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Pokémon Super Mystery Dungeon is a return to form for the series, which I was pleased to see after Gates to Infinity underwhelmed. There are still faults and uneven mechanics that must be ironed out if it is to continue, but my enjoyment came in the touching story sprinkled with humour and how well it brings the Pokémon world to life. Just beware of the difficulty curveballs that are thrown at you on occasion.
Where Bravely Default delivered revolution, Bravely Second: End Layer presents evolution. Whisking players back to Luxendarc's charm, it is everything that we could have ever wanted from a sequel. Silicon Studio strongly leads the charge in a bountiful year that promises numerous Nintendo 3DS exclusive RPGs, and in Bravely Second have made sure that the bar remains high.
Sadly absent on Nintendo's systems since Game Boy's Oddworld Adventures in 1998, Abe's heroics look slick as ever as he makes a welcome return in Oddworld: New 'n' Tasty. Porting niggles threaten to detract, but this sensational reboot deserves to be relived.
The legend is reborn, with The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD delivering the definitive version of an undisputed masterpiece. 10 years may have passed but it remains as one of the greatest games ever created, and this Wii U exclusive becomes the very best way to relive the sweeping epic.
Whether or not it will be a fighting game that will dominate the competitive scene for the next few years is impossible to say. But, whether you are a genre enthusiast, a Pokémon fan or just a gamer in general, Pokkén Tournament is an incredibly fun game with solid mechanics that can certainly hold their own.
Hyrule Warriors Legends is an empowering experience in a world that we have all grown to love. On New Nintendo 3DS, it is a solid port that comes packed with content to see you occupied for weeks on end. But, for those with a Nintendo 3DS, it's an experience best left until you can upgrade.
As convoluted as it is, Project X Zone 2 presents a memorable experience that embraces the madness that it soon descends into. Some flaws persist from the first game, but those looking for more of the same can take comfort in that it readily delivers.
Multiple save files will let you experiment with each hero, which can be traded with others through StreetPass. But your quest to defeat Oda Nobunaga is a muddled one, which excels in its artistic direction but lacks in combining that with gameplay that can entertain for even its short duration.
Star Ghost has left us blindsided, seemingly having struck out of nowhere with its hypnotic arcade charm. A polished experience that will push your piloting to the test, it is an effort that amounts to a commendable debut and a joyous addition to the genre.
Yo-kai Watch revels in the mischievous world that it inhabits, in equal parts charming as it is kooky.
Standing back and looking at the wider picture, Star Fox Zero succeeds far more than it falters. There are some terrific set pieces, the new Cockpit View lends more precision in taking down enemies for those chasing high scores, and the Star Wolf team are at last given chance to pose a menacing threat. The controls will be remembered as being divisive, but, for those that persevere, will soon marvel in this space shooter's spectacle.
It may have come late in the console's life cycle, but the robot-zapping mayhem in Star Fox Guard is another reminder of the Wii U GamePad's largely untapped potential. Who knew that it would be Grippy Toad's entreneurship that would let us witness another flicker?
Fire Emblem Fates: Birthright presents a deeply captivating tale, woven around a masterful strategy experience that longs for you to sink time into its tactical depths. This is a gentler path than the other versions, but that doesn't detract from its resounding success.
If Birthright delivers a classic Fire Emblem experience, Conquest steers it toward the future to outpace it in every way imaginable. Rewarding in its tactical brilliance, it dethrones Awakening to become the very best strategy RPG experience the Nintendo 3DS has to offer.
Bursting with kaleidoscopic colour and packed with HAL Laboratory's creative touch, Kirby Planet Robobot results in being a sensational adventure for the pink hero.
Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE effortlessly delivers a performance of a lifetime, arriving as a near swansong for Wii U. It never misses a beat, packed with vibrancy not only in the kaleidoscopic palette but the soaring soundtrack that energises the entire experience.
BOXBOXBOY! is a decent successor to the original. While it doesn't bring too much new to the fold, it's still a joy to play and can be a real head-scratcher. It's worth playing if you're new to the series, and, if you enjoyed BOXBOY!, why haven't you already started stacking?
I wish that there were more games like Zero Escape: Zero Time Dilemma. As Telltale Games has achieved in recent years, Spike Chunsoft under Kotaro Uchikoshi's direction has pushed the boundaries of what we have now come to expect from storytelling in the games industry. Zero Time Dilemma is a success in that regards, becoming one of the most thrilling narrative experiences to grace the Nintendo 3DS library.
It may be all smiles on the beach that your Mii runs around, but Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games is a game that's criticism falls on everything that it lacks. The joy of local multiplayer can still reward with hilarity, but the experience falls short in nearly every other area. The Mario & Sonic series still shows plenty of promise, but that is a momentary flicker here.
Monster Hunter Generations remains an experience that excites most in the thrill of the chase, wrestling with once proud beasts as you bring them to their knees. It presents an adventure of a lifetime, and continued evolution of the core idea results in an experience that rewards at every turn.