gamrPreview: 20 Most Anticipated Nintendo 3DS Games of 2011
by Alex St-Amour, posted on 11 January 2011 / 2,919 Views
In the world of video games, is there anything more exciting than the launch of a new system? In just a few short months the Nintendo 3DS will officially usher in the 8th console generation and with it, the first batch of games that will show off the system’s unique capabilities. Now we don’t know exactly when the 3DS is launching in North America or which games will accompany it in 2011, so for this list we took a look at all announced 3DS games so far and placed the ones we feel have the best shot of landing in 2011.
Animal Crossing (Tentative Title)
After the near-identical clones that were Animal Crossing: Wild World and City Folk many people hoped that the next title in the Animal Crossing series would finally bring change to the life simulation franchise. Well apparently someone at Nintendo was listening; in Animal Crossing 3DS you take on the role of the mayor of your town and with the help of your secretary try to make it a better place for the residents. Couple this with the series’ sublime and addicting gameplay and you have one of our most anticipated 3DS games.
Assassin’s Creed: Lost Legacy
Not much is known about Assassin’s Creed: Lost Legacy. Will it follow in the footsteps of the two Nintendo DS titles and be more Prince of Persia-ish in gameplay or will a Nintendo handheld finally play host to a proper Assassin’s Creed adventure? What we do know is that the game will star Ezio Auditore de Firenze as he heads to the former assassin’s city of Masyaf, what he will discover there is anyone’s guess but a connection with the original Assassin’s Creed’s Altair is strongly rumored.
DJ Hero 3D
Taking what has been a purely console experience and translating it for a portable system is never an easy task. Case in point: the DJ Hero series, with its large turntable controller is almost impossible to emulate on the go. Well the 3DS is looking to change that, by making the touch screen the turntable and using the 3D display to accentuate the already ‘trippy’ visuals; this may very well be the first music/rhythm game to deliver a similar experience to the console version on the go.
Kid Icarus: Uprising
The very first Nintendo 3DS title to be announced still remains one of our most anticipated. Kid Icarus: Uprising features a blend of traditional ground based combat (similar to a 3D Zelda title) paired with (Star Fox style) flight combat. This is a game that fans of the original Kid Icarus games on the Nintendo Entertainment System and Game Boy have waited a long time (19 years) for, and from we’ve seen it has been worth the wait.
Kingdom Hearts 3D (Tentative Title)
While it may not be the ‘3’ that long-time fans of the series have been waiting for, Kingdom Hearts 3D looks to introduce the series unique blend of action and RPG elements to the 3D capabilities of the Nintendo 3DS. The developers have promised that Kingdom Hearts 3D will explore new Disney environments as well as connect in some way to the yet to be ‘officially’ announced Kingdom Hearts III.
Mario Kart 3DS (Tentative Title)
At E3 2010 Nintendo showed off a stellar list of upcoming games for the 3DS and one that immediately caught everyone’s attention was Mario Kart 3DS. Promising that classic Mario Kart gameplay that made every title in the series to date a smash hit and pairing that with graphics that could even give the Wii version a run for its money, easily makes this one of our most anticipated Nintendo 3DS games and one we hope does indeed land in 2011.
Mega Man Legends 3
It was a rather shocking announcement that after nearly 10 years without a sequel Capcom were indeed developing Mega Man Legends 3 and that is was for the 3DS. What’s even more shocking is the level of fan input that the developers have accepted during this project. Fans have been given the power to name characters, create bosses, and choose music and much more, making this project definitely feel like one that Mega Man’s followers can call their own.
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
A remake of one of the best stealth-action games ever made, in 3D? Yes please! Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater may be a long shot to hit in 2011 but the simple prospect of guiding Snake through a 3D jungle is just too exciting to pass over. After E3 2010, Konami stated that what was shown at E3 was merely a demonstration of the 3DS’s capabilities and that an entirely different Metal Gear game was in development, however at Nintendo World 2011 the ‘official title’ of Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater was shown, prompting most to assume that port will indeed land on the 3DS.
Paper Mario (Tentative Title)
My personal choice for most anticipated Nintendo 3DS game, Paper Mario brings the series back to its more traditional RPG roots after the Wii’s Super Paper Mario platformer-RPG hybrid gameplay split fans’ opinions. Paper Mario for 3DS looks to take full advantage of the new portables revolutionary screen by having objects and characters actually move ‘through’ the 3D perspective. It’s a bit hard to explain, just trust me when I say; this is a game that has to be seen to be believed.
Living proof that old franchises can be brought back via new technology, Pilotwings Resort, the sequel to 1996’s Pilotwings 64 brings the classic flight simulator back for another round of fun, this time bringing your Mii’s along for the ride. The game features several mini-games, a few of which (plane, rocket belt) have already been publicly sampled and the positive feedback received just makes us want to take to the skies even more.
Professor Layton And The Mask Of Miracle
It’s a new Professor Layton, need I say more? Alright, featuring gorgeous 3D effects and graphics coupled with the serie's already beautiful cut-scenes and you have a game that looks incredible. Add to this the endless possibility of puzzles that work in both 3D and with the 3DS’s motion controls and you will possibly have one of the most creative puzzle games ever made.
Professor Layton vs. Ace Attorney
What’s that you say you want more Professor Layton on this list and some Phoenix Wright too? Well I can answer that need with one entry thanks to Professor Layton vs. Ace Attorney. This mash-up between professor and investigator promises to deliver the best of both series and introduce new ways to see each world. When this game was announced our reader’s went nuts, and it’s easy to see why. This is already shaping up to be one of the 3DS’s defining titles.
Resident Evil: Revelations
When Resident Evil: Revelations was announced my jaw hit the floor. Never before had I seen such gorgeous graphics being pumped out by a handheld game system. On top of that, it’s Resident Evil, what’s not to like? Also, Capcom has promised to bring back the series’ penchant for puzzles and exploration and move away from the more action oriented atmosphere of the last few releases. They also claimed this will be one of the scarier titles in the series making this the perfect game to take under the sheets with you.
Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D
Not one, but two Resident Evil titles make our list. Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D takes the characters that were featured in the mercenaries mode for Resident Evil 4 and 5 as well as the maps from those games and blends it all together on the 3DS. Capcom as also promised that players will be able to play together over Wi-Fi and share high scores. Featuring the same jaw dropping graphics from Resident Evil: Revelations and the great gameplay introduced in Resident Evil 4 and you have another fantastic entry for the series on the 3DS.
Saints Row: Drive-By
A spin-off of the successful Saints Row franchise, Saints Row: Drive-By looks to take the massive world of those games and place them on the dual-screens of the 3DS. Not much is known about this title but we do know that it will feature connectivity with the upcoming Saints Row 3 and vice versa. However the sheer pedigree of the Saints Row series is enough to get us excited for Saints Row: Drive-By.
One of the most iconic Nintendo 64 titles makes a grand return on the 3DS. Star Fox 64 3D brings back everyone’s favourite space faring fox and his anthropomorphic friends as they battle the forces of the evil Andross. Complete with revamped graphics and very convincing 3D effects this entry in the long running series is sure to please fans who may have felt burned by the unorthodox nature of the last few games. Do a barrel roll!
The third version of Street Fighter IV is already turning heads, not just for its stunning 3D visuals, but for the fact that the game plays and looks almost exactly as it did on the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3. Add to this the simple fact that Super Street Fighter IV is one of the best fighting games to come along in a long time and it’s no surprise that Capcom made sure this one would be ready for the 3DS’s Japanese launch on February 26th.
The Legend Of Zelda: Ocarina Of Time 3D
The greatest video game of all time is getting a full-fledged remake for the Nintendo 3DS and gamers everywhere couldn’t be more excited. New graphics, new controls (no more switching the iron boots on/off a million times in the Water Temple) and the possibility of new areas and dungeons are just the tip of the iceberg. Ocarina Of Time put the Nintendo 64 on the map when it came to action/adventure games and it stands poised to do it all over again for the Nintendo 3DS.
Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Shadow Wars
Bringing turn-based tactics to the Tom Clancy series of games is a major step for the franchise and the responsibility will fall to the 3DS and Ghost Recon: Shadow Wars (formerly Lead the Ghosts). Not much is known about the title, expect that it will be set in 2016 and feature elements from previous Ghost Recon titles blended with the next gameplay style. There are also very strong rumours that Ubisoft is planning to launch Shadow Wars at or very near to the launch of the 3DS, so expect this one to arrive sooner than later.
After the favourable reception that Transformers: War For Cybertron received its now evident that the series can produce high quality video games, and here’s hoping that the upcoming Dark Of The Moon is no exception. Based off the third movie in the popular series, not much is known about the 3DS version, but that it will feature 3D effects and hopefully show people that movie tie-in games can be great.
