The lack of meaningful level sharing or communication with the full Mario Maker community that has come up over the last year is sad. The local level creation is nice when it’s available, but that’s probably not going to be very often. The ''Maker'' part of the title seems less to matter. While I never made too many levels to begin with, having the possibility missing is something that can't be denied.

Twisted Fusion is a good game with a solid structure that woefully lacks a lot of polish. A lot of fun can be had and a nice sense of adventure pervades the game, but sadly the whole thing is held back by the choppy camera, frame rate, and overall production quality.

Exile’s End is not great. It’s just mediocre and it’s not optimized for the Wii U. While I got a kick out it, I suspect many of you will become bored or frustrated. Even I started leaning on online maps to find everything (breakable walls are rarely differentiated).

It’s been awhile since I reviewed something so awful. Don’t play this or buy it for your kids. The only outcome will be sadness.

While I had a good deal of fun with Pokemon Moon, I couldn't shake the feeling that not everything was sound about it. The story didn't keep my attention as much as I would have hoped, the journey was easy to get through and some of the battles had slowdown. Despite that, I just kept pushing forward and wanting to more see of the world that Game Freak has built.

While I had a good deal of fun with Pokemon Moon, I couldn't shake the feeling that not everything was sound about it. The story didn't keep my attention as much as I would have hoped, the journey was easy to get through and some of the battles had slowdown. Despite that, I just kept pushing forward and wanting to more see of the world that Game Freak has built.

SteamWorld Heist is one of the best things any download service has to offer.

If you’re hankering for a bite-sized arcade experience that is heavy on fun and light on content, Pirate Pop Plus is fantastic.

This bite-sized visual novel noir is a pleasant surprise, but miserable puzzles and a so-so localization drag down the experience.

It’s hard to deny that Gurumin has some technical problems, but there’s a lot of charm under the surface. It’s fun to rebuild the town piece by piece and see more of the map unlock as the prince’s evil mist dissipates. Here’s hoping we can drill into some more Falcom games on the 3DS soon.

Disney Magical World 2 suffers from similar issues to the first game. The opening moments are a slow affair, while the technical issues are disappointing in more ways than one. That being said, I still ended up embracing what the game delivered. There are a solid amount of missions on offer with tons of variety on display.

The recurring hitches and long load times combined with the subpar graphics make this entry a poor one for Nintendo fans.

While Ninja Usagimaru: The Mysterious Karakugi Castle had some levels that were way too hard, the formula and presentation still work. Most of the levels left me feeling clever, with only a handful leaving me feeling dumb. I would recommend this game to anyone that beat the first one, but this is not the place to start.

I had a lot of fun with Yo-kai Watch 2. If you can deal with fetch quests and a passive battle system that requires a bit of patience, Bony Spirits is a great sequel with a fun story that feels refreshingly nostalgic to experience. This is the game you wanted the first Yo-kai Watch to be.

I wasn’t expecting to be so surprised by Color Splash, and it’s turned out to be one of my favorite games this year. Color Splash is a gorgeous, funny, and entertaining adventure that functions as a wonderful swan song for the Wii U.

A strong package overall. It has a lot of smart ideas that will hopefully be used in future games, and there’s a good variety of modes to play with.

If you really dug Azure Striker Gunvolt, you can rest assured that its sequel is essentially the same game. The Copen campaign keeps things fresh and even though the level design squanders his abilities, he’s fun to play as. For those who, like me, were hoping that Gunvolt 2 would sweeten the pot a little bit, prepare for disappointment.

Despite an overly simplistic story and maybe being a bit too laid back, I really enjoyed my time with Sonic Boom: Fire and Ice. It’s a well-paced platformer, with the right mix of stages when I’d get bored of the basic platforming. Although it’s missing some of the polish I’d expect from other platformers, there’s a good foundation here for possible greatness if Sanzaru continues to be given the opportunity.

Mixing brawler and role-playing aspects is a common design choice, but River City: Tokyo Rumble veers far closer to the brawler side. It’ll be over quickly, but so was the original. A few little things keep this from being an all-time classic, but it’s a fun break from the heavy role-playing games the 3DS has had this year. This is one trip to the Far East worth hopping on.

It’s a unique, intriguing game that makes brilliant use of the touch screen on the GamePad. This is a perfect off-TV experience. While the gameplay premise wears thin over the short adventure, when the slashing combat works and the exploration feels organic, it’s incredible. Just be prepared for a bit of repetition as the story reaches its conclusion.

140 is a nice distraction, but sadly nothing more beyond that. The title felt like an appetizer for something that could have been a whole lot bigger. Although the game’s presentation is unique and the action is fun yet challenging, it’s beatable quickly and there’s no real need to replay it after the ending. Hopefully we see more of this type of game soon.

A great game is nestled inside of this package, but some of the quality of life deficits that may have been acceptable in the Genesis days are a bit of a sore spot now. Still, there’s not a lot like it on Wii U so it’s worth taking for a spin.

Despite some feelings of deja vu while traversing this end-of-days version of Tokyo, Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse is an excellent game and a fantastic addition to the 3DS library. The year of the RPG is still red hot.

It’s certainly a long game, and that can be daunting to many who just want a pick -up -and -play adventure. It also doesn’t change or revolutionize the RPG formula, but I would argue that it didn’t need to -; its simplicity is one of its best attributes. If you can put the time and effort into it, you’ll find that Dragon Quest VII is a charming, wonderful game that is full of heart - something that, in many ways, only a Dragon Quest game can accomplish.

Much like its predecessor, Picross 3D: Round 2 comes late in the system’s life to provide dozens upon dozens of hours of glorious puzzle goodness. It’s a charming experience from the moment you first crack a block, and the additions and changes in Round 2 make this even better than what came before.

Despite the occasional frame rate issue and immense challenge, Jotun is a game that lovers of old school action adventure titles will love. Combining beautiful, hand drawn visuals with immensely rewarding gameplay, I loved the time I spent with it. It’s a game that draws players in with its beauty, and keeps them coming back with smart boss design and a feeling of accomplishment that few games today manage to grasp.

Spirit of Justice is the follow-up to Dual Destinies in every single sense. It’s ostensibly that game but with a new, better story, a new gimmicky mechanic, and some fan service to boot. The game is finally starting to show its age fifteen years and ten games later, but the fact that it has taken this long is nothing short of a miracle. And make no mistake: a solid Phoenix Wright game with a strong story is still a game that demands one’s attention.

Power Disc Slam is a fine game in theory, but there’s something missing that will prevent it from breaking out on the 3DS. This is the kind of game that would benefit from a larger view – maybe a console port? - and making it easier to show others that it exists even through Download Play. But as it stands, it’s probably better to hope the Japanese mob lets Windjammers come out again.