Dragon Quest Builders (NSW, PS4, Vita) Review

We had a Clustertruck and then a ClusterPuck, and now we have a Dragon Ball FighterZ and a Dragon Quest Builders! The latter is the focus of this next review, a game available for the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation Vita.

If you build it, they will come.

Dragon Quest is a series that has dabbled in more genres than just its traditional RPG background. Dragon Quest Monsters took the series in a Pokemon-like direction, whereas something more recent like Dragon Quest Heroes brought the series forward into a Musou experience. Now, Dragon Quest as a series gets yet another spin-off, this time tinkering around in a world similar to Minecraft. While the ability to create what you desire with blocks is very much similar to Notch's creation, Dragon Quest's take on Minecraft, Dragon Quest Builders, brings with it a story, RPG elements, and a structure to help players who need motivation to push on. Does Dragon Quest Builders create an architectural triumph, or does it create a condemned building instead?

Dragon Quest Builders begins with your builder--able to be slightly customized by gender, hair, and color options--waking up from a deep slumber inside a crypt. A voice calls out to the builder, telling him or her (for convenience's sake we'll just refer to the builder as a "he" from now on) of how the Dragonlord has corrupted the kingdom of Alefgard, blanketing it in darkness. Telling the builder how to escape from the crypt, this omnipresent voice summons a banner for the builder, asking him to plant it in the middle of what was the former grounds of a town. Through Dragon Quest Builders's four chapters, this is pretty much always how each begins. You take a banner and plant it in a new town. You also lose all of your items, materials, equipment, and health boosts after each chapter, but the game is designed in a way where that limitation not only doesn't harm the overall game but it makes sense in the grand scheme of things.

As soon as the feat of planting the banner in what is left of the first town of Dragon Quest Builders is accomplished, a nearby visitor sees the light shining from the banner and arrives at the encampment. As you play along through a given chapter, more and more visitors will show up, and they will make their home at your base. All of these characters have requests that need completing in order to progress in the adventure. Some task you with building rooms for them, some want you to collect a specific item for them, while others might want you to take down a certain enemy in the surrounding lands. You earn rewards for completing quests, and many of these are quite helpful, whether as health-restoring items, health-increasing items, or materials to assist in building various creations.

From small beginnings comes the little town that could.

Building things in Dragon Quest Builders requires materials. Some are as simple as striking the earth around you to acquire blocks to make buildings and rooms in your town. Others are more involved, requiring a combination of materials to create one item, whether a completely new material, a piece of furniture, or what have you. Creations are made on special pieces of equipment like workstations, forges, cookfires, among others. Without one of these, you can't create anything from materials. You start off with the most basic of equipment to build creations with, and as you progress in chapters, you learn new recipes to build new inventions. 

These three doodads here are used to create specific material and furniture types.

You most likely won't always have the proper amount of materials for a given creation. This is where the grind rears its head in with Dragon Quest Builders. Sometimes you'll have to search, seek out, and find locations of a particular material and acquire as many as you can hold. Other times you won't even know where to find a particular material, so this means constantly moving from area to area searching high and low for your desired material, wherever it may be hiding. Early on, you can only hold so many materials and items at once. If you run out of space, you can't pick anything new up, and you'll have to "clean out your fridge"--cycle in and out items and materials from your on-hand inventory. Thankfully, in most chapters, you do get to build early on a chest that enables you to magically and automatically send excess items and materials inside it if your inventory is full. This is especially nice and convenient because you don't even have to go back to town to grab goods out of the chest. Instead, you can just select what you want from a menu while you travel.

The act of building itself isn't too complicated. When you get ready to place something down, such as blocks or a piece of furniture, a yellow cube will appear in front of your builder, showing where it will be placed upon hitting the build button. You can also press the shoulder buttons to set things a block higher or lower than where your builder is currently positioned. Another button keeps you looking forward, making it easy to place multiple things one after another in a row or column. While this is all well and good, when it comes down to tearing something down, it gets rather tedious--especially if you placed a room in a less-than-optimal location. This means if you don't like where you placed this giant room with loads of furniture in it, you'll have to take your sword, ax, or hammer and destroy it all and rebuilding it. At least that's how it works in the Story mode.

Placing blocks and objects in Dragon Quest Builders is mostly a pain-free experience.

Like the act of building, the act of fighting in Dragon Quest Builders is also uncomplicated, but in this case, it's to the game's detriment. All battles involve is running up to an enemy, striking them, and moving away in order to evade their own offensive. The problem with this is that most of the time I wouldn't take HP damage from an actual attack; I'd take damage from accidentally getting too close to the enemy and touching them, causing my builder to get hit. The hit boxes and collision detection in Dragon Quest Builders leave something to be desired. It makes for clunky, unsatisfying, occasionally frustrating combat. 

My, aren't YOU the looker!

And, combat is a focus apart from building things in Dragon Quest Builders. You need to fight enemies to gain exclusive materials that only they hold, you need to defend your town against enemies when they show up, and you need to take down foes to simply progress in the game. Thus, the faults of Dragon Quest Builders's simplistic and imprecise combat shine prevalent throughout the duration of the game since it's so frequent.

Taking more damage from running into enemies than them actually attacking
you isn't that uncommon an occurrence, unfortunately.

Outside of following along with the story and doing mandatory quests for the various visitors that arrive at your base in each chapter, there are also side quests and specific challenges to take on in an optional amount. Side quests are given from NPCs found in the wild, and the rewards are generally worth seeking them out and completing their tasks. As for challenges, there are five in each of the four chapters in Dragon Quest Builders. These have you doing the most with each chapter's areas--fully exploring them for secrets, venturing into optional areas of the game, and even one for each chapter where you must do a speed run to satisfying conditions. These chapter challenges award content within the much welcomed free-build mode of Dragon Quest Builders, named Terra Incognita, where there are limited rules, but the possibilities are limitless.

I'm going to grow me a radish as big as ye' head!

Dragon Quest Builders has a satisfying presentation with its world devised up voxels, lending to an old school, nostalgic, retro appearance. Characters are detailed well enough, though animations weren't too appealing to me. They were rather too basic. The third-person perspective used in the game works wonders when needing to survey the land outside, but when you enter into caverns or insanely cramped spaces, the camera does get a bit on the troublesome side. What isn't troublesome, however, is the multitude of musical remixes from past Dragon Quest games that will make any fan of the franchise smile. 

If you like the idea of Minecraft in theory, but need a little more direction in your games, then Dragon Quest Builders is more than a suitable alternative. In some regards, it's a bit more like ActRaiser than Minecraft. Regardless of which of these two games it's most similar to (and those two games are terrific company to be in), Dragon Quest Builders carves out its own niche, creating a highly enjoyable take on the franchise and another stellar spin-off for the series.

[SPC Says: B]

SPC Interviews: Big John Games (Cube Creator 3D)

Cube Creator 3D is a game that is of great interest to many Nintendo platform owners. It's because Minecraft has skipped Nintendo's systems, and fans have been clamoring for any kind of substitute, so much so that the demo for the game will have crossed over 200,000 downloads by the conclusion of this upcoming weekend, according to Ken Patterson of Big John Games. The studio wishes to step in and provide a fitting and polished voxel-based game substitute with their soon-to-be-released Cube Creator 3D.

Last week, I was able to catch the Big John Games team to ask them about details surrounding Cube Creator 3D, its features, possible continued support of the game, how the team is trying to bring a fun voxel-based game to the 3DS, and information about future projects and prospects.

If you missed my interview in 2012 with Big John Games' Ken Patterson, talking about how the studio came into fruition among many other subjects, you can check that out here. Without further ado, let's get to this second Big John Games-focused interview!

Phil Stortzum (PS): Firstly, I’d like to take this opportunity to thank you for agreeing to this interview. It’s really appreciated. My first question regards what made your team decide to create Cube Creator 3D in the first place. Where did the desire come from?

Big John Games (BJG): When we first started developing Cube Creator 3D, there were no voxel type games available for the 3DS. We wanted to see if we could make something similar. There was a demand for it and we wanted to supply a quality product to fill the void.

PS: It’s no surprise that Cube Creator 3D is inspired by Minecraft. Is your team doing anything to distinguish your game so it isn’t just another Minecraft clone (and I use the word “clone” in a non-derogatory way)?

BJG: Minecraft got a lot right. We wanted to make sure we got the fundamentals of what made it what it was and then expand from there. We have added different types of enemies, they are similar in ways but also different. We have portals that will take you to different environments. Each environment is specific, Plains, Mountains, Snow Mountains, and Desert.

PS: What details can you provide about Cube Creator 3D different modes?

BJG: There is a Creative and Survival Mode. In Creative you pick one of the maps and all of the items are available to you. In Survival you start in one map and have the ability to transport to 3 others. You have to collect all of your materials, survive enemies, collect food, you can sleep at night. Very much what you might think of for a typical survival mode.

PS: How big of a playing area can players expect to see with Cube Creator 3D?

BJG: There will be four 192x192x95 worlds in a survival map, and you can choose one 192x192x95 map for creative. Each map has over 3,500,000 spots that can have a cube put in them.

PS: Minecraft allows for grand creations such as towns and castles. What limitations, if any, are there to what players can create in Cube Creator 3D?

BJG: Size would be the only one, Our world is 192x192. That can limit a mega build, but for the most part anything a player can imagine they can create.

PS: Is there any form of multiplayer or sharing of creations with other players?

BJG: Miiverse is the way you can share images of the creations at this point. We are looking into multiplayer as a future update.

PS: Then, your team has considered future downloadable content and/or support for Cube Creator 3D after its release?

BJG: We do plan on gathering feedback and releasing updates. Our hope is to continue supporting Cube Creator 3D. We hope to have open dialogue with our customers and make sure that they know that we hear them.

PS: Speaking of which, Cube Creator 3D does not have a firm release date yet. Do you have a release period in mind, or even more, an exact release date? Will the game be available for SuperPhillip Central’s non-North American readers any time soon?

BJG: We are very close to submitting the full version to lot check. Once Nintendo has approved the submission we will be able to lock in a release date.

PS: Shifting our attention away from Cube Creator 3D, I’d like to take this opportunity to ask you about your team’s future proposed projects. Do you have something already in the works as your next Nintendo 3DS project? Is there anything you can reveal about it today?

BJG: In production is “Lionel City Builder 3D: Rise of the Rails”. It’s a city building game that features trains. It has a pretty cool story that takes the player 50 years into the future and transportation has broken down due to neglect and fossil fuel shortages. Communities are isolated and decaying since current transportation cannot support survivable commerce. The idea of using trains to reestablish transportation and commerce, with your help, can save the day.

Our Coaster Creator 3D sandbox has been expanded and enhanced to make Lionel City Builder 3D: Rise of the Rails a great creative experience.

PS: This is purely a selfish question, but one of my favorite games from Big John Games was Kart Krashers on DSiWare. Has there been interest expressed by your team to return to that series, possibly for a Nintendo 3DS sequel?

BJG: We would love to create a sequel with multi player, tournaments, and more crashing chaos. It’s on the short list.

PS: What makes your team decide for its games to stick primarily to Nintendo platforms?

BJG: We love the Nintendo platforms. Nintendo is always coming up with cool player input and feedback systems. The eShop, if done properly, is a great place to sell games and earn some revenue for our studio. The eShop audience is receptive to games created by studios like ours. The online news portals, like yours, covers digitally published games. Consumers of the eShop can find out info on literally any game being sold on the eShop.

Nintendo continues to improve the digital buying experience. We look forward to growing with Nintendo as it increases its digital publishing platforms.

PS: In our first discussion together back in 2012 I asked about Wii U development for Big John Games. You responded that the team was going to start developing Wii U projects the following year. How is that progressing? Is there any information or screens you can share about this project?

BJG: We keep looking at Wii U projects. Right now it seems like our resources are better spent making 3DS games. That will change once the right game concept comes along.

PS: This leads me to my next question, how is developing for the Wii U? For ignorant folks like me who are console development illiterate, how much of a difference is there between developing for the Nintendo 3DS and the Wii U? Do they have any similarities?

BJG: We have not built anything on the Wii U yet. We have done Wii, DS, DSi and 3DS games. There is a similarity among the console dev tools that even the Wii U shares. Each system has dev tools that high light features of that particular platform.

We write our code in C++ and have found that much of our core code ports well between Nintendo systems.

Since each system has different graphics abilities. We try to bring out the maximum capability of each system in regards to graphics.

Also player input devices are different, so a lot of thought goes into how the player will interact with the game. Nintendo offers some really cool and unique user feedback experiences.

PS: Moving on from the future to the past, regarding your Nintendo 3DS games and DSiWare titles, have sales been kind your games? Which titles have seen the greatest success thus far?

BJG: We sold a lot of Thorium Wars on the DSi, our sequel on the 3DS has not done as well. Our Big Bass Arcade games have done well on all of the Nintendo platforms. Coaster Creator 3D has sold well on the 3DS here in North America, Europe and has sold really well in Japan. We are very honored to have some of our games selling in Japan.

Ohno Odyssey (Nintendo 3DS eShop)

Reviewers and players seemed to like Ohno Odyssey on the 3DS. But it still had trouble finding an audience on the eShop.. Maybe your readers can download the demo of Ohno Odyssey and give it a try. If they like the demo maybe they will get the full game. It’s a lot of fun to play. We lowered the price to $3.99 and did a content update to add 14 more puzzles, hopefully the demo, the lower price, and the new content will help Ohno find a wider group of players.

PS: Thank you very much for answering my questions. I know your answers will be interesting to a lot of people. Are there any parting words you’d like to say to those reading this interview?

BJG: Thank you for all you do when it comes to informing your readers about games on the Nintendo platforms.

We really do this because we have a passion for playing and creating games. I hope that translates to the players of our games. We really put the player first when we develop our games.

I hope your readers will check out Cube Creator 3D, Lionel City Builder 3D: Rise of the Rails and our other games on the 3DS. We love building the games and really love it when people play and enjoy games.

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My thanks to Ken Patterson and the Big John Games team for taking time out of their busy schedule and final prep work for Cube Creator 3D to answer my questions. 

The Top Games of the Seventh Generation

In one week the second console of the eighth generation will launch. Now that most of the noteworthy games of this past generation have already released, SuperPhillip Central would like to take the time to make mention of the top games released on the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and Nintendo Wii home gaming consoles. The type of game that makes our list must have one or both of these requirements: 1) It was influential, ground-breaking, or revolutionary, and 2) It was one of the best games released this generation. If for some reason you disagree with a game on this list or wish to add some of your own suggestions for games to add, please leave us a comment below.

Super Mario Galaxy (Wii)

While not very influential or really revolutionary, Super Mario Galaxy sent the Super Mario universe into the stars, full of planetoids both large and small to fully traverse every inch of. Super Mario Galaxy was a highly creative game with some genre-defining level design, bombastic soundtrack, and great visuals for Wii standards. Though we prefer Super Mario Galaxy 2 to the original, there's no doubt that Super Mario Galaxy had most of its players seeing stars and loving every second of it.

Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (Multi)

Call of Duty was a relatively successful series for Activision prior to the fourth installment of the series. Then, like a grenade, the popularity of the series suddenly boomed. Past Call of Duty games focused on World War II scenarios, but Call of Duty 4 set its ironsights towards a much more modern era of combat. It was Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare that started the insane popularity of the Call of Duty brand that has made hardcore and casual players enjoy playing together for an entire generation now.

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (PS3)

The original Uncharted was a fun but flawed action-adventure game featuring a very charismatic main character, Nathan Drake. However, it wasn't until Naughty Dog's second attempt at the series that not only presented a tremendous action-packed, adrenaline-filled roller coaster of a ride, but it gave players the feeling of playing a genuine Hollywood blockbuster. The train sequence to this day is still one of the greatest gameplay sequences of this generation, and Uncharted 2 delivered moment after moment of pure gaming ecstasy.

The Last of Us (PS3)

The second title on this list from Naughty Dog released this past year. It featured two totally different characters coming together for one cause-- survival. Using a captivating and compelling story-driven campaign, full of hostile humans, infected poor souls, and cannibals, Joel and Ellie were in for the fight of their lives. Utilizing stealth and third-person action, a proper gameplay balance was achieved, making The Last of Us one of the tensest games to come out this past generation, and one of the most excellent.

Grand Theft Auto V (PS3, 360)

Looking back, we were swept up in the hype of Grand Theft Auto IV, and in retrospect, that game disappointed us. That was why we were weary of being interested by its sequel, a trip back to San Andreas (though in a completely different form). Liberty City was claustrophobic compared to the vast expanses of San Andreas, offering Los Santos and the boondocks of Blaine County, cementing Grand Theft Auto V's game world as our favorite open world destination of this generation. Grand Theft Auto V offered more methods of fun and less realism, something that made us grow a distaste for GTA IV. Earning $1 billion in such a short time span is no easy task, but Grand Theft Auto V is a game that definitely deserved those dollars.

Wii Sports (Wii)

Many criticize the Wii as a system that people simply played for this next game and put in their closets. However, if that were the case, then how does one explain the fact that the Wii sold the most software this past generation? Regardless, Wii Sports was a game that easily portrayed its brand of fun. It was simple to show someone swinging the Wii Remote like a tennis racket, and this led to boatloads of cash for Nintendo. Wii Sports may not be everyone's cup of tea, but it not only brought more people into our hobby (which isn't a bad thing, people), it became so popular that even Nintendo's competition wanted in on that Wii user base. (Editor's Note: Wii Fit could also be added to this list.)

LittleBigPlanet (PS3)

Creation in video games wasn't something new that LittleBigPlanet brought to the industry. No, the level of customization that LittleBigPlanet possessed was what was something new and exciting. The ability to create incredibly detailed 2 1/2D levels and objects, customizing every facet to the finest detail, and hopping online with some buds to play other crafter's creations were all novel concepts at the time for PlayStation 3 owners. We know we've spent hundreds of hours tinkering and messing around with the tools and options that were readily available and accessible to us.

Minecraft (Multi)

An independent game developer success story, Minecraft was a game with a somewhat simple premise: you went around a randomly generated map, chipping away blocks for materials, while trying to keep your hunger and health levels up. The creative mode was where the true fun began, allowing players to fly and move to and fro without worry of such trivial things like health and hunger. Proficient players could build some incredible, jaw-dropping creations with their expertise. The novelty and popularity of Minecraft made it a cinch to include it on this list.

Dark Souls (Multi)

Demon's Souls introduced the hard-as-nails risk/reward gameplay to players, but Dark Souls, the game's spiritual successor, turned the difficulty and entertainment levels all the way up to 11. The main gameplay concept that brought over two million players to purchase the game was its incredible challenge. The strict penalty for death forced players to be much more careful with their planning and strategies towards dungeons, enemies, and bosses. Every experience was a tense as the last, and with the quality of Dark Souls, there's no wonder why we've made a special spot for it on our list.

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword (Wii)

While not the grandest Legend of Zelda game to exist, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword finally realized the potential of motion controls on Wii for an action-adventure game. Controlling Link's sword through careful movements of the Wii Remote Plus made you feel like you were an extension of the green clad hero. Each item in the game had its own motion controlled movement to utilize to create some engaging gameplay. The dungeons were well designed, boss battles were actually challenging for once, and the soundtrack was one of the series's best. ...What's that, Fi? No, we didn't mention you for a reason.

Rayman Origins (Multi)

If you're looking for pure platforming bliss, look no further than the uber-colorful Rayman Origins. Don't let its cute and whimsical exterior fool you-- Rayman Origins is as tough a platformer as they come. The game allowed up to four players to explore the game's masterfully designed areas, searching for Lums, swinging across chasms, running along walls, riding Moskitos, and jumping off the heads of enemies. With dozens upon dozens of challenging levels, a gorgeous hand drawn art style (using the then-new Ubi Art engine), and an eccentric soundtrack, Rayman Origins is a must-play for platformer fans-- heck, just fans of genuine fun in general.

Batman: Arkham Asylum (Multi)

Become the Dark Knight in one of the first truly sensational licensed superhero games, Batman: Arkham Asylum. The game contained a terrific combo-based combat system, letting players feel every punch and kick that the caped crusader unleashed on foes. Both Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill returned to their roles as Batman and Joker respectively, making many Animated Series fans like us gush with delight. Set up like a Metroid game in some regards, earning new gadgets allowed Batman access to new areas. Perhaps if there's one thing that Rocksteady got wrong with Arkham City, it's that the boss fights were rather weak, specifically the final confrontation with the Joker. Still, even with any flaws, Batman: Arkham Asylum flies much higher than most other superhero games.

BioShock (Multi)

Few times has a demo sold us on a game. Actually, usually they do quite the opposite. Regardless, with BioShock the demo absolutely made us run to our local store and pick the game up. The opening just oozed with atmosphere, but don't worry-- BioShock wasn't all style and no substance. The game had an impressive mix of first-person shooter action, RPG elements, and a morality system that altered the experience. Rapture, as a setting for the game, continues to astound and amaze us-- It's such a marvelously mysterious place. If you're thinking about checking out this spiritual successor to System Shock, would you kindly try it out?

Great Games to Soothe the Stress Away

Did you know that this month is Stress Awareness Month? Did you also know that today is Stress Awareness Day? If not, then you can see that SuperPhillip Central is also a great source of learning and entertainment. To go along with Stress Awareness Day, SuperPhillip Central has a list of games that are nice and relaxing for players. These are titles and series that are soothing, will lower your blood pressure, and will put you in a nice state of comfort as opposed to raising your stress level.

Animal Crossing (GCN, DS, Wii)

Our first series is that of Animal Crossing. The series basically sets you to play at your own pace, slowly paying back your debt to Tom Nook, collecting new furniture to spruce up your home, chatting with your animal neighbors, fishing, catching bugs, and digging up fossils. Perhaps the only stressor here is coming back to your town after a month's absence and seeing it covered with weeds. The upcoming June release of Animal Crossing: New Leaf for the Nintendo 3DS offers the ability to play as the mayor, controlling your village as you see fit. Animal Crossing is a delightful series that is nice and relaxing to play, especially with friends.

Harvest Moon (Multi)

Let's focus on a franchise similar to Animal Crossing. It's a series that has spanned multiple consoles from Nintendo platforms to Sony systems, Harvest Moon has its main focus as a farming game with quirks that make the games so lovable. Such quirks include raising livestock, conversing with the locals, and eventually settling down and getting married. It's your overall duty to take a dilapidated farm and turn it into one bustling place of agriculture. Let your worries and cares fade away as you milk old Bessie, gather materials, and water your crops.

LittleBigPlanet (PS3, PSP, PSV)

Voted by SuperPhillip Central as the best new IP of this past generation, LittleBigPlanet encourages creativity and fosters an environment for unbridled entertainment, either alone or with friends. Playing through the happy-go-lucky craft-filled world of LittleBigPlanet invokes a warm and happy feeling, and the franchise is endlessly charming. The only real stressor to the LittleBigPlanet series comes from the optional task of trying to ace all of the levels-- that is, beating every platforming level in the game without dying, so avoiding doing that when you want to relax is recommended.

Flower (PSN)

A soothing PlayStation Network-exclusive game where you tilt the PS3 controller to guide the wind on flowers to liven up fields, Flower is a title that is a lethargic experience. The team behind the title, Thatgamecompany (Journey, Fl0w), wanted to present players with a positive feeling. They definitely succeeded as the game is a breath of fresh air, and one that will calm even the most agitated gamer.

Brain Age (DS, 3DS)

The Brain Age series challenges your brain with short sessions of math problems, sudoku, memory tests, and much more to keep your brain active. The series, based off the research of Dr. Ryuta Kawashima, is one that can played in small doses, and engages your brain. The games try to enhance certain parts of the mind such as recognition, memory, and concentration, which the latter is the focus of the latest entry in the franchise, Brain Age: Concentration Training.

Crosswords Plus (3DS)

Crosswords are always a nice diversion from a wild and wacky world. Let the stress leave your body as you play hundreds of crossword puzzles, word searches, and anagram games in Crosswords Plus for the Nintendo 3DS. Even doing a crossword or word search with a timer isn't a stress-inducing experience. There's no real reward or reason to panic by taking a long time on a given puzzle. And if you get stuck on a puzzle, don't get flustered, simply use a clue to help you out. Crosswords Plus is the sequel to CrossworDS on the Nintendo DS. Both offer an insane amount of puzzles for a budget price.

Art Academy (DS, 3DS)

The Art Academy series offers finely tuned lessons divided up between parts to teach players the basics of art. You learn about perspective drawing, shading, and blending colors. The latest entry in the series, Art Academy: Lessons for Everyone! (3DS), has a multitude of easygoing lessons, the ability to share your work with friends, and a multitude of fun techniques to learn. Nothing beats going at your own pace and learning that you actually aren't as bad of an artist as you think you are. Paining and drawing via the touch screen is a fine, relaxing experience that those with an interest of art and a Nintendo DS or 3DS shouldn't pass up.

Professor Layton (DS, 3DS)

Professor Layton has seen five games release over in the West, with the latest being Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask, the first entry on the Nintendo 3DS. For the uninitiated, the Professor Layton franchise has you following a mysterious story usually with Professor Layton and his apprentice Luke by his side. As you journey through areas, you come across brain teasers that sharpen your logical thinking, reasoning, and processing. These puzzles often are given to you to advance the story once they are solved. There's nothing like chilling with a particular puzzle and eventually coming upon its solution. Grab yourself a spot of tea and put on a monocle, as the Professor Layton series is one to compose oneself.

Katamari Damacy (PS2, PS3, PSP, 360)

Katamari Damacy as a franchise has players rolling up buildings, objects, and even people as they try to get their ball (the Katamari) as large as possible. It's that enjoyment in rolling up anything and everything that makes the Katamari Damacy series so engaging. Time limits do little to aggravate players, as the joy of rolling one's Katamari beats all frustration. It's a pleasing and calming feeling, and a game series that explodes with charm.

Minecraft (PC, XBLA)

In the procedurally generated world of Minecraft, you are let loose in a world with no real goals in sight. All you need to do is build and chip away blocks to create whatever you wish. You have total freedom. Speaking of freedom, playing the Creative mode of Minecraft allows players total freedom from worry. You build, you chip away, and you fly. You can make masterpieces of maps, buildings, and other objects. The stuff that players have done is truly sensational. The relaxation part of building and venturing around the game world is why Minecraft has a place on this list of soothing games.

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Those are ten relaxing and soothing games we thought of. Did we miss any of your favorites? What games put you in a state of calmness, a moment of repose, or a feeling of relaxation? Post your ideas in the comments section below.