ugh, I'm beginning to think this system isn't for me.
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3DS Game Reviews/Recommendations/Condemnations Thread | We've been separated
- Thread starter Pikma
- Start date
- Status
ugh, I'm beginning to think this system isn't for me.
Mario Kart 7
Going back all the way to the SNES and through the DS, Mario Kart titles have been up there among my favourites on their respective platforms. Then along came MK Wii and I simply had no desire to play it. I bought a copy (I mean, it's Mario Kart, of course I had to, right?) but never in the years of it sitting on my shelf have I wanted to pop it in and give it a whirl.
Okay, so I was a little burned out on Mario Kart. No big deal. Mario Kart 7 finally came out, and I bought it straight away, expecting to go in full throttle. Unlike MK Wii, I definitely did... for a few days.
But I was at my limit, and I knew it. MK7 is a great kart racer -- heck, it might be the best. But it is, unapologetically, a kart racer, and it doesn't try to be anything more. Sure, there are a couple gimmicks thrown in for spice. You can drive underwater now! You can customize your kart! You can play online in fancy "communities" and exchange ghost data over StreetPass! That's all great. But they didn't do a thing to pull me out of my Mario Kart rut.
Mario Kart 7 is a game I want to love, but can't. It's a perfectly good -- and safe -- effort which does what it means to exceptionally well. But for that reason I can't in good conscience recommend it unless you're new to the series or otherwise still have that burning desire to power slide and toss red shells with aplomb. I'll not complain about the things people complain about of Mario Kart games like spiny blue shells. I think you know what you're getting here, and that may be a good thing. But I don't know if the sum of MK7's parts is great enough to pull an old fan back in.
Recommendation: Neutral
Going back all the way to the SNES and through the DS, Mario Kart titles have been up there among my favourites on their respective platforms. Then along came MK Wii and I simply had no desire to play it. I bought a copy (I mean, it's Mario Kart, of course I had to, right?) but never in the years of it sitting on my shelf have I wanted to pop it in and give it a whirl.
Okay, so I was a little burned out on Mario Kart. No big deal. Mario Kart 7 finally came out, and I bought it straight away, expecting to go in full throttle. Unlike MK Wii, I definitely did... for a few days.
But I was at my limit, and I knew it. MK7 is a great kart racer -- heck, it might be the best. But it is, unapologetically, a kart racer, and it doesn't try to be anything more. Sure, there are a couple gimmicks thrown in for spice. You can drive underwater now! You can customize your kart! You can play online in fancy "communities" and exchange ghost data over StreetPass! That's all great. But they didn't do a thing to pull me out of my Mario Kart rut.
Mario Kart 7 is a game I want to love, but can't. It's a perfectly good -- and safe -- effort which does what it means to exceptionally well. But for that reason I can't in good conscience recommend it unless you're new to the series or otherwise still have that burning desire to power slide and toss red shells with aplomb. I'll not complain about the things people complain about of Mario Kart games like spiny blue shells. I think you know what you're getting here, and that may be a good thing. But I don't know if the sum of MK7's parts is great enough to pull an old fan back in.
Recommendation: Neutral
Frogger 3D:
Recommended. It does a great job expanding Frogger's classic gameplay, has around 60 levels, it's very challenging (which is a common complain in reviews), it has lots of charm and humor, includes the original arcade game in "endless mode" with an (offline, lol) score board and the option to play against your "ghost", has achievements that unlock stuff like concept art, and it even has multiplayer but I haven't tried it. I can see how such an strictly retro arcade game wouldn't appeal to everyone, and it has some flaws like level design being a very mixed bag and it crossing the challenging line to become brutal at times, but I still liked it a lot. Also this game's existence is hilarious because Frogger got a 30th anniversary game while Mega Man and Metroid didn't.
Recommended. It does a great job expanding Frogger's classic gameplay, has around 60 levels, it's very challenging (which is a common complain in reviews), it has lots of charm and humor, includes the original arcade game in "endless mode" with an (offline, lol) score board and the option to play against your "ghost", has achievements that unlock stuff like concept art, and it even has multiplayer but I haven't tried it. I can see how such an strictly retro arcade game wouldn't appeal to everyone, and it has some flaws like level design being a very mixed bag and it crossing the challenging line to become brutal at times, but I still liked it a lot. Also this game's existence is hilarious because Frogger got a 30th anniversary game while Mega Man and Metroid didn't.
You forgot Crashmo, son
I believe it's the same, but the world is also mirrored left-to-right. (I don't think that was the case in the original MQ, but correct me if I'm wrong)
Nocturnowl
Member
Yeah it's mirrored and also the enemies deal double damage, that aside it's the same master quest.
Ah I see. Not that it matters. Would have still bought it regardless. Zelda has always been the game I buy with any Nintendo hardware
DCharlie
And even i am moderately surprised
i'd highly recommend someone starting a GAF linked Google doc or even establishing GAF's own aggregated "metacritic" style score from said document.
Perhaps famitsu style twitter length review comment plus a rating out of 10 on the doc then we can determine out a GAF Fan average?
Do the same for all platforms actually - there's no reason the sum of our parts cannot produce a good bench mark for game quality.
Perhaps famitsu style twitter length review comment plus a rating out of 10 on the doc then we can determine out a GAF Fan average?
Do the same for all platforms actually - there's no reason the sum of our parts cannot produce a good bench mark for game quality.
Puzzles ain't really my thing since I'm a stoner. I need those RPGs
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D:
Honestly, what is left to say about this game? It’s still a fantastic experience and with the improved visuals a new generation of gamers can experience this classic tale of Link who needs to save Hyrule from impending doom. Veterans will love this new version as well. The improved graphics, better menu and the inclusion of the Master Quest makes the package worth buying again if you’re a 3DS owner. No-brainer this game. BUY. (+)
Resident Evil the Mercenaries 3D:
As someone who spent a lot of time playing the Mercenaries in RE 4 and 5, this version of the Mercenaries is awesome. Yes, it’s a mini-game receiving a retail release but I had a blast with it. The score attack basics of the game still hold up even on a small screen. Gameplay is smooth, fun and the missions they included are pretty cool. It will be a trip down memory lane while fighting of Ganados, Majini and other nasty stuff from the RE universe. The problem is, I like this game as a RE fan and liking its Mercenaries mode. Several shortcomings won’t bother me that much, but even I can’t deny the severe lack of content. There are only eight RE characters available in the game, about thirty missions and the lack of more extra costumes is extremely disappointing. There should have been more. If you come across a new copy of this game for about $/€ 15, it’s worth the price of admission. At a higher price? Can’t say, it’s up to you. (+-)
Super Street Fighter IV 3D Edition:
The Street Fighter-series on Nintendo hardware? And on a handheld system? How does that work? Pretty good actually. It’s the full SF experience on 3DS and that’s pretty impressive. Yeah I know hardcore players will talk about serious competitive play and that doesn’t work on handhelds, but this version plays quite well. Even inexperienced players can tag thanks to the touch screen commands of certain signature moves. The online experience is solid by the way. I played a lot of matches with no lag at all and I find that fact pretty impressive. The only thing ruining the online confrontations with other players are the Guile abusers. They will spam Sonic Boom until they drop. Extremely annoying. Avoid these players and fights will be more enjoyable. As for the rest, it’s SSF IV with all the features intact. (+)
Super Mario 3D Land:
Is there something EAD Tokyo can’t do? Yes, it sounds a bit fanboyish but man this game rocks. Imagine a mix of 2D and 3D Mario platformers by the guys who brought you Super Mario Galaxy. Done? If not, play this game. The Tanooki suit is a bit overpowered (especially during the first eight worlds) but honestly you won’t care. The level design is great, it has some neat surprises and more importantly; it plays like a dream. Just play it. You won’t regret it. (+)
Tales of the Abyss:
For European Tales fans this is a nice treat; Abyss finally arrived on our shores, on a different platform. And best of all, the improved the loading times! Huzzah. So if you like RPG’s, Abyss is a great choice. Wait, the characters? Oh well… you’ll hate Luke at first. He’s an obnoxious little kid who was pampered all of his life. And during the game his life finally starts. Because all of this you will see him slowly transforming into this entirely different person. As for the rest of the cast, Jade is cool. Abyss has a typical JRPG story and in the long run it might be too generic. Especially during the final hours of the game I was somewhat disappointed by it’s conclusion. But the game itself, all of the battle mechanics, exploring the world, finding stuff… it’s what you would expect from a Tales-game. I recommend it. (+)
Pro Evolution Soccer 2011 3D:
A typical launch game. The handheld team experimented with the 3D view, so the game has this weird third person view in which control the players. But every time you lose the ball to another player the camera angle changes immediately and that’s very confusing. It’s not a bad game, but I assume other PES games on the system have been improved significantly compared to this launch title. (-)
Mario Kart 7:
Yup, it’s Mario Kart. But compared to the Wii version, how does it handle itself? It’s great and I had a lot more fun with this game. Sure, Blue shells are still horrible but overall the game has been greatly improved. The new tracks are cool and the classic tracks are still fantastic. Online mode is very good. Connection holds up and the majority of the matches are lag free. Good stuff. What can I say? It’s Mario Kart. Who doesn’t love it? (+)
Resident Evil Revelations:
Mixing up classic and new Resident Evil? What is this madness Capcpom? Jill Valentine returns in a starring role on the Queen Zenobia, a ship containing dark secrets. The cruiseship brims with that classic RE feel because of the Mansion-like feel while exploring the ship. The crew and its passengers have been infected by a new virus called T-Abyss and turned into Ooze. Yeah, the enemies aren’t the best designs from Capcom but they are pretty tough. So, Resident Evil returning to the roots with more modern gameplay? There has to be a catch right? Yup. Although the majority of the game is played with Jill, the game switches to other characters as well. Chris returns and the player also take control of Keith and Quint, two entirely new characters. But they kind of blow because their comedic relief seems a bit to forced. So the story mode might not be entirely consistent, but overall it’s very good. And oh, play Raid mode. A very cool extra game were you level up your character and acquire cool weapons and fun unlockables. Raid in co-op is fun in a bun. (+)
Kid Icarus Uprising:
Oh man, those controls. They’re not the most logical. But if you take your time to master them, a whole new world will open. Uprising is not the game a lot of fans were expecting, but it’s great nonetheless. In twenty + action packed levels you face the evil Underworld army and there will be a few surprises for Pitt along the way! First up we all know Nintendo doesn’t include voice acting, but they chose to do so for Uprising. And it’s pretty good! Sure, it’s comparable to any Saturday morning cartoon, but I thought it was pretty fun. The snide remarks and Nintendo references are actually funny.
Second, the amount of unlockable stuff in the game is staggering. It’s Smash Bros., Kid Icarus style. There’s idols to collect, panels to complete thanks to a achievement like system and a lot of weapons to earn and mix. And insane difficulty levels providing a good challenge. Love it. (+)
Metal Gear Solid Snake Eater 3D: Another good port, but the 3DS might be the wrong platform for this game. Metal Gear Solid is all about the cinematic experience and staring down at a handheld screen for twenty minutes… that’s long. (So, I wouldn’t say Vita is the best platform for it either) It's still good. The game has all the features of the PS2 version so nothing has been cut.
The downside is in my experience is that if you want to experience the game at its best on 3DS, you need the Circle Pad Pro. There might be some posters who would disagree, but Snake Eater offers you the option to play with Peace Walker-like controls and man those kind of blow. There might be a few guys who aren’t bothered by it, but if you’re willing to invest in a CPP I’d say do it. Makes the game far more enjoyable. I thought the 3DS version is good, but I can understand if someone thinks it’s not good enough. (+-)
Ace Combat: Assault Horizon Legacy:
It’s too short. And that’s a shame. I started playing and I was impressed at how good the controls are. Outmanoeuvring other jets is awesome, several difficulty settings… it’s cool. But after twenty something missions it’s over. And there wasn’t a lot of extra content to unlock (except for a few new planes and parts to buy) so I kind of put away and never played it again. Which is a shame, because the game is good. It needs more content and a bit more polish and Namco would have released a great 3DS title. This game however is nice to have when you come across it for about $/€ 20. (+-)
Dead or Alive Dimensions:
Another fighter? And this one might be more accessible compared to SSF IV 3D. It’s kind of the same story really. But with a few noticeable differences. First of all, in 2D mode this game runs at a smooth 60 fps and man does it look good in motion. On a technical level it might be one of the most impressive games on the 3DS. More importantly, making combo’s is relatively easy in this DoA. Not easy-easy as in it’s a dumbed down version of the DoA franchise, but playing on a handheld doesn’t feel weird at all. And yes, there is bouncy stuff to be seen. It’s a solid game. (+)
Theatrhythm Final Fantasy: do you like Final Fantasy? Well, put down your money and play this amazing game. Awesome and slightly addictive rhythm game with a fantastic selection of Final Fantasy songs. BUY IT. (+)
New! Super Mario Bros. 2: excellent 2D platformer and coin rush is a lot of fun. Allthough, if you're tired of the NSMB formula you could ignore this. It's a bit too safe. I'd recommend 3D Land over NSMB 2. (+)
Honestly, what is left to say about this game? It’s still a fantastic experience and with the improved visuals a new generation of gamers can experience this classic tale of Link who needs to save Hyrule from impending doom. Veterans will love this new version as well. The improved graphics, better menu and the inclusion of the Master Quest makes the package worth buying again if you’re a 3DS owner. No-brainer this game. BUY. (+)
Resident Evil the Mercenaries 3D:
As someone who spent a lot of time playing the Mercenaries in RE 4 and 5, this version of the Mercenaries is awesome. Yes, it’s a mini-game receiving a retail release but I had a blast with it. The score attack basics of the game still hold up even on a small screen. Gameplay is smooth, fun and the missions they included are pretty cool. It will be a trip down memory lane while fighting of Ganados, Majini and other nasty stuff from the RE universe. The problem is, I like this game as a RE fan and liking its Mercenaries mode. Several shortcomings won’t bother me that much, but even I can’t deny the severe lack of content. There are only eight RE characters available in the game, about thirty missions and the lack of more extra costumes is extremely disappointing. There should have been more. If you come across a new copy of this game for about $/€ 15, it’s worth the price of admission. At a higher price? Can’t say, it’s up to you. (+-)
Super Street Fighter IV 3D Edition:
The Street Fighter-series on Nintendo hardware? And on a handheld system? How does that work? Pretty good actually. It’s the full SF experience on 3DS and that’s pretty impressive. Yeah I know hardcore players will talk about serious competitive play and that doesn’t work on handhelds, but this version plays quite well. Even inexperienced players can tag thanks to the touch screen commands of certain signature moves. The online experience is solid by the way. I played a lot of matches with no lag at all and I find that fact pretty impressive. The only thing ruining the online confrontations with other players are the Guile abusers. They will spam Sonic Boom until they drop. Extremely annoying. Avoid these players and fights will be more enjoyable. As for the rest, it’s SSF IV with all the features intact. (+)
Super Mario 3D Land:
Is there something EAD Tokyo can’t do? Yes, it sounds a bit fanboyish but man this game rocks. Imagine a mix of 2D and 3D Mario platformers by the guys who brought you Super Mario Galaxy. Done? If not, play this game. The Tanooki suit is a bit overpowered (especially during the first eight worlds) but honestly you won’t care. The level design is great, it has some neat surprises and more importantly; it plays like a dream. Just play it. You won’t regret it. (+)
Tales of the Abyss:
For European Tales fans this is a nice treat; Abyss finally arrived on our shores, on a different platform. And best of all, the improved the loading times! Huzzah. So if you like RPG’s, Abyss is a great choice. Wait, the characters? Oh well… you’ll hate Luke at first. He’s an obnoxious little kid who was pampered all of his life. And during the game his life finally starts. Because all of this you will see him slowly transforming into this entirely different person. As for the rest of the cast, Jade is cool. Abyss has a typical JRPG story and in the long run it might be too generic. Especially during the final hours of the game I was somewhat disappointed by it’s conclusion. But the game itself, all of the battle mechanics, exploring the world, finding stuff… it’s what you would expect from a Tales-game. I recommend it. (+)
Pro Evolution Soccer 2011 3D:
A typical launch game. The handheld team experimented with the 3D view, so the game has this weird third person view in which control the players. But every time you lose the ball to another player the camera angle changes immediately and that’s very confusing. It’s not a bad game, but I assume other PES games on the system have been improved significantly compared to this launch title. (-)
Mario Kart 7:
Yup, it’s Mario Kart. But compared to the Wii version, how does it handle itself? It’s great and I had a lot more fun with this game. Sure, Blue shells are still horrible but overall the game has been greatly improved. The new tracks are cool and the classic tracks are still fantastic. Online mode is very good. Connection holds up and the majority of the matches are lag free. Good stuff. What can I say? It’s Mario Kart. Who doesn’t love it? (+)
Resident Evil Revelations:
Mixing up classic and new Resident Evil? What is this madness Capcpom? Jill Valentine returns in a starring role on the Queen Zenobia, a ship containing dark secrets. The cruiseship brims with that classic RE feel because of the Mansion-like feel while exploring the ship. The crew and its passengers have been infected by a new virus called T-Abyss and turned into Ooze. Yeah, the enemies aren’t the best designs from Capcom but they are pretty tough. So, Resident Evil returning to the roots with more modern gameplay? There has to be a catch right? Yup. Although the majority of the game is played with Jill, the game switches to other characters as well. Chris returns and the player also take control of Keith and Quint, two entirely new characters. But they kind of blow because their comedic relief seems a bit to forced. So the story mode might not be entirely consistent, but overall it’s very good. And oh, play Raid mode. A very cool extra game were you level up your character and acquire cool weapons and fun unlockables. Raid in co-op is fun in a bun. (+)
Kid Icarus Uprising:
Oh man, those controls. They’re not the most logical. But if you take your time to master them, a whole new world will open. Uprising is not the game a lot of fans were expecting, but it’s great nonetheless. In twenty + action packed levels you face the evil Underworld army and there will be a few surprises for Pitt along the way! First up we all know Nintendo doesn’t include voice acting, but they chose to do so for Uprising. And it’s pretty good! Sure, it’s comparable to any Saturday morning cartoon, but I thought it was pretty fun. The snide remarks and Nintendo references are actually funny.
Second, the amount of unlockable stuff in the game is staggering. It’s Smash Bros., Kid Icarus style. There’s idols to collect, panels to complete thanks to a achievement like system and a lot of weapons to earn and mix. And insane difficulty levels providing a good challenge. Love it. (+)
Metal Gear Solid Snake Eater 3D: Another good port, but the 3DS might be the wrong platform for this game. Metal Gear Solid is all about the cinematic experience and staring down at a handheld screen for twenty minutes… that’s long. (So, I wouldn’t say Vita is the best platform for it either) It's still good. The game has all the features of the PS2 version so nothing has been cut.
The downside is in my experience is that if you want to experience the game at its best on 3DS, you need the Circle Pad Pro. There might be some posters who would disagree, but Snake Eater offers you the option to play with Peace Walker-like controls and man those kind of blow. There might be a few guys who aren’t bothered by it, but if you’re willing to invest in a CPP I’d say do it. Makes the game far more enjoyable. I thought the 3DS version is good, but I can understand if someone thinks it’s not good enough. (+-)
Ace Combat: Assault Horizon Legacy:
It’s too short. And that’s a shame. I started playing and I was impressed at how good the controls are. Outmanoeuvring other jets is awesome, several difficulty settings… it’s cool. But after twenty something missions it’s over. And there wasn’t a lot of extra content to unlock (except for a few new planes and parts to buy) so I kind of put away and never played it again. Which is a shame, because the game is good. It needs more content and a bit more polish and Namco would have released a great 3DS title. This game however is nice to have when you come across it for about $/€ 20. (+-)
Dead or Alive Dimensions:
Another fighter? And this one might be more accessible compared to SSF IV 3D. It’s kind of the same story really. But with a few noticeable differences. First of all, in 2D mode this game runs at a smooth 60 fps and man does it look good in motion. On a technical level it might be one of the most impressive games on the 3DS. More importantly, making combo’s is relatively easy in this DoA. Not easy-easy as in it’s a dumbed down version of the DoA franchise, but playing on a handheld doesn’t feel weird at all. And yes, there is bouncy stuff to be seen. It’s a solid game. (+)
Theatrhythm Final Fantasy: do you like Final Fantasy? Well, put down your money and play this amazing game. Awesome and slightly addictive rhythm game with a fantastic selection of Final Fantasy songs. BUY IT. (+)
New! Super Mario Bros. 2: excellent 2D platformer and coin rush is a lot of fun. Allthough, if you're tired of the NSMB formula you could ignore this. It's a bit too safe. I'd recommend 3D Land over NSMB 2. (+)
chertipros
Member
You disappoint me.
The 3DS really does need more RPGs though. Fire Emblem, Etrian Odyssey IV, and hopefully Bravely Default (depending on how much of a turd Squenix decides to be) should perk things up in 2013.
And Denpa Men 2, maybe!
I don't see enough people recommending Pushmo, so I will be recommending Pushmo.
Pushmo is an amazing puzzle game and it's great for either short bursts or long stretches of play. Also, you can make your own puzzles and share them through QR codes, and there are like a million user created puzzles on the internet for when you finish the game.
Also, the aesthetics of the game are great.
Buy Pushmo, you jerks. It's only like $7.
Pushmo is an amazing puzzle game and it's great for either short bursts or long stretches of play. Also, you can make your own puzzles and share them through QR codes, and there are like a million user created puzzles on the internet for when you finish the game.
Also, the aesthetics of the game are great.
Buy Pushmo, you jerks. It's only like $7.
Baconsammy
Banned
My own personal recommendations/condemnations:
Super Mario Land: Buy it!
New Super Mario Bros 2: Not good. Not bad. Mediocre. Spend your money elsewhere
Mario Kart 7: Boring. Probably the worst Mario Kart I've ever played, and I've played most.
Zelda: Best version of OOT. Buy it.
Crosswords Plus: A heaping pile of ****: Avoid it at all costs
Pushmo: Good game, not a great puzzle game. Buy it but dont expect Picross/Tetris/Meteos levels of addiction
Mole Mania: Great great great puzzle game. One of Miyamoto's best. Buy it
Zen Pinball: Mediocre. Some of Zen's worst tables.
Marvel Pinball: Great. 4 of Zen's best tables. Buy it.
Super Mario Land: Buy it!
New Super Mario Bros 2: Not good. Not bad. Mediocre. Spend your money elsewhere
Mario Kart 7: Boring. Probably the worst Mario Kart I've ever played, and I've played most.
Zelda: Best version of OOT. Buy it.
Crosswords Plus: A heaping pile of ****: Avoid it at all costs
Pushmo: Good game, not a great puzzle game. Buy it but dont expect Picross/Tetris/Meteos levels of addiction
Mole Mania: Great great great puzzle game. One of Miyamoto's best. Buy it
Zen Pinball: Mediocre. Some of Zen's worst tables.
Marvel Pinball: Great. 4 of Zen's best tables. Buy it.
Ace Combat: Assault Horizon Legacy (+)
As my first Ace Combat game, it was really enjoyable. The game looks, runs, and sounds really good. The mountains, oceans, etc. look amazing. Dodging enemy fire and shooting the hell out of everything is always fun and satisfying. Attack and Evasive Maneuvers might rustle your jimmies for being unrealistic but they actually do give the game a cool cinematic look. The story is basic, unobtrusive, and a bit campy in a charming way. My one major problem with the game is that it's pretty short. There are quite a few planes, parts, and weapons to collect, and even some hidden bosses and missions, but eventually you will tire of playing the same missions over and over to find them.
For $20, this is a solid recommendation for action game fans. It's not particularly challenging, but the visuals, sound, presentation and core gameplay come together to make a fun and satisfying whole.
You disappoint me.
The 3DS really does need more RPGs though. Fire Emblem, Etrian Odyssey IV, and hopefully Bravely Default (depending on how much of a turd Squenix decides to be) should perk things up in 2013.
And Denpa Men 2, maybe!
Denpa Men 1 has been doing pretty well so it should be a no brainer for next year.
Rune Factory IV is also a given for 2013.
Is Pac-Man & Galaga Dimensions worth $12? Because that's what Amazon.com via GoHastings is selling it for right now $7.99 + $3.99 shipping.
I'm primarily interested in it for Pac-Man Championship Edition. How much does that sell for on it's own on XBLA and PSN?
How good are the other games on the cartridge?
Classic Pac-Man
Pac-Man Championship Edition
Pac-Man Tilt
Classic Galaga
Galaga Legions
Galaga 3D Impact
Pacman CE and Galaga Legions are both fantastic, and nothing needs to be said about the original games. Definitely worth that price.
Mario Kart 7 (+) A solid entry in the MK franchise, but lacking some of the better features of MK DS like mission mode. Online is pretty solid though imo, and the new tracks are great. 60 fps and the subtle 3D work wonders in making the tracks feel alive. If you haven't liked Mario Kart in the past, this still isn't for you, however. If you like the series, I'd recommend this but suggest you wait to buy digital so it's always on your 3DS for convenience.
Ocarina of Time 3D (+) The best remake (other than REmake) I've played. Even with occasional ghosting, this is best 3D on the system for me. I hadn't played OoT for a decade and it felt completely brand new with this release, plus you get Master Quest. Must buy for all.
Super Mario 3D Land (+) Fun new take on Mario that uses 3D well. As many have said, it's too easy even on the later levels, but that doesn't really take away from the game too much. It's still charming and demands to be played. However...
New Super Mario Bros. 2 (+) ...I think NSMB2 is best Mario game on the system, haters be damned. It's like MK in that it's not going to convince those ambivalent to the series to get on board, but if you liked any of the prior NSMB games at all this one's a blast. Coin Rush is a great addition too, especially with the DLC coming out to give it some longevity.
Kid Icarus (+-) Not my style of game, and the controls are still a little clunky but not nearly as bad as some would have you believe. It's undeniable that Sakurai put a lot of meat into this game. The production is through the roof in every aspect--3D effects, story, characters, dialogue, humor, art style. I basically love everything about this game except actually playing it. Don't let my opinion deter you in this case though. Even though I "don't like it" I've still put in about 20 hours.
Resident Evil Revelaitons (+-) Has some framerate issues (seriously gets really choppy for me not just in elevators), but like Kid Icarus has fantastic productions values. Enemy design is kind of blah, but that doesn't detract from the gunplay much. Raid mode is probably my favorite part about the game though. It's an arcade mode where you score points and unlock new guns, outfits, etc.
Ocarina of Time 3D (+) The best remake (other than REmake) I've played. Even with occasional ghosting, this is best 3D on the system for me. I hadn't played OoT for a decade and it felt completely brand new with this release, plus you get Master Quest. Must buy for all.
Super Mario 3D Land (+) Fun new take on Mario that uses 3D well. As many have said, it's too easy even on the later levels, but that doesn't really take away from the game too much. It's still charming and demands to be played. However...
New Super Mario Bros. 2 (+) ...I think NSMB2 is best Mario game on the system, haters be damned. It's like MK in that it's not going to convince those ambivalent to the series to get on board, but if you liked any of the prior NSMB games at all this one's a blast. Coin Rush is a great addition too, especially with the DLC coming out to give it some longevity.
Kid Icarus (+-) Not my style of game, and the controls are still a little clunky but not nearly as bad as some would have you believe. It's undeniable that Sakurai put a lot of meat into this game. The production is through the roof in every aspect--3D effects, story, characters, dialogue, humor, art style. I basically love everything about this game except actually playing it. Don't let my opinion deter you in this case though. Even though I "don't like it" I've still put in about 20 hours.
Resident Evil Revelaitons (+-) Has some framerate issues (seriously gets really choppy for me not just in elevators), but like Kid Icarus has fantastic productions values. Enemy design is kind of blah, but that doesn't detract from the gunplay much. Raid mode is probably my favorite part about the game though. It's an arcade mode where you score points and unlock new guns, outfits, etc.
+ Positive
I'll recommend Resident Evil Mercenaries 3D.
If you have played and enjoyed Mercenaries from Resident Evil 4 and 5, know that Mercenaries 3D is a very good iteration of the formula. The quick, 10 minute length of each mission makes it more suited as a portable title for one to play on the commute or whatnot.
For those that have not played Mercenaries before, the game revolves around surviving and killing enemies on a single map within the allotted time for high scores in a combo-based system; the higher your combo the higher your score will be so it is your goal to prevent the combo from ending prematurely. Enemies on the map range from harmless grunts to terrifying one-hit kill chainsaw men and Garradors from Resident Evil 4. There are several characters to choose from, each with their own alternate outfit and load out of weapons and items, the latter which can be shared with other characters. New to Mercenaries is the use of a perks system; these confer special properties to your characters if equipped. One perk allows you to reload while in a different animation, while another perk increases your damage to special enemy types. Experimentation is encouraged as characters can equip up to three perks, any other character's load outs, and even alternate costumes come with different stats and properties.
Combat system is similar to Resident Evil 5 with the ability to move and shoot. Staggering enemies into melee is still here, as is the quick turn. The touch pad can be used to reload, control the camera, and use items. Overall, I did not have any problems with the controls.
Content-wise, all maps are taken from both Resident Evil 4 and 5. Multiple missions take place on the same maps, with each higher tier of missions increasing in difficulty. A good number of characters and perks can be unlocked as well. The range of unlockable characters go from boulder-punching Chris and hat-wearing Jill all the way to Claire and Barry. Each character also has an unlockable costume, and as previously mentioned, these have their own character stats so they serve more than just an aesthetic purpose. There is also online co-op for up to two players; top scores for each map is divided by solo and duo. However, if you're looking for a single player campaign of any sort like Revelations, there is none. There is also unfortunately no form of leaderboards.
Pick this game up if you have a 3DS and enjoy Mercenaries or enjoy trying to see how high your scores can get. Stay away if you are expecting a story-driven campaign like Revelations or hate replaying the same content over and over.
I'll recommend Resident Evil Mercenaries 3D.
If you have played and enjoyed Mercenaries from Resident Evil 4 and 5, know that Mercenaries 3D is a very good iteration of the formula. The quick, 10 minute length of each mission makes it more suited as a portable title for one to play on the commute or whatnot.
For those that have not played Mercenaries before, the game revolves around surviving and killing enemies on a single map within the allotted time for high scores in a combo-based system; the higher your combo the higher your score will be so it is your goal to prevent the combo from ending prematurely. Enemies on the map range from harmless grunts to terrifying one-hit kill chainsaw men and Garradors from Resident Evil 4. There are several characters to choose from, each with their own alternate outfit and load out of weapons and items, the latter which can be shared with other characters. New to Mercenaries is the use of a perks system; these confer special properties to your characters if equipped. One perk allows you to reload while in a different animation, while another perk increases your damage to special enemy types. Experimentation is encouraged as characters can equip up to three perks, any other character's load outs, and even alternate costumes come with different stats and properties.
Combat system is similar to Resident Evil 5 with the ability to move and shoot. Staggering enemies into melee is still here, as is the quick turn. The touch pad can be used to reload, control the camera, and use items. Overall, I did not have any problems with the controls.
Content-wise, all maps are taken from both Resident Evil 4 and 5. Multiple missions take place on the same maps, with each higher tier of missions increasing in difficulty. A good number of characters and perks can be unlocked as well. The range of unlockable characters go from boulder-punching Chris and hat-wearing Jill all the way to Claire and Barry. Each character also has an unlockable costume, and as previously mentioned, these have their own character stats so they serve more than just an aesthetic purpose. There is also online co-op for up to two players; top scores for each map is divided by solo and duo. However, if you're looking for a single player campaign of any sort like Revelations, there is none. There is also unfortunately no form of leaderboards.
Pick this game up if you have a 3DS and enjoy Mercenaries or enjoy trying to see how high your scores can get. Stay away if you are expecting a story-driven campaign like Revelations or hate replaying the same content over and over.
Mario Kart 7: Recommended. I'm a big fan of Mario Kart and have played (a lot) every game in the series except for the arcade games. Mario Kart 7 is my second favorite Mario Kart, just behind DS. It has the tightest controls and best online (currently hacker free, there are no overpowered combinations, glitches got patched in a Nintendo game for crying out loud) in Mario Kart yet, has a very nice selection of retro tracks including personal favorites like SNES Rainbow Road, SNES Mario Circuit 2 and DS Waluigi Pinball, as well as great new tracks like Neo Bowser City, Piranha Plant Slide and Wario Shipyard. According to the activity log this beats by far every other game in my library, just the game it came out alone I played almost 10 hours. Love it.
If this was intentional, thanks for the chuckle. (If it wasn't, thanks for the chuckle anyway.)
Gonna re-quote someone here as a reminder before I go to bed:
It's one thing to do rapidfire reviews of several games in one post. Hell, I don't even think you really need multiple paragraphs (though Nirolak may disagree and mod the thread accordingly). But one line about one game ain't gonna cut it. Give us some more!
Kid Icarus: Uprising
Probably the best 3DS game in my opinion.
Excellent single player packed with content. It could take you anywhere from two days to two weeks to complete it (and the replay value is great because you can change the difficulty on a scale from 1-10). So if it's too easy, crank up the difficulty a little.
Amazing multiplayer. It's only 3v3, and you can't play with your friends in random matches like Mario Kart 7, but it's still a lot of fun. Light vs. Dark mode is actually very competitive and can be very tense at time (Especially when I took part in a KI:U tourney earlier this year).
The controls, for me, are excellent. Some might say the game comes with a stand because the controls are bad, but it's not. The game is playable without the stand, but the stand just makes it 10x more easy and comfortable. This game is not favorable for lefties though. So lefties... beware.
There's a lot more I could cover, but i'm not very good at explaining and describing things, so just do yourself a favor and buy this game! And if you do, post your fc over in the KI:U thread and play some multiplayer games with GAF.
Probably the best 3DS game in my opinion.
Excellent single player packed with content. It could take you anywhere from two days to two weeks to complete it (and the replay value is great because you can change the difficulty on a scale from 1-10). So if it's too easy, crank up the difficulty a little.
Amazing multiplayer. It's only 3v3, and you can't play with your friends in random matches like Mario Kart 7, but it's still a lot of fun. Light vs. Dark mode is actually very competitive and can be very tense at time (Especially when I took part in a KI:U tourney earlier this year).
The controls, for me, are excellent. Some might say the game comes with a stand because the controls are bad, but it's not. The game is playable without the stand, but the stand just makes it 10x more easy and comfortable. This game is not favorable for lefties though. So lefties... beware.
There's a lot more I could cover, but i'm not very good at explaining and describing things, so just do yourself a favor and buy this game! And if you do, post your fc over in the KI:U thread and play some multiplayer games with GAF.
Tales of The Abyss
It's definitely recommended for anyone looking for a meaty JRPG for the 3DS, especially those who haven't played the PS2 version. Battle System's fast and didn't fall to "press A to win" unless you're horribly overleveled, and there are a lot of extras and incentives to replay the game. The story and characters are VERY JRPGish (of course since it's Tales) and they might not appeal to anyone. For PS2 owners, the loading times have been practically removed and slowdown is minimal, but the battles are 30fps. 3D effect is meh, and 2nd screen use is even laughable. Other than technical things, it's an identical port of the original. Easily a 40+ hours of enjoyable experience.
That's if you can track down a copy of the game, lol.
Edit: Positive (+) experience.
It's definitely recommended for anyone looking for a meaty JRPG for the 3DS, especially those who haven't played the PS2 version. Battle System's fast and didn't fall to "press A to win" unless you're horribly overleveled, and there are a lot of extras and incentives to replay the game. The story and characters are VERY JRPGish (of course since it's Tales) and they might not appeal to anyone. For PS2 owners, the loading times have been practically removed and slowdown is minimal, but the battles are 30fps. 3D effect is meh, and 2nd screen use is even laughable. Other than technical things, it's an identical port of the original. Easily a 40+ hours of enjoyable experience.
That's if you can track down a copy of the game, lol.
Edit: Positive (+) experience.
Here are my opinions/reviews on these games:
Mario Kart 7
Everyone knows what this game is about and i believe it is a pretty good entry to the series, it has a lot of unlockables, a lot of tracks, new items, and some neat features like racing against other peoples ghosts, i really like the new additions like gliding and underwater racing, and you could play online forever, the AI still cheats and uses cheap tactics though.
New Super Mario Bros. 2
My opinion might be biased since i really like the NSMB series and so this game, i haven't finished it yet, but i can say that it is way too easy, but i hope that gets changed with the DLC, haven't tried the multiplayer but i dont really see that adding much to the game, the coin idea changes the way you play the game, i'm not the kind of person that tried to grab every coin in other mario games, but now i find myself chasing every one in the levels, it's kinda funny since whenever i introduce a person to a mario game, they try to get all the coins, so i suppose this game is targeted at them, if you like the series get this game, if you don't, just skip it, though while this game is fun, it will not change your bad opinion on the series (if you have one) and will not challenge you.
Super Mario 3D Land
A must have for 3DS owners, this game is what the 3DS is about, sometimes it can be too easy and other times i found myself cursing while playing because i fell or did something stupid (something that i stopped doing a decade ago, the cursing part) the levels are great, the music is great, the graphics are great, everyone can enjoy it, my GF loves it even though she didn't like the galaxy games or any game with a 3d camera for that matter... this game is just fun and joy packed into a cart with a guy in a racoon suit on the label.
Theathrythm: Final Fantasy
I wasn't sure i was going to like this game at first, i just got it because i didn't have a 3rd choice during a "Buy 2 get 3 offer", but im glad i got it, i must say that im not a fan of the Final Fantasy series, the only Final Fantasy game i've ever played was VIII, but i know some of characters because of the internet, so the only reason why i like this game is because im addicted to it, i just can't stop playing, someone would think that tapping or sliding your stylus on your 3DS is kinda stupid, but this game somehow changes that, and i dont know what it is, maybe it is the cute characters or the music, but every night i find myself wanting to play a song just so i can get a shard to unlock a character (which there are quite a lot), or beat my scores, the RPG elements dont really affect the gameplay, so dont expect it to be one, but if you like collecting or unlocking stuff get this game, this is a great rhytm game, and i imagine that if you are a fan of the series, there is a lot of fan service waiting for you, from all the games i have, this is my most played one, and now im praying for one last Squarenix Nintendo combo in the form of Theathrytm Zelda.
Kingdom Hearts: Dream Drop Distance
I can't give an opinion on this game yet, since i only played the tutorial and it didn't grab my attention at all, i will only play this game after im done with all my other games, since im not a fan of disney and neither have played the past KH games...
You may wonder why i have this game at all, that is because i got 2 copies of it at ToysRUs for $40 and traded one at Best Buy for $30.
Mario Kart 7
Everyone knows what this game is about and i believe it is a pretty good entry to the series, it has a lot of unlockables, a lot of tracks, new items, and some neat features like racing against other peoples ghosts, i really like the new additions like gliding and underwater racing, and you could play online forever, the AI still cheats and uses cheap tactics though.
New Super Mario Bros. 2
My opinion might be biased since i really like the NSMB series and so this game, i haven't finished it yet, but i can say that it is way too easy, but i hope that gets changed with the DLC, haven't tried the multiplayer but i dont really see that adding much to the game, the coin idea changes the way you play the game, i'm not the kind of person that tried to grab every coin in other mario games, but now i find myself chasing every one in the levels, it's kinda funny since whenever i introduce a person to a mario game, they try to get all the coins, so i suppose this game is targeted at them, if you like the series get this game, if you don't, just skip it, though while this game is fun, it will not change your bad opinion on the series (if you have one) and will not challenge you.
Super Mario 3D Land
A must have for 3DS owners, this game is what the 3DS is about, sometimes it can be too easy and other times i found myself cursing while playing because i fell or did something stupid (something that i stopped doing a decade ago, the cursing part) the levels are great, the music is great, the graphics are great, everyone can enjoy it, my GF loves it even though she didn't like the galaxy games or any game with a 3d camera for that matter... this game is just fun and joy packed into a cart with a guy in a racoon suit on the label.
Theathrythm: Final Fantasy
I wasn't sure i was going to like this game at first, i just got it because i didn't have a 3rd choice during a "Buy 2 get 3 offer", but im glad i got it, i must say that im not a fan of the Final Fantasy series, the only Final Fantasy game i've ever played was VIII, but i know some of characters because of the internet, so the only reason why i like this game is because im addicted to it, i just can't stop playing, someone would think that tapping or sliding your stylus on your 3DS is kinda stupid, but this game somehow changes that, and i dont know what it is, maybe it is the cute characters or the music, but every night i find myself wanting to play a song just so i can get a shard to unlock a character (which there are quite a lot), or beat my scores, the RPG elements dont really affect the gameplay, so dont expect it to be one, but if you like collecting or unlocking stuff get this game, this is a great rhytm game, and i imagine that if you are a fan of the series, there is a lot of fan service waiting for you, from all the games i have, this is my most played one, and now im praying for one last Squarenix Nintendo combo in the form of Theathrytm Zelda.
Kingdom Hearts: Dream Drop Distance
I can't give an opinion on this game yet, since i only played the tutorial and it didn't grab my attention at all, i will only play this game after im done with all my other games, since im not a fan of disney and neither have played the past KH games...
You may wonder why i have this game at all, that is because i got 2 copies of it at ToysRUs for $40 and traded one at Best Buy for $30.
Time to start updating the OP.
It would be really awesome if you guys started using something like a +/- rating system just to summarize your opinion, that way I can keep up with all of them once this thread grows.
+ Positive
- Negative
+- Undecided/Neutral
Just so we can keep this a little bit more simple.
Thanks in advance!
It would be really awesome if you guys started using something like a +/- rating system just to summarize your opinion, that way I can keep up with all of them once this thread grows.
+ Positive
- Negative
+- Undecided/Neutral
Just so we can keep this a little bit more simple.
Thanks in advance!
As a stoner myself, I hate the Bit Trip games.Stoner eh? Well do I have the thing for you!
axisofweevils
Holy crap! Today's real megaton is that more than two people can have the same first name.
In terms of longevity, you can't beat Kid Icarus: Uprising. (+)
Yeah, I know, the controls are divisive, but aside from that...
Wonderful story with hilarious dialogue that pokes fun at itself and the gaming genre as a whole.
99 (!) Difficulty levels.
Addictive online multiplayer.
There's so much content - I've played it for nearly 100 hours and still haven't unlocked everything.
Every day, Nintendo sends a new weapon over Spotpass.
Yeah, I know, the controls are divisive, but aside from that...
Wonderful story with hilarious dialogue that pokes fun at itself and the gaming genre as a whole.
99 (!) Difficulty levels.
Addictive online multiplayer.
There's so much content - I've played it for nearly 100 hours and still haven't unlocked everything.
Every day, Nintendo sends a new weapon over Spotpass.
OP semi-updated with every eShop title mentioned so far, before I go on, what do you think, GAF? Want to change up something? If so, let me know and I'll consider it.
I promise I'll have the OP fully updated by tomorrow morning.
I'm thinking about only adding games that have user reviews, that way, if you want a title up there, you're gonna have to recommend/condemn it and that will promote quality reviews too. What do you guys think?
I promise I'll have the OP fully updated by tomorrow morning.
I'm thinking about only adding games that have user reviews, that way, if you want a title up there, you're gonna have to recommend/condemn it and that will promote quality reviews too. What do you guys think?
Princess Viola
Member
I think that's a good idea.
Nice work so far. This is actually kinda fun/rewarding. Hopefully people will get something out of the "Gafsensus".
My Pushmo mini-review is also a bit too mini I think, so I'll expand on it a bit more later.
Dark Schala
Eloquent Princess
I'll repost my Rhythm Thief impressions from the game's OT here, if you don't mind. It's a mixed bag.
My stance is, to make life easier for the OP, (o; Neutral). I do, however, recommend it if you can find it on the cheap.
Rhythm Thief and the Emperor's Treasure (o; Neutral)
I have been looking forward to Rhythm Thief and the Emperor’s Treasure since it was announced in Japan in 2011. I made a point to preorder it as soon as possible and to have a grand ol’ time with it when it was released, even if it was going to be overshadowed by Theatrhythm: Final Fantasy. It is a game which focuses on musical minigames used to propel a narrative forward, so it being story-based is a bit of a draw. SEGA is no stranger to the rhythm genre, with games such as Space Channel 5 and Samba de Amigo being part of their repertoire. So how did SEGA’s latest performance go?
Give the Orchestra an Encore
This is and was the biggest draw to the game for me. With a soundtrack that gives special thanks to Jun Senoue, you know it’s gotta be good, right?
Well, it actually is, imo. I liked the album a lot. The main Rhythm Thief motif is nicely composed and a wonderful way to greet the player when selecting the cart on the 3DS menu or opening up the title screen. It being consistently there in fanfares and the ending was nice.
Some of the minigame themes like "Intruding the Louvre" and "Moon Princess" provide a lovely backdrop to the main minigame sound effects and cues. Intruding the Louvre, for example has a ridiculously nice bassline which complements the secretive nature of Phantom R's entire operation. Moon Princess is covered in the majesty Hijiri Kuwano, whom some people may recognize from such soundtracks as Final Fantasy XIII and Sigma Harmonics. As usual, Kuwano dazzles us with some good violin playing. The game's opening minigame theme "Showtime" is loaded with some disco and catchy vocals, which reminds me a little bit of Sonic Adventure's soundtrack. This is a good thing.
Town themes such as Day in Paris and Night in Paris sort of remind me a lot of Sonic Unleashed's soundtrack, and this is purely because the portion of Unleashed's soundtrack dedicated to Europe employed such things as piano and accordions. Here, catchy percussion and lovely piano hooks create a celebratory atmosphere in Day in Paris that you can't help but to dance to if listening to on its own. You sort of hear some of an Unleashed night theme in Night in Paris in addition of the Rhythm Thief main theme to distinguish it from the day theme. Overall, the town bits are very fun to listen to.
You've also got some remixes from Space Channel 5 and Samba de Amigo in here, so it's a bit of a nostalgia trip. The ending theme in the western version (Je te dis au revoir by Karie Kahimi) is a different song from the Japanese version (Story by Ai), but that’s alright.
Overall, I have to say that I'm very pleased with the soundtrack. Giving Paris a jazzy atmosphere was a nice decision on Ohtani and Hataya's parts. Also, the fact that all of this was performed with live instruments tickles my fancy.
Colours, Voice, and Art
I also loved how the 2D art for the backgrounds and characters looked. The artstyle employed for the characters was great. The art for the younger main characters like Charlie, Raphael, and Marie makes them pop out and stand out, particularly during cutscenes. The older folks’ artwork is very nice and rather detailed in its own way.
The backgrounds are lovely. The art for many of the world’s famous structures from Notre Dame to the Eiffel Tower, and the art for many of Paris’s streets is superb and very colourful. It was a joy to walk through Paris’s streets poking around for various objects (more on that in a minute) and chatting it up with various NPCs. It was even moreso of a pleasure at night, where I felt the art was a little better. The backgrounds aren’t really static because you could see clouds in the sky moving, fountains moving, or a plane moving in the background, so at least they have some sort of detail.
I cannot speak much for the 3D in the backgrounds or scenes because I cannot see 3D very well in general.
The voice acting… well, everyone who is not Vergier, Raphael, or Napoleon should probably take a back seat. Raphael’s English voice actor feels much better than the Japanese seiyuu by virtue of sounding a little bit like Michael Jackson, which someone pointed out to me. The character moves like MJ, so why not have him sound like him. It was good casting there. Vergier and Napoleon sounded rather authentic at times, so I have little problems with them. However, I can’t help but to feel a little disappointed that the localization crew didn’t inject more francophone into the game. Instead, they opted to have more British accents in the game, which… uh, makes it sound European, I guess. If they had used French accents for everyone, then we wouldn’t have gotten Raphael’s voice actor, so I guess it’s a decent tradeoff. But the British voice acting still sounds rather jarring when you’d expect some characters to be overtly Francophone.
On that note, Marie’s voice actress needed better direction or something because there were times when her line reading sounded absolutely lifeless. Sometimes it’s difficult to feel that the character is interested in what’s going on due to the voice actress’s performance. Disappointing.
Dancing Through the Streets with Technique
Rhythm Thief has an exploration aspect to its gameplay other than the obvious incorporation of rhythm games. In fact, sometimes it feels like the larger course of the game, particularly because you spend a lot of time picking apart the scenery in a Professor Layton-esque tapping-the-screen-to-find-stuff sort of way. Each portion of the map you come across will have hidden medals, hidden music discs, and hidden sheet music pieces.
Medals are the game’s version of currency, where you can go to a shop to purchase things like marathon levels, minigames you’ve missed during your adventure, or buffs for when you’re playing rhythm minigames. So they aren’t necessarily like hint coins that you’re going to hoard for the entire game.
Hidden sheet music pieces are found when putting together five music notes scattered throughout one of the game’s backgrounds. They’ll construct a picture, and you’ll be able to unlock a Bonus Chapter by putting them together.
Additionally, towards the beginning of the game, Raphael obtains a Sound Recorder. Click around on stuff like animals, boats, talk to NPCs, etc. and some sound effects will be recorded. You will sometimes need to do this in order to advance the story (ex: move a person out of the way by scaring them), but you can also record different sounds for an optional sidequest to construct an instrument, thereby leaving you to a Bonus Chapter.
Essentially, to find and unlock everything, you’ll have to waltz through SEGA’s colourful construction of Paris. Poking around can, yes, become rather tiresome, but if you’re in this thing as a completionist, it’s essential. I do have an issue with the world map, though, and that’s that advancing through can sometimes be overly linear. If you have an objective sometimes, some parts of the map are blocked off from you, or if you have an objective, the solution is highlighted on the map, leaving the player not having to put some thinking into the solution.
Dancing with Two Left Feet Through Minigames
And this is what most of us bought Rhythm Thief for—the rhythm gameplay. Throughout Rhythm Thief, the player will have to go through an assortment of rhythm minigames. Some will involve button presses, others will involve tapping the screen, others will involve using the gyro controls in the 3DS, and others will have a combination of two or three of these. This sort of makes gameplay flow rather oddly, and leaves the player wishing that the developers had merely stuck to one form of control here. It’s inconsistent for the most part.
There are some minigames such as Raphael having to hide behind statues to avoid sight from the guards, the ones involving shooting down enemies, the ones involving biting officers in the rear, where Raphael has to fence with an enemy, etc. are completely fine because the player has to adhere to some sort of rhythm. If you button-mash or something, you won’t always be successful in these cases. The minigames which involve stylus input are okay and not bothersome. They’re very fun when they work.
In order to pass through minigames you must achieve at least an E rank on the Groove Meter. The Groove Meter takes note of your steps and missteps and grades you accordingly during and after the round. Some bits of the ranking system may be considered rather difficult because sometimes one slip-up will mean disaster and possibly losing the round and having to do the entire thing over. Sometimes you’ll have a good score in the minigame, and slip up just once or twice, and you’ll end up having a really bad rank or having to do the sequence all over again.
The minigames which involve button input with the A/B/L/R buttons and D-pad work 50% of the time for me. I have to hammer very hard on the buttons in order for an input to be registered. I’ll have to note that I haven’t had to do this before with other games like Sonic Generations, Ocarina of Time 3D, Mighty Switch Force, etc, so I’m not sure what exactly is at fault here.
The biggest issue here is the gyro controls. They are horrible. They should never ever be in a rhythm game. They should never be anywhere near a rhythm game. If there is a Rhythm Thief sequel, the gyro controls should be nixed forever in favour of touch/stylus controls. The minigames which involve gyro controls are generally hit-and-miss, and you really need to thrust your system hard to get an input in. This doesn’t necessarily work in a rhythm game because when you’re recovering and noting the next action after you’ve tilted to the side, and the next action is another tilt you may not get there in time for a good tilt to register. This ends up making some boss fights and some optional games irritating to play. Never again.
The presentation of the minigames are generally very good and are basically eye candy for the player at times, especially because of the abundance and explosion of colour. When you aren’t concentrating on an indicator and watching some of the cutscenes between phases, it looks very nice.
There are some minigames which involve listening to notes and constructing something based on those notes, or listening to notes and pressing on the touch screen at an appropriate time or at points of the touch screen. These aren't very difficult, and they serve as minipuzzles. I suppose they were included to enhance the 'musicality' of the game.
If you’re having issues, you may purchase buffs from the shop prior to entering the rhythm sequence. The buffs include a Phoenix Down-like buff which will boost you back to a C rank if you’ve lost all of your groove, a buff that will make your Groove fill up faster, a buff that will decrease the speed and amount at which your Groove is lost, and finally, a buff which acts as a “one hit and you lose” sort of item.
Addendum: I didn't really like the minigame repetition either, but it seems like they did it just so that with each repetition, the course gets more difficult. Of course, the main game minigames being used over and over (ex: the fight against the Chevaliers Diabolique, the minigames where you had to tap the buttons to jump on objects, etc) can get tiresome.
As a note, if you get all A ranks with the minigames, you will unlock an extra chapter.
A Intriguing Narrative Which Loses Balance Towards the End of its Routine
Rhythm Thief tells the story of a young man namedTintin Raphael and his dog Milou Fondue. He’s a student by day and the smooth rhythmic criminal known as “Phantom R” by night, stealing pieces of art from the Louvre while throwing off guards’ scents by dancing up a storm. His main intention by doing this is to find a way to meet his father again. On his way back from his latest heist, he encounters the violinist Marie, striking a partnership with her on a quest to unlock the secret of a mysterious symbol while throwing off the scent of a revived Napoleon Bonaparte.
The narrative starts off on an intriguing foot at the beginning, and then halfway through, it begins taking the wrong twists and turns to make the game’s narrative become more and more dramatic and throwing in trope after trope after trope, culminating in a climax that I hadn’t anticipated and was unsure as to why it happened. Because of this, I feel like the game’s potential had been soured somewhat in an effort to pen a more fantasy-esque narrative. Other people have described exactly what I felt had been off at the end, and I am in full agreement. The buildup to the climax wasn’t orchestrated very well, and it felt as though many plot elements and characterization weren’t developed adequately at all. Raphael himself ends up feeling rather 1.5-dimensional because of the lack of character development on his part. Everyone else are generally actors who get to say their share of lines and call it a day.
The reason why the narrative and plot are getting criticized and focused upon here is because while it’s a rhythm game, the game’s design devotes quite a significant amount of itself to pulling a story along. While you can explore a map of a section of Paris, there generally is one endpoint or objective in each section of a chapter, and it is generally based on a part of the story which you must see and fulfill until you move on. It’s much like Layton in that regard. However, the craftsmanship and development behind the narrative isn’t as in-depth or specific as it should have been in order to evoke emotions or thought on the player’s behalf. Towards the end, it sort of felt like a Return of the King affair in that it didn’t know when to end as well.
It is clear that due to the cinematography and narrative-focused nature of the game that the player should be drawn into the narrative, but it doesn’t do its job in terms of character development or moving the plot along in a timely manner. Much of the mythos and affairs surrounding certain characters and objects are not cohesively explored and tied together, which hurts the narrative in general. It’s quite unfortunate and serves as a bit of a black mark on the entire affair.
Another thing I had neglected to mention was the localization. As I had said before, I appreciate inserting some French terms and some English plays on phrases in the game (ex: toute suite --> toot sweet). Sometimes, and usually during voiced cutscenes, the text would be different from what is being said, which leads me to believe that either recording came first/last, or the voiced script was much different from the localized text script. Usually, the voiced script would be better than the text. But since you're generally paying attention to the top screen and listening to what's being said, it's not a problem. It's a little sloppy, though, and I wish more attention had gone to fixing that issue.
So Do You Think the Rhythm Thief Can Dance?
This entire thing probably sounded a little negative, but the game isn’t really a bad game. It’s pretty solid and it can hold up on its own with some practice. It sort feels like a your-mileage-may-vary sort of affair sometimes. It looks good and it sounds great, but sometimes the minigames aren’t very fun, or they can sometimes be a little irritating to get through. The stylus-based minigames are absolutely excellent, and I enjoyed the callbacks to Space Channel 5 and Samba de Amigo in some of the minigames. Raphael has the capacity to be a good character, but needs better development, and maybe a better-constructed story, to highlight his good side. The bonus chapters are a nice addition to extend the narrative a bit with some minigames. Overall, the game is pretty decent, but it certainly isn't perfect.
On a personal front, though, I can’t help but to feel a little disappointed by the end of it. Sometimes it made me suspect that my launch 3DS might have some faults or may not have been broken in adequately, but I can’t help but to think this is not the case when I’ve played other 3DS games with little trouble. However, with everything said and done, I’m still happy to have bought and played the game because I’d been looking forward to it for months.
There is potential for a sequel, and I certainly hope there is one because SEGA at least has a step forward here. If they can make improvements upon the original formula, I’d certainly take a Rhythm Thief sequel.
My stance is, to make life easier for the OP, (o; Neutral). I do, however, recommend it if you can find it on the cheap.
Rhythm Thief and the Emperor's Treasure (o; Neutral)
I have been looking forward to Rhythm Thief and the Emperor’s Treasure since it was announced in Japan in 2011. I made a point to preorder it as soon as possible and to have a grand ol’ time with it when it was released, even if it was going to be overshadowed by Theatrhythm: Final Fantasy. It is a game which focuses on musical minigames used to propel a narrative forward, so it being story-based is a bit of a draw. SEGA is no stranger to the rhythm genre, with games such as Space Channel 5 and Samba de Amigo being part of their repertoire. So how did SEGA’s latest performance go?
Give the Orchestra an Encore
This is and was the biggest draw to the game for me. With a soundtrack that gives special thanks to Jun Senoue, you know it’s gotta be good, right?
Well, it actually is, imo. I liked the album a lot. The main Rhythm Thief motif is nicely composed and a wonderful way to greet the player when selecting the cart on the 3DS menu or opening up the title screen. It being consistently there in fanfares and the ending was nice.
Some of the minigame themes like "Intruding the Louvre" and "Moon Princess" provide a lovely backdrop to the main minigame sound effects and cues. Intruding the Louvre, for example has a ridiculously nice bassline which complements the secretive nature of Phantom R's entire operation. Moon Princess is covered in the majesty Hijiri Kuwano, whom some people may recognize from such soundtracks as Final Fantasy XIII and Sigma Harmonics. As usual, Kuwano dazzles us with some good violin playing. The game's opening minigame theme "Showtime" is loaded with some disco and catchy vocals, which reminds me a little bit of Sonic Adventure's soundtrack. This is a good thing.
Town themes such as Day in Paris and Night in Paris sort of remind me a lot of Sonic Unleashed's soundtrack, and this is purely because the portion of Unleashed's soundtrack dedicated to Europe employed such things as piano and accordions. Here, catchy percussion and lovely piano hooks create a celebratory atmosphere in Day in Paris that you can't help but to dance to if listening to on its own. You sort of hear some of an Unleashed night theme in Night in Paris in addition of the Rhythm Thief main theme to distinguish it from the day theme. Overall, the town bits are very fun to listen to.
You've also got some remixes from Space Channel 5 and Samba de Amigo in here, so it's a bit of a nostalgia trip. The ending theme in the western version (Je te dis au revoir by Karie Kahimi) is a different song from the Japanese version (Story by Ai), but that’s alright.
Overall, I have to say that I'm very pleased with the soundtrack. Giving Paris a jazzy atmosphere was a nice decision on Ohtani and Hataya's parts. Also, the fact that all of this was performed with live instruments tickles my fancy.
Colours, Voice, and Art
I also loved how the 2D art for the backgrounds and characters looked. The artstyle employed for the characters was great. The art for the younger main characters like Charlie, Raphael, and Marie makes them pop out and stand out, particularly during cutscenes. The older folks’ artwork is very nice and rather detailed in its own way.
The backgrounds are lovely. The art for many of the world’s famous structures from Notre Dame to the Eiffel Tower, and the art for many of Paris’s streets is superb and very colourful. It was a joy to walk through Paris’s streets poking around for various objects (more on that in a minute) and chatting it up with various NPCs. It was even moreso of a pleasure at night, where I felt the art was a little better. The backgrounds aren’t really static because you could see clouds in the sky moving, fountains moving, or a plane moving in the background, so at least they have some sort of detail.
I cannot speak much for the 3D in the backgrounds or scenes because I cannot see 3D very well in general.
The voice acting… well, everyone who is not Vergier, Raphael, or Napoleon should probably take a back seat. Raphael’s English voice actor feels much better than the Japanese seiyuu by virtue of sounding a little bit like Michael Jackson, which someone pointed out to me. The character moves like MJ, so why not have him sound like him. It was good casting there. Vergier and Napoleon sounded rather authentic at times, so I have little problems with them. However, I can’t help but to feel a little disappointed that the localization crew didn’t inject more francophone into the game. Instead, they opted to have more British accents in the game, which… uh, makes it sound European, I guess. If they had used French accents for everyone, then we wouldn’t have gotten Raphael’s voice actor, so I guess it’s a decent tradeoff. But the British voice acting still sounds rather jarring when you’d expect some characters to be overtly Francophone.
On that note, Marie’s voice actress needed better direction or something because there were times when her line reading sounded absolutely lifeless. Sometimes it’s difficult to feel that the character is interested in what’s going on due to the voice actress’s performance. Disappointing.
Dancing Through the Streets with Technique
Rhythm Thief has an exploration aspect to its gameplay other than the obvious incorporation of rhythm games. In fact, sometimes it feels like the larger course of the game, particularly because you spend a lot of time picking apart the scenery in a Professor Layton-esque tapping-the-screen-to-find-stuff sort of way. Each portion of the map you come across will have hidden medals, hidden music discs, and hidden sheet music pieces.
Medals are the game’s version of currency, where you can go to a shop to purchase things like marathon levels, minigames you’ve missed during your adventure, or buffs for when you’re playing rhythm minigames. So they aren’t necessarily like hint coins that you’re going to hoard for the entire game.
Hidden sheet music pieces are found when putting together five music notes scattered throughout one of the game’s backgrounds. They’ll construct a picture, and you’ll be able to unlock a Bonus Chapter by putting them together.
Additionally, towards the beginning of the game, Raphael obtains a Sound Recorder. Click around on stuff like animals, boats, talk to NPCs, etc. and some sound effects will be recorded. You will sometimes need to do this in order to advance the story (ex: move a person out of the way by scaring them), but you can also record different sounds for an optional sidequest to construct an instrument, thereby leaving you to a Bonus Chapter.
Essentially, to find and unlock everything, you’ll have to waltz through SEGA’s colourful construction of Paris. Poking around can, yes, become rather tiresome, but if you’re in this thing as a completionist, it’s essential. I do have an issue with the world map, though, and that’s that advancing through can sometimes be overly linear. If you have an objective sometimes, some parts of the map are blocked off from you, or if you have an objective, the solution is highlighted on the map, leaving the player not having to put some thinking into the solution.
Dancing with Two Left Feet Through Minigames
And this is what most of us bought Rhythm Thief for—the rhythm gameplay. Throughout Rhythm Thief, the player will have to go through an assortment of rhythm minigames. Some will involve button presses, others will involve tapping the screen, others will involve using the gyro controls in the 3DS, and others will have a combination of two or three of these. This sort of makes gameplay flow rather oddly, and leaves the player wishing that the developers had merely stuck to one form of control here. It’s inconsistent for the most part.
There are some minigames such as Raphael having to hide behind statues to avoid sight from the guards, the ones involving shooting down enemies, the ones involving biting officers in the rear, where Raphael has to fence with an enemy, etc. are completely fine because the player has to adhere to some sort of rhythm. If you button-mash or something, you won’t always be successful in these cases. The minigames which involve stylus input are okay and not bothersome. They’re very fun when they work.
In order to pass through minigames you must achieve at least an E rank on the Groove Meter. The Groove Meter takes note of your steps and missteps and grades you accordingly during and after the round. Some bits of the ranking system may be considered rather difficult because sometimes one slip-up will mean disaster and possibly losing the round and having to do the entire thing over. Sometimes you’ll have a good score in the minigame, and slip up just once or twice, and you’ll end up having a really bad rank or having to do the sequence all over again.
The minigames which involve button input with the A/B/L/R buttons and D-pad work 50% of the time for me. I have to hammer very hard on the buttons in order for an input to be registered. I’ll have to note that I haven’t had to do this before with other games like Sonic Generations, Ocarina of Time 3D, Mighty Switch Force, etc, so I’m not sure what exactly is at fault here.
The biggest issue here is the gyro controls. They are horrible. They should never ever be in a rhythm game. They should never be anywhere near a rhythm game. If there is a Rhythm Thief sequel, the gyro controls should be nixed forever in favour of touch/stylus controls. The minigames which involve gyro controls are generally hit-and-miss, and you really need to thrust your system hard to get an input in. This doesn’t necessarily work in a rhythm game because when you’re recovering and noting the next action after you’ve tilted to the side, and the next action is another tilt you may not get there in time for a good tilt to register. This ends up making some boss fights and some optional games irritating to play. Never again.
The presentation of the minigames are generally very good and are basically eye candy for the player at times, especially because of the abundance and explosion of colour. When you aren’t concentrating on an indicator and watching some of the cutscenes between phases, it looks very nice.
There are some minigames which involve listening to notes and constructing something based on those notes, or listening to notes and pressing on the touch screen at an appropriate time or at points of the touch screen. These aren't very difficult, and they serve as minipuzzles. I suppose they were included to enhance the 'musicality' of the game.
If you’re having issues, you may purchase buffs from the shop prior to entering the rhythm sequence. The buffs include a Phoenix Down-like buff which will boost you back to a C rank if you’ve lost all of your groove, a buff that will make your Groove fill up faster, a buff that will decrease the speed and amount at which your Groove is lost, and finally, a buff which acts as a “one hit and you lose” sort of item.
Addendum: I didn't really like the minigame repetition either, but it seems like they did it just so that with each repetition, the course gets more difficult. Of course, the main game minigames being used over and over (ex: the fight against the Chevaliers Diabolique, the minigames where you had to tap the buttons to jump on objects, etc) can get tiresome.
As a note, if you get all A ranks with the minigames, you will unlock an extra chapter.
A Intriguing Narrative Which Loses Balance Towards the End of its Routine
Rhythm Thief tells the story of a young man named
The narrative starts off on an intriguing foot at the beginning, and then halfway through, it begins taking the wrong twists and turns to make the game’s narrative become more and more dramatic and throwing in trope after trope after trope, culminating in a climax that I hadn’t anticipated and was unsure as to why it happened. Because of this, I feel like the game’s potential had been soured somewhat in an effort to pen a more fantasy-esque narrative. Other people have described exactly what I felt had been off at the end, and I am in full agreement. The buildup to the climax wasn’t orchestrated very well, and it felt as though many plot elements and characterization weren’t developed adequately at all. Raphael himself ends up feeling rather 1.5-dimensional because of the lack of character development on his part. Everyone else are generally actors who get to say their share of lines and call it a day.
The reason why the narrative and plot are getting criticized and focused upon here is because while it’s a rhythm game, the game’s design devotes quite a significant amount of itself to pulling a story along. While you can explore a map of a section of Paris, there generally is one endpoint or objective in each section of a chapter, and it is generally based on a part of the story which you must see and fulfill until you move on. It’s much like Layton in that regard. However, the craftsmanship and development behind the narrative isn’t as in-depth or specific as it should have been in order to evoke emotions or thought on the player’s behalf. Towards the end, it sort of felt like a Return of the King affair in that it didn’t know when to end as well.
It is clear that due to the cinematography and narrative-focused nature of the game that the player should be drawn into the narrative, but it doesn’t do its job in terms of character development or moving the plot along in a timely manner. Much of the mythos and affairs surrounding certain characters and objects are not cohesively explored and tied together, which hurts the narrative in general. It’s quite unfortunate and serves as a bit of a black mark on the entire affair.
Another thing I had neglected to mention was the localization. As I had said before, I appreciate inserting some French terms and some English plays on phrases in the game (ex: toute suite --> toot sweet). Sometimes, and usually during voiced cutscenes, the text would be different from what is being said, which leads me to believe that either recording came first/last, or the voiced script was much different from the localized text script. Usually, the voiced script would be better than the text. But since you're generally paying attention to the top screen and listening to what's being said, it's not a problem. It's a little sloppy, though, and I wish more attention had gone to fixing that issue.
So Do You Think the Rhythm Thief Can Dance?
This entire thing probably sounded a little negative, but the game isn’t really a bad game. It’s pretty solid and it can hold up on its own with some practice. It sort feels like a your-mileage-may-vary sort of affair sometimes. It looks good and it sounds great, but sometimes the minigames aren’t very fun, or they can sometimes be a little irritating to get through. The stylus-based minigames are absolutely excellent, and I enjoyed the callbacks to Space Channel 5 and Samba de Amigo in some of the minigames. Raphael has the capacity to be a good character, but needs better development, and maybe a better-constructed story, to highlight his good side. The bonus chapters are a nice addition to extend the narrative a bit with some minigames. Overall, the game is pretty decent, but it certainly isn't perfect.
On a personal front, though, I can’t help but to feel a little disappointed by the end of it. Sometimes it made me suspect that my launch 3DS might have some faults or may not have been broken in adequately, but I can’t help but to think this is not the case when I’ve played other 3DS games with little trouble. However, with everything said and done, I’m still happy to have bought and played the game because I’d been looking forward to it for months.
There is potential for a sequel, and I certainly hope there is one because SEGA at least has a step forward here. If they can make improvements upon the original formula, I’d certainly take a Rhythm Thief sequel.
Princess Viola
Member
Super Mario 3D Land
This game is, in my own opinion, one of the must-have titles for the 3DS. The usage of 3D really brings life to the game. The graphics of the game are also nice and clean, just like a Mario title should be. The levels themselves also lend well to handheld play, short levels are, I feel, perfect for bite-sized gaming.
Even if you're not a huge fan of the 3D Mario titles, that's fine, because this game plays much more like a 2D Mario game but in three dimensions. I would honestly say this would be a game worth buying a 3DS for alone.
Recommendation: +
This game is, in my own opinion, one of the must-have titles for the 3DS. The usage of 3D really brings life to the game. The graphics of the game are also nice and clean, just like a Mario title should be. The levels themselves also lend well to handheld play, short levels are, I feel, perfect for bite-sized gaming.
Even if you're not a huge fan of the 3D Mario titles, that's fine, because this game plays much more like a 2D Mario game but in three dimensions. I would honestly say this would be a game worth buying a 3DS for alone.
Recommendation: +
OP semi-updated with every eShop title mentioned so far, before I go on, what do you think, GAF? Want to change up something? If so, let me know and I'll consider it.
I promise I'll have the OP fully updated by tomorrow morning.
I'm thinking about only adding games that have user reviews, that way, if you want a title up there, you're gonna have to recommend/condemn it and that will promote quality reviews too. What do you guys think?
Loving the + - links right in the first post. If this can be updated semi-regularly this will be one of the BEST recommendation threads.
Maybe at the bottom of the first post you could make a note of when you last added more of the + - links. ie "last edited on post #85" or something like that. When the thread gets larger, if you haven't updated the post in awhile that could make searching for new info/reviews a bit easier. Just a suggestion.
Also, maybe add a link to the game's OT if the game has one.
Dark Schala
Eloquent Princess
If the OP could try to somewhat structure it similarly to the old NeoGAF User Reviews Thread, that'd be great and very easy to read.
Hmmmm... I'm not sure I would call MSF action-y either. Mainly the stages where you have to jettison yourself about constantly move at a pretty quick clip, but the character's movement speed and the shooting responsiveness don't feel faster than Mutant Mudds.
I think the key difference in the pacing of the two games comes down to the time trials of MSF. It's not that it's more action-packed per se, but your every movement needs to be preordained and you're always feeling rushed. This definitely lends a certain intensity that Mutant Mudds' slower gameplay lacks.
I like them both a lot (probably about equally), but just a few words of caution so you know what you're getting into. For me personally, I think the time trials are really key to gleaning value from MSF. I'm not sure I would have liked it nearly as much otherwise, so hopefully shooting for those par times is something you're keen on doing.
--
Anyway, just to elaborate a little bit more (so I can appropriate this into a mini-review), Mighty Switch Force's visuals are awesome and its 3D is some of the best on the system. The puzzles, while well constructed and fun to solve initially, can become a bit tedious when you're repeating them countlessly to hit those par times. I think, on occasion, the game suffers from a bit of an identity crisis, but mostly it's just a solid, polished release, with quite a lot of content for its price if you're into the time trials. Worth playing for sure, and it's not too expensive either.
I would offer a recommendation of (+), however appended with the caveat that you will get far more out of the experience if you have time/score attack inclinations.
chickdigger802
Banned
Is virtual console fair game here?
Freezie KO
Banned
Awesome (with caveat): Kid Icarus - addictive as all hell, once you get a handle on the controls.
Great: Super Mario 3D Land, Mario Kart 7, Ghost Recon: Shadow Wars
Good: NSMB2, PushMo
Decent: Steel Diver
Great: Super Mario 3D Land, Mario Kart 7, Ghost Recon: Shadow Wars
Good: NSMB2, PushMo
Decent: Steel Diver
Another OP small update, check it out
I'll update it with the remaining titles tomorrow morning.
Sorry but that's not enough to make them "recommendations", you got to explain why a game is awesome or great, and so on, at least if you want your reviews to be considered for the OP.
I'll update it with the remaining titles tomorrow morning.
Sorry but that's not enough to make them "recommendations", you got to explain why a game is awesome or great, and so on, at least if you want your reviews to be considered for the OP.
Since we already cover eShop titles, why not?
Freezie KO
Banned
Nah. It's ok. Just chimin' in.
Legend Of Zelda: Ocarina Of Time 3d (+):
A must have for any owner of the 3DS. One of the best games on the system, great 3d effect, and the gameplay is improved with the use of the touchscreen.
An epic adventure that i believe is probably the best game on the 3DS.
Super Mario 3D Land (+):
Very nice game, a tad easy although it picks up on the later levels. In some stages the 3D is used in a very clever way. I liked the level design, and the fact that it doesn't take a long time to complete them. Pick up and play.
I had a lot of fun with this game and i find myself going back just to replay some levels.
Resident Evil Revelaitons (+):
Probably the most impressive game i've played on the handheld. The graphics are obviously amazing, the 3D effect is also very good. Gameplay wise, i found it less enjoyable than RE:4 because of the most action-oriented chapters, but in general it is a well crafted game.
It has a good atmosphere especially on the ship parts, which is enchanced a lot by the use of 3D. Sound is also very good.
Besides the single player which is long enough, the Raid Mode provides a lot of replayability and could stand as a game by itself.
Definitely recommended, i love this game.
Kid Icarus: Uprising (+):
I haven't played multiplayer yet since i found it a bit chaotic, but having finished the single player (which i will do again raising the difficulty) i have to say this is an amazing game.
Very impressive graphics especially on the flying sections (the on ground sections sometimes are a bit empty and bland), the 3D is great and provides a great sense of depth.
I had concerns about the control scheme, but i found it pretty easy from the first stage. Only some platforming moments were a bit frustrating trying to go from a platform to another and falling.
The story is cheesy and the characters talk a lot, but it is very fun if you don't expect something serious.
Very addictive and impressive game, highly recommended for any 3DS user. I think it must be played with the 3D on.
Driver Renegade 3D(-):
Found this game used for a very low price, and i thought i should get it. Thank god i didn't buy it for full price. Its a very bland game, with mediocre graphics and i don't like the handling of the cars. There was a mission where you have to destroy a number of cars, and after destroying some, i couldn't find the rest while going all over the map.
This game sucks, don't get it for your own good.
Mario Kart 7(+):
It's MK, so you know what to expect. It's more like MKWii i think, with more balance on the items. Nice visuals though i'd like the 3D effect to be more intense, it is a bit light for my liking.
Gameplay is what you know, the new stages are mostly good, and the online mode provides a good gameplay experience to keep you coming back.
I really hope they will release more characters and stages via DLC though.
Street Fighter IV: 3D edition(+):
Good port, full of features for the 3DS. Online is kinda full of spammers, but it is a good game otherwise if you like SF.
A must have for any owner of the 3DS. One of the best games on the system, great 3d effect, and the gameplay is improved with the use of the touchscreen.
An epic adventure that i believe is probably the best game on the 3DS.
Super Mario 3D Land (+):
Very nice game, a tad easy although it picks up on the later levels. In some stages the 3D is used in a very clever way. I liked the level design, and the fact that it doesn't take a long time to complete them. Pick up and play.
I had a lot of fun with this game and i find myself going back just to replay some levels.
Resident Evil Revelaitons (+):
Probably the most impressive game i've played on the handheld. The graphics are obviously amazing, the 3D effect is also very good. Gameplay wise, i found it less enjoyable than RE:4 because of the most action-oriented chapters, but in general it is a well crafted game.
It has a good atmosphere especially on the ship parts, which is enchanced a lot by the use of 3D. Sound is also very good.
Besides the single player which is long enough, the Raid Mode provides a lot of replayability and could stand as a game by itself.
Definitely recommended, i love this game.
Kid Icarus: Uprising (+):
I haven't played multiplayer yet since i found it a bit chaotic, but having finished the single player (which i will do again raising the difficulty) i have to say this is an amazing game.
Very impressive graphics especially on the flying sections (the on ground sections sometimes are a bit empty and bland), the 3D is great and provides a great sense of depth.
I had concerns about the control scheme, but i found it pretty easy from the first stage. Only some platforming moments were a bit frustrating trying to go from a platform to another and falling.
The story is cheesy and the characters talk a lot, but it is very fun if you don't expect something serious.
Very addictive and impressive game, highly recommended for any 3DS user. I think it must be played with the 3D on.
Driver Renegade 3D(-):
Found this game used for a very low price, and i thought i should get it. Thank god i didn't buy it for full price. Its a very bland game, with mediocre graphics and i don't like the handling of the cars. There was a mission where you have to destroy a number of cars, and after destroying some, i couldn't find the rest while going all over the map.
This game sucks, don't get it for your own good.
Mario Kart 7(+):
It's MK, so you know what to expect. It's more like MKWii i think, with more balance on the items. Nice visuals though i'd like the 3D effect to be more intense, it is a bit light for my liking.
Gameplay is what you know, the new stages are mostly good, and the online mode provides a good gameplay experience to keep you coming back.
I really hope they will release more characters and stages via DLC though.
Street Fighter IV: 3D edition(+):
Good port, full of features for the 3DS. Online is kinda full of spammers, but it is a good game otherwise if you like SF.
manueldelalas
Time Traveler
Ghost Recon Shadow Wars
This game can be divided in two: The main campaign that is similar to Fire Emblem, because characters level up and get stronger, and the combat is very similar. This part of the game is fun in the sense that there is character development and characters do very different tasks in the same mission. Very fun. The story is absolute crap, but who cares. The campaign is not very balanced, because at the end you will be overpowered, and the AI sucks. The conditions are not favorable to you, if you get one soldier killed, it's game over, thankfully the AI does not try to take this advantage, so it's not unfair in that sense.
The other part is like Advance Wars, were you do task, like surviving a certain number of turns, using snipers to kill gunners, defend a city from zombies, etc; in this mode you are given challenges. To unlock stages on this mode, you must play the campaign though.
The game is not difficult, I finished the main campaign in Elite mode, almost always on first try; the game doesn't punish you if you wait a few turns to recover, except in very few parts; and most important, it's very fun to play.
If you are waiting for FE or AW, this is the game that can help with the wait. It's very good, has a good presentation (although there more loading than I'd like on a handheld game); the graphics are ripped straight form a DS game, and the framerate suffers noticeable in some parts, also when the AI has to move a lot of characters, the game is slow, but it is not a game killer.
You should save often, because there are some bugs in the game (I encountered one that resetted the 3DS on one of the first stages of the campaign; if I did a certain set of moves, the system would reset), but it is definitely recommended.
Music was generic, but I can't really speak a lot for it, as I played this game mostly without sound.
Definitely a keeper, buy this game.
This game can be divided in two: The main campaign that is similar to Fire Emblem, because characters level up and get stronger, and the combat is very similar. This part of the game is fun in the sense that there is character development and characters do very different tasks in the same mission. Very fun. The story is absolute crap, but who cares. The campaign is not very balanced, because at the end you will be overpowered, and the AI sucks. The conditions are not favorable to you, if you get one soldier killed, it's game over, thankfully the AI does not try to take this advantage, so it's not unfair in that sense.
The other part is like Advance Wars, were you do task, like surviving a certain number of turns, using snipers to kill gunners, defend a city from zombies, etc; in this mode you are given challenges. To unlock stages on this mode, you must play the campaign though.
The game is not difficult, I finished the main campaign in Elite mode, almost always on first try; the game doesn't punish you if you wait a few turns to recover, except in very few parts; and most important, it's very fun to play.
If you are waiting for FE or AW, this is the game that can help with the wait. It's very good, has a good presentation (although there more loading than I'd like on a handheld game); the graphics are ripped straight form a DS game, and the framerate suffers noticeable in some parts, also when the AI has to move a lot of characters, the game is slow, but it is not a game killer.
You should save often, because there are some bugs in the game (I encountered one that resetted the 3DS on one of the first stages of the campaign; if I did a certain set of moves, the system would reset), but it is definitely recommended.
Music was generic, but I can't really speak a lot for it, as I played this game mostly without sound.
Definitely a keeper, buy this game.
- Status