The action tower defence experience is relatively compulsive, with the daily structure implementing a combination of strategic thinking, frantic item gathering and action-filled combat. On the downside, the control scheme feels awkward, especially for left-handed gamers, and the lack of alternative options is a surprising oversight.

With gameplay that is both simplified and complex, solid controls, attractive presentation, online multiplayer and a touching, well-paced plot, this title can be considered as a definitive entry in its genre.

For its price, iSpot Japan is indeed a passable time waster. It has more than its share of frustrations, but ultimately it accomplishes what it sets out to do.

Rhythm Heaven Fever doesn't do much new with the series apart from a lacklustre multiplayer mode, or really capitalise much at all on now being on a home console, but the amount of whimsy and joy burned onto the disc still make for a remarkably fun game.

While Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games is technically no worse than its forebears, its events are too much of a mixture when it comes to quality and after four years the blemishes and inconsistencies are beginning to wear thin.

The challenge is almost non-existent, most of your deaths will be control or camera related rather than from genuinely messing up, and a loop of an annoying 40-second song plays endlessly.

A good if unspectacular Tekken transition. Its 41 characters and 60fps frame rate is unmatched on 3DS, and while it arguably lacks a truly meaty challenge for a single player it's enjoyable enough that you won't really mind. It won't set the world alight, but it's another strong addition to 3DS's array of big name scrappers.

Nothing about this game provides enough fun to make it a worthwhile investment, and thus we'd advise you to steer well clear of it.

While flawed in a few areas, the superb online experience and high speed action strapped into the little cartridge here packs enough thrills to satisfy any 3DS owner with an insistence for speed.

Despite the moderate price-point of 600 Nintendo Points, less than an hour of gameplay with no replay value is a hard sell. Though consistency is an expected staple in episodic gaming, the unchanging nature of these games does absolutely nothing towards even attempting to attract new fans.

TNT Racers sets itself apart by refusing to focus on the traditional 'win the race' conditions of other driving titles, meshing in cross-car combat well. Its difficult later levels will ensure that you stay in the driving seat, more than possibly cursing while repeatedly hammering the retry button, for a while to come.

A steal. Frantic, fast-paced four-player action, copious achievements and three levels of difficulty come together to make this an experience worth replaying many times.

Back to the Future: The Game successfully translates what made the original movie great into a fun, challenging, imaginative and funny adventure game that's often a joy to play. Telltale has crafted a loving tribute to the film, then, but this is a loveless port, marred with frequent load times and small presentational glitches.

Though Wicked Monsters Blast captures the feel of titles such as Point Blank well, unfortunately the lack of content blows it apart. What's there is of good quality and presented in appealing fashion but, unless you have a regular stream of people ever-ready show off their multiplayer skills, there simply isn't enough of it.

Newton Vs The Horde has a lot of great ideas, but literally everything it attempts to do fails in the execution. While we at Nintendo Life would have loved the creative, versatile zombie bash-fest chock full of hilarious dialogue that Newton Vs The Horde so wants to be, what we got instead was an impenetrable, horribly-controlled slog through tedious situations and offensively unfunny palaver.

For gamers with small children, Lola's Alphabet Train may be a useful addition to their collection. A fun presentation, simple controls and full voicing means that youngsters are likely to respond pretty positively to this one; the only question is how long it will hold their attention. For the price, however, pulling it out for brief learning sessions can still make Lola's Alphabet Train worth the purchase.

Sakura Samurai: Art of the Sword may not be the prettiest game on the eShop but it sure is one of the most challenging, striking a good balance between difficulty and precision.

Nothing short of a travesty. It's an ugly and uncompromisingly detestable assemblage of poorly recreated winter sporting events that has no business even existing. If you purchase and subsequently subject yourself to Winter Sports 2012, then you have nobody to blame but yourself. You have been warned.

CRUSH3D is enjoyable, challenging and unique among the 3DS's current library. Its central idea never quite ignites into genius-level design and it sometimes descends into trial and error, but it's worth a look for puzzle fans.

A truly impressive achievement, and the definitive 'mature' title on the 3DS. With production values worthy of a home console release, a significant volume of content, a blend of the series' different game styles and a subtly evolved control system, this title feels like a tribute to and progression of the franchise. There are some downsides though, including spikes in difficulty and drops in frame rate that are occasionally jarring in contrast to the rest of the title.

While there's nothing drastically wrong with it, Puppies World 3D is still a mixture of niggling flaws, missed opportunities, humdrum presentation and broken promises; the kind of shovelware that has plagued the industry for years, never aspiring to go above and beyond what has already come before it.

You'll be hard-pressed to find a game more difficult to complete than Stonekeep. Not because its design is devilishly clever or because it has fantastic AI, but simply because it is a pain to play. The game suffers from frequent slowdown, a nonexistent plot and motion controls that are completely sanctimonious.

Carmen Sandiego Adventures in Math: The Case of the Crumbling Cathedral is more of the same, and at this point you should know that it's not much to behold.

Zoo Resort 3D is more Pokémon Snap than Zoo Tycoon, and while this will appeal to those not looking for an in-depth management sim on their 3DS, its accessibility from its simplicity is soon countered by its repetitiveness. Mind you, it's technically impressive, with some of the best visuals around.

With its crafty level designs and unique visual style, Mutant Mudds offers up the best of both 8-bit and 16-bit worlds, all the while giving fans of the genre a classic 2D platformer. Mutant Mudds might very well be the best eShop game to date, and one no platformer fan should miss.

Anne's Doll Studio: Gothic Collection might at least have held some appeal for a small audience, but its limited customisation is a big strike against a title whose entire appeal relies on creativity. Add to this a dull interface, poor design and confusing "white out" effect and you have a game that fails in both concept and execution. It's no wonder that these dolls look so depressed; Anne's Doll Studio had the same effect on us.

40-in-1 Explosive Megamix delivers a varied collection of games, but very few of them hold much semblance of quality. Had more emphasis been placed on quality than quantity then perhaps things would be different, but as it is it just leaves a bitter taste.

No amount of boost Firebrand Games tries to use, NASCAR Unleashed still reeks of the pits and you should stay far away from the stench.