Retro|Spective 212: The Final Tour of Nintendo 3DS

[Neon Ignition]

Continuing todays twin pair launch, we look to another system that fared less well than its most directly comparable siblings but still houses exclusives of its own.


Retro|Spective 212: The Final Tour of Nintendo 3DS


One of the most critical elements for the 3DS is that even if its games are updated or ported, the loss of the glasses free 3D effect still marks the handheld out as a distinct and unique experience in the gaming world. Not all titles enabled the effect but many did and so it remains a key factor in deciding how to experience its titles today.


Game 01 - Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer
A spin-off from the main series, this entry focused on the home design element of the series with the player designing homes for the residents of the town. With a variety of options players craft the best set ups they can. Whilst the title contained numerous options, it scored mixed reviews due to being seen as something that could have been DLC for the main entry on the 3DS.






Home Sweet Home?

[Neon Ignition]

Game 02 - Bravely Default
A turn based RPG developed by Silicon Studio and joint published by Nintendo and SquareEnix, the game follows four characters who set out to retrieve four crystals that will be used to fend off a great evil. The game started life as a Final Fantasy title and shares a lot of DNA as a result. Scoring rave reviews the game went on to be a hit for the handheld resulting in two sequels, one for the 3DS also and one for the Switch.




A Default Favourite?

[fuse]

I honestly cannot think of any game that squandered promise quite like Bravely Default. It starts so, so strong, acknowledging but also developing genre concepts in a smart way, and then... it just completely ****s the bed, padding itself out in the most irritating and dull ways, and scaling the difficulty in a way that turns it into a complete dull grind fest. There is one fabulous moment I remember from the second half (spoilered below) and then from then on the milk just gets more and more sour.

->Open Spoiler<-

The title screen changing to "Where the Fairy Flies" / "Flying Fairy" got some proper chills going

I've not played the second game but I've been told that it's similarly peppered with brilliance but critically flawed. Like being served a delicious meal but where the cook will stand by your side and punch you in the face every minute while you eat it.

[Travesty]

Game 01 - Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer
A spin-off from the main series, this entry focused on the home design element of the series with the player designing homes for the residents of the town. With a variety of options players craft the best set ups they can. Whilst the title contained numerous options, it scored mixed reviews due to being seen as something that could have been DLC for the main entry on the 3DS.

Happy Home Designer is really easy to pick up and play, to me much more easy than any of the mainline Animal Crossing games, but at the same time the game does not really grip me in any way. The first Amiibo's were released in December 2014 and Animal Crossing Happy Home Designer alongside its own Amiibo cards were released in June/September/October 2015, so this was also one of the games that Nintendo used to try out how their Amiibo games sell. In November 2016 Animal Crossing New Leaf got a patch that added Amiibo functionality for that game as well. So I guess I find this game more intresting in the fact that thanks to this game having been built to accommodate Amiibo cards, I see that it influenced Nintendo to add that Amiibo functionality to their earlier Animal Crossing game one year later.

Game 02 - Bravely Default
A turn based RPG developed by Silicon Studio and joint published by Nintendo and SquareEnix, the game follows four characters who set out to retrieve four crystals that will be used to fend off a great evil. The game started life as a Final Fantasy title and shares a lot of DNA as a result. Scoring rave reviews the game went on to be a hit for the handheld resulting in two sequels, one for the 3DS also and one for the Switch.

One of the most beautiful games on 3DS in my opinion... But I did not find the game intresting to play at all.

[Neon Ignition]

Game 03 - Chibi-Robo: Let's Go Photo!
Released for the eShop, this AR title see's Chibi collecting everyday objects to display in a museum. Players use points to buy an outline of a household object then use the 3DS's camera to snap a real life version of that item, unlocking it within the game. As usual players must complete these searches whilst ensuring that Chibi remains charged.




Well Worth the Charge?

[Travesty]

Game 03 - Chibi-Robo: Let's Go Photo!
Released for the eShop, this AR title see's Chibi collecting everyday objects to display in a museum. Players use points to buy an outline of a household object then use the 3DS's camera to snap a real life version of that item, unlocking it within the game. As usual players must complete these searches whilst ensuring that Chibi remains charged.




Well Worth the Charge?

It's not great. Chibi-Robo is his lovable self characterwise, but the gameplay is not great. The camera is not usable in what I would consider to be a normally lit room, it feels like you either need direct sunlight or ridiculously bright lamps for the pictures to register. It's not fun to try to get a picture to register after searching for the correct silhouette. The game is not all picture taking, as it has very small explorable areas to search for trash, but they are not enough to save this game. I would consider this to be the worst Chibi-Robo game in the franchise.

[Neon Ignition]

Game 04 - Chibi Robo: Zip Lash
The final game in the Chibi Robo franchise, this fifth installment attempted to widen the appeal by turning it into a side scrolling platformer where Chibi must reach the end of the level using his cord as a tool. Reviews said it contained some solid ideas but was otherwise fairly unremarkable and it performed poorly at retail bringing the series to an end.




Zip to Play or 50 Lashes?

[Neon Ignition]

I think I dabbled with the second game and only ever really played through the original which I enjoyed but limiting the series to handheld never felt compelling

[Travesty]

Game 04 - Chibi Robo: Zip Lash
The final game in the Chibi Robo franchise, this fifth installment attempted to widen the appeal by turning it into a side scrolling platformer where Chibi must reach the end of the level using his cord as a tool. Reviews said it contained some solid ideas but was otherwise fairly unremarkable and it performed poorly at retail bringing the series to an end.




Zip to Play or 50 Lashes?

Chibi Robo! Zip Lash was not awful, somewhat enjoyable but not as good as its predecessors, I certainly had some fun with it. The controls are fine as is the level design, a odd and quirky sidescrolling platformer. What is the worst thing about the game in my opinion is how the player can not just choose which level to play, but there is a roulette system to choose what stage to play next.

[Neon Ignition]

Game 05 - Codename S.T.E.A.M
A turn based strategy game with a steampunk theme. It mixes this turn based combat with that of a third person shooter and has a semi-cel shaded style to reflect the presentation of a comic book. Developed by Intelligent Systems and Nintendo it was an example of a new IP not paying off for them though some who put time into the game did enjoy it.




Hot and S.T.E.A.M.Y?

[Travesty]

Game 05 - Codename S.T.E.A.M
A turn based strategy game with a steampunk theme. It mixes this turn based combat with that of a third person shooter and has a semi-cel shaded style to reflect the presentation of a comic book. Developed by Intelligent Systems and Nintendo it was an example of a new IP not paying off for them though some who put time into the game did enjoy it.




Hot and S.T.E.A.M.Y?

It was a good game, but lacked staying power.

[Nu-Eclipse]

It was a good game, but lacked staying power.

Pretty much sums it up. Intelligent Systems were probably aware of this, given that they quickly included Fire Emblem characters into the game as DLC via amiibo.

Also, this game was going for firesale prices (sub-£5) at one point so it likely didn't do the sales numbers that had been hoped for it.

[Neon Ignition]

Game 06 - Crimson Shroud
Developed by Level-5, this 3DS exclusive RPG is based on tabletop rpg games. The first game developed by Yasumi Matsuno since FFXII, it was fairly well recieved and sold on eshop in the West compared to being part of a collection in Japan.



Shrouded in Love?

[Neon Ignition]

Game 07 - Detective Pikachu
A spin-off from Pokemon, whilst a sequel has recently released the original remains on 3DS despite the high profile nature of the project having been the focus of one of Nintendo's recent movie adaptations also. Following a talking Pikachu, players work through this adventure game uncovering a mystery by walking around scenes and uncovering clues.




One worth clueing others in on?

[Travesty]

Game 07 - Detective Pikachu
A spin-off from Pokemon, whilst a sequel has recently released the original remains on 3DS despite the high profile nature of the project having been the focus of one of Nintendo's recent movie adaptations also. Following a talking Pikachu, players work through this adventure game uncovering a mystery by walking around scenes and uncovering clues.




One worth clueing others in on?

It was fun but simple game aimed for younger audience, the story is a bit silly and charming. The game is very easy for the most part, I did get stuck a few times on a few places for a short while. One of the later 3DS releases where the game did not support stereoscopic 3D. Not one of the best games on 3DS, but I would recommend the game to fans of point n click adventure games.