The Nintendo 3DS tour touched down at the Ilac Centre in Dublin last weekend and we were on hand to test out all the top launch window 3DS titles.
Nintendo have put a lot behind their latest marketing slogan for their newest handheld console, ‘Seeing is Believing’. Considering the glasses-free 3DS is the follow-up to the most successful console of all time, not to mention that TV adverts can’t show off the selling-point technology from 2D televisions, it’s no surprise that the Japanese giants have travelled across the UK and Ireland to put their claims to the test.
Ostensibly four white partitions that contained attractive promotional staff and a couple dozen 3DS consoles, the 3DS event was a somewhat surprisingly low-key event. Numbers were high but space to properly bed-in a game and engross yourself within a title was all too rare. The 3D effect, however, was worthy of the hype, turning even the most shonky graphics (ahem, Ridge Rider 3DS) into dazzling spectacles.
The 3DS hits Irish shelves this coming Friday, though Nintendo have attempted to bolster their relatively meagre launch lineup with the curious term ‘launch window’, which encompasses titles at last week’s event that aren’t ready for launch day but will be released within the next three months.
Without further ado, here are our first impressions of the biggest games at Nintendo’s trip to Dublin:
The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time 3DS – June release
Battling Gohma was the highlight of our Ocarina experience
Theres’s nothing Nintendo love more than selling your old favourites back to you on a new console. They did it with SNES remakes for the Game Boy Advance (coming to the 3DS’ ‘E-Shop’ in May, natch), they did it with the Virtual Console on the Wii and they do it every few years with their Pokémon remakes.
With that in mind, we really shouldn’t be encouraging a 3D remake for Ocarina of Time but we’re powerless to resist – the 1998 Nintendo 64 release is regarded as the greatest game of all time by many, so the opportunity to revisit Kokiri Forest and the Great Deku Tree with stylus control, a lower-half screen inventory and completely re-drawn 3D is a tempting prospect.
Probably the highlight of the event, Ocarina feels incredible in handheld form, while our battle with the arachnid boss Gohma felt extremely fresh when we began directing Link’s slingshot by using the 3DS’ gyroscope. It’s a shame Ocarina won’t reach shelves until June, as we were tempted to remove the cartridge and high-tail it out of the Ilac when no-one was looking.
Kid Icarus: Uprising – TBA release
Without doubt the most graphically impressive title on show, Kid Icarus’ long-awaited console return was a curious beast – offering Sin & Punishment-style 3D shooting from the skies and Greek mythology-based ground environments that recalled a PG version of God of War.
While some have complained of the finicky controls (which require you to use the stylus moreso than any other title we tried), Uprising was a feast for the senses, offering graphics far beyond anything the best Wii titles can manage, yet in a portable device. Definitely one to watch, though Uprising‘s release date is annoyingly unconfirmed as of this writing.
Pilotwings Resort – March 25 release
WuHu Island of Wii Fit and Wii Sports Resort returns, in the guise of the latest Pilotwings adventure. Early reviews have suggested that Resort is a glorious technical demo but a poor game, as the title is so light on features. While we’re disappointed that only one island is available to players, our quick time with the game was more than satisfactory, as we wrestled with jet packs and flew bi-planes through a beautiful island paradise. Certainly not for some gamer’s more cerebral tastes, Resort‘s peaceful gameplay should still find many fans.
Nintendogs + Cats – March 25 release
Not much to say about this demo – Nintendogs + Cats prescence involved petting either a cat or dog, with no other gameplay options available. Fans of the original Nintendogs will be surprised to see that the view of your pet has moved to the top screen, while the lower-half has you petting a silouhette of your dog or cat and watching their response in 3D above.
It takes a little getting used to but from the little we could play, Nintendogs + Cats looks to offer more of the same, albeit in higher graphical detail and with a feline friend thrown in for the bargain.
Super Street Fighter IV: 3D Edition – March 25 release
Guile vs Ryu – nearly 20 years later, we can’t settle on who is cooler
Street Fighter IV managed to spark a mini-revival within the fighting genre, though players that yearned to try out their childhood favourite may have been licking their wounds after the online trashing they subsequently received.
Looking to once again open up the series to the casual gamer, Super Street Fighter IV: 3DS Edition (or £35 Edition as it has cruelly been dubbed by some online posters) allows players to map up to four moves to the bottom 3DS screen, which can be utilised by a single stylus press. Purists may baulk, yet Street Fighter’s 3DS instalment, which features an optional but dizzying over-the-shoulder ‘dynamic’ viewpoint, could be the most casual-friendly fighter in years.
Ridge Racer 3DS – March 25 release
It wouldn’t be a console launch without a new Ridge Racer and sure enough, Namco’s racer rears its jaggedy head once more. With graphics on a par to a five-year-old PSP release and blatant 3D gimmickry (confetti flies down the screen at points), we’re ashamed to admit that despite appearances, Ridge Racer 3DS was actually a whole lot of fun.
Yes, the entire series is antiquated, not to mention its graphics, yet if you’re looking for retro thrills to the counterbalance state-of-the-art 3D, look no further.
Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D
Mercenaries 3D was explosive fun and a startling technical showcase
While we had our fix of plenty of titles during our time at the Ilac Centre, we couldn’t help wondering where Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D was. We had seen the game promised in numerous print adverts, but couldn’t find it anywhere. That was until we were stepping out of the event and were accosted by a 6ft+ photogenic male that jovially asked, ‘HEY! Wanna play Resident Evil in 3D?’ We nodded politely and stood awkwardly as we tested the game, which was curiously clipped to his belt.
According to Nintendo’s unnamed Resident Evil pesterer, he had to ask gamers if they could play each time, as the series’ 3DS debut is rated for adults only. Oh, Nintendo! The Mercenaries 3D is a portable version of the Resident Evil 4 and 5 unlockable feature, which has players fending off enemies in time-attack third-person shooter scenarios. While some might say it’s cynical to expect players to pay full-price for such a privilege, don’t forget that a substantial Resi Evil title (Revelations) is also in the works for the handheld.
In practice, Mercenaries 3D is a lot of fun, with graphics that best Resident Evil 4‘s Wii version. We tested out the Market level of Resident Evil 5 as Chris Redfield and were surprised to see just how well a third-person shooter could be adapted for the 3DS.
Unlike past Resi Evil titles, Mercenaries 3D allows players to shoot while running, which some might say is another betrayal of the series’ survival horror roots. Don’t mind them, it really helps the Mercenaries experience and if this title manages to garner a sizeable online following, it might not leave our 3DS for months.
Be sure to check back Friday March 25 for our full Nintendo 3DS hardware review. We will be continuing our coverage of the console next week with a series of reviews from the launch title lineup.
LISTEN: You Must Be Jokin’ podcast – listen to the latest episode now!
