Earthbound reminded a player why they don't want to finish their backlog

Kotaku reports that in the middle of 2025 its writer stepped back from new releases to boot up Earthbound on a Switch 2 via Nintendo Switch Online, calling the first-time playthrough one of the most joyful experiences of 2025.

The writer says they’ve grown comfortable with an ever‑growing backlog, relishing that they will never entirely conquer it and rejecting the idea of rushing through games. They describe the variety games offer—being a squid‑kid, exploring gothic nightmares, or embodying a plumber—and list notable unfinished titles they hope to reach, including the full Mass Effect trilogy (they missed the first game because of exclusivity), Baldur’s Gate 3, Demon’s Souls and the latter two Dark Souls games, early Final Fantasy entries, Half‑Life, Myst and The Sims.

On the harms of letting a backlog grow, the writer says, “As far as I can tell, none,” and argues that voraciously consuming every game would spoil the experience. They urge readers to slow down, savor their backlogs and preserve the magic of games — and recommend playing Earthbound if you haven’t.

Key Topics

Culture, Earthbound, Nintendo Switch Online, Mass Effect Trilogy, Backlog