Batman: Arkham Origins
Grade: B
Publisher: Warner Bros. (2013)
Reviewed: 2014/3/8
Rating: Teen (blood, drug reference, language, mild suggestive themes, violence)
Publisher: Sega (2014)
Reviewed: 2014/11/23
Rating: Mature (blood and gore, intense violence, partial nudity, strong language, suggestive themes)
Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker
Grade: B
Publisher: Nintendo (2014)
Reviewed: 2016/7/30
Rating: Everyone
Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze
Grade: A+
Publisher: Nintendo (2014)
Reviewed: 2014/4/12
Rating: Everyone
Find Donkey Kong Country Tropical Freeze on
eBay,
YouTube1 or 2 players
Duck Tales Remastered
Grade: B-
Publisher: Capcom (2013)
Reviewed: 2013/12/6
Rating: Everyone
ESPN Sports Connection
Grade: F
Publisher: Ubisoft (2012)
Reviewed: 2013/1/31
Rating: Everyone
Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two
Grade: D-
Publisher: Disney Interactive (2012)
Reviewed: 2013/1/31
Rating: Everyone
Publisher: Nintendo (2014)
Reviewed: 2015/1/10
Rating: Teen (fantasy violence, suggestive themes)
Kirby and the Rainbow Curse
Grade: C
Publisher: Nintendo (2015)
Reviewed: 2016/7/30
Rating: Everyone
Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD, The
Grade: B+
Publisher: Nintendo (2013)
Reviewed: 2014/6/10
Rating: Everyone 10+ (animated blood)
Find Legend of Zelda The Wind Waker HD on
eBay,
YouTube1 player
Lego City Undercover
Grade: B
Publisher: Nintendo (2013)
Reviewed: 2013/5/14
Rating: Everyone
Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games
Grade: C
Publisher: Nintendo (2016)
Reviewed: 2016/7/30
Rating: Everyone
Find Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games on
eBay,
YouTube1 to 4 players
Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games
Grade: D+
Publisher: Nintendo (2013)
Reviewed: 2014/2/11
Rating: Everyone (mild cartoon violence)
Find Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games on
eBay,
YouTube1 to 4 players
Publisher: Nintendo (2014)
Reviewed: 2014/6/10
Rating: Everyone (comic mischief)
Publisher: Nintendo (2015)
Reviewed: 2015/10/20
Rating: Everyone
Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash
Grade: D
Publisher: Nintendo (2015)
Reviewed: 2015/12/2
Rating: Everyone
Publisher: Nintendo (2016)
Reviewed: 2017/1/1
Rating: Everyone (10+)
Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate
Grade: F
Publisher: Capcom (2012)
Reviewed: 2015/6/4
Rating: Teen (blood, crude humor, fantasy violence)
Publisher: Nintendo (2014)
Reviewed: 2015/2/19
Rating: Everyone
New Super Luigi U
Grade: C+
Publisher: Nintendo (2013)
Reviewed: 2013/10/15
Rating: Everyone

New Super Luigi U is a standalone title, but Nintendo made it clear that this is basically an expansion pack for New Super Mario Bros. U (which explains the reduced price). Now it's Luigi's turn to shine as he traverses a harrowing new set of stages. This kind of reminds me of
Sonic & Knuckles (Genesis, 1994) except without the "lock-on" technology. Before reviewing this game I went back and played the original Mario U to calibrate my expectations (yep - it's still awesome). Compared to that, New Super Luigi U is a faster, more challenging experience. The world map, themes, and bosses are basically the same, but the stage designs are totally new. The difficulty has been ratcheted up substantially, and there are a lot of those limited visibility stages. Even in the very first stage you'll struggle while contending with ground that shifts below your feet. In the "rotating gears" stage the danger is heightened by giant flames that fire at regular intervals. On top of everything, the pacing is faster since most stages are timed. Luigi has a slightly different look and feel than Mario. His comical voice is an octave lower and he has the ability to hover in the air. An extra oomph lets him reach high ledges, the downside being that there's sometimes no place to land when he comes down! The game isn't rocket science, but it's definitely geared toward skilled gamers who mastered the first game. I prefer the easier difficulty and leisurely pace of the original, but this low-cost add-on serves its purpose. © Copyright 2013 The Video Game Critic.
New Super Mario Bros. U
Grade: A-
Publisher: Nintendo (2012)
Reviewed: 2013/1/5
Rating: Everyone
Publisher: Nintendo (2012)
Reviewed: 2013/1/5
Rating: Everyone

As the pack-in game for the Wii U Deluxe set, Nintendo Land does a decent job of demonstrating the system's capabilities. Each of its dozen mini-games uses Mii characters and incorporates the GamePad in a number of creative ways. There's a ninja game where you flick your finger across the screen to hurl throwing stars. In the maze game you'll tilt the controller to navigate a wooden obstacle course. In a flying game you use the stylus to create wind currents to propel your character. There are Zelda and Metroid-inspired games that let you hold up the GamePad to view your surroundings. These are all family-friendly and many support up to five players. In the chase variations the player holding the GamePad can see more than everybody else. For example, in Luigi's Mansion he plays the role of the ghost, sneaking up on other players and scaring the heck out of them. All of the games are mildly amusing but none could really hold my attention for more than a few minutes. Even the Metroid shooter made me yawn after a few waves. A robot provides tutorials and hints, but she talks
way too much. Ironically, the best game is a throwaway bonus game that doesn't even use the GamePad. It's a simple pachinko-style game where you drop bouncing balls down a pegboard and into slots. Nintendo Land is a nice way to get acquainted with your brand new Wii U, but it won't sell systems like Wii Sports did for the original Wii. None of these games could stand alone, but taken as a whole it's not a bad package, especially if you have kids. © Copyright 2013 The Video Game Critic.