Truly enough, as day follows night, the calendar turning over into a new month indicated that a new GotX period is starting. For February, the Retro Handhelds community selected the theme of “Female Protagonist February”, a theme that has been suggested multiple times in the RH Discord in the last 6 months.
What is GotX
For the uninitiated, GotX stands for “Game of The X”. GotX started off as Game of the Month (GOTM), but later expanded to include a Game of the Week (GotW) and a longer RPG of the Quater (RPGotQ). We use GotX as shorthand to lump all these games together.
For each of the flavors of GotX, one or more games are selected and members of the RH Discord are invited to share the experience of playing along with each other in the various game threads in the “GotX Lounge”. Any member of the discord who proves they have completed the GotX game by posting a picture of the end credits, alongside their name and the date, is given a GotX point. GotX points can be exchanged for various RH merch, including the fabled RH bag which isn’t available to buy outside of earned points.
I will say this as often as RH will let me. GotM was my gateway into Retro Handhelds, and it remains one of my absolute favorite corners of the internet. Maintaining my streak of completing at least on GotM each month, is disproportionately important to me.
Game of The Month (GOTM) – Female Protagonist February
There are 3 active Games of the Month, one from each of the following categories:
- Games released before December 31st, 1995
- Released between 1996 and 1999
- Released in 2000 or later.
For each month a theme is selected by previous GOTM participants and games that match that theme are nominated and voted for by active members of the wider RH Discord.
The selected theme for this month was “Female Protagonist February” – games with a woman or girl as the main playable character.
GOTM: 1995 or Earlier
Magic Knight Rayearth
- Console: Saturn
- Release: 1999
- Genre: RPG
- HLTB: 13 Hours
While technically an RPG, Rayearth presents more like a 2D Zelda game than anything else. The game closely follows the story of the Manga with the same name, telling the story of three 8th graders who get taken to the world of Cephiro in order to become the Magic Knights and rescue Princess Emerald.
Saturn games do not frequently get selected for GOTM, and it’s not a system where I’ve completed too many games, meaning that this is likely to be the game I choose for my GOTM playthrough. While the beginning of the game has so many cut-scenes that it may have influenced Metal Gear Solid, the cutscenes themselves are taken straight from the MKR anime, and the overall look and control of the game appeal to me
GOTM: 1996-1999
Threads of Fate
- Console: PlayStation 1
- Release: 1999
- Genre: Action RPG
- HLTB: 14 Hours
While it’s getting more common as GOTM becomes more popular, there was once a time when a game being put up for nomination for a 5th time was an indication it would never be selected. Threads of Fate has been selected for GOTM after its 7th nomination. Gameplay-wise, Threads of Fate has somewhat of the flavor of the 3D Zelda games about it, with early 3D combat and occasional precision jumping.
Threads is a game from Square Enix’s early pre-merger days when they were still just Squaresoft. As you expect from one of their games, the story and characters are the game’s main selling point. Threads allow you to pick from 2 characters – Mint (a banished princess) or Rue (a young man with amnesia). While a playthrough with either character would be eligible for a GOTM point, playing a Mint feel theme is appropriate. Each character has a different quest with some differing plot points, but mostly set over the same locations and featuring the same supporting cast.
Threads has taken the long way around to get selected and I’m happy to finally see it make it
GOTM 2000 or later
Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia
- Console: Nintendo DS
- Release: 2002
- Genre: Platform Adventure
- HLTB: 10 Hours
The Castlevania series of games is probably one of the two most popular series in GOTM voting. Order of Ecclesia is set between the Symphony of the Night era and the more modern Bloodlines era, a time where the current location of the Belmont family is unknown, and a new hero – Shanoa of the aforementioned Order of Ecclesia needs to step up.
Order of Ecclesia is known for its glorious graphics, kicking soundtrack, interesting new glyph system, way over-the-top boss fights, and…brutal difficulty. The game will manage to mix both the traditional early Castlevania format and the later Metroidvania format as the game progresses.
Despite being a DS game, Ecclesia is not expected to require the upper screen and so should be playable on a large range of retro handhelds including devices like the Miyoo Mini.
RPG of the Quarter
Ogre Battle 64: Person of Lordly Caliber
- Console: N64
- Release: 1999
- Genre: Tactical RPG
- HLTB: 37 Hours
For gamers who prefer longer games, there are still two more months to complete the RPG of the Quater (RPGotQ). GOTM, players can earn up to 3 RH points through RPGofQ, one for a standard completion, and an extra 2 is all a game’s retro achievements are completed.
In its initial release, Ogre Battle 64 was released as the second largest (memory-wise) cartridge in N64 history.
It’s the story of a soldier finding his place in a political war between a cruel empire and a rebel uprising which he is initially asked to quash. While the player is in control of troop movements and tactics – ensuring the suitable resources for a military victory are in place, battles are auto-fought in real-time – adding an air of powerlessness which I really like.
RPGotQ completions will be accepted until the new game is announced on the 1st of April.
Game of the Week — RetroBits
In addition to the longer game selected by the community for GotM and RPGotQ, a short game is selected each week for Game of the Week (GotW) – also known as RetroBits. Games are mostly selected at random by the GotX admin Rapid (although for certain times of the year – like Halloween or Christmas – a thematically relevant game will be selected instead).
To be eligible for GotW consideration, the game must have a time on the How Long To Beat website of 2 hours or less. Completion of each GotW game will earn the player 0.5 RH points. New games are announced every Saturday at 8 pm EST. Details of the current GotW game can always be found on the RH Discord under the “gotw_games” section
Get Involved
If all this talk has piqued your interest, then there’s never been a better time to get involved. Join the RH Discord, and find the GotX section. The GotX Announcements thread is almost certainly worth a follow in order to keep up to date with themes, voting, and new games. Newbies will find a welcoming and fun community
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