Greg Schardein
Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate feels right at home on the 3DS. The segmented environments are perfect for gaming on the go and the game's addictive item creation is perfect for bringing wherever your travels take you. The number of unique creatures to hunt, expansive number of items to collect and craft, and strong multiplayer experience make for a must-play experience on the 3DS.
Super Smash Bros. 3DS is a wonderful addition to the series featuring great cameos, a return to strong fighting mechanics, and best of all, a viable, portable Smash Bros. experience. Though the game will soon be released on the Wii U, the 3DS version is the way to go for the various single player modes and unlockable content (though the multiplayer mode is great here as well). Fans of the series should pick this game up as waiting for the Wii U version may be a difficult task.
Pushmo World is a nice addition to the Wii U eShop content and should be played by any puzzle fan who hasn't yet experienced Pushmo and doesn't own a 3DS. However, if you're in either of the previous two categories, you would probably be better served to pick up the original Pushmo and/or Crashmo for an equally enjoyable experience at a discounted price with the freedom of portable gaming.
Kirby: Triple Deluxe is exactly what you would expect it to be: multiple game modes, creative level design, fun lighthearted style, colorful presentation, and crisp precise platforming. Kirby continues to live as a creative series built around a simple mechanic of move stealing and move-set freedom and will always be regarded dearly in this gamer's heart. It doesn't matter how many times the formula is reiterated as long as fresh ideas are pumped into the gameplay. Recommended.
Yoshi's New Island follows a similar formula as previous Nintendo remakes/reboots but ultimately falls short of recreating the magic we expect from Nintendo platformers. It is a shame that Yoshi's New Island could not provide enough new content to warrant its "new" name. Even if you enjoy the gameplay pulled directly out of the original title, it's hard to recommend playing this game over its predecessor (even if you've already played Yoshi's Island). Yoshi's Island DS has a little more variety and difficulty but ultimately, Nintendo just hasn't been able to reproduce the greatness of the original title.
Professor Layton and the Azran Legacy succeeds as a wonderful finale to the Layton series and the strongest title in the prequel trilogy. If you've enjoyed any of the previous games, this will certainly satisfy your puzzle solving needs. Though it's not necessary to play the previous titles in the trilogy, it's recommended as this game pulls together events from the previous two titles. All-in-all, the Layton series has been and will always be a wonderful break from some of the more established gaming formulas. Recommended.
Mario Party is continuing to see sequels and unfortunately it isn't seeing much change. In its 3rd portable experience, Island Tour, I had hoped for more enjoyable single player and internet multiplayer to keep players interested when they can't get their friends around. Unfortunately, the bread-and-butter experience of 4 players is easier to implement and more enjoyable on console experiences. Though the game can be played with only one game cartridge (and 1-4 3DSs), there isn't enough incentive to join the party on 3DS.