Zachary Davis
@zacterium
Digital Marketing/Social Media Manager. Video game fan. Past and future(?) podcast host. He/him
Game 21 - Star Fox (2026) My first run though of the remake showed me exactly what I wanted to see. The game is beautiful and sounds fantastic, but the gameplay feels as smooth as ever. I would love some new Star Fox, but one of the best with a new coat of paint will suffice.
Collecting everything in DK64 is enough to drive you mad…but here I am anyway!
Game 20 - Donkey Kong 64 This game gets a bad (DK) rap for its bloat and while I can see that, revisiting it as an adult has been more than a nostalgia trip. This game is an extremely charming platformer that would really benefit from being able to change characters on the fly.
Game 19 - Yoshi and the Mysterious Book This game is NOT Yoshi’s Island, buts that’s okay. When you instead focus on what it is, you find a fun mix of exploration and whimsy as you discover how the world and the creatures within it interact with each other. Just don’t expect any real platforming!
Game 18 - Pragmata I didn’t think I would even end up playing this game until reviews came out. I’m happy to report that my initial read was totally wrong. The gameplay scratches a similar itch to Resident Evil, but with plenty of twists of its own. Really ended up liking it!
Game 17 - Super Mario Bros. Wonder + Meetup in Bellabel Park I went back to try the new Switch 2 content, but I ended up playing through the whole game again. And I’m glad I did. The new challenges and boss fights are nice, and it just builds on an already incredible platformer.
Game 16 - Mixtape Like The Artful Escape before it, Mixtape is fantastic ride. It wasn’t my era and (mostly) wasn’t my music, but everything in this game felt so… familiar and warm. It’s a perfectly crafted experience that is well worth your time!
Game 15 - Starfox 2 Despite (finally) getting an official release in 2016, I’m only now trying this game for the first time. You clearly see which ideas made it to 64 when this got cancelled, but they work even in this earlier state on the SNES. Truly a hidden gem!
Game 14 - Super Meat Boy 3D I’m a big fan of the original SMB, and this game has flashes of what made that one special. The difficulty will still kick your butt, and the music rocks. Adapting the game to 3D works, but I had enough frustrating moments with the camera to hold it back from greatness.
Game 13 - The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker This is and always will be one of my all-time favorites. It’s showing some age, but it’s still magnificent. Some of the best expression of what Nintendo does best: art, music, incredible game feel, and a meticulous attention to detail!
Handheld Mode Boost on Switch 2 is huge! The community has wanted this feature since launch but I didn’t think Nintendo would go there. Really excited to play some super crispy Metroid Dread on this thing!
Game 12 - Pokemon LeafGreen The original Kanto games are where I got my introduction to Pokemon, and I’ve always loved the way these remakes improved them in every way while retaining that special magic. Revisiting them 20 years later and seeing how far the series has come since was a trip!
Game 11 - Resident Evil Requiem Resident Evil is back at home on Nintendo, and it couldn’t have made a better come back. This game strikes the perfect balance between all things RE, and does so while delivering a (shockingly) solid technical experience on Switch 2. Easily a GOTY contender!
Game 10 - Ducktales Many great NES games are on Switch, but there’s always been one glaring omission. But this classic is now available there (along with the rest of the Disney Afternoon Collection) and, as one of my favorite games of that era, I had to play through it first! Still so much fun!
Game 9 - FUR Squadron Phoenix This game is a wonderful homage to Star Fox 64 that experiments with some fun elements I hope Nintendo considers when working on their next entry in the series. Excited to give a full review on next week’s @podwithpower.bsky.social!
Game 8 - Mario Tennis Fever I am so pleasantly surprised with this game. It doesn’t hit all of the highs of the best this series has to offer, but there is a great mix of content here at a wide range of difficulty. I’ve done so much already, but there is still so much to see and unlock!
Game 7 - Escape From Ever After I love Paper Mario, and this game does such a fantastic job of capturing the spirit of Thousand Year Door. This game manages to stand on its own with a fun story, memorable characters, and a unique sense of humor. Perfect if you’re looking for a lighthearted RPG!
Game 6 - Dispatch Easily one of my favorites in the genre. The writing, performances, and pacing are excellent, and the actual dispatching gameplay gives you a lot of ways to develop your team your way! Can’t wait to play through again with completely different choices!
Game 5 - Terminator 2D: No Fate T2 is one of my favorite movies, and the arcade-style take does such a good job of adapting that energy into an action-packed (and challenging) hour or so of retro gaming. Gotta try those alternate paths now!
Game 4 - Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector After loving the first game, I had to play this before it left Game Pass. It’s a familiar but distinct experience than the first, but I really enjoyed everything this one had to offer. Still well written, still full of choice, and still tense as hell!
Was going to pick up and play FF7 Remake on Switch ahead of the impending deep freeze we’re about to experience all weekend. Instead picked up Escape From Ever After, a Paper Mario-like that came out today! Played the intro and I think I made the right choice! @escapeeverafter.bsky.social
Game 3 - Animal Crossing: New Horizons Ahead of the 3.0 update and Switch 2 Edition, I decided I finally needed to give this game some real attention and get my island ready for K.K. Slider to perform. I’ve officially caught the AC bug and I’m excited to check out everything I had missed!
Game 2 - and Roger I *thought* I could use a good palette cleanser after how difficult the last bit of Silksong was. What I got was an absolutely beautifully assembled emotional experience that had me bawling throughout. Please play this game. All it takes is $5 and an hour of you time.
Game 1 - Hollow Knight: Silksong I called this as my 2025 GotY early into Act 2 and I stand by it. I found this game to be incredibly difficult (much more than HK), but overcoming every challenge felt so much more rewarding. This game is masterpiece from top to bottom, and well worth the wait.
Game 38 - Marvel Cosmic Invasion What a cool little brawler! This game has so much attention to detail, with every character feeling unique, powerful, and worth playing. It also does a great job of blending the Marvel I grew up with and the MCU of today. Definitely worth a run!