Reconnect Recap - w/e 25th January
Reviewing the week that's been over on Reconnect
Kia Ora folks!
It feels like only yesterday I was penning last weeks issue of the recap, but I’m back at it again. Been sick all week, went a little bit too hard on my holiday, so i’ve been binge watching tonnes of TV and pouring hours and hours in Mega Bonk. Quite a productive week if you ask me.
If you are new here, this is the Reconnect Recap, the companion newsletter to Reconnect, the games writing discovery platform. Reconnect houses tens of thousands of games articles from hundred of blogs and every week I bring you some of the highlights from the past seven days.
This week, we’ve got a vast variety of stories, From the Switch, to the 2DS, to the virtual boy. From tips on how to improve your barks, to backlogs, to mods, and AI. It’s probably one of the most diverse recaps I’ve put together, so there is bound to be something for everyone!
Let’s dig in.
If you missed an issue or just can’t wait until next week, feel free to dive into the archive. I also occasionally write my own thoughts on the industry which you can find here,
If you’re interested in seeing my other work, like my management blog, or following Reconnect on Bluesky, check out everything else that I do on my linktree.
Great Write Ups
Like mother, like son: Crossplay dives into the relationship, SmallAnt has with his mom, who has followed in his footsteps as a streamer.
Remembering the wedge: TimeExtension takes us back to the 2DS wedge and spells out what it meant to Nintendo.
Outlaw Torn: The Ubisoft Star Wars game from 2 years ago now is still on my ‘go back to that list’, and Tony Coles definitive review isn’t helping my guilt of not getting back to it.
Nagging away: Amanda Lynn teaches us how to make in game ‘nags’ and ‘hints’ interesting to the player.
Mod-’n-it: Cat walks through how to mod your game and the potential pitfalls of modding a game.
6 month switch: Margot gives their 6 months review on the Switch 2.
Where it all started: We are deep into a market rich with handheld gaming options, there are big and small players in the field, but who started this all, Superjump Magazine explains.
Guild Wars again: Dorian Roepel explains why Guild Wars’s HD update, released last year, is worth playing if you’re a lapsed player or curious.
Backlog 2025, reviewed: The Drifter goes through their list of games they crossed off the backlog in 2025, and some insightful thoughts.
Organ Trading: Trip Harrison is playing a slew of different games every week, this weeks edition is about a sci fi trading arcade game all about trading…. organs.
There’s a man for everything: Mario, Gex, Sonic, there’s a mascot for everything. Apparently there was a Domino Man also, The Greatest Games You (Probably) Never Played explains the game from the 80’s.
Data Driven Madness: I run Reconnect as a way to escape my day job, Data, so colour surprised when SuperJoost decides to write up an article, admittedly around data, AI, and Games, but its filled with all the sore points I have to deal with at work. PTSD much! But like everything SuperJoost does, it’s incredibly accurate and on point.
Fun Tidbits
Steam Deck hits 25,000 games Valve have rated Playable or Verified
New Video Reveals The Inner Workings Of Nintendo’s Ill-Fated Virtual Boy
Square Enix announced that a new Chrono Trigger Original Soundtrack Vinyl LP Box will launch this year.
Valve tweak Steam AI disclosure form for developers to clarify it’s for content consumed by players
A New Framework For Making Sonic Fangames Is Currently In The Works, From The Creator Of Sonic CDX
Kensuke Tanabe Reportedly Announces His Retirement From Nintendo
Fan Passes Torch on Riglordsaga 2 English Translation Before Losing Battle With Cancer
Top 15 Best iPad Games with Controller Support (2026 Tier List)
Bungie Flaunts Over 30 Notable Voice Actors For Marathon Cast
Those 2DS re-shells look unbelievably good