Game-A-Day 2024
It’s time! It’s time! Time for what? Why, my Game-A-Day (G-A-D) challenge of course! For the entire month of August September, I challenge myself to complete one game every day. This means I’m playing a ton of short, indie, experimental, weird games — my favorite games to play. It’s something I look forward to every year, and I’m excited to be back at it again! So let’s get started!
How long to beat: ~10 minutes
Starting G-A-D with Funny Business turned out to be incredibly appropriate because the challenge has barely started and I’ve already goofed. Forgetting what month I hold my own challenge, I played Funny Business on August 1st. I wanted to start the month with laugher, and silliness, and well, mission accomplished. In Funny Business, you play as a new employee at a joke factory, and luckily, you’ve got Junior manager Stone Jones to help you learn how to make jokes. Funny Business is a short game packed with laughable (and slightly unsettling) moments. I find it so interesting how much comedy can sometimes dip into suspense. There were a few moments where I was quietly cowering while chuckling. Stone Jones gave off an unsettling aura. I loved it! Highly recommend!
How long to beat: ~25 minutes
Crockpot, by Emily Koonce and Blake Andrews, instantly took me back to passing the time with friends in malls, in pet stores, in parking lots waiting for our parents to pick us up. The dialogue weaves between the silly, and heartbreaking — it’s so funny how kids can talk about everything and nothing at the same time. Kids are so resilient and powerful; they can find times to laugh and play, even when their lives are filled with conflict and violence. Crockpot is a beautifully bittersweet look into growing up, and wonderful reminder of how we survive the day-to-day.
How Many Levels Did I Beat?: 3 (SO FAR)
Oddwood is the type of game I could just play over and over again. Your character is constantly moving, and your actions are controlled by dice, so the only control you really have is when to shoot your bullets. It’s chaotic and frenetic, but in a way that feels controllable and understandable. So far, I haven’t gotten past level 4, but every time I play, I feel like I understand the game a little bit more, which is such an awesome feeling! Turns out a full version is currently in the works. I’m always impressed by the things people can make in 48 hours, so I’m very excited to see how this game will develop with more time.
How Long to Beat: A couple minutes
I watched Late Night with Conan O'Brien well before I could even understand any of his jokes. I have such fond memories of sitting down a night with my sisters, watching them watch Conan and interpreting how I should respond. Admittedly, I always wanted to go on Conan’s show because I thought it’d be fun to talk to him. But Conan Throwbrien poses a valid question: why talk to Conan when you can be Conan? Conan Throwbrien is a turn-based dice roller where the success of Conan’s jokes are based off of how well you roll. It feels a bit like blackjack, except in this case you don’t want to exceed 13 instead of 21. You’ve got three rounds to turn the crowd over and get them stomping in their chairs from laughter. I love a good game of luck, and I do think comedy (though it can be crafted and honed) is still loosely based off of how lucky you get with the crowd. Definitely take a couple minutes to play this if you’re interested in donning Conan’s chisled chin and Wendy’s frostie-style hairdo.
How Long to Beat: ~ 20 minutes
Like the internet itself, Into the Deep Web has a little bit of everything. There’s deck building, roguelike randomness, some strategy, and dice rolling auto-battling combat with a little bit of minesweeper sprinkled on top. The art style feels reminiscent to the early aughts, reminiscent of old-school Windows style browsers and Microsoft Paint. The game is fun as hell to play and really cool to look at. The music is great too! I won on my first attempt, but I’m more than willing to play again just to have an ATM beat my ass.
How Long to beat: ~10 minutes
The Silly Little Knight has a lot of my favorite stuff: cartoonish hand-drawn graphics; classic Point-and-click puzzles that make me feel like a genius when I figure them out; a good amount of humor; and an unexpected twist that almost got me. This is a game I would have played over and over during my Shockwave / Addicting Games era in the early 2000’s because it feels like an episode from your favorite cartoon, one that is always a treat to watch, even when you know every word. I look forward to playing the full game one day!
How Long to Beat: ~10 minutes
Apollo is a short but sweet game about a bird traversing through a dungeon and learning a few new tricks along the way. Apollo thrives in its simplicity. As a budding game developer myself, it’s so easy for me to overly complicate a game I’m making. Apollo’s execution is so well done because it sticks to its premise. It’s a great reminder to keep things simple, because getting the basics down will make a spectacular game, like this one! As an aside, this is why I love game jams so much. Having a short window to make a game forces you to think of ideas that can only be executed in a few days.
Day 8 - Solitaire (and Spades)
Solitaire / Windows
How Long to beat: ~ 1 hr
Without a doubt, there is always a day or two during G-A-D that just feels difficult. During those days, I rely on my go-to games for the day, like Solitaire or Tetris. Today, I started the day with Solitaire because I knew my day would just be too weird to fit in a different game. But just out of luck, I was able to play a game of Spades with some loved ones too! So I guess today was just a card game kind of day.
How Long to Beat: Couple Minutes
Happy Cat Tavern is addicting as hell. I had only planned to try normal mode, but wound up trying hard and mirrored as well. To be honest, I’m probably going to keep playing this until I get all the achievements. As much as I love long, narrative games, I’m also a sucker for games that give you short bursts of energy, like this one. I love a game about typing as fast as you can. It’s simple, it’s quick, and it’s stressful (but in a good way), though if you do get too stressed, you’ve got some adorably fluffy cats in the background to raise your spirits.
How Long to Beat: (I played for Hours)
Near Mint is super cool idea for a deck-builder. The cards are ripped into pieces, so players have to piece their cards together to make new actions. It’s definitely a toughie, but I love the strategy involved in thinking about how to form your cards. It’s super creative, and I can’t wait to see how this develops further!
How Long to Beat: ~ 20 Minutes
This here’s another Dazlog joint (see Apollo from Day 7) and as usual, this game is incredibly well made and fun! Aglobo is a turn-based puzzle game, similar to Baba is You, about a little fish simply trying to get through the ocean. The pixel art in this game is so beautiful, and the sound effects are incredibly satisfying. I love puzzle games, but I find I don’t have the right amount of patience for them. As much as I adored Baba is You, I actually never finished it, because it just uses a lot of brain power! Aglobo, though, was the perfect amount of brain power and time. I beat it and felt amazing afterwards.
How Long to Beat: ~ 2 hours
I am a huge fan of murder mystery visual novels, so when I stumbled across Mirage Noir’s demo, I just knew I had to try it. The atmosphere in this game is so cool. The art and music give off such a smooth, effortless vibe to it. The demo showed a small glimpse of how Yunie, the detective and protagonist of the game, will uncover the mysteries of the murder, and I’m already so excited to see more. There will be a Kickstarter for Mirage Noir starting soon, so definitely check it out if this looks like a game you’d enjoy.
How Long to Play: As long as you’d like (I played for ~30 minutes)
I’ve been aware of Tiny Glade for a minute now. I remember seeing a video on Twitter/X showcasing the game, and I was incredibly impressed by its smooth-like-butter graphics. Tiny Glade is a relaxing simulator where you build cottages, ranches, ruins, and gardens all at your own pace. The goal is simply to chill out and make a pretty structure, however you see fit. The demo alone was incredibly soothing. I was busy laying flowers to the ground (pictured above) when I noticed a few sheep had spawned in. I loved them instantly. I wanted to take care of them immediately. Tiny Glade officially comes out September 23rd, so definitely check it out (and the demo) if you need something quiet and calming to play.
How Long to Beat: I’m still playing this to be honest, but I’ve gotten so close!
Knowing I’d be very busy this weekend because of a road trip, I knew I’d have to rely on some very simple and quick games to play during my little bouts of downtime. I decided to play Zipper by Bennett Foddy because it seems ridiculously quick. And while it is, I wouldn’t exactly say it’s simple. Zipper is a tactics puzzle game where you play as a swordsman, slashing your way through your enemies. However, you can’t just walk up to them and hack away. You must figure out the right way to navigate to kill them, or run away. Every room feels like a tense showdown between you and your enemy. The amount of times I’d screamed when I died really shows you how much I got into it. I’m still playing it, but I’m so close! I can’t wait to master this game.
Day 15 - Minesweeper
Minesweeper / Microsoft
How Long to Beat: ~ 10 minutes
Day two of the road trip…I’m exhausted. I had a wonderful time, but now I NEED a game that requires very little of me. For some reason, I’ve chosen another puzzle game. I guess when my body is tired, I look for something to keep my brain a little more engaged. Anyway, I love Minesweeper. I used to play it as a kid without having any idea what the rules were. Now, as an adult, I know exactly how Minesweeper works, which is why I get so pissed now when I lose! I KNEW there was a mine there, why did I click it?! Day 14 and 15 of G-A-D had me screaming, but both in good ways!
How Long to Beat: ~ 30 minutes
A group of inmates are assigned promised a shortened sentence if they continue to mine out different substances on a foreign planet called Saharion. All is going well until, eventually, it is not, and all the inmates die. You play as one of the dead inmates. You wander around Saharion in an attempt to learn what happened to you and all of your friends. Saharion is a beautifully atmospheric, quiet mystery. You wander and pick up cups, mysterious barrels, old books, and shovels. I really enjoyed getting a glimpse into the day-to-day as a miner, and the roles each person played. Honestly, I’m still feeling sluggish from my little road trip, so a quiet saunter around a mysterious planet felt perfect for me. But even without my fatigue, I’d absolutely enjoy this game regardless.
How Long to Beat: ~1 hour
Raide is a short, puzzle game about putting train tracks back into their proper order. Behind this brain-tickling puzzle game is a sweet story about a kid just trying to help their grandfather. It’s also got a few secrets to uncover along with the main puzzles, so there’s really a lot packed into this small game. I usually have a hard time with puzzle games, so honestly the amount of joy I feel having finished Raide is incalculable. It’s such a treat that you must sit down and play!
How Long to Beat: ~10 Minutes
Oh, Snow Flow is adorable. Not only is it stinking cute, but it’s also a great reminder of how players create their own stories while on their way to complete a game’s main narrative. In Snow Flow, you play as a penguin in a sea of other penguins. You traverse the snowy icescape, gliding through hoards of penguins and other animals along the way, with an awesome soundtrack in your head. In my mind, my penguin was a rambunctious little bachelor who loved pushing others in the water until he met someone who wanted to be a prankster with him. Beautiful love story. No notes. The End.
How Long to Beat: ~ 20 Minutes
I found Trip today during the Six One Indie Showcase (which showed a slew of awesome upcoming titles, by the way) and I was instantly intrigued by its colorful characters and cute-but-creepy atmosphere. And the demo definitely did not disappoint. In Trip, you play as a passenger on a very mysterious train. As you talk to your fellow passengers, you notice something is incredibly strange on the train. And it turns out the strangest thing about it…is you! I absolutely adore when a silly game has off-putting vibes, so I’m very excited to see where this game goes.
How Long to Beat: ~10 Minutes
I stumbled across Crowscave and digged its black-and-white pixelated style. Funnily enough, I stumbled onto the ending the first time I played it, so it was fun to figure out the actual way to beat the game. It’s the beauty of game jam games. I could talk to a crow all day and be happy.
How Long to Beat: ~ 30 minutes
I stumbled across Super Dassalo Land randomly on itch.io. It’s an 8-bit comedy platformer that follows comedian Tommy Dassalo on his quest to defeat his self-doubt and prepare for his comedy special (which is a real special you can watch on YouTube). As much as I enjoy a serious, emotional game, I love humor in games too, and I appreciate it when it’s done well because writing comedy in games is really hard. Reading a joke is harder to make funny than performing it. In this case, I thought Super Dassalo Land had some good jokes, and I was pleased to see a humorous platformer!
How Long to Beat: ~20 minutes (for one round)
Today was a great day of playing games with a friend. We actually played a few games today, but out of everything, I’ve decided to put Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 on the list because…I feel like it! I always appreciate an opportunity to play games with friends, especially when done in the same room. As for the game itself, there’s not much to say. It’s Puyo Puyo and it’s Tetris. Two great games put into one. With cool characters in it, including Sonic. It’s fun!
How Long to Beat: ~45 Minutes
I’ve been a huge fan of Punch Out! and Super Punch Out!! for years. Hell, I even love ARMS; Nintendo just knows how to make a fun boxing game. That’s why when I saw Big Boy Boxing some months ago, I knew I had to keep an eye for it. I played the demo today and really loved the way it deviated from other classic boxing games. The characters are fun, the animation feels so energetic, and the stories are silly. But, most importantly, it feels distinctly like its own game. I can’t wait for the full release.
How Long to Beat: ~ 20 minutes
Vesper is a peaceful platformer featuring a celestial being trapped in the physical form of a box. The atmosphere is relaxing, the music is soothing, and the puzzles provide a satisfying amount of challenge to make this just a nice little game to play. Perfect for a dark and rainy night like tonight!
How Did You Get a Crown?: No :(
I played Fall Guys quite a bit when it first came out. It was definitely a bit of a pandemic game, but besides being a good game to play online with friends, its colorful design and quick playthroughs made for some good, fast fun. I decided to basically check up on the game and see how it’s evolved since its release in 2020. Honestly? Still fun. A little rough around the edges (sometimes instructions for a game would be in a different language) but the gameplay is so easy to pick up that even its little bugs didn’t deter me from having a good time.
Shroom and Gloom / Team LazerBeam
What Level Did You Get to?: 6
Shroom and Gloom is rad. It’s a deckbuilding cooking game and I am an absolute sucker for cooking games. The monsters are mushrooms and the dungeon is all hand-drawn. Not to mention its roguelike elements. This is just…my game. This is a game for me. And it’s just a prototype! I’m definitely going to keep playing after I finish this post.
How Long to Beat: ~ 1 hr
I have a weirdly superstitious relationship with FTL where I tend to play it only when I’ve got something on my mind that I wanted sorted out. It feels almost like reading tea leaves or reading tarot cards, except instead of leaves or cards, I interpret my path in the game. Today’s game was particularly brutal. I almost made it to the final stage with only a Burst Laser and an Ion Bomb. Weapons felt incredibly sparse, until I found weapons in two spots back-to-back. Unfortunately, I didn’t really have time to use them because I was already out of missiles and low on health, but if I had to interpret everything, I’d say that I can go very far with very little. And also, don’t side with Mantis fugitives.
Beat Saber is another of my ol’ reliable type of games. There’s something so nice about having a big headset on your head, blasting music, and slicing up blue and red boxes for an hour or so. Not to incriminate myself, but, the best songs are definitely the player-made maps. I’m always so impressed by what a fandom can do, and the beat saber fandom is made from a bunch of music loving, beat saber geniuses.
How Long to Beat: ~ 20 Minutes
The Pocket Master is a really cool puzzle game about picking up items and putting them into the pocket dimension to move or change their shape. I think my favorite part of this game is the fact that you just use the mouse for everything. It’s simplicity makes for a very solid game. I’d love to see what a longer game would look like. That said, I still loved my time picking up things I really shouldn’t be able to, and putting them in my little pockets.
Who did You Date?: Steph!
I did not plan to end G-A-D with this game, but as I sat at my computer, learning the past lives of three eligible ghosts, I realized this was the perfect game to end on. I started this year’s challenge on humor and silliness, because that was what I needed at the time. And I think ending with Speed Dating with Ghosts has that silly-yet-somber tone that is perfect to complete this year’s challenge. Speed Dating with Ghosts brings the humanity back into the spiritual realm. These are ghosts still trying to understand their own identities as ghosts; they’re mourning their past lives and themselves. But they’re also opening up to the new life that being a ghost gives them. It’s a very special game that I’ve owned for years and never played! I’m so happy I found it and played it today.