It's easy to compare Yo-Kai Watch to Pokémon (which we're we're guilty of ourselves), but Level-5's creature-collecting RPG is a delightfully unique adventure.
Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 2: Record Breaker is an enormous package.
Bursting with unpredictability and tactical depth, Code Name: S.T.E.A.M. is a solid debut for Intelligent Systems' latest spin on turn-based strategy.
Nintendo and Camelot have created an extremely accessible game that pulls you in early and doesn't let go. It's a great experience for golf lovers and novices alike and, despite small issues, one of the best sports games on the console. With a wealth of single player options and a well tuned online experience, not to mention the impending DLC packs, Mario Golf: World Tour is a game that begs for a permanent spot in your 3DS.
Enhanced visuals and broadcast interactivity easily make this the definitive version, but it's disappointing that Acquire didn't do more with the console's more powerful hardware. The developers have somehow managed to play it safe with what seemed destined to be a zany, inappropriate and devilish experience.
Enjoyment of Final Fantasy Explorers is defined by two things: nostalgia for Final Fantasy and the amount of immediate challenge desired.
Despite its flaws, it's hard not to have fun with Mario Party 10 in small doses. Obnoxious amiibo functionality and an overall lack of variety make it hard to recommend to anyone who's not already a fan of the franchise, but those who enjoy a bit of Mushroom Kingdom chaos with friends might just find reason enough to give it a shot.
Fans have waited a long time for Rodea the Sky Soldier, but unfortunately the final experience never comes within range of Yuji Naka's past masterpieces. The issues begin with the fundamental mechanics of flight and persist into its pacing, controls and stability, ultimately tainting even the most joyous moments of freedom afforded by Rodea's affinity for the open air. There are moments of bliss that shine through the mess, but the pure celebration of flight that Prope set out to deliver on Wii has lost many of its most important features during the transition to Wii U, and in the end, Rodea the Sky Soldier fails to live up to its lofty ambitions.
Fans of the Ace Combat series are destined to be disappointed with Ace Combat Assault Horizon Legacy+. Aside from some small control additions and swanky new amiibo support, the aerial combat game is largely unchanged from Bandai Namco Games' initial 3DS release in 2011. The flying itself is decent, and greatly enhanced by the game's outstanding soundtrack, but ultimately Ace Combat Assault Horizon Legacy+ feels like nothing more than a poorly-disguised cash-grab.
J-Stars Victory VS+ fumbles what should have been a glorious, celebratory experience. It's combat is banal, its design is overcomplicated and its presentation is completely halfhearted. Even so, there's a lot to be said for the pure fanservice of J-Stars Victory VS+.