store. Well, to see a new amiibo not selling out immediately at retail in itself some kind of galactic miracle so I picked it up immediately.

Its so huge that they had to tie him up to the box like a common criminal.

Best Physical Copy on Nintendo Switch

After Nintendo betrayed me on the Wii U - back then, I bought a 2TB external hard drive for the system to support their digital distribution of games, only for the system to be abandoned quickly with the release of the Nintendo Switch - I don't trust their online strategies anymore. Because of this, despite the fact that space is a rare and precious commodity these days in my Game Room, I always make sure I get the physical copies of Switch games I want whenever it's available. Recently, I ordered a copy of Shadowverse: Champions Battle by Cygames and I was shocked by what I saw inside of the case.

On top of the back-cover instructions, this game comes with an actual game manual!

Target: Where Good Gamers Go to Shop

I have a confession to make. I am a Target shopper. But you probably already know that because I have mentioned this a few times here before. The funny thing is, Target isn't a place where the rich shop. I often get that side glance when I mention my affinity for doing some light grocery shopping at Target. I mean, it's not like I said I shop at a freakin' Bel Air. Walmart is often mentioned as a counterargument. As if there is even a comparison. Do you like shopping at cramped spaces where there are too many people walking around for a slight price difference? Where the employees just don't care? Well if you do, please don't go to Target. It's not like I can even step into a Walmart without risking a simultaneous combustion anyway. Now, I used to do a lot of game shopping at Target. This was during the pre-PlayStation 3 days. I have never been a fan of asking people to "fetch" the games for me because they are all locked-up behind a glass shelf though. Thank the galaxy for Amazon deliveries and also the current digital distribution of games.

Kirby ate the Target ball!

An Exercise in Gaming: A New Perspective

I've been looking at this all wrong. Screw Yourself!Fitness! Forget Ring Fit Adventure! The last time I have used an exercise software presented as video games was, I don't know, mid 2021? My weight during this never-ending pandemic has been yoyoing up and down with a progressively ballooning belly and I can't seem to stay committed to any exercise routines from specific exercise games. I remember writing that the trick is to find a program that can make you think that you are playing a game when you are actually working your body and Ring Fit Adventure on the Nintendo Switch is a good representation of that ideal. I was certainly on the right track, but I accidentally fell down into the bush on the side and couldn't get myself up. You see, if one is looking to find video games that could trick you into exercising, well, those games should not be games that present themselves as exercise programs to begin with!

One of my Christmas 2021 gifts. Still haven't played it yet.

My Switch 2021 Year in Review

It's time for another official Switch yearly gaming data straight from Nintendo! I know I don't game that much on the Switch but I really like that Nintendo put a lot of efforts into the data presentation this year, complete with animated webpages and all. They even include comparison to last year's data, which is delightfully surprising. Well done, Nintendo!

Prettiest amiibo: Zelda & Loftwing

Out of all the Zelda games out there, the best representation of our titular character for me is found in The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. You can read my glowing impression of that version of her by clicking here. It shouldn't be a surprise then that the best and most beautiful amiibo that Nintendo has ever produced to this point is the Zelda & Loftwing amiibo that was recently released alongside the game's HD version for the Nintendo Switch:

amiibo perfected.

Switch Pro Is Here but It's Steam Deck

Such perfect timing. After the recent announcement of the OLED version of the Nintendo Switch that had the Nintendorks plunging into the deepest and darkest depths of depression, Valve just announced a much better alternative. It's a portable Personal Computer custom built for gaming on the go that looks like a Switch, only it's infinitely more awesome and it's called the Steam Deck!

Stealing Nintendo's thunder like a... wait for it, pro.

Olé! It's Only OLED!

The console cycles don't make any sense anymore. They haven't been since the PlayStation 3 era. First and third party developers don't even utilize the technology that's available to them before they introduce newer, supposedly more powerful consoles, only to run the same ugly, rudimentary games that don't require the newer tech all over again. Well, Nintendo. I may not have been a big fan of yours ever since you abandoned the Wii U so very quickly before its time, but I do commend you for not adding to the cycle madness with today's announcement of your new Switch variant... The OLED model.

ACNH Fashion: Redefining Duck Lips

I have been playing Animal Crossing: New Horizons for the Nintendo Switch since mid-January of this year and I have been loving it despite the game being the grindiest title on this side of the modern crafting genre. I believe I have found the best looks for my character this week. It's so fashion, it's so adorable... It's so stupid! It's the one aspect of the game that I enjoy the most - customizing my character using the vast options available with seemingly never-ending new pieces being introduced daily. I am wearing this combination at all times and when I change things up, I will make sure to post an update on this site!

Before You Get Fat You See the Ring?

Fitness is an important part of my life but these days, I have not been keeping up on keeping fit. Late last year, I started using Ring Fit on the Nintendo Switch as my go to exercise routine and I was able to keep to my schedule for about a month and a half before I had to stopped when I scraped the crap out of my left knee. Though I didn't see much progress in terms of weight loss, the routine did increase my stamina and endurance. I wouldn't say that Ring Fit doesn't work because in the past, whenever I get into an exercise routine, it would usually take at least two months for me to see real physical difference. 3+ months later, I feel that it's high time to get moving again. I have made the decision to stop using Ring Fit however because I know that I am not exercising as intensely as I could: too much fun, not enough sweat. I like that Ring Fit made me feel like I was playing a game instead of working out, and that very factor dominated my choices of exercise routines these past several years. But it's time to take it seriously again, without any gimmicks this time around like motion tracking nor cute monsters to kill. It's time to go back to Maya with Yourself!Fitness on the X-Box. It looks like the last time I attempted a return to Yourself!Fitness was in 2014, which feels like a lifetime ago. I hope that things will go smoothly this time around so that I can get the same result the first time I committed to this workout program. Oh, and there will be no streaming me doing my workouts anymore because I want no distractions. I want to be in the zone and I want to feel healthy again! Maya's a bit scary though so let's hope for the best!

If there's a will, there's a Maya.

My Switch 2020 Year in Review

Now here's a cute little email from Nintendo. Though it's probably going to make those wearing tinfoil hats spin in their chairs while losing track of the number of ice cubes hidden in their Joy-Cons, I think this is definitely the most fun email I have received from them ever. It's a little summary of my activities on the Nintendo Switch and it made me wish that I could get something similar from Valve for my Steam activities. Speaking of Steam however, I really love that they are expanding the profile customization for the platform that came alongside this year's Steam Winter Sale. So let's see how I did on the Switch.

That's about right, thank you for the acknowledgment.