Even without knowing the term "isekai", you have probably at some point encountered a story or piece of media that follows its basic framework. A Japanese term meaning "another world", isekai stories deal with the notion of being adrift in a setting quite unlike one's own; they follow protagonists who are ripped away from a world much like ours and dropped into an unfamiliar place or time. Be it Edgar Rice Burroughs's depiction of Mars as a futuristic kingdom in the Barsoom books or the fantastical realm of Oz, the specifics matter less than the intent - to challenge the protagonist's preconceived notions and lead them to personal growth in the face of unexpected conflict. I lay all of this out for you because I think the intent with Heir to the Queen, a small-scale adventure game, was to hit the basic points of the isekai journey under the constraints of a threadbare budget and no larger media presence. That's speculation on my part, though, sinc...
Rather Interesting - Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Don't care if it's "just" all the old fighters in a new package (which, as the footage made clear, it isn't). Don't care if it's functionally a high-definition port of previously-showcased Smash Bros maps, items and game mechanics. It's the biggest in scale, the largest in roster, and potentially the most ambitious in terms of detail and design.
And can we just appreciate for one goddamn second that every fighter in Smash history is coming back for this game! No question, this is awesome.
Runner-up - Pokemon Let's Go Pikachu/Let's Go Eevee
GAH! Your starter Pokemon follows your player character outside of its Pokeball. You catch wild Pokemon not by battling it, but with luring it and carefully tossing Pokeballs a la Pokemon Go. All of the original 150 Pokemon, rendered as 3D models, in what appears to be a lovely recreation of the Kanto region.
Okay, I dig where this is going. The Pokeball accessory for the Switch is a nice touch.
Has Potential - Super Mario Party
Nintendo lost me after Mario Party 8 proved a lukewarm mix of infuriatingly random board mechanics and hit-and-miss motion control gimmickry, so I didn't experience first-hand the anguish many got from playing later titles. Replacing individual movement with a group vehicle doesn't seem like a great decision, though.
That said, Super Mario Party promising to return to older styles of play - characters move on their own again - and boasting some rather enticing mini-games certainly is cause for hope. I'll be ecstatic if this turns out to be a winner in the making.
Runner-up - Daemon X Machina
There's something to the eccentric off-brand Gundam vibe of this mech combat game that I'm kind of intrigued by, even while acknowledging that very little of substance was shown. Could be neat, need to see more of the game in action.
Not Especially Impressive - Fire Emblem: Three Houses
People seem to really get something out of the relationship sim/strategy game blend inherent to Fire Emblem, and I... really wish I was one such person. The games just consistently look like competent but unexciting medieval anime fare from where I sit, and Three Houses looks to be a more polished and expansive expression of that.
Runner-up - The laundry list of Switch Ports & Exclusives
Some of 'em look good, Mega Man 11 gives me warm feelings and Overcooked! 2 seems pleasant... but many of these titles are/will be available elsewhere OR are not necessarily sufficient as system sellers (for me, I stress). Sorry.
Special Honours
Most Gloriously Absurd Moment - The Panda-led Just Dance 2019 parade
Most Adorable Moment of Developer Sweetness - "We Nailed It!"
The "League of its Own" Award for Best Straddling of the Fine Line Between Weird and Awesome - Death Stranding
The "Enduring Respect" Award for Continued Support of Physical Releases - Limited Run Games
The "Astounding Piss-take" Award for Sheer Brazen Nerve - Devolver Digital
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