Plessie

It's finally happened, the WGAYPTW series has left its teens, and the emotional crisis it prompted led to it missing its normal schedule — that's right, it was nothing to do with the features editor forgetting to organise it, no way.

But it's fine, this little series of game-related tittle-tattle is ready to take on a new generation — seriously, everyone stop saying next-gen now, it's annoying — and talk about weekend gaming plans that could run the gamut of up to six home consoles, bearing in mind many are still rocking last-gen hardware. And then there's the 3DS and, for super-enthusiastic money-bags out there, a Vita. So many games, so many systems, yet as expected many of us still find ourselves playing systems by Nintendo. As NoA's marketing quite rightly puts it — "because it's Nintendo".

Anyhoo, this pre-amble has hit its obligatory intro-length, so let's get on with listing games we plan to play.

Tom Whitehead

I've played a ridiculous amount of Super Mario 3D World because I've had to, and I realise that makes me very lucky indeed; yet despite that I'm still playing in spells pretty much every day, and just before I typed this I found a green star that had eluded me for a long time. I'm not going to lie, it brought a big cheesy grin to my face, and my quest to 100% this game without resorting to walkthroughs continues.

Aside from Mario, I have opinions to write for Nintendo 3DS Guide: Louvre and 3D Super Hang-On, but when I'm not playing them I plan to continue dabbling with the brilliant Deus Ex: Human Revolution Director's Cut. My main game right now, however, is The Last of Us, which I'm now playing for realsies — I restarted and have committed myself to playing it all the way through. It's amazing and shaping up to be my second favourite home console game of the year. The game in first place has 3D in the title...

Martin Watts

As expected, my weekend is going to consist mostly of Super Mario 3D World. It's the multiplayer mode that I find most appealing, and I'm looking forward to working with my girlfriend to find all the secrets...well, provided she doesn't throw my character off the edge that is!

Orla Madden

Unfortunately, like most of the Nintendo community, I won't be diving into Super Mario 3D World, I have to grab all my willpower and hold it out until Christmas to grab the game. So this weekend, I'll be focusing all my attention on The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds. I've successfully made it Lorule and completed Swamp Palace, my second dungeon to tackle in the region. The game is superb, such a fantastic new entry to the series. I adore the game's soundtrack, and I look forward to hearing more of it over the weekend.

Ron DelVillano

I'm going to spend this weekend playing (and hopefully finally finishing) Pokemon Y. I've absolutely loved it so far, but I haven't had the time that I wanted to invest into it until now.

If I do finish Pokemon, then I'm going to treat myself to The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds. Unsurprisingly, as a Nintendo fan I am also a huge fan of the Zelda series and I'm really excited to dig into the new one!

Morgan Sleeper

It's going to be a busy weekend for me, but - like many fellow Nintendo Lifers, I suspect - I'll be making time for at least one game: Super Mario 3D World! I've played through the first few worlds and I've had a smile stuck on my face for the whole time; it's an absolute joyride and stands right up there with Galaxy as my favourite Mario since the Super Nintendo days! The level design is so creative, the soundtrack's incredible, and catsuit Peach is by far the best playable Mario character ever. Now I just can't wait to try it in co-op!

Conor McMahon

It goes without saying, but my weekend is set to involve a whole lot of Super Mario 3D World. I've managed to last the extra week's wait without any major spoilers, so I'm excited to play through a good chunk of it with a group of friends. Local multiplayer is at its best on Wii U, and the four of us have just finished up with Rayman Legends so it's the perfect timing. Maybe we're just overly aggressive and ridiculously Irish, but the 'Kung Foot' mini-game is practically a bad word for us by now. Those wobbly football physics have caused more fights than I care to mention.

I'll also be continuing on with Papers Please on PC. It's a magnificently grim little indie game that can best be described as a bureaucracy simulator set in a fictional country twisted by Communism. Sound fun? Well it is! You take on the role of border patrol and have to battle with your morals to decide who's allowed in or not. Deciding between feeding your family or allowing a husband and wife to stay together in transit has never been more addictive!

Lewis Childs

I think it’s safe to say that I’m going to be in the majority here. Yep, Super Mario 3D World! Expecting something in a similar vein to the Galaxy series, which were my favourite games of the last generation, I was initially underwhelmed by the E3 announcement of SM3DW. Since then though, the trailers, gameplay videos, THAT soundtrack, and last week’s onslaught of positive reviews, have sent my hype levels through the roof. I’m really looking forward to roping my non-gamer girlfriend into SM3DW’s multiplayer – although she doesn't know it yet!

Christopher Constabile

I'm still working my way through A Link Between Worlds, and I am loving every minute of it. A Link to the Past is my favourite Zelda title, and ALBW retains just the right amount of its predecessor to make it a huge nostalgia trip while still managing to qualify as a brand new game. The new dungeons are fantastic, and I really like the new item rental/purchase system much better than I thought I would. It truly deserves all of the praise it's getting.

ALBW is a pretty emotionally and intellectually engaging experience though, so lately when I'm looking to relax a bit, I fire up a game of Pushmo, which has some interesting puzzles. I'm nearing completion on that one though, and when I finish it I will probably scour the 3DS eShop to find some other little gem like that with which to bide my time when I'm not looking for something terribly serious. I hope to get in some quality gaming time with both of these this weekend!

Liam Doolan

This weekend I’ll be taking on the role of a young hero who wears a green tunic - and to the horror of his fellow villagers – enjoys smashing pots and slashing wild pigs with his sword. I’ll also spend much of my time exploring dungeons, fighting off nasty enemies, defeating evil, and sailing across the Great Sea in the King of Red Lions.

Yes, the truth is, I haven’t finished The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD yet. I sort of got side-tracked with Pokémon X and Y, and this followed with a bit of a workout in Wii Sports Club and Wii Fit U. And now the holiday season has arrived with the releases of A Link Between Worlds and Super Mario 3D World.

I’ve got a lot of catching up to do!

So that's what we'll be playing over the weekend; how about you?