POLL is YOU: Thirteenth Coint and Plick results (best games of 2019)

(that's our last tie! doesn't mean it isn't close though...........)

this is the second time i've thought about paul mccartney this morning

wingspan is such a precious + sweet game. low intensity so great for non-gamers, the birds are gorgeous, the gameplay is soothing and chill. the balance is mostly good (tho there are a few cards that if you get them early you can steamroll with)

every bird card is unique and painted

are there bird facts? recent games have gotten me used to learning animal trivia as i play

indeed! you will learn about many different birds as you play. their habitats, nest building, fecundity, wingspan, consumption habits etc

wingspan is a decent entry-level eurogame but if you're not in it for the bird theme there's a lot of better ones

(most people are in it for the bird theme)

https://i.imgur.com/dSP9I0t.png
13 - A Short Hike - 35 points / 3 Votes
Microsoft Windows, Linux, Macintosh operating systems

kind of a perfect game for the hour or 2 it takes to complete it

sounds pretty short for a game but actually pretty decently long for a hike

a good day hike is several hours longer than this game imo

a short hike is good imo

feels great to fly

https://i.imgur.com/WWVMWE9.png
11 - The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening - 39 points / 3 Votes
Nintndo Switch

fuck, i missed one. double post i guess!

https://i.imgur.com/xV8ijU3.png
12 - Hypnospace Outlaw - 35 points / 1.33 First-place votes / 2 Votes
Microsoft Windows, Linux, macOS, Macintosh operating systems

the only one where i had to nestle the title in sideways to make it work with the screenshot

rly wanna check this one out (hypnospace outlaw)

link's awakening is a great game but i played it in 93 so couldn't qualify for my ballot

hypnospace outlaw i haven't played yet but is on my computer now i guess i should prioritize it

Ah shit, I really wanted to play Hypnospace Outlaw!

with this dn i shd be ashamed of myself for almost forgetting to post that one (and ashamed for not playing it yet)

https://i.imgur.com/msSNuE5.png
10 - Slay the Spire - 39 points / 5 Votes
Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows, Macintosh operating systems, Linux (iOS and Android in 2020)

hypnospace outlaw was my goty, really fun throwback to an intensely specific time and place (the place is online)

https://i.imgur.com/kCiXRT4.png
9 - Super Mario Maker 2 - 46 points / 5 Votes
Nintendo Switch

that's the last one before number REALLY go up

re: slay the spire, i can't actually remember if it made my ballot but i did spend a LOT of time with it last year. an excellent little... whatever it is. i don't really play roguelikes, or deckbuilders, but I think it's both of those? it's very satisfying to get far in (I have even "beaten" it 2 or 3 times). when you uncover cool card combos you feel like a genius.

it is indeed a roguelike deckbuilder

I voted for SMM2 despite not playing it myself. The variety of user levels that you can see on youtube is amazing.

I did play smm2 but also voted for it on the strength of its YouTube videos

https://i.imgur.com/9AWQPvA.png
8 - Dragon Quest 11 Definitive Edition - 70 points / 0.83 First-place votes / 3 Votes
Nintendo Switch (Playstation 4, Nintendo 3DS, Microsoft Windows (non-"definitive" editions) 2017)

i've come around on this game being good but it still feels like a greatest hits album of jrpg bits to me without a strong throughline. also the third act kinda ruins the whole story in the service of one or two Whoa Cool moments

maybe the version i played wasn't Definitive enough

https://i.imgur.com/XQ4KAcc.png
7 - Death Stranding - 81 points / 1 First-place vote / 6 Votes
Playstation 4 (Windows in 2020)

i really need to finish that game. i've gotten the internet all the way across the rocky mountains, but then started to get a little bored

My co-first place! it was so refreshing to haave a kojima weirdo game with a glimmer of hope in it?

my other co-first is coming up next...

https://i.imgur.com/pm0nJNx.png
6 - Fire Emblem: Three Houses - 82 points / 1.5 First-place votes / 6 Votes
Nintendo Switch

re: death stranding saw this one sale for $30. didn't buy. feeling like i may never play it.

three houses is a great visual novel, not an amazing tactics game

sounds like my type of fire emblem

played 30 hours of three houses, quit, for the reason mordy mentioned. i've never played a fire emblem game before, so i'm glad i checked it out.

i've been trying to post this annoying opinion less often, but i just don't like video game stories, most of the time. like if i want to watch a "visual novel", i would much, much rather re-watch game of thrones seasons 1-4

Slay the Spire is the game I've played the most in the last few months. A total gem.

I may have voted for Short Hike if I'd played it before I voted. Really nice lil' game. The flying mechanic is so simple but so good.

Wow, I did not expect my #1 to beat out Death Stranding.

Famous last words etc.

https://i.imgur.com/FA4bF1p.png
5 - Control - 85 points / 2 First-place votes / 4 Votes
Playstation 4, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows

still really need to play this

finally! so i only tossed this 5 pts bc i assumed it would do well but i've since voted played much more of it and it deserved more points from me. the mechanics are legitimately joyful (flying! tossing objects around!) and the tone + setting is v X-files-esque without (generally going too overboard with the homage). the cigarette smoking guy maybe too far. i can't understand half of what the janitor is saying. half the guns work shitty and aren't worth bothering with. the game has bathrooms everywhere and nothing in any of them. you'd think they'd have enough bathrooms by now so do they?

https://i.imgur.com/EdwT1tx.jpg

apparently not

it's fun to clobber monsters with giant slabs of casework and some of the puzzles + stages (inc apparently the one i'm up to which is supposedly the creme de le creme of the game) are legit innovative + exciting. many parts are authentically unnerving without needing jump scares. some of the music is fantastic, the sound design v creepy + great.