Here’s some footage of a quick game of Boom Street. It’s a lot of fun but the AI can seem a bit too lucky at times. Enjoy:
When Nintendo launched Mario Kart Wii in 2008 it was natural that they wanted to use the system’s motion controls to their fullest potential. To further facilitate this Nintendo introduced the Wii Wheel, a handy shell for the Wiimote that makes steering easier. Although it was something relatively simple it really helped the game appeal to a mass audience and was a huge success. When it came to producing Mario Kart 7 for the 3DS Nintendo again made use of motion controls but let Hori take control when it came to producing a wheel. But there was some doubt as to how useful it would on a handheld device.
The device is very comfortable. It adds a lot of thickness to the device meaning you can actually grip around it and also extends below the 3DS meaning your ring finger and little finger can rest easier. Because it lowers your grip on the device it also makes the d-pad easier to reach meaning the attachment is extremely useful for Virtual Console games. Additionally, unlike the Circle Pad Pro the wheel is symmetrical which keeps it as easy as possible to maintain the 3D image(when not making use of the motion controls)
One of the best alterations that the Hori MK Wheel brings to the 3DS is the addition of 
large shoulder buttons. This a really great addition not only because it gives the index finger a natural resting spot but also because the 3DS shoulder buttons in general are quite small and it can be uncomfortable to hold them for an extended duration as you do in Mario Kart. The Wheel certainly made it much easier and more comfortable to hold shells and banana peels as I raced. It’s obviously not only useful with Mario Kart though and really helped with other games that use the shoulder buttons heavily(such as Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D and Samurai Warriors Chronicles).
What I really like about the wheel attachment is the way the 3DS sits in it. To slot the 3DS 
in you push the top in and the shoulder buttons go into a groove which secures the 3DS. It feels very secure but is easy to remove. When the 3DS is seated in the Wheel it feels very sturdy and it much more like a console controller in your hands. The wheel also keeps access to all the ports and switches on the sides of the 3DS apart from the SD Card Slot. This means you can keep the 3DS in the wheel indefinitely(provided you don’t have to upgrade your storage).
The Hori Mario Kart Wheel is a really well developed and produced piece of kit. It’s high quality, sturdy and very comfortable. It’s easily superior to the Wii Wheel simply because it improves the gameplay experience even when you’re not using the motion controls and it’s perfect for use with all games.
Developer: Tales Studio| Publisher: Namco Bandai| Platform: 3DS| Genre: RPG| RRP: £39.99
Namco hasn’t been very nice to European Tales fans over the years with only a handful of games making an appearance here. It was shame that in 2006, at the height of PS2 popularity, that Namco opted out of publishing Tales of the Abyss in Europe. Luckily the game got another chance in 2011 when Namco saw fit not only to bring it to the 3DS but also the Europe for the first time. The only question that remained was whether the game was worth a five year wait.
One of the main appeals of RPGs in recent years are the production values and Abyss does not disappoint in this regard. The game has great graphics with atmospheric environments and extremely flashy combat but because the game is not tailor made for the system the 3D can be quite weak, although it’s never actually bad. Music is typical Tales/Sakuraba fare but there’s a lot of good tunes(such as the Grand Chokmah theme) . There’s a lot of voicework in the game and whilst some performances are better than others it’s a solid performance from the cast, it’s just a shame that the trademark Tales skits are not voiced(as in the PS2 version). Like the other Mothership Tales games Abyss also features high quality animated cutscenes which really help it feel like a big production. Unfortunately these scenes are only in 2D, likely because it would be very expensive to go back and reanimate the scenes. An advantage of the 3DS version compared to the original is a solid framerate and very fast loading, they really improved this aspect and it adds to an already high quality production.
Abyss’ writing is quite strong with strong dialogue and strong exploration of its themes of existence and purpose. The story is just refreshing enough to keep the player interested and guessing at each twist and turn. It’s really through the well developed characters that the game develops its story and themes. One of the most interesting plot devices in Abyss is the fact that main character Luke is a bit annoying to begin with; He’s arrogant, lazy and selfish. Throughout the game he really grows and changes and becomes a hero and by the end of the game he’s really likeable. Luke isn’t the only well developed character in the game though, the whole main cast including the villains are all well developed with lots of depth and strong motivations. The cast is very likeable and players will find themselves sympathising with the enemy.
Abyss follows series tradition in having an excellent battle system. The fundamentals of the battle system is that you control one character at a time, in real time, and must rely on your skills to alternate between attacking, blocking, dodging and using special attacks or items. It’s a simple construct but is really fun and keeps the player in the control. Fights can vary in length, ranging from seconds to many minutes. Battles do have depth though with features such as Free Running, where the player can freely traverse the battlefield(very useful when fighting spell casters) and Field of Fonons, which allow the characters to use the element of a previously cast Arte to enhance their attacks. Mastering both of these is essential in later battles. You shouldn’t ever need to grind but if you ever feel the need you can set your character to automatic and just travel from fight to fight; its unnecessary, but still nice.
Content is really where the game shines, especially in the young 3DS software catalogue. Not only is the game’s story quite lengthy, even for an RPG, but it has also has a ton of side content to do. The game easily takes over 50 hours to complete on a first run and took me around 80 hours to complete with the majority of sidequests completed. The game also incentivises second playthroughs through the grade shop which allows you to carry over stats and items to a new playthrough and also apply modifiers(such as increased money or EXP). Unfortunately it’s easy to miss a lot of the sidequests and some are restricted until you’ve completed the game at least once. There’s still enough content that you’ll feel satisfied even if you’ve missed some stuff.
Overall, the game is definitely worth a purchase. It has a ton of content, looks great, sounds great and plays great. The story is engaging and the cast of characters is one of the best. There’s just a few issues that knock it down a peg. Hopefully we see an original entry in the franchise in the 3DS’ future which perfects the formula. For now Tales of the Abyss is about as good as it gets.
Score: 9/10
Developer: ASK| Publisher: ASK| Platform: 3DS| Genre: Puzzle Platformer| RRP: £2.70
Describing something as simple and basic usually comes with negative connotations. This is more prevalent in recent years as everything from gameplay mechanics to hardware has become increasingly complex over the years. Sometimes though you stumble across something that reminds you that simple can be great. Catrap is one of those games; a reminder of simpler days in gaming.
Gameplay is very simple, you’re only controls to worry about are movement, rewinding and forward time and in some levels switching between Catboy and Catgirl. There’s no complex actions as movement is context sensitive; walk into an enemy and you’ll smash them, walk into a block and you’ll shove it, walk into dirt and you’ll dig in. The most complex action is climbing ladders which should tell you how simple it is. Objectives are one track; kill all enemies. The majority of your time won’t be spent killing bad guys though, instead you’ll have to figure out to get to each one which can be quite taxing. Some later stages can take over twenty minutes to figure out. Luckily the gameplay is never frustrating and has a nice flow to it which means just moving around is a joy and you’ll want to come back for more.
Whilst the concept is simple there is a lot of mileage in it. There’s 99 levels in Catrap and a level editor. Whilst the early levels may only be a minute or two long some of the later levels can take a long time and it adds to quite a few hours, you can easily put ten hours into the game. It’s good if you like the concept but if you aren’t impressed to begin with you will probably give up an hour or two into the game.
Catrap’s presentation is as equally simple. There are only a few different pieces of music, a few different enemies and every level has the same style. The style is cute, especially the animations and the music has a nice rhythm to it but after a couple of hours it can become grating… especially if you get stuck on a puzzle for quite a while. It’s best to play the game in small doses to avoid overexposure.
It’s clear where the priorities lay with Catrap. The most important aspects have been nailed; the game is a blast to play and has a lot of content. It’s also got an addictive quality that’s essential for good puzzle games, you’ll want to come back to it and keep trying until you get it right. The game’s lack of variety is definitely its biggest flaw but nothing is actually bad about it.
Score: 8/10
Tales of the Abyss has just been released in Europe for the first time. Expect a review soon.
A common criticism of portable systems’ lineups is that there are too many ports and remakes of older console games. Whilst it is a fact that a sizable amount of quality titles in their libraries are of this nature it seems unfair to disregard quality games simply because they’ve appeared somewhere else in the past. Here’s why:
A lot of the time these ports or remakes of older titles aren’t intended for players of the original. It’s easy to forget that there are millions of gamers now who wouldn’t have been gaming when the original version released; even if they’re five years old as is the case with Tales of the Abyss. Tales of the Abyss also shows another way that publishers can reach new audiences with titles; the original PS2 version was only released in Japan and North America so the 3DS version is the first opportunity for thousands of people(including this writer) to play the game. This is beneficial to both gamers and the publisher(in this case Namco Bandai).
Capcom is busy making their fighting game portfolio available on the latest portables.
In recent years due to ever decreasing gap in power between portables and home consoles it has become more common to see current generation titles making portable appearances. Whilst these may be more objectionable than older titles, afterall superior and likely cheaper versions are still available, they can still provide unique value to their audience. The main advantage to having these games on your portable system is the social aspect which home consoles can’t really replicate; not only is local multiplayer still immensely popular on portable systems but the latest systems have unique social interaction tools in the form of StreetPass and Near.
It’s also possible for portable versions of games to interact with their console counterparts. Activision developer Vicarious Visions is an expert in this regard, having an exclusive mode for players of Guitar Hero on the Wii and DS and most recently allowing players to transfer character data between the 3DS and console versions of Skylanders(although admittedly these are not straight ports to the 3DS). Sony is really push this on a Vita with upcoming title Ruin being the flagship game; not only will you be able to transfer your progress between systems and take the game on the go but it will be easier than ever with cloud uploading.
In the end, there are several ways that a portable version of an existing game can provide unique value for its audience and it is not fair to dismiss all of them; not all games are made equal. It’s ultimately up to publishers to provide enough incentive to buy the game and gamers to discern what a good or bad port is.
Developer: Grezzo| Publisher: Nintendo| Platform: 3DS| Genre: Action Adventure| RRP: £39.99
It is no exaggeration to say that The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is possibly the greatest game ever made; it’s certainly the most critically acclaimed. It was the game that defined the N64 and when Nintendo announced it was being remastered for the 3DS there was much rejoicing. We would finally see if they could improve upon perfection.
Obviously the biggest draw for the game is the new presentation. The best way to describe how the game looks is to say that this how everyone remembers Ocarina of Time. Grezzo have lovingly updated each area of the game, making everything much more lively and detailed. Indoor areas get the biggest update, changing from ugly prerendered to backgrounds to bright, colourful and polygonal. Link himself has really benefited from the graphical upgrade, looking a lot closer to the original artwork. The 3D effect is really comfortable in the game and adds a nice sense of depth; it’s one of the best implementations on the system. Nintendo’s sound team, led by Mahito Yokota, have taken a similar approach to the sound; painstakingly reproducing them at higher quality. The brilliance of the music really becomes apparent when you have the 3DS sound to surround and listen with headphones.
The gameplay is fundamentally the same as the original, and it still works superbly, with just a few changes which make the game much more manageable and enjoyable. The touch screen really adds a new dimension to the gameplay, not only removing unnecessary clutter from the main screen, but also making songs and inventory items easily accessible. One tiny but very received change is making the boots standard inventory items meaning they can be changed at the touch of a button; much more convenient!
Ocarina of Time is the same lengthy adventure it was back in 1998. It will take you upwards of 30 hours to complete on an average playthrough which is a great length, it neither goes too fast or overstays its welcome. There isn’t much new content in the game, with only a boss rush mode being completely new to the 3D edition. It does however include the Master Quest version of the game(accessible upon completion) which makes it much more difficult and is now mirrored to disorient even the most experienced Zelda players. These are nice additions but it would have been nice to have something a bit more meatier added to it.
It’s apparent that Grezzo has a lot of respect for the original title and they’ve managed to give a very admirable update whilst remaining exceptionally close to the source material(and actually being closer to the developer’s original intentions in regards to visual design). The one complaint against this title is that it may have been a bit too conservative in regards to new content but the game is still exceptional and manages to be one of the best games on the 3DS.
Score: 9/10
Developer: Visual Impact Productions| Publisher: Enjoy Gaming| Platform: eShop| Genre: Puzzle Platformer| RRP: £3.60
Digital download shops have created something of an even playing field in recent years. It’s an area where a small indie developer can be just as successful as a giant media conglomerate and where quality (theoretically) rises to the top. This brings me to Pyramids, one of the first games for the 3DS eShop, coming not from a major publisher but from small UK publisher Enjoy Gaming. The game is really quite surprising.
At first glance it’s obvious that Pyramids is heavily influenced by NES cult classic Solomon’s Key. The main gameplay consists of jumping and creating/breaking patches of dirt, in some levels you also get ammo for your gun to eliminate enemies but you have to be careful with your shots because ammo is scarce. In each level you have three goals; complete the level, collect all treasures and beat the time limit. Pyramid’s basis is kept simple but actually proves to get rather difficult. You’ll have to make quick decisions, dodge attacks/traps and have quick digging reflexes. The game be frustrating at points but remains fun, you’ll want to try and try again.
Presentation is definitely the game’s weakness. The levels all look and sound the same with only the background changing between chapters. The game also seems to be a bit of a mish mash aesthetically with sprites and polygonal objects mixed up and the main character being the only object with the paper cutout style. The 3D effect is comfortable but doesn’t add anything and only really comes into effect when you die. Dying isn’t a very pleasant experience either, there’s a weird pause right before you die and you have to wait for a menu to appear to restart. A quick death and reset option ala Trackmania or Trials would make the game much more addictive and enjoyable.
The game easily makes up for this with the amount of content it has. There are six chapters with nine stages each(the last chapter only being unlocked if you manage to ace the first five) which can easily take over five hours to complete. It doesn’t finish there though, the game can also download new stages through the use of QR codes which are primarily distributed through Enjoy Gaming’s facebook page (where they are also providing players with assistance). Not only does this provide the game with more longevity but it shows the dedication of the publisher to provide a fun experience.
The game isn’t perfect and it’s obvious that it has a fairly low budget but the developers concentrated on what’s important; solid gameplay and a satisfying amount of content. It’s a shame that the presentation doesn’t match up with the rest of the package but if you want a fun, albeit difficult, puzzle platformer on your 3DS this is a very good choice.
Score: 7/10
My copy of Kirby’s Adventure Wii arrived a bit earlier than expected so I haven’t had a chance to really delve into it. I did however play through the first level/world and one of the challenge stages. Hope you enjoy:
Developer: Nintendo EAD/Vitei| Publisher: Nintendo| Platform: 3DS| Genre: Simulation| RRP: £39.99
At the DS’ first E3 it was accompanied by an assortment of tech demos. One of the most popular demos there was a submarine simulator controlled with the touch screen. Gamers waited years to see it evolve into a full game but it never happened and it was to assume that it had simply been forgotten; that was until 2010 when it was revealed that it was coming exclusively for the 3DS. The only question was, of course, whether or not it was still appealing after nearly a decade of waiting.
The main appeal of the game is it’s innovative gameplay. To control the submarines you must move dials and switches on the touch screen; it’s very intuitive but adds a bit of difficulty because you really have to pay attention to both screens. Each submarine has a different control scheme and also a different sense of weight which means you have to anticipate future events and act fast. Gyro controls also appear in missions where you must destroy enemy cruisers and battleships, these work well but I feel the lack of optional slide pad controls damage the portability. The gameplay is relatively straight forward and whilst it can seem slow at some points you’ll still have your reflexes tested and overall it’s a lot of fun.
Presentation is a bit of a mixed bag in the game but there’s more good than bad. Whilst the game doesn’t particularly push the 3DS from a technical point of view the developers have created great atmosphere. Strong artistic direction even allows some environments to be downright beautiful and the small amount of environmental interaction adds a sense of verisimilitude. The periscope strike areas are the least impressive visually; whilst there’s good water physics the texturing leaves a lot to be desired and the enemy ships are a bit blocky. Sound is similarly hit and miss; the music is nice and atmospheric and the sound effects are quite good but you will tire of hearing “fire!” by the time you are done. 3D Presentation in Steel Diver is great. Whilst the main gameplay takes place on a 2D plane, it’s actually in a 3D environment(you just have no control over the z-axis). It looks really nice, especially when you move through a tunnel or an object moves through the z-axis.
Content is what lets Steel Diver down. There’s three modes; Missions, Periscope Strike and Steel Commander(AKA Battleship). There are depressingly only seven missions taking several minutes each and you’re expected to complete them as all three submarines. Periscope Strike is fun but is ultimately a minigame which provides a nice distraction but lacks longevity. Steel Commander is also a nicely presented game of battleship(which can be played with a friend through download play) but again does not provide enough longevity.
Overall the game is hard to recommend at full price. It looks nice enough and it’s fun to play but there’s just not enough content. It may have been better served as an eShop game or budget release and hopefully a more content filled sequel is on the way. Ultimately it’s a good game; there’s just not enough of it.
Score: 6/10
Developer: Nintendo EAD Tokyo| Publisher: Nintendo| Platform: 3DS| Genre: Platformer| RRP: £39.99
In the recent years there has been two series of Mario games; New Super Mario Bros and Super Mario Galaxy. Whilst the Galaxy series has continued in the 3D Space and achieved fantastic critical acclaim the NSMB series resurrected the classic 2D gameplay and become a phenomenon. Now on the 3DS Nintendo is attempted to take everything that’s good in the 2D series to the 3D realm, with a little help from the autostereoscopic screen.
Although 3D Land takes place in full 3D Worlds the controls are much closer to the 2D games(particularly Super Mario World). Instead of using Analog running the game instead uses a run button; this may seem strange at first but I think it works for the better, especially during the later levels, due to the small size of the slide pad. The game also excises a few of Mario’s more acrobatic maneuvers but does give him a new roll which is useful for breaking blocks and quickly navigating small areas. For the most part though the game only requires you to run and jump which is a big part of what makes the 2D games, and 3D Land, great.
The level design in 3D Land is flat out amazing. The vast majority of levels are linear but have a variety of different shortcuts and paths to take. Not only that but every second of every single level is designed to give the optimal 3D experience. The strongest point in the level design has to be the fact that it uses all 3D space and the use of vertical space in particular is brilliantly done.
The difficulty of the Mario series has taken some serious criticism in recent years due to feelings that they are too easy. It’s easy to think this at the beginning of the game, in fact I didn’t lose a life in the first two worlds at all. Towards the end of the first half of the game though you’ll be dying quite frequently and in the last world it’s easy to lose over twenty lives on one level. The game is only occasionally frustrating though and even when you do die it just makes you want to ace it. After you’ve finished the game there’s still fun to be had though because the game records your best speeds and challenges you to improve which is further enhanced by best speed exchanges through StreetPass.
3D Land’s Presentation, like every other aspect, is nailed. The game looks really nice. Whilst it mixes the style of NSMB and Galaxy with classic throwbacks it still manages to have its own style due to a unique use of camera angles and the 3D effect. 3D Land even includes two forms of 3D, one popping out and one stretching in, both look great and it comes down to personal preference(I went with the former). On a technical level the game looks great with crisp visuals, full shadows(which are put to great use in the hunt for coins) and some nice shader use. The very final level is downright mindblowing, you have to be careful not to be distracted – and that level is already really difficult! The music is similarly great, whilst it doesn’t have any orchestral pieces like the Galaxy games the new music has that trademark Mario bounciness and infectiousness. It also has some cool revamps of classic tunes, including Super Mario Bros 3′s Athletic Theme.
Super Mario 3D Land is without equal on the 3DS. EAD Tokyo has taking every aspect of Mario and perfected it and then masterfully weaved them together in a game that manages to be both nostalgic yet groundbreaking. It is without a doubt the best game on the 3DS and a very strong contender for best Mario game ever.
Score: 10/10