With all the attention focused the latest next generation consoles from Sony and Microsoft; we must not forget its other competitor Nintendo, who have brought a huge amount of great games this year on the WiiU and 3DS. So Part 2 of this gift guide will focus heavily on the best Nintendo games of this year to consider for during this holiday season.
Pokemon XY (Gamefreak)
With the new generation of Pokemon, comes Pokemon X and Y. Set in France-inspired, Kalos, players journey through the region to catch Pokemon, battle Trainers and defeat gym leaders. With the dramatic change in visuals and sounds, the 3D gameplay really sets the game apart from any other Pokemon game, also introducing new features like Pokemon-Amie and the Super Training, letting you interact with your Pokemon even more. The new Player Search System, lets you Battle, Trade and Chat with friends and random players from around the world.
Our review of Pokemon XY can be found via the link here, focusing heavily on the gameplay and new features.
Animal Crossing: New Leaf (Nintendo EAD)
You are the mayor of your village and with you are a handful of quirky animal villagers. It’s your job to keep your residents happy and help the village grow. Animal Crossing: New Leaf includes new features to help your village whether that be through public works or ordinances, and now lets you customise your own house. You can play with 3 other friends, visiting their village, as well as inviting them to yours, you can also journey to Tortimer Island. There you can play competitive or co-op minigames and collect exotic bugs and fruit.
Super Mario 3D World (Nintendo EAD)
The latest instalment of the Super Mario franchise takes a different approach in terms of gameplay, this time incorporating a 3D free-roam gameplay with the iconic 2D side-scrolled platformer the franchise is known for. The game features many new power-up items, such as the ‘Cat Suit’ – which allows players to scale walls and claw through enemies with ease.
TechGeek had a chance to play this game during PAX Australia and our opinions of the game can be found via the link here. Regardless playing with friends or not, this game is one you should consider playing.
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD (Nintendo EAD)
A remake of the classic Nintendo GameCube game The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, this game will be very nostalgic for older gamers. Not only the graphics have been improved, the game improves over the minor flaws from the original – such as improved sailing mechanics and shorter item cutscenes. Additionally, veteran players are able to increase the difficulty of the game via ‘Hero Mode’, which remove normal health regeneration and increase enemies’ attack – similar to The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess.
The Legend of Zelda: A link Between Worlds (Nintendo EAD)
Travel back to Hyrule with “The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds”, an entirely new game in the series set in the world from “A Link to the Past.” The top down view mechanic returns, and in combination with Link’s new special ability, where he can merge into walls, you can travel where you never could before in a Zelda game. With gorgeous graphics, captivating orchestral music, and an intriguing story, “The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds” is a must buy for any Nintendo 3DS owner.
Scribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Adventure (5th Cell)
Always wanted to know who would in a fight between Batman and Superman without waiting for the next Man of Steel movie? Scribblenauts Unmasked allows the player’s imagination run wild, allowing the player to spawn a plethora of ionic DC’s superheroes to solve puzzles. Moreover, like previous Scribblenauts games, players are able to customise items with adjectives; adding more variety and interesting gameplay.