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For those that missed out on the original, Kirby’s Extra Epic Yarn is a solid 3DS port, albeit with a few lapses in usability. While the main campaign can be completed in just short of ten hours, both newcomers and returning fans alike can share in the joy of the opulent worldly textures, adorable animations and a beautifully simple storyline to ‘bobbin’ and out of.
Aside from the bare-bones visuals and lack of online play, BOXBOY! + BOXGIRL! fits right at home on Switch, where future installments have the option to significantly amp things up and adopt a more modern locale that doesn’t shy away from inducing volume. Nevertheless, the game is brimming with engaging content that is sure to appease 2D platforming fans, especially those who enjoy solving puzzles while thinking outside the box.
If you haven’t invested in the original game before, Dragon Quest XI S can easily provide you with countless hours of JRPG fun. It plays it safe in many areas and doesn’t necessarily revolutionize the genre; but it does a mighty fine job solidifying it.
With a near-perfect story mode, Luigi’s Mansion 3 is a polished spectral comedy that keeps you on your toes. While its multiplayer and co-op modes are slick to play, the minigames lower the bar. Yet it’s in the animation and the devilish puzzles that really makes this game shine, with or without the Strobulb. Well done Luigi, those ghosts didn’t stand a chance.
At its heart, Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE Encore has delivered what’s expected in an enhanced port. New content, improved UI and small tweaks to make the gameplay faster all make a significant difference to the overall enjoyment. Although flawed in places, it’s a JPRG that dares to be bolder and braver with its stylish sequences and kawaii (though bizarre) story. It may not be to everyone’s tastes, but its whimsical ways will spoil those who can’t help but enjoy adorable things. Thanks for reincarnating this one, Atlus.
We could go into detail about each game, like how reeling the fish in with your Joy-Con is more enjoyable than doing so in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, or how satisfying it is to land a series of punches in Toy Boxing, but there’s so much to cover. Rest assured, though, as what we have here is a polished, well-presented package which celebrates diversity and highlights the fondness of playing together while not breaking the bank.
Pikmin 3 Deluxe is well-rounded and even more replayable than its original outing seven years ago; it’s a joy to experience, even if it’s your second time doing so. And with the ‘Ultra-spicy Mode’, seasoned Pikmin players should look forward to the new challenge that awaits. For newcomers, let’s just say you’re in for a magnificent treat. If you’ve never played a Pikmin game before now, stop what you’re doing and order yourself a copy. Your tiny but mighty army is waiting for you.
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity is not without fault. Between the technical issues in single-player and co-operative modes, coupled with enforced sluggish gameplay during the Divine Beast segments, it’s clear that improvements could be made, though perhaps this is a limitation of the Switch hardware itself. Yet if you look past these flaws, there is an inner beauty. An utterly captivating and emotional storyline, beautifully strategic combat mechanics and missions that offer edge-of-your-seat action are all present. Encased within a Breath of the Wild setting, Age of Calamity is the perfect way to escape our reality this winter. Let’s just hope the darkness doesn’t spread any further.
With speed taking precedence, Mario Golf: Super Rush is for players who want to experience the thrills of golf at quadruple the pace. However, traditional Mario Golf fans may feel snubbed here as there is little challenge outside standard golf and solo play, with character unlocks and incentives completely excluded. Perhaps with the promise of continuous updates due to its rather limited base game, Super Rush may feel less one-sided, though for now it values velocity over proficiency – the complete antithesis to real-life golf. Not quite an eagle, almost a birdie, but absolutely on par.
WarioWare: Move It!, much like its predecessors, is meant to be enjoyed in short bursts, and at that, it excels greatly. Although the Story Mode is short, taking only a couple of hours to finish, the replayability of the microgames and side modes is what really makes WarioWare worthwhile. Going for high-scores is fun even by yourself, but getting competitive with friends is even better. With over 200 microgames to learn and master, WarioWare: Move It! is an excellent party game that gets your heart beating and your blood pumping, while also giving more than a few laughs along the way. As long as you go in with the expectation of it being a silly microgame collection that doesn’t take itself too seriously, WarioWare: Move It! is a great time!
What it lacks in depth and challenge, Princess Peach: Showtime! makes up for in variety and charm, making it an excellent entry-level point to its various gameplay styles for younger and less experienced players. Its appealing presentation style is let down only slightly by a surprisingly poor framerate during loading and transition screens that can hopefully be fixed with a performance-focused patch in the future. Although it never quite reaches the heights of a more focused gameplay experience, the variety of gameplay presented in Princess Peach: Showtime! make it an easy recommendation to make.
Runbow on the Wii U eShop is a vibrant and zany 2D platformer that, while missing a few marks, still offers a unique color-changing mechanic that I found engaging.
BOXBOY! is an outstanding puzzle game that utilizes an original and creative idea, resulting in some of the most well-designed challenges seen on Nintendo 3DS.
Although not the best available version of the game, Terraria on 3DS is a great opportunity for on-the-go gamers who thrive in the exploration and freedom of sandbox crafting games.
Extreme Exorcism on the Wii U eShop is a fun 8-bit arcade game that offers decent content and strategic ghost hunting with an arsenal of high-powered weapons.
Gunman Clive HD Collection may lack new content, but the original 3DS games have survived the transition to Wii U admirably. Newcomers: don't miss out again.
Couple those first impressions with awkward camera angles and unavoidable monsters in linear dungeons, the flaws are unfortunately quite clear. Yet with all that said, and despite the deeper, richer and more complex JRPGs flooding the market today, sometimes it’s nice to bring back the classics. After all, Dragon Quest VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past is storytelling at its best.
Poochy & Yoshi’s Woolly World is, at times, more than just a 3DS port and actively tries to become its own identity. But just like its logo, Poochy is the bit on the side, tacked on as the sidekick, and never given the limelight. We’ve all been there Poochy, just ask poor Luigi. As a port, it just doesn’t quite stitch the entire tapestry for a polished finish.
The sheer amount of content on offer outside the main storyline is, quite possibly, what makes Yo-kai Watch 3 so interesting to play. Between side quests that feature all your favourite Yo-kai, Blaster Camp, the deliciously tantalising Boss Rush mode (though, let’s never speak of Agent X again), the fun (but gimmicky) Build-a-Nyan mode, online battle and post-game content, there’s more than enough to sink your teeth into; whether you’re a casual fan or a competitive player. It presents a highly polished front with some significant updates to gameplay, but it lacks the charm, witty jibes and magical moments found during the first and second titles. Usually you can find me chuckling in my seat, admiring the fantastic script-writing during a Yo-kai game, but for the third instalment it just wasn’t to be. Let’s hope the next instalment brings back that missing magic.
Pokémon Sword and Shield feel exactly like a Pokémon game, which is far from being a bad thing, but a major change in the formula is necessary in order to significantly mix things up. It’s not broken by any means, but fans who’ve been involved with the series for over 20 years now expect more at this point. It goes without saying that newcomers will feel right at home, and catching Pokémon and filling your Pokédex is still as addictive as ever. Looking ahead, the Wild Area in particular is a sign of good things to come for the Pokémon franchise.