Happy New Year!  Around this time of year, I like to make a list of games that are releasing in the coming year that I’m looking forward to.  Of course, this isn’t a full complete list, as there will assuredly be titles announced throughout the year that I may get as well. Heck, last year we didn’t know about Pac-Man World: Re-Pac until late summer, and that ended up being my Game of the Year in 2022!  But anyway, here’s what I know now, for the most part, so let’s take a look at what games I’m looking forward to in 2023!

Before we get started, though, I have to say that aside from games, I’m not really looking forward to 2023 at all.  You see, sometime this year, I’m going to have to move out of the house I’ve been living in happily for more than 20 years.  And I’m not very pleased about it.  It isn’t my choice to do this, and my options are to live on my own but basically be in poverty, or move out to the country with family and be completely isolated from everything else in my life.  Both of those options do not sound good to me.  And I hate it when people say stuff like, “Oh change is good, it makes you stronger.”  I think it would be different if I actually had control over this situation.  I don’t like change because anytime in my life I have to make a change, I get the short end of the stick.  I have to say this decade has been turning out to be pretty crappy.  First we get COVID, then in 2021 my mom got breast cancer (lucky she’s over that so at least that’s good), and then last year a bunch of other family problems I won’t go into here.  So you really can’t blame me for not looking forward to 2023 as well.  But before I get too depressed, let’s take a look at some games!

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

So in 2022 we finally got a title for Breath of the Wild 2, as well as a release date in May.  Although it still wouldn’t surprise me if they push it back some more, maybe around the Christmas season.  As much as I bash on Breath of the Wild, I still spent 65 hours on it and beat it, so I must’ve liked it somewhat.  I hope the sequel has more substantial dungeons, although I still liked those smaller shrines for short bursts of play.  At any rate, it’s a Zelda game so it’s bound to be good no matter what.  I just hope I have time to play it with everything else going on in my life this year!

Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Deluxe

I may not get this one right away.  I might wait and ask for it for my birthday.  But then, if I run out of new games to play and have the urge to get this one, I MIGHT get it before then.  On one hand, it’s yet another Switch port and I’m not a big fan of those.  But on the other hand, it IS Kirby and those games are always fun.

Final Fantasy Theatrhythm Final Bar Line

I was super excited when the announced this at the last major Nintendo Direct.  It’s basically a music game with Final Fantasy songs, but since that series has super good music, it makes for a good rhythm game, too!  The first one on 3DS was my Game of the Year when it was released.  The second one was great, too, but my only complaint was it had TOO many songs, which is a good problem to have!  And I’m so lucky I got to play the arcade version.  There’s even a Kingdom Hearts music game that I consider part of the Theatrhythm series as well.  I just can’t decide if I want to get this new game on the Switch or PS4.

Fitness Boxing: Fist of the North Star

This was another Nintendo Direct announcement, and I’m surprised that not more people are talking about it.  The Fitness Boxing games are pretty standard motion control boxing fitness games, but to combine it with a hyper violent anime just blows my mind!  The anime is pretty influential, admittedly, but the characters in it are so strong that when they punch people, their heads explode!  I wonder if that’ll happen in the game, especially since Nintendo likes to keep things family friendly with these types of titles.  Plus, I thought SEGA had the rights to Fist of the North Star, since the Yakuza team made a game based on it a while back.  Did you know it took me several years to watch this anime all the way through?  I’m not usually into violent stuff like that, as ridiculous as it was, so I’d usually get grossed out and stop watching.  But a couple of years ago I finally watched it all the way through!  I’m a big boy now!

Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection

The Battle Network games are basically Mega Man Pokémon.  It’s a cleverly disguised card battle game, but they put some action in it too.  I enjoyed this series a lot as first, as it has quite a bit of charm and character.  But after about the third game or so, it started to feel a little same-y.  Huh, that sounds familiar with Mega Man games, doesn’t it?  They advertise that this one will have ten games on it, but it really only has six, as the last few games in the main series had two different versions a la Pokémon.  I don’t think Capcom should count those as separate games, but what do I know?  I wish this collection would have some of the spinoffs, like Network Transmission on the GameCube or the Star Force games.  My brother Jeff LOVED the Battle Network games when he was a kid.

Puzzle Bobble Everybubble

I freaking love Bubble Bobble, and the puzzle game spinoff is actually one of my top three favorite puzzle games of all time.  Heck, the Puzzle Bobble games are probably more popular than the game it was spun off from, since you can see so many clones of it on mobile devices.  So I’m glad this new one is coming to consoles this year.  I’m totally going to get it when it comes out!  I have a pretty good relationship with Taito’s PR, so I might even get to review it!  Also in 2022, I got to finally play Bust-A-Move Frenzy in an arcade.  It was nice to see Bub and Bob in that setting again.

Operation Wolf Returns: First Mission

Speaking of Taito, when I made this list, I looked at a release date schedule on GameStop’s web site and this one popped up.  I hadn’t gotten a press release on it yet so I was surprised.  Is it going to be a light gun game like the first one was?  How will that work?  It got me curious, so it goes on the list!  Interesting fact: the Operation Wolf arcade game appeared in the Wonder Woman 1984 movie even though that game wasn’t released until 1987!

Tales of Symphonia Remastered

My brother Jeff and I played this one together on the GameCube back in the day.  It’s one of the more popular Tales games, so I’m glad it’s getting a remake.  Jeff’s all grown up with a full time job now, and I don’t have time to play long RPGs anymore either, so I probably won’t get this one.  But I’ll still keep my eye on it. I wonder if they’ll ever remake MY favorite Tales game: Legendia?  Probably not.

Digimon World First Order

I’ve always had a slight interest in Digimon.  Back in the day I watched the first few seasons of the anime because it was actually surprisingly good.  So I’ve always kept my eye on the games.  I think I’d rather play the Digimon Cyber Sleuth games, though.

Sea of Stars

This was actually supposed to come out last year, in fact it was on my games I’m looking forward in 2022 list, but it got delayed.  It’s an RPG and a prequel to The Messenger weirdly enough, since that was a 2-D platformer.  But some of the people who worked on Chrono Trigger also worked on Sea of Stars, so that has me interested.  Like I said before, I don’t have time for long RPGs anymore, but in 2022 I did play through Pokémon Legends: Arceus and Live A Live, so we’ll see.

The Rumble Fish 2

It’s a 2-D one-on-one fighter, and I’m not too big into those.  But the characters look cool and I love the name.  I may not buy this one, but I’ve gotten a few press releases about it so I may try and review it.  We’ll see.

Fatal Frame: Mark of the Lunar Eclipse

One of my guilty pleasures is watching ghost shows.  You know the ones where people investigate haunted places to find proof of ghosts.  Yeah I know those shows are dumb, but it’s called a guilty pleasure for a reason, don’t judge me.  So I’ve always had an interest in the Fatal Frame games, as you go around taking pictures of ghosts in spooky settings.  I think this one’s supposed to be a remake of an older title.  The ones I’ve played, your characters act like they took some valium before ghost hunting, as they all lumber around all sluggish and everything.  But I got to review the last Fatal Frame game, so maybe I’ll get to review this one, too.

Happy New Year!

And that’s all for now!  I wonder if we’ll get a update on Metroid Prime 4 in 2023 as well?  Maybe.  Another thing I’m looking forward to in 2023 that’s not necessarily a game is the Mario movie.  I’m not too big on the voice cast, and I think there are way better Nintendo franchises to make movies out of (Heck even Luigi’s Mansion would make for a better movie).  But this one still has my interest.  At least it’ll be better than the live action one!  In the comments section, let me know what you think of my list, and fill me in on any games I might’ve forgotten that you think I’d like.  And tell me which games you’re looking forward to in 2023 as well!  Later!  –Cary

Tags: Misc