Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition Review - Impecunious Nostalgia

Reviewed on: Switch
Platform: Switch
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Nintendo
Rating: Everyone

NES games are difficult to revisit. They’re easy to find and play, but they are showing their age and have been for some time. To play the original Legend of Zelda, for example, rewards a difficult-to-control, often obtuse puzzle game whose importance to the industry is undeniable, but its contemporary fun factor is low. Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition counters this with a strategy that WarioWare has been using to great effect since its inception: you only play classic Nintendo games for exactly as long as they’re fun – which in 2024 is anywhere from three seconds to a few minutes. The result is a game that lets you challenge yourself and experience the highlights of Nintendo’s ‘80s library without much need for commitment, but it’s not without its annoyances.

Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition features a few modes, but they’re all built off the Speedrun Mode. In it, you play through a series of challenges that, at its lowest levels, force you to jump on a platform in Ice Climbers, to its highest levels, which might task you with beating a full dungeon in Zelda II: The Adventure of Link as fast as possible. Each of the 13 games has a handful of short challenges that range in difficulty. This is where I had the most fun, defeating a number of microgames based on a series of titles that most people probably only know for their appearances in Super Smash Bros.

Successfully completing challenges rewards coins, which can be used to unlock more challenges or avatar icons, but the economy of the unlocks is frustrating. I always felt I was scrounging for money to unlock the next challenge when I was getting A++ and the occasional S rating. If you want to exclusively challenge yourself, you have to do exceptionally well to see everything, and it is an unnecessary hurdle.

Thankfully, playing in the online modes rewards additional (and ultimately necessary) coins, and it is fun to compete with others’ high scores. You don’t compete live, like with Super Mario Bros. 35, but instead, play through a collection of the Speedrun games against other players’ ghosts. I like this approach as it lets you tackle the challenges at your own pace as often as you want without worrying about network connectivity.

 

Local multiplayer is a highlight, and I had an especially joyful experience playing with my child, who understandably has no nostalgia for this era of Nintendo games. It was borderline educational to see her slowly appreciate what is fun about these games, thanks to the bite-size presentation that never overstays its welcome. The microgames are also varied and offer enough practice options that I was rarely an automatic winner just because I am old. As a local party game for up to eight players, Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition is definitely a success thanks to its fast pace and nostalgia.

Though barebones, I also like the presentation and explanation of what the Nintendo World Championships is and were. Nintendo understands that, ideally, most players jumping into the game did not see 1989's The Wizard and probably don’t know that before esports, there was this bizarre thing where people competed in single-player games. It was a different time.

I have my frustrations with the game’s coin system to unlock additional content, and unfortunately, most, if not all, of the games in the collection do not stand up to the test of time. But as a means to highlight Nintendo’s history, participate in some nostalgia with local friends, and play classic games for exactly as long as they’re fun, Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition succeeds in its intention.

Score: 7.75

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Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail Review - Shonen Summer Sojourn

Reviewed on: PC
Platform: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, PC
Publisher: Square Enix
Developer: Creative Business Unit III
Rating: Teen

In its fifth major expansion, Dawntrail, Final Fantasy XIV is facing its biggest existential crisis yet: where does your story go now that its 10-year A-plot is over? Dawntrail forges ahead with an enjoyable summer adventure to the land of Tural, doubling as a trojan horse for what lies in store for the future of the long-running MMO’s story. Dawntrail doesn’t match the narrative highs of the previous pair of expansions and is flawed in several ways, but its themes of legacy, the importance of culture, and responsible use of technology ring throughout.

Feeling more like a Shonen anime than a fantasy epic of past expansions, Dawntrail has an entirely different feel from the hundreds of hours I’ve poured into FFXIV thus far. It starts with a tournament of sorts, where four claimants are vying for the title of Dawnservant, replacing the retiring beloved ruler of the new continent of Tural. Instead of being the center of attention, I’m assisting this expansion’s main character, the energetic and passionate Wuk Lamat, in her bid to ascend to the ruler of her people, competing in a rite of succession by completing trials.

Rather than being driven by conflict, these refreshing trials are leadership lessons, proving whether each competitor is worthy of the Dawnservant’s throne. I wish the act of completing these quests were more than menial tasks, but Dawntrail’s masterful worldbuilding greatly outweighs my boredom from the lack of action in the early hours. At the core of each trial are fascinating lessons about the diverse cultures and regions of Tural based on Latin American countries. I’m in awe of how much I connected with the mercantile trade-centric Pelupelu and found joy in reconnecting the colorful bird folk called Hanuhanu with the importance and magic of their harvest rituals. Making me care about the people of Tural goes a long way toward bolstering my desire to make things right for them when things inevitably go south later in the expansion.

Despite its simple premise, Dawntrail tackles some heavy subjects within the rite of succession and beyond. Wuk Lamat aims to take the throne to retain the current peace her father has built for Tural over many decades. However, she isn’t alone in vying for the title of Dawnservant. Her brother Koana favors bettering society with foreign science. Another brother wants to seize peace by conquering everything, while the powerful and ruthless Bakool Ja Ja envisions returning to the old ways where the strongest rule and the weak serve beneath them. Through each of their actions, Dawntrail explores how we deal with grief, the legacy we leave when our time on this mortal coil ends, and the perversion of the natural order by utilizing advanced technology. The deeper down the philosophical rabbit hole Dawntrail goes, the more invested I became and more forgiving of some of its hard tonal shifts and occasional character inconsistencies.
While I love her anime main character energy, it’s sometimes hard to have the back of Wuk Lamat as an ideal ruler of her nation. Her passion is infectious, and her curiosity and willingness to listen and learn are admirable, but her actions often conflict with her devout beliefs. While striving to be a beacon for justice and peace, Wuk Lamat sometimes sacrifices her convictions and sweeps rather big atrocities under the rug that she would otherwise demand accountability for. It’s disappointing that these aren’t the moments she learns her biggest lessons from, but rather breaking points, swerving away from intriguing and complicated interactions that should have been explored.

 

Dawntrail’s dungeons and trials are consistently a delight, serving great combat scenarios paired with the best tunes on the expansion’s catchy soundtrack. Each boss fight sports unique mechanics that are intuitive to learn and build on one another, forming complex and satisfying combat puzzles to solve if you’re paying attention. After playing an MMO for hundreds of hours, it’s nice to have challenging content that tests what I’ve learned and introduces new ways to keep me on my toes.

Dawntrail doesn’t reach the peak of earlier Final Fantasy XIV expansions, but its path is different. Its mission is to begin a new grand tale, and it absolutely succeeds in placing the threads for the future while weaving an effective story about legacy and loss. Although I have grievances about the pace of questing and the main character’s contradictory actions, I’ve loved my time exploring Tural and can’t wait to see what the next chapter of the story brings.

Score: 8.5

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Anger Foot Review – An Adrenaline-Packed Foot Race

Reviewed on: PC
Platform: PC
Publisher: Devolver Digital
Developer: Free Lives

Anger Foot exemplifies a simple idea executed to the ninth degree. As a furious sneakerhead possessing seemingly the deadliest legs in the world, you must retrieve your prized collection of stolen footwear by kicking everything in sight. The bombast accompanying this wacky premise – fast-paced, split-second action, satisfying gunplay, and delectable destructibility – turns Anger Foot from a one-kick pony into one of the year’s most exciting, challenging, and tough-to-put-down adrenaline rushes.

Taking place on the seedy streets of Crime City, where crime is not only encouraged but is a way of life, you’ll plow through four gangs and their leaders across dozens of levels to retrieve your pilfered sneakers. Initially, your bare foot is your best and only weapon, as kicking sends the litany of armed goons flying, showcasing the satisfying (and, sometimes, hilariously broken) ragdoll physics. This first-person action game's frantic yet thoughtful pace is delightfully reminiscent of Hotline Miami and Doom. At best, you can complete the small, densely packed stages in under a minute, and success means quickly and strategically taking out deviously placed foes before they can off you. 

Since only one or two hits kill players, fast reaction timing and, for better or worse, trial-and-error win the day. Levels can border on being labyrinthine with enemies hiding in blind spots or lurking behind doors, and you won’t discover their presence until their bullet enters your skull. Some deaths feel cheap due to sometimes questionable enemy placement that makes taking damage seem unavoidable in spots. Other times, you're a victim of physics; a grenade that misses the first time may bounce off something and unexpectedly land at your feet the second time. Dying means starting the stage anew, and while that stings after a good run, instant respawns hasten the process of repeatedly running through levels and absorbing their layouts. 

Kicking foes feels great, but Anger Foot also encourages strategic use of the environment and your opponents, such as kicking doors into distant targets or sending exploding enemies careening into their allies. Wielding firearms, such as handguns and shotguns, plus more exotic fare like crossbows that impale multiple foes and flamethrowers, adds a complementary ranged aspect to the melee-focused action. Gunplay feels awesome, and you can even throw empty weapons to stun targets, providing perfect setups for a kick. I also enjoy how the various enemy types encourage me to change tactics on the fly, such as shield-bearing foes blocking gunfire or speedy, knife-wielding mice focusing on relentless swarming. The multi-stage boss fights are enjoyable (and absurd) but don’t compare to the thrill of blasting through the standard levels. 

When Anger Foot is firing on all cylinders, which is often, it’s a gleefully chaotic execution of skill and resourcefulness. I love slipping into the flow state of running into rooms, rapidly taking out adversaries, grabbing their guns, lobbing depleted firearms to stun other targets, and kicking everything in sight. A mindless approach can work, but more often, it pays to have an ideal order of operations for eliminating threats and pinpointing every environmental advantage. Copius destructibility means encounters often devolve into a parade of exploding rubble, splintered wood, and shattered glass that leaves rooms looking like a tornado plowed through them. This element can be advantageous; why pick off goons perched atop scaffolding when shooting an explosive barrel sends the entire structure tumbling down? Though the framerate occasionally dips when the action overindulges in explosions and enemy mobs, it runs smooth as butter otherwise. 

 

Anger Foot regularly introduces new ideas and mechanics to keep the gameplay and challenge fresh. Highlights include hopping across and dodging trains in a subway and kicking across rooftops while avoiding a sniper’s laser sight. I always looked forward to seeing what a level had in store and was often surprised and enthusiastic to tackle whatever obstacle developer Free Lives concocted. 

Completing stages and optional objectives, such as finishing it under a time limit or taking no damage, rewards up to three stars spent toward unlocking ability-granting sneakers. You can only wear one pair of these special shoes at a time, and they add fun wrinkles to the action. Some provide helpful perks, like a shoe that grants an extra life or one that causes doors to explode when kicked. Other shoes function like silly cheat codes, like a pair that reduces gravity, meaning everything, yourself included, floats. One useful shoe gives enemies comedically large heads, making them easier targets for headshots. Shoes can be potent game changers, providing a strong hook to replay stages and complete supplementary tasks to unlock them all. 

Defeat can be a bitter pill in Anger Foot, but I was amazed at how eager I remained to jump back in time after time. Firefights remained an exciting challenge even if I’d played it numerous times. Thwarting foes milliseconds before they pull the trigger, either by brute force or cleverly utilizing my surroundings, never ceased to feel cool. You should definitely walk a mile in these shoes.

Score: 9

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