Taking part in the NEXON PEAK Post Challenge

What would you pick as your all-time favorite game?

I have a hard time picking just one~

But when I think about the games that shaped my taste in gaming,

MapleStory, HoYoverse games, and Trickcal: Chibi Go are the first ones that come to mind.

MapleStory was the first RPG I ever played as a kid,

and that eventually led me to mobile games, including HoYoverse titles like Genshin Impact, HSR, and ZZZ.

As for Trickcal: Chibi Go, chibi-style characters aren't usually my thing. I only meant to give it a quick try, but I got completely hooked.

I'm still playing it to this day ㅎㅎ ... ... Cover your ears, wallet.

So in this post, I want to chat a bit about why these games have stayed with me and why I'd recommend them,

and what earned each one a spot among my "all-time favorites."



ⅠContentsⅠ

① How I Chose My All-Time Favorites

② My All-Time Favorite Games

1. How I Chose My All-Time Favorites

- What Makes an All-Time Favorite



To me, an all-time favorite isn't just

a game I've played for a long time.

What matters more is how it shaped

my taste in games or the way I think.

Here's what I look for, for example.

No.	Criterion	What It Means
1	Has it stayed with me?	Is it a game I still think about and want to revisit, even after time has passed?
2	Did it change my tastes?	Did it get me interested in a particular genre, character, or story?
3	Could I write a long recommendation for it?	Does it have something that makes me go, "I could talk about this for an hour"?

With those criteria in mind,

MapleStory, HoYo games, and Trickcal: Chibi Go

were the first ones I thought of.



For starters, MapleStory wasn't just my first RPG.

It also showed me how much fun character progression could be.

└ Yep, this was my era.. ㅋㅋ



HoYoverse games showed me how to bring characters and stories to life,

and how to make the connections between party members shine.

Trickcal: Chibi Go was supposed to be a quick try, but I ended up all in without even meaning to.



"Oh, so you can tell stories like these with such cute little characters."

That's what it made me realize.

So this list of all-time favorites

is less "a ranking of my most-played games" and more

“ Games that helped me explore my tastes
and that I want to keep playing for a long time ”

That's the idea.

2. My All-Time Favorite Games

2.1 - MapleStory



“ The game that showed me why RPGs are fun ”



Way back when, this was the game that first made RPGs really click for me.

Creating a character, choosing a class, leveling up, gearing up,

and moving on to a new area—that whole process.

Ahh...

It's a familiar RPG loop to me now,

but the first time I got on the ship to Orbis,





I was so scared I watched Balrog from below deck.

Back then, once you boarded, you were on that ship for at least 30 minutes.

But these days, everyone's got places to be,

so a 30-minute ship ride..? Just thinking about it makes me a little dizzy;



If you want fast progression, you're probably playing today's MapleStory,

while those looking to relive old memories

are probably enjoying 메이플랜드.

I still think MapleStory is a game where

you can really see your progress paying off.

Monsters that used to give you trouble become easy to beat,

and as you upgrade your gear piece by piece,

there's that satisfaction of clearing bosses faster and faster when they used to take forever.

Plus, you can use cosmetic items

to make your character look exactly how you want.

To me, that's

MapleStory's biggest draw.

It's not just about getting stronger.

You grow attached to the character you've put all that time and care into.

So for me, MapleStory is more than just a game I've played for ages.

It's what got me interested in RPGs in the first place.

Thanks to that, I had a great time playing Lost Ark too.

If I had to pick one reason to recommend it,

it's this: "It makes the joy of building up a character over time immediately clear."



2.2 - HoYoverse Games



“ The games that hooked me with their characters and storytelling ”



If MapleStory showed me the fun of RPG progression,

HoYo games made me think, "This is how

you nail the presentation in anime-style games!"

The ones I've stuck with the longest are Genshin Impact, HSR, and ZZZ.

Of course... I'll be playing Honkai: Nexus Anima and other future HoYo games too...



I actually started Genshin Impact because I'd finished Zelda

and had nothing else to play. Right away, I enjoyed exploring the world.

I also had fun combining characters' elements to trigger reactions.



With HSR, it was the character arcs and the way the story unfolded...

I'll never forget that train sequence in Penacony.





With ZZZ, I found the way combat plays out incredibly satisfying—

it makes you look skilled even when you're not great at the controls.

Plus, having characters from the same faction in your party

triggers things like extra dialogue, which really makes

putting a party together feel rewarding.

Something I realized while playing HoYoverse games

was that collecting characters isn't just about pulling strong ones.

For the record, I have both Varka and Mydei.

The story and the way a character is brought to life make you like them,

then actually playing them makes you grow attached.

I really liked that approach.

So I'd recommend HoYoverse games

to anyone who enjoys getting immersed in characters and their worlds.

2.3 - Trickcal: Chibi Go



“ I only meant to dip a toe in, but now I'm neck-deep

in this swamp of a character-collecting RPG (in a good way) ”



The last game I'd like to recommend

is Trickcal: Chibi Go.





At first, with its cute art style and lighthearted atmosphere,

I figured it would just be a relaxing game to play.

But... as I played, I started getting attached to every character,

and the events and dialogue have that distinctive Trickcal: Chibi Go flavor,

so I ended up sticking around.

What I especially liked about Trickcal: Chibi Go is that its "cuteness" goes beyond pretty character designs.

The characters look cute, but their backstories or dialogue can make you wonder if they've got a screw loose,

and each event takes on its own quirky mood depending on who's involved. It all makes the game stick with you.





You have to watch this one, even if it's just on YouTube...

I cried watching it... Sigh...

So I'd recommend Trickcal: Chibi Go to anyone

looking for a character-collecting RPG they can start casually

before its characters and atmosphere gradually draw them in.

Which of your all-time favorite games

would you recommend to others?

That's it for this post.

I'll be back with another story next time (๑>؂•̀๑)