FazDude

So, we're all familiar with Annalynn, right? Pretty decent game, I think.

When I first posted about Annalynn on SmashBoards 358 days ago, I wasn't really expecting to really talk about it any more beyond that. It was a good game, but I was still somewhat shy when it came to posting and I couldn't really think of much else to say. So I just said "hey this game is cool and you should play it" and left it at that.

When I started All-Star Strife, though, I saw how much people here seemed to like more obscure indie games. One of the first characters voted into the roster was Anton from Antonball Deluxe, a character I hadn't even heard of before then. And yet, Anton was able to beat out titans of indie gaming - Hat Kid, the Impostor, Meat Boy, Captain Viridian... There were a ton of huge indie properties nominated for our first character job, and yet, this silly red Wario lookalike was one of the first to get in.

So I thought, "Hey, if people like obscure characters, why not submit one of my own?" And so, I decided to pick out Annalynn to be the character I nominated for the second character job, which was asking for women fighters. She didn't win that time, being beaten out by Madeline and Hat Kid (deservedly, might I add), but when I was researching the game for that first nomination, I realized something...

"Dude, I might really like the funny miner girl game."

So yeah, I blame All-Star Strife for giving me an Annalynn hyperfixiation. I do not regret it for a second, though - By digging deeper into Annalynn just to submit it to the thread a second time, I gained a huge appreciation for the game. As I've said many a time since those days, I don't consider the game this grand, sprawling epic that outdoes every game out there - It's just a neat, arcade-style platformer, but goddamn it, that's what makes it great. It does what it does incredibly well, and it's evident that Cruise Elroy knows what he's doing when it comes to capturing the feel of the arcades.

However, as I was thinking about this retrospective, I realized that Annalynn as a game might not be the only reason I like Annalynn.

You see, whenever I think about Annalynn for long enough, I usually end up thinking about SmashBoards. I think about the creation threads. I think about the profile posts. I think about the great people I've been able to meet. I think about all the things I've learned from this site. I think about what just might be one of the best online communities I've had the pleasure of joining.

So yeah, to me, Annalynn isn't just Taizo Hori's long-lost niece or a really fun arcade game. She's kind of a symbol of my time on SmashBoards - I have earned the reputation of the Annalynn guy, after all. Don't get me wrong, I still love Annalynn, her world, and her game, but I also LOVE SmashBoards, and I don't think my love for one would be as great without the other.

So yes, me posting about the funny miner girl is really super deep symbolism for how much I love and appreciate this community. The Rick and Morty team should hire me.

To wrap this up, as we head into 2023, I'm still gonna be around. I might even do another creation thread, who knows? Regardless, though, I don't think I'll ever forget my first proper year as a member of SmashBoards. To those I consider friends here, of which there are too many people to reasonably list, thank you all for the memories. Let's make 2023 a great year for the site!

Catch you on the flip-flop.

(these two goobers are my ocs)