I guess I'll get the topic started this year!
1. Shantae (GBC) 1/1
I would've liked to have squeezed this into 2021, but I just barely missed the cut, as I had it beaten around 1am. I bought the Limited Run Games GBC reprint, and I think I started it not long after I received my copy. But there were a lot of things at the start of the game I found off-putting, so I dropped it for a long while. I eventually picked it back up and made myself push through the beginning and found it got more enjoyable once you can extend your life bar and gain new abilities. Then things like the really cheap hits from enemies that spawn right on top of you don't matter as much. It's similar to 80s adventure games like Zelda and Metroid in that the beginning of the game is the hardest part. I'd say I overall found the game to be pretty good, despite the initial hurdle. But I do think it's hyped up too much. It goes without saying that it's not worth the price of secondhand original copies, but that obscene price probably convinces people that it must be really amazing. I see a lot of people claim it's the best or one of the best GBC games, but I wouldn't go that far. I think a lot of other GBC games have it beat, even if they're perhaps less technically impressive, but it's solid. I look forward to trying the later games eventually and seeing if they improve on the formula and do away with the annoyances.