Nintendo Land was shown off at E3 2012, and got people midly excited. It does feature 11 Nintendo franchises, each with a unique minigame, but it just seemed a little weird and not many people got excited. But hey, people didnt't get "excited" about Fragile Dreams, and that game kicks butt. This game does actuallt come with the WiiiU deluxe package, but it is sold as a fully featured game on it's own.
The game features 12 attractions, each based on a Nintendo franchise, and each having their own specific minigame to play. Theres Zelda, Metroid, Mario, Pikmin, even F-Zero too! Some are only singleplayer and some are only multiplayer, but each are fun in their own rights. Here are all twelve games, in order from least favourite to favourite:
Yoshi's Fruit Cart: Wow, I hate this game. This game deals with drawing a path for your Yoshi on the gamepad, catching fruit and making it to the goal. The catch is you can only see the obstacles on the TV, so you need to coordinate where you need to make him go so you can't hit anything. The problem is the line you're drawing doesn't show up on the TV as you go, so it's kind of a guessing game as to if you'll hit something. This game is borderline impossible. Honestly they start making the objects MOVE! How the hell are you supposed to not only aim your line to the object, but TIME it so you don't miss completely! This happenned wayyy too much in the later levels and made the game unplayable to me. The core concept isn't even that fun in the first place. I probably played this one 5 times and I will not play this one again. A stupid concept for a minigame and it's just not fun. 3/10
Takamaru's Ninja Castle: Okay, this one I don't actually mind, it's just kinda weak. This one has you hold the gamepad sideways, and swipe your hands on the screen to throw ninja stars at cardboard enemies. It works, and can be really fun as you get into the zone, but isn't ideal for aiming and it kinda hurts your hand after a while. Theres about 3 stages then a boss, and thats the main problem. I beat the game once, had fun, realized the secret ending of the game, beat it again, got a Platnimum rank (Ill explain at the end about ranks), and literally never played it again. Theres nothing more to it than that. it has nothing more to give then two playtghrough, each about 10 minutes. Yes theres powerups, but the novelty wares off quick. Plus given the fact that it's from a franchise that never got realized outside of Japan (they could have EASILY made this a pokemon game) and you got an mediocre game all around. 5/10
Balloon Trip Breeze: This one was kinda fun. Guide your balloon man across a moving 2D screen using the gamepad, controlling the wind around him to move him using his balloons, dodging obstacles and getting balloons for points. It works and is functional, but doesn't have much lasting appeal. Yes this minigame lasts long, but it's not very replayable. It doesn't have that "pick-up-and-play" feel that the other games have. It's good, but nothing really special. 6/10
Octopus Dance: I actually enjoyed this one. Memorize the dance moves of a mii then do them yourself using the analog sticks and tilting the gamepad. While not really showing off the gamepads capabilities, it is still really fun. They really mix up the moves and have to deal with slow timing and smooth slides of the analog sticks. It all works and can get really intense in the later stages. They even have a floating picvture of your mii face, which is a pretty cool novelty. I guess the reason this isn't higher is because it lacks personality. This is based off a game and watch minigame, which yes is known, but not a major franchise. The game itself doesn't have anything really appealing in terms of visuals and charm. So I can't put it any higher this. 7/10
Donkey Kong's Crash Course: Wow this one was hard. Guide your Donkey Kong cart through a huge labyrinth by tilting the gamepad to move in any direction. The cool part is this game is actually really hard. What woul,d have been an "eh" game before is now a really memorable "omg I need to beat this!" game. The puzzles are clever and the physics are spot on, making sure you don't go too fast as to crash into a wall, but don't go too slow as the flip over and die. Really well exectued, just a bit lack of visual charm. the background is like a chalk board, which is cool, but have another stage where we are in the actual Donkay Kong game, beams and all. that for me would have made it more Donkay kong like and probably could have made it higher on this list. 7.5/10
Animal Crossing Sweet Day: Okay, first multiplayer one. One player guides an animal running around collecting candy, and another player controls two guard dogs with the gamepad analog sticks trying to tackle the other player. The guard dog analog stick concept is absolutely genius, and makes it for easy to learn but hard to master controls. With 4 players they all become different animals, making use of trees that hold candy, but can only be activated by 2 people. This puts a level of teamwork into it and can be loads of fun. The setting is also great featuring animal crossing homes and beaches, staples to the series. A really fun game that includes a good level of strategy for the minigames. 8/10
Luigi's Ghost Hunt: Another multipalyer only offering. One person playes as a ghost, and the other players play as Luigis. the ghost attempts to sneak up behind the Luigis 3 times, and the Luigis attempt to drain the ghost's health bar using their flashlights. The catch is only the gamepad ghost user knows where he, the ghost, is. This can result in very intense matches and extremly satisfying gameplay. It even features multiple maps to it as well for some decent variety too. Light can shine in from windows to reveal the ghosts location so it's not completely one sided, and the wiimote players remotes shake when the ghost is near. Overall this is a very smart game. Fun controls and gameplay with balancing features that prevents it being too one sided. Setting is also great, featuring a rooftop, basement and main hall all with their unique features and settings. 8/10
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| Great looking backgrounds too! |
Captain Falcon's Twister Race: This one's cool. The last of the singeplayer only affairs, this game allows for racing in crazy tracks with spikes and obstacles, while holding the gamepad vertically to turn the car, but to also see a much better angle of the track to see coming obstacles before it's too late. the controls and turning need some getting used to, but once you do its quite fun. Tracks are hard but you never feel too discouraged. It's a very pick-up-and-play game, and it works to its advantage greatly. Going back just to do a track or two is very fun. The setting is also great, featuring a polished city and atmosphere for those into F-Zero. I guess the reason it's so high is because of how much fun it was when I first played it. As soon as you got those controls down you were King, and it even has extra courses once you get to a certain point in the game. Overall, extremely fun. 8.5/10
Pikmin Adventure: Another fun one. A multiplayer or singleplayer affair, this game allows you to control either Olimar or a Pikmin, smashing enemies, destroying blocks and making it to the end. It uses the basis from the past pikmin games, but with thrown in powerups and the ability to play as one of the pikmin. This can be really fun in multiplayer, as even though you play as just another pikmin, you can do just as much damage, or even more, than the Olimar. This makes it balanced and can result in some great coop gameplay. This also isn't an easy game either. Certain stages have you run through it on a time limit, and some can be absolutely brutal. Bosses can also decimate your pikmin in attacks, so strategy is a key feature here. Paired with great visual style and atmosphere, and you have a great game. 8.5/10
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| Great multiplayer fun |
Mario Chase: Excellently executed. This multiplayer only offering is simply genius and is some of the best local multiplayer I've seen in a LONG time. One player uses the gamepad and runs throughout a maze, with a view of the map and all players on the gamepad screen. The other players control their miis with wiimotes and goes to catch him. The catch is only the gamepad player knows where everybody is, so it gets really hectic and really intense as you search to find the one gamepad player. Its really simple but soo much fun. Chases are hilarious to watch and after each one they show a little map of where the gamepad player went and just how far off or close the other players were. The setting is also great, featuring great mud effects in oen stage and an awesome slide in another. The multiple stages, simplistic gameplay and great fun supplied by this game makes it deserve this high. 9/10
Metroid Blast: Oh yeah. Multiplayer or singleplayer, this game allows players to control either an on foot samus or samus in a ship using the gamepad. This can be played coop OR competitive, and can vary in gameplay. Coop has you shoot down enemies and bosses, while competitve has you shooting each other. The gameplay here is fantastic. Controls are great for both and the amount of little details here are awesome. The on foot people can grapple onto the bottom of samus' ship and the other player can ride them around the stage. This is fun as hell to do in it of itself. Stages are brilliant offering high skyscrapers for sniper points and tunnels for those wanting a showdown. Perfect level of difficulty, content, setting, nearly everything. Simply fantastic. 9.5/10
Other than the games though, there are some things to mention. All aroudn the park a flying computer named Monita following you, giving you instruction and prvoiding the part of the enemy in each game. Shes boring, and just like Fi. I will say nothing more. The park can also be custimized with parts and figures pertaining to each minigame, bought through the plinko machine. For each minigame you gain coins, which can then be thrown down a plinko machine to hit orange dots. Once all orange dots are gone you get a figure. It's pretty fun at times, but a part of me just wishes they had a regular shop for a bit more choice in what goes in your park. Miiverse posts from people can be seen as you walk around your park, which is a nice touch as well.
Overall Nintendo land is a fun game. Lots of games to choose from, the best local multiplayer of this gen, tons of collectibles and unlockables, and a great visual style. If they had made some of the games better designed I would have given it higher, but I can safely give this game a 8.5/10 with a recommendation of Buy it! due to how much fun i ahd with this game.
Next Post: *PC Blowout* Eden Eternal
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