The 2023 Backlog Challenge

[Floating Platforms | 716]

I came very close to adding one more. I beat Gabriel Knight 1 at 2:00 am January 1st. I don't want to count it for 2024 either. Trying for 30 total next year and I think that's certainly possible

[Sumez | 2,951]

I never got to summarize my 2023 attempt before the next thread took off, but I'd like to reflect on it a bit.

With 50 backlog games covered, that's been my best effort yet, by far. That's almost one game a week, and I managed to complete a few games outside of those as well, including a couple of arcade 1CCs and the massive undertaking that was Tears of the Kingdom.

The biggest regret of course was not finishing (or even starting) SaGa Frontier, which I'm not sure when I'm ever going to fit in again. The only other game I didn't cover was PCE Rainbow Islands, simply due to not being able to find the PSU adapter for my disc drive, a logistical issue. That's no big loss, since it's an almost arcade perfect port of a game I'm already extremely familiar with.

It's also disappointing that I didn't get to delve into most of my "bonus games", but it was expected. Especially missing The Surge 2 and Sin & Punishment yet again was too bad. I did at least get through all of the entire Crash Bandicoot trilogy, which also ended up being probably the biggest positive surprise for me this year. It's a series I've never considered worth much attention in spite of its popularity, but it's actually very good.

Other highlights of the year for me was finally going through Devil May Cry 3. A game I left unfinished when it came out, but which has since grown to become a massive pillar almost representative of an entire subgenre. I don't think the game ver clicked with me as fully as it does with people who truly worship it, but I did enjoy it a lot. On the flipside. finally playing Bayonetta 1 and 2 left me quite underwhelmed. I didn't have much fun with either.

Getting back intro the Trails series was also really nice. It's a series of games I have a massive FOMO for, and I feel like I'm finally starting to catch up, even if I'm still 9 games behind.
That said, my new years resolution for upcoming backlogs is fewer RPGs and more arcade games, and I think my 2024 list almost manages to reflect that.

In general lots of really good games this year, and extremely few actual stinkers. One game in particular flew right into my list of all-time favourites. Screw previous year's approach of not ranking games. I'm gonna do what @Reed Rothchild does and tell it like it is, here's exactly how good or bad each game was (on an "everything above 5 is good" scale), prioritized by how much I liked them. Everything above 6 comes recommended. Feel free to flame me!

 

           10/10:

1. Baba is You (Switch)
   9/10:
2. Tanuki Justice (Switch)
3. Cuphead + DLC (Switch)
4. Crash Bandicam 1 (PS1)
   8/10
5. Jackie Chan (PCE)
6. Kaze and the Wild Masks (Switch)
7. A Hat In Time (PS4)
8. Crash Banderole 3 (PS1)
9. Slay the Spire (Switch)
10. Doom Eternal (PS4)
11. Metroid (NES)
12. Devil May Cry 3 (PS2)
13. Bubble Bobble 2 (NES)
14. Crahs Banditooc 2 (PS1)
    7/10
15. Trails in the Sky 3 Evo (Vita)
16. Trails in the Sky 2 (PSP)
17. King Kong 2 (NES)
18. Battle of Olympus (NES)
19. M.I.A. (Arcade)
20. Cotton Fantasy (Switch)
21. Mega Turrican (MD)
22. Kickle Cubicle (NES + Arcade)
23. Discworld 2 (PS1)
24. Dusk (Switch)
25. Crystalis (NES)
26. Kirby Planet Robobot (3DS)
27. Kirby Triple Deluxe (3DS)
28. Blue Fire (PS4)
    6/10
29. Titanfall 2 (PS4)
30. Omori (Switch)
31. Live-A-Live (Switch)
32. Valfaris (Switch)
33. Kabuki Quantum Fighter (NES)
34. Everblue 2 (PS2)
    5/10
35. Bayonetta 2 (WiiU)
36. Bayonetta (X360)
37. Totally Rad (NES)
    4/10
38. Sonic Lost World (WiiU)
39. Rygar (NES)
40. Ion Fury (PS4)
41. AVGN 1 & 2 (Switch)
42. Tangle Tower (Switch)
43. Yo! Noid (NES)
    3/10
44. Tiny Toon Adventures 2 (NES)
45. Frog Fractions (PC)
46. Whomp 'Em (NES)
47. Krion Conquest (Magical Doropie) (NES)
48. Xexyz (NES)
    2/10
49. Alice Sisters (MD)
50. Demon Throttle (Switch)

Edited January 25 by Sumez