Standing at the threshold of a new console age, it is clear Christmas will be interesting this year. Sony and Microsoft have declared open war on each other, taking up gaming headlines with digs on each other, backpedaling and one-upping on both hardware and games. This has left Nintendo, with its Wii U and 3DS, in an awkward position, forcing the company to ask the question: How will Ninetendo compete in an oversaturated market when the opponents’ hardware is about to outclass it in nearly every way?
If you’re Nintendo, you do what’s worked in the past — call up an Italian plumber, a giant ape and an elf man-child.
Each year, the Nintendo Airstream Tour sends its trailer cross-country, allowing gamers to test its newest games and products. Last weekend, the Airstream Trailer visited Salt Lake City, and I was able to sample its merchandise. Here’s a rundown of my first impressions of what Nintendo has created in hopes of joining the Christmas competition.
2DS: When I first heard of 2DS, I became concerned. The cost-effective and stripped-down version of the 3DS, without the 3D, is not a sign Nintendo is doing well. My concerns swiftly vanished when I fit the thing into my enormous gangly hands and messed around with the settings. The cost-effective portable meant I could play Pokémon for hours on end and not have to ice my hands for the rest of the night. The no-3D component meant I didn’t have to pay for something that causes migraines and vertigo. All things considered, I was sold. Forget Sony and Microsoft, Nintendo is going to clean up with this thing.
Arkham Origins Blackgate: The Arkham City franchise seems to have one thought process in regards to its up-and-coming game: What else do we need? The answer has been assassins, portability and multi-player, both co-op and competitive. Blackgate, designed for the 3DS, turned the entire system into a side-scrolling platform with the beloved fighting mechanic copied over. I know that sounds lame, but trust me, it’s not. The graphics are amazing. Kevin Conroy’s voice for Batman is missed, but the cut scene I saw with Batman and Catwoman was delightful. These are characters that need more screen time if any do, and Blackgate promises to deliver.
Super Mario 3D World: If anyone has benefited from the retro bug, it’s Mario. With his classic gameplay from Super Mario Bros. 3 and Mario 64 coming back, I’m not surprised they grabbed an idea from Mario Bros. 2 for this one. Now you can play as Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach and Toad, each with their own special abilities. Plus the game gives players the option of wearing a catsuit, which allows you to climb up things and scratch bad guys to death. No, I’m not joking. I wish I could say this was all stupid and pointless, but I had fun with it. The levels are big with lots to do. I can easily see four people playing it and having a blast — kitty litter jokes included.
Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze: It’s Donkey Kong 64 with better graphics. And you can fight penguins. If you liked the 64 version, you’ll like this one. The end.
Splinter Cell: Blacklist: This is the only adult game on the list. The first 10 minutes of the game killed off eight or nine people, and this was before the tutorial told me how to walk. After that, the game immediately taught me how to kill a man with one of those impossible looking knives they sell at themed stores — the knives normally used for decoration — a weapon useful in stealth but not when the opponent has a gun. Even with the short time I had to test the game, I wanted more. That guy with the gun will get it from me someday.
Pikmin 3: I know. When you say, “The same as such-and-such but with better graphics,” it doesn’t mean by much, but here it says something. At one point, I had a character in a waist-deep pool of water, and I swear I felt my toes get wet. The graphics in this version are incredible, almost mind blowing. The gameplay was fun, clever and inventive, so it’s more than just pretty — but man, is it pretty.
The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds: This game was probably the most retro of the games I sampled. On the 3DS, it was a top-down Zelda game not seen since Nintendo was the name of the console. The graphical upgrade meant I could see what I was fighting, as opposed to the Nintendo Entertainment version where stray lines of code often appeared. I liked it when Link turned into a chalk drawing and ran along the walls, like the paintings in Harry Potter. I have no idea what it was for, but it looked neat.