Who Are You?
Call me Candid.
Everyone’s got at least one passion or hobby that lights them up inside: something that becomes part of the expression of their soul. For me, gaming is one of these such passions of mine.
Having played games for over 20 years, video games aren’t just another hobby or virtual pastime in my eyes; they’re assorted experiences and memories, some of which even evoke specific memories in my own life.
I have embarrasingly fond memories of looking foward to playing Super Smash Bros. Melee and Kirby Air Ride with my uncles, always losing, and motivating myself to get better and better to one day beat them. I cried at the end of Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Darkness. And 20 years after the release of Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal, I still vividly remember Courtney Gears’ “Death to Squishies“, as well as her boss battle to the same theme.
Ironically enough, things have gone full circle as I hold nothing back against my nephew in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, and regularly found all the Legendary machine parts in Kirby Air Riders‘ city trial in our matches.
As you can tell, it’s never “just a game”, to me, and I aim to share my passion and expertise to help you find your next cherished adventure, too!
And why stop there? With a keen eye and love for detail, I love to write guides and other resources to help you to better enjoy games and make the most of your journey. Every post is written with love by a real human (me). I do not need AI and do not use it in any of the writing process.
It hasn’t always been smooth sailing though. For years, I’ve been stuck in my own head, and held back by my own insecurities; I let my site languish while I fell prey to a lifetime’s worth of limiting beliefs about who I am and my own worth. Now I’m starting to find my voice, and am still learning to embody all that I am. (You can read more about this in my Self Reflection [and Acceptance] series.)
Game genre-rise, I’m open to almost everything. Action/Adventure, Puzzle, Rhythm, RPGs, and even the occasional Strategy game are all fine with me. My favorite genres are Action, Adventure, RPGs and Rhythm games, though I tend not to like shooters and sports games very much.
If I’m not playing a game, you’ll likely catch me jotting down notes, researching, experiencing frisson with my favorite video game OSTs, or simply looking for my next shiny Pokémon to love!
What is this Site About?
Glad you asked! This site is all about gaming, particularly on the Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 consoles. Besides being my cozy little corner of the internet, I love to talk about games, the memories, experiences, (and sometimes music) from them, and can even share some expertise to help you make the most of your gaming adventures!
Of course, I can also expand onto games for the Xbox and Playstation, though, I’ve always just had more experience and time with Nintendo’s consoles and handhelds. As a natural result, this gives me more knowledge and insights into the Nintendo’s varied franchises and hardware!
Besides talking about games, I might get experimental with things like character analyses, talk about the occasional off-topic personal interest, and then there’s the annual “May I?” posts where I might share personal experiences with the blog and in my own life.
What Makes You Different?
Gaming isn’t my only hobby. I also enjoy writing and web design, amongst other things! 😎 What this means for you is that I take pride in my site and its content: every post, every caption, every design element, and yes, even the page presentation, is all crafted with the same passion and care I bring to my writing. Put simply, this site is the perfect blend of hobbies and skills, so I strive to put my best foot forward, always.
Aside from my gaming expertise and personal experiences, I can be deeply comtemplative, and yet, simultaneously playful and with a flair for the dramatic! You’ll likely see this sprinkled into my writing as I weave allusion, wisdom, and the trusty Oxford comma in ways that entertain and inform in equal measure. (Like my History of the Nintendo Switch post!) I can keep things straightforward and easy to understand, or I can render unto you prose befitting a logophile with a penchant for eccentricity and disdain for banality.
I also know I have my own unique, if not unpopular opinions. I never understood celebrity culture, never enjoyed popular things just for the sake of trendiness or popularity, and liked things that sometimes tend to fly under the radar of others. I used to hide these aspects of myself, but I’ve since learned that these perspectives aren’t mistakes to be ashamed of, they’re what make me unique. With these unique interests come new insights, and sometimes these insights might just broaden your horizons a bit!
But above all else, I want your experience on the site to be nothing short of enjoyable, so you’ll notice little quality of life additions on the site like tables of contents, spoiler warnings and hidden spoiler text, and even reading time commitments and that snazzy color-coded progress bar on every post and page!
Keeping things fun and not being so serious all the time is why I don’t have review scores, but use Honor Ratings instead. It’s the same thing, but it fits my site theme of heraldry and knightliness so much better, don’t you think? We can always try to make life just a bit more fun and playful, and I aim to do just that.
That’s it from me. I hope you enjoy browsing the site just as much as I enjoyed writing and designing it! See you around!
– The Candid Gamer