I like playing Mario Kart 8. I think it's a satisfactory entry in the series, but nothing more. The final package ends up feeling like someone who covers themselves in makeup to hide the fact that they are 10 years older than they are pretending to be.
Mario Golf: World Tour succeeds in crafting a stellar golfing experience, one that will likely become a mainstay in multiplayer circles for a long time. The single-player portion doesn't seem fully realized, but the golf gameplay in World Tour is top notch and the stellar online tournaments have the potential to keep the experience fresh for a long time. With a nice variety of courses and lots to unlock, this is another fine entry in the long line of Mario sports games.
Since it follows the roadmap so closely, it’s not quite as fresh as the SNES classic was in 1992, but that doesn’t make it any less of an amazing experience. A Link Between Worlds is a delightful adventure that hits every high note a 2D Zelda game has ever produced while creating many new hallmarks of its own. In a year filled with quality 3DS games, A Link Between Worlds is another fantastic entry on a system that is quickly becoming home to a number of instant classics.
Even when it's safe, Swap Force is still a wildly entertaining game and another satisfying entry in a genre that rarely gets this much love and care. It might lack the innovative magic of Spyro's Adventure or the daring ingenuity of Giants, but it's still a formula that works, even if the routine is starting to show.