Nintendo 3DS: On Path To Become Greatest Handheld Of All Time
All of sudden, this butt of jokes has some of the coolest games, and it's about to receive a whole lot more.
A funny thing happened the past few months. I fell in love with Nintendo's 3DS.
Little things still bug me. After experiencing PlayStation Vita, I wish the screen were bigger, and I'm still not sure how the circle pad situation will play out. Third parties also need to try a bit harder, as some of the games don't take full advantage of the system's power.
Super Mario 3D Land
Past that, I think quite highly of the machine, and why not? It went from laughingstock to must have in a manner of weeks. All of a sudden, the system has not one quality game, but several that appeal to players of all types.
Consider this...
-3DS already has one of the greatest Mario games in history with Super Mario 3D Land.
-Mario Kart 7 is just a few weeks from release, and I doubt Nintendo screwed that up.
Mario Kart 7
-The handheld has two quality fighting games, Super Street Fighter IV 3D Edition and Dead or Alive Dimensions, with Tekken on the way. What? Nintendo taking fighters seriously again? This can only be a positive.
-3DS plays host to one of the coolest portable sports games in FIFA Soccer 12.
-The core audience has plenty to choose from, including Cave Story 3D, Ace Combat: Assault Horizon Legacy, Shinobi, Pilotwings Resort and Bit.Trip Saga.
Shinobi
-Casual consumers, meanwhile, have Tetris: Axis and Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure, among other titles.
-There's also The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D and Star Fox 64 3D. Can't forget about those two.
-The 3DS eShop contains a plethora of wonderful games, like Super Mario Land and The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening DX.
FIFA Soccer 12
-Sonic Generations and Nano Assault hit shelves next week, November 22.
That alone is reason enough to purchase the system, but that barely scratches the surface of what this portable will offer in 2012. Check out this lineup:
Crush 3D
Resident Evil: Revelations
Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games
Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater 3D
Heroes of Ruin
Paper Mario 3DS
Animal Crossing 3DS
Luigi's Mansion 2
Tales of the Abyss
Kid Icarus: Uprising
Resident Evil: Revelations
Keep in mind that Nintendo has yet to reveal the next Pokemon, nor has it announced portable plans for Metroid and Kirby.
On the flip side, a new Zelda is already in the works, and the company will bring the next Super Smash Bros. to the platform.
In other words, business is about to pick up. Remember, the publisher has already sold nearly seven millions 3DS systems without Mario. Imagine what'll happen as more games flood store shelves.
Point being, although the 3DS' future remains uncertain, it's already on the path to greatness, perhaps becoming the biggest handheld of all time, at least in terms of quality software. Think back to DS and PSP in 2004 and the games you had to choose from the first year those platforms were available. Slim pickings.
Kid Icarus: Uprising
Granted, Nintendo's effort to release so many promising games probably has something to do with the threat from smart phones and PlayStation Vita, and that's exactly the point. This only benefits consumers, and I look forward to seeing 3DS evolve over time, perhaps eclipsing even DS in terms of popularity. A tall order, no doubt, but with this type of star power, a real possibility.
