So after years of being out of touch with the world of gaming, I got myself a Nintendo Switch and I am catching up. So after years of nothing but NES, original Playstation, and mobile games, how am I holding up to modern gaming? Welcome to The Lapsed Gamer, where I catch up on a few decades worth of missed game experiences by cramming on my Nintendo Switch.

In case you’re wondering what games I’m currently throwing my time and money at, here are the titles that I’m currently spending time with. Come on, time to read about and laugh at my struggles with new gaming tropes, microtransactions, and modern controls.

I am Setsuna

I feel like I haven’t played enough JRPGs in my life. I intend to make up for that terrible transgression by picking up I am Setsuna, a game that in many ways feels like a throwback to the great games of the SNES era.

The plot isn’t anything to write home about – it’s about a mercenary tasked to murder the titular character Setsuna. Setsuna, on the other hand, is a young girl who was chosen to be their village’s human sacrifice to keep a horde of monsters from overrunning their land.

If you’ve played any JRPG from the last 30 years, then you know how to play this game. It’s a melancholic game set in a snow-covered land, with compelling characters, set to a stripped-down piano soundtrack.

Get I am Setsuna here.

Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove

So I decided to catch up with gaming by picking up another game that looks like it came out of the 8-bit and 16-bit eras. Okay, sure, on the surface, Shovel Knight may look like any other game that picks up the old retro asthetics of NES platformers, but hear me out here.

This game, much like Mega Man, is tough as nails, but it’s not too tough that it’ll make you throw your Switch in anger. Its life system is actually pretty modern (it’s closer to Dark Souls than old platformers), and the control scheme is easy to pick up and doesn’t feel awkward. It’s an enjoyable, albeit at times frustrating, platformer.

Get Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove here.

ARMS

So I already reviewed ARMS here, but I’m still having way too much fun online. The game is being constantly improved with balance patches, and reportedly a new character will be revealed soon. If you haven’t picked this up yet, you’re missing out on one of the more innovative fighting games this year.

Get ARMS here

Fast RMX

Fast RMX is an anti-gravity racing game. With rocket-powered vehicles. In space. With these little strips on light on the ground that can either boost or slow down your vehicle. And you can crash into obstacles if you don’t know what you’re doing. This is a fun game to take to parties, where you can trash talk your friends all you want before you fall off the track and lose your lead.

Get Fast RMX here.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (Master Mode)

Yes, I am back in Hyrule, exploring it and uncovering its secrets once again. I already put my thoughts in my review for Girls Got Game, but with the release of the Master Mode, I decided to go back to the start and get my ass kicked once again.

You see, there comes a point in Breath of the Wild where you already rack up enough skill, equipment, and life that the game seems trivial. Heck, I managed to beat the final boss in one attempt, despite my total lack of skills. This is where Master Mode comes in. Difficulty is scaled up where everything you learned in your previous runthrough might not be of much use. Seriously, if you thought Hyrule was out to kill you the first time around, wait till you meet your first Bokoblin in Master Mode.

Get The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild here.

What are you playing right now? Do you have any recommendations for me as well? You should leave a comment below and let’s talk about it!