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.
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.
At the end of the day though, Twilight Princess HD is yet another must-have for the Wii U library.
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, 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
Year Walk is a game I thought I was going to love, but I just merely like it. It's not a bad game by any means, and I think some fans of both dark art and horror will enjoy this game much more than I did, but for me, I have to hark back to that abstract art analogy I used earlier. You either "get it" or you don't, and for me, Year Walk was just not the game for me.
Truth be told, I had some fun with FullBlast. The visuals are solid, the gameplay is good, and it could have been a stellar title with some more polish. The strange text issues show that this was a bit of a rushed game, along with the fact that the game actually crashed on me twice while looking at the leaderboards. If you are a fan of the classic days of shmup games, FullBlast is worth checking out, just don't expect anything revolutionary in the genre.
During the 5th and 6th generation of gaming, the 3D platformer was a viable genre that was alive and well. With tons of mascots and different games to choose from, the landscape was brimming with variety. While Kickstarter successes have brought back the appeal of the 3D platformer, it has been quite a while since we have seen 3D platformers like in the 6th generation. The Legend of Kay was a PS2 title released in 2005, and although critically well received, the game went mostly unnoticed by gamers due to stiff competition. Now that the competition has all but dried up, how does the Legend of Kay Anniversary fare on the Wii U?
Many fans wanted Splatoon to be Nintendo's answer to Halo or Call of Duty, and I don't know if that is fair. If you are expecting that, Splatoon might not be the game for you. Splatoon is to shooters what Mario Kart was to racers: it emphasizes pick up and play fun. It's a fun and lighthearted game with some great mechanics and focus on elements of the shooting genre that have never been looked at the same way before. The world is alive with color and paint and is a treat for the eyes. While the initial amount of maps and modes may be deterring, the sheer fun of the game manages to outshine any strong negative feelings I had. It's not a perfect game, but it's fun: plain and simple.
High Strangeness was a game I wanted to love, but I ended up just liking it. The fantastic score and solid visuals can't make up for the short experience and that is quite the shame because what is there is really solid. If a sequel is ever considered, I would hope the developers would consider making a longer voyage. Fans of retro RPGs and Action-RPGs will find enjoyment here, but just don't expect it to last very long.
Affordable Space Adventures is an indie title with a $20 price tag, and that may make some would-be purchasers leery of the investment. I can say with full confidence that the price tag is not only justified, but might even be too low. Big studios never took the time to flesh out the GamePad and see what it was possible of doing, but Affordable Space Adventures shows why the Wii U GamePad exists: to provide an experience that can only be done on the console. Take the plunge, spend the $20, and get lost in the world of Spectaculon to play one of the finest Wii U titles to date.
BOXBOY! is a solid puzzle game with touches of platforming mixed in that puzzle game fans should check out. It doesn't reinvent the wheel of the genre or leave a lasting impression, but it's a fun way to tease your brain and enjoy some clever puzzle designs. If you don't find yourself enjoying puzzle games, BOXBOY! will probably be a pass for you, but for those of us who enjoy a good challenge, BOXBOY! is a worthy addition to your 3DS eShop library.
Mario Party 10 isn't a bad game, but it's not a great game that it should have been for the anniversary of the series.
The Wii U version also supports Off-TV play on the fly, or will show you your sub-missions much like the touch screen does on the 3DS version of the game. While the 3DS version of OlliOlli is very solid, if I had to choose between the two, the Wii U is the clear winner. With (to me) more responsive controls, better graphics and colors, and higher audio quality, the Wii U version manages to outshine the 3DS slightly. All of the other slight frustrations from the 3DS version remain (no cross-save data, some poorly placed obstacles), but as a whole OlliOlli is a great addition to both the Wii U and 3DS library. The Wii U one is just slightly better.