Ryan Zhao
@insrtcoins.bsky.social
Author: The Fundamentals of Video Game Literacy (coming April). Podcast host for Play;Write, Cane and Rinse, and Sound of Play. Marketing for Xbox Game Pass, prev. Nintendo.
https://letterboxd.com/InsrtCoins/
https://letterboxd.com/InsrtCoins/
Something about the composition of this box art is giving me GoldenEye vibes.
November 15, 2025 at 1:57 AM
Something about the composition of this box art is giving me GoldenEye vibes.
Cloud, House of Gucci, Jason X, Last of the Red Hot Lovers
#LastFourWatched
#LastFourWatched
November 14, 2025 at 6:12 PM
Cloud, House of Gucci, Jason X, Last of the Red Hot Lovers
#LastFourWatched
#LastFourWatched
Keeper🟩
Astounding, surreal visual art, though I wish I had to internalize the logic of the surreal world a bit more in gameplay. Still, consistently jaw-dropping, and I was amused by the extended Metroid Prime riff (complimented by appropriate music). I loved this (and am thanked in the credits 😁).
Astounding, surreal visual art, though I wish I had to internalize the logic of the surreal world a bit more in gameplay. Still, consistently jaw-dropping, and I was amused by the extended Metroid Prime riff (complimented by appropriate music). I loved this (and am thanked in the credits 😁).
November 12, 2025 at 5:08 PM
Keeper🟩
Astounding, surreal visual art, though I wish I had to internalize the logic of the surreal world a bit more in gameplay. Still, consistently jaw-dropping, and I was amused by the extended Metroid Prime riff (complimented by appropriate music). I loved this (and am thanked in the credits 😁).
Astounding, surreal visual art, though I wish I had to internalize the logic of the surreal world a bit more in gameplay. Still, consistently jaw-dropping, and I was amused by the extended Metroid Prime riff (complimented by appropriate music). I loved this (and am thanked in the credits 😁).
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4 (all pro goals)🟩
Any reservations I had about 3 + 4 as remakes (missing goals from the originals, etc.) were obliterated in the brilliant post-game Pro Goals mode, and completing that unlocked Solo Tours for each skater. This is going to be another "forever game" for me😁
Any reservations I had about 3 + 4 as remakes (missing goals from the originals, etc.) were obliterated in the brilliant post-game Pro Goals mode, and completing that unlocked Solo Tours for each skater. This is going to be another "forever game" for me😁
November 10, 2025 at 7:48 PM
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4 (all pro goals)🟩
Any reservations I had about 3 + 4 as remakes (missing goals from the originals, etc.) were obliterated in the brilliant post-game Pro Goals mode, and completing that unlocked Solo Tours for each skater. This is going to be another "forever game" for me😁
Any reservations I had about 3 + 4 as remakes (missing goals from the originals, etc.) were obliterated in the brilliant post-game Pro Goals mode, and completing that unlocked Solo Tours for each skater. This is going to be another "forever game" for me😁
Öoo🟩
Pristine puzzle-platformer. Just immaculate. Most of the paths in this game result in dead ends and you think "what was the point of that?" but realize that in getting to that dead end, you *learned* how to use your skills in a way that unblocks something else. Not new abilities; understanding.
Pristine puzzle-platformer. Just immaculate. Most of the paths in this game result in dead ends and you think "what was the point of that?" but realize that in getting to that dead end, you *learned* how to use your skills in a way that unblocks something else. Not new abilities; understanding.
November 10, 2025 at 10:19 AM
Öoo🟩
Pristine puzzle-platformer. Just immaculate. Most of the paths in this game result in dead ends and you think "what was the point of that?" but realize that in getting to that dead end, you *learned* how to use your skills in a way that unblocks something else. Not new abilities; understanding.
Pristine puzzle-platformer. Just immaculate. Most of the paths in this game result in dead ends and you think "what was the point of that?" but realize that in getting to that dead end, you *learned* how to use your skills in a way that unblocks something else. Not new abilities; understanding.
I Dont Want to Be a Good Woman🟩
Something of a digital museum of simple but evocative digital sculptures punctuated with autobiographical experiences of the anonymous dev team's experiences of being a woman in Iran. Really powerful, very risky to create (due to local laws). Taught me a lot.
Something of a digital museum of simple but evocative digital sculptures punctuated with autobiographical experiences of the anonymous dev team's experiences of being a woman in Iran. Really powerful, very risky to create (due to local laws). Taught me a lot.
November 9, 2025 at 7:14 AM
I Dont Want to Be a Good Woman🟩
Something of a digital museum of simple but evocative digital sculptures punctuated with autobiographical experiences of the anonymous dev team's experiences of being a woman in Iran. Really powerful, very risky to create (due to local laws). Taught me a lot.
Something of a digital museum of simple but evocative digital sculptures punctuated with autobiographical experiences of the anonymous dev team's experiences of being a woman in Iran. Really powerful, very risky to create (due to local laws). Taught me a lot.
November 7, 2025 at 5:16 PM
omg. The Pokémon Seismitoad is named Crapustule in French. Translators looking at it thinking "I can't decide whether it makes me think of crap or pustules more".
November 7, 2025 at 2:30 AM
omg. The Pokémon Seismitoad is named Crapustule in French. Translators looking at it thinking "I can't decide whether it makes me think of crap or pustules more".
THE END OF GAMEPLAY🟩
Many of the vignettes are interesting once the player gets a sense of the built-up design language being utilized here. Not *quite* enough to say to make it an easy recommendation, but there's some stuff to think about in here.
Many of the vignettes are interesting once the player gets a sense of the built-up design language being utilized here. Not *quite* enough to say to make it an easy recommendation, but there's some stuff to think about in here.
November 1, 2025 at 8:36 PM
THE END OF GAMEPLAY🟩
Many of the vignettes are interesting once the player gets a sense of the built-up design language being utilized here. Not *quite* enough to say to make it an easy recommendation, but there's some stuff to think about in here.
Many of the vignettes are interesting once the player gets a sense of the built-up design language being utilized here. Not *quite* enough to say to make it an easy recommendation, but there's some stuff to think about in here.
Pipistrello and the Cursed Yoyo🟩
The rare 2D Zelda-like that surpasses its inspirations. Combat is fluid and bolstered by clever moves. Every puzzle is clever and feels great to solve. Every new ability feels useful without telegraphing its absence beforehand. Upgrade + currency system is SO GOOD 🪀
The rare 2D Zelda-like that surpasses its inspirations. Combat is fluid and bolstered by clever moves. Every puzzle is clever and feels great to solve. Every new ability feels useful without telegraphing its absence beforehand. Upgrade + currency system is SO GOOD 🪀
November 1, 2025 at 8:23 AM
Pipistrello and the Cursed Yoyo🟩
The rare 2D Zelda-like that surpasses its inspirations. Combat is fluid and bolstered by clever moves. Every puzzle is clever and feels great to solve. Every new ability feels useful without telegraphing its absence beforehand. Upgrade + currency system is SO GOOD 🪀
The rare 2D Zelda-like that surpasses its inspirations. Combat is fluid and bolstered by clever moves. Every puzzle is clever and feels great to solve. Every new ability feels useful without telegraphing its absence beforehand. Upgrade + currency system is SO GOOD 🪀
Condo⬛
Strolling around a condo complex at night, encountering mysterious others. Sets an appropriately moody tone, but has room to scale back even further -- minimizing its droning music might make for a stronger atmosphere. Would also love to be able to enter more doors. Experiment w/ room to grow
Strolling around a condo complex at night, encountering mysterious others. Sets an appropriately moody tone, but has room to scale back even further -- minimizing its droning music might make for a stronger atmosphere. Would also love to be able to enter more doors. Experiment w/ room to grow
October 31, 2025 at 6:12 PM
Condo⬛
Strolling around a condo complex at night, encountering mysterious others. Sets an appropriately moody tone, but has room to scale back even further -- minimizing its droning music might make for a stronger atmosphere. Would also love to be able to enter more doors. Experiment w/ room to grow
Strolling around a condo complex at night, encountering mysterious others. Sets an appropriately moody tone, but has room to scale back even further -- minimizing its droning music might make for a stronger atmosphere. Would also love to be able to enter more doors. Experiment w/ room to grow
October 31, 2025 at 5:24 PM
My favorite film of each year since 1900 (not the best, just my favorite)
1900 Joan of Arc
1901 Bluebeard
1902 A Trip to the Moon
1903 The Great Train Robbery
1904 The Impossible Voyage
1905 The Night before Christmas
1906 The Merry Frolics of Satan
1907 The Eclipse: Courtship of the Sun and Moon
🧵
1900 Joan of Arc
1901 Bluebeard
1902 A Trip to the Moon
1903 The Great Train Robbery
1904 The Impossible Voyage
1905 The Night before Christmas
1906 The Merry Frolics of Satan
1907 The Eclipse: Courtship of the Sun and Moon
🧵
October 30, 2025 at 9:00 PM
My favorite film of each year since 1900 (not the best, just my favorite)
1900 Joan of Arc
1901 Bluebeard
1902 A Trip to the Moon
1903 The Great Train Robbery
1904 The Impossible Voyage
1905 The Night before Christmas
1906 The Merry Frolics of Satan
1907 The Eclipse: Courtship of the Sun and Moon
🧵
1900 Joan of Arc
1901 Bluebeard
1902 A Trip to the Moon
1903 The Great Train Robbery
1904 The Impossible Voyage
1905 The Night before Christmas
1906 The Merry Frolics of Satan
1907 The Eclipse: Courtship of the Sun and Moon
🧵
Once upon A KATAMARI🟩
If Rolling LIVE earlier this year was a back-to-basics Katamari experiment, this feels like it's riffing on Forever. Meaningful innovations and QoL improvements that make this feel fresher than any Katamari release since We Love. Time travel gimmick is inspired! Wonderful roll⚽
If Rolling LIVE earlier this year was a back-to-basics Katamari experiment, this feels like it's riffing on Forever. Meaningful innovations and QoL improvements that make this feel fresher than any Katamari release since We Love. Time travel gimmick is inspired! Wonderful roll⚽
October 29, 2025 at 4:15 PM
Once upon A KATAMARI🟩
If Rolling LIVE earlier this year was a back-to-basics Katamari experiment, this feels like it's riffing on Forever. Meaningful innovations and QoL improvements that make this feel fresher than any Katamari release since We Love. Time travel gimmick is inspired! Wonderful roll⚽
If Rolling LIVE earlier this year was a back-to-basics Katamari experiment, this feels like it's riffing on Forever. Meaningful innovations and QoL improvements that make this feel fresher than any Katamari release since We Love. Time travel gimmick is inspired! Wonderful roll⚽
Excited to report that the new Once upon A KATAMARI is excellent so far. Just a few stages in, but it's some of the funniest and most enjoyable Katamari gameplay I've played in quite a while.
October 27, 2025 at 4:32 PM
Excited to report that the new Once upon A KATAMARI is excellent so far. Just a few stages in, but it's some of the funniest and most enjoyable Katamari gameplay I've played in quite a while.
THIS is the thumbnail that YouTube Movies came up with for The Karate Kid? They thought that this was the iconic image that is immediately recognizable as The Karate Kid? And they labeled it an Adolescence movie?!
October 25, 2025 at 7:49 AM
THIS is the thumbnail that YouTube Movies came up with for The Karate Kid? They thought that this was the iconic image that is immediately recognizable as The Karate Kid? And they labeled it an Adolescence movie?!
To Sleep with Anger, Eyes without a Face, 3 Women, Desert Hearts
#LastFourWatched
#LastFourWatched
October 24, 2025 at 1:46 PM
To Sleep with Anger, Eyes without a Face, 3 Women, Desert Hearts
#LastFourWatched
#LastFourWatched
This is the guy who directed The Human Centipede and, you know, that checks out.
October 20, 2025 at 5:28 PM
This is the guy who directed The Human Centipede and, you know, that checks out.
Grindstone🟩
This must be my third full playthrough. Just incredibly satisfying puzzle design. Everything feels so well-considered, and the squishy, violent aesthetics give it a unique presence. I'm fascinated by how obscure and not-in-your-face the post-launch content is (costumes, modes).
This must be my third full playthrough. Just incredibly satisfying puzzle design. Everything feels so well-considered, and the squishy, violent aesthetics give it a unique presence. I'm fascinated by how obscure and not-in-your-face the post-launch content is (costumes, modes).
October 19, 2025 at 5:48 PM
Grindstone🟩
This must be my third full playthrough. Just incredibly satisfying puzzle design. Everything feels so well-considered, and the squishy, violent aesthetics give it a unique presence. I'm fascinated by how obscure and not-in-your-face the post-launch content is (costumes, modes).
This must be my third full playthrough. Just incredibly satisfying puzzle design. Everything feels so well-considered, and the squishy, violent aesthetics give it a unique presence. I'm fascinated by how obscure and not-in-your-face the post-launch content is (costumes, modes).
I'm used to modern games using reconstructive techs in order to squeeze out maximum graphical performance, like DLSS. Useful, impressive technologies -- but they give everything a slightly fuzzy and artificial look. Makes Keeper immediately impressive, looking as good as it does, that it's so sharp.
October 19, 2025 at 5:35 PM
I'm used to modern games using reconstructive techs in order to squeeze out maximum graphical performance, like DLSS. Useful, impressive technologies -- but they give everything a slightly fuzzy and artificial look. Makes Keeper immediately impressive, looking as good as it does, that it's so sharp.
Hard to beat a title like Super Army War.
October 18, 2025 at 12:15 AM
Hard to beat a title like Super Army War.
Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!, Sorcerer, To Sir with Love, The Ring
#LastFourWatched
#LastFourWatched
October 17, 2025 at 3:47 PM
Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!, Sorcerer, To Sir with Love, The Ring
#LastFourWatched
#LastFourWatched
I wasn't old enough in 2002 to have a mature read of the political climate of the time, but in 2025, it seems wild for a Matchbox kids' game's cover vehicle to be a military police battle-vehicle like this.
October 16, 2025 at 5:18 PM
I wasn't old enough in 2002 to have a mature read of the political climate of the time, but in 2025, it seems wild for a Matchbox kids' game's cover vehicle to be a military police battle-vehicle like this.
Yooka-Replaylee🟩
It's been a few years since I played (and did not finish) Yooka-Laylee, so I was very excited by this rehash with years to rethink decisions and tune the controls. I like this game (quite moreish), but I'd expect a years-later 2nd shot to be a bit more polished; still pretty rough.
It's been a few years since I played (and did not finish) Yooka-Laylee, so I was very excited by this rehash with years to rethink decisions and tune the controls. I like this game (quite moreish), but I'd expect a years-later 2nd shot to be a bit more polished; still pretty rough.
October 16, 2025 at 8:18 AM
Yooka-Replaylee🟩
It's been a few years since I played (and did not finish) Yooka-Laylee, so I was very excited by this rehash with years to rethink decisions and tune the controls. I like this game (quite moreish), but I'd expect a years-later 2nd shot to be a bit more polished; still pretty rough.
It's been a few years since I played (and did not finish) Yooka-Laylee, so I was very excited by this rehash with years to rethink decisions and tune the controls. I like this game (quite moreish), but I'd expect a years-later 2nd shot to be a bit more polished; still pretty rough.
Needlessly judgy title for this Game Boy Color game.
October 15, 2025 at 5:37 PM
Needlessly judgy title for this Game Boy Color game.