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+.
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.
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.
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.
Enjoyment of Final Fantasy Explorers is defined by two things: nostalgia for Final Fantasy and the amount of immediate challenge desired.
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.
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.
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.
Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 2: Record Breaker is an enormous package.
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.
It would be easy to write off Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate as nothing more than an incremental update to an already fantastic franchise, but that would be wholly unfair to a game that makes a number of intelligent tweaks and additions to its historically solid foundation.
Despite its affinity for the supernatural, Oxenfree's soul is firmly planted in reality.
At every turn, FAST Racing NEO bombards players with challenging action.
Though it may scare off many players with its plodding pace and immediately complex array of commands, Nobunaga's Ambition: Sphere of Influence is an engrossing and fiercely detailed journey through feudal Japan, offering a deep, lengthy strategy experience that simply can't be matched on PS4. It's not for everyone, but if you surrender yourself to its intricacies you may well find yourself crafting your own ornate strategies for victory long into the night.
At the end of the day, what elevates Hyrule Warriors to greatness is its seemingly endless fanservice. Whether it's an obscure cameo, a cucco counter attack, or even just an awesome finishing move, the game is rife with glorious slices of Zelda goodness.
Overall, Affordable Space Adventures is a journey well worth embarking on, especially with a few friends.
Splatoon is all about staying fresh, and despite its lack of content somehow manages to remain just as appealing after twenty hours as it was in its first. Its core gameplay is so unwaveringly solid that it's bound to only become better as more maps, weapons and modes are released in the months after launch, but even now Splatoon might just be Wii U's long-awaited killer app.
Yoshi's Woolly World won't suit everyone, but if you find yourself drawn towards its plush, adorable aesthetic, it might be one of the most emotionally pleasant experiences you have all year.
Adventures of Pip is a delightful little platformer full of charm, challenge and impeccable level design. While still a little rough around the edges, its mechanics are unquestionably solid, and it's clearly been crafted with the love and talent of a team determined to realize their vision.
After a few submissive years, Konami has put forth a game that caters to soccer fans with superb flexibility for creative expression, fluid gameplay and astoundingly intelligent AI. The lack of licensed clubs and presentation standards well below the competition make it appear like a sub-par package, but it won't take long on the pitch to realize the quality of the soccer PES 2015 is build around.