Squeak! c:
Last time I tried to post images to Bluesky, they came out all black, for some reason. Hopefully this works fine -

Last one for the day...
Super Mario RPG, SNES, 1996. One of my most-loved games, by far... And honestly, I think it's entirely because the vibe is just right. It's so joyful & silly - it feels like whoever made this game was just having a ton of fun. And that feeling rubs off. c:

Paladin's Quest, SNES, 1993. Another game that isn't necessary a great game, but lives in my head because it's so memorable. Everything about it felt odd -- visuals, audio, storyline, game mechanics, everything. This game tried whatever it wanted, and that is charming to me!

Out of this World, SNES, 1992. Originally for the Amiga, this game was entrancing just because its visual style & animation were wildly different from anything else at the time. Prince of Persia is the closest I can think of. Painful to actually play, but was so worth it!

Snake Rattle n' Roll, NES, 1990. This was joyful for me - and 2 players! I recall reaching the final boss with my brother, except it seemed to have infinite health. Recently, I learned that if you fail to hit it for a couple seconds, it secretly recovers all health. Welp. c:

Blaster Master, NES, 1988. I recall the emotions I had when I first touched this game were so massive - it tickled my imagination, I think. You were a kid with a gun who could hop in & out of a car that could jump. And when you entered dungeons, it switched into top-down view! WONDERFUL music.

Bionic Commando, NES, 1988. This one would still be fun, I think! You can't jump, but you have a bionic arm that lets you grapple, swing, and pull yourself up. Awesome design, catchy music. A modern 2d remake exists, and it's even better, IMO!

Time for more! c:
Faxanadu, NES, 1987. This game sticks in my head like glue, and I still whistle its tunes all the time! It's so tough that it probably wouldn't feel fun today. But it's so memorable for me. You've got a tiny dagger, and a big world to explore - exactly my kind of thing. c:

Forbidden Forest, C64, 1983. An action horror game - you're an archer in a forest, who dies in one hit, and can only walk left or right. It's hard to convey now why this game felt scary or creepy, but it really did. When you win a round, the archer dances to a weird little tune - I love it so much!

Startropics, NES, 1990! My memories with this game are so massive - you're a kid weilding a "deadly" yoyo, adventuring across tropic islands, uncovering secrets. The story leads in some playfully unexpected directions - it was really neat! As a kid, the game's finale gave me nightmares, too.

The Bard's Tale 3: Thief of Fate, C64, 1988. My parents spent months progressing through this game, hand-drawing maps -- and I remember trying it many times, though of course at that age, I had no chance, hahah. c: This one's super special to me, though!

Spy vs Spy, Commodore 64, 1984! A two-player game - I remember spending a lot of time on this with my brother. You wander around a maze, searching each room for things that you need -- but the fun of it was laying traps for the other player, and avoiding theirs. Very simple, but a lot of fun. c:

Archon, Commodore 64, 1983! This game really sticks into my head, for some reason - it was creative. Like chess, except when two pieces engage, the combat is done in real-time. There's a day-night cycle, and the shade of the tile can give the light or dark side an advantage. I loved the style. c:

The Incredible Machine - PC, 1993. c: In this, every single object in the game was something you could place yourself -- then you could press Go, and watch the physics & interactions play out. I remember spending a lot of time just playing freeform mode, and goofing around - it felt nice. c:

Mordor: The Depths of Dejenol! PC, 1995. This game was so dorky, but my family spent a ton of time with it. I expect it played a big role in my love for fantasy games where you have a ton of freedom customizing your adventurers, like Dark Souls and such. c: The sequel was much better, too!

Marble Madness, Commodore 64, 1986! Another tough game with visuals and audio that just felt insanely good. This version of the game had a secret level you could access from the 1st level, by sitting on a specific tile and allowing time to run low. It felt mysterious because that level baffled us!

Nebulus, or Tower Toppler! Commodore 64, 1987. TOUGH game, but extremely charming visuals and audio. The magic of this game was that every time you poked at it, you got a tiny bit farther - and as a little kid, that was exciting!

Inherit the Earth, 1994! I remember seeing floppy disks for this game in a shop, and grabbed it on a whim. So much of it was so lovable to me - I'd just run the game to listen to the music, sometimes. As a kid, it was the only point-and-click I could beat without a guide! Mazes were bad, though.