Z Space Blog

Solar 2 is an open world, macro-physical, sandbox simulation game. Its premise is short and sweet: You are a meager asteroid in the infinity of space. Become the biggest and best thing in the universe! Developed primarily by independent developer Jay Watts, Solar 2 is a game that is relaxing, with a tense undertone that a more self-aware gamer may philosophize about. If you like to kick back and enjoy a relaxing game with neat visuals, Solar 2 is a fine choice. Gamers that always need missions or goals may not appreciate Solar 2 since its mission selection is small and due to being a one-mechanic game, lacks depth in its basic interaction. It makes up for it with its application of physics and concept, however. And who doesn't like an endless virtual universe!?

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I recently got into the speedrunning scene and decided that my first serious speedrunning game would be Metroid Zero Mission. One of the most important aspects of speedrunning Metroid games is planning your route through the game. Logically, it's important to have an accurate and useful map, often more informative than the in-game map. Years ago, I made a simple map for MZM that was designed to be printed and display the expansions, nothing more.

Revisiting it with a new goal for route planning in mind, I present to you the map of Zebes for MZM.

Metroid Zero Mission » Zebes Map (864 × 1216 pixels, 84 KB)

The entire image was self-made except for the Creative Commons license indicator in the bottom right. The only information it's lacking are indicators for which power-ups you need to get past certain areas. To be honest, if I added that information the resolution would be doubled, easily. I have also omitted boss icons (for now), since all speedrunners know where the bosses are. :)

If you want to distribute it, I don't mind as long as the file is unaltered and I'm informed of where it was posted. It's cool to see where it ends up!

2022-12-12 UPDATE: The text that I made for this map ended up inspiring the styling of the 'ZLG' logo! Check out my post on the subject.

Developed by Hitbox Team, Dustforce is an interesting mix of technical input, platforming, and speed. You play as one of four janitors whose job is to clean up the game world and bring cleanliness back. As an old-school gamer, this game still makes me giddy and excited when I play it. If you enjoy technical games that require a lot of skill, high difficulty, and are a perfectionist, Dustforce is a great fit for you. Steer clear if you lack patience!

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Izuna: Legend of the Unemployed Ninja is a fun roguelike produced by Success and published by Atlus. Like most roguelikes, Izuna is tough and comes with its own system of advancement. At first glance, it's not clear how to improve one's equipment. A friend and I sat down and tried to locate some more specific information on the game, and came up empty-handed. In typical fashion, I proposed that we figure it out and make our findings available to others. The result is this guide!

Izuna: Legend of the Unemployed Ninja » Advanced Gameplay Guide, version 1.2 — updated 2011-10-15.

2022-07-28 UPDATE: I'm quite proud of this guide, and fondly remember the time I spent with said friend.

When Mario Kart DS was released in 2005, I was impressed by the amount of detail in each kart's stats. As I began playing more seriously and taking part in Nintendo's first global online game, it was clear to me that there was more than meets the eye and somebody needed to cover it. Thus, the Game Mechanics Guide was born. It enjoyed some mild popularity on GameFAQs and Neoseeker while I was a part of those communities.

Mario Kart DS » Game Mechanics Guide, version 1.7 — updated 2011-10-15.