The Great Gaymathon Review #68: Yoshi's New Island (3DS)

Game: Yoshi's New Island

Genre: Platformer

Developer: Arzest

Publisher: Nintendo

System: 3DS

Release date: 2014

Now that everyone else on the planet has declared this Yoshi's Island follow-up to be a stinker of the first degree, I'm going to spend a few hundred words doing the same here, right? Wrong.

In fact, although I agree with those critics who gnash their teeth and wring their hands while muttering that New Island never quite reaches the heights its predecessor hit in terms of gameplay, graphics, soundtrack or even engagement, I also believe it eventually shows itself to be a "worthy enough" successor to that classic 16-bit platformer in most, if not all, of those same areas.

As for why that is, let's start by talking about the most important of the aforementioned elements: gameplay. For the most part, there's little difference between controls and options found in the original Yoshi's Island and those found in New Island. Jumping, inhaling enemies and tossing eggs serve as the anchors of both titles, and each of those actions feels pretty much the same regardless of which game you're playing. (It's possible jumping is a smidge slower in the 3DS title, but I can't say that with any confidence.)

New Island does attempt to add some spice to the Yoshi-platformer formula by throwing huge eggs of a couple of sorts and a handful of gyro-controlled bonus games that turn the titular dinosaur into various vehicles into the mix, but in my opinion neither winds up making the kind of impact or impression Nintendo seems to think they should make on players. So, it's probably best to think of New Island as "more of the same" in terms of gameplay--which is fine by me.

When it comes to New Island's graphics, on the other hand, there's no question that early impressions aren't good. At all. At first, everything looks, at best, to be a bastardization of the original. (Compare the aesthetics of the opening stage in Yoshi's Island to the first one in Yoshi's New Island for a particularly glaring and depressing example.) A few worlds in, though, and the situation improves mightily. In fact, my only complaint with this game's visuals in the end is that they sometimes seem a bit too mishmash-y due to the variety of art styles (chalk, crayon and watercolor paint among them) stuffed into each and every stage.

Another area in which Yoshi's New Island initially disappoints is its soundtrack. Gone are the assertively peppy songs that filled the first Yoshi's Island title, and in their place are a selection of far more laid-back tunes. Like New Island's graphics, though, I eventually came to appreciate, if not love, its background music and respect that its composer, Masayoshi Ishi, decided to take an altogether different path, aurally speaking, than his predecessor (Koji Kondo).

Given the positive-ish-leaning-toward-ho-hum reactions I've shared so far, it shouldn't be too hard to understand how some people who've played New Island have walked away feeling sour while others (like myself) have left it with a more appealing taste in our mouths. I can't help but imagine, though, that the former group of folks (the ones who aren't fans of Yoshi's New Island) may have had a less negative reaction to the game had the overall experience been a tad more engaging. After all, try as it might, this 3DS title never quite matches the original in that regard--although I'd be hard-pressed to point out exactly why that is. I have a feeling, though, it's due to the folks at developer Arzest being too concerned with aping the first game's key components instead of trying to improve upon them.

Regardless, I still consider Yoshi's New Island to be a worthwhile pick-up for 3DS owners--yes, even those who've placed the 16-bit original on a pedestal--looking for a platformer that'll keep them busy for 15 or so hours. Just make sure you don't go into it expecting it to resemble Super Mario World 3 or anything crazy like that.

See also: previous 'Great Gaymathon' reviews

Shall We Do It? (saying sayonara to Bravely Default and Yoshi's New Island and konnichiwa to Rusty’s Real Deal Baseball and Etrian Odyssey IV)

After spending just over 100 hours playing it, I finally put a fork in (i.e., finished) Bravely Default on Wednesday.

In a way, I'm relieved, as a good handful--at least 10 or so, I'd say--of the final hours I spent with this 3DS RPG were not altogether enjoyable. I'm also kind of sad, though, as not only did I thoroughly enjoy the rest of the time I spent with the game, but I also got a real kick out of its final salvo.

So, where does that leave me in terms of how I feel about this title? Well, I no longer wish I'd never picked up a copy of it, I can tell you that much. In fact, after watching the captivating "special video" that's unlocked following the credit roll, I'm once again genuinely curious about the upcoming sequel.

I still believe the majority of the last third, if not the entire last half, of Bravely Default is flawed to the point that I have to imagine a lot of players will give up on it before ever encountering the end credits, mind you, but I also appreciate what its developers and writers were going for with that much-maligned section of the game--even if their execution of that vision left a lot to be desired.

Also, like I implied a few paragraphs ago, the last two battles really helped wash from my mouth the bad taste that had developed while I played through the bulk of the optional boss fights that preceded them.

Speaking of which, here's a little piece of late-game advice for anyone who may need it: if you find your interest in the game waning during any of its last three chapters (six, seven and eight), I'd highly recommend skipping the aforementioned boss battles--the optional ones, I mean--and instead focusing simply on what's required of you to complete them.

(To read some of my earlier impressions of Bravely Default, by the way, check out a few of my most recent "Shall We Do It?" posts. Also, keep an eye out for a "Great Gaymathon" review of the game that will be published in the next week or so.)

In other news, I also beat Yoshi's New Island last week after putting about 13 hours into it.

I'd like to save most of my comments about this just-released 3DS platformer for the review I'll be publishing early next week, but one basic thing I'd like to get off my chest here is that, in the end, I personally found Yoshi's New Island to be a worthy-enough successor to the original Yoshi's Island.

The key for me was that Yoshi's New Island was, for the most part, a lot of fun to play. Plus, I found its graphical stylings to be more than pleasant (and really, really well done in certain areas) and I even liked its laid-back soundtrack.

So, my recommendation to folks who are on the fence when it comes to this game: if you liked the SNES original, I'd at least consider picking up New Island if you're in the market for a 3DS platformer. And if you've never played Yoshi's Island? Again, I'd say that if you're in the mood for a platformer and you own a 3DS, you should at least consider giving it a try.

Just don't go into Yoshi's New Island thinking it's a cakewalk, because it isn't. Yes, it's easy to breeze through a good number of stages, but if you're playing the game as it's meant to be played--which means you're aiming to find and collect all of the flowers, red coins and stars hidden away in each level--you'll likely find it sufficiently challenging.

Now that I'm done with Bravely Default and Yoshi's New Island, which games am I calling on to fill whatever free time I have at the moment? One of them is Rusty's Real Deal Baseball, that Nintendo-made eShop-only title that was announced a few months back.

In case this is the first you've heard of it, Rusty's Real Deal Baseball is a free-to-play (initially, at least) compilation of baseball-themed mini-games. Basically. That's selling the title short, though, as along with all of the (very fun, in that "just one more try" kind of way that's surprisingly similar to Nintendo's Rhythm Heaven/Tengoku titles) mini-games that are packed into Real Deal Baseball there's an oddly and sometimes uncomfortably dark story that holds everything together as well as a similarly strange haggling aspect that comes into play whenever you decide to buy any of the 10 in-game "4DS" cartridges (each of which contain an assortment of unique mini-games).

Don't worry if some or all of the above doesn't make sense. The point I'm trying to make is that there's more to Rusty's than a couple of baseball-themed mini-games.

Anyway, I've handed over about $4 of real money in order to buy two of Rusty's in-game 4DS carts, "Bat & Switch--Hitting" and "Cage Match--Hitting," and I've devoted quite a bit of time to both of them thus far. Each in-game cartridge features a bevy of "challenges," by the way--as in, about 50. All of the challenges included in a particular cart (such as "Bat & Switch--Hitting") are similar to each other, but they also differ enough that it never feels like you're just doing the same thing over and over again.

One thing I think I should mention here: I'm not a baseball fan. At all. In fact, although I'm an athletic person, the only sport I care about in real life is tennis. Given that, I think it's kind of cool that I'm enjoying Rusty's as much as I currently am. In fact, I'm enjoying it so much that I'll very likely buy all of its in-game carts in the coming weeks. (Which should wind up costing me about $16, if what I've read on the Internet is true.)

Does that mean I think you, too, should spend $4, $8 or even $16 on this title? I'm not sure, to be completely honest. Thankfully, anyone can go and download the base game for free, so I'd highly recommend doing just that, if you're curious, and then playing through the six or so challenges that are unlocked from the outset. If you enjoy them, haggle with Rusty and buy the full version of "Bat & Switch--Hitting" from him after you've gotten him down to $2. From there, you should be able to decide for yourself if the rest of the content is worth your hard-earned money or not.

Even if you end up feeling like the game just isn't for you, though, the most you'll be out is a couple of bucks. So, what have you got to lose?

Last, but not least, I also started playing Etrian Odyssey IV on Wednesday--in large part so I could support my friend Anne's "Atlus Community Game-Along" event. So far, though, all I've done is create a "guild" and name a handful of party members (all after classic Final Fantasy characters, of course), so I can't say much about the experience right now. I promise to spend some more time with it this coming weekend, though, and report on any and all progress I've made next week.

In the meantime, which games are all of you playing right now, and are you enjoying them?

See also: previous 'Shall We Do it?' posts

Shall We Do It? (leaving Bravely Default behind for a bit and playing Yoshi's New Island, Pokémon Battle Trozei and 3D Fantasy Zone instead)

I think I've reached my breaking point when it comes to playing Bravely Default.

It pains me to admit that, but it's true.

Of course, I've been hurtling toward this realization for some time now (since the middle of chapter six, if memory serves), so I'm not sure why I'm finding it so disappointing.

Maybe it's because I've come to really like the vast majority of this turn-based RPG--its characters, its setting, its soundtrack, its battle system--in the 75 or so hours I've spent with it thus far, and so it saddens me that one or two other aspects of the game are keeping me from wanting to finish it.

As for which aspects are bugging me: surprisingly, the wordiness I've complained about in past "Shall We Do It?" posts isn't one of them. Instead, one is related to where Bravely Default's story takes players during its second half (I'll stop there so as to avoid spoilers), while the other is related to some of the (overly cheap, in my opinion) optional boss fights that pop up near the end of the game.

So, I've decided to take a bit of a break from it. I fully plan to pick it up again soon, if only to finish the damn thing as quickly as possible (on easy, if need be), but I can't currently say when that's going to happen.

In the meantime, I'm going to spend my free time with a few other 3DS games--Yoshi's New Island, Pokémon Battle Trozei and 3D Fantasy Zone: Opa-Opa Bros., in particular.

Here are a few early-ish impressions of each of those recently released 3DS titles, in case any of you are interested:

3D Fantasy Zone: Opa-Opa Bros.--After years of turning my nose up at it, Sega's peculiar, pastel-filled shmup, Fantasy Zone, has really wormed its way into my heart in recent months. Because of that, I snatched up this 3D-enhanced version, which just hit the Japanese eShop last week, as soon as I was able.

So far, I've only spent about 30 minutes with it, but already I can tell I'm going to like it. A lot. In particular, I'm in love with the bevy of options that are available to players in this release. For instance, you can display the game using the original aspect ratio, you can make it fill the entirety of the 3DS' top screen or you can morph things a bit so it looks like you're playing it on an old, curved CRT monitor.

That said, pretty much all of the changes that are present here are superficial. The backbone is still a 28-year-old arcade game, so if that sounds at all unappealing to you, it may not be your thing. For me, though, I'm completely stoked that I can now play a slightly enhanced version of this wonderfully quirky little game on my 3DS whenever I feel like it.

Pokémon Battle Trozei--Although I've never been the biggest Pokémon fan, I've always been a fan of the series' colorful cast of creatures. I've also long been a fan of portable puzzle games, as anyone who has visited this blog for any amount of time can attest. So, I decided the second it was announced to pick up Pokémon Battle Trozei the day it hit the North American 3DS eShop--an event that took place just about a week ago.

Anyway, if you haven't yet educated yourself about this game (and there's certainly nothing wrong with that), here's the gist: it's a match-three puzzler than seemingly takes some cues from the über-popular Puzzle & Dragons.

There's a bit more to it than that, of course. For example: while matching panels on the bottom screen, you're also battling a handful (I've encountered between three and five per stage so far) "wild Pokémon" on the top screen. Reduce a creature's hit points to zero and you add it to your collection.

All of that's well and good, but so far the stages have gone by so quickly I've barely had time to acknowledge the presence of the Pokémon I'm facing at the moment let alone devise a proper strategy to use against it.

Thankfully, that hasn't mattered much up to this point. Should it become an issue on later stages, I could see it negatively impacting my enjoyment of the game, but for now I'm glad I decided to pick it up.

Yoshi's New Island--I've experienced a roller coaster of emotions since this game was revealed last April. Initially, I was beside myself with excitement, as the original Yoshi's Island is one of my all-time favorite games. After glimpsing a few rough-looking screenshots and videos of New Island at last year's E3, though, my excitement quickly turned to befuddlement.

I've since waffled back and forth between those extremes depending on the time of day (or so it has sometimes seemed) and the quality of the media I've most recently come across.

Now that I've played a good chunk of it (I've just started the sixth world), which of the previously expressed emotions--excitement or befuddlement--am I currently feeling in regard to Yoshi's New Island? Neither, to tell you the truth. I'm still enjoying the game quite a bit, though, despite the fact that it pales in comparison to its predecessor in nearly every single aspect.

The thing is, this New Island may not look as good as the old one, or sound as good, or feature controls that are as finely tuned, but even then I think it's a lot of fun to look at and listen to and play. It does seem to be slightly less engaging than the original so far, and it also feels a bit "cheaper" (as in, more difficult--in an unfair sort of way), but neither of those things are impeding my enjoyment of the game at the moment.

Are any of you also playing Yoshi's New Island--or Pokemon Battle Trozei or Bravely Default or even 3D Fantasy Zone? If so, what do you think of them so far?

See also: previous 'Shall We Do It?' posts

Raise your hand if you, too, are conflicted as hell about Yoshi's New Island

It's unlikely you'll ever find someone who loves the original Yoshi's Island more than I do. I loved it to bits back when it was still fresh in everyone's mind and today I consider it to be among my all-time favorite games.

As such, I was a tad excited when I heard that the folks at Nintendo were working on another Yoshi's Island game for the 3DS.

Until I saw it in action, I mean. (Check out the game's latest trailer, below, if you've yet to lay eyes on it yourself.)

Now, I won't go as far as some people and declare Yoshi's New Island to be ugly or hideous, but I will say that its odd mishmash of an art style is a far cry from the one so brilliantly utilized in the original and in Yoshi's Island DS. (Hell, I even prefer the looks of Yoshi's Story at this point.)



My skepticism isn't based solely on Yoshi's New Island's aesthetics, by the way. I'm also a bit wary of its gameplay, which so far doesn't seem all that different or "new" from past efforts. (Yes, there are those humongous eggs, but I'd hardly call them game changers.)

If I've learned anything from my recent experience with The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds, though, it's that just because a game doesn't look so hot in screenshots or even video, it doesn't mean it won't look a whole lot better while playing it on an actual 3DS system.

So, despite the conflicted feelings I currently have for Yoshi's New Island, I'm going to do my best to remain open-minded about it until a copy of it is sitting in my hands.

What do the rest you think about this upcoming release based on what you've seen of it so far? Share your opinions in the comments section below, if you're willing.

I think we may be looking at another 'Link Between Worlds situation' RE: Yoshi's New Island

And by that I mean that although I think Yoshi's New Island always has looked a bit rough in screenshots (and even in early video footage), I have a feeling it's going to look pretty darn nice once it's chugging along on my 3DS XL's upper screen.

Which is pretty much the same situation The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds was in before it was released late last year. Most folks declared it uglier than sin in the lead-up to its release, but once they saw it in motion on actual 3DS hardware many of them--including yours truly--changed their tune.



Anyway, it doesn't much matter to me at this point if Yoshi's New Island ends up being more impressive--in terms of its looks as well as its music and gameplay--than it currently appears to be, as I pre-ordered a copy of it long ago and nothing's going to prompt me to cancel it.

All that said, why do all of you think of the game's latest trailer, above? Does it look appealing enough that you're going to give it a chance, or are you planning to give it a pass?

I tried the Hey! Pikmin demo and I think I liked it

When Nintendo first revealed this handheld Pikmin spinoff last September, I immediately added it to my ever-growing (or maybe I should say never-shrinking) "buy these 3DS games as soon as is humanly possible" list.

Later, when it slipped out that Hey! Pikmin's developer wasn't an internal Nintendo team but the forever-maligned Arzest--makers of Yoshi's New Island, among other titles of debatable quality--my interest flagged a bit. It diminished even more after early hands-on impressions of the game made their way onto the Internet.

None of the above caused me to give up on Hey! Pikmin entirely, mind you. Even when my (uninformed) opinion of it was at its lowest, I still expected I'd pick up a copy once my bank account allowed.

Fast forward to this weekend, when I played through the Hey! Pikmin demo Nintendo recently--finally!--dropped onto the 3DS eShop. The gist of my reaction to that bite-sized version of the game: I'm definitely buying it, and sooner rather than later.

As for what tossed me back onto the Hey! Pikmin hype train, here are the first four reasons that came to mind:

The game looks great when splashed across a pair of 3DS screens--OK, so "splashed across" probably is the wrong phrase to use here, especially if your 3DS is of the LL or XL variety. If you use one of the original 3DS models, or one of the smaller New 3DS systems, though, Hey! Pikmin looks superb on its screens. Which shouldn't be a surprise, really. 3DS screenshots often disappoint visually when viewed on a computer or phone, but the games they represent almost always appear many times more impressive when experienced in motion and on the "real deal." At any rate, the hand-painted art style Arzest employed while producing this platformer is beyond pleasant. It reminds of the aforementioned Yoshi's New Island, but improves upon that title's aesthetic in pretty much every regard.

I already love its rather deliberate, exploration-focused gameplay--Early on, Hey! Pikmin's gameplay stumped me. It looked like a side-scrolling platformer, but that didn't really gel with strategic nature of the series' other entries. Thankfully, everything becomes abundantly clear once you start plodding your way through this portable Pikmin offshoot. Basically, it is a side-scroller, but it doesn't require players to hop from platform to platform, à la Super Mario Bros. Instead, you move Captain Olimar to the left or right with the 3DS' circle pad--or its directional pad or even A and Y buttons--while a tap of the systems' touch pad launches the Pikmin that follow in his wake to and fro. (You do the latter to collect or break objects, or to damage enemies.) I know it sounds clumsy, but I found it to be both competent and comfortable while completing the demo.

No 3D? Doesn't bother me a bit--I know some folks gets riled up when a 3DS game doesn't support the system's stereoscopic 3D feature, but I'm not one of them. Although I understand where they're coming from, and I wish every release made for Nintendo's second dual-screened handheld allowed people to customize their experience in such a way, I never turn on 3D while playing 3DS titles. Plus, adding stereoscopic 3D effects to Hey! Pikmin wouldn't have made much sense, as most of its action takes place on the portable console's lower screen.

I also can't say I mind being forced to use the 3DS' circle pad and touch screen--A lot of people prefer to use traditional input methods--directional pads and buttons--while playing games. I get that. In the case of Hey! Pikmin, though, ignoring the 3DS' touch screen would only make corralling the titular creatures more awkward than it needs to be. I guess the developers at Arzest could've included a mode that aped the control scheme of Yoshi's Island (where pressing a button brings up a target reticule, and another press launches a Pikmin). Even if they'd gone that route, though, I'd personally stick to the one highlighted in this demo, as I found it plenty precise.

Don't take all of the above to mean I had no issues whatsoever with the Hey! Pikmin demo. One negative that popped up during my 30-minute playthrough: the frame rate chugged or skipped now and then. It didn't bother me much, but I could see it being a problem if it happens frequently or if the action ever slows down substantially in the retail release.

Also, the soundtrack in the Hey! Pikmin demo is a bit too subtle for my liking. That doesn't mean the same will be true of the full game, of course, but I won't be shocked--or dismayed--if that's how things play out.

Have any of you tried the Hey! Pikmin demo? If so, what did you think about it? Share your thoughts and opinions in the comments section of this post.

Eight things I liked about yesterday's trio of Nintendo Directs

Real talk: it would be easy peasy for me to write a post that points out all of the things I found disappointing about yesterday's Nintendo Direct broadcasts.

For instance, there was the lack of news regarding a Western release of the 3DS Dragon Quest VII remake. Also, aside from Steel Diver: Sub Wars (more about this one below), no completely new 3DS or Wii U games were revealed in any of the three Nintendo Directs, as far as I'm aware--which is a real shame, especially since the 3DS is my go-to system this year.

Anyway, let's push those negatives to the background for the moment and focus instead on the positives--like the eight bullet-pointed items below--that I personally took from yesterday's Iwata-led extravaganzas:

A Free-to-Play 3DS Game? From Nintendo?--Wasn't the word on the street that Steel Diver: Sub Wars was being made for the Wii U? Whatever, I'm actually glad it was developed for the 3DS instead--you know, because I don't currently own a Wii U. Anyway, the game's out now and is completely free--or at least a portion of it is. (The full thing, which gives you access to additional missions and subs, costs $9.99.) Consider me intrigued, and consider it downloaded, too.



Hey, Sega, You're Bringing Hero Bank to the States, Right?--Seriously, this upcoming 3DS game, highlighted during the Japanese Nintendo Direct, looks great. And I mean that literally--as in, I love its art style. Unfortunately, I've never had a clue as to what's going on in any of the gameplay trailers that have been used to promote it, and that leads me to believe I should avoid playing it in a language I don't understand. So, uh, throw me a bone, will you, Sega? Pretty please?

Hurray! Kirby Triple Deluxe Finally Has a Release Date--Unfortunately, the date is May 2--the same day Mario Golf: World Tour will hit store shelves, incidentally. Oh, well, that just means I'll be able to take my time with Bravely Default, Yoshi's New Island and a small handful of other 3DS games that are set to be released between now then.

I'm Still Not Sure What I Think About Yoshi's New Island--On the one hand, this game's graphics have started to grow on me in recent weeks, at least in a general sense. On the other, its gameplay doesn't look anywhere near as interesting as what was found in the original Yoshi's Island. And then there are those feet. You know the ones I'm talking about. Still, I'm buying this one despite my reservations, as I just couldn't live with myself if I passed on it simply because it looked kind of boring in trailers. 

I Need Another Portable Puzzler Like I Need A Hole in the Head, But I'm Still Buying Pokemon Battle Trozei--Could a game be more up my alley than this one? I doubt it. I mean, it's adorable, it's a puzzler and it's coming to the 3DS (eShop). Oh, sure, Nintendo could give it a better logo, some cute (and colorful) cover art and offer up a physical release, too, but I can't blame them for going the digital-only route. Regardless, it's mine on March 20.

I Never Thought I'd Say This, But I'm Buying a Baseball Game--Specifically, I'm buying Rusty's Real Deal Baseball once it hits the North American 3DS eShop in April. This one's a localization of Darumeshi Sports Store, by the way, which has been available in Japan for a while now and by most accounts is a completely awesome and worthwhile experience. 

Inazuma Eleven Earns a Stealth eShop Release--Most folks assumed us North Americans would be getting this soccer RPG sometime soon after it showed up on Nintendo.com early last month. I doubt, though, that many of them thought Nintendo of America would toss it onto the eShop immediately following today's Nintendo Direct. No joke: I'd pick it up right now if I didn't already own the European DS version of the game.

Weapon Shop de Omasse Will Be Mine--I'm not so sure it was wise to give this 3DS eShop title (an English localization of the last of Level-5's Guild 01 games) such a weird name, but what do I know? Also, what do I care? All I care about at the moment is that I'll finally be able to get my hands on it--as will you, if you own a North American 3DS and you have $7.99 to blow--on Feb. 20.

So, those are my main thoughts on yesterday's trio of Nintendo Directs. What are yours?

If you like Yoshi's Island, you're going to love the Videri String Quartet's take on a handful of that game's classic tunes

In honor of the recent release of Yoshi's New Island, the members of Boston's Videri String Quartet decided to arrange, perform, record and share a medley of tunes pulled from the soundtrack of that game's Super Famicom (or SNES, if that's your thing) predecessor.



The entire composition is so wonderful I can't even point to a particular section as my favorite--although I guess if I were pressed I'd have to go with the quartet's sublime rendition of the game's "castle and fortress" theme. How about you?

See also: 'Raise your hand if you, too, are conflicted as hell about Yoshi's New Island'

I'm not entirely sure what I think of the box art produced for the North American version of Yoshi's New Island

One thing I am sure of: I think the name of this upcoming 3DS platformer is all kinds of lame.

I'm sure the folks at Nintendo have a reason for naming it as they have--such as, they want consumers to think of this as some sort of series reboot à la New Super Mario Bros.--but to me the result is awkward, boring and completely lacking in creativity.

That aside, who really cares what the game's called as long as it's fun, right? Of course, the jury's still out in that regard, too, but I'm holding out hope that, in the end, Yoshi's New Island will overcome its lazy title and its seemingly iffy aesthetics and prove to be a worthy--and wonderfully enjoyable--entry in this hit-or-miss series.



All of the aforementioned negativity aside, the North American version's box art is a step in the right direction, don't you think? I sure do. Or at least I think I do. Yoshi himself kind of creeps me out, as he often does (unless we're talking about the ones that appear in Yoshi's Story, in which case we're all good), but the rest of it's pretty ace.

What do all of you think? Do you consider the cover art above to be delicious, or a disaster? Also, are any of you planning to pick up this portable platformer? (I am; in fact, I pre-ordered it last week.)

15 North American and Japanese 3DS games I'm planning to buy (and play) later in 2016 or at some point in 2017

A couple of weeks ago, I published a pair of posts about 14 Japanese and North American Vita games I'm at least thinking of buying and playing later this year or sometime next year. (Here is the first, and here is the second.)

As I hope you gathered from the headline above, today's post focuses on a similar number of North American and Japanese 3DS games I'm planning to buy and play during the same period.

Something that differentiates this post from my previous, Vita-centric posts: I know, without a shadow of a doubt, I want to own all of the titles discussed here. The question is: will I be able to afford all of them? Your guess is as good as mine. I'll certainly do my best to pick up as many as possible by the end of 2017, though.

With that out of the way, let's get to the 3DS games I hope to get my grubby mitts on by this time next year.

The Alliance Alive--All signs point to this upcoming release being a spiritual follow-up, if not a full-on sequel, to The Legend of Legacy. That thrills me because I thoroughly enjoyed playing The Legend of Legacy last year. (So much so that I called it one of my favorite games of 2015.) Still, I can't help but hope The Alliance Alive offers players more of a story than its predecessor. Oh, and more towns and non-player characters, too. Let's be honest, though--I'm very likely going to buy the game even if it just provides "more of the same."

Corpse Party--I've owned the PSP version of this grotesque survival horror title for years now. In that time, I've only played a few hours of it. (I walked away after I got stuck and for some odd reason refused to turn to an online walkthrough for assistance.) And yet I really want to buy the "remastered port" that was recently released for the 3DS. Assuming I go through with that purchase sooner rather than later, hopefully I'll manage to make my way to the game's end credits this time around.

Dragon Quest VIII--If you follow me on Twitter (and why wouldn't you?), you're probably well aware that I've had a bit of a love-hate relationship with Dragon Quest VII so far. (I've also shared my thoughts on the game in this previous post as well as this one, too, by the way.) Given that, you may be surprised to hear I'm looking forward to playing the upcoming 3DS port of Dragon Quest VIII. The fact is, like Dragon Quest VII, I've long been curious about VIII, and I think this portable port could be the nudge I needed to finally play it.

Etrian Odyssey V--Full disclosure: I never "beat" Etrian Odyssey IV--although I got really close to doing so and I enjoyed the experience up to the point I walked away from it. That last bit is what's got me feeling like I'll buy Etrian Odyssey V if and when it's brought to our shores. As dumb as it probably sounds, I'd much rather start this fifth entry from scratch than return to my nearly completed Etrian Odyssey IV save file. Who knows, though, maybe Atlus USA will do me a favor and decide against releasing it outside of Japan.

Ever Oasis--What's not to like about this Grezzo-developed ARPG, right? Both its art style and its gameplay bring to mind Secret of Mana, one of my favorite games back in the day. That Grezzo is helmed by Koichi Ishii, best known for creating Square Enix's Seiken Densetsu series is the icing on the cake, as far as I'm concerned. The only hurdle that could get in the way of me adding this 2017 release to my collection is the Nintendo Switch. If that system and its launch-window games capture my attention as much as I think they will, I may not have the energy--or money--for Ever Oasis.

Kirby: Planet Robobot--I was delighted when Nintendo announced Kirby: Triple Deluxe. Don't ask me why I never picked up a copy--I honestly couldn't give you an answer. I'm guessing, though, it came out at a time when I was strapped for time, cash, or both. As for why I'm now considering picking up a copy of Planet Robobot rather than Triple Deluxe, that would be because a lot of folks who've played each of these titles have told me the former is far preferable to the latter. Plus, Kirby: Planet Robobot features adorable mechs--and who doesn't love a game filled with adorable mechs?

Miitopia--Based on what was shown of this upcoming release during its recent Nintendo Direct broadcast, it looks like the love child of Tomodachi Life and Final Fantasy. In other words, I'm dying to put it through its paces--even if that means taking one for the team and attempting to do so via a Japanese copy of the game. After all, I wouldn't be surprised if Nintendo of America balks at bringing Miitopia to our shores, especially considering it most likely wouldn't hit the streets here until after the Switch drops.

Monster Hunter Stories--Yes, Japanese 3DS owners have by and large turned their noses up at this MonHun-branded RPG. And yes, I've barely even looked at the copy of Monster Hunter 3G I bought some years back. That killer combo would cause most folks to avoid Stories like the plague. Not me. I adore the look of this game, plus I've heard nothing but good things about its gameplay. I can't say I'm thrilled about having to play through it in Japanese--you just know neither Capcom nor Nintendo will bring it to North America--but at least that should be an easier ask than playing through your average Japanese RPG due to Monster Hunter Stories being aimed at youngsters rather than adults.

Pikmin--I know a lot of people were unimpressed when Nintendo unveiled this side-scrolling Pikmin adventure a couple of months ago. I was not one of them. And, yes, this is despite the fact that it appears as though the game is being made by the same devs who gave the world Yoshi's New Island. I had a good enough time with that far-from-perfect platformer, and I have a feeling I'll have a good time with this effort, too. Even if I don't, I'll be shocked if I don't at least find the finished product intriguing.

Pokémon Moon--That I'm even thinking of buying Pokémon Moon is pretty ridiculous. After all, I devoted only a couple of hours to Pokémon X before dropping it, and I did the same with both Pokémon Pearl and Pokémon Emerald. In fact, the only Pokémon games I've ever put a good amount of time into are the first one and Black. Anyway, I'm going to do my best to turn things around with Moon. After all, I like its setting, I like its cast of characters (especially Professor Kukui) and I like the designs of most of its new "monsters," so all that's needed now to get me back in line is some free time--which is something I should have plenty of in the new year.

Poochy & Yoshi's Woolly World--All you really need to know about why I'm looking forward to this 3DS port of Yoshi's Woolly World is that, unlike your average Joe or Jane, I didn't completely hate Yoshi's New Island. (Here's my review of it, if you're curious.) I also have fond-ish memories of Yoshi's Story. In other words, I'm a pretty big fan of Mario's dinosaur sidekick. Plus, Poochy & Yoshi's Woolly World looks better than both of those aforementioned titles combined, even with its slightly downgraded visuals. As long as its gameplay isn't similarly downgraded, I have a felling I'll find it well worth its asking price.

River City Tokyo Rumble--I've waffled back and forth on buying this Arc System Works-made brawler since Natsume first announced its North American release. At first, I was fully on board and stoked to play a modern take on the old classic that is River City Ransom. Then I read a handful of reviews that suggested Tokyo Rumble isn't the most engaging of experiences and jumped off the hype train. Now I'm back to wanting a copy--and for reasons I can't quite explain. As such, don't be overly surprised if this cartridge doesn't end up in my ever-growing library of 3DS games.

Sega 3D Fukkoku Archives 3: Final Stage--I've got to be honest here: I'd buy Sega 3D Fukkoku Archives 3 even if I hated all of the games included on its tiny little cartridge thanks to the fact that I own the series' first two releases. The good news is that I don't hate any of them. OK, so I'm not dying to play 3D versions of Columns, Sonic the Hedgehog 2 or Super Hang-On, but I'm also not planning to completely ignore those titles. That said, they're going to take a backseat to Gunstar Heroes and, especially, Alien Syndrome for a good long while.

Tank Troopers--When Nintendo first revealed Tank Troopers, I thought it had the chance to become another Splatoon-esque success for the Kyoto-based company. Of course, at the time, it wasn't clear Tank Troopers was going to be a digital-only game. Also, it wasn't known that it would completely and confoundingly eschew online play. Still, I can't shake the feeling that it will be something special. Of course, I'm a sucker for games featuring cartoonish tanks, so maybe I'm a bit biased.  

Yo-Kai Watch 2--My experience with the first Yo-Kai Watch was much like my experience with the 3DS remake of Dragon Quest VII. Both playthroughs were (are) roller coasters--one minute, I'm loving the hell out of the adventure at hand; the next, I'm wondering why I don't move on to something less aggravating. Still, I endured all of the ups and downs, got to see Yo-Kai Watch's credit roll and had more than enough fun along the way to know I want to own this follow-up. Yes, I've heard Yo-Kai Watch 2 is more like an extension of the original than a proper sequel, but I doubt that'll be an issue by the time I finally stick its cart into my 3DS.

Are you planning--or hoping--to buy and play any of the 3DS games discussed above? Or maybe you've got your eye on a few titles I failed to mention here? Let me know in the comments section below.

Shall We Do It? (Go! Go! Kokopolo 3D, Kirby: Planet Robobot and Poochy & Yoshi's Woolly World)

My last post focused on impressions of a trio of mobile games: Dandy Dungeon, Forget-Me-Not and Heart Star. I enjoyed all three and solidly recommended each of them as result.

Of course, it's easy to throw your weight behind games that basically are free. (You can hand over money to help you through Dandy Dungeon, but in my experience it's not necessary. Also, you can pay a couple of bucks to remove ads from Heart Star, but otherwise it won't cost you a dime.)

The 3DS titles discussed in this write-up are not so cheap. Go! Go! Kokopolo 3D will set you back just shy of six bucks (or a smidgen over after you factor in taxes), while Kirby: Planet Robobot and Poochy & Yoshi's Woolly World will cost you five to seven times that amount (about $30 to $40), depending on where you pick up a copy.

Are they worth those amounts? Poochy & Yoshi's Woolly World is more than worth its asking price, assuming you tend to like platformers. I'd say the same about Kirby: Planet Robobot if the asking price in question is closer to $30 than $40 and if you're OK with straightforward games that are more about letting go and having fun than they are about uncovering secrets or strategically taking out tough-as-nails foes.

As for Go! Go! Kokopolo 3D, I think I'll make you read the next couple of paragraphs to find out whether I consider its price tag to be just right or a tad too high. And while you're at it, read the paragraphs that follow, too. They'll help explain why I'm so gung ho about Poochy & Yoshi's Woolly World and not quite as gung ho about the latest Kirby title.

Go! Go! Kokopolo 3D--Although the original Go! Go! Kokopolo fascinated me when it was released back in 2011, I didn't own a DSi at the time and so had to pass on it. I finally bought it a month or so ago when it dawned on me that it was still available on the Japanese 3DS eShop, though, and after giving this curious "chase 'em up" a thorough once-over I sternly berated myself for ignoring it for so long.

The good news for those of you who are unable to access the first Go! Go! Kokopolo (it was pulled from the European and North American 3DS eShops some time ago for reasons I can't recall): this follow-up is nearly identical to its precursor in terms of looks, sounds and gameplay. Yes, Go! Go! Kokopolo 3D features a ton of new level designs and a pair of additional playable characters, but in general it's almost indistinguishable from Tanukii Studios' first effort.

Which is great--for the most part. I say that because while I adore its aesthetic (seriously, the sprites and backdrops showcased in Go! Go! Kokopolo 3D are of the highest order) and enjoy its classic, Pac-Man-inspired gameplay, I also think it has a tendency to be complicated, confusing--due in large part to its overly long, winding and asymmetrical stages as well as its too-tight camera--and frantic.

In the end, I wish a Go! Go! Kokopolo 3D demo existed so folks could see if it's their cup of tea before handing over hard-earned cash to acquire it. Since that's not the case, my suggestion would be to watch a few videos of the game in action. If what you see seems appealing, you probably won't regret your purchase.

As for me, I'm happy Go! Go! Kokopolo 3D exists and I'm glad it's currently taking up space on my 3DS' home screen, but I'm not sure how much more time I'm going to put into it. I honestly find it a fraction too frenetic at the moment, so for now it's moving to my system's back burner, as the saying goes. I'll do my best to let you know if that changes and this digital title returns to my good graces.

Kirby: Planet Robobot--I wish I could tell you why I passed on Kirby: Triple Deluxe even though it excited me when it was first announced. I guess I just wasn't in the mood for another Kirby game at the time. Hell, I turned my nose up at Planet Robobot well past its release date, too. I only picked up a copy a couple of weeks back because I had some "free" money burning a hole in my pocket and I'd read so many positive assessments of the game that I figured I should break down and give it a go.

Now that I've done just that--and then some (I dropped nine hours into Planet Robobot during my week-long playthrough)--what are my impressions of the experience? For starters, I've got to say it's an audio-visual delight. Many of the stages on offer here (the one featuring giant ice cream cones that fall forward and attempt to impede your progress is a prime example) will make you grin from ear to ear, as will the buoyant tunes that accompany them.

Beyond those admittedly superficial details, this 3DS entry follows in the footsteps of every other worthwhile Kirby title in that it proves to be a blast to play. That's true when it comes to testing out the new copy abilities--I especially got a kick out of the "doctor" and "ESP" ones--and it's even more true when it comes to rampaging through entire sections of a particular stage using the titular Robobot Armor.

The lone complaint I'm willing to level at Planet Robobot: sometimes I wished it were a little less straightforward. So much care was put into ensuring this game was as colorful and charming as can be that it's a real shame you're rarely encouraged or even allowed to slow down and appreciate your surroundings. Still, if you're in the mood for a breezy platformer that won't tax you too much, you could do far worse than purchase Kirby: Planet Robobot.

Poochy & Yoshi's Woolly World--It's been a long time since I've fallen in love with a Yoshi game. Although I liked Yoshi's New Island well enough, it pales in comparison to the 16-bit original. The same could be said of Yoshi's Story for the Nintendo 64.

Well, Poochy & Yoshi's Woolly World is miles better than both of those titles, in my opinion. Not only that, but it's nearly on par with the game that started it all. In a few respects, I'd go so far to say it surpasses that effort. One example: its gameplay. This 3DS title is a bit slower than Island, but it makes up for that possible shortcoming with (seemingly) longer levels that beg to be explored. It also tosses tons of unique and interesting challenges at players. One of my favorites pops up in a stage that forces you to use disappearing Bullet Bill contrails as platforms, although it's just the tip of the iceberg as far as such things are concerned within Woolly World.

Aside from that, Woolly World's crafty art style is to die for (think Kirby's Epic Yarn, but better), its soundtrack is the best since Yoshi's Island and it provides an almost obscene amount of overall content. (I've already put more than 15 hours into the game and I've only just started what I'm pretty sure is its final world.)

For me, Poochy & Yoshi's Woolly World is the clear winner among the trio of 3DS games discussed here. It's easily the most expensive of the bunch, but in my experience it also provides the most enjoyment.

To those of you who've played any or all of these portable titles: what do you think of them? Please share your impressions and opinions in the comments section of this post.

My favorite games of 2017

If you had told me at the beginning of this year I'd play so many great games--so many great Switch games, especially--I would've responded by dramatically rolling my eyes.

As I've said a number of times in the last few months, I didn't expect to buy a Switch so early in its life--and certainly not before sometime in 2018.

Now I've got an actual "slew" of Switch games--so many, in fact, that I'm having a hard time keeping up with them. (On a related note, look for me to publish a bunch of "a few thoughts on" posts in the new year.)

Amazingly, I'm having a similarly hard time keeping up with all the Vita games I've bought since 2017 started. Who would've thought that'd be the case given the system's worldwide nosedive over the last 12 months? Certainly not me.

A couple of those recently acquired Vita games made a big enough impression on me that I'm including them among my favorite games of this year. They're joined by handful of Switch games, a trio of 3DS carts, and a PC title, too.



Golf Story (Switch)--In a year of surprising games, this probably was the most surprising of all for me. That's kind of funny when you consider Golf Story is just what its name implies: a digital Switch title that's one part golf, and one part story (or RPG). You're just as likely to be sent on a fetch quest or be asked to solve a mystery as you are to shoot a round of Scotland's national sport against an NPC. OK, so I personally don't think its writing is good enough to be compared to EarthBound, but that doesn't mean I think it's drivel. In fact, I'd say it's just fun--and weird--enough to bring a smile to your face more regularly than your average RPG. Even if that weren't the case, though, I'd call myself a Golf Story fan anyway thanks to how all of its components combine to create a unique experience that intrigues throughout its 15-plus-hour running time.



The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (Switch)--I've made no secret of the fact that I'm generally not a fan of three-dimensional Zelda games. Don't get me wrong, I like the idea of them, but despite that they usually have a hard time holding my interest past the first few hours. Well, Breath of the Wild bucks that trend--or at least it has so far. I regularly get lost while wandering around its lush landscapes, I've got to admit, but it's yet to bring my progress to a screeching halt. Does this mean me finishing Breath of the Wild is a done deal? Unfortunately, it doesn't. Still, I think that result is far more likely than it was when I attempted to play through Majora's Mask, The Wind Waker, and Twilight Princess thanks to the intriguingly open-ended nature of this particular Zelda adventure.



Miitopia (3DS)--I was sure I'd get a kick out of Miitopia the second I laid eyes on it. Still, I was shocked when I enjoyed its demo as much as I did. In fact, I enjoyed it so much I put more than three hours into it before giving it a rest. I've now put more than twice that into the full game, and yet it continues to make me chuckle and otherwise turn me into a grinning idiot. There's no question this RPG is an odd duck, not to mention quite a bit more "casual" than what is typical of the genre, but for me, both of those qualities conspire to make Miitopia far more entertaining than it would be if it leaned toward the traditional. I do suspect Miitopia's schtick may wear thin sooner rather than later, but that's OK; I already feel like I got my money's worth out of it.



Poochy & Yoshi's Woolly World (3DS)--I'm one of those grumps that like to grouse about how Yoshi's Island is the only good Yoshi game. I regularly grumble in this way even though I didn't exactly hate Yoshi's New Island. Well, this portable port of Woolly World is miles more impressive than that 2014 release, as well as pretty much every other Yoshi title I've played since the first. One reason for that is it's gorgeous--even on the low-res 3DS screen. Another is it provides a good amount of fun. Also, it eventually offers up a good challenge for people (like me) who don't necessarily possess top-notch platforming skills--something that can't exactly be said of every Yoshi title that's followed in Island's wake.



Project Octopath Traveler demo (Switch)--Yes, this is a demo. But like the Bravely Default demo Square Enix made available well in advance of that 3DS game's release, this one is both meaty and interesting enough to prompt someone like me to declare it "game of the year"--or at least one of my favorite gaming experiences of the year. The aspect of the Project Octopath Traveler demo that most stood out at me while playing through it recently (read my impressions here) was the battle system, which feels like a zippier version of the one featured in Bravely Default and Second. Really, though, every component of this teaser blew me away--even its much maligned "vignette" filter. I guess what I'm saying here is, barring some sort of disaster popping up between now and whenever it's released, expect to see the full game discussed in next year's version of this write-up.

My unasked-for review of Hey! Pikmin: I liked it, I really liked it!

I bought Hey! Pikmin a couple of years ago when retailers were selling copies at a fraction of their original asking price.

It's been sitting in a drawer ever since it arrived on my doorstep, though, because the negative word of mouth that surrounds this side-scrolling Pikmin spinoff convinced me it was a dud.

What prompted me to slip my Hey! Pikmin cart into my flame-red 3DS at long last? This recent write-up played a role, naturally, but so did my desire to play a DS or 3DS game that wasn't an RPG.

Hey! Pikmin fit that bill as well as any other game in my collection, so I started my way through it late last week. Five days and just about 13 hours later, I was done with it--final boss, credit roll, and all.

Although this post's headline should make it pretty clear how I feel about the time I spent with Hey! Pikmin, I'm guessing most of you would like to know a little more about those feelings than just, "I loved it!"

For those folks, here are some of the positives--and negatives!--that stuck out at me while I traipsed my way through Hey! Pikmin.

Hey! Pikmin pros

It looks great--Visually, Hey! Pikmin reminds me of Yoshi's New Island. Which makes a lot of sense, as developer Arzest made both of these 3DS games. Don't fret if you despise New Island's aesthetics. Not only are the graphics in Hey! Pikmin more consistent than those of its Yoshi-starring counterpart, but they're more consistently pretty, too.

The puzzle-centric gameplay is refreshingly unique--At times, Hey! Pikmin feels like it began life as a Kirby or Yoshi game. An example: you use the Pikmin you collect here to defeat enemies and solve puzzles, much like you use eggs to complete those same actions in your average Yoshi title. Overall, though, Hey! Pikmin's gameplay differs just enough from that of the aforementioned counterparts to feel unique. There's no real "platforming"--or even jumping--in this spinoff, for starters. Also, the pace is a lot slower and more deliberate than it is in most Yoshi and Kirby games. And then there are the eponymous, carrot-like creatures, which, as you might expect, provide their own twist to this well-worn genre.

It's almost blissfully short--When I was younger, Hey! Pikmin's brevity would've caused me to blow a gasket. These days, short games thrill me. I no longer have the time or attention span to play more than a couple of super-long games each year. So, Hey! Pikmin was perfect for me in that regard.

Another way it was perfect for me: it didn't overstay its welcome. You might be thinking, "Of course it didn't, you only played it for 13 hours!" My response is that if Hey! Pikmin had included one more sector (world), even one more boss, it would've actively annoyed me. In other words, it basically ended right around when I thought it should. How many times does that happen with modern games?

Also, it's perfect for short bursts of play--If you, too, prefer games that allow you to plug away at them a little bit at a time, you should track down a copy of Hey! Pikmin pronto. Assuming you're still in the mood for 3DS titles, of course. Most Hey! Pikmin stages can be finished in just a few minutes. And most sectors can be finished in an hour or so. It all makes for a pretty wonderful situation if you don't have a ton of free time and you're not a huge fan of games that take months to complete.

I'm pretty sure I'll replay it sooner rather than later--And that's not something I say about a lot of games these days. So why am I saying it here? Because I'm already looking forward to experiencing certain Hey! Pikmin levels a second or even third time, that's why. I'm especially looking forward to revisiting the frosty stages of the "Snowfall Field" sector--like the one that tasks you with controlling Olimar and his pluckable, pint-sized crew while sliding down a mountain atop a bottle cap.

Hey! Pikmin cons

It chugs a bit on an OG 3DS--It's possible Hey! Pikmin is like Poochy and Yoshi's Woolly World and performs better when played on a New 3DS. My only experience with the former title to date, though, is on an OG 3DS. And when played on an OG 3DS, Hey! Pikmin's frame rate struggles a bit on several stages. I'd even go so far as to say it struggles mightily on a few. That's never really bothered me, strangely enough, but I know it bugs others, so I thought I'd point it out here.

It's pretty easy--You know how in most Kirby and Yoshi games, the real challenge comes from nabbing all the collectibles in a stage or finishing a level without taking a hit? Well, the same is true of Hey! Pikmin. If you hate that sort of thing, you'll probably hate this side-scroller, too.

Too few stages force you to use multiple kinds of Pikmin--Considering Hey! Pikmin features five different Pikmin types, you might think it would be chock-full of levels requiring you to use all, or at least several, of them. Nope. The majority only let you use one or two. Just a handful let you use three, and I can't think of a single one that lets you use all five. A missed opportunity, if you ask me.

A number of stages are locked behind Amiibos--Of all the negatives I'm highlighting here, this one irritates me the most. Actually, it's the only one that irritates me, period. Thankfully, most--all?--of the Hey! Pikmin levels that are locked behind Amiibos seem to be of the "secret spot" variety. Meaning they're single-screened, puzzle-centric stages rather than full-fledged ones. Still, it's beyond annoying that you need to own Amiibos to access them.

See also: 'Five Nintendo 3DS games I want to play in 2020'

Is Nintendo less creative than it was during its heyday?

I can't tell you how many times I've read that Nintendo isn't as creative as it once was. I believe it started as far back as the 90s, after the Super NES was released. As soon as a few sequels (presumably with the word "super" in the title somewhere) popped up for the system, critics started bashing the big N for relying too much on its key properties (usually called "intellectual properties" or IPs) and not on new and original characters and concepts.

Having heard this year in and year out since then, I decided finally to do a bit of research (made a lot easier by the fantastic Nintendo Database) to see if the criticism has any teeth.

The job was a fairly straight-forward one: I simply looked back at the games Nintendo itself produced and published for each of its systems from the NES to the Wii. I only chose games released in the U.S., since I'm guessing if anyone ever reads this blog that's where they'll be coming from.

Anyway, based on that information, it's true that Nintendo released the most "unique" IPs on its first system, though I'm not sure that should be much of a surprise (of course the characters and concepts were original and unique on their first system). Has it released fewer games based on "new" IPs with every system since? Not really.

For comparison's sake, there were many, many original games released by Nintendo for the NES--too many for me to care to count, at least. Rest assured it was more than 13 (I'll list some of the most memorable below). The GameBoy, throughout its life cycle, has produced about nine "new" IPs thus far.

(A note of warning here: I only count original, unique characters and game styles as new IPs. For instance, the games produced around the Wario character (WarioLand and WarioWare) are unique IPs, in my opinion, while Super Mario Land on the GB is not a new IP to the system since it's really just another Mario platformer. None of the platforming Mario games on any other system count as a new IP for that system in my opinion either. Also, I'm only considering the U.S. market here. So, even though Fire Emblem and Earthbound/Mother began its life in Japan on the NES/Famicom, they were first introduced to the U.S. audience on the GameBoy and SNES, respectively.)

During the SNES era, Nintendo released eleven new IPs for the system. Moving on, six new IPs were released for the Nintendo 64 (many more if you consider Rare's contributions, to which Nintendo no longer owns the rights), and eleven were released for the fairly short-lived GameCube. Lest you should still think Ninty has, in fact, been shortchanging fans when it comes to new IPs for its more current systems, the still-young Nintendo DS has already seen the emergence of eight new IPs, and Nintendo has released two new IPs for the months-old Wii.

Although it seems clear Nintendo has released slightly less unique and original concepts/characters with every system released since the NES, I don't think it's as serious as some naysayers claim. The fact is, since so many new IPs are released for each successive Nintendo console, the company has many more games for which fans will be demanding sequels. Considering that fact, Nintendo has done a pretty good job of keeping sequel-happy fanboys in line while also attempting to attract gamers to other IPs.

With that said, what did I base my opinions on? Here are the lists of original IPs released by Nintendo for each of its consoles (the NES list is only representative and is not exhaustive):

NES: Balloon Fight, Dr. Mario, Duck Hunt, Excitebike, Ice Climber, Kid Icarus, Kirby, The Legend of Zelda, Metroid, Punch Out!!, Rad Racer, Star Tropics and Super Mario Bros.

GameBoy: Advance Wars, Fire Emblem, Golden Sun, Hamtaro, Mario vs. Donkey Kong, Pokemon (includes all later Pokemon titles as well), Tetris, WarioLand and WarioWare.

SNES: Donkey Kong Country, Earthbound, F-Zero, Mario Paint, Pilotwings, StarFox, Stunt Race FX, Super Mario Kart, Super Mario RPG (includes future Paper Mario games), Uniracers and Yoshi’s Island (includes later Yoshi platformers as well).

N64: 1080, Mario Golf, Mario Party, Mario Tennis, Super Smash Bros. and WaveRace.

GC: Animal Crossing, Battalion Wars, Chibi Robo, Custom Robo, Eternal Darkness, Geist, Luigi’s Mansion, Mario Superstar Baseball, Odama, Pikmin and Super Mario Strikers.

DS: Brain Age, Electroplankton, Elite Beat Agents, Hotel Dusk: Room 215, Mario Hoops, Nintendogs, Super Princess Peach and Trace Memory.

Wii: Excite Truck and Wii (fill-in-the-blank) series.

Another (probably) yawn-inducing note: I decided not to consider any of Nintendo's sports games outside of the Mario sports series as "new" IPs for any of the systems. As far as I can tell, few if any of them ever produced sequels or new versions for later, successive systems, so I personally lump them together as updated versions of games originally released on the NES (Tennis, Baseball, Soccer, etc.).

Have I missed any, or do you completely disagree with any of the games I've called new IPs? Let me know!