Topic: Top 10 3DS Games: Two Years and Counting

[Pixelated Pixies]

That's not all that controversial compared to me calling Mario 3D Land the greatest game of all time earlier in the thread.

My statement could be considered controversial. Your statement is just silly.  :

[Fjurbanski]

Not liking 3D Land is one thing. Calling it trash is absolutely absurd. In order for a game to be trash it has to, you know, actually be bad... really bad. Fundamentally, 3D Land is a good platformer. If you don't like the art style, that's your opinion. If you don't like the music, opinion. Too easy? Opinion. Control scheme "atrocious"? It's run and jump, X and A... it's not like they made the run button B and the jump button the right d-pad button. 3D linear platforming broken by nature? That doesn't even make sense. And if the tanooki suit is too cheap for you.. well you know you don't have to use it.


The game is not trash.

[Evan_B]

Nah, it's trash. Dismiss my opinions as opinions all you'd like, when a game reeks of unfinished polish, such as its art style and reused assets, it's a bit jarring. Why would I ever feel good about buying a game that feels this lazy?

3D platforming isn't broken when it doesn't rely on fixed camera angles so that you can accurately analyze and approach your obstacles. Also, 3D platforming isn't broken when it encourages the use of all three dimensions, and isn't... you know, LINEAR. Unfortunately, Super Mario Galaxy, Galaxy 2, and 3D Land have all essentially do just that. You may call it "purpose and focus" or a "level of depth" but all of that can be accomplished without fixed camera angles!

Mario continues to disappoint me as a character whose games had soul and creativity which has been stripped away for level gimmicks and bland consistency. I've gone from loving exploration and experimentation to hating the specific approach more recent games have forced me to take. I don't want to see another Tanooki suit when I boot up another level- how many times have I been forced to sit through its inclusion? It's not charming, it's annoying. I can at least accept Mario staples that set the stage for how the game will be played, but I don't need it shoving poorly-thought-out level gimmicks and the like down my throat. This is why I am happy to say that I enjoy and recommend games like Sticker Star over 3D Land- at least the exploration and creativity is high in the former and doesn't feel like the same-old, same-old.

Okay, I'll stop pestering everyone now. I don't believe I've called any of your opinions absurd, and I certainly haven't said any of you are "dead inside" because of how you feel about the game- I don't think 3D Land is worthy of praise and I will state the reasons why. Is that wrong?

[Fjurbanski]

I'm certainly not bashing your opinion. You don't like the art style or the music? Fine. You think it lacks polish and originality? Fine. What I take issue with are your factually incorrect statements that you fill with hyperbole and pass off as opinions when they're really not.


"Linear 3D platforming is broken." Factually incorrect. It works perfectly well. What you should say is, "I don't like linear 3D platforming."


"The control scheme is atrocious." Again, factually incorrect and hyperbolical. You run and jump just like in any other mario game by holding X and pressing A. If it's not atrocious in the other games, it's not in this one. Again if you had just said that you didn't like the controls then you probably wouldn't have as many people jumping down your throat.


So, when you use words like "trash", "broken", and "atrocious" to describe a game that, at it's worst, is no worse than average or unoriginal, what kind of response do you expect?

[Pixelated Pixies]

Okay, I'll stop pestering everyone now. I don't believe I've called any of your opinions absurd, and I certainly haven't said any of you are "dead inside" because of how you feel about the game- I don't think 3D Land is worthy of praise and I will state the reasons why. Is that wrong?

Just for the record, I did not say you were dead inside...I only asked if you were dead inside. To which I now know the answer.  : : :
 
Joking aside though, you're more than welcome to your opinions man. I can't say I totally understand where you're coming from, but of course it's not wrong of you to express those opinions. Personally, I found the control scheme to be comfortable and precise, I thought the art style was vibrant and charming (although that is of course very subjective), and I think the concept of having a semi-fixed floating camera allowed EAD to frame the action and play with perspective in a way that they could not have done otherwise. For me it was a triumph. It's for that reason that I was genuinely interested to hear how someone could have such a negative experience with 3D Land.
 
You've now explained why you believe 3D Land is trash, but for my part I'm no closer to comprehending the issues you cite. I actually played a few levels of 3D Land yesterday just to jog my memory, and I am literally incapable of appreciating how anyone could think that game is trash. Your experience with the game is so at odds with my own that we are essentially talking about different games, lol. I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree.

[Evan_B]

Let me just say this about the fixed camera concept- framing the action is all well-and-good, but the thing that truly aggravates me is the idea of having a fixed frame that moves independently from the player when the camera is no longer framing a scene. This means jumps are often leaps of faith because the camera refuses to move with you because its focused on the last "clever" framing opportunity it wanted to focus on. And of course, the only way to create a safety net for yourself is by wearing a Tanooki suit. That's not good design- again- in my opinion. It punishes creativity and experimentation, doesn't establish a proper sense of flow. and forces you along a rather boring path.

I'm also just going to say, the Circle Pad is unresponsive on the whole, the run button is really not necessary since you have to run through every damn level because of those stupid time limits (yeah, yeah, I know... the most 3D 2D Mario ever so it has to have time limits!), and the concept of jumping in 3D space is hindered by the unforgiving difference between a running jump and a non-running jump. The inability to truly set a direction with ease means most of the powerups cannot be aimed, which means they're essentially useless. But at least you have that wonderful AoE Tanooki Suit.

NOW I'm done. Opinions, man. They suck.

[pokepal148]

i love how nobody is even talking about theaeterhythm

[Halbred]

I know. I put all this effort into writing about Revelations and Theatrhythm and I just get a bunch of bitching about Super Mario 3D land.

[AwesomeUnicorn]

Well, Theatrhythm is probably my top played 3DS game.  I have all the DLC, and it was worth every last cent.  I was very glad to see it on the list, personally!

[ejamer]

I know. I put all this effort into writing about Revelations and Theatrhythm and I just get a bunch of bitching about Super Mario 3D land.

For what it's worth, I enjoyed the RE:Revelations write up a great deal and was delighted to see that game included. (Just because it's my favorite 3DS game so far doesn't mean that it would make someone else's list.)


Didn't comment because (a) you pretty much nailed it, and (b) the only nitpick I would have is calling the game "essentially flawless".  It had minor flaws - including some awkward water sequences and annoying sections played as secondary characters - but still managed to be the best Resident Evil game since 4 by a comfortable margin.


It astounds me that many 3DS owners haven't even tried the game yet. It's a $20 digital download now, and was priced between $10-15 at many retailers over the holidays. For one of the best looking games on the system, which offers reams of single-player content and solid online co-op via Raid Mode, that's an absolute steal of a deal!

[Pixelated Pixies]

I know. I put all this effort into writing about Revelations and Theatrhythm and I just get a bunch of bitching about Super Mario 3D land.

There's that word again. Discussion is not 'bitching' people.

[Stogi]

It's in the forum tag-line.

[oohhboy]

When Ejamer said RE:R had dropped to $20, I had to check it out in the local e-shop in NZ. The price did drop, but it's priced at $58.99US. I proceeded to blow chunks.

Being better than RE:5 isn't hard considering it boils down to a bunch of badly designed kill rooms with no atmosphere, bad inventory system and a brain dead partner, not forgetting zombies with AKs. Better than 4? not even close. RE:R has plenty of flaws, however, none of them are cripppling, although you are left questioning the designers decisions.

[ejamer]

When Ejamer said RE:R had dropped to $20, I had to check it out in the local e-shop in NZ. The price did drop, but it's priced at $58.99US. I proceeded to blow chunks.


..[size=78%].[/size]

Wow, that's ridiculous. Do people in NZ get paid in solid gold bars instead of dollars?  Is that a "normal" price for retail games in the eShop?


When the game was new, I paid $40 for a retail copy and felt like it was still a good value for me (especially since there wasn't much else on 3DS that had me excited at that point in time).  But paying $60 would feel like a lot of scratch - I haven't paid that much for a video game since the N64 days...

[oohhboy]

Gold bars would be sweet, but alas, no, we get plastic money. Did a check, Fire Emblem in the e-shop goes for $89.95NZ which translates to $76.63US. In EB it is actually slightly more expensive than that @ $93NZ. Hence I don't buy local, or shop in the e-shop. I would buy a crazy number of games if I had access to American prices or if th 3DS was region free like the DS. I get my games mostly from the UK with the odd second hand purchase here.

[Pixelated Pixies]

Mutant Mudds was exceptional. It might not have been particularly revolutionary, but it perfectly executed on what it aimed to do. Hell, it would probably make my top 10 based purely on the music alone.

[pokepal148]

i am kind of against eshop games being in the same top ten list as the retail games...
i feel like there is enough stuff on both ends for us to have a list for each.

[Pixelated Pixies]

i am kind of against eshop games being in the same top ten list as the retail games...
i feel like there is enough stuff on both ends for us to have a list for each.

Why would you be against it? You could have two separate lists, but this feature is 'Top 10 3DS Games'.

[pokepal148]

i am kind of against eshop games being in the same top ten list as the retail games...
i feel like there is enough stuff on both ends for us to have a list for each.

Why would you be against it? You could have two separate lists, but this feature is 'Top 10 3DS Games'.

Exactly the reasons I gave, we have enough games between the two to have 2 lists or a top 25 combined... the number of 3DS games worth playing is far greater then 10 and some games(Kid Icarus Uprising i suspect fits the case) likely won't get any service...

[Pixelated Pixies]

Exactly the reasons I gave, we have enough games between the two to have 2 lists or a top 25 combined... the number of 3DS games worth playing is far greater then 10 and some games(Kid Icarus Uprising i suspect fits the case) likely won't get any service...

I agree that we have enough good retail and eshop games to create two lists, but I don't see how you go from that to being against the idea of assessing the overall top ten. I think an overall top ten is especially interesting in the case of the 3DS because the quality of the best digital games actually compares rather favourably with the best that retail has had to offer.

[NWR_Neal]

*ahem* http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/feature/32698

[Pixelated Pixies]

*ahem* http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/feature/32698

*offers Neal a throat lozenge*
 
I'm very glad to see Fire Emblem on the list. I'm still making my way through the main story chapters (I'm about 25 hours in) and I'm really digging it so far. In fact, I'm already thinking about how I might approach certain maps during my replays on higher difficulties. It's just that good.

[Killer_Man_Jaro]

And at #3, we have...

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/feature/34144

[Mop it up]

I tried the demo of Theatrhythm Final Fantasy, and I would be all over that game if it had some remixed music in it. But since it's all just ripped straight from games, it feels cheap; things like the NES tunes especially needed a bump. I may still get it when it gets dirt cheap, but it's disappointing there isn't better music in it.

It astounds me that many 3DS owners haven't even tried the game yet. It's a $20 digital download now, and was priced between $10-15 at many retailers over the holidays.

Myself, I'm waiting for the Wii U version. I'm only interested in the online portion of it, and they're expanding it in that version.

[UltraClayton]

Luigi's Mansion continues to amaze me every time I pick it up. That game has a level of polish and creativity that I rarely see in a game these days.