Shifting World takes the whole world switching mechanic and breathes fresh air into it, presenting players with some amazing brain-teasing stages. Smart level design, a stylish art style, and plenty of different modes to work through make this puzzle platform title one of the best 'under the radar' Nintendo 3DS games of 2012.

Unfortunately, the entire experience is marred by poor controls and frustrating gameplay in general and pretty much spoils that to a large degree, dragging the game down and preventing it from fulfilling its potential. Definitely a missed opportunity.

What it lacks in graphical fidelity, Warriors Orochi 3 Hyper more than makes up for in every other area, with the standard en masse battling fare proving as thrilling as ever, now complete with crazy time travelling storyline to make the missions more intriguing.

Offering far more value for money than what may first appear, The Denpa Men's overall variety may be in question, yet it does provide an excellent starting point for newer players as well as something a little different for veterans.

It has to be said that whilst it is clearly the 2012 game on offer here, with a few new sprinklings to make it viable for the Wii U crowd, FIFA 13 is a far better effort than the usual churned out launch entries previous Nintendo consoles have had to suffer.

It is hard to dislike the comical Rabbids, and the antics of Rabbids Land goes to show that there is still plenty of fun to be had with crazy mini-games that can be played with a few friends. It may not have the same level of longevity as something like Nintendo Land but it does indeed prove to be a great time consumer for anyone hoping for an enjoyable experience that makes great use of the Wii U GamePad.

What it may lack in terms of presentation, Crimson Shroud more than makes up for in the narrative department, soundtrack, and the originality of its battle system (at least for a video-game RPG).

Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward may lack the initial punch delivered by its predecessor, but still brings an engrossing tale to the table, with a story that players will have to explore completely before finally putting the game back on the shelf. With a smattering of smart puzzles tying everything together, it will take something truly special to trump this superb visual novel experience.

Konami shoots and scores with Pro Evolution Soccer 2013 3D, showing EA how it should be done. From the wide array of modes that mimic the home console versions to the technical quality and extras that make this 3DS version stand out, this proves to be the ultimate portable football experience for all fans of the sport.

Puddle lacks a tiny bit of personality and features some initially annoying gameplay limitations but manages to hold its own in the long run, past the initial learning period.

Mighty Switch Force! Hyper Drive Edition is a superb action puzzle title with clever stages that both get the brain working overtime, yet also offer up a thrilling fast-paced platform experience that will keep even the toughest of gamers on the edge of their seats.

Nintendo Land is indeed a pleasant surprise. Not only does it do a great job at demonstrating just about every one of the Wii U's features, but it also delivers on some incredibly fun experiences, particularly in multiplayer

While perhaps not a ground-breaking addition to the Wii library, A Shadow's Tale had the potential to be more than what it ended up being. Nevertheless, what was given is still quite a good experience that will delight Wii owners craving for an original concept that strives to convey a unique atmosphere to its players through a well designed soundtrack and visual style.

With only a few levels on offer, each lasting only a few minutes, it would be easy to conclude that Nano Assault Neo is a total rip-off. Deeper observation, however, reveals a quite addictive experience that will have fans of the genre coming back for more, trying to complete every single one of the downright insane challenges it throws their way, as well as attempting to climb atop the online leader-boards to become the best player in the world... or perhaps aiming for the more reasonable goal of becoming the best Nano Assault player among their friends.

Chasing Aurora is not a bad game, it's a good game that is let down by some poor design decisions.

Real Heroes: Firefighter 3D helps to fill a void in the games market by successfully emulating the perils of being in the emergency services, and yet somehow does so a little too well if the dodgy input methods and stuttering graphical levels are anything to go by. One of the more unique first-person 'shooters' on the 3DS market, but also a book of matches you need to be cautious with when striking.

Tekken Tag Tournament 2: Wii U Edition proves that when something isn't broke then there's no need to fix it -- just add a ton of worthwhile and engaging content on top. Persistent loading times may mar the experience for some, but for fighting game fans with a shiny new console to equip, this will be gaming nirvana.

New Super Mario Bros. U succeeds in delivering classic 2D Mario gameplay in a more visually appealing and complete package than ever before and is simply a blast to play both alone or with friends.

Little Inferno is an incredibly unique experience that can't be found in any other game. Burning various items is surprisingly fun and the charming story will appeal to many people.

Although a year later than its brethren, Batman: Arkham City - Armoured Edition manages to differentiate itself as a subtly enhanced version with all the bells and quirks of the extra content added on top. The GamePad additions will split opinion on what works and what doesn't, but for one of the better launch titles -- if maybe not the best running one -- this is a considerable option.

Call of Duty: Black Ops II is by far the most fleshed out Call of Duty game to date; with a whole load of content included and some lovely exclusive features, it's clear that Treyarch is committed to making the series successful on Wii U.

A solid concept at its core already made sure that ZombiU was an attractive and interesting prospect even before it launched. What was delivered turned out to be a most attractive and addictive experience like none other in the current generation of games, especially as the Survival Horror genre having pretty much died over the last decade.

Sonic's second foray into the motoring world is his best yet, with a game that headlines the defining advantages of the Wii U format whilst providing more than enough to see and do for SEGA fans both young and old. Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed retains trademark aspects of the karting genre, but also provides enough variation on it to be able to stand side-by-side with Nintendo's eventual Mario equivalent.

Balance Challenge is an excellent game that has been criminally ignored by the gaming press., and comes highly recommended.

In the absence of Wii Fit U alone, this offering from Ubisoft would have been perfect, but so impressive is the package that it deserves to stand proud as one of the best fitness products on the market at the moment and is a great alternative for those that loved Wii Fit Plus.

Aero Porter features a good and surprisingly fun concept but fails when it comes to its execution. It's enjoyable to play through for a while but that doesn't make it a worthwhile purchase at the price of £4.49 when there are plenty of better options on the 3DS eShop. It could only be recommended to people who love micromanaging and aren't put off by heaps of frustration.

Funky Barn had a lot going for it, and in many ways it works a treat thanks to some smooth controls and the farming element proving to be quite fun. However, when a lot of the processes become automated later on, the enjoyment factor starts to wane considerably. On top of this, despite having some pleasing options, the general amount included does not warrant its high retail price-tag, and it would have been far more palatable had it been a cheaper eShop download.

For all its beauty in the presentation stakes, Paper Mario: Sticker Star is certainly not the RPG than many fans of the series in general were expecting. It does prove to be a satisfying enough adventure after becoming accustomed to the mix and match of gameplay styles included, but the back-tracking and frustrating limitations of the sticker battling system fail to impress. The whole package feels a bit 'lost and confused.'