Ultimately, the complicated rules and steep learning curve for newcomers is Heyawake's biggest obstacle. It's certainly a fun and challenging logic puzzle, but it's not the kind of game that you can just dive right into without some serious practice. The intuitive interface makes navigating the game a breeze and puzzler fans willing to invest some time into the experience will likely find a solid brain teaser with a decent amount of variety to boot.

Save yourself some money and frustration, and don't even give this one a second glance.

If you're starving for some more Picross puzzles, then you can't really go wrong with Picross E. It gives you a reasonably large set of 150 new puzzles to sink your teeth into, and although they're not particularly challenging, they'll at least keep you busy for a while.

It's a bit on the pricey side at $7.99, and if multiplayer or high-score keeping are deal-breakers for you then you'll have to look elsewhere, but otherwise puzzle fans looking for a new eShop fix will have a blast.

For a fun and addictive game that can be played at your own pace, this is definitely a download worth hunting down.

Abyss is, more than a little ironically, not deep. It is, however, a simple game done well, and quite a lot of fun to play. It doesn't bring anything particularly innovative to the table and it's not a lengthy adventure, but with solid gameplay, wonderful music, and a 200 point price tag, Abyss is a fun and surprisingly atmospheric trip below the surface.

VectorRacing is graphically impressive, with its deliberately understated visual design allowing for smooth animation and impressive draw distances. When that's the best thing about your racing game, however, there's a problem. Uneventful tracks and a dire lack of variety means that racing on any one level feels like racing anywhere else, and that gets dull fast. Online leaderboards and local multiplayer are welcome additions, but the experience feels a bit slight for the cost of entry.

Crazy Chicken Pirates is not an awful game, but it's far from a good one. The gameplay is short, repetitive, and doesn't offer anything new, but for fans of arcade shooters at low prices, you could do worse. If you own a 3DS then you should probably go with the 3D version for the higher resolution graphics - but keep in mind that, beyond visuals, both releases are exactly the same.

For just 200 Nintendo Points, Escape the Virus: Shoot 'em Up! certainly isn't a bad game – it just doesn't particularly excel either.

Crazy Chicken Pirates 3D isn't bad, but it's certainly disappointing. As much potential as there was for a fun, frantic shooting gallery, the 90 second time limit really hampers the experience. The single stage on offer here may well keep you entertained for a few minutes, but there's no denying that this chicken is underdone.

peedX 3D is proof that quality games are quality games, no matter what their origin happens to be. Although the frame rate could be better, the impression of depth and speed is amazing, and the use of 3D incredibly effective. To top it all off, the inclusion of traditional pad control means that this version of SpeedX 3D is more intuitive and enjoyable than its mobile forerunners - in fact, it's quite possibly the best iteration of the game yet seen, and a highly recommended download for your 3DS.

The Lost Town - The Jungle, while not a bad game, falls neatly under the category of "lazy sequel." Though the inclusion of optional quests does add a little more focus to gameplay, this title does little else to deviate from its predecessor. On top of the unchanged style of play, the trite story and absurd translation issues make The Jungle feel sloppy and rushed. Unless you truly enjoyed the first game and are just itching for a new setting, you might want to think twice before adding this one to your collection.

Touch Battle Tank 3D fails to hit the target on virtually every level.

It may not be as gleefully experimental as Super Mario Land 3D, but New Super Mario Bros. 2 intelligently recycles past glories and consequently offers the comfort of what is arguably one of the most enjoyable video game franchises ever.

It's pretty clear to us that Decathlon 2012 is a rushed cash-in.

Dot Runner is a fun action-puzzle game with some substantial problems that keep it from being all it could have been.

New Art Academy carries on the legacy of the DS titles and presents a polished, in-depth and high quality drawing tool.

While Rabi Laby 2 doesn't do anything to redefine the action puzzle genre, and doesn't even really deviate from the original game too much, there's not much to find at fault here.

Despite some interface woes, Petit Computer is a crazy powerful sandbox if you know what you're doing - evident in the included sample programs and incredible feats that the Japanese community has managed in the time since its overseas release - and has the potential to be a great gateway into coding.

Masyu by Nikoli does earn our recommendation, particularly to puzzle fans looking for some interesting variety in their daily diets of Sudoku and Kakuro, but the presentation and controls on offer here do mar the otherwise satisfying experience of solving it. For hardcore puzzle fans it's unquestionably worth playing, but others may be put off by the game's steep difficulty and picky touchscreen controls.

It's best in small doses, and unlocking the Detective mode sadly borders on masochistic. Hardened criminals who are up for a truly difficult heist (including cheap captures along the way) will likely get a rush out of the close-quartered action, but more mild-mannered felons should think carefully before breaking into The Phantom Thief.

Frogger: Hyper Arcade Edition is a reasonable attempt to inject new life into an ageing franchise. A couple of the new game types are great, and the original is still pretty decent a few decades on, but unfortunately the other modes aren't really up to par. At 1000 Nintendo Points, it leans on the expensive side for what is a rather slim package that you'll only get the most from if you have a few Frogger-loving friends to hand. Think carefully before you dive in.

Kingdom Hearts 3D is a great looking, solid game, held back by a few design choices which stop it from being as enjoyable an experience as it should be. If you are new to the series and want to know what it's all about, then try Kingdom Hearts I or II before diving into this one. However, if you are a series veteran then step this way, as there is still a lot of fun to be had if you can overlook the small gameplay problems.

It's entirely possible that one day UFO Interactive will crack the code of a genuinely interesting game, but with a sense of humor about as basic as its mechanics - which is to say incredibly so - Johnny Kung Fu still has a ways to go.

Lighting up Crayon Castle is a labour of love, and puzzle fans will find a lot to love here.

If you're after a charming and creative puzzle-platformer, or simply a fun, fresh experience on DSiWare, Ace Mathician passes with flying colours.

If you absolutely have to have a 3D Harvest Moon game, this will fill a gap. It's hardly the most expansive and engaging the series has offered in recent times, and its central concept is of the take-it-or-leave-it variety, but it still has the potential to enthral if you let it.

Family Tennis 3D is a welcome dose of Japanese-flavoured tennis action that succeeds in its goal of being a game anyone can pick up and enjoy. Casual gamers can jump right in with Easy Mode, while more experienced players will still find a challenge on the Pro difficulty level. It's a shame that you can't throw down with anyone outside the family in a multiplayer mode, but even as a solo affair, it's a whole lot of fun. If you like arcade-style tennis that doesn't take itself too seriously, you should have a great time with this one.