Shinobi
Those of you old enough to be sporting thick, engrossing facial hair will be able to recall the original Shinobi titles on The Master System and in some arcades. Side scrolling Ninja platforming action is what you were promised and it’s what you had delivered in spades. This re-tuned re-make is nothing too far from its predecessors; Shinobi comes across as a slick, polished and well thought-out platformer. The gameplay is a good mix of satisfying swordplay with devious puzzles to overcome. Weapons include kunai (throwing knives), a katana, a grappling hook and the environment, all of which must be mastered in order to progress through the game.
The difficulty level is set to medium-Japanese, which could frustrate some – but gives the game value for money and the player a real sense of achievement. It can become quite tricky in places, but that usually only happens when an elemental power is overlooked. These ultra-powerful spells grant immunity or increased firepower, but they take a heavy toll on the overall score (yes, adding to the re-playability factor is a running score). The game is beautifully animated, and makes a reasonable attempt at using the 3D powers of the 3DS in an essentially 2D game. This results in a '2.5D' game that doesn't really gain anything from the extra depth of field, but looks nice all the same.
While possibly a little too hard for children – even on the easiest setting – Shinobi should take root with the 3DS’ more experienced users and is available right now.
Crush 3D
One of the more heartening things to come out of the increased power of the 3DS is its ability to take on games that were previously confined to the PSP. Crush 3D is a remake of the 2007 PSP game Crush, which puts the player into the robe and slippers of a neurotic teenager unlocking his own brain.
The core gameplay has the player solving a series of one-off puzzles inside the mind. A mad professor character leads the plot, the dialogue is pithy and full of sardonic wit as well as some stinking puns. Each level to be completed has a selection of items to be collected for points, including especially hard to find ones that will keep completest-players occupied for hours on end. Crush 3D is a 3D platform puzzler, which allows the designers to use some novel game mechanics. The 'Crush' in the title comes from the key mechanic in the game, the ability to 'crush' the perspective on a 3D landscape into a 2D one. The player can view each level from all three dimensions and crush/un-crush to find a path through the level. It's devious and very well constructed, as all puzzlers should be.
The satisfying gameplay, graphical design, music and writing have all been crushed (apologies) into a very solid and entertaining game. Watch out for it in February 2012.
Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games
This title has proven to be full of surprises. A cross-dynasty sports event tie-in game that doesn’t stink to high heaven. It might seem strange to think of Sonic and Mario being both friends and high-performance athletes, but that's what the good people at SEGA Japan have set up. For the third time, no less. The mini-games available to play in our preview build consist of judo, walking, breaststroke, balance beam, and badminton. All of these make good use of the 3DS' novel control inputs, such as the touch screen, microphone and gyroscope. The key to succeeding at the mini Olympic games is rhythm and persistence, and the tone is very competitive, as should be expected.
Using the gyroscope and touchscreen during Mario & Sonic forces the player to move the 3DS around, which is disastrous for the 3D aspect of the game even though it will probably get people off the couch. As with the previous Olympic titles, there is a wealth of Nintendo and SEGA characters to choose from over a wide variety of Olympic events. Multiplayer will be included in the final title, but can't be judged here as it was disabled in the preview. Again, this title is scheduled for February 2012.
Sonic Generations
Sonic Generations is a cross-platform offering from SEGA for the PS3, Xbox 360, PC and the 3DS. The 3DS version has none of the Sonic Adventure-style 3D levels, but has a set of mostly original stages for players to spin and speed on.
Generations, as the name suggests, deals with a wide lens look at the previous Sonic titles. It's the plucky blue hedgehog's 20th birthday, after all. The storyline involves tracking a mysterious time-based bad guy across the history of Sonic's successful campaigns. Fans of Sonic can probably guess who is really behind this nefarious plot...
The player chooses between a modern Sonic (with homing and dash powers) or the more traditional Classic Sonic. Unlike the big console versions, this distinction does not drastically affect the stages played. The differences are an interesting way to shoehorn some extra variance into a title which has had its core dynamic laid out for all to see for two decades.
The graphics are very smooth and even when things start speeding up to insane levels, it's easily possible to keep an eye on what's going on. The levels are perfectly sized for a portable gaming experience, with most able to be completed in a single stint if accidental trips to the ether can be avoided. Matching the visuals are pitch-perfect background songs and crisp audio effects. The ramped up speakers of the 3DS shine here, and the game sounds as impressive as it looks.
Sonic Generations, gameplay-wise, is a bit of a step back from the last 10 years of Sonic titles – much to its credit. It feels like a handheld Sonic game that could inspire people to buy the 3DS, rather than lament a botched experiment in innovation. Add in multiplayer races through the levels, unlockable content through StreetPass and SEGA’s main asset is finally starting to look at home in Nintendo digs.
Sonic Generations for 3DS will be available towards the end of November.
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