After
I’ve revealed the rejects, it’s time to list the games that will be put to the
New Classics test! Not only will this list refresh my memory and give me a good
overview of the job, but it will also allow for an interesting bit of gaming
interaction. Here’s the plan, dear fellow gamers: should you spot in my list a
game you’re curious about, just let me know and I’ll play it. This should spice
things up, and make the whole endeavour stimulating for all of us. ^^
Here's a quick recap of the New Classics modus operandi: I play each game for two hours at most. Based on the fact that my favourite games have always been games I loved immediately, this should allow me to separate the wheat from the chaff with great efficiency. (For the interested, the full description of the New Classics project can be read here.)
Before I
move on to the list, here are a couple of points I wanna mention:
— VNs and
puzzle games won’t be a priority during the New Classics phase, because of
their inherent low replay value. As a result, they won't be listed here.
— The few
Japanese games I own will be kept aside for now; I’ll get to them once I’m done
with the Westerners.
— Digital
games won’t be listed. Not only is most of my remaining digital library made of
Kemco games, which I love as a rule, but digital games cannot be pawned anyway.
So I might as well keep them, and play them if/when I feel like it.
— I’ll
link the games’ names to their respective post as I progress; so this list can
be used as an entry point into the upcoming jungle of New Classics reviews.
— In case
similar versions of a game exist on more than one system, I’ll only list the
version I own (or plan to play in case I own several). Like, Atelier Firis
is available on both the Vita and the Switch; but I own the Switch version, so this
is the one I’ll roll with. On the other hand, if we’re dealing with remakes or
different versions, I’ll list all the versions and try them all.
— Last
but not least, I’ll keep the games sorted by alphabetical order and by series;
and if a game’s name starts with “the”, I’ll ignore that and take the following
word into account. And now, on with the show!
Switch:
Vita:
- Aegis of Earth: Protovonus Assault
- Ar Nosurge Plus
- Astro Aqua Kitty
- Atelier Escha & Logy Plus:
Alchemists of the Dusk Sky
- Atelier Shallie Plus: Alchemists of
the Dusk Sea
- A.W.: Phoenix Festa
- BlazBlue: Chrono Phantasma Extend
- Blazblue: Continuum Shift Extend
- Bullet Girls Phantasia
- Child of Light
- Cosmic Star Heroine
- Deception IV: Blood Ties
- Defender’s Quest
- Demon Gaze II
- Digimon Story: Cybersleuth
- Disgaea 3: Absence of Detention
- Disgaea 4: A Promise Revisited
- Dragon’s Crown
- Dragon Fantasy: The Black Tome of
Ice
- Drive Girls
- Dungeon Hunter Alliance
- Exist Archive – The Other Side of
the Sky
- Final Fantasy X-2
- Fate/Extella: The Umbral Star
- Gal*Gun: Double Peace
- God Wars: Future Past
- Grand Kingdom
- Gravity Rush
- Hyperdevotion Noire: Goddess Black
Heart
- Hyperdimension Neptunia: Producing
Perfection
- Hyperdimension Neptunia U: Action
Unleashed
- Lost Dimension
- Mary Skelter: Nightmares
- Megatagmention
Blanc + Neptune vs Zombies
- MeiQ: Labyrinth of Death
- Mind Zero
- Minecraft
- Muramasa Rebirth
- Mystery Chronicles: One Way Heroics
- Natural Doctrine
- New Little King’s Story
- Odin Sphere
- Operation Abyss: New Tokyo Legacy
- Operation Babel: New Tokyo Legacy
- Persona 4 Golden
- Punch Line
- Ragnarok Odyssey Ace
- Rainbow Skies
- Senran Kagura: Estival Versus
- Senran Kagura: Shinovi Versus
- Shiren the Wanderer: The Tower of
Fortune and the Dice of Fate
- Soul Sacrifice
- Summon Night 6: Lost Borders
- Superdimension Neptune vs Sega Hard
Girls
- Sword Art Online: Hollow Realization
- Sword Art Online: Lost Song
- Tokyo Tatoo Girls
- Tokyo Twilight Ghost Hunters
- Tokyo Xanadu
- Trillion: God of Destruction
- Toukiden: The Age of Demons
- Trails of Cold Steel
- Trails of Cold Steel II
- World of Final Fantasy
- Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana
- Ys: Memories of Celceta
- Ys Origins
3DS:
- Bravely Second: End Layer
- Culdcept Revolt
- Dragon Quest VII: Fragments of the
Forgotten Past
- Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the
Cursed King
- Etrian Mystery Dungeon
- Etrian Odyssey Untold: The Millenium
Girl
- Etrian Odyssey Untold 2: The Fafnir
Knight
- Etrian Odyssey 4: Legends of the
Titan
- Etrian Odyssey V: Beyond the Myth
- Etrian Odyssey Nexus
- Hatsune Miku: Project Mirai DX
- Heroes of Ruin
- Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop
Distance
- Legend of Zelda: A Link Between
Worlds
- Harvest Moon 3D: A New Beginning
- Harvest Moon 3D: The Tale of Two
Towns
- Monster Hunter Generations
- Monster Hunter Stories
- New Style Boutique
- New Style Boutique 2: Fashion
Forward
- New Style Boutique 3: Styling Star
- Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth
- Pokemon Super Mystery Dungeon
- Project X Zone
- Senran Kagura 2: Deep Crimson
- Shin Megami Tensei IV
- Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse
- Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner –
Soul Hackers
- Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 2
– Record Breaker
- Story of Seasons: Trio of Towns
- Super Pokemon Rumble
PSP:
- Aedis Eclipse: Generation of Chaos
- Blazing Souls Accelate
- Blade Dancer
- Brave Story
- Breath of Fire III
- Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles
- Class of Heroes 2
- Crimson Gem Saga
- Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII
- Disgaea: Afternoon of Darkness
- Disgaea 2: Dark Hero Days
- Dissidia Final Fantasy
- Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy
- Dragoneer’s Aria
- Fate/Extra
- Final Fantasy IV: The Complete
Collection
- Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of
the Lions
- Generation of Chaos
- Growlanser: Wayfarer of Time
- Gungnir
- Gurumin
- Half Minute Hero
- Innocent Life
- Jeanne D’Arc
- Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep
- Knights in the Nightmare
- Legend of Heroes: A Tear of
Vermillion
- Legend of Heroes II: Prophecy of the
Moonlight Witch
- Legend of Heroes III: Song of the
Ocean
- Lunar: Silver Star Harmony
- Mana Khemia: Student Alliance
- Phantasy Star Portable
- Phantasy Star Portable 2
- Ragnarok Tactics
- Samurai Warriors: State of War
- Shepherd’s Crossing
- Shin Megami Tensei: Persona
- Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 2 –
Innocent Sin
- Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3
Portable
- Spectral Souls: Resurrection of the
Ethereal Empires
- Star Ocean: First Departure
- Star Ocean: Second Evolution
- Summon Night 5
- Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together
- Tales of Eternia
- Tales of the World: Radiant
Mythology
- Ultimate Ghost’n Goblins
- Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth
- Warriors Orochi
- Wild Arms XF
- Yggdra Union: We’ll Never Fight
Alone
- Ys: The Ark of Napishtim
- Ys: The Oath in Felghana
- Ys Seven
- Z.H.P: Unlosing Ranger VS Darkdeath
Evilman
DS:
- Anno 1701
- Atelier Annie: Alchemist of Sera
Island
- Away: Shuffle Dungeon
- Black Sigil: Blade of the Exiled
- Bleach: The Blade of Fate
- Blue Dragon Plus
- Blue Dragon: Awakened Shadow
- Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia
- Chocolatier
- Chrono Trigger
- Civilization Revolution
- Contact
- Cookie Shop
- Dark Spire
- Deep Labyrinth
- Devil Survivor
- Dragon Quest IV: Chapters of the
Chosen
- Dragon Quest VI: Realms of Reverie /
Revelation
- Dragon Quest Monster Joker 2
- Dungeon Maker
- Eledees: The Adventures of Kai and
Zero
- Etrian Odyssey 2: Heroes of Lagaard
- Etrian Odyssey III: The Drowned City
- Final Fantasy III
- Final Fantasy IV
- Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings
- Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles:
Echoes of Time
- Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift
- Final Fantasy: The Four Heroes of
Light
- Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon
- From the Abyss
- Geometry Wars: Galaxies
- Golden Sun: Dark Dawn
- Heroes of Mana
- Inazuma Eleven 2: FireStorm
- Infinite Space
- Izuna: The Legend of the Ninja
- Izuna 2: The Unemployed Ninja
Returns
- Kingdom Hearts: 358/2 Days
- Kingdom Hearts: Re:coded
- Knights in the Nightmare
- Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass
- Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks
- Lock’s Quest
- Lost in Blue 2
- Lufia: Curse of the Sinistrals
- Lunar Genesis (a.k.a. Lunar: Dragon
Song)
- Lunar Knights
- Magical Starsign
- Might & Magic: Clash of Heroes
- My World My Way
- Nanostray
- Nanostray 2
- Nostalgia
- Okamiden
- Orcs & Elves
- Phantasy Star 0
- Pokemon Conquest
- Pokemon Ranger
- Pokemon Ranger: Guardian Signs
- Pokemon Ranger: Shadows of Almia
- Radiant Historia
- Ragnarok DS
- Rondo of Swords
- Rune Factory
- Rune Factory 2
- Rune Factory 3
- Sands of Destruction
- Shepherd’s Crossing 2
- Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey
- Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor
- Solatorobo: Red the Hunter
- Spectral Force Genesis
- Steal Princess
- Summon Night: Twin Age
- Tao’s Adventure: Curse of the Demon
Seal
- Trauma Center: Under the Knife
- Trauma Center: Under the Knife 2
- Valkyrie Profile: Covenant of the
Plume
- Viva Pinata: Pocket Paradise
- World Ends With You
Game Boy Advance:
- Advance Wars
- Advance Wars 2: Black Hole Rising
- Breath of Fire
- Breath of Fire 2
- Final Fantasy V Advance
- Final Fantasy VI Advance
- Fire Emblem
- Fire Emblem: Swords of Seals
- Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones
- Golden Sun: The Lost Age
- Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories
- Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap
- Lufia: The Ruins of Lore
- Sigma Star Saga
- Shining Force: Resurrection of the
Dark Dragon
- Shining Soul II
- Sonic Advance
- Sonic Advance 2
- Sonic Advance 3
- Summon Night: Swordcraft Story
- Summon Night: Swordcraft Story 2
- Tactics Ogre: The Knight of Lodis
Game Boy:
- Dragon Quest (a.k.a. Dragon Warrior)
- Dragon Quest II (a.k.a. Dragon Warrior II)
- Dragon Quest III (a.k.a. Dragon Warrior III)
- Final Fantasy Adventure
- Final Fantasy Legend III
- Azure Dreams
- Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages
- Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons
Putting this list together was really interesting. I encountered games
I didn’t even remember owning, while other instantly brought in a mass of sweet
memories and a strong desire to play them. I’ll play them all no matter what,
don’t worry; but this goes to show that my collection formed in a pretty
haphazard way over the years. Some entries were highly anticipated, while
others were merely the result of me desperately wanting to buy something — anything. I’m also quite surprised that I ended up
purchasing full series — spinoffs et al. — before even trying a single instalment to see if
it was my thing — case in point, Kingdom Hearts (which I have yet to play) and Final
Fantasy (which I dislike overall). This was the result of my immense greed
and lust for games, and I can vaguely remember that it made perfect sense
at the time; but it is not something I could see myself doing nowadays — case in point, the
Yokai Watch Averted Binge. Well, live and play and learn — and pass it on if
it doesn’t tickle your gaming fancy.
But what about the Switch games that will be released in 2022 and
beyond, you may ask? Yeah, about that… I may claim that I won’t get my greedy
paws on a single new game until I’m done with the New Classic phase; but such a
claim would be hilariously unrealistic, and we all know it. Knowing that every
new game will have to pass the New Classic test to remain in my collection
anyway, here’s what I’ve decided: I’ll buy all the games my gaming instinct
claims, and add them to the list on the fly. Just in case you’re wondering, the
List (with capital L from now on) currently comprises 404 games — a super-stylish
number, but one that probably won’t stay put for long.
For the posts themselves, I’m going to use a fixed layout, with no
intro or outro. Each post will comprise three parts:
- The Backstory, where I’ll present
how I got the game as well as any interesting trivia about it;
- The Game, where I’ll expand on my
impressions of, well, the game;
- The Verdict, where I’ll reveal if
the game is granted a spot in my precious collection.
That’s pretty much all, dear fellow gamers. We’re in for a thrilling
ride for sure, and I hope you’ll enjoy it as much as me! And remember: if a game featured on The List tickles your fancy, just let me know and I'll play it ^^.
