Nintendo 3DS Reviews A-E

Just about everyone has played Angry Birds on a smart phone, where it has enjoyed incredible popularity. But is it truly a great video game, or just a case of being in the right place at the right time? Playing Angry Birds on a "real" gaming system gives a little more perspective. The premise is to slingshot round birds at green pigs sheltered by precarious structures (some made of glass). The gameplay is completely 2D. Your slingshot control is on the bottom screen and the upper screen gives you the "big picture". I was surprised and a little disappointed that you must use the stylus and can't get by with just your finger. When a bird hits its target, it typically results in a chain reaction as boards collapse, pigs are crushed, and points are racked up. This would probably be a mature-rated title if not for the cute, cuddly characters involved. Adding strategy are birds with special abilities, including those that divide, drop bombs, or explode on contact. There's a lengthy pause as you wait for everything to settle after your final shot. This trilogy contains the Classic, Rio, and Seasons editions of Angry Birds. I love the frantic monkeys in Rio and the holiday themes of Seasons. Each game offers dozens of levels to complete, and you can always replay them to top your high scores. As it was on the phone, Angry Birds is a terrific way to kill some time. The problem is, the game takes forever to start up because of all the logo screens you need to sit through. Hell, even that God-forsaken Activision logo spins for a good 15 seconds! Using the stylus to navigate the menus adds further delay. Once you finally get going, the game plays well. Completing the stages is satisfying and you can really get on a roll. However, the game isn't addictive enough to hold your interest for more than a few minutes at a time. Angry Birds is a decent video game, but Activision butchered the best part of the game: the instant gratification. © Copyright 2012 The Video Game Critic.

I knew I was in for a visual treat when I saw the title "Dead or Alive" grow towards me. That's some effective 3D! Like previous Dead or Alive (DOA) games Dimensions is a one-on-one fighter with musclemen, ninjas, and high-kicking babes in diverse exotic locations ranging from a cruise ship to a Japanese temple to a glacier. The curvaceous females are well-represented but far less sexualized than previous DOA titles. You view available moves on the lower screen as you fight, and the action places emphasis on combos and air juggles. The contests have a back-and-forth dynamic as the characters trade barrages of attacks. Stylish graphics literally pop off the screen between matches but I got tired of hearing the same tired lines ("I ain't about to lose!") The stages are very colorful but lack memorable detail. It's fun when a character gets knocked off a cliff or tumbles down some stairs, with the battle resuming in a new area. I just wish there was more interaction with the scenery. The graphics are sharp but sometimes the screen suddenly grows dim (bad lighting effects or my 3DS?) Chronicles mode explains the gameplay mechanics while telling a long, convoluted story. I felt like I was watching more than playing, and that's not something you want in a portable game! In its defense, the action scenes are quite exciting and show off the system's 3D prowess. Arcade and Survival mode offer instant gratification in the form of rapid-fire one-round matches. Unfortunately each mode consists of a list of "courses", and working your way through the easy ones feels time-consuming and tedious. You're constantly unlocking things but I'm not convinced any of it is really worth unlocking. Dead or Alive Dimensions is a visual showcase for the 3DS system but as a fighting game it could use a little more focus. © Copyright 2016 The Video Game Critic.

Power of Illusion is the sequel to Castle of Illusion starring Mickey Mouse (Genesis, 1990). It tries to stay true to the original but the game is bogged down by its overused touch screen elements. Before you can play you're subjected to about 15 minutes of tedious dialogue and exposition. Get on with the game already! Mickey finds himself in a castle where he must save various Disney characters tucked away in magical rooms. Within these rooms you'll visit forests, castles, pirate ships, and distinctive locations from classic Disney films. The layered 2D graphics are understated but elegant, and a few distinctive sound effects have been brought back from the original game. The music from the opening stage is the same as Castle of Illusion, except this fully orchestrated version sounds remarkably lush and triumphant. Power of Illusion incorporates a wide range of Disney characters including Goofy, Rapunzel, Aladdin, Uncle Scrooge, and Captain Hook. It's fun to discover as many as you can. The platform action is decent, but Power of Illusion fails to recapture the magic of the original game. Mickey's primary attack is his "butt pounce" initiated by hitting the jump button while in mid-air. When you pounce on mushrooms, bats, and miniature knights, they leave dollar bills in their wake. This sounds like a great idea, but it's not. Pouncing on several enemies in a row is part of the fun, but having to go back to collect items is annoying. And since this is an "Epic Mickey" title, you'll also need to deal with obligatory painting mini-games. Painting allows you to create platforms or remove obstacles by playing a little tracing mini-game on the lower screen. It's fun for a while, but gets tiresome because you need to trace the same shapes over and over again. Ugh! The stages aren't particularly interesting, and the game has a lot of derivative elements like barrels to shoot from (a la Donkey Kong Country) and an unnecessary spin attack (a la Sonic the Hedgehog). I do like the short stages and the automatic save function. Power of Illusion contains elements of Disney charm, but be advised you'll probably find yourself getting tired of this game before long. © Copyright 2013 The Video Game Critic.