Chibi-Robo: Park Patrol
The Nintendo DS really was a special console. Yes, there was a lot of shovelware on the system. But the stakes were much lower than making an Xbox 360 or PS3 game. This meant developers could take chances and make something completely unique for the system. Chibi-Robo: Park Patrol is one of those games.
I remember grabbing this game for .99 cents at a Gamestop. At the time, a new Chibi-Robo game was set to release on the Nintendo 3DS, Chibi-Robo: Zip-Lash, and wanted to become familiar with the character. I had really no knowledge of the series aside from knowing people who really enjoyed the 1st game on the Gamecube. I ended up really enjoying Park Patrol and Zip-Lash...not so much.
You play as Chibi-Robo, a small robot who's job is to take care of a park. Day by Day you make the park better looking and more beautiful. You plant flower, repair thing in the park. Keep pollution out of the park. That's really the extent of the game.
I'm really not sure who to recommend this game to though. The closest series it relates to is something like Animal Crossing, Harvest Moon, and Stardew Valley. That or if you are just looking for an experience you really can't get with any other game, this is the game for you.
Hitman (World of Assassination Trilogy)
Simply put, I love these games. I love when a video game give you a goal and says "you figure out how to achieve it." This is exactly what the modern Hitman games do.
I found the series at the perfect time in my life. It was 2020, I had played Metal Gear Solid V for years after its release on the Xbox One. MGS V has a similar take for missions with its "you figure it out" gameplay. While the game is fantastic, I grew tired of the game eventually. I had never played any game in the Hitman series, but decided to give it a shot after I bought it during a sale. This was the game I was looking for showing up at the exact right time.
The game is simple. Each level gives you a target and/or objective, as the assassin, Agent 47, it is up to you to get the job done. The game rewards you for being as stealthy as possible but this doesn't stop you from being as cavalier as you want to be and still completing the mission. Each level is filled with side missions and endless ways to complete each level.
I played through the game over and over. I bought the 2nd in the series and did the same. I then started completing as many challenges as I could. Eventually the 3rd game would release and I'd do the same.
This is a series I routinely go back to. No matter how many times you play it, you still find new things about each level and new ways to complete them.
Dynasty Warriors 6: Empires
I've always been a fan of the Dynasty Warriors series, starting with Dyansty Warriors 4 on the PS2. You assume the role of a legendary warrior and run around the map taking out entire armies. Fun stuff. Since then the game has gone from a series to a full on genre. While recent entries in the Dynasty Warriors series are pretty lackluster, series that use the engine like Hyrule Warriors are keeping the genre alive.
The peak for me was Dynasty Warriors 6: Empires, specifically the Xbox 360 version. While a normal Dynasty Warriors game has you playing through story missions, the Empire series gives you the ability to complete the story the way you want.
You can design multiple officers and then play as them or inevitably face off against them in your conquest. Not only that but you can direct your armies around the map, allowing you to complete tasks while another officer deals with a problem or defends an area.
The Empires Series would go dormant for awhile, only showing back up recently as an expansion for Dynasty Warriors 9.
Super Mario Crossover
This was a flash game that is sadly hard to play nowadays. The basic concept is the classic Super Mario Bros game, except you have extra characters to choose from including Megaman and Samus. While its first iteration only added the characters, by the end it was much more. While not forgotten, it's harder to play now support for Flash has ended.
With all the assets being trademarked characters, it could only go so far. The creator, Jay Pavlina, put his efforts into a new game called Super Retro Squad. Then called Super Action Squad. Then called Glitch Strikers. It looked to be a worthy successor to Crossover. Ultimately it was cancelled and Pavlina has moved onto other things in his life.
Luckily it has been extensively archived, so if you want to play it, you can!
