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Super Mario 3D World is the Mario experience we've always treasured, but with some fantastic changes to the formula. Between the hidden levels, new powers, each character having strength and uniquely designed stages, this is easily one of the more memorable Mario titles.
Even looking fantastic wouldn't save how inane, silly and not fun Twisted Pixel's latest effort is. A generic voice and personality for IRIS, a weird twist in the form of Pablo, and tired vehicular combat do not make for a fantastic Xbox One debut.
Fighter Within could have been a demo disc for the power of the Kinect 2.0, but instead is an absolute mess that recalls all of the original sensor's faults.
Zumba Fitness: World Party is the next best thing to attending an actual Zumba class. This is the most polished iteration yet, featuring well-choreographed routines, impressive looking backdrops and a great lineup of hit and world music.
Contrast is a mess. It's ugly, tiresome, insipid and occasionally insulting.
Thinking of picking up the game anyway? There are literally thousands of better things to do with $50.
Injustice: Gods Among Us Ultimate Edition is the much-needed complete version of Injustice. With all the DLC included and all the costumes unlocked, Ultimate Edition is without question the version to play.
Making it a bit easier on the gaming budget, Flower is also cross-buy, so if you've already got it on PS3 or Vita, then the PS4 version is free. There's no gameplay updates, no level tweaks or new areas, but it runs at a better framerate and the 1080p is noticeably sharper than the original if you put them side-by-side.
Tearaway is the perfect launch title, though it missed the launch by two years.
Knack is a new-age throwback to a time when you could get away with telling stupid, fun stories about mascots beating up goblins in a simple, three-button brawler. It's also a fine showcase for the PS4's horsepower that doesn't paint its world primarily in grey and brown.
Super Motherload is just about long enough for what it is, wrapping up before getting tedious while still providing plenty of gem and mineral harvesting action. There's no real reason for it to be on PS4 versus any other system, of course, but that doesn't prevent it from being a fun bit of digging with an excellent soundtrack.
Resogun is an incredibly fun game, but not much more than that. This is by no means a system seller and isn't a game that screams "next gen" in any area.
Baldur's Gate II is not a game to be missed. With an epic story, memorable characters, hundreds of hours of dungeon crawling, questing and adventuring, Baldur's Gate stands tall among the classics.
Killzone: Shadow Fall is not a perfect game. It has design flaws and the story is lacking, but it's a whole lot of fun and a great showcase for what the PS4 can do.
While Shadow Fall may be best representation of the PS4's visuals, Need for Speed Rivals is the best representation of its power. It's blisteringly fast, not batting an eye at speeds over two-hundred miles per hour for a sustained period of time. Cars look realistic, environments are highly-detailed and the dynamic HUDs and interface are the best the series has seen. It's raw, visceral, intense and boasts a ton of replay value thanks to over one hundred events and seamless online multiplayer. Need for Speed Rivals proves how impressive a PS4 racing game can be by offering a fully realized product that blows past conceptions of what a launch title can offer.
If for some reason you don't have a PC or a Wii U, then the PlayStation 4 version is going to be the best you can get. There's a strong variety of unique puzzles, and with the gorgeous world that can be taken-in, Trine 2 ends up being a luscious adventure.
Deadfall Adventures isn't actually a terrible game. The dialogue is dumb, AI companions have an unnerving tendency to teleport behind you, it's far glitchier than it should be, but somehow it's also not unlikeable.
Pokémon X and Y makes the classic series feel brand new.
Journey of a Roach is a bog-standard adventure game built around a single kind of nifty idea. It attempts to ape the style of games like Machinarium, but fails to emulate any of that title's wonderful charm or design sensibilities.
Gamers come to Battlefield to drive ATVs strapped with C4 into enemy tanks, barrage enemy troops with RPG-fire while parachuting from their buddy's helicopter and more outrageous activities that Battlefield 4 delivers in spades. With improvements and additions to the tried and true formula, the lackluster single-player can't hold the game down — the explosive multiplayer playground simply must be experienced.