Chibi-Robo! Zip Lash is a solid game that was a very entertaining experience. It's not a ground breaking revolution in gaming, but not every game has to be. It's fun, easy on the eyes, and the gameplay is very well crafted. It's a shame that Nintendo said this could be Chibi's last adventure if this game doesn't sell well, because I think this is the most enjoyable Chibi-Robo game yet. If you plan on picking it up, do yourself a favor and get the amiibo bundle. Even though I'm not the biggest amiibo fan, the quality on the Chibi-Robo amiibo figurine is outstanding. If you are looking for a quality 2D adventure, and enjoy being a completionist, Chibi-Robo! Zip Lash should be on your radar. Chibi whips it, and he whips it good!
With all this said, Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water is easily one of my favorite Wii U games to date. It feels like an old-school horror game but has the modern twists such as GamePad use and HD graphics to make it stand out in the gaming world today. It's a shame that this game didn't get a physical release, because I fear that it might hurt sales for this game. Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water is a must own title for Wii U owners, and horror fans in general might want to pick up a Wii U just for this game – it's that good.
All in all, I had a decent time with Slender: The Arrival. It won't go down as one of my favorite horror games, but the experience was a fun one while it lasted. It's a bit short and there's not a ton of replay value, but Slender: The Arrival offers enough scares and at a budget price, is a no brainer for horror fans.
While Barbie and Her Sisters: Puppy Rescue isn't a game targeted for me, I don't know if young kids will be able to enjoy it either. The Barbie on her bike segments are a big chunk of the game, and they are very clunky and at times confusing, which could be very off-putting to younger gamers. It's a budget retail release at $39.99, but with the stellar Wii U lineup of family friendly first party titles, it's hard to recommend this game as a purchase. If you have a kid that's an extreme Barbie fan, this may be worth a look, but other than that I'd leave Barbie and Her Sisters: Puppy Rescue in the kennel.
Shin'en has created a game that pays homage to F-Zero, but with enough unique characteristics to make it a stand out title on it's own. The level of polish in this game is amazing, and the fact that it's an exclusive Nindie game is just the icing on the cake. For a meager $15 you can get one of the fastest and most gorgeous racing games on any platform, which is a true testament to the programming power of Shin'en. FAST Racing Neo is easily a must own title for the Wii U, and arguably one of the best 3rd party games on the system.
With superb writing and fun combat, Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam is another solid addition to the series' lineup. While the game does seem to lose focus once in awhile, and capturing Paper Toads can get very tedious, the addictive battle system and great presentation more than make up for it. Fans of the series and newcomers as well will find a lot of enjoyment with Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam.
At the end of the day though, Final Fantasy Explorers just feels shallow. It's not that it is a bad game, it's just painfully average in almost every respect. With some more graphical polish and more unique things to keep it in-line with the Final Fantasy universe, I think this game could have been a huge success. If you are a Monster Hunter or Final Fantasy diehard and want something new to play, this might fill the void for a little while, but at the end of the day, it just feels like a poor-man's attempt at Monster Hunter.
All things considered, Oddworld: New 'n' Tasty is a fine addition to the Wii U eShop lineup. It's one of the more polished titles on the service, and has a good length and value to it. It's a bit of a shame that after the long wait the GamePad is used simply as Off-TV and the framerate issues can be noticeable at times, but if you are primarily a Wii U owner, this is game worth owning.
At the end of the day though, Twilight Princess HD is yet another must-have for the Wii U library.
Mega Man Legacy Collection is a great way to play classic Mega Man games on the go. The additional content is fantastic for retro gaming fans who like to see every bit of information they can with these classics games, and the digital package is a great value at $14.99. If you have ever been interested in playing the games that got Mega Man his start, this is a solid addition to any library.
Chasing Dead had promise, but fails on every single basic level of game design and playability. I honestly do hope the team is able to salvage this game in the future with updates, because I think if the performance of the game was at a decent level it could be a fun game. As it stands, this is the worst title I've played in 2016, and should be avoided at all costs.
That aside however, if you are a fan of either genre, there is some enjoyment to be had here. It’s not an epic RPG adventure, but more something lighthearted akin to the Fantasy Life on the 3DS. If you are looking for a decent JRPG with farming elements that blends together quite well, then Return to Popolocrois: A Story of Seasons is a solid pick up. If you are hoping for a heavy emphasis on one side or another, you may want to wait for a price drop.
Honestly, Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games for the 3DS is not a terrible game, but it's not good either. It's just kind of….there. Nothing about the game is really satisfying, nothing about the game stands out, and poor and lazy design choices make it feel much more like a cash-grab than a full fledged experience. Hopefully the Wii U version has some more polish and features, because the 3DS version falls very flat and doesn't even earn a bronze medal.
Hyrule Warriors Legends does something a lot of games can’t do: take a console version and improve upon it. Loss of graphical fidelity aside, Legends breathes new life into Hyrule Warriors and offers up a fantastic and deep handheld experience that will have you up at the wee hours of the night saying “just one more battle” until the sun comes up.
Steel Rivals was a game that could have been a decent little fighter similar to Soul Calibur, but it is an obviously very rushed and incomplete fighting game that should be avoided by even the most hardcore fighting fans.
Overall, Infinity Runner isn't a bad game, and it can certainly be an enjoyable experience especially if you are a fan of the genre. Those who aren't too big on the genre may be able to find some enjoyment in the title as well, as the sci-fi setting keeps things interesting. The gameplay does get repetitive and hinders the game a bit, but it's a solid, if not unsatisfying, infinite running game.
Personally though, I loved this compilation of games as it brought me back to my childhood. With beautifully done 3D effects, a solid selection of games, and a myriad of options for those games, SEGA 3D Classics Collection is a very solid purchase for fans of the classic SEGA arcade era. Now I’m just ready for SEGA 3D Classics Collection Volume 2!
Paranautical Activity isn’t a bad game, it is just is very flawed. Sadists and FPS fans looking for something quirky and somewhat enjoyable might get a little amusement out of the game, but it’s hard to recommend it with these glaring issues for most gamers.
Xeodrifter is yet another solid Renegade Kid title that 3DS owners should pick up. It takes the classic Metroid formula, advances it some, but keeps it 8-bit at the same time.
Clever level design, nice visuals, and the added mech-suit really make Planet Robobot stand out as a Kirby title, and is one of his most enjoyable entries to date. If you enjoy classic Kirby games and are looking for a game with some real value, Kirby: Planet Robobot should be on your radar.