For the Love of 2D Games: Why Developers Still Make Them

USGamer has published another feature of mine, with the focus of this particular story being on 2D games.

I’m a huge fan of the aesthetic, and am happy to see it flourish once again due in large part to the various digital download markets. I spoke with Sean Velasco (Shovel Knight), Jason Canam (Guacamelee!), Matt Bozon (Shantae), Brjann Sigurgeirsson (SteamWorld Dig) and Cindy Poremba (a Professor of Game Design at Sheridan College) on the matter, and was able to understand their love for 2D. We cover a range of topics, from the best and worst of working with 2D, to how tomorrows students are balancing between both sprites and polygons.

Check it out here!

Text Adventures: The Story of Visual Novels in America

Hey, sorry about the dry spell! I was neck deep in my latest feature for the fine folks at USGamer.net. It’s called Text Adventures: The Story of Visual Novels in America, and it’s a look at the history of the genre, what it’s like bringing one to our shores, and what the future holds.

It gave me a chance to speak with Ben Bateman (999, Sweet Fuse), Mike Engler (Xblaze Code: Embryo), Phoenix Spaulding (Danganronpa 1 & 2), and Tom Lipschultz (Corpse Party). I think you’ll enjoy it!

Handheldphobia

I wrote a feature for USGamer.net about the state of horror games on handhelds, and I was lucky enough to speak with the folks behind games like Lone Survivor, Corpse Party, Dementium: The Ward, and Home. It’s a genre we don’t see much of on our portables, which is crazy considering the benefits our handhelds afford us. You can bring them anywhere, which means you can heighten that sense of fear by changing your surroundings…perhaps heading somewhere a little less comfortable than your living room.

Here’s an excerpt from the piece, which you can read in full here.

I make a run for the alleyway, its potent mixture of rot and decay should hide my scent from these…well, I’m not sure what they are. I’m heading somewhere, and while I can’t think of an exact location, it’s definitely away from here. I stick to the shadows, avoiding the filth at my feet. As if it even matters anymore. The monsters shamble past, as I squeeze the letter my dead wife left me, one that she managed to send from beyond the grave. I think I’m alone, but there’s hot air hitting my neck now…and I think I’m a goner.

I look up and I’m surrounded, but not by zombies. I’m joined by a different shuffling mass, composed of nurses, factory workers, and writers. The warm breath on my neck was from the college student sitting next to me. My Vita may be in my hands now, but just a moment ago I was in its world. That’s the beauty of handhelds; I can bring them everywhere, and they can take me anywhere.

Podcast Appearance GET! – Portable Power Episode 24!

The guys over at Portable Power had me on to talk all things Electronic Entertainment Expo. Click here and give it a listen! Big thanks to Marc, Kevin, and Emrys who managed to put up with my excessive use of the word “like” for well over an hour. I had a lot of fun, except for when Audacity would crash. But, since we’re talking about three mega cool guys, they managed to deal with it, and whip up quite an episode.

Give it a listen, and check out previous Portable Power episodes, especially their Mega Man focused episode, which features a hilarious “live” play session of Mega Man Xtreme.

Trail Blaz’r: An Interview With Mike Engler of Aksys Games

Mike Engler’s humility surprises me. Not that anyone deserves an inflated ego, mind you. It’s just that as an editor, he’s been behind the localization of some of my favourite games. With a resume that lists works such as Retro Game Challenge and Muramasa Rebirth, it’s a wonder he could show any worry over the quality of his work.

But for Mike, a self confessed Localization Drone (as well as Text Monkey, and Text Magician), Aksys Games’ upcoming visual novel, XBlaze Code: Embryo, is a far cry from the projects he’s handled before. Not that he’s unprepared; Mike has had his hands in the BlazBlue series of fighting games, a world that XBlaze serves as a prequel to. Set 150 years before the BlazBlue games, players take on the role of Touya Kagari, a high school sophomore whose adventure unravels some of the greater mysteries of the BlazBlue universe. Even those unfamiliar with BB will enjoy this tale of multiple factions seeking out the power that created the universe. XBlaze is announced to release this Summer for the PS3 and Vita.

I got the opportunity to speak with Mike about XBlaze Code: Embryo, as well as some of his past work.

It’s great seeing Aksys continuing to release visual novel games with XBlaze Code: Embryo. Other publishers are joining in on the fun, so I’d like to know what you feel sets XBlaze apart from games like Virtue’s Last Reward and Danganronpa?

Mike Engler: Probably the biggest thing is that, unlike Dangan and VLR, which I’d consider adventure games, XBlaze is more of a pure visual novel. While there is a certain level of player interaction in XBlaze, it is far more subtle, with the results of the player’s choices not always immediately apparent until they get further into the story.

Another difference between XBlaze and its ADV compatriots is the presentation of the story scenes. They tend to be far more dynamic and play out more like an animated feature; with multiple camera angles used to give a sense of movement.

I have to add that all three games mentioned are worth playing, so grab them all for a couple of months’ worth of entertainment.

My Top 10 Favourite Handheld RPGs

With Bravely Default being the talk of the town, I figured it was best to share my favourite handheld RPGs. Although, doing so is a fool’s game; I can’t imagine you’ll be able to put Bravely Default down long enough to read this, let alone commit to another 20+ hours long RPG.

Since these are personal favourites, save any potential scorn for a more definitive list (TOP 10 RPGs EVER!). Your favourite not here? Perhaps I never played it. Maybe I think it’s a dud. Hell, I could even own it but am drowning in enough of an RPG backlog as it is. Fill me in on some of your favourites on Twitter (I’m @tylerohlew) or in the comment section below. Maybe you can turn me onto a game I’ve never even heard of!

Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII – Square Enix – PSP

It’s great that something good came out of the Final Fantasy VII Compilation. These kinds of projects tend to cash in us weak willed fans, and with games like Dirge of Cerberus kicking the festivities off, it appeared Square-Enix’s efforts were no different.

Crisis Core is more a more action oriented affair, which puts it in line with works like the Kingdom Hearts series. Even still, the RPG tropes we love make the transition. Battles aren’t about mashing an attack button, but about working your way through the enemies with the most suiting decisions. Who you attack and with what is as important as ever, with enemy weaknesses, Action Points, and status affects playing as much a role as the more traditional Final Fantasy games. Spicing things up is a slot-machine that doles out power ups and Limit Breaks as the battle wages on.

Importantly, Crisis Core doesn’t forget the hardware it’s running on. It’s story unfolds in missions, which are broken up and peppered with save points. This works wonderfully on the PSP, and allows players to accomplish a lot with little investment.

It also features some of the hottest male eyebrows you’ll ever see. Does Zack get them waxed, or threaded? A friend wants to know.

An Unbearable Education: An Interview With NISA About Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

The new year should always feel like a fresh start. It presents an opportunity to leave the worst behind, and put our best food forward.

2013 ended like any other other in the world of video games. Big sequels in big franchises doing big numbers. So as the clock rolled over into 2014, it’s great knowing that a game like Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc is leading the charge. It’s a bold new Vita game that marriages the likes of Sweet Fuse, Phoenix Wright, and Virtue’s Last Reward, but all with a style and flair of its own.

As I described it in my Most Anticipated Games of 2014 list, Danganronpa casts the player as a new student of an elite private school. His first day of class grinds to a halt when an evil bear named Monokuma pits him against his fellow students in a deadly game of ‘whodunnit’. Participants may escape the school by means of murder, or acts of genius.

NISA provided me the opportunity to speak with Phoenix Spaulding, the Editor of Danganronpa, about the process of localizing the game for North America and Europe.

I was surprised to learn that, as far as localization goes, there’s just one editor and translator assigned to the project. While Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc was announced in July, how far back did the process start for you?

Phoenix Spaulding (PS):Generally, we don’t announce new titles until we’re a good way into the process and the release date is starting to approach. With Danganronpa, though, we were excited to announce the title as soon as possible. So we had really only just started the actual localization process in this case (I don’t have an exact timeframe, but we’d just started playing the game and preparing to nail down system/key terms, which is generally our first big step).

The One That Didn’t Get Away: An Interview With Natsume About Yumi’s Odd Odyssey

While Yumi’s Odd Odyssey is the perfect title for a game about a young woman’s fish infested adventures, it also illustrates the winding path the series took to come to North America.

The series began life on the Super Famicom in 1994, and saw new installments up to the PSP and DS. That PSP entry, known as Umihara Kawase Portable, is where things got a little weird. Folks like Jeremy Parish felt it had performance issues, and Natsume’s plans to publish the title in North America fell through.

Thankfully, Natsume remained vigilant in their efforts to bring the series to the West. Yumi’s Odd Odyssey will see release here on March 20, exclusively on the 3DS eShop.

Natsume provided me the opportunity to speak with Graham Markay, VP of Operations at Natsume, about one of my most anticipated games of the year. I hope you enjoy it.

What about Yumi’s Odd Odyssey spoke to Natsume so strongly?

Graham Markay (GM): It basically sums up our publishing philosophy: A fun, family-friendly game that can be enjoyed by the entire family.

Natsume attempted to bring the PSP game, Umihara Kawase Portable, over to North America, but later decided against that decision. When this entry was announced for release in Japan, was it something you immediately wanted to bring over? At what point did Natsume approach Agatsuma regarding publishing rights?

GM: We would have liked to publish Umihara Kawase Portable, but unfortunately, we ran into some red tape when it came to publishing that game. Therefore, when the 3DS version of the game was announced, we were definitely interested! We ended up meeting with Agatsuma at last year’s E3, and we both quickly realized it was a great publishing match.

My Most Anticipated Handheld Games of 2014

2013 was a blast, wasn’t it? How do you follow something like that?

With another string of awesome games, that’s how, sucker!

The following nine choices are my most anticipated games of 2014, but only represent what I know of, which is pretty crazy considering this list is solid as a rock. 2014 is shaping up quite nicely, and I’m glad I get to share it with you, dear reader.

Mario Golf: World Tour – Nintendo / Camelot Software Planning – 3DS

Hey, Ball. Welcome to…the Club!

Camelot became its own worst enemy when it crafted World Tour‘s predecessors. Released on the Game Boy Color and Advance, these games carried an RPG mode of sorts; a career which allowed players to explore, perform tasks, and meet objectives, all in an effort to raise the stats of the player’s character. The home console versions of these games omitted the RPG features, a trait that made its way into Mario Tennis Open on the 3DS.

To put it bluntly, people were butt hurt. However, as much as I’d like to see the RPG mode return, as a sport Golf is far more varied than tennis, so it’s not as crippled without it.

The Mario Golf games are a blast, and I can say without a doubt that I’ve put more hours into it than any other series. The controls are incredible, and that shot of ‘Mario’ into the world of golf takes the sport from the realm of boring to “Holy Crap a Chain Champ just ATE MY BALL” territory.

Super Smash Bros. – Nintendo / Namco-Bandai Games – 3DS

“Damn…I AM pretty cute.”

I see a lot of concern of the 3DS game ‘holding back’ the Wii U version. It’s as if people forgot just who is making this game.

To know Masahiro Sakurai is to love Masahiro Sakurai. In turn, you’ve likely played Kid Icarus Uprising. Which means you understand that nothing gets in Sakurai’s way. Super Smash Bros. for 3DS is going to be stuffed to the gills with content. It won’t be want of anything.

Best of all, it’s portable! What was a time sink before has become a black hole, sucking me into its swirly mass and spitting me out a happier person. Sakurai’s talk of a more single player focused handheld version intrigues me, as the time spent alone against bots far outweighs that spent with friends in multiplayer.

Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc – NISA / Spike Chunsoft – Vita

What’s harder, discovering the killer, or pronouncing the game’s title?

Danganronpa is something I’ve wanted for a very long time. It released in 2010 on the PSP, which meant the likelihood I would ever see it localized was nil.

But, here we are in 2014, and in those four years Aksys Games worked their buns off in bringing us similar Visual Novels in the form of 999, Virtues Last Reward, the Hakuoki games and Sweet Fuse. That kind of gumption made an impression on NISA, who through Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc are dipping their toes into the VN waters.

Danganronpa casts the player as a young man accepted into a prestigious school. Upon arrival, instead of his studies he’s forced into a game overseen by an eccentric robotic bear. The premise is simple, murder one of your fellow students to escape. Not down with murder? Good, because as the protagonist you instead save yourself by solving the incident, and revealing the killer.

It looks to strike a similar tone as Sweet Fuse, one which balances the horrific and comedic with aplomb. It’s right up my alley, and is a great start to the year.

Yumi’s Odd Odyssey – Natsume / Agatsuma Entertainment – 3DS

Yumi is conducting a pole.

I really blew any chance I had to pick up an import copy of Umihara Kawase for the DS. While it remained available on Play-Asia for quite some time, I dilli-dallied just long enough for it to become unavailable (at least for a respectable prices, it’s going rate on eBay makes my head spin).

Thankfully, Natsume sees its sequel, Sayonara Umihara Kawase, fit for release in North America on the 3DS eShop.

Using her fishing rod as a means of conveyance, Yumi flings herself about the game’s stages, which conflicts with the native’s plan of not allowing her to do so. Those natives being fish, however, means their wants and needs are second to human kind’s own. So suck it, fish.

Treasurenauts – Renegade Kid – 3DS

Renegade Kid really got its hooks in with Mutant Mudds. It displayed a knack for minimalism, an example of honing in on what works and ignoring the rest.

The same goes for Treasurenauts. The studio is taking some interesting risks, crafting a game intended for single playthroughs. No saving, no ‘leveling up’. Treasurenauts is just jumping, destroying enemies, and collecting treasure, a feature set that worked wonderfully in Mudds.

Bravely Default – Nintendo / Silicon Studio / Square-Enix – 3DS

Default caption.

It’s hard not to feel that Bravely Default just ‘gets it’, you know?

It really knows its hardware, and how people want to use it. The StreetPass is incredibly beneficial, you can save anywhere, and putting the 3DS to sleep doesn’t mean the game stops in its tracks. It’s incredibly forward thinking, and allows for plenty of customization, all without feeling you’re going to end up with a useless party of glass cannons.

It appears as if those behind the game desired to make the next, great RPG. And the way things are looking, they very well may have.

Professor Layton VS Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Nintendo / Level-5 / Capcom – 3DS

Watch out for Layton VS Wright: Turbo Edition in 2015!

Someone once tried to sell me a turd they claimed “Shu Takumi made.”

Improbable? Absolutely. But if he was truthful…this could be one of the most interesting, twisting, dialog rich turds ever made.

I bought that turd.

Don’t take this to mean that Professor Layton VS Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney is a poo? No. Does it mean I lose all control at the mention of Takumi’s involvement in a project? Yes, but he’s earned it

The quality of story is assured, but the rest? I’m sure it’ll be fine. I may not be making much of a case as to why you should care, and I wish I could. But when the last game you made is Ghost Trick, you deserve all the faith in the world.

Final Fantasy X | X-2 HD Remaster – Square-Enix – Vita

“I’ll never let go, Tidus.”

Final Fantasy X is a mystery to me. I played the demo, and really liked it. The first game I bought for my PS2 was Final Fantasy IX. I liked the series, owned the platform…so why didn’t I buy FFX?

There is no answer. I haven’t the foggiest clue. But, one thing I do know is that I’m buying this collection. What little I’ve played of FFX really impressed me, and what I’ve since learned of the game has cemented the fact that I must own it.

Plus, if I enjoy an entry as reviled as XIII, this one may just blow my mind.

Kirby: Triple Deluxe – Nintendo / HAL Laboratory – 3DS

Kirby could suck the fart out a butt.

Yeah, I’m that kind of Kirby fan. I like all his games, not just the innovative entries like Mass Attack or Canvas Curse. Return to Dreamland. the other Kirby game on the Wii, was terrific, and Triple Deluxe looks to be more in line with that entry than the almighty Epic Yarn. To some, that’s a disappointment, but I’ll take Kirby however they serve him.

Power ups in most games (Mario included) always seem intentionally placed. You’re really only supposed to use it in a designated area, otherwise you’re overpowered or, heaven forbid, under. Kirby games kind of don’t give a damn, preferring to give the player whatever power, whenever and wherever they like. While it’s spoken of as a ‘kiddy’ game, Kirby can be pretty freeing.

Plus that Dedede rhythm game looks hot.

The 2013 Stickies (My Favourite Games Of The Year)

What a year.

When major gaming sites are able to open their eyes and realize that a portable game can be Game of the Year, you just know it’s been a great time for handhelds.

Below you’ll find my 10 Favourite Handheld Games of the Year, a list that was super tough to nail down. Cuts had to be made, friendships torn apart, lives lost, but I do it for you. You’re a great person, and you deserve to know what games are good enough to exist in your cartridge slot.

After this top ten, you can click through to witness the work of a madman. I crafted several more for you, just to insure every great game got its due. This top ten is admittedly light on Vita content for example, but that doesn’t mean there weren’t ten amazing Vita games! So click through for my ten favourite Vita, 3DS, Home Console, and Download games.

10. Fire Emblem Awakening – Nintendo / Intelligent Systems – 3DS

From my original write-up this past August:

I really didn’t expect to give a damn about Fire Emblem: Awakening. At one point, I damned it as one of Nintendo’s least interesting franchises. It’s not its SRPG trappings either, I’ve rather enjoyed titles like Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor and Advance Wars. It’s the fantasy, the high fantasy. It’s just never spoke to me, prompting me to skip over this Lord of the Rings so many enjoyed.

But how wrong I was. Not sure you’ll remember, but a weird snafu caused some Canadian retailers to sell the game nearly a week early. What you also may not now is that I’m a weak, weak man.

I’ll give credit to 8-4 Ltd. and their terrific localization for making this type of fiction bearable. While wizards and dragons aren’t my cup of tea, those that don’t take them too seriously certainly have my attention.

9. Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate – Capcom – 3DS

From my original write-up this past August:

Despite my praise for Soul Sacrifice as the anti-Monster Hunter, my heart still belongs to this bundle of joy.

I adore how calculated it is. The devil is in the details, and if there’s one thing Japanese developers have over everyone else, it’s minutiae. Every encounter with the game’s many beasts is a game of of observation, watching for its tells. It’s rare to just hammer on a foe, you have to seize your openings and retreat just as quickly.

It plays like a toybox, goofing around with everything available only to settle on that one weapon that suits you perfectly. The Monster Hunter series is about finding the perfect experience, learning and exploiting the tiniest details along the way. It’s not about immediate thrills, Monster Hunter’s concern is earning them.

8. Sweet Fuse: At Your Side – Aksys Games / Spike Chunsoft – PSP

I really shouldn’t have been so surprised by Sweet Fuse. While I was never aware, I had actually been building up to a straight Visual Novel for awhile now. Phoenix Wright, 999, Virtue’s Last Reward; all titles that had been molding me into someone who just adores reading off a 4-inch wide screen. While it loses some of the more ‘gamey’ aspects of those titles, it more than makes up for it with its focus on romance. The story is just terrific, and makes replays just as enjoyable as the first time through. The game finds a perfect tone, expertly blending terror, comedy, and romance without feeling forced or manipulated. Someone set us up the bomb*, and it’s good.

*Please forgive me and continue to read the site despite this reference.

7. Mario & Luigi: Dream Team – Nintendo / AlphaDream – 3DS

From my original write-up this past August:

I don’t think anyone could understand my excitement when Dream Team was first announced. Occurring only a few months after Paper Mario: Sticker Star’s release, it was something I hadn’t considered to see the light of day for at least a year. But Nintendo decided it had to wash our mouths clean of that stickers gunk as quickly as possible, releasing another stellar entry in the Mario & Luigi series.

I enjoy seeing the progression made in the series, witnessing the improvements made with each entry. Dream Team’s execution of the ‘dual world’ motif is terrific, besting Bowser’s Inside Story. Pi’illo Island and Luigi’s dream world are cohesive, yet still manage to play differently in an effective way. The Pi’illo Island segments represent the M&L formula I love; isometric exploration and battles. While the dream sequences share the 2D sidescrolling seen in Bowser’s Inside Story, it goes much further in distancing itself. Here, Luigi is an all powerful being, able to summon dozens of clones and become part of the environment to assist Mario. It’s super engaging, and in switching between these two playstyles, the game constantly feels fresh.

Oh, and it makes me chuckle.

6. Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney: Dual Destinies – Capcom – 3DS

The sign of a good product is when one cares enough to actually ponder just how it’s made. With the Ace Attorney series, I’m constantly blown away by these crazy characters and foolish situations. Do those behind these Turnabouts start off with an ending? Do they create the cast first, or are they just placed within an already constructed story? I’m always questioning the decisions made by the Ace Attorney developers, but what is not up for debate is the quality. While no entry can top the mastery of Trials and Tribulations, Dual Destinies still enthralls me with the plight of Phoenix Wright. It’s funny, clever, and perhaps even more chilling than ever. While its digital release lacks that physicality many crave, it’s as solid as could be.

5. Tearaway – Sony / Media Molecule – Vita

I never expected much from Tearaway. While I often make the case for game developers to not be judged by their prior works, my lack of enthusiasm for it was based solely on my disinterest in LittleBigPlanet. It wasn’t fair, but that’s the truth. As its release came up, I began to better understand why so many had fallen in love through the reviews that had circulated. When I finally got my hands on it, my heart swelled as Tearaway‘s personality made its impression. Here was a game that made perfect use of the Vita, not with gimmicks, but with ways to better bring its world to life. Games like Populous had been denoted as ‘God Games’, but Tearaway is my definition of the genre. It wasn’t about ordering folks around or acting as ruler, Tearaway wanted me to make a genuine impact on its world. Not through fear or morphing geometry, but by actually being part of the story.

4. Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon – Nintendo / Next Level Games – 3DS

From my original write-up this past August:

Another great example of Nintendo at their best, because just what is Luigi’s Mansion? It’s this freaky hodge podge of ideas, held together by a fumbling plumber clad in green. Dark Moon is an example of the perfect Nintendo experience, something different, old, and new, all at the same time.

To Next Level’s credit, they managed to twist and reshape what the GameCube original introduced, and made it their own. Instead of one massive mansion, they divided the game across five distinct areas, each carrying its own theme. Next Level also broke the game up into missions, forcing Luigi to tackle each mansion in bite sized chunks. Their commitment to building a handheld game shone threw, and further proved why they’re Nintendo’s go-to Canadian developer.

Let me also say that the online is a ton of fun, and well worth dipping your toes into. There’s fun to be had in sucking up ghosts as Pink Luigi.

3. Animal Crossing: New Leaf – Nintendo – 3DS

From my original write-up this past August:

Yet again, another example of Nintendo blowing me away. Unlike Fire Emblem Awakening, I did intend on picking up New Leaf. I’ve always been an Animal Crossing fan, owning three Animal Crossing themed GameCube memory cards through an odd sequence of events. Problem was my disinterest in the Wii entry caused me to think the series’ time in the sun was over. I failed to recognize that A) the games belong on handhelds, and B) New Leaf brings along some significant improvements.

Being mayor isn’t just a job title, you’re responsible for shaping the town. Its future hinges on decisions you’ve made, and it feels wonderful to see the world around you grow and prosper.

The game is packed with content, seemingly offering an endless supply of furnishings. Its life is extended even further by its online capabilities, allowing me to visit and share my creations with those around the world.

New Leaf is a necessity for any 3DS owner, as its a game that suits a variety of play styles. You’re never pushed in any one direction, you can play with determination or simply take it easy. It exemplifies the idea of an ‘open world’ more than any other game, letting players partake in their own idea of fun.

2. Shin Megami Tensei IV – Atlus – 3DS

From my original write-up this past August:

I’ve played Shin Megami Tensei IV in ways I had never bothered in other RPGs. What sparked this is SMT IV wants me to care about what I’m doing, a feeling I had never felt imposed on me before.

As opposed to crafting a ton of content that I will likely never see, SMT IV invites me over, promising just rewards for my actions. It says, “Try out my sidequests, they’re genuinely worth a damn.” I don’t think I’ve ever bothered with sidequests; the stories they tell often seem boring, and the demands obtuse and confusing. SMT IV always provides terrific direction, my mission never seems pointless or a simple case of filler.

I guess it’s part of a new wave of JRPGs, ones that learn from the past. It doesn’t damn me for lacking the appropriate skills and knowledge, instead it allows me to manipulate the situation, have it work in my favour. I’ve never so consciously formed a party before, one that is so well rounded. It encourages experimentation, something rare in any genre.

SMT IV shows there’s no danger in appealing to new and old players alike. It’s so well formulated that I really feel comfortable playing how I want to. There may be challenges, but the rewards are so great it’s difficult to turn anything down. SMT IV wants me to enjoy myself, which isn’t something every game can say.

1. The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds – Nintendo – 3DS

Lest my love for A Link Between Worlds be alleged as nothing more than nostalgia, let me admit that I still have not played through its spiritual/full on predecessor, A Link To The Past. This installment of the Zelda series stands on its own, especially considering its strides to move away from what many have deemed as the ‘Zelda formula’. The strongest shot it takes at that claim is the rental of its key items. But that’s only upon first impression. In fact, allowing players to acquire these items at the time they see fit isn’t all that ground breaking. Players still use the appropriate tools in the appropriate dungeons, just as before. It’s the fallout of that decision that leaves the largest impression. Besides the required item, it becomes a fun task to discover what other items may speed your dungeon deeds along. Having all the items at your disposal puts you in charge of just how you carry out the adventure. It isn’t about following a dotted line, the game is about Link being a hero from the very start. Not having the necessary tools isn’t a hindrance, it’s a only quick broom ride away. The world/s is your oyster, and how you crack it is completely up to you.

If you really want a full breakdown of all my favourite games of the year (home console, download, etc.) then keep on reading!