Thursday, October 2, 2014

October 2014 Nintendo 3DS Play Time Results

A really cool and nifty feature of the Nintendo 3DS is its Activity Log. This allows you to look at how much of your life you've actually spent playing each and every individual game, software, and app on the system. It's nothing that's a system-seller, obviously, but again, it's really neat to be able to see what you've played and how much you've played.

That's what the focus of this line of articles is all about. These are the top ten games I've played the most on my Nintendo 3DS. After you've seen my ten games and times for each, please share yours in the comments section below!

10) New Super Mario Bros. 2 (37:38)


There's something to be said when half of the titles on my overall play time list feature Mario in some aspect. Regardless, New Super Mario Bros. 2 saw the younger generation of Nintendo employees working on it, and it wasn't just a great game for a less experienced team-- it was just a great game in general. While getting through the game doesn't take too much time, the majority of hours spent on New Super Mario Bros. 2 for myself and Bean was in grinding coins for that "awesome" (see: awful) million coin reward.

9) Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon (39:54)


I found myself loving this sequel to 2001's GameCube launch title Luigi's Mansion much more than the original. I loved the mission structure, the sense of progression, and the length of the game. Next Level Games did a phenomenal job with Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon, and it pleases me greatly that they were rewarded with their hard work on the game with remarkable sales worldwide. Here's hoping we see the studio's next project come though the pipeline sooner rather than later.

8) Paper Mario: Sticker Star (47:35)


Paper Mario: Sticker Star was a game that I would not have liked had I not had a guide to assist me through it. Sure, Sticker Star had eye-catching visuals, a catchy soundtrack, and oodles of charm, but it also possessed many things in its design which made for an obtuse and oftentimes frustrating experience. For instance, without the guide I had, I would not have known which stickers to use where, where to uncover them in the first place, and how to progress in Sticker Star. The fact that the game is easy to find at a low price speaks volumes, as Nintendo games, especially Mario-branded ones, seldom go down in price so fast.

7) The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds (48:39)


No doubt one of my picks for the best Legend of Zelda game ever and one of the best games ever made, The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds was an exciting, thrilling, and wonderful ride from the opening title screen to the ending credits. The opened structure of the game was a breath of fresh air, the dungeon design was superb, and the world, although familiar, was engaging to explore. No doubt puzzles were easier due to each dungeon having one or two required items to use, but overall, A Link Between Worlds is a game that I will no doubt be returning to time and time again.

6) Mario Golf: World Tour (49:33)


Hot Shots Golf Fore! was once my favorite arcade golf game. After Mario Golf: World Tour came out and I spent enough time with it, Mario's latest golfing outing replaced Hot Shots for that title. With a bevy of content, costumes, courses, characters, and more, Mario Golf: World Tour was arcade golf made sensational. The addition of online play and tournaments meant that one could enjoy World Tour long after the traditional PGA golf season ended.

5) Mario & Luigi: Dream Team (63:03)


While Paper Mario: Sticker Star disappointed many, Mario & Luigi: Dream Team did the opposite, save for a plethora of unneeded tutorials that annoyed several players. Regardless, Dream Team continued the Mario & Luigi series's pension for humor, engaging reflex and timing-based battles, and colorful lands to venture through and discover secrets in. The addition of entering Luigi's dream was a cool aspect to the gameplay, and it offered some ingenious mechanics thanks to it.

4) Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance (63:52)


There are some rumors that Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance will be receiving the HD treatment, much like all of the games in the Kingdom Hearts series before it. Nonetheless, Bean and my separate save files in Kingdom Hearts 3D were met with fun times, awesome action-RPG gameplay, and a myriad of overarching story elements that made absolutely no damn sense, a tradition of the Kingdom Hearts series that continued with 3D. Thankfully, the tried and true aforementioned gameplay salvaged the game and made us enjoy our time with Square Enix's latest wholly original Kingdom Hearts title.

3) The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D (65:33)


Let me get this out of the way immediately-- The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is my favorite game ever made. This 3D edition implemented changes that made the overall experience the definitive version of this historic game. Using the touch screen for inventory management (I'm looking at you, Iron Boots in the Water Temple!), easy access to ocarina tunes, and the addition of a more difficult Master Quest all added up to an experience that I will cherish as a gamer and aspiring developer for the rest of my years on this earth. That's not even mentioning the excellent improved visuals that make Ocarina of Time 3D a must play for any action-adventure game fan. Make that double for any Zelda fan.

2) Kid Icarus: Uprising (66:35)


Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS, the first of a duo of new Smash games, releases tomorrow in North America. Before Masahiro Sakurai worked on those games, he worked on this title, Kid Icarus: Uprising. Bean and I absolutely loved this game. Whether it was the on-rails flight segments, the ground combat portions, or the immense level of detail, content, and love poured into the game, Kid Icarus: Uprising is one of our favorites for the Nintendo 3DS. No doubt it's a much harder sell for left-handed gamers. We definitely feel you, left-handed guys and gals.

1) Animal Crossing: New Leaf (525:39)


Well, Rosie, it certainly feels like Bean and I played Animal Crossing: New Leaf forever with over 500 hours of combined play time! Something tells me that it will be long time (if ever) before Animal Crossing: New Leaf is usurped as having the highest play time on my Nintendo 3DS! It's really the perfect time-killer with all the chores that you can do, visits with villagers, alterations to your town, your house, your own looks, and so much more. I'm almost afraid to return to New Leaf, just because I think it'd suck another 500 hours from my life!

===

If you'd like to check out past looks at my play time results on my Nintendo 3DS, check out these following links!


No comments: