iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

J.J.S. Boyce @jjsboyce.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

#justbeatit for @cartridgeclub.bsky.social spooky #gameofthemonth: Dino Crisis. I have no survival horror experience so I was glad to have an excuse to check this one out. I enjoyed almost all of it: circuit puzzles, learning to steer a tank, hammy voice acting, etc. @polykillpodcast.bsky.social

060

J.J.S. Boyce @jjsboyce.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

I loved Sands of Time, that’s why I grabbed both sequels when I saw them on the shelf. It’s not necessarily that I disliked the second game, but it obviously grabbed me a bit less for me to put it down for a few weeks. Then with the less linear nature of the world I was super lost when I came back.

010

J.J.S. Boyce @jjsboyce.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

I didn't know this version of the game existed. I wasn’t able to finish the original Warrior Within; it was a bit of a slog, I put it down for too long and when I picked it back up I didn’t know what I was doing. I’d already bought the third game, too, which I think I have somewhere, still sealed.

100

J.J.S. Boyce @jjsboyce.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Congratulations on the membership @frankcifaldi.bsky.social! That oil drum of macaroni pays for itself within 18 months.

000

J.J.S. Boyce @jjsboyce.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

#justbeatit 198X, a brief ode to ‘80s gaming genres, arcade culture, and teen angst, in the form of a narrative mini-game set. I would have liked two to three times as much of everything. More of each individual game, more games total, more story. But I liked what I got. @polykillpodcast.bsky.social

070

J.J.S. Boyce @jjsboyce.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

This was on, I think, a Lullapalooza CD that included Staind, Black Sabbath, and Filter, amongst others. It was a freebie at the till of a music store in, I think, Minneapolis? It was a day trip across the border after high school grad. The album got a lot of play over the next month or two.

110

J.J.S. Boyce @jjsboyce.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

You can play Skyrim and talk about why you like it so much. The time will fly by. Or Life is Strange, or anything else you love.

010

J.J.S. Boyce @jjsboyce.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

#justbeatit I‘ve been taking my kids to arcades lately as part of my ongoing project to download the entirety of the ‘80s and ‘90s into their brains. So Arcade Spirits caught my eye. A straight visual novel, it’s about arcade vibes, not gameplay. Still fun, though. @polykillpodcast.bsky.social

090

J.J.S. Boyce @jjsboyce.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

#justbeatit Zenonia, an action-rpg on 3DS (and elsewhere). I have some complaints: -unreasonable grinding -various mechanics are poorly explained -dumb meta humour that takes me out of the story -the story isn't great to begin with -it took longer than I wanted @polykillpodcast.bsky.social

050

J.J.S. Boyce @jjsboyce.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

First holiday #justbeatit: Mighty Flip Champs!, a sometimes tough puzzle platformer. I have let too much time go by this year without warming up my 3DS, so it's good to get back on the horse. Pictures courtesy of my laptop camera since my phone fell in the lake. @polykillpodcast.bsky.social

150

J.J.S. Boyce @jjsboyce.bsky.social · 10/08/2026

@topspot123.bsky.social has been recently digging into the Pico-8 ecosystem, including my first ever Pico-8 title (from five years ago), Celeste (Classic). I’ve always planned to get through it with all 18 strawberries before claiming the #justbeatit. And now I have. @polykillpodcast.bsky.social

070

J.J.S. Boyce @jjsboyce.bsky.social · 05/08/2026

I played along with @cartridgeclub.bsky.social’s August #gameofthemonth, Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning. A new IP that came out just after Skyrim, you could argue over which was the better open-world WRPG. I don’t really play these because they’re so long. #justbeatit. @polykillpodcast.bsky.social

070

J.J.S. Boyce @jjsboyce.bsky.social · 02/08/2026

#justbeatit Pac Motos. Not a maze-runner; you have to push your enemies off a platform before they push you off. Constant new mechanics keep the game engaging for its two-hour playtime. As with Pac-Man Arrangement I find I love the idea of boss fights in a Pac-Man game. @polykillpodcast.bsky.social

050

J.J.S. Boyce @jjsboyce.bsky.social · 02/08/2026

No rewinds until you beat the game once. I also wasn’t willing to pull the trigger my first time going through that scene, and neither did most of the other people I’ve talked to about it, so don’t feel bad.

010

J.J.S. Boyce @jjsboyce.bsky.social · 01/08/2026

#justbeatit Pac-Man Arrangement, a delightful title that I hadn’t heard of until I unlocked it in Pac-Man Museum and played eight through. I’ve been loving this collection, and unlockables and game-specific challenges make it even more than the sum of its parts. @polykillpodcast.bsky.social

060

J.J.S. Boyce @jjsboyce.bsky.social · 26/07/2026

I hope there’s a Bass Master stream in the future.

110

J.J.S. Boyce @jjsboyce.bsky.social · 15/07/2026

I’ve been playing Mario Super Picross and I worry most won’t realize how difficult it was to #justbeatit. Its 300 puzzles took me three months and 100+ hours to solve without looking anything up. This one really forced me to up my game compared to the Game Boy original. @polykillpodcast.bsky.social

090

J.J.S. Boyce @jjsboyce.bsky.social · 15/07/2026

All that boxed wine made your child strong and fast.

000

J.J.S. Boyce @jjsboyce.bsky.social · 15/07/2026

Wow, it looks incredible. I was sad that KI never became an ongoing series in the same way as Street Fighter or Mortal Komany but it’s cool that it made appearances on five console generations, each time a bit prettier than the last.

110

Reposted by J.J.S. Boyce

PNP Games 🇨🇦 @pnpgames.bsky.social · 02/07/2026

GIVEAWAY ALERT 🦇 REPOST, LIKE, AND FOLLOW PNP GAMES for your chance to WIN a Castlevania Requiem Classic Edition for PlayStation 4! Experience two of the greatest games ever made! 1/2

8165153

J.J.S. Boyce @jjsboyce.bsky.social · 05/07/2026

Yep, 9-5. It took me a lot of attempts.

000

J.J.S. Boyce @jjsboyce.bsky.social · 05/07/2026

I don’t think I’ve actually played Mode A. I was so focused last year on getting the beat on Mode B.

110

J.J.S. Boyce @jjsboyce.bsky.social · 04/07/2026

#justbeatit Citizen Sleeper. I went for the platinum and got every ending. But my initial blind playthrough was the most engaging. The game is well-balanced while you are still figuring it out and making mistakes; it becomes a bit easy once you see exactly how it works. @polykillpodcast.bsky.social

040

J.J.S. Boyce @jjsboyce.bsky.social · 30/06/2026

I just finished putting this together yesterday, also from that 1993 Nintendo Power run (January, specifically).

010

J.J.S. Boyce @jjsboyce.bsky.social · 28/06/2026

Nothing beats the feeling of being on timeish for a writing deadline.

010

J.J.S. Boyce @jjsboyce.bsky.social · 27/06/2026

I’m a big Catherine fan. I hope you enjoy it.

010

J.J.S. Boyce @jjsboyce.bsky.social · 23/06/2026

Thanks to @wiedo.nl and his free games list exposing me to Daniel Mullins’ early work I moved Inscryption to the top of my must-play list. I went in blind, and #justbeatit. It was a real journey. I could write an essay on the game but won’t as you should play blind too. @polykillpodcast.bsky.social

072

J.J.S. Boyce @jjsboyce.bsky.social · 23/06/2026

Right there with you. I was going to ask for a new PC for last Christmas (not a high end one), but not if the prices are inflated. I’ll keep using what I’ve got until it stops working.

010

J.J.S. Boyce @jjsboyce.bsky.social · 12/06/2026

I actually didn’t know a second Game Boy Tetris title existed until earlier this year, when I saw it listed on Nintendo Switch online.

110

J.J.S. Boyce @jjsboyce.bsky.social · 05/06/2026

#justbeatit Donkey Kong Jr. Math. I don’t think this is a good game or an effective way to practice math, the slow vine climbing sucked. But I’m glad when Nintendo puts historical curiosities like this on NSO for us to try. Perfect clears on every mode. I teach math. 🤷‍♂️ @polykillpodcast.bsky.social

040

J.J.S. Boyce @jjsboyce.bsky.social · 31/05/2026

#justbeatit Cattle Crisis, a short vertical schmup with gorgeous graphics and fun mechanics. One of my 2026 goals was to beat my first ever schmup. I’m not going to count this wiedo freebie as that but it’s a good warm-up; I had to practice and learn over many attempts. @polykillpodcast.bsky.social

050

J.J.S. Boyce @jjsboyce.bsky.social · 30/05/2026

#justbeatit Alfonso’s Bowling Challenge. This is super short but very fun and everyone should play it. Strong “What the Golf?” vibes in the best way, easy to play in browser with keyboard only, so there’s no excuse. Credit as always to @wiedo.bsky.social for the rec. @polykillpodcast.bsky.social

160

J.J.S. Boyce @jjsboyce.bsky.social · 30/05/2026

#justbeatit With the Last Moonbeam, a charming platformer from @wiedo.bsky.social’s list of free games. There’s some lovely world-building here for such a small game, I’d love to see it get expanded into a larger game or future titles. I’d shell out money for that. @polykillpodcast.bsky.social

040

J.J.S. Boyce @jjsboyce.bsky.social · 29/05/2026

#justbeatit Feed It Souls (game jam ver). Where’s that one egg I missed? This is an excellent action platformer (I think the map is too simple to call it a metroidvania). I ran into tech issues it took a few attempts, but this is another good wiedo recommendation. @polykillpodcast.bsky.social

050

J.J.S. Boyce @jjsboyce.bsky.social · 28/05/2026

#justbeatit Stormbird Song: The Iron Owl Tower. This is the new winner amongst @wiedo.nl free game recommendation picks I’ve played so far. I cannot find a fault with this Zelda-inspired metroidvania on Game Boy. And @freinicke.bsky.social is working on something new! @polykillpodcast.bsky.social

151

J.J.S. Boyce @jjsboyce.bsky.social · 27/05/2026

#justbeatit The Boons of Iiuir, an overhead-view adventure puzzler. This is my favourite @wiedo.nl rec so far. There is some room for improvement with regard to absent or misleading sign-posting, but the main mechanic is clever and the puzzles are well-designed. @polykillpodcast.bsky.social

060

J.J.S. Boyce @jjsboyce.bsky.social · 27/05/2026

#justbeatit Hungry Harry 3D on PICO-8, a fantasy console not designed for 3D. This was apparently tougher for me than others, maybe because I was playing on keyboard, something I struggle with on games requiring movement and timing. Thx @wiedo.nl for the recommendation. @polykillpodcast.bsky.social

050

J.J.S. Boyce @jjsboyce.bsky.social · 26/05/2026

#justbeatit Steps. Per @wiedo.nl it’s like Minit except instead of dying and after one minute of game play you die every ten steps. You need to unlock paths and find items so you can get farther in later lives, but unlike Minit there are checkpoints and step refreshes. @polykillpodcast.bsky.social

040

J.J.S. Boyce @jjsboyce.bsky.social · 26/05/2026

#justbeatit Aglobo, the shortest of @wiedo.nl’s recommended free games that I’ve played so far but a very fun environmental puzzler. It packs more variety into its game mechanics than you would expect in such a small package. @polykillpodcast.bsky.social

060

J.J.S. Boyce @jjsboyce.bsky.social · 25/05/2026

I enjoyed it. A good demonstration of the inevitable result of infinite growth versus finite resources.

000

J.J.S. Boyce @jjsboyce.bsky.social · 25/05/2026

My next @wiedo.nl recommendation is Trash the Planet. I’ve only played a couple clickers but I’m discovering it’s an addictive genre for me. When I’m playing and get tired I go to bed. Unless it’s a clicker, then I need to #justbeatit. This one’s not overly long, though. @polykillpodcast.bsky.social

170

J.J.S. Boyce @jjsboyce.bsky.social · 25/05/2026

I have been checking out @wiedo.nl’s list of free games worth playing. itch.io/c/6970638/fr... High Stakes is a card-based roguelike where you gamble for your lifeblood from vampires. I almost won on my first attempt but then got ten game overs before I #justbeatit. Fun! @polykillpodcast.bsky.social

170

J.J.S. Boyce @jjsboyce.bsky.social · 13/05/2026

Gilius all the way. He’s proof that mechanics trump visual design when it comes to selecting a video game character. Who wants to be the dwarf? Once they see him in action, the answer is everyone.

010

J.J.S. Boyce @jjsboyce.bsky.social · 13/04/2026

If you want forgiveness go to a priest!

120

J.J.S. Boyce @jjsboyce.bsky.social · 09/04/2026

Did you play the e-reader levels? They’re the real gem of this version of the game.

130

J.J.S. Boyce @jjsboyce.bsky.social · 03/04/2026

#justbeatit The Hyperstone Heist. I rank this at the bottom of 8/16-bit TMNT beat ‘em ups. It’s the least polished and has somewhat of a thrown-together feel—like it was cobbled together on break using leftover assets. But even the worst TMNT Brawler is pretty decent. @polykillpodcast.bsky.social

060

J.J.S. Boyce @jjsboyce.bsky.social · 30/03/2026

He is the best. If you make very few mistakes he can tear through the game faster than anyone. I haven't gotten my skill level to that point yet so I found using the less potent but more forgiving options (literally any of the other three) got me through the harder levels.

020

Reposted by J.J.S. Boyce

Babybel Bandit @greblin.bsky.social · 29/03/2026

wouldn't it be funny if EVERYONE blocked this Attie AI account @ bsky.app/profile/atti... before they could do anything with it

5401526012577