Nintendo 3DS

The 3DS has been swimming in top tear titles lately from Resident Evil to Metal Gear Solid and even Kid Icarus’ unexpected return. They were all pretty solid games, but if there was one problem that they all share it’s that they didn’t really take advantage of the unique 3D display. Sure, having monsters pop out of the screen is fun and some of the epic Kid Icarus levels offered impressive depth, but none of the games felt like they had to be in 3D. It was a welcome bonus, just not a requirement. Well, fortunately Sega has gone and made a game in which 3D is a vital part of the experience. Their new platforming puzzler Crush 3D demands that extra visual depth for proper play and while it may not boast the blockbuster visuals or a foster the crack-like sense of addiction those recent titles offered, it’s...

In general, Nintendo treats their franchise stars well. You never have to wait long to bounce Mario around on a fresh set of goombas, send Link off on his latest magical quest, or blast your way through space as Samus. However, one little guy in their back catalogue hasn’t gotten a hell of a lot of attention from the big N. It’s been decades since Pit went on his Gameboy and NES adventures and now suddenly he’s back as a major player on the 3DS. The little guy made an appearance in Smash Brothers Brawl back in 2008 and it must have gotten the folks at Project Sora all excited because they clearly put a hell of a lot of time and effort into Kid Icarus Uprising. This is yet another game that pushes the 3DS to its limits with technical accomplishments that can only be described with the...

In the summer, Capcom released Resident Evil: Mercenaries 3D during the 3DS’ sadly soft launch. It was a nice showcase for the new hardware, but always felt more like a beta testing ground than an actual game. Resident Evil Revelations is the eye-popping follow through on that soft-toss practice round. The game is so huge that it actually features a bonus mode that plays like a bigger, better, and bad ass version of Mercenaries 3D, while the single player campaign mode represents the best Resident Evil title to come along in years. Nintendo’s impressive holiday releases may have proven their new handheld baby was a system to watch, but Resident Evil Revelations proves that the little sucker can provide a console-worthy gaming experience.On a technical level, this thing is better than any of the zombie shoot em’ ups to come out during the Wii’s lifespan. As a new entry...

Much like they did with the successful Legend Of Zelda: Ocarina Of Time 3D, Nintendo has dipped back into the well to provide some glitzy new software for their 3DS. While it would have been nice if we’d gotten an all new space adventure for Nintendo’s lovable little Fox, there’s a good chance that people would have just complained that the new Star Fox game wasn’t as good as the classics anyways. Beyond the pretty incredible upgraded visuals, what’s probably most impressive about Star Fox 64 3D is just how well the 14 year old gameplay holds up. This thing is as addictive as ever and dripping with reply value. Now that it’s been updated with new graphics, glasses-free 3D, and you can pop it into your pocket, there’s never been a better time to revisit a childhood classic. In case you’ve never played...

First things first, Resident Evil Mercenaries 3D is not a full Resident Evil game. 3DS owners can expect that sometime in the next 12 months when RE: Revelations drops and brings pants-wetting survival horror to Nintendo’s newest handheld. For now, we get this action-based spin off of sorts. It’s an adaptation of the Mercenaries mini-games that console gamers got along with Resident Evil 4 and 5. The mini-game compilation won’t deliver the immersive storytelling experience of creaky doors, ominous hallways, and shriek-inducing jump scares that RE fans crave. However, that in no way means that Mercenaries 3D should be ignored. This is one of the most visually impressive and addictive experiences that the small 3DS library offers and one of the few true M-rated experiences on the 3Ds, splashing buckets of blood around in glorious gasses-free 3D. Later on in the system’s life cycle this might look like...

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D proves that there’s a place for history in the current gaming landscape, primarily because it’s everything a remake should be. It introduces modern updates that make the game palatable for a new generation without alienating fans with fond memories of the original, and is consequently tied to the past, present, and future of gaming. At it’s core, Ocarina of Time 3D is nothing less than what you’d expect. The puzzles, bosses, and dungeons are almost exactly what they were when the game first came out, and while some of the mechanics feel a little dated – you forget how annoying mid-dungeon backtracking can be – Nintendo has nonetheless stayed true to the original design and the gameplay holds up well enough to be relevant today. The game also looks better than it ever has before. The assets unquestionably belong to...

Steel Diver is a new submarine simulator from Nintendo, and it’s not going to persuade anyone to purchase a 3DS. The game is packed with pointless features that mask a stunning lack of gameplay depth, and there’s not nearly enough here to warrant the price tag of a full cartridge. For starters, there’s absolutely no reason for Steel Diver to be on the 3DS. All of the campaign missions take place on a 2D plane and while the 3D works, it just turns the screen into a fish tank and adds nothing to the experience. The core gameplay, meanwhile, utilizes both the touch screen and the stylus. Movement is controlled with two onscreen levers, one on an up/down axis and another on the left/right axis. If the forward lever is pushed all the way to the right, you’ll move forward full steam ahead. If both levers are in the...

Splinter Cell 3D is a 3DS port of the single player campaign from Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory, and the game benefits from its AAA pedigree. The cartridge offers a full story with cut scenes and gunfights and it’s the sort of title that’s otherwise absent from the lackluster 3DS launch lineup. Sadly, that doesn’t make it a good game. Splinter Cell 3D may be filling a void, but it’s a terrible port with miserable controls and Sam Fisher isn’t enough to make the experience worthwhile. Having said that, I will start with a disclaimer. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with the game’s core design. Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory was fine when it debuted in 2005, and it’s still standard Splinter Cell fare. As Sam Fisher, you’ll shoot out lights, pick locks, and hide bodies while engaged in political espionage related to a developing situation in Japan. The following criticisms therefore...

Let us take care of the embarrassing confessions first: I am no good at fighting games. I want to be good. I want to be the guy at the arcade taking on contender after contender, reducing them to tears with a single well timed punch. But that's not going to happen. Super Street Fighter IV 3D Edition is still an enjoyable experience, even if your fighting style can be best described as that of a wounded duck.A lot of ink has already been spilled on the revival of fighting genre brought about by Street Fighter IV. How it's stripped down the form and moved away from the excess that marked the 3rd series of games for a more back to basics approach, that still allows for high level play. The game is kind to invalids like me. There is a generous challenge mode for allows you to practice various...

Cuteness Without CommitmentIn some ways, the original 2006 nintendogs is one of the most diabolical pieces of software ever conceived, perfectly encapsulating the 21st century obsession with total convenience and minimal effort. All the cuteness of a puppy, for all eternity, without ever having to take it to the vet, watch it grow into a full grown dog and ultimately die of old age. It’s the distillation of a generation’s dreams of perfection with an easy push of the button. Now it’s back, in 3D, with the addition of cats, and the appeal is just as strong as it ever was.Adoption Made EasyBeing a pet simulation, there’s no story of any sort of nintendogs + cats except for whatever scenario users create in their own head. Players are immediately greeted with a kennel from which a series of puppies of various breeds are available and they have enough...

Pilotwings Resort is one of the many cartridges churned out to support Nintendo’s new 3DS, and unlike some of the other launch titles, Pilotwings Resort actually feels like a full game. If you absolutely need to have a 3DS, it’s probably one of your better early options. There are nearly forty separate missions spread across four difficulty levels, and while they’re all relatively short, the game does have some decent replay value if you’re looking to get higher scores.That’s not quite the same thing as a recommendation. The gameplay is exactly what it was on the N64, so Pilotwings Resort is essentially the same game with better graphics on a smaller screen. If you’ve never been a fan of the franchise then the latest installment isn’t going to change your mind. Pilotwings Resort also fails to make good use of the much-touted glasses-free 3D. The scenery looks good, but...