Classic Games on Modest Walrus

Gaming: Super Mario Bros. 3

Sun, 19 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Game/Publisher/Developer

Super Mario Bros. 3, Nintendo, Nintendo R&D4

The Trailer

My Reaction

This is one of my all-time favorite Mario games on any Nintendo console. The graphics were sweet for an NES title and the music and sound effects are the kind every Mario fan loves hearing.

Gaming: Tetris

Sat, 11 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Game/Publisher/Developer

Tetris, Alexey Pajitnov / Nintendo

The Trailer

My Reaction

This was a blast from the past. Still, it’s holding up today; simple to pick up and that same pull to squeeze in “just one more line” hasn’t faded a bit.

Overview

Tetris is a falling-block puzzle game created in 1984 by Soviet software engineer Alexey Pajitnov. Players rotate and arrange seven differently shaped tetrominoes as they descend a playing field, clearing horizontal lines to score points while the pace steadily accelerates. The game spread worldwide through countless ports and versions, most famously bundled with Nintendo’s Game Boy in 1989, which cemented it as one of the best-selling and most recognizable video games ever made.

Gaming: Halo 2

Mon, 29 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Game/Publisher/Developer

Halo 2, Microsoft Game Studios, Bungie

The Trailer

My Reaction

Everything’s designed with a master’s eye for first-person intensity, extensively crafted and technically superb. The genuine care that has been taken in making this game is awe inspiring.

Overview

Halo 2 is a first-person shooter developed by Bungie and published by Microsoft Game Studios, released in 2004 for the Xbox. The direct sequel to Halo: Combat Evolved, it continues the Master Chief’s fight against the Covenant while introducing a dual storyline that also follows the Arbiter, a disgraced Covenant warrior. The game introduced dual-wielding weapons, new vehicles like the Brute Chopper, and became a defining title for Xbox Live, helping push console online multiplayer into the mainstream.

Gaming: Master of Orion

Sat, 27 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Game/Publisher/Developer

Master of Orion, MicroProse, SimTex Software

My Reaction

This one was outside my scope back in 1993-1994; I came to it later. It’s a turn-based game through and through, and the race you pick changes everything about how a campaign plays out. Psilon was my nemesis every single time; their research lead snowballs so fast that by the midgame they’re fielding technology nobody else can touch.

Overview

Master of Orion is a turn-based 4X strategy game released in 1993, developed by SimTex Software and published by MicroProse. Players lead one of ten playable races; Humans, Alkari, Bulrathi, Darloks, Klackons, Meklar, Mrrshan, Psilon, Sakkra and Silicoids; through exploring, expanding, exploiting and exterminating across the galaxy. Each race has its own specialty: Humans lean into trade and diplomacy, the Bulrathi dominate ground combat, the Silicoids ignore pollution and can colonize even the most hostile planets but grow slowly, and so on. Races are also predisposed to like or dislike each other, and each carries its own research strengths and weaknesses.

Gaming: Warcraft II

Tue, 09 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Game/Publisher/Developer

Warcraft II, NA: Davidson & Associates / EU: Zablac Entertainment, Blizzard Entertainment

My Reaction

Warcraft II hooked me immediately. The choice between humans and orcs felt meaningful and the moment you start building your base and training units the game just pulls you in. The strategic depth was unlike anything else at the time. This was an easy buy and one I kept coming back to.

Overview

Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness is a real-time strategy game developed by Blizzard Entertainment and released in 1995. Players choose between the Alliance (humans) and the Horde (orcs), each with unique units, buildings and abilities. The goal is to gather resources; gold, wood and oil; build a base, train an army and crush the enemy. It features a full campaign for both factions, custom scenarios and multiplayer. A landmark title that helped define the RTS genre.