Video Game Awards 2016: The Better Late Than Never Award (AKA The Secret of Mana Award)

This award goes to a game that was released in a year prior to 2015, but that I didn’t play until 2015. The alternate “Secret of Mana” title comes from the fact that I first played Secret of Mana in 2012, a good nineteen years after its original release. Secret of Mana is a game I hold in high regard, yet I knew very little about it until I had a go at it on the Wii’s Virtual Console.

It’s true, there are other games I played later than their original release (including another favorite, Symphony of the Night). But the “Secret of Mana Award” just has a nice ring to it, don’t ya think?

Though somewhat ironically, this inaugural award goes to a game that was only released a year before I had the chance to play it. A far cry from nineteen, to be sure…

Winner: Shovel Knight

Shovel Knight, as it turns out, was one of 2014’s very best video games. It’s only a shame I was unable to rank it in my list of top 5 games from 2014, seeing as I didn’t play it until well into 2015. Oh well, better late than never.

Shovel Knight is one of the best indie titles out there. A loving tribute to the 8-bit days of gaming, what makes Shovel Knight so special is how well it would fit in with the greats of its inspirational era like Castlevania, Mega Man, and Super Mario Bros. 3.

Shovel Knight boasts terrific gameplay, fantastic music, and a steep challenge that makes it one of the best indie games. And a worthy successor to the NES games it evokes.

Video Game Awards 2016: Best Gameplay

There is no greater attribute to a great game than gameplay itself. After all, even the most profound video game narrative would be pointless if the game itself were a stinker. Similarly, a game entirely void of narrative can be made into a masterpiece through gameplay alone. Gameplay is the heart and soul of game design. The glue that holds a great game together. I admit, 2015’s Best Gameplay was a tough call, but in the end, there had to be one.

Winner: Super Mario Maker

This award was really a coin toss between Super Mario Maker and Undertale. But while Undertale may be one of the most fun RPGs I’ve played, I have to give the edge to Super Mario Maker due to the fact that it made level editing itself fun.

Let’s be honest, as awesome as the idea of making your own video game is, most games that allow you to create your own piece of the experience tend to be pretty demanding and tedious, to the point that it can take away from the fun of making your own levels.

That’s not the case with Super Mario Maker, which implements simple drawing and drag-and-drop mechanics to make the process of creating levels as fun as playing them.

Not to mention that Mario Maker features gameplay from some of the best platformers of all time. So there’s that.

Still, I have to give Undertale a special mention for giving a sense of interactivity to turn-based battles that’s usually reserved for the Mario RPGs, and for making every encounter a unique experience.

Runner-up: Undertale

Video Game Awards 2016: Best Content

Whether it’s all crammed in the box from the get-go, added through DLC, or the product of player creation, video game developers are always trying to find ways to provide bang for your buck these days. Some times, these efforts can just feel like bloated padding. Other times, they succeed in giving a game a great sense of longevity. As far as 2015 goes, it’s no question which game will have me coming back for years to come.

Winner: Super Mario Maker

Do I really need to give an explanation here? Can’t I just say “lol infinite Mario levels” and basically say it all? Alright, I guess I’ll say a little more.

Nintendo really pulled out the stops with Super Mario Maker, delivering an accessible level editing tool that still retains a strong sense of depth. You can spend less than an hour or several days making a single level, and still produce a masterpiece.

Though not every level is bound to be good (there are way too many troll levels out there), Super Mario Maker’s star system encourages players to make levels that others will want to play by rewarding them with the ability to make more levels. So there’s always reason to delve deeper into those creation tools and get your creative juices pumping.

If, for some reason, the idea of making Mario levels doesn’t entice you (in which case you’re a terrible, terrible person), you can always just play endless amounts of levels made by players from all over the world. There’s never a shortage of things to do.

In short. It’s endless Mario. What’s not to love?

Runner-up: Splatoon

Video Game Awards 2016: Best Multiplayer

Time to start some video game awards! 2015 was a pretty great year for video games in a lot of ways. It seemed like a number of quality titles were released in just about every category and genre. So let’s get things started with a strong category, Best Multiplayer!

When it comes to multiplayer gaming in 2015, there was really only one game I could have picked due to its originality and sheer fun.

Winner: Splatoon

Splatoon is one of the most original games in years, and a wonderful addition to Nintendo’s peerless catalogue of franchises. A multiplayer shooter in which there’s no actual shooting. Splatoon is Nintendo’s reinvention of a genre that had seemingly run out of ideas.

The concept of Splatoon is simple: You play as squid/kids who shoot colored ink from their guns. The team that covers most of the arena with their color is the winner.

What Nintendo managed to pull off with that simple idea is astounding, and it’s only gotten better better through the game’s many updates.

Splatoon is Nintendo’s newest IP, and it is quickly growing into one of the Big N’s standout franchises. And with good reason, it’s a stellar multiplayer experience through and through.

Runner-up: Rocket League

The Legend of Zelda Review

With the exceptions of Super Mario Bros. and Tetris, there is perhaps no other game that has had such a longstanding influence as The Legend of Zelda. The 1986 NES title not only started one of gaming’s most heralded series, it also served as a forerunner for both the action/adventure and RPG genres, and can be seen as the originator of sandbox games, as Zelda introduced a greater sense of player freedom than what had been seen before. Though this trailblazing title remains fun in a number of respects, age has magnified how prototypical it was towards the greatness that would later stem from the series.

As you would expect, The Legend of Zelda laid the groundwork for the series, with many of the franchise’s established elements showing up in more primitive forms.

Link must traverse the land of Hyrule collecting weapons and items as he tackles dungeons to collect the eight pieces of the Triforce of Wisdom in his quest to save Princess Zelda from the evil Ganon. Later entries would add stronger storytelling into the mix, but the basic premise of the original makes for a more open gameplay experience.

While there is a recommended order to tackle the game’s dungeons, player’s are actually free to take them on in any order they see fit. Those who have mastered the game can even face the final boss without gaining the sword! The Legend of Zelda boasted a level of freedom that was unheard of at the time, and as the series has become more story focused through the years, it’s easy to say this is the most open-ended Zelda title to this day.

The dungeons are the highlight of the game. Every time Link steps into a dungeon, the adventure becomes more focused. Take out enemies, collect the dungeon item, as well as the map and compass, work your way to the boss, and defeat it to gain a Triforce shard. The dungeons don’t take more than a few minutes, but they each feel like their own complete adventures.

Traveling across the overworld is considerably less fun. Many of the areas look similar, other parts are maze-like, and others still serve as continuous loops unless you can figure out the required pattern to make it through. It can feel confusing and tedious. There are also barrages of enemies, many of which pop out of the ground as you’re passing by, making them difficult to avoid, and others who use ranged attacks that fly passed the entire screen. It’s just way too easy to die when you’re just walking around. There are fairy fountains scattered here and there to heal your health, which helps ease the difficulty a bit, but that’s when you can actually manage to make it to one.

Combat is simple and fun, with the sword and various items being incredibly easy to use. Though Link’s limited movements of up, down, left and right can feel a bit stiff at times, especially when you’re bombarded by those aforementioned waves of enemies.

The graphics have understandably aged, but remain charming. Meanwhile, the music is a highlight in NES soundtracks, and laid the groundwork for the legendary music of the series.

As a whole, The Legend of Zelda can still provide some good, old school fun. But the difficulty can be frustrating, and it goes without saying that the elements it created were bettered a number of times over in the sequels. It doesn’t feel entirely obsolete when compared to its successors, however, due to its more open-ended nature, which gives it a unique flair for the series. Its unique place in its series means that it’s aged better than Metroid. But it also feels incredibly prototypical and “for its time” when compared to later entries, so it doesn’t boast the timelessness of Super Mario Bros.

The importance of The Legend of Zelda is difficult to understate, but I’d be lying if I said it holds its own against other Nintendo greats. Its contributions to gaming are close to unrivaled, but there’s a reason why when people discuss the greatness of 2D Zelda games, they’re usually referring to A Link to the Past.

6

Metroid Review

For thirty years, the Metroid series has been one of Nintendo’s most beloved franchises. Many consider it to be one of the “Big Three” Nintendo properties, alongside Super Mario and The Legend of Zelda (in all fairness, Donkey Kong should probably be included as well and make it a “Big Four”). Like many of Nintendo’s ongoing series, Metroid got its start on the NES. Revisiting the original Metroid today comes with some good and bad. On the plus side, when playing Metroid today, it’s obvious to see how many of its elements continue to inspire game design even today. On the down side, many of the game’s elements have aged rather poorly, making it seem nearly obsolete in the face of its sequels.

Metroid is a 2D action game, but unlike Nintendo’s platform-oriented Super Mario series, Metroid is far more open-ended. Samus, the protagonist bounty hunter, must traverse a single labyrinthian world on her quest to destroy the Metroids and the evil Mother Brain.

Samus begins her quest with little more than the ability to jump and shoot lasers from her arm canon. Throughout the game, Samus can find items that give her additional abilities, like missiles, more powerful and longer-ranged lasers, the power to morph into a ball and plant bombs, extensions to her health, and others. In one of the game’s great innovations, there are many areas that require specific abilities in order to be progressed, making Metroid a trailblazer in video game backtracking.

Unfortunately, while Mario’s earliest entries remain timeless, the years have been wearing on Metroid in a number of ways. Perhaps the most prominent sign of the game’s prototypical nature is its lack of a map. Metroid is a game that is built around a labyrinth, and requires players to revisit areas, yet they are left to memory alone to remember where they’ve been and figure out where to go next. Considering that the game’s 8-bit limitations can make many areas look similar to one another, it can lead to many instances of accidental revisits. It can become downright confusing at times.

Then there’s the difficulty. Samus begins the game with thirty hit points, which can initially be increased to ninety-nine by picking up health drops from enemies. Finding some of the aforementioned hidden items can grant additional sets of ninety-nine hit points, so Samus’ increasing health means there’s no need for extra lives. But before you think Samus is some kind of unstoppable tank, it needs to be said that many enemies can be hard to kill, do a notable amount of damage to Samus, and have hard to figure out patterns. Combine that with a number of moments where enemies flood the screen (slowing the action in the process), and you may think Samus is a lot more fragile than her amor may suggest.

What’s worse is that, after every death, Samus’ health reverts back to thirty. There are certain ‘checkpoints’ if you continue playing right after dying, but if they’re next to a more difficult area, you may want to find a good spot to farm health drops before moving on, since it can be frustrating tackling these areas with so few hit points.

The game has no save feature, instead opting for a password system. Thankfully, if you’re playing through the Wii U’s Virtual Console, the password system becomes entirely unnecessary, as you can end the game at any point and start back right where you left off.

Metroid was also made famous for speed-running, with completing the game under certain time limits altering Samus’ action in the end. Take too long and she won’t even look at the player. Finish fast enough and she removes her helmet to reveal she’s a woman (her identity may be common knowledge now, but back in the day the reveal was revelatory). And if you manage to beat the entire adventure in an hour, Samus will go all-out and reveal her bikini body. Though considering she’s an 8-bit sprite here, her appearance is hardly reward enough for the hefty task.

There’s certainly still a place in history for Metroid. Its ideas were ahead of its time, its heroine is one of the best in gaming, and the music – even in these 8-bit days – displayed how Nintendo games took video game soundtracks to the next level. But it would be a lie to say that the original Metroid holds up nearly as well as many other Nintendo classics. And if one were to compare it with its Super NES sequel, well, there is no comparison.

Whether it’s Super Metroid’s perfecting of the series’ ideas, or Zero Mission’s re-imagining of this very adventure, Metroid’s own sequels have more or less turned the original into something of a relic.

Yes, Metroid was a work of genius. But its genius shines much brighter in the games that succeeded it.

5

Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze is One of the Most Underrated Nintendo Games Ever

The 2014 Wii U exclusive, Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, is one of the best Nintendo games ever made. It’s a damn shame then, that it’s also one of their most unappreciated.

Back when Tropical Freeze was first revealed at E3 2013, the game received immediate backlash over the fact that Retro Studios opted to make another Donkey Kong title following 2010’s Donkey Kong Country Returns. Gamers – self-entitled lot that they are – were quick to write off the game and express their disappointment that Retro wasn’t working on Star Fox or Metroid (despite the fact that the studio had already made three Metroid titles at that point, as opposed to one in the DK series). Maybe it’s the fact that Donkey Kong Country Returns was great and the last Metroid game, Metroid: Other M, was the very definition of suck, but I know which series I wanted to see more of at that point.

I’ve come to expect the gaming community to act like a lot of childish brats though. It’s commonplace for them. What’s far worse is how it seems like many publications seemed to share that mentality, and were ready to pander to the misguided disappointment of gamers.

It’s true, Tropical Freeze got mostly great reviews when it was first released, but much like any Nintendo game that doesn’t star Mario, Link or Samus (the latter two of which I might argue don’t always deserve such profuse gushing), the game was quickly forgotten after its initial review scores were dished out.

When award season rolled around, the game was largely snubbed by virtually every publication. It won Best Platformer from GameTrailers, but that’s just about it. Even its phenomenal soundtrack (which I would say is the best video game soundtrack of at least the last five years) went unmentioned.

Simply put, I don’t get it. I know there are differences in opinions, but this is an instance where I simply don’t get it. I honestly think people’s wanting of a new Star Fox or Metroid game basically doomed Tropical Freeze from the start for many. Which is completely unfair.

Though Tropical Freeze has some minor issues (long load times, and somewhat repetitious bonus games), as a whole I think it rivals any sidescrolling platformer. It’s greatly challenging, but always fair, it looks wonderful, the aforementioned soundtrack is an all-time great, and every level boasts a level of creativity that rivals the best Mario platformers, with not a single one of them repeating their ideas. Returns was great in its own right, but Tropical Freeze stands as one of Nintendo’s best.

It baffles me to no end that I often see the game placed beneath mediocre titles like The Wonderful 101 on lists of best Wii U games. Hell, the ludicrous praise that so many people gave to Rayman Origins and Legends, which were good games in their own right, seems downright unwarranted when stacked against Tropical Freeze. Whereas Rayman’s recent titles are more about keeping momentum, there’s a lot more thinking involved when playing Tropical Freeze. I’ll take strategic and creative thinking over “run really fast” any day.

I’ve even heard some reviewers complain that Tropical Freeze is too hard, which I consider hypocritical, considering most of these same reviewers often rag on Nintendo games for being “too easy” while praising difficult indy titles like Super Meat Boy (which, while decent, feels a lot more unfair than DK ever did). You can’t cry foul that Nintendo games are too easy, and then complain when they make one that’s difficult. And why does it seem like indy games just get a free pass when it comes to difficulty?

In less than two years since its release, I’ve already beat Tropical Freeze on its standard difficulty three times, and am currently working on completing its hard mode for the second time. Every time I’ve replayed it, I’m taken back by the sheer creativity and attention to detail that went into it. I simply don’t get how the game became as ignored as it is.

I understand that not every game is going to be everyone’s cup of tea, but the fact that Tropical Freeze has so few accolades is downright head-scratching. I’d say it’s easily the best platformer since Super Mario Galaxy 2 (bettering even the fantastic Super Mario 3D World), and I’ve played few platformers that exude such a sense of love for the craft from its creators.

Not counting my own opinions, I don’t think the game was even nominated for any Game of the Year awards, and the fact that it didn’t win more awards for the platforming genre is absolutely shocking. And the absence of a mention for David Wise’s beautiful score? Deplorable.

The sad thing is, the rather lukewarm reception Tropical Freeze has received probably means we won’t be seeing a third entry in Retro’s take on Donkey Kong Country any time soon. Hell, Tropical Freeze may have even received some DLC if its praise made a bigger splash. Heaven knows I’d buy that DLC day one.

Unfortunately, I see Donkey Kong taking another extended hiatus now, and Tropical Freeze being relegated to a game almost solely appreciated by the series’ established fanbase. Hopefully its cult-like status will give it better recognition one day. But for now, Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze remains one of Nintendo’s most overlooked treasures.

Because, y’know, it’s not Metroid.

Kirby: Squeak Squad Review

Kirby has one of the most varied libraries of games in the entire Nintendo canon. Kirby games often follow their usual platforming formula, or do something completely different. Kirby’s unique combination of familiarity and freshness is perhaps surpassed solely by Mario in the realms of longstanding gaming franchises. Though Kirby remained absent from home consoles from 2001 through 2009, he was still right at home on Nintendo’s handheld systems. The Nintendo DS was a particularly noteworthy showcase of the two sides of the Kirby series. 2005 saw the release of Kirby’s Canvas Curse, which utilized the DS’ touch screen in innovative ways, becoming one of Kirby’s most unique adventures and arguably the first great game on the handheld. Fast-forward one year later, and Kirby returned to the Nintendo DS in the far more traditional Kirby: Squeak Squad.

It’s understandable that Squeak Squad was met with a more lukewarm reception. After Canvas Curse marked a creative departure for the series, Squeak Squad felt incredibly safe. But that doesn’t take away from the fact that it remains a fun game in its own right.

Squeak Squad looks and plays a lot like the GBA entries in the series, but with even cleaner sprites due to the more advanced hardware. The characters are cute and well animated, and the gameplay remains simple, smooth and fun.

Kirby still goes through levels, eating enemies to copy their abilities. He still jumps, flies and slides. But Squeak Squad did introduce a somewhat intriguing addition in the form of bubbled powers and items.

When Kirby grabs a bubbled-item, he stores it in his tummy (displayed on the lower screen as an alternate dimension). You can store up to five items at a time, and many of which, including powers, can be combined by using the touch screen.

Don’t get too excited though. The ability to mix powers isn’t nearly as creative as it could have been. Kirby 64 remains the only title in the series where you could truly combine powers. In Squeak Squad, combining one power with another usually just results in a random roulette wheel to get another power. The only two powers that can be properly combined are Sword, which can be merged with Fire, Ice, and Spark, and Bomb, which can also be paired with Ice and Spark.

Though the ability to store powers for later comes in handy, you can’t help but feel that it was a hugely missed opportunity for the series to bring back Kirby 64’s mechanics and do something new with them.

Squeak Squad does include some new powers though, most of which are pretty cool, but have yet to show up again in later entries. Some of the new abilities include Ghost, which allows Kirby to possess enemies, Animal, which gives Kirby sharp claws to dig through dirt and attack enemies, Metal, which turns Kirby into an invincible metal form at the expense of speed and jumping height, and Bubble, which may be the most useful power in the game as it turns enemies into bubble powers.

Additionally, the Magic power from Amazing Mirror has been tweaked to become a proper power. With merging powers serving as a randomized roulette wheel, Magic Kirby can now attack with throwing cards, doves, and jack-in-the-boxes from a magic top hat. There are over twenty powers in the game in total, so there’s a good amount of variety in that department.

The story of the game is that Kirby had a strawberry shortcake stollen from him. He initially believes King Dedede to be the culprit, but his cake has actually been stolen by a gang of mouse-like bandits called the Squeak Squad. The Squeaks have bigger schemes brewing, but all Kirby wants is his cake, and he’ll take out the entire Squeak Squad in order to get it back.

The plot is probably the silliest in the entire series, but it’s not too important anyway. Still, when Kirby is usually out trying to save his planet, the whole cake rescue mission thing is kind of underwhelming.

Level progression in Squeak Squad is incredibly straightforward. There are eight worlds total, each consisting of five required level, a boss fight, and a secret level. Kirby goes from one level to the next, beats the boss, and moves on to the next world in line. Considering how flexible level progression has been even in early Kirby titles, the point A to point B approach feels like a little step back for the series.

The levels themselves are pretty quick, but fun. Most won’t take much longer than two or three minutes to complete, if that. There has been some depth added to them through the use of treasure chests, which return from Kirby and the Amazing Mirror.

Each level has one to three treasure chests, many of which require a specific power to find them. When Kirby claims a chest, they are stored in his tummy along with any bubbled items (and yes, the chests count among the five maximum items you can store. So pick what items you want to keep wisely). Upon completing a level, the chests are opened and reveal the items inside, which range from spray paints to change Kirby’s color, music to listen to on the sound test, keys to unlock the aforementioned secret levels, and heart pieces, which work similarly to those in Zelda and increase Kirby’s maximum health when you find enough of them, to name just a few of the prizes.

While the treasure chests add some depth to the levels, most are pretty easy to find, and don’t extend the game’s replayability very much. You might be able to complete the entire game and find every chest in about two hours or so. There are a trio of mini-games which can be played in multiplayer if you’re playing the original DS version, but the multiplayer option is absent in the Virtual Console release. Still, they only add so much to the package.

If you simply want a quick dose of traditional Kirby goodness, then Squeak Squad is still a thoroughly enjoyable game. But if you’re familiar with the series, you’ll know that Kirby can do better, whether as a platformer or something else entirely.

6

Top 5 Most Anticipated Games of 2016

Now that it’s December, 2015 is nearing its end. Along with preparing for the holiday season (and subsequently, the one-year anniversary of this site), Star Wars, and New Year’s Resolutions that I’ll probably stick to for five days, December also serves as a time to reflect on the year ahead.

This future-hype naturally finds its way into the world of video games as well. So as we all prepare to look back at the best games of 2015, we also look forward to our most anticipated games of 2016. And I am no different!

The following are my top five most anticipated games of 2016. They may look a bit different from most people’s selections, but for one reason or another, these games all have my attention. Let’s start with a runner-up then get to the top five!

Runner-up: Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam

Platform: Nintendo 3DS

Honestly, I had six games that stood out that I could choose from, so I feel guilty about placing any of them as a runner-up. But since a “top 6” list just sounds goofy, someone had to take the fall. Since Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam comes out in January, I don’t have much more of a wait. So that bumps it to a runner-up on this list of anticipation (just go with it).

Aside from Paper Mario: Sticker Star, there hasn’t been a bad Mario RPG. Though Dream Team was a considerable step down from Bowser’s Inside Story, I have high hopes for Paper Jam. Being a crossover between Mario’s two ongoing RPG series, Paper Jam has the potential to bring a new sense of creativity to the Mario RPG formula.

I do have to wonder where Mario RPGs will go from here though. After you have both series cross paths, it seems like it would be a good time to give Paper Mario and Mario & Luigi a break, and maybe start a new direction for the Mario RPGs. But maybe that’s just me.

Now on to the top 5!

5: Dark Souls 3

Platform: Multiplatform

Dark Souls is one of the better modern franchises in gaming (even if I kinda suck at it), and I’m really excited to ~~die repeatedly~~ play this new entry. I do kind of hope it adds more to the series than Dark Souls II did though. As great of a game as it was, I don’t want the third entry to just do what the first two already did. I hope DS3 can take all the good things from the series (of which there are many) and add some new twists into the mix as well.

What makes the Dark Souls series great is that it really feels like a modernized version of the kinds of games you’d play on the NES back in the day. It’s incredibly difficult, focused entirely on gameplay, and features a kind of progression that would feel at home on an 8-bit console. Yet it also feels brand new. The series has so far continued this trend through three games (remember, Demon Souls was the first game, Dark Souls was the second), and I’m confident it can repeat its success for a fourth time.

4: Star Fox Zero

Platform: Wii U

Lack of multiplayer aside, Star Fox Zero looks to be the return to form I’ve been waiting for from the series. The gameplay looks like a modernized Star Fox 64, none of the weirdly sexualized characters from the subsequent games are present, and the story is going back to basics. It pretty much looks like the proper follow-up to Star Fox 64, which has somehow not yet happened in almost two decades.

If Star Fox Zero does indeed end up being this generation’s Star Fox 64, then it will be well worth the wait. Now I just hope the game’s delay into 2016 means they’re adding a multiplayer mode.

3: Mighty No. 9

Platform: Multiplatform

Though the Red Ash Kickstarter fiasco might have put a sour taste in gamer’s mouths in regards to Keiji Inafune’s Comcept studio, I’m still super excited for Mighty No. 9.

It’s hard to believe Mega Man hasn’t appeared in a game outside of Super Smash Bros. for over five years. But if Capcom won’t let us have the Blue Bomber, at least we have a spiritual sequel to look forward to.

Mighty No. 9 really does look like a Mega Man title, and hopefully the gameplay and level design can live up to that heralded series. As a huge bonus, the game looks to feature several different additional modes to add some replayability and change up the experience.

2: The Legend of Zelda Wii U

Platform: Wii U (but maybe NX)

The latest “proper” addition in The Legend of Zelda series looks to be the most ambitious entry yet. It could be one of the last great Wii U games, or one of the first great NX ones. Or both.

The Legend of Zelda is one of gaming’s greatest series, and a new home console entry is always a big deal. But this one in particular seems to be aiming to change up Zelda conventions, and hopefully, as we learn more about the game, that becomes more apparent.

Though I really wish Nintendo would give the series another art direction as daring as The Wind Waker, I like the new cel-shaded look. It looks a lot like a more advanced take on what Skyward Sword did visually. But while Skyward Sword used its visuals to guise the aging technology of the Wii, this new Zelda actually looks to be taking full advantage of its hardware.

My two great hopes for Zelda Wii U is that it really does change up the series, since Zelda games, great as they are, lack the consistent sense of newness of its sister series, Super Mario, and that the main adventure is only as long as it needs to be. I’m actually among those who loved Skyward Sword, but I admit that game would have been better if it were trimmed a few hours shorter. There’s no need to stretch a game’s length just for the heck of it. I’ll take a 10 hour game that feels complete over a 60 hour one that feels largely comprised of filler.

Anyway, it’s Zelda. Of course I have it on this list!

1: Yooka-Laylee

Platform: Multiplatform

Rare made some of the greatest video games of my youth. With a resume that includes the likes of Donkey Kong Country 2 (arguably the best 2D platformer), Banjo-Kazooie (arguably the best 3D platformer until Mario went to space), Goldeneye 007, Perfect Dark, and so many other classics, it’s a wonder how the developer has fallen so far from grace over the last decade.

Yooka-Laylee is something of a dream come true for me. The new studio Playtonic Games – founded by a small group of some of Rare’s finest former developers – debuted the game as a spiritual successor to the Banjo-Kazooie series in a wildly successful Kickstarter campaign. And so far, everything about the game is looking like a modernized version of the Banjo-Kazooie style of platformer.

Playtonic has been vocal in saying that the game isn’t merely a re-skin of Banjo-Kazooie, however, and that Yooka-Laylee is making the winning formula new again. The collectibles will all serve a purpose, the game will have a greater sense of freedom in exploration, and players will have some forms of customization in gameplay and progression.

After Nuts & Bolts more or less kicked Banjo-Kazooie fans in the… nuts & bolts, Yooka-Laylee looks like the proper follow-up to Banjo-Tooe that I’ve waited fifteen years for. It was even the first game on Kickstarter I’ve helped fund. The only other game I’ve funded since was Red Ash. And well, let’s just move on.

Yooka-Laylee simply looks to bring back a style of game that’s been all but forgotten in the last few console generations. Given the minds behind it, I have a lot of confidence they’ll be able to pull it off. Really, there’s no reason why Yooka-Laylee wouldn’t be my most anticipated game of 2016.

Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong’s Double Trouble Review

Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong’s Double Trouble served as a fittingly great end to Rare’s Donkey Kong Country trilogy on the SNES. Though its release in late 1996 meant that it failed to reach the high sales numbers of its two predecessors due to the launch of the Nintendo 64 a few months prior, DKC3 retains the same sense of fun and style as the two preceding games in the series.

Just as DKC2 took DK’s sidekick Diddy and made him the star, DKC3 does the same by putting Dixie Kong in the spotlight. The fact that DK was now far removed from the equation may have impacted the game’s sells all the more, but Dixie Kong is still the most fun Kong to control, not to mention she was one of the earliest Nintendo heroines to get a starring role.

Dixie is joined on her adventure by Kiddy Kong, an infant gorilla who possesses the size and strength of Donkey Kong himself. Kiddy is admittedly a forgettable character (it shouldn’t be surprising that he’s never shown up in the series since), and his presence leads one to think that maybe Dixie and DK were the original planned duo, but since DK would have taken the spotlight, Rare whipped up a quick replacement instead.

Despite Kiddy Kong not being a particularly memorable addition to the Kong family, his pairing with Dixie gives the game a good mix of the gameplay of DKCs 1 and 2. Dixie can still use her ponytail as a propeller to glide and make her jumps more precise. While Kiddy, having the strength of DK, can take out bigger enemies.

The team-up moves from DKC2 return, with Kiddy being able to throw Dixie to great lengths and find out-of-reach secret areas, while Dixie can throw the hefty Kiddy to bulldoze enemies and break certain walls.

It must be said that many of the situations of DKC3 are more specific to certain Kongs than the previous game, with a number of secrets only able to be found with Dixie’s gliding abilities. Kiddy’s strength comes in handy with finding a few of the game’s secrets, but his unique traits aren’t utilized nearly as often as Dixie’s.

The game basically uses the same platforming gameplay of the past entries, and though the level design never reaches the heights of the second entry, DKC3 was still one of the best platformers of its day. The levels are creative and varied, with new twists and gimmicks added to the stages at an increasingly frequent rate as you progress further in the game.

Animal Buddies also make a return, with Squawks, Squitter and Enguarde making a comeback with all their abilities from the second game. Rambi the rhinoceros has been replaced with Ellie the elephant, who’s cute, but her ability to carry barrels and shoot water with her trunk is never used in a way to make her as fun as the destructive Rambi. A new bird friend named Perry shows up, and simply flies overhead to grab objects the Kongs can’t.

The boss fights have a similar variety to the levels, with each one presenting a different challenge (a few of them require you to combat them as one of the Animal Buddies). Though some boss fights, such as Bleak the snowman, end up being a little underwhelming, they are all at least more than just bigger versions of standard enemies.

While the gameplay retains the same style as the other DKCs, where Donkey Kong Country 3 differentiates itself from its predecessors is its world map.

Whereas the first two games presented more traditional platformer world maps, DKC3’s map is more flexible, as Dixie and Kiddy travel the “Northern Kremisphere” via boats, hovercrafts and jet skis to various islands, which serve as the game’s worlds. You gradually upgrade your vehicles via Funky Kong, with each new transport being able to take you further than the last. In an interesting piece of nonlinearity, the third and fourth worlds in the game are actually interchangeable (though it’s somewhat disappointing that those are the only worlds that are).

Each world contains five stages and a boss. There are seven standard worlds plus one lost world. Though Funky is only found on the primary world map, Wrinkly Kong is found in every world, as is Swanky Kong. Wrinkly saves your game, while Swanky hosts a ball-throwing mini-game. Strangely, Cranky Kong’s only role in DKC3 is serving as your opponent in Swanky’s mini-games.

New characters include the Brothers Bear, an extensive family of bears who show up in various points in each world. The bears will often have you trading unique items between them, or give you hints about some of the secrets of the game. You can find Bear Coins throughout the levels (which replace DKC2’s Banana Coins), but strangely, only a couple of the bears and Swanky’s mini-games require them. There are also Bonus Coins (replacing Kremkoins), which are won in bonus games and, just like in DKC2, are needed to access the secret levels in the Lost World.

The DK Coins make a return, but with a twist. This time, instead of simply being hidden within the levels, they are guarded by a Kremling named Koin. Koin uses the DK Coin as a shield, leaving the player to find creative ways to take him down with a steel barrel. It’s a fun twist to the formula, but unfortunately, your prize for getting every last DK Coin almost doesn’t feel worth it. By the time you receive your reward, you’ve almost completed everything in the game, making it feel like it shows up long after it really would have been helpful.

Finally, the last new item of note are the Banana Birds, which are hidden throughout secret caves on the world map.

If you want to simply play through the game and beat the final boss, DKC3 is decently challenging, though the main quest isn’t nearly as difficult as DKC2. However, trying to complete everything kicks up the challenge considerably, and the secret levels are among the hardest in the series.

To achieve full completion of the game, you’ll have to beat every bonus stage (every level has two, save for some of the secret levels, which have up to three), find every DK Coin, find every Banana Bird, complete every task for the bears, beat the game, and beat all the secret levels. In terms of content, it certainly packs a punch.

By its own merits, Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong’s Double Trouble is an excellent platformer, and I can respect the argument that it’s a “deeper” game than the original DKC. However, DKC3 ultimately falls considerably short of the second installment for a few reasons.

The first of these reasons being the game’s overall atmosphere. It’s true that the graphics are more polished than ever and the game’s scenery is beautiful (some of the best on the SNES), but the world of the Northern Kremisphere feels like a step back from the creativity of Crocodile Isle. Whereas DKC2’s world was a clash of the fantastic and the dreadful, DKC3’s world instead reverts back to the natural settings of the first game. Gone are the pirate ships, beehives and amusement parks of the last game. In their place are water, mountain and tree themed levels. It’s not that the setting is bad. Far from it, actually. But its world lacks the unique tones that the second game exuded.

The character designs have also taken a nosedive in quality. It’s not just Kiddy Kong, but the enemies as well. The original Donkey Kong Country didn’t exactly boast the most creative enemy designs, but they had a charm about them. DKC2 upped the ante with more creative designs and an underlying pirate motif. DKC3 goes back to more of the generic enemy style of the original, but their designs lack the charm, and look more goofy than anything. The Kremlings even have a new leader in a robot named Kaos (though it shouldn’t be a surprise who’s behind the machine), but the robot theme is only reflected in the new mechanical bee enemies, the Kremlings themselves are, well, Kremlings. There’s an inconsistency in the art direction that just feels like a huge step back.

Perhaps DKC3’s greatest sin as a follow-up to Diddy’s Kong Quest, however, is its soundtrack. Now, DKC3’s music is perfectly fine on its own. But considering the sheer heights that the last two games took video game soundtracks, being “perfectly fine” just doesn’t compare. The soundtrack, primarily composed by Eveline Fischer (regular series composer David Wise only contributed a few tracks) is a good mix of music, but it fails to create the atmosphere and moods that the other games in the series did so easily.

As a whole, Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong’s Double Trouble is an excellent platformer. The level design is great and varied, the gameplay is challenging and fun, the game still looks great, it sounds good, and finding every last trinket gives it a lot of replay value. Problems arise, however, with its inevitable comparisons to its immediate predecessor. Aside from the robust world map, DKC3 is structured very much like DKC2. But the game as a whole is never quite as good. As great as the levels are, they don’t match up to those of DKC2 in terms of creativity and challenge. The fact that it falls so far below its predecessor aesthetically also dampens the experience.

DKC3 remains a more than worthwhile game in its own right. But the fact that it’s so similar to DKC2, yet inferior to it in so many ways, makes it feel like a hallowed out version of DKC2’s accomplishments. Even the subtitle of “Dixie Kong’s Double Trouble” is less clever than “Diddy’s Kong Quest” (I still don’t exactly know what the “double trouble” is referring to).

With that said, even a hallowed out DKC2 is still more fun than most other games. Though it may not be as fondly remembered as its predecessors, Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong’s Double Trouble was a great send-off for Rare’s DKC series.