Mike Splechta
Chrysalis is a fantastic setup episode
I often find that replaying certaing games from my childhood such as Super Mario Bros., DuckTales, Mega Man and The Legend of Zelda, don't just provide me with a fantastic feeling of nostalgia, but also remind me of my roots. They help me keep perspective of where I started as a gamer, and retain the appreciation for those games. Last year, Nintendo took that amazing classic library I fell in love with as a kid, and turned it into a gauntlet of challenges they called NES Remix. Then last month, Nintendo compiled the best games from both NES Remix 1 and 2, and made it into a portable package on the 3DS with Ultimate NES Remix, providing bite sized challenges through a collection of classic games that might make you look at them just a bit different than before.
Something for everyone. Hardcore purists can spend days perfecting their scores in Evolved mode, while new players will certainly like the allure of a single player campaign that teaches them how to play the game
The stages might be hit or miss, but Nintendo proves once again that pitting its various mascots and characters against each other is still the best way to spend your way around a crowded TV.
Keeping everything that made Far Cry 3 so fun, but also adding a few new elements to shake things up a bit, Far Cry 4 is a fantastic successor.
A reboot and evolution in one gorgeous package, that unfortunately didn't get a full pass through QA testing.
All the new additions make the latest entry in the Samurai series feel fresh, and certainly worth a purchase for fans of the series.
A little buggy and a little glitchy, but a whole lot of stealthy.
A worthy investment if you have yet to play this fantastic open-world title. However, if this is a returning visit to Hong Kong, you might want to wait on a price drop.
Gameplay not only feels magical, the remixing capabilities for popular and classic songs are just as amazing.
Own a Wii U? Buy Bayonetta 2. Don't own a Wii U? Buy a Wii U.
As usual, it's a costly entry in the Skylanders franchise, but the sum of all its new and improved elements prove that there is still a lot of care and attention given to these little critters.
Too casual for the hardcore, too hard for the casual. Driveclub might have a hard time finding its right audience, but its undeniably a gorgeous racer with expertly integrated social options.
It's been an agonizing wait, but it was worth it. When Nintendo announced a new Super Smash Bros. for not only the Wii U, but also the 3DS, it was almost inconceivable that the handheld version would be anything but a mere gap filler until its older and prettier sibling would release later that year. Rest easy knowing that's not the case at all. Super Smash Bros. for the 3DS packs a punch with the full character roster, diverse stages and various modes to keep you smashing all day.
Forza Horizon 2 is just the first of many racing games to release this Holiday season, and it sure started it off with a huge bang. It's gorgeous, it's huge, it's exciting and most of all, it's just downright fun. It certainly deserves a standing ovation.
Hyrule Warriors is a wonderful surprise. A surprise since not only does the Warriors formula work so well, it actually manages to surpass past Warriors titles in many ways. And while the character roster is a bit on the modest side, there is enough variety in each character and their subsequent alternate weapons to make that issue seem pretty minor.
The actual gameplay, despite its insane difficulty spike once you play on anything but easy, is actually really fun.
Two years ago, Final Fantasy fans were treated to a musical celebration with Theatrhythm: Final Fantasy. A rhythm game first and foremost, it tasked players to relive past Final Fantasy moments through key songs found in core titles, ranging from Final Fantasy I, all the way to Final Fantasy XIII. Theatrhythm: Final Fantasy Curtain Call is a more updated version of the first game, rebalancing the gameplay, adding new modes, and most importantly, giving players over 200 songs to play. Let's just say, if you've enjoyed the first, you're in for quite a treat with Curtain Call.
Warriors Orochi 3 Ultimate, as the name suggest, is the definitive version of the third Orochi title. Brimming with content, it's a game that will consume you with the amount of things to see if you let it. However, it's still a Warriors title, so if you've been turned off by the series before, this one won't do much to change your mind.
Dance Central Spotlight seems like a logical next step for Harmonix. It's a safe release that's not tied down to an expensive physical copy, but rather a small serving that looks to be the appetizer to a build-your-own dinner combo comprised of only the delectable songs that fit your musical taste.