As a Creatures, Inc. developed application, everything is highly polished and works as it's supposed to. It's not especially fun (though my face-off with each legendary critter was a heart-pounding experience), and the clear purpose of the application is to obtain Pokémon and items to transfer to the upcoming sequels. If you plan to own either Black 2 or White 2, this is a necessity, as it will give you a leg up in the game (as well as some exclusive Pokémon). If you don't plan on getting either game, don't mistake this title for a neat eShop diversion. There is nothing here for you.

The game shines when it comes to its boss battles, enemy and item variety, aesthetic, and music. But experiencing all the game has to offer requires determination. La-Mulana is not a game for those without lots of time and patience.

Yes, it's as excellent as ever, but it doesn't strive to eclipse its predecessor. The poorly paced plot and lack of freshness leads me to believe the original may be better. Black 2 is fully worth a purchase, but beating the game only left me wanting more, and not in a good way.

Yes, it's as excellent as ever, but it doesn't strive to eclipse its predecessor. The poorly paced plot and lack of freshness leads me to believe the original may be better. Black 2 is fully worth a purchase, but beating the game only left me wanting more, and not in a good way.

Escape the Virus: Shoot'em Up feels lackluster at best, and didn't leave much of a positive impression on me. Those who embrace the controls may enjoy competing against themselves for a high score; others may dislike the game more with each attempt. If you are looking for something interesting on the DSiWare service, I would suggest looking elsewhere.

Even without any additions, Cave Story is still the same amazing game people have raved about for eight years. It's one of the best 2D platformers in recent memory, and this version is worthwhile if you've never played it before or are itching for a reason to play it again.

As a budget title, the content goes hand in hand with the price.

Kart Krashers isn't complicated, but it is very fun. For a download game, it offers a wealth of digestible content, complete with achievements and unlockable characters.

While it is possible for Candle Route to proclaim, "Two Games in One!" on its imaginary retail box, you're only getting one great game and something extra. Not to sound too dismissive, but in comparison to Side A, B is disappointing. Side A will grab you, though, and delivers a couple hours of fun content on its own.

I don't think of myself as a wordsmith or anything like that, but I did enjoy 3, 2, 1... Words Up! With a clear presentation and surprisingly addictive gameplay, I found myself coming back to the game once a day to see if I had improved. It's at least a great way to warm up your brain in the morning.

Rising Board 3D is a fantastic pick-up-and-play game that shows how the 3DS can make those quick mobile experiences normally found on iOS and Android into something similar yet different, and reminds me of games such as Balloon Fight (specifically Balloon Trip) and NiGHTS.

Fractured Soul is a superb and fairly extensive collection of clever, interesting, and devious platforming ideas; most of it is good, much of it is fantastic.

Kirby's Dream Collection is a fine tribute to Kirby's 20-year history. Anyone who missed a chunk of his old outings, or just has an urge to replay them all, should definitely pick up this package. If you own all the games on Virtual Console on Wii or 3DS, it is a little harder to recommend, but if you don't, Kirby's Dream Collection is totally worth playing to experience Kirby's old games and get a taste of what he's doing now.

Endless is simply an endurance mode, take the between-level break out of Stages mode and this is what you're left with. Survival takes away the chance of surviving an impact, and Zones forces you to contend with a fuel gauge (in the place of shield pick-ups are those that add fuel). While these modes are different from one another, it all just feels the same. There is no feeling of progression in SpeedX 3D, if you can dodge obstacles in one event, you can and will in any other.

Those with a bone to pick with the African fauna may still want to wait for a better game to satiate their bloodlust.

Balloon Pop Remix won't supplant the Tetrises and the Dr. Marios of the world, but it's a fine puzzle game that presents a complete package on the eShop.

I'm a man who enjoys Solitaire every now and then, and I was happy to play the game on my 3DS. It offered me a couple rounds of fun and killed some time, which is what Solitaire really aims to do. It'll give you what expect, and not much else.

VectorRacing has impressive visuals and an online ranking system that adds some replay to the title. However, the game became repetitious as I moved towards higher difficulty levels, ultimately preventing me from loving it. While not the best out there, it is definitely worth the attention of any racing fan.

It's a bad game-that's the bottom line-and you shouldn't spend a dime on it.

Abyss is fun while it lasts, but could better itself with a more complex design. I enjoyed my time with it, but have no plan to return. I wouldn't regret delving into Abyss, but I sure wouldn't want to stick around too long.

If you have any urge to spend money on a crappy game of blackjack where you, for some reason, play it inside a teenage girl's bedroom, then you're sort of weird and might want to look into this game. Even outside of that somewhat weird setup, Sweet Memories - Blackjack is just a poorly designed game that offers little reward for the massive amounts of time required to unlock anything.

While my review may seem overly positive, the game's small number of flaws are incredibly frustrating at times. That said, if you feel you can look past a few missed opportunities and a flawed but fun combat system, I can't see why you wouldn't enjoy The Last Story. Just don't expect it to be as genre defining as previous Sakaguchi titles.

Take one helping of Madden 12, extract online play, plate and serve.

Ace Mathician is a short and sweet game built on a promising idea. The gameplay warrants the purchase, and everything else about the title makes it entertaining. Ace Mathician may not look like much, but shows its worth in a sea of DSiWare puzzle games.

New Super Mario Bros. 2 is a fine, quality Mario title that deserves a mention in the same breath as Nintendo's finest 2D platformers. It doesn't hit their highest highs, but comes much closer than the other games in the New Super Mario Bros. series.

Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance is both a great entry in the Kingdom Hearts series and a great 3DS game. The story flaws may distract some, but the remainder of the game is worthwhile.

Even as a fairly hardcore fan of Spider-Man, I can't recommend the 3DS version. The GameCube Spider-Man games from ten years ago were better than this.

While I had a good experience with Rhythm Thief, it is not a fantastic game. With the lavish presentation, the intriguing story, and the assortment of collectibles, it is so disheartening to see gameplay that ranges from "kind of okay" to "pretty broken." And though I recommend that everyone experiences Rhythm Thief & the Emperor's Treasure, the whole package is disappointing and not worth rushing out to get.