Yesterday I had the chance to test out around 14 games at Nintendo's big 3DS event. While the hardware certainly has a "wow factor," it's the software that's going to convince people to throw down $249.99 on March 27. So were there games that will sell the system? And which are the games to avoid like the plague? Don't worry, I'm here to help.
THE BEST
"Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D"
Is it a new game? Absolutely not. But "Ocarina of Time" is one of the best games ever made, and it looks and plays fantastically on the 3DS. The 3-D effects look smooth and clear, with hardly any ghosting, and all of the character models have been boosted to look sharp and clean. Some cute extras, like being able to aim the slingshot with the 3DS gyroscope add some novelty to the mix, but overall it appears to be a very capable port. Too bad it's not coming out until sometime after E3.
"Super Street Fighter 4: 3D Edition"
Easily the best-looking 3DS game I saw all day. The level of detail on the character models and environments looks basically on par with how they looked on the 360 and PS3. The entire character roster makes the jump, as well. A new "Light" mode lets you pull off some of the more complex super combos with a tap of the screen, and the optional over-the-shoulder camera makes the 3-D effect look even more pronounced.
AR Games
The 3DS comes packed with cards which can be used to play augmented reality games using the camera. Point the system at the card and you'll play simple target-practice games which have you blasting away at bullseyes and dragons. The gameplay is simple, sure, but in terms of a tech demo to show off what the 3DS can do, there was nothing else at the event that did it better. As an added bonus, a few AR Games will be included in every 3DS box, so you won't need to buy anything else.
Promising Runners-Up: "Kid Icarus: Uprising," "Lego Star Wars 3," "Resident Evil Mercenaries 3D," "Dead or Alive Dimensions"
THE WORST
"Ridge Racer 3D"
Some have complained that the 3-D effects in certain games can cause headaches and eyestrain. "Ridge Racer 3D" does you one better: It's basically unplayable in 3D. Constant ghosting and doubling of the image, even with the 3-D slider set to low, made it a nightmare to play, and the controls felt still and unforgiving. The "Ridge Racer 3D" demo from last E3 was equally bad, and clearly not much has changed in those six months.
"Combat of Giants: Dinosaurs 3D"
At first, Ubisoft's "Combat of Giants 3D" appears to be an interesting mix of action and RPG, which has you battling different kinds of dinosaurs in various prehistoric settings. But then you play it. Or try to play it. The game is an incomprehensible mix of unresponsive controls and unintuitive gameplay. After 10 minutes, I managed to win a battle simply by bashing a triceratops in the head 30 times, as every other button seemed to just cause my T-Rex to hop from side to side. It was ugly and the opposite of fun.
"Madden NFL Football"
It comes as no shock that EA is bringing "Madden" to the 3DS, but their first attempt is an ugly one. Dated graphics and painful-to-watch 3-D effects make "Madden NFL Football" a sight that causes sore eyes. Toss in unresponsive controls, which made calling and executing plays extremely tough, and you have an entry that EA will likely want to forget.
Worrying Runners-Up: "Asphalt 3D," "Steel Diver"