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3DS had an amazing 2013

Zalman

Member
Credit is given when credit is due, Nintendo did a really good job with the 3DS this year. Looking back, there was always something to look forward to right around the corner. Here's what Nintendo themselves had to offer:
3DS2013_zpse82c7663.png

Not only were they spread evenly across the entire year, but they also struck a great balance when it comes to variety. There were RPGs, platformers, adventure games, all from various different franchises. And this is not even counting the great third party stuff it had like Ace Attorney, Etrian Odyssey, Shin Megami Tensei and more. I can't remember the last time I've been this satisfied with a console.

Looking forward, it seems like the 3DS will slow down next year in favor of the Wii U. So far we know about the new Kirby game as well as Smash Bros., but not much else. Personally, I'm fine with it. I'm just happy they managed to cover so many great franchises already, even some that the DS never touched (like Kid Icarus.) I guess we can talk about what we would like to see in 2014, but this thread is mainly to celebrate and highlight how awesome 3DS was this year.
 

Thoraxes

Member
Still have SMT IV, PW:DD, EO:IV, EO:U, and RF4 too!

I've not been this happy with a single system line-up in a year in a very long time.
 

Velcro Fly

Member
I have bought so many 3DS games this year and there are probably 3 or 4 more that I would buy if I knew I'd have time to play them.

It makes me wonder about killer years other consoles have had. I'm pretty sure 2003 was a killer year for the Gameboy Advance.

Also by the time Christmas comes I will own every game in that pic other than Mario Party. On top of that Soul Hackers, EOIV, SMT4, and maybe EO:U if I get around to finishing EOIV.
 

Plinko

Wildcard berths that can't beat teams without a winning record should have homefield advantage
Amazing output for one year.

If only the Wii U got this type of release list.
 

jonno394

Member
I don't own a 3DS but I admit the amount of games that have come out this year have really tempted me to the fray, Zelda might just tip me over the edge if the reception it gets is great. As an avid Zelda fan, I hated the last original handheld installment (Spirit Tracks) so I'm gonna wait and see first.

I wonder if this year was the last hurrah for first party games as they look to try and expand the Wii U audience in 2014, or will there still be plenty of 3DS titles pumped out by nintendo?

If they do keep at it in 2014 i'd like to see a new Metroid or Advance Wars.
 

SmokyDave

Member
My feelings on the 3DS are well known, but even I bought three of the games in the OP image. Fair play to 'em, they've delivered the goods this year.
 

Persona7

Banned
I spent maybe 20 hours with my 3DS this year. Most of that on petit computer. Nothing has really captivated me.

Even SMT4, a series I like failed to keep me interested for more than 10 minutes.
 

Jacobi

Banned
I played a couple of games this year for 3DS, but I still sold it, there's just not too much that interests me on it. An "amazing" year for a console/handheld looks different for me.
 

Zafir

Member
Swap that Island Tour for Bravely Default in the UK.

Don't think we're getting Island Tour till early next year.
 

Sophia

Member
Nintendo's list alone is pretty impressive, then you add in Atlus (SMT IV, Etrian Odyssey), Capcom (Monster Hunter, Ace Attorney), Square (Bravely Default in Japan and Europe), and a handful of other developers and it's downright jawdropping.

I've spent more time with Pokemon and SMT IV than I want to admit given my dislike for the handheld itself.
 

Sinfamy

Member
I played a couple of games this year for 3DS, but I still sold it, there's just not too much that interests me on it. An "amazing" year for a console/handheld looks different for me.

I bought the 3DS solely for 4 games, and wonderfully it has outputted more than that. If you go in knowing what to expect, you won't be disappointing.

I only wanted:
Monster Hunter 3
Pokemon Y
Pokemon Soul Silver (Never had a DS)
Fire Emblem
 

The_Monk

Member
Indeed fellow GAFfer, I've been missing Nintendo for quite some time now, since, mt last Nintendo product was a Silver Game Boy Pocket back in the day... yes, it's that bad.

Which means I missed on the Wii, Wii U (I really want to play Zombi U) and all the portable gaming from them. From that list, Zelda, Donkey Kong and Fire Emblem caught my attention.

Hope you all to have great fun with those upcoming titles :) The 3DS already have some nice titles and that selection sure is coming as great as possible.
 

Shiggy

Member
I wish they brought some new IPs like Ouendan, Hotel Dusk, or even Jam with the Band to the market. These games are all competent and fun but I much prefer Nintendo's new endeavours.
 
Best year of gaming in my opinion.

Looking forward to 2014 with Monster Hunter 4, Bravely Default, Dragon Quest 7, and hopefully a new Chibi Robo. :(
 

Jisgsaw

Member
You're missing either SMT IV (for US) or Bravely Default (Europe).
Or both for japanese, lucky people.

Edit: oh, and Ace Attorney too.

I've spent more time with Pokemon and SMT IV than I want to admit given my dislike for the handheld itself.

Same here.
Giving the raw qualities of Vita and 3DS as consoles (excluding the most important: the games), it's really a shame that the Vita is so far behind.
 

Horseticuffs

Full werewolf off the buckle
It's certainly been the most captivating system for me! I kind of regret picking up a Wii U, but I know I have Mario to look forward to.

I'm about 15 hours into Fire Emblem right now, and it's such a significant game. I feel like this may be one I'll remember all my life.

After that I've got RE:Revelations waiting for me and then I hope I can swing the cash to pick up Link Between Worlds.

Look, I love phone and tablet gaming. I do. I just hope that their success isn't the death knell of dedicated handhelds. I really hope Nintendo gets the chance to release many more generations, maybe even goes handheld completely.

They just do it so fucking well!
 

D-e-f-

Banned
Credit is given when credit is due, Nintendo did a really good job with the 3DS this year. Looking back, there was always something to look forward to right around the corner. Here's what Nintendo themselves had to offer:
3DS2013_zpse82c7663.png


Not only were they spread evenly across the entire year, but they also struck a great balance when it comes to variety. There were RPGs, platformers, adventure games, all from various different franchises. And this is not even counting the great third party stuff it had like Ace Attorney, Etrian Odyssey, Shin Megami Tensei and more. I can't remember the last time I've been this satisfied with a console.

Looking forward, it seems like the 3DS will slow down next year in favor of the Wii U. So far we know about the new Kirby game as well as Smash Bros., but not much else. Personally, I'm fine with it. I'm just happy they managed to cover so many great franchises already, even some that the DS never touched (like Kid Icarus.) I guess we can talk about what we would like to see in 2014, but this thread is mainly to celebrate and highlight how awesome 3DS was this year.

You could even fill this out with Tomodachi Collection 2, Daigasso Band Brothers P and the new Layton game if you were to look at the 3DS world wide and not just North America. That little thing tore shit up this year.

And we're still getting Bravely Default this year after Zelda. At least in EU/JP. Damn.
 

qq more

Member
Agreed. Pokemon X/Y has exceeded my expectations and so did Animal Crossing New Leaf. Those were the two only 3DS titles I actually played this year, and yet those two alone has made it for me. So good. I still play both regularly. I should get Luigi's Mansion and the new Zelda game.

I sure hope the Wii U gets a year like this, because it desperately needs it.

EDIT: How did I forget Ace Attorney? Another great game!
 

Cerity

Member
Luigi's mansion, DK:CR, Bravely Default, Harvest Moon A:NB, One Piece: Romance Dawn, Zelda: ALBW, M&L: Dream team and Ace Attorney 5.

That's my shopping list for the rest of the year. Ontop of already getting Pokemon Y, Animal Crossing, Monster Hunter 3U, Fire emblem and EO4. All of which are releases from this year, I can't say I've ever been happier with a console, ever. There's just so many games I'm currently enjoying and so many I still have to look forward to.
 

Zalman

Member
It's certainly been the most captivating system for me! I kind of regret picking up a Wii U, but I know I have Mario to look forward to.
When you think about it, there's a lot to look forward to on the Wii U in 2014. Donkey Kong, Smash Bros., Mario Kart, Bayonetta, X and more. I'd say that's a great exclusive lineup as well, and that's without the stuff they will inevitably announce next year. As I mention in the OP, the 3DS will probably slow down as a result of this.
 

Velcro Fly

Member
2014 looks good for the 3DS too

Smash Bros
Kirby
Yoshi's Island
Bravely Default (for NA)
Mario Golf

Still think it's possible to get a couple more first party offerings.
 

BONDO

Member
Df was a good year for the 3DS. Finally budged on an XL a few months ago and dont regret it one bit.
First Gameboy ive been hooked on since like the Advance.
 

Horseticuffs

Full werewolf off the buckle
When you think about it, there's a lot to look forward to on the Wii U in 2014. Donkey Kong, Smash Bros., Mario Kart, Bayonetta, X and more. I'd say that's a great exclusive lineup as well, and that's without the stuff they will inevitably announce next year. As I mention in the OP, the 3DS will probably slow down as a result of this.

Oh yeah, there's a TON of Wii U stuff I'm looking forward to in 2014 :)

2014 looks good for the 3DS too

Smash Bros
Kirby
Yoshi's Island
Bravely Default (for NA)
Mario Golf

Still think it's possible to get a couple more first party offerings.

I'm definitely go for Smash on Wii U and probably 3DS, Kirby, and Bravely Default.

Is it just me or did the DS had a more vibrant third party library at this point in its life?

I think third parties have sadly mostly moved on to mobile development.
 

D-e-f-

Banned
2014 looks good for the 3DS too

Smash Bros
Kirby
Yoshi's Island
Bravely Default (for NA)
Mario Golf

Still think it's possible to get a couple more first party offerings.

Remember how we didn't know about ALBW until this April, for example? Or even DK was announced only in February. There's always a few surprises that are announced and released within the same year.
 

qq more

Member
2014? Hm...
Super Smash Bros
Kirby
I think that's it for me so far, but that's a promising start.

Avoiding Yoshi's Island :l
 

D-e-f-

Banned
Avoiding Yoshi's Island :l

Why? It's silly to make any calls whatsoever at this point. After the gigantic turnaround we've seen with Mario and Zelda this year, I wouldn't be surprised if the reason they haven't shown anything since E3 from that game is because they're trying to make it better in light of the reception. It's way way waaaaaaaaaay too early to write this one off.
 
8 games across an entire year represents an amazing lineup?

What do you call the PS3's year then?

God of War, Last of Us, Bioshock, Puppeteer, Ratchet, Ni no Kuni, Metal Gear Rising, Tales of Xillia, Project Diva, GTAV, Final Fantasy XIV, Dragon's Crown, Saint's Row IV, Diablo 3, The Wolf Among Us, Gran Turismo 6..... and I'm sure I'm missing a ton of other games too.
 
Yep, I bought my first 3DS about a month ago after the new Pokemon games came out. It's just has too good of a line up, there's a long list of games I plan to play through eventually. Really enjoying the system.
 
Remember how we didn't know about ALBW until this April, for example? Or even DK was announced only in February. There's always a few surprises that are announced and released within the same year.

Actually to add to this:

Pokemon - January
Donkey Kong - February
Mario & Luigi - February
Zelda - April
Mario Party - April

So... 5 of these games weren't even announced until 2013. Get that hype train ready for next year.
 

Zalman

Member
8 games across an entire year represents an amazing lineup?

What do you call the PS3's year then?

God of War, Last of Us, Bioshock, Puppeteer, Ratchet, Ni no Kuni, Metal Gear Rising, Tales of Xillia, Project Diva, GTAV, Final Fantasy XIV, Dragon's Crown, Saint's Row IV, Diablo 3, The Wolf Among Us, Gran Turismo 6..... and I'm sure I'm missing a ton of other games too.
PS3 had an amazing year as well, but keep in mind those 8 games are first party. Counting the third parties, I'm sure the 3DS list would be just as impressive.
 
Amazing output for one year.

If only the Wii U got this type of release list.
Well, the first year of the 3DS was plagued by people bitching about its high price, lack of compelling software, and the system being underpowered. It was, according to conventional wisdom, and under-performing boondoggle Nintendo wouldn't ever live down, and what's more it would never gain meaningful market share, because the audience had moved on. In short, it was "doomed".

So I guess you've got reason to feel optimistic about the Wii U. :p

Also, Wii U year one library > 3DS year one library.
 

VeeP

Member
8 games across an entire year represents an amazing lineup?

What do you call the PS3's year then?

God of War, Last of Us, Bioshock, Puppeteer, Ratchet, Ni no Kuni, Metal Gear Rising, Tales of Xillia, Project Diva, GTAV, Final Fantasy XIV, Dragon's Crown, Saint's Row IV, Diablo 3, The Wolf Among Us, Gran Turismo 6..... and I'm sure I'm missing a ton of other games too.

Those were all first party games, and exclusive to 3DS (except DK). You still have excellent games like Ace Attorney, Shin Megami Tensai, Bravely Default, and others (which are also exclusive to 3DS).

As for PS3, it had a great year too. But this thread isn't about PS3.

Edit: And isn't the new Zelda coming out soon too? Damn. Nintendo is on fire.
 

Nibel

Member
8 games across an entire year represents an amazing lineup?

What do you call the PS3's year then?

God of War, Last of Us, Bioshock, Puppeteer, Ratchet, Ni no Kuni, Metal Gear Rising, Tales of Xillia, Project Diva, GTAV, Final Fantasy XIV, Dragon's Crown, Saint's Row IV, Diablo 3, The Wolf Among Us, Gran Turismo 6..... and I'm sure I'm missing a ton of other games too.

The majority of the games you've listed are available for other platforms while the ones mentioned in the OP are only available on one platform
 

yaesir

Member
8 games across an entire year represents an amazing lineup?

What do you call the PS3's year then?

God of War, Last of Us, Bioshock, Puppeteer, Ratchet, Ni no Kuni, Metal Gear Rising, Tales of Xillia, Project Diva, GTAV, Final Fantasy XIV, Dragon's Crown, Saint's Row IV, Diablo 3, The Wolf Among Us, Gran Turismo 6..... and I'm sure I'm missing a ton of other games too.

i would think that multiplatform titles aren't being counted because the OP didn't add them on his list.
 

gngf123

Member
8 games across an entire year represents an amazing lineup?

What do you call the PS3's year then?

God of War, Last of Us, Bioshock, Puppeteer, Ratchet, Ni no Kuni, Metal Gear Rising, Tales of Xillia, Project Diva, GTAV, Final Fantasy XIV, Dragon's Crown, Saint's Row IV, Diablo 3, The Wolf Among Us, Gran Turismo 6..... and I'm sure I'm missing a ton of other games too.

It's almost like you think the handful of games listed represent the entire 3DS lineup.

Also, straight from the OP:

And this is not even counting the great third party stuff it had like Ace Attorney, Etrian Odyssey, Shin Megami Tensei and more.
 
monster hunter 3 ultimate and 4 should be added
8 games across an entire year represents an amazing lineup?

What do you call the PS3's year then?

God of War, Last of Us, Bioshock, Puppeteer, Ratchet, Ni no Kuni, Metal Gear Rising, Tales of Xillia, Project Diva, GTAV, Final Fantasy XIV, Dragon's Crown, Saint's Row IV, Diablo 3, The Wolf Among Us, Gran Turismo 6..... and I'm sure I'm missing a ton of other games too.

PS3 had a great year no doubt about it. it was arguably the best year for PS3 (GTA V, Last of Us, MGS Rising...) although I would not count some of the games you listed (GoW Ascension for example)
 
I need more to look forward too for 2014. Smash isn't enough. Kirby looks like... Kirby (i.e.: fun but not overly interesting) and Yoshi looked like utter shit at E3. (Hopefully the radio silence since then means it's been getting a minor facelift.)

I hope we get something Metroid flavoured announced early next year.
 

D-e-f-

Banned
8 games across an entire year represents an amazing lineup?

What do you call the PS3's year then?

God of War, Last of Us, Bioshock, Puppeteer, Ratchet, Ni no Kuni, Metal Gear Rising, Tales of Xillia, Project Diva, GTAV, Final Fantasy XIV, Dragon's Crown, Saint's Row IV, Diablo 3, The Wolf Among Us, Gran Turismo 6..... and I'm sure I'm missing a ton of other games too.

Yup, that post backfired quickly. ;)
 
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