Toomanywires

If I could travel back to 2006, I'd buy the full set of Bit Generations games on the Game Boy Advance. Twice. I'd also grab that Sega Wondermega that sat in Akihabara Trader's cabinet for ages. I'd probably try to prevent some wars or whatever too. The Bit Generations series was once far more reasonably priced than it is now. Accessible for even the most cash-strapped of GBA owner. You'd spot them straight away when you entered any well-stocked store, with their distinctive form factor and simplistic but eye-catching cover art. I remember them well, but knew them by sight only.  As I'm writing this post, it dawns on me that I'm likely describing new copies, or at the very least newly-used. They were launched exclusively in Japan in July 2006, which was my first summer living here. I am remembering, or misremembering, old games before they were old, otherwise known as new games. Oddly, it feels like they were always "retro"; a throwback at launch. E...

I have finally completed Sonic Advance 2! Took me long enough. I first got my copy back in late 2004. Maybe Christmas? I'd had a Game Boy Advance SP for a year, but I'd just used it for Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, which was the only reason why I'd bought it in the first place. When I moved to Japan in late-2005, those were the only video games I brought with me. It should've been an ideal opportunity to lavish some attention on my GBA, being that I had no other handhelds or consoles to distract me, but that didn't happen. I used my first pay cheque to buy a white PSP, as well as a Saturn for the house, and my SP was immediately shelved. I barely used my GBA again, and I certainly never finished Sonic. It was far too tough. And besides, I had a full season running on NBA Live 2006 on my PSP, which demanded my attention. Seven seconds or less to get my Suns a championship. Fast forward the best part of two decades, and I have finally triumphed over Sonic Advance 2....