Reviews

3DS Game Reviews

  • Review Deca Sports Extreme (3DS)

    Sixth time the charm?

    When we first played Wii Sports back in 2006, it woke us up to the potential of sports compilations to provide simple yet rich entertainment. When it was at its best, it boiled down a game to its essence, then refined that to make something truly special. Since then, countless titles have attempted to reproduce the formula, and...

  • Review Frogger 3D (3DS)

    Look both ways before crossing this game

    Why did the frog cross the road? We've still yet to receive an answer, but the little guy's been doing it for 30 years. Marking his birthday is Frogger 3D, begging the question: can yet another entry really bring anything new to the table? The answer is yes, as this title takes the little amphibian on a...

  • Review FIFA 12 (3DS)

    A narrow miss

    When the 3DS launched in March, Konami instantly seized the opportunity to provide the first football – or soccer, for our US readers – title on the 3DS, with Pro Evolution Soccer 2011 3D. While that title was prompt but light on content, FIFA 12 has emerged for the second half of the year to attempt a comeback; can it turn the...

  • Review Tetris Axis (3DS)

    Egads! Tetrominos!

    Tetris and handhelds go together like apples and cinnamon, and no more clear has this symbiotic relationship been than on Nintendo hardware, from the time Tetris first dropped like a well-placed I-block into Game Boys everywhere. Tetris DX followed with a splash of colour and tighter play on Game Boy Color, and the...

  • Review Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor Overclocked (3DS)

    Cool as hell

    Nintendo 3DS owners don't have many choices when it comes to picking out a new RPG nowadays. Aside from DS games, the only title currently out in the genre is Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor Overclocked, which is itself a port of a 2009 DS game. Atlus's decision to bring the title over to the 3DS may seem a bit confusing at first,...

  • Review Pinball Hall of Fame: The Williams Collection (3DS)

    Top of the high score table or tilt?

    When was the last time you played a really great pinball table? Not a digital approximation but an actual whiz-bangin', light-flashin', chaos table? Sadly, the agonising death of the arcade has put a damper on the availability of pinball tables, and unless you're one of the lucky few who live nearby a...

  • Review Thor: God of Thunder (3DS)

    Does 3D Thor give 2D a hammering?

    When SEGA decided to port Thor: God of Thunder to 3DS, there were two clear routes available: could build upon the DS game, a well-received pixel art 2D side-scrolling brawler by WayForward, or directly convert Red Fly Studio’s third person Wii hack-and-slash title. It chose the latter — after all Red Fly has...

  • Review Puzzler Mind Gym 3D (3DS)

    Fair-ebellum

    Brains – we've all got 'em, and up until 2006, many thought that video games would rot 'em. That's when a certain Dr. Kawashima came on the DS scene with his Brain Age training game and showed people, with the help of some (since called into question) science, that with simple math problems and puzzles intended to exercise different...

  • Review Driver: Renegade 3D (3DS)

    Stuck in neutral

    Driving and racing games have, so far, been relatively well represented on the 3DS in its early lifespan, with Ridge Racer 3D and Asphalt 3D competing for the affections of driving fans. Ubisoft has now joined in with Driver Renegade 3D, an exclusive title in the franchise for the handheld. Does it provide a high-octane adrenaline...

  • Review BIT.TRIP SAGA (3DS)

    BIT.TRIP for your trip

    It's impossible to deny just how successful Gaijin Games has been at capturing the old-school flavor of video games from our past and their ability to mould those sensibilities with modern technology. Their BIT.TRIP series has spawned some of the most popular downloads available on WiiWare and is now making a go at retail...

  • Review Star Fox 64 3D (3DS)

    Just like old times, huh Fox?

    When the remake of Star Fox 64 was announced for 3DS, it joined Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D as part of Nintendo’s N64 re-release launch strategy. Opinion will vary on the merits of releasing these titles on the handheld, with some pining after the new titles on the horizon. What we can say after a lot of time...

  • Review Pac-Man & Galaga Dimensions (3DS)

    Waka waka waka

    Pac-Man and Galaga have provided 30 years worth of entertainment, coin shortages, hit songs and waka-wakas across the world, and to celebrate Namco has cooked up a number of presents for fans. One such present is Pac-Man & Galaga Dimensions, a six-layer cake iced with 3D. But instead of a tasty bakery delight, some dead bugs have...

  • Review Green Lantern: Rise of the Manhunters (3DS)

    "Anything I see in my mind, I cannot create"

    The premise behind the superhero powers of the Lantern Corps, in which a Green Lantern can use their willpower to create solid green light constructs based upon anything they imagine, is a near impossible ability to recreate in a video game. It would take a brave developer to truly innovate in a game...

  • Review DualPenSports (3DS)

    More is less

    Whenever a title advertises a unique, never-before-seen element, the test of whether it's a true innovation or a simple gimmick largely comes down to whether it improves gameplay. DualPenSports is built around one such thing: two oversized plastic yellow styluses are included in the case. But, wait, the 3DS has a single-touch interface,...

  • Review Transformers: Dark of the Moon - Stealth Force Edition (3DS)

    Transformers! Now with less transforming

    When you think of Transformers, you likely recall the catchphrase “robots in disguise.” Autobots and Decepticons can go from behemoth robot to your average GMC in a heartbeat, able to fool unsuspecting eyes into thinking they are no more than your everyday automobile. So it seems a bit strange to then...

  • Review Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D (3DS)

    Score-based survival horror

    Resident Evil 4 was a real turning point for Capcom’s survival horror series. Prior to its launch, the franchise was in serious danger of losing its relevance, but the changes introduced in the fourth instalment did much to reassert its dominance of the genre. It's also notable as the birthplace of the popular...

  • Review Cubic Ninja (3DS)

    Is it hip to be square?

    The first generation of games for new hardware is a funny batch. Titles that may go overlooked once the software library is defined and rolling full-steam ahead get their chance to shine, partly because there isn't much else out yet and partly because people want to justify all that money just spent by not letting their new...

  • Review Naruto Shippuden 3D: The New Era (3DS)

    Losing the way of the ninja

    By publishing Tomy’s Naruto Shippuden 3D: The New Era, 505 Games is clearly counting on the popularity of the anime show outside of Japan. With over 200 episodes aired the show has accrued a loyal fan base, so it's hardly surprising that this 3DS entry has made it to European shores, with a US release later in the year...

  • Review Cartoon Network Punch Time Explosion (3DS)

    Smash Bros. Lite

    Punching a Powerpuff Girl in the face is always a welcomed experience. So is hitting Dexter in the head with a giant candy cane, or drop-kicking Samurai Jack off of a cliff. In Cartoon Network Punch Time Explosion all these things happen and more, as numerous Cartoon Network franchises come together to duke it out in an Super Smash...

  • Review The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D (3DS)

    A masterful quest

    The wait is finally over. When the 3DS was announced at E3 2010, one game announcement garnered the most attention from long-term Nintendo gamers: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D. With the promise of enhanced visuals and stereoscopic 3D, it didn’t take much to build up the hype. It is now here, with a variety of new...

  • Review BlazBlue: Continuum Shift 2 (3DS)

    Keeping the 2D brawlers alive and well

    The catalogue of 3DS launch games has, arguably, been a mixed bag. Unlike the DS before it, however, the 3DS is quickly building a fantastic stable of fighting games with Super Street Fighter IV 3D Edition and Dead or Alive: Dimensions; BlazBlue: Continuum Shift II is no exception. Until now, this stylish 2D...

  • Review SpongeBob SquigglePants 3D (3DS)

    Are you ready, kids?

    Who lives in a pineapple under the sea? So begins the theme song to one of the longest-lasting cartoons to come along in some time, SpongeBob SquarePants, enjoyed by kids and adults alike for 12 years and running. But a license is only as good as the developer handling it, and luckily SpongeBob SquigglePants 3D comes to us...

  • Review Dream Trigger 3D (3DS)

    A bad dream

    Given the anaemic flow of 3DS games as of late, the mere fact that Dream Trigger 3D was a new release for the system after the initial launch caused a lot of gamers to sit up and take notice; toss in the fact that the game was a shooting title and things got even more interesting. While it looks like a wealth of unique ideas on paper,...

  • Review LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean (3DS)

    The greatest LEGO pirate you’ve ever seen?

    The LEGO series is becoming a prominent part of gaming culture, bringing new twists on mainstream franchises such as Star Wars, Indiana Jones and Harry Potter to fans. It is little surprise that Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean has signed up for the LEGO treatment, but is LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean...

  • Review Dead or Alive: Dimensions (3DS)

    Dead or Alive, you're coming with me!

    The 3DS is the first console to bring us a glasses-free 3D experience, and now it's home to another genuine first: Dead or Alive: Dimensions is the first Dead or Alive game on a Nintendo platform in the series’ 15-year history, and it contains everything that's made the franchise so popular among fans and so...

  • Review Samurai Warriors: Chronicles (3DS)

    Shogun fun or just ho-hum?

    Tecmo Koei's Warriors franchise is a bit of a strange beast. While many entries in the series have garnered little critical acclaim, the games have a dedicated fanbase and continue to support the series after countless entries. It's no wonder, then, that the company decided to bring its hack-and-slash franchise to the 3DS...

  • Review Combat of Giants: Dinosaurs 3D (3DS)

    Hold on to your butts

    Indisputable fact: dinosaurs are awesome. Giant, majestic beasts who would just as soon munch a twig as rip your face off with their crazy teeth, they really have few equals on this planet in terms of sheer cool. Dragons and giant sharks are pretty rad too, but neither of those girls are clever enough to figure out a door...

  • Review Rabbids 3D (3DS)

    Let’s do the time warp, again

    If you’re a Nintendo gamer and have never seen a Rabbid before, you might be the only one. Whether you’ve bought the titles or not, these wacky critters have had a number of releases, of varying standards and styles, released on the Wii and DS. Their ubiquitous nature has made them mascots of sorts for Ubisoft,...

  • Review Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Shadow Wars 3D (3DS)

    Emerging from the shadows

    The debut of the 3DS has seen a number of releases and ports tailored to show off 3D effects, with some perhaps coming up short in terms of depth and content, but Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Shadow Wars 3D aims to set itself apart from the field. There is pedigree behind the development: the project lead, Julian Gollop, is...

  • Review Bust-A-Move Universe (3DS)

    Burst bubble

    Bub and Bob may have started out capturing foes with their crazy dinosaur bubble breath by day and moonlighting as arcade puzzle game stars, but the latter of which we can only imagine to be the more lucrative field as it morphed into their full-time job. It's easy to see how this happened: Bust-A-Move/Puzzle Bobble is incredibly fun...