April2018
Review Urban Trial Playground (Switch)
Easy riding
Both the original Urban Trial Freestyle and last year's stunt bike sequel managed to stick their landings on 3DS, though it's fair to say that neither game really attempted any outrageous stunts. At first glance, developer Teyon seems to have declined the opportunity to try something a little more gnarly with Switch exclusive Urban Trial...
December2017
Pass the Joy-Con
The holidays are fast approaching and, if you’re anything like us, you’ll likely end up being thrown into some form of endearingly awkward family gathering wishing that there was something fun to do as everyone starts to fall asleep. Party Planet aims to shine in this very situation; a collection of mini-games that can be played...
November2017
Review Tallowmere (Switch eShop)
A rogue release
One genre that has seen a big resurgence in recent years - particularly in indie games - is the roguelike, and some have been popping up on the Switch eShop as a result. Crafting lengthy, well-designed games takes countless man-hours of good work, something that smaller developers will struggle with given limited resources and...
April2017
Review Urban Trial Freestyle 2 (3DS eShop)
BMXcellent
2D BMX games have been relatively popular since the turn of the century - take RedLynx's excellent Trials series, for instance. Urban Trial Freestyle, released on the 3DS eShop almost four years ago at this point, was clearly inspired by those games, but managed to bring some extra ideas of its own to the table to create a unique and fun...
May2016
Review Doll Fashion Atelier (3DS eShop)
Design flaw
Spanning 16 games, anime and manga adaptations, and a near 20-year legacy, the Atelier series is one of the most beloved RPG franchises of all time. With such a wide cast of characters and a charming premise it's no wonder that the series has been beloved by fans for so long. It's great to see such an influential franchise finally make...
April2016
Review Bird Mania Party (Wii U eShop)
Top flight entertainment
Starting life as Bird Mania 3D – a hidden gem in the ever growing 3DS eShop library released back in 2012 – Bird Mania Party is an expanded version of the original brought to us by publisher and developer, Teyon. We were fans of the original release, as well as Bird Mania Christmas which was released not too long after,...
January2016
Review Ocean Runner (3DS eShop)
Shallow Waters
Deep within the vast, mysterious waters of our blue planet, the endless-runner genre is surprisingly still alive and well. As the name might suggest, Ocean Runner combines mobile friendly arcade gameplay with a nautical theme, perhaps creating the eShop's first endless swimmer title in the process, but is there enough here to keep our...
September2015
Review Zombie Defense (Wii U eShop)
Here a zombie, there a zombie, everywhere a zombie zombie!
The game title Zombie Defense couldn't be more accurate and straight to the point. Developer Teyon's Wii U début is exactly that: a tower defence/RTS (real-time strategy) game where you fight off waves of zombies in an attempt to save the planet from total zombie supremacy. As with all...
April2015
Review Iron Combat: War in the Air (3DS eShop)
Altitude, don't forget to watch altitude...
Making an immersive 3D shooter on any platform is quite an undertaking, but this is especially true on the 3DS. There are some of these titles available on the platform, but they aren't as popular as many other genres. This makes the elusive quality shooter on 3DS even more valuable, and as a result, games...
February2015
Dungeon crawling on a budget
Like most dungeon crawling RPGs, Excave builds its core upon slashing and fighting your way through waves of enemies in multi-floor dungeons, collecting various weapons and healing items, all while trying to escape with your bounty. The risk-reward tension combined with the thrill of the unknown awaiting you on each...
Review Drop Zone: Under Fire (3DS eShop)
Drop it like it’s hot
Originally released as a WiiWare title near the end of that service's lifetime, Drop Zone: Under Fire has been ported to the 3DS in an attempt to bring virtual base-jumping action to the handheld audience. Whether or not you enjoyed the original release, it's undeniable that this arcade style game's transition to the 3DS hit...
November2014
Textual healing or vocal underperformity?
Want to turn your 3DS into a social device that allows you and your friends to exchange text messages and partake in voice chat while collaborating on doodles? That’s the experience that Chat-A-Lot advertises, and while it delivers in some regards, overall this simple application falls very flat. Part of...
August2014
Review Steel Empire (3DS eShop)
The Empire strikes back
Side-scrolling shoot-‘em-ups were a force to be reckoned with in the early ’90s, gracing every arcade and home system under the sun with seemingly limitless variations on Gradius-style gameplay. Perhaps surprisingly, given the genre’s popularity, they also tended to stick rather closely to each other in terms of theme;...
Review 101 Pony Pets 3D (3DS eShop)
Horse play
Selectsoft apparently buys its quirky pets in bulk. From dinosaurs to penguins, it's got your number; as long as it’s 101. Now its attention has inevitably turned toward the ultimate care-for-me-and-squee animals: ponies. 101 Pony Pets 3D takes a cue from A Certain Friendshipically Magical Brand by offering three different breeds of...
April2014
Please sink this battleship
It's surprising there aren't more DS titles based on the classic board game Battleship. The DS, with its plastic exterior and flip-up dual screens, looks remarkably like a Milton Bradley Battleship board you probably have stuffed in the back of a closet. You don't need to dig through all your old board games to play...
Review Governor of Poker (3DS eShop)
Deep in the debt of Texas
Imagine that Donald Trump stole the DeLorean from Back to the Future. He warps to the Wild West, but instead of saving the Doc like in Part III, he creates a form of government in which you rule by simply owning every building in sight. It’s a monopolocracy, if you will, and everyone crams the saloons to play poker for...
This cat ain't rad
There's been a surge of popularity when it comes to "runner" games over the last few years — games where you do little more than move right (or occasionally, left) while dodging everything that comes at you in an attempt to improve your high scores. While "endless" runners seem to be the most popular variant, Skater Cat falls...
March2014
Review Cube Tactics (3DS eShop)
Strategy cubed
Given their relatively low asking price, it can be quite easy to fall into the trap of thinking that games on Nintendo’s eShop service amount to little more than short, throwaway experiences. You pay less and, therefore, you must get less value from that game, right? In terms of pure content, that may be true (unless you’re...
February2014
Review Castle Clout 3D (3DS eShop)
Regal rebellion
Long before the modern age of mobile gaming and pocket-handy computers that we refer to as "smartphones," poor, lowly players would flock to the Internet in order to get their cheap gaming fix. In this era that time has forgotten, those seeking digital entertainment would subject themselves to monstrosities known as "Flash games,"...
December2013
Review Bird Mania Christmas (3DS eShop)
Making holiday travel fun
We loved Bird Mania 3D. Its superficial simplicity hid a surprising gem of a game that sunk its talons into us and never let go; news of Bird Mania Christmas, as you might expect, got us very excited indeed. The fact that it missed release in time for the holiday is unfortunate, but the game itself is no worse for the...
Review Banana Bliss: Jungle Puzzles (3DS eShop)
A jungle trek that won't break the bank
Simplicity isn't always a bad thing. Handheld titles are inherently more limited in technical scope than their more advanced home console contemporaries, but that doesn't necessarily make them lesser games. The 3DS eShop has had no shortage of downloadable beauties in 2013, ranging from simple to sublime, and...
November2013
Review Crazy Chicken: Director's Cut 3D (3DS eShop)
Straight to DVD
Crazy Chicken: Director's Cut 3D is an odd title, in that it's unashamedly simplistic yet reliant on gamers that perhaps have a hint of obsessive compulsive behaviour or, alternatively, those that cherish retro games that do little more than give you the same task repeatedly and stick your name on a leaderboard. What this does do is...
October2013
Review 101 Penguin Pets 3D (3DS eShop)
These penguins might leave you cold
When was the last time you met someone who distinctly disliked nature’s own best-dressed Antarctic fowl, the penguin? The answer is probably “never”, and Teyon is here to capitalize on that fact with its newest virtual pet product — 101 Penguin Pets 3D. Aimed directly at unsuspecting children and designed...
August2013
Review Heavy Fire: Black Arms 3D (3DS eShop)
War is garbage
If there’s one distinguishing feature that makes Teyon’s Heavy Fire series stand out from video gaming’s crowd of military shooters, it’s that it has no distinguishing features. Like, zero. It has features, sure, but nary an original idea nor even a whiff of one. Heavy Fire: Black Arms 3D continues the series’ tradition of...
July2013
Review Robot Rescue 3D (3DS eShop)
Are these the droids you're looking for?
After two games on the DSiWare service, Teyon's Robot Rescue series, famous for fiendishly difficult maze puzzles and a unique synchronized movement mechanic, has made the jump to the 3DS eShop with this latest instalment, Robot Rescue 3D. Rather than an entirely new entry in the series, Robot Rescue 3D is a...
