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Now that the New 3DS (opens in new tab) is at hand, it’s time to think about what we’re actually going to play on the thing. The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask 3D (opens in new tab) seems great, and Monster Hunter Ultimate 4 is definitely more Monster Hunter, but what else are you going to do with this hunk of faster-processing plastic after you’re done with Xenoblade Chronicles 3D? Fortunately for all of us, Nintendo doesn’t have to go back to the drawing board to find ideas that would be perfect for its handheld system.
Tons of existing properties from Nintendo and beyond could make great use of the improved 3D effects and bolstered control scheme – not to mention a good number that would’ve been absolutely fine on the old 3DS as well. Nintendo execs, if you’re reading, consider this our official wish list of awesome games to get working on post-haste for your shiny new console revision.
Metroid Prime Trilogy
Metroid Prime Trilogy has been a no-brainer port ever since 3DS hit the scene, but the upgraded specs and controls of New 3DS make it all the more obvious. Since Metroid Prime’s combat uses a lock-on system, you wouldn’t have to worry about being overly precise with the little C-Stick nub, and you’d have another set of shoulder buttons to work with so you’d rarely need to shift your grip. It could also offer a touchscreen-driven view option, for all those poor souls who are still hoping for Metroid Prime Hunters 2, as well as visor-swapping and map management.
Much like Xenoblade Chronicles, the Metroid Prime Trilogy would probably need to lose a little bit of texture resolution to function on 3DS, but rolling around in morph ball and dodging space pirates in buttery smooth 3D sounds like a fine trade-off. It would also be a great way for Retro Studios to get back into the groove of making Metroid games. Just saying.
Minecraft
Minecraft has released just about everywhere besides Nintendo 3DS at this point, which is a bit puzzling. Yeah, memory constraints would almost certainly make for less-expansive worlds than you see on its PC and console cousins, but that hasn’t kept people from going gaga over the Pocket Edition on iOS and Android devices. And besides, why stick with just a Vita version when the 3DS could give you such an awesome new way to interact with the world?
Seriously, just imagine how cool it would feel to navigate around a mysterious cavern in full 3D – suddenly you hear a familiar hiss, and there’s a creeper popping out of your screen. And as a step up from Vita, the top screen could be reserved for watching the game world, with inventory and crafting concerns neatly relegated to the touchscreen. Unfortunately, now that Microsoft owns Minecraft, it’s not likely to release on any more non-Microsoft platforms than it already has. But still, we can dream.
Pikmin
Pikmin is one of Nintendo’s most under-appreciated franchises, and you know if creator Shigeru Miyamoto wasn’t so keen on the idea of little plant people marching around gigantic gardens it wouldn’t have gotten this far. It’s just been a little too niche to become one of Nintendo’s flagship series, but porting the first game over to 3DS could introduce Pikmin to an entirely new generation of fans – fans who will then hopefully buy a Wii U and Pikmin 3.
The control scheme is just about sorted already – simply drop in the same touchscreen setup which was patched into Pikmin 3. And while the lush graphics wouldn’t look quite so crisp on 3DS, the 3D effect could give you players a much better sense of the game world’s mind-melting scale. It would also be a good chance for Nintendo to refine the strict time limits which made the original GameCube version too stressful for some – much the same way that sanding off a few rough edges in Majora’s Mask 3D makes for a less stressful but equally intense experience.
Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch
Did you know that Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch was first released as a DS game? The Level-5/Studio Ghibli collaboration shipped on the handheld system in December 2010 exclusively in Japan. You’re likely more familiar with the PS3 version, which released in Japan a little over a year later and throughout the rest of the world in early 2013, but issues with the game’s physical Wizard’s Companion book held the DS version back from international release.
Ni no Kuni didn’t make much of a splash when it released overseas, but it’s become abundantly clear that handhelds are now the last great refuge for JRPGs. So it makes almost too much sense to release an enhanced version of the original DS game on 3DS. Just imagine peering into that vibrant, Ghibli-blessed world on the 3D screen – you’d have to pick your jaw up before you could start playing. And yes, the resolution boost over DS should allow for a digital Wizard’s Companion to work just fine.
Jet Set Radio HD
Somehow Sega passed over Nintendo 3DS when it released its HD remake of Jet Set Radio, the cult classic Dreamcast roller skating game. No matter, though – all will be forgiven if it rectifies that mistake posthaste. Seriously, Jet Set Radio would be a perfect fit for 3DS – timed challenges are great for on-the-go play, and it could definitely handle the processing load. But why would you play it over the already great Vita version?
The most obvious reason is that it would just be super cool to blaze through Tokyo-to at high speed on a 3D display. Imagine getting a downhill grind on a nice long straightaway, watching the city soar from the horizon into your periphery as pedestrians scramble out of the way But beyond that, it would control great on a Circle Pad, and you could even use the touch-screen for a much more precise take on those notoriously tough graffiti challenges. Just say it out loud: ‘Jet Set Radio 3D’. Doesn’t it sound right?
Kid Icarus: Uprising
Whoa, whoa, wait a minute. Kid Icarus: Uprising is already a 3DS title! Isn’t it kind of obvious to say that a 3DS game could, in fact, make a great 3DS game? Fair point. But it would make an even better New 3DS game. And it’s largely because of one small, nubby, pencil-eraser-shaped addition: the C-Stick. Kid Icarus: Uprising was plenty well-received when it released in 2012, but it suffered from one nearly universal complaint: trying to control the high-speed shooting/brawling action with a Circle Pad and touchscreen was awkward at best, and carpal-tunnel inducing at worst.
Patching in a new control scheme that uses the C-Stick instead of the lower screen could change all that. Yes, Nintendo could’ve used the Circle Pad Pro all along instead of just making it an option for left-handed players. But now that tons of players natively have a second analog input to play with (and a 3D display they might actually leave turned on), it’s time to go back and make Uprising’s controls live up to the concept.
Wario Land: Shake It!
Almost by happenstance, Wario has grown from a one-off caricature of Nintendo’s mascot into the star of his own subseries of games.Wario Land is his oldest solo franchise, and the flatulent one’s most animated adventures is in Wario Land: Shake It. The colorful, dynamic world has a great look on the Wii, so it’s a shame many missed out on its odd sense of humor while favoring the more mainstream New Super Mario Bros. Wii.
But perhaps Shake It is underrated because the Wii game was in the wrong place at the wrong time. The Wario Land series had only been on portables up to that release, so the franchise might have been hurt by the transition, meaning it could reclaim its place as a handheld gem via some port work. The New 3DS should have no trouble making the intricate line art pop, meaning all the long hard hours of the animators won’t have been wasted on a small percentage of the Wii’s audience.
Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All-Star Battle
After some early ports of Street Fighter and Tekken, the 3DS’s fighting landscape has become a barren wasteland. However, the release of Super Smash Bros. for 3DS (opens in new tab) reminds fans that the handheld can still be home to addictively fun melees, particularly if it takes advantage of a fan-service heavy crossover. That sets the stage for an anime-heavy tussle that needs to hop over from the Wii, Tatsunoko vs. Capcom.
The crossover was originally planned as a Japan-only release–given that most of Tatsunoko’s characters are virtual unknowns in the west–but Capcom localized the game following vocal demands from fans. Tatsunoko vs. Capcom wasn’t a massive seller on Wii, but maybe it was just aimed at the wrong audience. That hardcore fighting fans on 3DS are energized post Smash, and the New 3DS should be able to handle the fast-paced action. This fighter deserves to be played by more than the small cross section of hardcore fighting fans that are also Wii owners.
A Boy and His Blob
WayForward is a developer that often toils away in obscurity, making 2D throwbacks that are neck deep in affection for the 8- and 16-bit era of gaming. The team has gained some notoriety working on Capcom’s DuckTales remake along with some other licensed games that are far better than they deserve to be, but those can’t hold a candle to WayForward’s sterling work on the Wii. Nintendo’s waggle-heavy console is home to the team’s remake of NES classic A Boy And His Blob, which deserves to be reborn once again on the 3DS.
In an age of polygons and purposefully retro pixels, A Boy And His Blob sidestepped both, instead going with hand-drawn visuals that support the overall warmth of the minimalist adventure. The platforming action demands logic and quick reflexes, tasking players with finding different combinations of the blob’s abilities to get them to the end of the stage. It’s an adorable game that would make a smart addition to the 3DS eShop, giving handheld players a chance to make a squishy new friend.
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March 6
Mass Effect 3
Platform: Xbox 360, PS3, PC
EU: March 9
What, you expected something else to lead this piece? Arguably the biggest release of the month, if not the quarter – and for many, no doubt, the year – Mass Effect 3 touches down on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC in just a few short days, finally bringing Commander Shepard’s action/role-playing trilogy to a close. After months spent bickering about additions like multiplayer and Kinect controls, not to mention the recent playable demo and discs-in-space PR stunt, we can’t wait for everyone to dive in and simply experience this long-awaited conclusion, which will quite hopefully have been worth the wait. Not fully up to speed on what to expect from this sci-fi blockbuster? Be sure to consult our various hands-on previews for in-depth impressions.
Street Fighter X Tekken
Platform: Xbox 360, PS3
EU: March 9
Perhaps the most surprising fighting crossover game to date drops next week, bringing together the casts of Street Fighter and Tekken in a tag-team entry based on the fighting style of the former. The Xbox 360 version features nearly 40 fighters, with half pulled from each series, while the PlayStation 3 release adds a few extras, like Cole from Infamous, Pac-Man, and Mega Man in his hilarious NES box art incarnation. A PC version is set to follow in May, while a Vita release is due this fall with all the PS3 extras plus 12 more fighters (six each from the two series). Whatever system you want it on, Street Fighter X Tekken looks to be an exciting blend of two very different genre leaders.
Unit 13
Platform: PlayStation Vita
EU: March 7
The Vita’s second wave of releases starts next week, headlined by Unit 13, the original shooter developed by SOCOM creator Zipper Interactive. While visually quite similar to its long-running counterpart, Unit 13 focuses on solo operatives, of which the game includes six differentiated by unique strengths (like stealth or explosives). Moreover, Unit 13 is defined in large part by its emphasis on quick-hit missions, with some that can be completed in as little as three minutes. It’s that handheld-friendly approach that Zipper hopes makes this a standout Vita shooter, plus a random daily challenge gives you something new to check out with each sunrise. Be sure to scope out our latest hands-on preview for more on this military-themed affair.
MLB 12: The Show
Platform: PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita
EU: N/A
The other big early Vita release this month spawns from the most consistent sports franchise on the market: Sony’s MLB: The Show. Replacing the flat-lining PSP side of the series, the Vita entry will hopefully bring much of the beloved PlayStation 3 baseball experience to the small screen – but it’s certainly not alone this year. On PS3, MLB 12: The Show looks to introduce some new additions and enhancements, such as full PlayStation Move integration and totally redone “TruBroadcast” presentation that looks to better emulate TV broadcasts. The Show hasn’t let us down on the console side in years; with luck, MLB 12 can kick-start a similar baseball dynasty on the Vita as well.
Major League Baseball 2K12
Platform: Xbox 360, PS3, PC, Wii, PSP, DS, PS2
EU: N/A
2K Sports’ own hardball series continues the trend of being the sim available for the widest array of platforms, even reaching as far back as PlayStation 2 and Nintendo DS this time around; though Vita and 3DS are curiously missing. Major League Baseball 2K12 looks to build upon the same core formula it’s been trying to perfect for years – with last year’s being a pretty good effort – while adding the new MLB Today Season mode, wherein you can play that day’s real-life game for your team of choice throughout the season. And in a cool twist for Xbox 360 owners, 2K will make available a bundle pack with MLB 2K12 and NBA 2K12 for $69.99 – $10 more than buying MLB 2K12 alone – to give baseball fans an affordable way to check out the fantastic b-ball sim on the side.
MotorStorm RC
Platform: PSN (PS3/Vita)
EU: Out
MotorStorm RC squeezes the first couple entries’ style of multi-vehicle off-road mayhem into a much smaller package in two ways: not only does it feature tiny remote-controlled cars tearing it up in the desert and jungle, but it’s a PlayStation Network download. And on top of that, it’s a single release that works near-identically on both PlayStation 3 and Vita for a surely tiny price point. We have to wait ’til next week to play on either platform, but our European counterparts got MotorStorm RC at the Vita launch and we’ve been hearing some very strong things about the racer. It looks like an updated take on the classic Micro Machines formula, overhead perspective and all.
Crush 3D
Platform: Nintendo 3DS
EU: Out
Fans of the original PSP version of Crush – released nearly five years ago – can anxiously tell you why Crush 3D should be on the horizon of any Nintendo 3DS puzzle fan, but actually finding many might be tough. Crush earned itself a loyal following with its cerebral, perspective-based take on puzzling platform scenarios, but was dead on arrival at retail. Luckily, the idea of “crushing” 3D stages to into 2D versions works beautifully with the 3DS’ visual effect, so Sega saw fit to spawn this remake, which outfits the original content with a brand new art style and additional features to round out the package. Hopefully, Sega finds the 3DS install base large enough this time around, after delaying the game from fall due to slow system sales.
The Sims 3: Showtime
Platform: PC
EU: March 9
The Sims 3 train keeps chugging along on PC after nearly three years, with the next big expansion pack – The Sims 3: Showtime – due out next week. With a focus on crafting big-time entertainers, Showtime lets you create a singer, magician, acrobat, or DJ and work your way to stardom via interactive performances. Additionally, the pack introduces a new SimPort feature, which lets you share one Sim with a friend and likewise host one in your Sims world. For super fans, EA is releasing a Katy Perry-themed Special Edition, which features the likeness and songs of the pop star, while the standard version is inexplicably called a Limited Edition. And if you’re starting fresh, there’s a pack with both The Sims 3 and Showtime in one.
Top Gun: Hard Lock
Platform: Xbox 360, PS3
EU: April 5
It’s been more than 25 years since Tom Cruise and Val Kilmer traversed the highway to the danger zone, as it were, but the popular ’80s film continues to spawn new combat flight titles – like the latest, Top Gun: Hard Lock. A single-player campaign mode promises 15 missions based on a fresh wave of Top Gun Academy graduates, along with three online multiplayer modes designed for 16 players. With numerous licensed aircraft onboard, Hard Lock should appease flight fans looking for something a little more modern on the console side; even if the name doesn’t deliver the same kind of fresh feeling it did back when.
Nicktoons MLB 3D
Platform: Nintendo 3DS
EU: N/A
Rather than release Major League Baseball 2K12 on the Nintendo 3DS, 2K Sports will instead drop an enhanced version of last fall’s cartoonish, arcade-style option, titled Nicktoons MLB 3D. The earlier console release essentially added the likes of Ren & Stimpy and SpongeBob SquarePants to The Bigs, and from what we’ve seen, the 3DS version looks to be a fairly faithful handheld translation. Nicktoons MLB 3D includes 27 cartoon players and 175 pros with updated rosters (and the new Miami Marlins uniforms), along with a new Frosty Freeze Toss augmented reality mode.
LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7
Platform: PlayStation Vita
EU: March 9
For PlayStation Vita owners, next week’s release of LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7 offers an opportunity to catch up on one of the better family-friendly titles of the holiday season. From what we can surmise, the Vita version of the game – which spans the content from the last three books/four movies of the popular franchise – looks to add new locations, challenges, spells, and more, along with both front and rear touch controls. You’ll be able to aim spells and lock onto foes with the back touch panel, while snagging items and assembling objects (and participating in duels) with the front screen.
March 7
I Am Alive
Platform: Xbox Live Arcade
EU: March 7
Ubisoft’s I Am Alive has been on the horizon for longer than most of the big retail releases hitting stores this month, but it’s finally set to launch on Xbox Live Arcade next week as the last title in the XBLA House Party (a PSN release will follow later). Set in a large city one year following the apocalyptic “Event,” you’ll play as a man forced to survive in a wasteland dominated by crumbling buildings and aggressive rival survivors, all while battling the toxic elements and managing resources. Third-person pairings of navigation and combat aren’t unfamiliar, but the unique setting of a trashed, scalable urban metropolis looks to give I Am Alive a fresh slant. Scope out our last hands-on preview for much more on what to expect come next week.
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