By Ronald Gordon 

Hello and welcome back to the Roundup, the column that’s made to highlight the masterful works of interns and Circle members alike! May brings not only hotter weather but even hotter topics for discussion as games continue to evolve overtime. From stories about a tournament in Toronto revolving around a Tetris clone to Stellar Blade being more than what makes it controversial, here’s what we have in this week’s roundup. 

To start us off, I’d like to highlight the first episode of a new project that the Circle is putting into motion. The Playing With Purpose podcast is a lot more than your average talk show; it seeks to bring to light the hidden gems within gaming and show that developers can be as down to earth as any of us. The first official episode stars Kimari Rennis and Harold Goldberg interviewing the talented Abubakar Salim, Voice Actor turned Game Developer who created Tales of Kenzera: Zau. The episode may be short but it’s chock full of interesting tidbits about development and African myth. The first two episodes of Playing With Purpose episodes are up on the NYVGCC YouTube channel. 

Jatin Gundara reviews a game that changed his perspective on multiplayer experiences as a whole: “I can’t speak highly enough about the allure of a single-player game. Enjoying a truly special, immersive world and building your own perspective on what it has to offer in a way that is unique to you remains a key aspect of what I enjoy about so many amazing titles. Yet, the other side of the coin provides its own draw.” Always an enthusiastic solo player, Jatin starts his review by mentioning how he couldn’t help but bring his friends into tackling the many hurdles within Inkbound: “Whether it be the unparalleled feeling of starting a fresh Minecraft world with friends, or the intensity of a heated Super Smash Bros. tournament, co-op gaming is an integral part of why videogames mean so much to so many people. So when I was given the opportunity to review a game in which I could bring along two friends for the ride, I jumped at the chance. And I knew exactly who to call. My pals Michael and John helped me review this game, and without their insight this review wouldn’t have been possible. If you two are reading this, I appreciate your help!” From appreciation for his friends, to talking about how deeply Inkbound pulled him in with its roguelike aspects, Jatin’s review is worth the read if you’re looking for a new game to dive into with your comrades! 

Next, we’ve got a review of the recent hack and slash adventure game Stellar Blade, which delivers a dynamic experience despite the controversy that follows it. Having recently bought himself a brand new PlayStation 5 to appreciate the heightened graphical quality, Isaac Espinosa was astonished by Stellar Blade’s atmosphere. Isaac writes, “Around every corner of the planet lies some kind of secret, or an unanswered question, like the surprisingly ambiguous origin of the Naytibas, or the vague intentions of Mother Sphere, the corporation responsible for creating angels like EVE and Tachy. It’s all laid out through carefully-scattered breadcrumbs that led me toward the truth. For every satisfactory answer that greeted me, I was introduced to a new idea. Thankfully, these never derailed the story; rather, they continued to unveil the plot and made the history of this world that much richer and full of life.” Extraordinary in more than just the weaponry department, Stellar Blade delivers a world that is alive despite being dystopian and keeps the inquisitive mind pondering what could happen next in the ever changing world littered with Naytibas. 

Studying to be a Musical Theatre major themselves, Jade Entien had some joyous insights about Princess Peach’s recent time in the spotlight. It’s been a while since the Mushroom Kingdom royal had any solo representation, and Princess Peach: Showtime! is more than just a game about being the princess. Jade says, “The gameplay of Princess Peach: Showtime! is nothing short of magnificent; it feels like a bunch of mini games in one. Every stage in the Sparkle Theater houses a different show with a different gameplay mechanic: there’s platforming, combat, and at one point, a rhythmic battle,” While exploring the different aspects of what makes this more than just a game featuring Princess Peach, Jade found themselves enthralled in the various minigames and plays that they got to play through, “In each show, Peach has to transform into a different costumed character to beat the Sour Bunch bosses. But although she can use the sparkle power of the theater’s guardian, Stella, this isn’t enough to beat the Sour Bunch. I’m in love with the show Detective Peach, because of its investigative gameplay and Peach’s cute Sherlock Holmes-inspired outfit. The gameplay for Detective Peach reminded me of Ace Attorney, a series I’m very fond of. Similar to Ace Attorney, Peach has to identify possible items to help with her case, and if she focuses on an item that doesn’t, she loses a heart. Once she loses too many hearts, it’s curtains for Peach.” 

Before William Baker III’s essay on TETR.io, I never knew the game existed, let alone that there would be a tournament centered around this competitive Tetris clone. Yet there I was reading about William’s path to being a TETR.io champ, and the joyous experiences he had in Toronto where Snow Is Infinite (the tournament in question) took place. When relating his first experiences , he writes, “During the TETR.IO bracket, I started out very excited. Seventy attendees meant that there were more players than PC setups, so I was spending just as much time meeting with and talking to friends as I was actually playing my tournament matches. Eventually, I got steamrolled into the loser’s bracket by a streamer I knew, and a few games later I was expected to be knocked out again.” From excitement to sudden tension, William’s time within Snow Is Infinite quickly became unpredictable, until he managed to pull himself out of the slump, “My opponent was significantly higher rated than me, and by this point my mood had been dampened somewhat. Most of my friends had been knocked out of the tournament already and had left to go get food. Anxious to get it over with, I was playing mostly on autopilot until one of the tournament organizers came over to stand behind me. Looking at the scoreboard, I realized I was in the lead. By a lot!” The journey out of the loser’s bracket is a long one, and I highly suggest you read William’s story on it. It’s riddled with everything that makes a good story, including a very happy ending! 

Rollercoaster Tycoon is a name I hadn’t heard in the longest time, and one that Sarah Doherty Granoff decided to look back on, appreciating the simplistic beauty of building roller coasters that crash. Sarah writes, “In the final days of the last millennium, I sat in the playroom of my childhood home in front of a beige brick of a computer. A tinny combination of fairground organ music, laughter, and delighted screams blared from the speakers on the windowsill. I was playing one of my favorite games, RollerCoaster Tycoon, and trying to recreate from memory my favorite real-life roller coaster, the historic wooden Dragon Coaster at Playland at Rye Beach. I wasn’t having much luck. My park was constantly running out of money, guests were complaining about the ‘disgusting; paths, and every roller coaster I tried to build from scratch was too intense for any guest to ride. And yet, I was having fun.” Nostalgia is a feeling that drives all creatives to make something, and with Sarah’s article, her fond feeling of nostalgia practically bleeds off the words: “Playing RollerCoaster Tycoon Classic, I am simultaneously a thirty-two year old woman engaging with an interesting and challenging puzzle and a seven year old girl sitting on a stool in front of a beige brick, tinny fairground organ music mixing with the laughter and delighted screams of the park guests. And, despite all the years between those two selves, I am still having fun.” 

Following the nostalgia train, Stephen Totilo covers a less popular facet of Nintendo’s repertoire, StreetPass games, which only function in everyday life. “You can’t buy them today, and if you have them on the Nintendo 3DS, the lone system that supported them, they’re hard to play. They were designed for a world that was full of 3DS players going to work and school and zoos and baseball games,” he writes, retelling the tale of a world combined by 3DS players, one which unfortunately no longer exists. Further, Stephen says, “We’re not in that world any more. That’s a shame. The StreetPass games are some of the most original experiences ever published by Nintendo, a stand-out example of what happens when a gaming platform company crosses its hardware and software goals in an experimental way.” Perhaps one day, when the Nintendo Switch 2 comes out, there’ll be another version of StreetPass games, where all Nintendo users in the wild can be connected once again through the Switch, it’d definitely be one of many selling points. 

Finally, Alyssa Mercante reviews Zau, in a piece called Tales of Kenzera: Zau Is An Emotionally Stirring Metroidvania, which reminded her of her grandfather who she lost in the past. “In loving memory of those who touched our lives. This game is a tribute to their enduring spirit,” reads the opening screen of Tales of Kenzera: Zau, the new Metroidvania from EA Originals and Surgent Studios. My lip trembles. ‘Don’t start crying, you’ve barely started,’ I chastise myself.” Trying not to tear up upon starting the game proves that Tales of Kenzera: Zau is an emotional rollercoaster all throughout. Handling grief is never easy, it pushes people to do a lot of things, and in the case of Abubakar Salim it pushed him to become a game developer. ALyssa continues, “’Grief isn’t linear,’ Salim said during a Tales of Kenzera presentation junket in early April. That’s why the game is a Metroidvania, as the genre eschews linearity, forcing you to switchback over covered ground in order to eventually move forward. I am reminded of Salim’s words as I fight my way through the game’s beautiful world, as I struggle with certain enemies, and even when I turn off my PS5, head out into the real world, and find myself frozen in place by the stabbing knife that is a memory of my Gramps randomly breaking through.” 

If you’re in the market for a gaming keyboard, Tony Polanco suggests his favorite Corsair keyboard now that it’s $60 off for a limited time! Corsair makes great gaming products all around, from headsets to computer parts there’s always fairly priced gaming paraphernalia coming from Corsair. “Right now, the Corsair K70 Max gaming keyboard is $169 on Amazon. That might sound pricey, but considering how this board typically costs $229, you’re saving a cool $60. That’s not bad considering how this is arguably the finest gaming keyboard Corsair has ever released. This deal ends on May 6, so act now if you want this fantastic peripheral.” If you’re in the market for something that’s more than just a gaming keyboard, you may want to take advantage of this $170 deal.

Beyond The Circle 

Maddie Rice, talented guitarist for Saturday Night Live and friend of the Circle who’s played awesomely at our New York Game Awards, just released a new single. “Lay Low” is a beautiful song about laying low in the face of expectations and being only as good as you feel you can be. The vocals and beat are lovely, and I can’t help but play it on repeat, give it a listen on all platforms! 

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