The Games I Beat in 2024: Q1

January

Game 1: Steel Assault

Developer: Zenovia Interactive
Played on: Steam Deck
Release: 2021

Playtime: 2 hours 30 minutes
Rating: 7.5
Thoughts: Steel Assault is a fun action romp. However, the difficulty needs better balancing. Easy is a breeze, while normal is too unforgiving.

Source: Reno Gazette Journal

Game 2: Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Deluxe

Developer: HAL Laboratory and Vanpool
Played on: Switch
Release: 2023

Playtime: 9 hours 30 minutes
Rating: 8
Thoughts: A solid remake with an incredible piece of post-game content in the Magilor Epilogue.

Source: GameSpot

February

Game 3: Elden Ring

Developer: FromSoftware
Played on: PS5
Release: 2022

Playtime: 82 hours 37 minutes
Rating: 9
Thoughts: Elden Ring expertly adapts FromSoftware's action RPG mechanics to an open-world format. However, the difficulty can become overwhelming in places. 

Source: Game Informer

Game 4: Sonic Superstars

Developer: Sonic Team and Arzest
Played on: PS5
Release: 2023

Playtime: 6 hours
Rating: 6
Thoughts: Although Sonic Superstars emulates past games, it doesn't understand what makes them great. What's left is a fine game that disappoints more than it delights.

Source: MobileSyrup

Game 5: Trace Memory

Developer: Cing
Played on: 3DS
Release: 2005

Playtime: 5 hours 39 minutes
Rating: 6
Thoughts: As an early DS adventure game, Trace Memory is very ambitious in how it takes full advantage of all the system's features. However, that doesn't excuse the obtuse and sometimes frustrating puzzle design.

Source: One Controller Port

Game 6: Mario vs. Donkey Kong

Developer: Nintendo Software Technology
Played on: 3DS
Release: 2004

Playtime: 4 hours 21 minutes
Rating: 7
Thoughts: Mario vs. Donkey is a solid puzzle platformer held back by the GBA's limitations and the game's insistence on perfectly executed solutions.

Source: Nintendo

Game 7: Another Code: Recollection

Developer: Arc System Works
Played on: Switch
Release: 2024

Playtime: 15 hours 46 minutes
Rating: 7.5
Thoughts: Despite some stiff animation, slow pacing, and cumbersome use of motion controls, Another Code: Recollection does a good job updating Cing's DS- and Wii-era adventures for a modern audience.

Source: Nintendo

Game 8: Yakuza Kiwami 2

Developer: Ryu ga Gotoku Studio
Played on: PS5
Release: 2018

Playtime: 22 hours 51 minutes
Rating: 9
Thoughts: Although the combat pivots away from the multiple fighting styles of previous remakes, Yakuza Kiwami 2's phenomenal story more than makes up for it.

Source: Rage Works

DLC 1: Splatoon 3 — Side Order

Developer: Nintendo
Played on: Switch
Release: 2024

Rating: 9
Thoughts: Despite some repetition in stage design, Side Order expertly configures Splatoon's gameplay into the framework of a roguelite.

Source: Inkipedia

March

Game 9: Super Princess Peach

Developer: Tose
Played on: 3DS
Release: 2006

Playtime: 7 hours 51 minutes
Rating: 8
Thoughts: Despite the problematic undertones of the vibe powers and the far too frequent use of tutorials, Super Princess Peach is a fun romp, no matter your age.

Source: Nintendo

DLC 2: Fire Emblem Engage — Divine Paralogues + Fell Xenologue

Developer: Intelligent Systems
Played on: Switch
Release: 2023

Playtime: 15 hours 50 minutes
Rating: 7
Thoughts: A solid expansion that adds a fun selection of new Emblems and an alt-world side story. 

Source: Serenes Forest

Game 10: Shank

Developer: Klei Entertainment
Played on: Steam Deck
Release: 2010

Playtime: 2 hours 48 minutes
Rating: 7
Thoughts: Shank is a solid brawler that nails its grindhouse aesthetic. However, forced platforming and poor boss design hurt the overall package.

Source: Klei Entertainment

Game 11: Octopath Traveler

Developer: Square Enix and Acquire
Played on: Switch
Release: 2018

Playtime: 77 hours 20 minutes
Rating: 8.5
Thoughts: In terms of gameplay and presentation, Octopath Traveler is top-of-class. But, due to its premise, the story and pacing are highly uneven.

Source: Square Enix

Game 12: Open Roads

Developer: Open Roads Team
Played on: Series X via Game Pass
Release: 2024

Playtime: 2 hours 43 minutes
Rating: 6.5
Thoughts: Open Roads is a solid adventure game with a heartfelt story. However, its brevity is a double-edged sword.

Source: Game Informer

Game 13: Princess Peach: Showtime!

Developer: Good-Feel
Played on: Switch
Release: 2024

Playtime: 7 hours 10 minutes
Rating: 8
Thoughts: What Princess Peach: Showtime! lacks in depth and difficulty, it makes up with variety, stunning presentation, and uncompromising fun. 

Source: Nintendo

Bit by Bit: July 2015

I did promise back in March to be better at announcing hiatuses for Silver Bit, but I honestly didn't plan this at all.  After the craziness that was E3 2015, I didn't have much drive to write Best Games of E3 article because of the lack of playable demos on the show floor this year.  On top of E3 fatigue, I tried to write an article on collector's editions, but it didn't pan out.

Although a lot of July didn't work out as planned, I am hoping to update Silver Bit on a regular basis in August.  Fingers crossed.

Game of the Month
Two games took up most of my time this past month. The first is Radiant Historia, a turned-based RPG that has you bouncing between two parallel timelines in order to save the world from desertification.  I bought the game two years ago and spent a few hours with it before putting it down until recently.  I always enjoyed the gameplay and premise of Radiant Historia, but it's story and timeline-weaving quests are what will keep you gripping your DS or 3DS for hours on end.  In all seriousness, I play Radiant Historia a good hour or two at a time.  Sadly, I hit a grind wall around chapter four that has caused me to put the game down for the time being.

The second game and July's Game of the Month is Tearaway for the PlayStation Vita.  While I planned on waiting until Tearaway Unfolded for PS4 to dive into Media Molecule's critical darling, my curiosity got the best of me especially considering I found the game for 10 dollars new.  As cool as it would be to experience the beautiful paper craft visuals on a big HDTV, I am so happy that I experienced Tearaway on its system of origin.

Out of all the games on the Vita, Tearaway is the system's killer app.  Unlike other titles, such as Uncharted: Golden Abyss or Killzone: Mercenary, where the use of motion and touch controls feels tacked on, Tearaway uses every feature built into the Vita in an intuitive way.  Seeing your fingers pop out of the back touch screen to dispatch enemies or watching your face play a role as the ever-present sun are just magical.  My descriptions don't do Tearaway justice; it is a game that you have to experience for yourself in order to understand how special it is.

Video of the Month
On July 12th, 2015, the video game industry lost a visionary in Satoru Iwata.  Since the tragic news broke, many lovely tributes for Iwata-san have been made.  All these tributes are amazing, but I can't showcase them all here.  I choose to highlight Screwattack's tribute video because it does a wonderful job at blending Iwata's greatest quotes and the video clips that highlight his quirky personality.

Thank you, Satoru Iwata.  You will be deeply missed.

Rest in Peace, Satoru Iwata

Death in the video game industry is a subject only thought of in relation to the violent content of the medium and its possible influence on us as human beings.  Nobody thinks about it in relation to the men and women that give their lives to this industry through game development, corporate management or game journalism.  Being fans and followers of video games as a whole, we sometimes bestow these people with imaginary invincibility when in reality, they are merely mortal.  They live and, unfortunately, they die.

Late July 12th, news broke that Satoru Iwata, now former President of Nintendo, passed away July 11th at the age of 55 due to a bile duct growth.

When I opened up Facebook to find the news plastered in the centre of my News Feed, I couldn't believe it.  I went into denial as I scoured the Internet for more evidence than a couple Facebook posts.  Once I confirmed Mr. Iwata's death, the shock sunk in.  Nintendo and other news sources have reported on Iwata's multiple bouts with illness over the past two years, which caused him to miss the last two E3s.  None of the reports mentioned that it was this severe; making the news even more tragic.

Among all the grief and sadness, I feel the best way to honour Mr. Iwata's memory is to share what made him such a great leader and lovable personality not only at Nintendo, but in the industry as a whole.

While not as prolific as legendary Nintendo designers like Shigeru Miyamoto, Eiji Aonuma or Masahiro Sakurai, Satoru Iwata was responsible for the creation of Kirby and fostering classics, such as Earthbound and Super Smash Bros., during his tenure as a programmer and later President of HAL Laboratory.  Upon Hiroshi Yamauchi's retirement in 2002, Iwata was named the fourth President of Nintendo.  As president, he would go onto lead the company through the launches of the Gamecube, DS, Wii, 3DS and Wii U. 

In his early years as president, it was hard to get a read on Iwata's personality since gamers would only hear from him in the occasional interview or appearance at E3 or Tokyo Game Show.  As the years went on and technology evolved, Iwata stepped out as one of the corporate faces of Nintendo along with Reggie Fils-Aime and Shigeru Miyamoto.  The Iwata Asks and the Nintendo Direct gave Nintendo fans into a closer look at the president's quirky personality.  From intensely staring down a banana to his "Directly to you" slogan and hand gesture, Iwata was never afraid to put himself in wacky and possibly embarrassing situations in order to entertain.  His signature quirkiness is the main reason fans love him so much. 

On the corporate side, Iwata was a fighter and an incredible leader.  He managed Nintendo through some of its most difficult times as a company.  Facing immense pressure from stockholders, the media and the consumer, Iwata always stood his ground and kept Nintendo's future in mind before making drastic decisions.  Despite low sales for Nintendo during the Gamecube and horrible launch sales for the 3DS and Wii U, Iwata avoided making shortsighted immediate gains and developed long-term plans to ensure success for the future.  Under Iwata's direction, the DS and Wii both saw unbelievable success and the 3DS has consistently outperformed the other systems on the market over the past couple years.

Although death is horrible experience to all those involved, Satoru Iwata's love for the industry and quirky nature will live on through those he led at Nintendo, the many people fortunate enough to meet him in person over the years and the millions that eagerly watched every Nintendo Direct to see what crazy thing he would do next.  All I have to say to Mr. Iwata is thank you.  Thank you for making the company that I have loved since a child the best it could be for these past 12 years.  You will be deeply missed.

Bit by Bit: February 2015

February usually marks the beginning of the first quarter game rush.  Despite not being as jam-packed with titles as past years, this February has been a good month for games.  Nintendo launched the New Nintendo 3DS XL in North America with two highly anticipated portable games, The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D and Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate, and some big AAA titles like Evolve and The Order: 1886 dropped.  It's easy to say February was quite an eventful month.  As midterms and major projects will soon be a constant part of life, best to utilize the little free time I have to deliver another exciting edition of Bit by Bit.

Game of the Month
As much as I love the core Pokemon RPGs, I can honestly say Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire didn't excite me that much before their release.  Nintendo and GameFreak have been releasing Pokemon RPGs every year since Pokemon Platinum released for DS in 2009 and I was starting to get sick of the yearly releases.  Although I planned on buying one of the remakes no matter what (sorry, I'm a sucker for Pokemon), I seriously thought Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire were going to be as disappointing as Black and White 2.  Much like past entries, differences between the two versions are relegated to minor story alterations and Pokemon exclusive to one version over the other.  While I only played Omega Ruby, my opinions on the game can be applied to Alpha Sapphire as well.

It may have taken a few hours of play, but oh was I ever so wrong about these games.  Applying the 3D graphics of Pokemon X and Y to the third gen Pokemon games may be the most noticeable addition to these remakes, but it isn't the biggest.  First, story has become a bigger part of recent Pokemon games and Omega Ruby makes huge advances in this area.  The story is far more engaging than any Pokemon game before it especially the Delta Episode.  Unlocked after beating the Elite Four, the Delta Episode links capturing Rayquaza into a Hoenn-wide adventure that has major implications on the series as a whole.  Instead of skipping through story moments, I felt compelled to read through all the lines of dialogue for once.  The other big additions change the means of exploring the world and capturing Pokemon.  The DexNav app of the PokeNav makes finding and capturing Pokemon in each route a lot more approachable as it tells what Pokemon are in the immediate vicinity and helps in finding rarer Pokemon.  Also the Soar ability adds a new dimension to exploring as you get to see Hoenn from the skies.  Soaring makes the act of flying far more engaging than the fast-travel of regular flying and allows trainers to go off the beaten path to find Mirage Spots, special locations that offer the chance to catch rare and legendary Pokemon.  After experiencing the wonders of soaring, I hope that it replaces Fly as the prime form for aerial travel in future Pokemon games.

Despite my early skepticism, Pokemon Omega Ruby turned out to be a great game that I gladly sunk my precious time into.  Although I thoroughly enjoyed the game, enough to pick it for Game of the Month over The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D and Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate, I still feel I am at my wits end with these yearly releases.  I love Pokemon, but Nintendo and GameFreak please give us a year off!

Most Anticipated Game of the Month
It seems Intelligent Systems is dominating my Most Anticipated Game of the Month section this year.  Last month, I gushed over the announcement of a new Fire Emblem for the 3DS.  This month, I am eagerly anticipating Intelligent Systems' new intellectual property, Code Name: S.T.E.A.M.  First announced at last year's E3, Code Name: S.T.E.A.M. along with Splatoon represent the first new properties for the Big N since the early years of the Wii.  Code Name: S.T.E.A.M.'s interesting look and the pedigree of Intelligent Systems sold me on the game initially then the demo came out and everything changed for the better.

Code Name: S.T.E.A.M. is one of those games that you can't capture the quality in screenshots or trailers—you need to get your hands on it.  The demo takes players through the first few missions of the game, which slowly teach you the core mechanics of the game.  Code Name: S.T.E.A.M. takes aspects from both Valkyria Chronicles and the newest X-Com and blend them into an extremely engaging turn-based strategy game with turns that play like a third-person shooter.

After getting hands-on with Code Name: S.T.E.A.M., I have a feeling this will be one of those great titles that gets lost in the shuffle because its a new IP and doesn't have much marketing from Nintendo.  I highly recommend 3DS owners download the demo and give Code Name: S.T.E.A.M. a chance.  It is well worth it

Video of the Month
There are times when a trailer comes around that just sells you on a game.  It may only be a few minutes long, but everything contained in that video just leaves you in awe and wonder.  That happened this past month with the newest trailer for Persona 5.

In all honesty, I am still fairly new to the Shin Megami Tensei franchise as I have only played the fourth entry in the main series.  Despite my current unfamiliarity with the franchise, the trailer caught my full attention with its stylish UI, jazz soundtrack and unique gameplay mechanics.  Seriously, traversing through the world like an action-platformer or sneaking up on enemies using cover in a JRPG is freaking awesome!

Thanks to this trailer I want to dive headfirst into the world of Persona.  Be it Persona 3, 4, Q or Arena, I am really excited to get into this series when I have the time.  Also I will definitely be there day one to buy the newest entry when it releases later this year.

Year in Review 2014: The Games

2014 was a strange year for video games.  Originally predicted to be an overwhelmingly successful year for the industry coming off of the excellent launch of the next generation, 2014 slowly morphed into a year of disappointment, polarization and the unexpected.  Many of the games people were clamouring for got pushed to 2015 and beyond, huge AAA titles like Assassin's Creed Unity, The Elder Scrolls Online and Watch Dogs fell far short of their tremendous hype and to top it all off, the best games of the year came from the most unexpected places.

Some of the best experiences of 2014 came from independent developers, free-to-play games and Nintendo's Wii U.  In fact, three quarters of the games I played during 2014 were on either Wii U or 3DS and it definitely shows in this list.  While I personally like to play a diversity of games throughout the year, nothing really sunk its claws into me like the offerings on Nintendo's systems during the last calendar year.  Before we dive into the games I consider the best of 2014, there are some great games that just missed the cut: Azure Striker Gunvolt, Bravely Default, Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker, Guacamelee! Super Turbo Championship Edition and Infamous: Second Son.

While the games on this list are the best games I played in 2014, there is still on more article in this Year in Review—the Game of the Year.  Stay tuned for that article in the coming week and enjoy my favourite games of 2014.

Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze
The initial response to the reveal of Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze was not favourable.  During a dire time for Nintendo and the Wii U, fans were hoping for Retro Studios to reveal an epic new title like a new Metroid or whole new IP to turn around the bad situation.  Despite their pedigree, nobody wanted Retro to make another Donkey Kong and resentment towards Tropical Freeze ensued.  Nintendo and Retro would make the haters eat their words upon the game's release this past February.

Much like Donkey Kong Country Returns, Tropical Freeze brings back pixel perfect 2.5D platforming to the fore front.  It is one of the most difficult games available on the Wii U as each level will test the limits of one's reflexes.  In being difficult, Tropical Freeze isn't cheap or punishing.  With each death, you learn about the intricacies of the gameplay and controls which will help in overcoming the obstacles ahead.  In addition to the platforming and difficult, Tropical Freeze adds more Kongs outside of Diddy to accompany DK on his adventure.  Each Kong, Diddy, Dixie and Cranky, has their own moves and special abilities to help DK avoid death, collect items and reach secret areas.  The option of which Kong to use adds for more experimentation and replayability to Tropical Freeze over its predecessors.

After the slew of great releases for the Wii U in 2014, do not lose Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze in the shuffle.  It may have come out very early in 2014, but Tropical Freeze is worth it no matter what.

Mario Golf: World Tour
After such a strong 2013, the 3DS had nowhere to go but plateau in 2014.  There were a good number of great titles released for the system during the past year, but nothing could compete with the frequency of the releases in 2013.  Despite a lighter year for the 3DS, Nintendo and Camelot produced one of the finest titles in the system's history and the Mario sports game period.

Mario Golf: World Tour perfectly blends the superbly tuned gameplay and mechanics from console Mario Golfs with the popular RPG systems of the portable entries in the series.  Speaking of the gameplay, World Tour has made the controls more approachable than in past installments.  I was adding top spin and back spin to shots with ease, something I found unnecessarily difficult in previous games.  In blending styles, World Tour brings the single and multiplayer modes closer than ever before.  Everything you do in the single player Castle Club mode prepares your Mii avatar for competition in local and online multiplayer.  In particular, the online multiplayer is where World Tour truly shines the brightest as the connection is incredibly smooth and allows players to post scores at their own pace.

Everything in Mario Golf: World Tour comes together to create a cartridge that will stay in your 3DS for months on end.

Mario Kart 8
As great of a game Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze was, it didn't turn around the Wii U's struggling sales.  That honour goes to Mario's return to kart racing.  Mario Kart 8's huge sales were not the result of name alone as the newest Mario Kart is easily the best entry since Mario Kart DS less than a decade ago.

Mario Kart 8 quite literally flipped Nintendo's kart racing franchise on its head with the addition of anti-gravity sections pulled from F-Zero.  The use of anti-gravity injects new life into Mario Kart's track design as they twist and turn in intricate ways, contain a plethora of shortcuts and offer plenty of opportunities to gain race-changing speed boosts.  Another addition to the Mario Kart formula comes in the form of new items, which improve the game's balance especially the Super Horn.  Using the Super Horn to stop a Blue Shell at the last minute is one of the most exhilarating experiences in video games this past year.  As great of a game Mario Kart 8 is, the lacking Battle Mode and inclusion of too many clone characters hold it back from being the best Mario Kart ever.

Despite Mario Kart 8's shortcomings, Mario Kart 8 is a ball to play.  Along with being loads of fun. the game is the first step in Mario Kart's next major evolution.

Bayonetta 2
Insanity is the best word to use in describing Bayonetta 2.  Everything from the story to the characters to the combat will have you laughing hysterically due to the game's over-the-top nature.

With Bayonetta 2, Platinum Games improves on every facet of the original title.  The controls are streamlined, combat feels smoother, combos are easier to pull off, levels are better paced, action sequences are more varied and quick-time events are better utilized.  On top of all the improvements, Platinum has included a plethora of Nintendo costumes which actually change aspects of the game—even adding an Arwing from Star Fox to one of the vehicle sections—and an online multiplayer mode to tackle waves of enemies with others.

All in all, Bayonetta 2 is one of the finest action games on the market today and a major reason to own a Wii U.

Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and 3DS
You can't include one of the new Smash Bros. games without the other. While the 3DS and Wii U versions of the game share certain modes, features and the character roster, both offer different experiences.

The 3DS version is naturally focused on shorter, fast-paced sessions of play.  In turn, all the modes in the game are balanced for the shorter sessions as rounds of Classic, All Star and the new Smash Run modes can each be completed within 10 minutes.  Speaking of Smash Run, this 3DS exclusive mode is just incredible.  Smash Run mixes the best parts of the Subspace Emissary and Adventure modes from past Smash game with the core of this series—the fighting.  You have five minutes to collect as many power-ups, trophies and other secrets strewn across a ginormous map populated with grunts from different Nintendo franchises.  When the five minutes are up, you and your three opponents compete in a Smash Battle or Race to the Finish with enhanced stats.

On the other side of the spectrum, the Wii U version is made for longer play sessions as it is packed to the brim with content.  In addition to including all the modes in the 3DS version except Smash Run, Super Smash Bros. for Wii U has 8-Player Smash, Event Mode, Master and Crazy Orders, Stage Builder, Amiibo support, Gamecube controller support and Masterpieces.  While Smash for 3DS is the appetizer, Smash for Wii U is the full course.

I can go on for hours about all the finer details of these two titles, but we don't have the time or space.  Both Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and 3DS are among the top tier for their respective systems.  Due to both games offering different experiences, I encourage everybody to pick them both up.  If you can only choose one, you're getting a stellar game either way.

First Byte: New Nintendo 3DS

Just over a year ago, Nintendo surprised everyone with the reveal of the 2DS, a value-priced model of the 3DS without the system's signature glasses-less 3D feature.  While the opinions on the 2DS were polarizing upon its initial announcement, the system has by no means been the flop like many suggested.  In fact, the 2DS has sold well over two million units since its launch back in October of last year.  Seeing the success of the 2DS must of inspired the decision makers at Nintendo announce yet another model of the 3DS before the end of August because the Big N is at it again.

In the wee hours of the morning last Friday, Nintendo announced the New Nintendo 3DS during a Japan-only Nintendo Direct.  The New Nintendo 3DS is very similar in design to past models, but there a significant amount of additions to the hardware that justify the title of "New".  The most noticeable features of the New 3DS are the additions of a small analog nub referred to as the C-Stick, the ZL and ZR shoulder buttons, coloured face buttons and a volume slider located on the top screen.  The other features of the New 3DS include built-in NFC functionality in the touch screen for use with Amiibo, facial tracking via the inner camera to improve the line of sight for the glasses-less 3D effect, the use of Micro SD cards instead of SD cards for storage and more processing power to improve download speeds and graphics capability.  With the additional processing power, Nintendo has confirmed there will be exclusive games, such as an enhanced port of Xenoblade Chronicles, coming to the New 3DS.  Sadly, these games will not be compatible with previous versions of the system.  The New 3DS is currently set to release in both standard and XL versions on October 10th in Japan with no official announcement on worldwide release at this time.

The announcement of a brand new system, be it console or handheld, is suppose to bring excitement and joy for the next advancements in video game software and technology.  When I saw the announcement for the New 3DS, I was stunned and not in a good way.  In all honesty, I love Nintendo and the 3DS XL is one of the best designed handheld systems on the market today, but I do not understand Nintendo's incessant need to annualize the release of 3DS hardware especially when it alienates owners of previous versions.  Video game handhelds are in a completely different beast than smartphones and tablets because people look for a dedicated system to take the quality gaming experiences on the go rather than a multipurpose machine where gaming is not much of a focus.  Due to these opposing mindsets, there is no need to adapt the practice of updating hardware (no matter how minor) annually that is so prevalent in the smartphone and tablet market into Nintendo's handheld strategy.

Although I do fear Nintendo is looking at smartphones and tablets as influence more than they should, my main problem with the New 3DS stems from the exclusive games for the device.  In no way has Nintendo officially confirmed if the New 3DS is their next generation handheld, which leaves the system feeling like it is caught between the current handheld generation and whatever Nintendo creates next.  Considering the New 3DS sits amidst two handheld generations, it begs the question: why should someone buy a New 3DS when the next generation of handhelds is maybe two to three years away?  The exclusive games seems like Nintendo's way to elicit people to ignore that question, yet the install-base of the New 3DS will never reach a point where it is more viable sales-wise to release large portable franchises like Pokemon exclusively on it.  With that thought in mind, I do not see the New 3DS's exclusive games being more than Nintendo-published ports like Xenoblade Chronicles and The Last Story, and experimental titles such as WarioWare.  In my opinion, the whole exclusive games conundrum will cause more division between the 3DS consumer base than unity because there will be two groups of gamers with systems that are compatible in some ways and incompatible in others.  Much like Nintendo's missteps with DSiWare during the DS era, it is a short-sighted move by Nintendo to coerce people into buying a New 3DS with exclusive games.

While the New Nintendo 3DS adds some highly requested features like a second analog stick and improved stereoscopic 3D, it is not needed at this point in time.  The 3DS is the most successful console on the market today.  There is no need to change up the formula or make significant changes to this system to ensure success other than continuing to release compelling software for the 3DS on a regular basis.  Gamers would rather see a remake for Majora's Mask or a new 2D Metroid over a brand new 3DS with the processing power of the Wii.  I may sound like a broken record, but Nintendo needs to focus on improving the sales of the Wii U over anything else.  The poor sales of the Wii U is the main cause of Nintendo's current financial woes, so it is better to right that ship than meddle with the one that is raking in all the money.  The final verdict on the New 3DS will have to wait until it reaches North American shores sometime in 2015.  Right now, I am no where near convinced that the New 3DS is worth my hard-earned cash especially after buying a 3DS XL earlier in this year.

Top 5 Game Boy Advance Games

Handhelds have always been a generation or two behind the technology found in video game consoles.  This significant technological disadvantage has never hurt the popularity of handheld gaming.  In fact, it is a non-factor to most except those most obsessed with graphics and hardware specs.  The ability to play quality games in the palm of your hand has captured the hearts and minds of gamers around the globe.  From black-and-white pick-up and play arcade-like experiences of the Game Boy to fully featured time-consuming 3D worlds of the 3DS and Vita, the landscape of handheld gaming has drastically changed in the past two decades.  Nintendo's Game Boy family of handheld systems, which just celebrated its 25th anniversary, has played a major role instituting this change.  In particular, the final entry in Nintendo's legendary line of Game Boy systems pushed the bar the furthest before the Nintendo DS brand took over.

The Game Boy Advance put the power of the Super Nintendo, arguably one of the greatest video game consoles ever created, in the palm of your hands.  Although small in size, Game Boy Advance cartridges housed some of the best experiences from that beloved era of gaming such as A Link to the Past, Super Mario World, Donkey Kong Country and Final Fantasy VI along with brand new classics like Advance Wars, Golden Sun and Drill Dozer.  The Game Boy Advance was the one video game system that introduced this writer to likes of Castlevania, Metroid and Fire Emblem, easily some of my favourite video game franchises.  In honour of the Game Boy's silver anniversary and the launch of the Game Boy Advance Virtual Console on Wii U, I would like to share my Top 5 Game Boy Advance games.  For this Top 5, I will be excluding any Super Nintendo port because they can overshadow the original titles released for the Game Boy Advance which deserve the recognition.  Enjoy the Top 5 and hopefully Nintendo will bring some of these titles to the Virtual Console for all to enjoy.

5. Mega Man Zero
Over the years, Capcom has developed various different iterations of the Blue Bomber from a robot-hunting mercenary to a living computer AI.  Each iteration focuses on a different aspect of game design such as the infusion of an overarching story in the X series to the RPG elements of the Battle Network series. The best iteration of Mega Man in this writer's opinion is Mega Man Zero for the Game Boy Advance.  Introduced as a character in the X series, Zero finally got the top billing that he was originally meant to receive in Mega Man X with Mega Man Zero.  100 years after the events of Mega Man X, Zero is awakened to help the Reploid resistance in their fight against his former friend X and the Neo Arcadian army.  While the story of Mega Man Zero spans four games, it is the first game that set the gold standard for the series with excellent action-platforming, fast-paced combat, challenging yet rewarding difficulty and heart-pumping music.  For those who missed out on Mega Man Zero on Game Boy Advance, the Mega Man Zero Collection for the Nintendo DS is a perfect way to experience this series in its entirety.

4. Mario & Luigi:  Superstar Saga
No one ever though Mario and RPG mechanics would ever be a good combination.  In actuality, Nintendo's iconic plumber is more than well-suited for the RPG genre as proven by both Super Mario RPG and Paper Mario.  Inspired by Mario's previous ventures into RPGs, Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga took Mario RPGs in a different direction by limiting your party to just two characters-- Mario and Luigi.  The battles were ultimately turn-based, but involve much more input than your regular RPG.  Mario and Luigi always need to be on their toes at all times as they can cause more damage or even outright avoid attacks with a perfectly timed button press.  Exploring the overworld in Superstar Saga was not limited by gravity as Mario and Luigi could platform their way through areas to further the story and find hidden items.  The Mario Bros. repertoire of special moves and items like hammers and propeller jump allowed them to solve puzzles interspersed throughout the game.  Along with the gameplay, the love for Superstar Saga comes from its signature humour which ranges from Luigi dressing up as Princess Peach to allude the main villains to all the hilarious results of missing button presses to initiate Bros. Attacks.  While the series has only got better with each entry, Superstar Saga still stands as one of the best RPGs on the Game Boy Advance.

3. Castlevania:  Aria of Sorrow
Before the Game Boy Advance, portable Castlevania games were among the worst entries in the series.  With the power of the Game Boy Advance and later the Nintendo DS, Konami reversed the stigma firmly placed on portable Castlevanias for the better.  Their quality easily outclassed every console Castlevania following Symphony of the Night.  In fact, each portable entry has added their own additions to the Metroidvania formula introduced in Symphony of the Night such as Circle of the Moon's Dual Set-up System or the two interchangeable versions of Dracula's Castle in Harmony of Dissonance.  Among the three Castlevania games on the Game Boy Advance, Aria of Sorrow is the best.  Set in 2035, you play as Soma Cruz, the reincarnation of Dracula, as he stumbles upon Dracula's Castle hidden within a solar eclipse.  Trapped in Dracula's Castle, Soma must use his abilities as Dracula's vessel to escape before transforming into the iconic vampire.  Aria of Sorrow refines the same action-platforming and RPG mechanics used in the other Castlevania games for the Game Boy Advance to perfection.  What differentiates Aria of Sorrow from other entires in the series is the Tactical Soul system.  Instead of interchanging a select number of sub-weapons, Soma is able to absorb the souls of fallen enemies to acquire new attacks, summonable familiars, stat boosts and abilities which open up new areas to explore.  Equipping different combinations of souls allows you to create your own unique Soma with the attacks and abilities you want to use.  With the poor direction Castlevania has taken in recent years, Aria of Sorrow is a shining example of how great this franchise can be.

2. Fire Emblem
Fire Emblem is a series with a long and storied history.  Sadly that long and storied history was exclusive to Japan until 2003.  The first Fire Emblem to reach North American shores is one of the best tactical strategy games on any game system.  Following the adventures of Eliwood, Hector and Lynn, three lords from the continent of Elibe, Fire Emblem tasks players with taking an army of allies to stop the evil forces of the Black Fang and their pursuit to unleash the powers of the Dragon Gate on the world.  Fire Emblem's greatest strength came from the gameplay which has one managing the strengths and weaknesses of weapons and magic, the durability of items, character stats and the range of allies and enemies to overcome insurmountable odds.  At the game's best, it feels like playing a game of chess with medieval knights and wizards as your chess pieces.  Along with introducing North American audiences to the core mechanics of the series, Fire Emblem introduced players to its most signature feature-- the permanent death of ally units.  This feature caused plenty of chapter restarts from yours truly, but it made you feel connected to your units in a way no other tactical strategy game has done before.  No longer were these units expendable pawns; they were living, breathing characters that you cared for and grew attached to over the course of the game.  Their loss packed much more weight than losing a unit in a game like Advance Wars or Starcraft.  This emotional weight along with excellent game mechanics made Fire Emblem a defining experience for the strategy genre in general.

1. Metroid:  Zero Mission
Out of all the experiences available on the Game Boy Advance, one stands taller than the rest.  This experience comes from gaming's favourite bounty hunter, Samus Aran.  Actually, it is the remake of her first adventure to Planet Zebes in the original Metroid.  Metroid may be an iconic achievement in video game design and development, but certain aspects of the game, namely the graphics and the unguided structure of the game, have not stood the test of time.  Zero Mission took the original Metroid and upgraded the gameplay, graphics, level design, music and story to the masterful quality of Super Metroid.  Zero Mission made Metroid better in every conceivable way and that was not the only thing it did.  Zero Mission expanded on the original story of Metroid.  No longer was defeating Mother Brain the final thing Samus did on Planet Zebes.  In trying to leave Zebes, Samus is shot down by Space Pirates and stripped down to her Zero Suit.  With no power to fight regular enemies, the game changes from your standard 2D action-platformer to a compelling 2D stealth game as Samus tracks down a brand new Power Suit in order to finally escape the clutches of Zebes.  This incredible twist gave the final act of Metroid a greater sense of danger and vulnerability than fighting off countless waves of metroids.  Hands down, Metroid: Zero Mission is the definitive version of a classic which preserves it against the negative effects of Father Time.

The Dual Destinies Debate

Monday saw Capcom confirm the newest entry in the Ace Attorney series, Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney- Dual Destinies for a North American and European release this coming Fall on the 3DS.  An announcement that would be the cause of celebration for any handheld gaming aficionado like yours truly has just as easily angered fans.  How has Capcom managed to anger their fans this time?  Well by announcing that Dual Destinies will only be available on the Nintendo eShop as a digital download.  Considering that media in general is turning to purely digital forms of distribution, the up rage over Dual Destinies being digital only might seem like a non-issue for some gamers.  For gamers that prefer hard copies of their games over buying games digitally not having a hard copy of Dual Destinies is upsetting especially considering that Capcom will be releasing Dual Destinies for both retail and digital in Japan.  It is understandable to see that Capcom is trying to cover their loses as the Ace Attorney series has not been a commercial success outside of Japan, but it would be nice for Capcom to give 3DS owners a bone after all the ill will with the cancellation of Mega Man Legends 3.  Do a limited release for the hard copy of Dual Destinies in North America and Europe to appease the gamers that prefer physical copies of the game and possibly test the waters for future Ace Attorney releases.  There are other ways of limiting the costs than just going with a digital only release.

Personally, I have been a fan of the Ace Attorney series ever since it debuted in North America back in 2005.  I was never into the courtroom dramas that the game seemed to be influenced by such as Law & Order, but there was something about Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney that made me gravitate toward the virtual courtroom.  The fantastic humour, solid adventure game mechanics and beautiful music are the reasons I own every entry of this series to reach our shores.  When I saw the announcement that Duel Destinies was releasing this Fall in North America, I was ecstatic.  While I do prefer to have a hard copy of Dual Destinies, I am not upset with Capcom's decision.  I believe there are better ways of dealing with potential losses on a physical copies of the game rather than alienating a good portion of Capcom's audience.  Also I am concerned about how Capcom will price the digital version of tDual Destinies and how much memory will the game take up.  Since Dual Destinies will be digital download, I do not want to see this game priced like a retail 3DS game.  In my opinion, twenty five to thirty dollars will be justifiable for this eShop only release. Another thing, I do not want Dual Destinies to take up an entire SD card due to how big the game turns out to be.  Capcom needs to understand that some gamers just cannot afford to buy the biggest SD card out on the market and should accommodate for these gamers by making the storage manageable or provide a physical copy of the game.  

While I do have some concerns over the next entry in the Ace Attorney series, I am a fan of this series no matter what.  I am very excited to see Dual Destinies come to this side of the Pacific in some capacity later this year.  Hopefully the release of Dual Destinies will inspire Capcom and Level 5 to bring over Professor Layton vs. Ace Attorney to our shores as well.  Now before we end things, check out the first trailer for Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney- Dual Destinies.