Topic: Best of the 3DS eShop: 2011 Releases & 3D Classics

[Khushrenada]

The Usual Preamble

With the 3DS pretty much winding down and a lack of upcoming releases we have now arrived at the life cycle of a system where users start looking back in the catalogue of available games that were released and that they missed or forgot about when games were coming out regularly. For myself, I know that I didn't always pay as close attention to the eShop and its releases as I did physical releases. And while I have accumulated a few titles from it, I feel there are probably more I should take advantage of especially since Nintendo hasn't created any other source to purchase many of these titles.

While I could I slowly go through each title and try to track down reviews, I'd rather get the opinions of the NWR Forum users whose gaming tastes I trust a bit more. Plus, I figured this would be a chance to engage in our favorite practice of reminiscing about games we loved playing (and arguing about the worth / rank of a game.

The main goal is simple. If you have personally played any of these titles, post which ones you have and which ones you highly recommend others should have on their 3DS, which ones might be recommended for Kairon (or a deeper cut for a certain type of fan) and what you think should be skipped. (And sure, even if you haven't played them and have an opinion, I'm not going to argue against you from posting it). I've also included a poll for people to vote on the games being discusses that they think a person should acquire for their 3DS.



What Is Being Discussed?

I've been trying to figure out how to tackle the wide world of eShop releases outside of such tidy categories like the VC and its subsections. Should I go by publishers, genre, alphabetical title release? I've decided to try and go just by year. Some years may need to be divided into a couple parts but I think this might be the best way to structure this look back on the eShop. Now, in 2011, the 3DS eShop launched in June and most of the offerings that year were for the VC and Game Boy games which we've covered already. It did make the DSiWare games available for the system (which I might yet tackle as well) but for new offerings available on just the 3DS eShop, there were only a few releases made in the opening months of the eShop for 2011. All those titles are listed here and up for discussion.

The other special line of games released on the eShop during this period besides the Virtual Console offerings were the 3D Classics line of games in which Nintendo added the 3D effect to older 2D titles. However, that ended up being more work than Nintendo expected and the idea / line was dropped after 6 titles. 5 of those titles were released in 2011 and the last was released in early 2012. So, I figured I might as well include that one 2012 release with the others and have all the 3D Classics together.

Thus, the list of releases up for discussion this time around is:


3D Classics - Excitebike
3D Classics - Kid Icarus
3D Classics - Kirby's Adventure
3D Classics - TwinBee
3D Classics - Urban Champion
3D Classics - Xevious
Freakyforms: Your Creations Alive
Let's Golf 3D
Mighty Switch Force
Pokedex 3D
Pushmo
Pyramids
VVVVV


Which games do you think are worthy of being added to one's collection and played?

[Khushrenada]

It should be noted that Four Swords Anniversary Collection came out around this period for free but it was a limited time offer. It was re-released on the eShop again for free around 2014 but then taken off again. Since it is currently unavailable, I've left it off the list (like Tetris GB for the VC).

As well, I think the Pokedex 3D is free also but left it on in case anyone wants to provide an update on whether it is of any value after all this time or really think it is a good application that users should have for some reason and would still recommend it.

[Adrock]

I only played Mighty Switch Force on Wii U. I got a few levels in then just dropped it entirely. Not because it’s bad but because I’m bad at video games. Mighty Switch Force is very challenging if that’s your thing. If you’re uncoordinated like me, may want to try something else.

Not on the list: I’ll recommend any Shantae game.

[ejamer]

For me, Pushmo and VVVVVV are the clear winners.

Pushmo makes good use of the 3D effect if you have a capable system, but still works very well without it. The puzzles are pretty good, even if there is a bit of trial and error at times, and there are a ton of levels in the game. Having a rewind feature is a life-saver here though, as there will definitely be times you wish you could take back a move!

VVVVVV is a very different kind of game, and won't appeal to everyone due the challenging design... but it's got a great sense of (minimalist, classic computer graphic) style, very solid chiptunes, and a labyrinthine world to discover. The game includes a lot of bonus content... but I found the main game much better designed than the optional bonus content.

Both are games that I'm happy to go back and play, years after purchasing them.

(I also voted for Mighty Switch Force and 3D Classics Kirby's Adventure...)

[Mop it up]

The only one of these I think is worthwhile is Pushmo, it's a solid puzzle concept with some clever setups. I hope we haven't seen the last of it.

[nickmitch]

I've played 3D Classics Urban Champion, and not to sound like a certain RFN host (read: all of them), it's not the best? The 3D doesn't do much for it.  Same with Kirby's Adventure.  It's cool if you're nostalgic for it or want to see the origins of Kirby powers, but otherwise, newer games in that franchise are better.

I will echo the thoughts on VVVVVV, Pushmo, and Mighty Switch Force.  All three are great puzzle/platformers and make for perfect handheld experiences.

[SpiritMask]

Of this selection, I've only played VVVVVV and Pushmo. Both really good games and at least worth their listing price.

VVVVVV is a  twitchy, difficult, action-puzzle adventure with quick restarts if you die, so the frustration is short-lived and it's easy to keep trying even though you will die often; great music too. Pushmo is a cutesy, leisurely-paced puzzle game that is very satisfying to work through. The music is nice and the art style is very plushy and fluffy; reminds me of Kirby a little.

I have been experiencing some of this same longing to return to 3DS and catch what I've missed on the eShop. However, I put more effort into the Wii U. I feel the urgency is greater there, as several higher-profile games have already been delisted (see delistedgames.com for a reference) and Nintendo is likely to shut down the Wii U eShop much sooner than the 3DS, given that the console has been discontinued for years and it never had much of a user base, to begin with.

The issue of online marketplaces shutting down is not as much of a problem on other consoles that have more homogenized user interfaces. But there will not likely be another portable or home console system that will be able to replicate the experiences that the Wii U and 3DS provided. From dual-screen interfaces to MiiVerse integration, Streetpass and Spotpass, to every single system menu having genuinely good custom music tracks, these systems are taking a lot with them when they finally bite the dust. Even the online marketplaces have music that changed with the season! Why did the Switch have to give all of this up?

Anyway... lots of good eShop stuff to go back to. Thank you for bringing up this topic.
 

[Khushrenada]

Anyway... lots of good eShop stuff to go back to. Thank you for bringing up this topic.
 

Thanks. I've done a few other entries on this already for the 3DS VC and some DLC. If you look further down the list of threads in this forum, you can see those threads too. I've been wanting to tackle the Wii U eShop also but didn't want to overwhelm this forum with a whole bunch of threads on this topic for both shops. Still, I guess I should start sooner than later for the Wii U. Thanks for the info.

[Khushrenada]

For myself, I voted for Mighty Switch Force and Pushmo.

I've got Pokedex 3D. I think it is a free app. Back when the 3DS was shiny and new and the eShop began, Pokedex 3D was my first introduction to Swap/Streetpass. I forget how the process worked but you could slowly add to the Pokedex either each day or through QR Codes. However, everyone started with a random selection of pokemon and if you passed someone else who had a pokemon in their Dex that you did not then you'd get the blue light and a streetpass would occur adding the pokemon to your Dex. Nintendo eventually just released an update that filled in the Dex for everyone but I think I came close or actually did accomplish getting them all before the update. Anyways, that's about the only reason I cared about Pokedex 3D which was trying to accomplish the feat of having it complete. With that done, I've had no reason to go back and now I'm wondering why I'm even keeping it around these days.

Now, I've always been a big promoter of the 3D effect from the 3DS. I wish it could somehow become the standard for games going forward but it's been confined to this system and now seems to be over. That said, I must admit that 3D effect doesn't really seem to be of much benefit or add much to 2D platformers. I kept it on anyways for NSMB2 but flipping with it on and off didn't really change the experience that much. Same with Metroid: Samus Returns for the most part. (Although I think the latter does a better job of adding depth to the levels than the former.) So, although I was interested in 3D Classics when they first came out, ultimately, I've passed on the line. Part of the problem is that I've got no nostalgia for the NES system and the games on it. Adding on the limited 3D to those games isn't enough for me to care about them or justify buying them over their cheaper non-3D counterparts. Kirby's Adventure is considered the best of the bunch which is saying much to me since I feel Kirby's Adventure is one of the weaker entries of the franchise. Nintendo did give out 3D Classics Excitebike free for a bit so I downloaded that and still have it. Yet, like Pokedex 3D, I'm not sure why I'm still keeping. I played it a couple times to try it out and have never gone back to it. It languishes with Pokedex 3D and Four Swords Anniversary in a folder I never open on my 3DS.

On the other side, Pushmo I do recommend like others have commented on. Without looking into to be certain, I do feel like the original Pushmo has the most puzzles of any of the other games released. It sure felt like a long game but that's because it seemed to break my brain at the end trying to figure out some of those puzzles. In fact, I finally gave up and started looking up solutions online for a few of them to finish the game. Didn't have to do that with the other entries so either my brain adjusted and I figured out how to manipulate and solve these types of puzzles or they got easier in the sequels. Having not gone back to it, I can't say for sure. Even if it is the hardest in the series, I still enjoyed it enough to keep on going with the other entries in the franchise and am currently playing through Pushmo World on Wii U to get more of a Pushmo fix.

Mighty Switch Force is something I came late to the party on. Not sure when I picked it up but it was 2018 that I finally played it. I'm surprised Adrock thought it was quite difficult. I know the first time playing through levels, I could die a few times and have to replay them. But once I knew what to do or where I had to go, I could replay those levels and get it done quicker. It took me 2 or 3 days to collect everything and beat all the time trials for the levels. I was impressed at the amount of variety that came up from the concept of just switching some blocks back and forth and it left me wanting more. (So then I got the second one.) Felt like it was just hitting its stride when it ended. Still, better to be short and sweet than long and overstay its welcome. The one thing I didn't know about or expect going in was how much I'd like the music. It made me want to keep playing or go back and replay levels just to hear some of it again.

VVVVV is a game that I know has always been critically well-received and seems to be a top choice here but I've never pulled the trigger on it. A big part of that is the look of the game. Even watching a trailer, the game play just seems random of jumping and falling all over. I get no sense of what playing the game might be like (and the name does no favors either). Still, maybe I'll check it out yet. But unlike a lot of the other games on this list VVVVV is also available on the Wii U and Switch so there are other options to play it. Anyone know if one system is better than the others for it?

[Adrock]

Yeah, I’m not good at video games. I got stuck on one stage, tried it again a couple months later then lost interest. Some games I’ll keep trying u til I eventually get it while others I’ll give up on without losing much sleep over.

[NWR_insanolord]

As the only person who's voted for Pyramids, I'll just say it's a neat little puzzle platformer that I probably would have missed if it wasn't like the second original game released on the eShop.

[Khushrenada]

Yeah, I’m not good at video games. I got stuck on one stage, tried it again a couple months later then lost interest. Some games I’ll keep trying u til I eventually get it while others I’ll give up on without losing much sleep over.

That's so disappointing to hear. I pictured you as the Supergirl of gaming but now you're telling me that your closer to Lana Lang.

As the only person who's voted for Pyramids, I'll just say it's a neat little puzzle platformer that I probably would have missed if it wasn't like the second original game released on the eShop.

So that's who voted for Pyramids! I'm not I sure I ever knew that game existed even when it was the second original game released on the 3DS eShop.

[ejamer]

As the only person who's voted for Pyramids, I'll just say it's a neat little puzzle platformer that I probably would have missed if it wasn't like the second original game released on the eShop.

Hahaha... So glad someone else voted for this game!

I have fond memories of playing it when 3DS eShop wasn't so crowded, but just wasn't sure if it held up or not. My memories are of a fun little puzzle game, with plenty of stages to work through and the option to design and share (via QR codes) your own levels too. Even the (somewhat limited) 3D effect was enjoyable at the time.

However, I also have memories of other people questioning my credibility when judging games after hearing me say the game was better than expected and totally worth playing... which is why I didn't vote for it here.

[Khushrenada]

The NWR input on these titles:

3D Classics - Excitebike (No Review)
3D Classics - Kid Icarus = 7
3D Classics - Kirby's Adventure = 8.5
3D Classics - TwinBee = 8.5
3D Classics - Urban Champion = 6.5
3D Classics - Xevious = 8
Freakyforms: Your Creations Alive = 8.5
Let's Golf 3D = 7
Mighty Switch Force = 8
Pokedex 3D = 6.5
Pushmo = 9.5
Pyramids = 8
VVVVV = 9


I'm surprised there was no review ever done of 3D Classics Excitebike especially since it was released for free for a couple months at the eShop launch. However, here's a talkback article on some 3D Excitebike news that you can read about which has some comments by forum users all slagging the game.

The review link for Pyramids has a comment from ejamer on the game so we can all see his review for it again. He mentions there that you can not design your own puzzles unlike now when he says you can.  I just can't ever remember knowing that game existed and know I just found out it got a sequel later. A lot of pretty positive reviews on these early eShop games. Yet, I wonder if some of these titles benefited from not having much competition or knowing some of the quality titles that would come out later on the eShop. Yet, playing Mighty Switch force years later held up so perhaps these will too. Must say, I didn't expect to be interested in picking up Pyramids when starting this thread but I think I'm going to add it to my wishlist now. Likewise, seeing VVVVV having a 9 and others still giving it a positive review in this thread then I suppose I should get over my antipathy of the game's graphics and try it out.

Freakyforms I'll probably still pass on. Like Flipnote Studios, I'm just not that big into creation tool games. I'm sure there could be some goofy fun to be had with Freakyforms but I'm just not sure how much I'd be able to squeeze out of it or invest in it to do that. As for Let's Golf 3D, no one's really commenting on that. It hasn't been selected in the poll yet. Moreover, my golf needs have been met with Mario Golf: World Tour so I have no plans to add that to my collection or try it at this point.

[ejamer]

... He mentions there that you can not design your own puzzles unlike now when he says you can.  ...

And I'm right both times!

No seriously... the level creation tool isn't in-game; you have to download a computer program to design levels, then distribute them (or play them yourself) using the QR code that gets generated.  This wasn't available initially, but it's a pretty cool "share" from the dev team.

The developers posted the code here:  https://code.google.com/archive/p/pyramidsleveleditor/downloads

[Khushrenada]

Ooooooohhhhh. Well congrats on being a Pyramid (scheme) Expert.

[M.K.Ultra]

The three I recommend are
3D Classics - Excitebike
3D Classics - Kid Icarus
Mighty Switch Force
I have 3D classics Excitebike and paid for it in full. I also have nostalgia for the NES title.
I played Kid Icarus for the first time on the Wii U VC and really liked it. This version is better.
I got Mighty Switch Force for free somehow (Club Nintendo?) so I valued it less but it was a lot of fun and I have the sequel on my backlog.

I am thinking about this same thing and the 3DS games I am considering downloading are FE Awakening and Rhythm Heaven Megamix.

[Khushrenada]

I am thinking about this same thing and the 3DS games I am considering downloading are FE Awakening and Rhythm Heaven Megamix.

While we haven't gotten to it yet in this series, I will spoil things a bit by highly recommending Rhythm Heaven Megamix. There's more I can say about it but I'll wait for when the time comes when we get to that part of eShop releases.

[M.K.Ultra]

While we haven't gotten to it yet in this series, I will spoil things a bit by highly recommending Rhythm Heaven Megamix. There's more I can say about it but I'll wait for when the time comes when we get to that part of eShop releases.

My bad, I did not read the first post thoroughly. I just thought you had picked some games your were interested in buying. Going year by year will be cool. I look forward to 2012.