Pokémon Omega Ruby / Alpha Sapphire

Post-Launch Review

Pokémon Omega Ruby

Developer: Game Freak

Released: November 2014
Played: complete in 40h

About

A trainer in the Hoenn region sets out to be the very best, accompanied by their neighbour. Along the way, you'll encounter Team Aqua and Team Magma, who want to improve the world, but bite off more than they can chew when they awaken powerful ancient legendary Pokémon...

The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds

Post-Launch Review

The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds

Developer: Nintendo EAD Group No. 3

Released: November - December 2013

Played: 100% complete in 17h33min

About

When a stranger appears in Hyrule and kidnaps the Sages by turning them into paintings, a hero named Link sets out to rescue them. With a fragment of the Triforce stolen, cracks begin to appear in the kingdom of Hyrule, linking it to the dark mirror world of Lorule. Link will have to master a new skill to travel between worlds and save Hyrule and Princess Zelda.

Super Smash Bros. 3DS

Post-Launch Review

Super Smash Bros (3DS)

Developer: Sora Ltd. / Bandai Namco Games

Released: September - October 2014

Played: 98h38min as of this writing, 99% complete

About

Super Smash Bros. is an accessible, fast-paced fighting game where you can play as 49 characters from Nintendo's biggest franchises. Rack up your opponents' damage and knock them off the stage!

Fire Emblem: Awakening

Post-Launch Review

Fire Emblem: Awakening

Developers: Intelligent Systems, Nintendo SPD
Released: April 2012 (Japan), February/April 2013 (everywhere else)

Played: story and most paralogues complete in 43h:48min

About

A tactician with no memory of their past finds themselves bound to Chrom, prince of Ylisse, just as a rival nation threatens war and monstrous Risen attack border villages. As Chrom and the tactician fight to defend the peace, a mysterious traveler with knowledge of the future warns that a catastrophic awakening approaches, of which the war and the Risen are but a prelude...

Bravely Default

Post-Launch Review
Bravely Default
Developer: Silicon Studio
Released: October 2012 (original Japanese release) / December 2013 - February 2014 (For the Sequel & EU/NA releases)
Played: 100% complete in 74h:54min

About

A mysterious disaster opens a chasm that swallows a village, rots the sea, stills the wind, and sends magma and earthquakes out of control. Four heroes affected by the disaster set out to close the chasm by reawakening the four powerful crystals that govern the elemental forces. But is that really the right thing to do?

The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening DX

Post-Launch Review

The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening DX (3DS Virtual Console edition)

Developer: Nintendo EAD

Released: Summer 1993 (GB) / December 1998 (GBC) / June 2011 (3DS VC)

Played: story complete in 15h:28min

About

Washed up and trapped on a mysterious island, Link must collect eight magical instruments to awaken the mythical Wind Fish and return home. But there's more to Koholint Island than meets the eye...

Pokémon X & Y

Post-Launch Review

Pokémon X & Y

Developer: Game Freak

Released: October 12 2013

Played: two playthroughs (one X, one Y), over 80 hours so far

About

The latest installments in the Pokémon series, X and Y set the player on a quest to discover the secrets of Mega Evolution, a new form of Pokémon evolution. The player must capture, train, collect, battle, and befriend the varied creatures known as Pokémon in order to explore the Kalos region and stop the villainous Team Flare.

Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon

Post-Launch Review

Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon

Developer: Next Level Games

Released: March 2013
Played: 13.5 hours; completed story mode and found most collectibles; no multiplayer

I'm trying a different format this time - knocking off the categories and writing more like a "normal" review. Let me know if you like this more or less!

About

Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon is an adventure game starring the taller, greener Mario brother. In the Evershade Valley, the Dark Moon - an artifact that pacifies the area's ghosts - has been broken, and the pieces scattered across the valley. Without the Dark Moon's effect, the valley's ghosts are causing all kinds of trouble. Professor E. Gadd calls in Luigi to round up the ghosts and reassemble the pieces of the Dark Moon, scattered through the valley's mansions.

Pokémon Black 2

Post-Launch "Review"

Pokémon Black 2

Developer: Game Freak

Released: June 2012 (Japan) / October 2012 (international)

The first true sequel in the main Pokémon franchise, Black 2 (and White 2) is set two years after the events of Black and White. The Unova region is seeing huge changes in the distribution of Pokémon wildlife, new developments are springing up across the region, and Team Plasma is back to take over the world using a third legendary dragon, Kyurem.

I had planned this to be a full review. I even played Black 2 for over 50 hours (10 more than the main story), which is normally plenty of time for me to write a full review. The problem is that I've played so many hours of Pokémon across so many different versions that I'm finding it much harder than usual to step back and look at the game objectively in terms of high-level design elements and the perspective of a new player.

So I figure I'll just talk about a few things that stuck out to me.

Star Fox 64 3D

Post-Launch Review

Star Fox 64 3D

Developer:

Released: 

About

A refresh of the N64 space shooter, Star Fox 64 3D follows the Star Fox mercenary team, led by Fox McCloud, as they fight back against the evil scientist Andross and his attempt to take over the Lylat system. Fox and his team blast their way through hundreds of enemy ships, blazing a trail to the planet where Andross was exiled years ago - Venom.

Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D

Post-Launch Review

Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D

Developers: Nintendo EAD, Grezzo

Released: June 2011

Note: this review is a comparison between the original and the 3DS version - I'm looking at the changes, not the game as a whole.

About

An update of the N64 classic, Ocarina of Time 3D refreshes one of the most iconic Zelda stories. A young boy named Link sets out to save Hyrule from Ganondorf, king of the Gerudo thieves. Ganondorf seeks the Triforce, a powerful relic that grants wishes. With the help of Princess Zelda and a magical instrument called the Ocarina of Time, Link travels around Hyrule, through dungeons, and across history to battle Ganondorf.

Hardware Review: 3DS XL

A couple of weeks ago I obtained the Pikachu edition of the 3DS XL, because I was getting a 3DS and why not, it's cute and I like Pokémon (in fact, the reason I got a 3DS now is because of the Pokémon X/Y announcement). The guy in the store told me they only had one, and in fact they had only ever had one, because apparently it's quite rare and only one was sent to each store (at least in Canada, don't know about the US). 

Anyway, my first impression was that the 3DS is basically the coolest thing ever, so I thought I'd give it a little more time before writing a post, because maybe it's not quite the coolest thing ever and I just hadn't noticed yet. 

Turns out it's not the coolest thing ever, but it is pretty damn cool.