Ephemeral Enigmas
@ephemeralenigmas.bsky.social
Giving offbeat, obscure, forgotten, or just cool and interesting games the attention they deserve on my blog once a week. Also a contributor to Hardcore Gaming 101. He/Him
http://ephemeralenigmas.com/
http://ephemeralenigmas.com/
Reposted by Ephemeral Enigmas
For this #RandomGameSaturday, I have Monster Rancher Explorer, one of the several fascinatingly different Monster Rancher spin-offs out there. This one is just Solomon's Key!
It's kind of odd to have a Monster Rancher game where you don't control the monsters, but hey, Solomon's Key is still fun
It's kind of odd to have a Monster Rancher game where you don't control the monsters, but hey, Solomon's Key is still fun
December 13, 2025 at 8:15 PM
For this #RandomGameSaturday, I have Monster Rancher Explorer, one of the several fascinatingly different Monster Rancher spin-offs out there. This one is just Solomon's Key!
It's kind of odd to have a Monster Rancher game where you don't control the monsters, but hey, Solomon's Key is still fun
It's kind of odd to have a Monster Rancher game where you don't control the monsters, but hey, Solomon's Key is still fun
Reposted by Ephemeral Enigmas
We need to bring back “the coolest fucking scarf you’ve ever seen in your life” as an aesthetic
December 13, 2025 at 5:24 AM
We need to bring back “the coolest fucking scarf you’ve ever seen in your life” as an aesthetic
Reposted by Ephemeral Enigmas
Kid Icarus is weird, it's all rough edges, it plays like it doesn't want you to get through it. All of that is the reason to play, though, not to avoid it. There's a good game in here if you can stomach failure, one that experimented and refused to be either approachable or just one thing.
Retro spotlight: Kid Icarus
Kid Icarus is a good game, so long as you can stomach failure.
retroxp.beehiiv.com
December 12, 2025 at 1:09 PM
Kid Icarus is weird, it's all rough edges, it plays like it doesn't want you to get through it. All of that is the reason to play, though, not to avoid it. There's a good game in here if you can stomach failure, one that experimented and refused to be either approachable or just one thing.
Reposted by Ephemeral Enigmas
SaGa 2 has a funny little guy called Haniwa that's a rare encounter in the final dungeon.
It doesn't look threatening, but it can pull out a seven-pronged sword that does more damage than anything else, even the final boss!
That includes the harder version of the final boss in the DS remake!
It doesn't look threatening, but it can pull out a seven-pronged sword that does more damage than anything else, even the final boss!
That includes the harder version of the final boss in the DS remake!
December 11, 2025 at 6:21 PM
SaGa 2 has a funny little guy called Haniwa that's a rare encounter in the final dungeon.
It doesn't look threatening, but it can pull out a seven-pronged sword that does more damage than anything else, even the final boss!
That includes the harder version of the final boss in the DS remake!
It doesn't look threatening, but it can pull out a seven-pronged sword that does more damage than anything else, even the final boss!
That includes the harder version of the final boss in the DS remake!
Reposted by Ephemeral Enigmas
New blog post time!
This week's game is Power Gate, what might be the most unassuming shoot 'em up on the PC Engine. There's a lot of competition on there, but give it a chance and you'll find a game with tight design, solid fundamentals, and some neat ideas sprinkled in:
#blog #gaming
This week's game is Power Gate, what might be the most unassuming shoot 'em up on the PC Engine. There's a lot of competition on there, but give it a chance and you'll find a game with tight design, solid fundamentals, and some neat ideas sprinkled in:
#blog #gaming
Power Gate
Power Gate is a very sleek game when it comes to systems, finely crafted and optimized to create exactly the type of experience it set out to do. It’s not the most bombastic, challenging, or comple…
ephemeralenigmascom.wordpress.com
December 9, 2025 at 5:25 PM
New blog post time!
This week's game is Power Gate, what might be the most unassuming shoot 'em up on the PC Engine. There's a lot of competition on there, but give it a chance and you'll find a game with tight design, solid fundamentals, and some neat ideas sprinkled in:
#blog #gaming
This week's game is Power Gate, what might be the most unassuming shoot 'em up on the PC Engine. There's a lot of competition on there, but give it a chance and you'll find a game with tight design, solid fundamentals, and some neat ideas sprinkled in:
#blog #gaming
Power Gate
Power Gate is a very sleek game when it comes to systems, finely crafted and optimized to create exactly the type of experience it set out to do. It’s not the most bombastic, challenging, or comple…
ephemeralenigmascom.wordpress.com
December 9, 2025 at 5:25 PM
Reposted by Ephemeral Enigmas
Mamorukun Curse!, a cutesy run-and-gun from G.rev and Gulti, and the spiritual successor to Pocky & Rocky. www.hardcoregaming101.net/mamorukun-cu...
December 9, 2025 at 3:19 PM
Mamorukun Curse!, a cutesy run-and-gun from G.rev and Gulti, and the spiritual successor to Pocky & Rocky. www.hardcoregaming101.net/mamorukun-cu...
Reposted by Ephemeral Enigmas
NEW VIDEO: I end the year by taking a quick look at all my weird gamepads. It takes a while because there's a lot of them.
youtu.be/dRyPY4T8NTc
youtu.be/dRyPY4T8NTc
The most Cursed Controllers in my collection
YouTube video by Alien Bob
youtu.be
December 9, 2025 at 12:31 PM
NEW VIDEO: I end the year by taking a quick look at all my weird gamepads. It takes a while because there's a lot of them.
youtu.be/dRyPY4T8NTc
youtu.be/dRyPY4T8NTc
Reposted by Ephemeral Enigmas
Me: I have a lot of experience with SaGa, how bad could the new arena battles in the SaGa 2 DS remake be?
SaGa 2 DS: Here's enemies that poison you, paralyze you, petrify you, charm you, OHKO you, shoot a beam that almost OHKOs you, also they're all faster than you and there are 46 of them, die :)
SaGa 2 DS: Here's enemies that poison you, paralyze you, petrify you, charm you, OHKO you, shoot a beam that almost OHKOs you, also they're all faster than you and there are 46 of them, die :)
December 8, 2025 at 5:31 PM
Me: I have a lot of experience with SaGa, how bad could the new arena battles in the SaGa 2 DS remake be?
SaGa 2 DS: Here's enemies that poison you, paralyze you, petrify you, charm you, OHKO you, shoot a beam that almost OHKOs you, also they're all faster than you and there are 46 of them, die :)
SaGa 2 DS: Here's enemies that poison you, paralyze you, petrify you, charm you, OHKO you, shoot a beam that almost OHKOs you, also they're all faster than you and there are 46 of them, die :)
Me: I have a lot of experience with SaGa, how bad could the new arena battles in the SaGa 2 DS remake be?
SaGa 2 DS: Here's enemies that poison you, paralyze you, petrify you, charm you, OHKO you, shoot a beam that almost OHKOs you, also they're all faster than you and there are 46 of them, die :)
SaGa 2 DS: Here's enemies that poison you, paralyze you, petrify you, charm you, OHKO you, shoot a beam that almost OHKOs you, also they're all faster than you and there are 46 of them, die :)
December 8, 2025 at 5:31 PM
Me: I have a lot of experience with SaGa, how bad could the new arena battles in the SaGa 2 DS remake be?
SaGa 2 DS: Here's enemies that poison you, paralyze you, petrify you, charm you, OHKO you, shoot a beam that almost OHKOs you, also they're all faster than you and there are 46 of them, die :)
SaGa 2 DS: Here's enemies that poison you, paralyze you, petrify you, charm you, OHKO you, shoot a beam that almost OHKOs you, also they're all faster than you and there are 46 of them, die :)
For this #RandomGameSaturday, I have Wild Arms XF, the only strategy RPG take on the series. As a big Wild Arms fan, you'd think I'd have finished it around launch, but the game's challenging, puzzle-like map design pushed me away.
I really want to revisit it, so maybe 2026 will be the year!
I really want to revisit it, so maybe 2026 will be the year!
December 6, 2025 at 8:27 PM
For this #RandomGameSaturday, I have Wild Arms XF, the only strategy RPG take on the series. As a big Wild Arms fan, you'd think I'd have finished it around launch, but the game's challenging, puzzle-like map design pushed me away.
I really want to revisit it, so maybe 2026 will be the year!
I really want to revisit it, so maybe 2026 will be the year!
I usually fill out these GOTY things pretty quickly, but I'm totally stumped on what the winner should be this year
Heck, I haven't even played enough 2025 games to fill out a top 10 yet! My end of year GOTY blog posts are gonna be coming in real hot lol
Heck, I haven't even played enough 2025 games to fill out a top 10 yet! My end of year GOTY blog posts are gonna be coming in real hot lol
December 6, 2025 at 2:16 AM
I usually fill out these GOTY things pretty quickly, but I'm totally stumped on what the winner should be this year
Heck, I haven't even played enough 2025 games to fill out a top 10 yet! My end of year GOTY blog posts are gonna be coming in real hot lol
Heck, I haven't even played enough 2025 games to fill out a top 10 yet! My end of year GOTY blog posts are gonna be coming in real hot lol
Reposted by Ephemeral Enigmas
It's live pal, and i'm only 30min late from posting it because I was driving home from work
www.youtube.com/watch?v=vIPL...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=vIPL...
December 5, 2025 at 10:25 PM
It's live pal, and i'm only 30min late from posting it because I was driving home from work
www.youtube.com/watch?v=vIPL...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=vIPL...
I befriended the kid by filling up more of my Meat Dictionary and he gave me Grenades for it
December 4, 2025 at 11:44 PM
I befriended the kid by filling up more of my Meat Dictionary and he gave me Grenades for it
Reposted by Ephemeral Enigmas
From Untold History 3: This was originally made for a TV drama (Hanamoku no Haha vs. Hanayome no Haha; 花婿の母VS花嫁の母), in which two mothers-in-law that don't get along play this game. I can't find anything about it online. bsky.app/profile/ephe...
New blog post time!
This week's game is Super Cooks, a cooking-themed parody version of Compile's Golvellius. This is the shortest and simplest entry in the series, but its great sense of humor and charming visuals make it a total joy to play through and the most easily approachable entry:
This week's game is Super Cooks, a cooking-themed parody version of Compile's Golvellius. This is the shortest and simplest entry in the series, but its great sense of humor and charming visuals make it a total joy to play through and the most easily approachable entry:
Super Cooks
If you play Shin Maou Golvellius and want more, you get exactly that, but rather than just do the same thing yet again, Compile came up with the best possible coat of paint for it. This game really…
ephemeralenigmascom.wordpress.com
December 4, 2025 at 8:13 AM
From Untold History 3: This was originally made for a TV drama (Hanamoku no Haha vs. Hanayome no Haha; 花婿の母VS花嫁の母), in which two mothers-in-law that don't get along play this game. I can't find anything about it online. bsky.app/profile/ephe...
Reposted by Ephemeral Enigmas
"Is Donkey Kong 64 a Legacy of the Wizard-like?" - the greatest thread in the history of forums, locked by a moderator after 12,239 pages of heated debate,
December 3, 2025 at 3:30 PM
"Is Donkey Kong 64 a Legacy of the Wizard-like?" - the greatest thread in the history of forums, locked by a moderator after 12,239 pages of heated debate,
Reposted by Ephemeral Enigmas
Last repost: we've been trying to catalogue more Japanese PS1 titles, with the eventual goal of putting together a big book on them, but there really are so many, to the point where it likely would've been completed for several years www.hardcoregaming101.net/category/fea...
Japanese Obscurities – Hardcore Gaming 101
www.hardcoregaming101.net
December 3, 2025 at 5:51 PM
Last repost: we've been trying to catalogue more Japanese PS1 titles, with the eventual goal of putting together a big book on them, but there really are so many, to the point where it likely would've been completed for several years www.hardcoregaming101.net/category/fea...
"Is Donkey Kong 64 a Legacy of the Wizard-like?" - the greatest thread in the history of forums, locked by a moderator after 12,239 pages of heated debate,
December 3, 2025 at 3:30 PM
"Is Donkey Kong 64 a Legacy of the Wizard-like?" - the greatest thread in the history of forums, locked by a moderator after 12,239 pages of heated debate,
Reposted by Ephemeral Enigmas
New blog post time!
This week's game is Super Cooks, a cooking-themed parody version of Compile's Golvellius. This is the shortest and simplest entry in the series, but its great sense of humor and charming visuals make it a total joy to play through and the most easily approachable entry:
This week's game is Super Cooks, a cooking-themed parody version of Compile's Golvellius. This is the shortest and simplest entry in the series, but its great sense of humor and charming visuals make it a total joy to play through and the most easily approachable entry:
Super Cooks
If you play Shin Maou Golvellius and want more, you get exactly that, but rather than just do the same thing yet again, Compile came up with the best possible coat of paint for it. This game really…
ephemeralenigmascom.wordpress.com
December 2, 2025 at 5:21 PM
New blog post time!
This week's game is Super Cooks, a cooking-themed parody version of Compile's Golvellius. This is the shortest and simplest entry in the series, but its great sense of humor and charming visuals make it a total joy to play through and the most easily approachable entry:
This week's game is Super Cooks, a cooking-themed parody version of Compile's Golvellius. This is the shortest and simplest entry in the series, but its great sense of humor and charming visuals make it a total joy to play through and the most easily approachable entry:
New blog post time!
This week's game is Super Cooks, a cooking-themed parody version of Compile's Golvellius. This is the shortest and simplest entry in the series, but its great sense of humor and charming visuals make it a total joy to play through and the most easily approachable entry:
This week's game is Super Cooks, a cooking-themed parody version of Compile's Golvellius. This is the shortest and simplest entry in the series, but its great sense of humor and charming visuals make it a total joy to play through and the most easily approachable entry:
Super Cooks
If you play Shin Maou Golvellius and want more, you get exactly that, but rather than just do the same thing yet again, Compile came up with the best possible coat of paint for it. This game really…
ephemeralenigmascom.wordpress.com
December 2, 2025 at 5:21 PM
New blog post time!
This week's game is Super Cooks, a cooking-themed parody version of Compile's Golvellius. This is the shortest and simplest entry in the series, but its great sense of humor and charming visuals make it a total joy to play through and the most easily approachable entry:
This week's game is Super Cooks, a cooking-themed parody version of Compile's Golvellius. This is the shortest and simplest entry in the series, but its great sense of humor and charming visuals make it a total joy to play through and the most easily approachable entry:
Reposted by Ephemeral Enigmas
Purity culture has been staining the internet for a good while now. Everyone’s acting like fiction is a background check for morality, and it’s exhausting. It's spread like mold; turning what should be a fun time, into something people are scared to admit liking.
#blog #internet #fandom
#blog #internet #fandom
Purity and Plague
innerspiral.lol
December 2, 2025 at 9:08 AM