[EVENT] The Sonic Stadium 52 Game Challenge 2024! - New Prizes every week! Current Prize: Sonic Rivals profile gift AND Sonic's Birthday Bash challenge for additional prizes! (2024)

CHECK IN: WEEK 4

GAME 17: SONIC GENERATIONS (3DS): 100% COMPLETE

I discussed with Ryan what counts as 100% completion for this game cause completing all missions results in walking for 1000 days with your 3DS for 50 days. So all S Ranks will do the trick. And hoo boy, the things I do to experience Gens, but want Sonic x Shadow Gens to be my proper entry for the console game when it releases.

This game ain't that good. It's got some nice shining levels, but it also has levels that are absolutely sauceless at best, and infuriatingly designed at worst, with that classic Dimps stink we all know and... know.

I appreciate how we get different levels to represent the same game, if not new games entirely with the inclusion of Rush levels, but it's too little, too late for an overall mediocre title that doesn't live up to its HD counterpart.

GAME 18: LEGO DIMENSIONS (WII U): 100% COMPLETE

For completing a Toys to Life game, the rules state that all that has to be done is anything that can be done with the characters required to beat the base story. In this case, its whatever can be done with Batman, Gandalf, Wyldstyle and the Batmobile. A maxed out Batmobile is the longest and grindiest task in the game, and requires me to do everything possible in the story, DC, LOTR and LEGO Movie Adventure Worlds to collect the studs and Gold Bricks possible to get every upgrade. Thus this as the proof.

I really like this game. It's janky and unbalanced, but the story is told with such love and reverence for its franchises, and the sheer level of ambition is evident in nearly every character, location and Easter Egg in this game. And there is so much more to discover with the characters and vehicles I have accumulated over the years, able to create the most bizarre and fun mashups this side of Fortnite.

So I had a really fun time revisiting this game...

...Is what I WOULD say if I was playing on anything else than the Wii U! I played the PS4 version for years, and its been great. But doing the Wii U version for this playthrough, it is one of the buggiest, choppy, and prone-to-crash games you could play on Nintendo's forgotten black box. It was a painful experience and it makes going back to my PS5 just that more of a refreshing experience. Like coming back to a comfy bed after an arduous day at work.

GAME 19: POKEMON MASTERS (MOBILE): 100% COMPLETE

For mobile games, according to Ryan, finishing it is attributed to doing anything in the game's first campaign, regardless of any story expansions that come later (Villain Arc, Legendary Events, etc.) So to complete Pokemon Masters, finishing is beating the game on Normal, and then Hard. As a frequent player, I certainly have the units overpowered enough to blaze through it in a replay.

Well, that's not fair, is it? So I added an additional challenge to put some validity to my playthrough. Playing with JUST Egg Units, which are free, weak units that pairs your protagonist with a hatched Pokemon. With it, I put myself at a distinct disadvantage as I play through Normal and Hard difficulties. I couldn't rely much on auto battling once I reached the endgame, as I had to think more strategically to stay alive in these real time 3v3 battles, but I managed to beat both modes!

I really like Pokemon Masters as an addition to the Pokemon mythos. It provides a lot of much needed closure to many loose ends left by the mainline Pokemon games, gives the silent protagonists distinct personalities, and revels in the fanservice of crossing over Pokemon characters that would otherwise never have met. Leading to some fun mashups, and discovering characters that are more alike and make best friends that we never would have thought before!

It's a fun little narrative add-on to any trainer's Pokemon journey.

GAME 20: SKYLANDERS SPYRO'S ADVENTURE (3DS): 100% COMPLETE

Another addition in what feels like a handheld Skylanders retrospective at this point, the very first portable entry in the Skylanders franchise, as I stated before, is a mixture of Crash Bandicoot and a hack and slasher. It is a fast paced race to complete objectives, in which completing one, a timer begins, forcing you to either rush to the exit, or see if you can complete any other objectives at once. If you're good, you could complete everything in one playthrough without having to replay the stage again. But you better be fast, and have the right Skylanders for the job. Usually one that can hover in mid air.

It's addicting to see if you can complete everything at once, and adds a unique feel to the usual Skylanders formula. My only complaint going back, is sometimes the levels feel TOO constrained compared to say, Giants' spacious levels.

But overall, Spyro's Adventure is a solid handheld port with a different story, gameplay style and feel to any other console Skylanders title out there.

GAME 21: WARIOWARE GOLD (3DS): 100% COMPLETE

The Wah to end all Wahs, completion constitutes as getting every bonus item from the capsule, which is done by getting coins. Thank you daily amiibo bonuses for helping fast track the grinding process.

This game is just great, on both an aesthetic and gameplay standpoint. With the Warioware games on Switch relying more on gimmicks and motion controls, it's safe to say this is the last "traditional" Warioware game we will get in a long while, with all the touching, twisting, and whatnot. So it's great that if the traditional gameplay were to go out, it went out in style, compiling the best microgames over the years and mashing them together into one comprehensive and special package. All with voice acting and dialogue based storytelling to add even more character to Wario's delightful original cast.

It truly was a golden time.

GAME 22: SONIC HEROES (PC): 100% COMPLETE

Ah, my first Sonic game ever. How are ya, buddy? You know, despite all that, I never actually finished you. It's time I changed that on my Steam Deck.

Granted, not without some modifications. I have implemented a few physics mods that allow the controls to be a lot less slippery, and boy that's gonna hamper any future playthroughs on other consoles, I'm so spoiled by the silky smooth controls of the speed characters.

But overall, Sonic Heroes is a fun time... to a certain extent. But the sheer repetitive nature of playing the same stage over and over again, but longer, or harder, or with 100% more Hermit Crabs is not everyone's idea of fun. And even I, a fan of grinds ended up feeling the length once I made it to Team Dark's story.

But I'm still glad I got to play this, and see it to completion. It's like checking off something in 6 year old me's bucket list. Feels good, man.

IN PROGRESS:Tactica's almost finished, I swear guys. Haven't touched Spidey all week, but it will be done, my lord. After that, some changes in plans will result in an upcoming playthrough of Skylanders SuperChargers on console, and Kingdom Hearts for the very first time.