Set in the fictional town of Misthallery, the game opens with the Professor being called to investigate a series of incidents in which a mysterious spectre has been seen destroying areas of the town at night. With the village in the thrall of an old folk legend it is up to the great top-hatted one to solve the mystery and make his name. By setting the tale when they have, Level-5 have allowed some of Layton’s high-regard be lost, meaning that much of the game centres around him having to prove himself to the townsfolk and his associates. Of the host of new characters in the town, all as weird and wonderful as you might expect, it is Emmy Altava, Layton’s enthusiastic new assistant, who makes the biggest impact. She offers a welcome extra dimension to the Layton / Luke dynamic of previous games and proves herself to be a capable and strong female character, something that is sadly another rarity in many games these days.

Gameplay-wise you should know what you are getting with each new Layton instalment and this is no exception. The successful formula has barely been touched, making it play almost identically to each of its predecessors – how much this bothers you will largely come down to your personal feelings for the series and those on annualised franchises. The gameplay still works well, you talk to people around town, get presented with many a puzzle along the way whilst also uncovering some hidden extras and mini-games. It is here that one of the game’s biggest disappointment comes, you see in the US and Japan there was a whole separate mini-game called London Life, in which you played a 16-bit style RPG in a fictionalised London. The game itself is said to offer 100+ hours of gameplay, however due to the time and effort required for localisation for Europe, Nintendo does not offer the mode in the European release of the game. This is a real shame and its inclusion would have gone someway to assuaging the complaints regarding a lack of invention.

The new mini-games that are included are not especially engaging, there is a train-set simulator, a mad-libs style theatre mode and a fish-tank puzzle game but they are unlikely to divert your attention for long. Thankfully the main story is strong, if a little slow to start, but it picks up pace and is genuinely exciting by its conclusion. Despite being hung around the game puzzle-gameplay template, there is a level of care and attention that Level-5 apply to their characters and story (and to the gorgeously rendered cut-scenes) that do help the game stand out from the crowd. It is a shame then that much of the voice acting still grates as per the previous games in the series, thankfully not much of the game’s dialogue is spoken so it doesn’t really detract.

As for the puzzles themselves there seems to be a much greater variety this time around (not to mention more of them in general, over 170 throughout the game), ranging from typical brain teasers, to maths and science questions to tricks of logic or wordplay. Some are a bit unclear in terms of informing you exactly what it is you are supposed to be working out, and this can become frustrating, but the hint system works well with the usual abundance of coins scattered around so you should never really get stuck. Another thing Level-5 have done very well in this game is better integrate many of the puzzles into the story itself, these are usually some of the cleverest and most rewarding to solve and help you feel connected to the action on screen rather than just solving arbitrary, unrelated puzzles as you do for much of the rest of the game.

Overall the latest entry in the Professor Layton series in unlikely to convert those who haven’t enjoyed the other games in the series, but if you are a fan then this is a great entry with a good variety of puzzles and an intriguing and involving story that gets better as the game goes on. Add in the sheer amount of content for a handheld game and even without the London Life mini-game it’s hard not to recommend. For those unfamiliar with Layton this is a great jumping on point as well; no prior knowledge is really required and you will benefit from the streamlining that has been done around some of the more basic gameplay elements, making it the easiest Layton game yet to just pick up and play in small bursts.

The time will come when the Layton formula wears out. As of now it is getting a bit thin in places but holds up overall remarkably well, with a quality and variety in the puzzles that suggests a fair amount of life remains in the franchise. This is another worthy entry in the series and proof that, despite the release of the 3DS, there is life in the old DS yet.

Though in some ways a companion piece to Gearbox Software’s upcoming Aliens: Colonial Marines, Aliens: Infestation shouldn’t be dismissed as a b-movie designed to do little more than prop up that particular title. As anyone who has played any of Wayforward’s other work (such as Mighty Flip Champs, Mighty Milky Way and Shantae) will know, it is a developer that goes to great pains to hone quality experiences. This pedigree is visible throughout much of Aliens: Infestation, most notably in its palpable admiration of the humble two-dimensional sprite and, more importantly, of the source material on which it is based.

Set directly after the conclusion of Aliens, Infestation sees you assuming the role of the US Colonial Marines sent to investigate hulking spaceship, the Sulaco, from which Ripley made a speedy, escape-pod enabled exit after destroying the alien Queen. Arriving on the ship, you set about exploring a reasonably large map, stumbling across obstacles that in classic Metroid-style can only be overcome by acquiring the correct tool-sets. So, welded doors remain impenetrable until you locate a blow-torch; pitch black areas require a light and xenomorph-residue encrusted hatches are off limits until a flame-thrower finds its way into your arsenal.

While the game design is unequivocally (and unashamedly) derivative, Aliens: Infestation does have some ideas of its own, most prominently in its quirky twist on the concept of lives. Rather than relying simply on save points or arbitrarily dishing out a set number of lives, the character you control is one of a team of (up to four) Colonial Marines. Should you perish, you can pick another of your squad to leap into the fray. Lose all your marines and its back to the save point you go. As well as fitting quite nicely with the concept of being part of a team, this also allows for some fairly nice characterisation as you meet and recruit new squad members. It’s disappointing that all marines are identical in terms of how they play but, through the charismatic design of individual characters in static cutscenes and of their idling animations when safely within the confines of a save station, it’s easy to find yourself picking favourites and mourning their demise.

Aliens: Infestation also does a fantastic job of capturing the look (albeit in two-dimensions) and sound of the movies. The depiction of Saluco, the planet of LV-426, the cast of characters (both human and alien), vehicles and weaponry are not held back by the limitation of two-dimensions, making the game instantly recognisable as an Aliens game. Wayforward also showcase a clear understanding of the movies’ soundscapes, effortlessly layering the fuzzy-beep of the marine’s scanners, the elephantine-screams of xenomorph and the signature sudden, cataclysmic bursts of orchestration to create an impressive degree of tension and foreboding. That the developer manages to make the dropping of tiny pixelated cats from the ceiling a spine-tingling event speaks volumes.

While the game’s look, sound and structure are polished and engaging, in other respects it does sadly fall short of the mark with the combat being particularly weak. Though all the weapons featured feel suitably authentic (the sound alone of the M41A Pulse Rifle sets the tone perfectly), confrontations are generally brain-dead affairs with little requirement for skill or tactics. Shoot-outs with human enemies can actually be quite comical, with both you and your foe hunching down on opposite sides of the same box and taking pot-shots at each other. These moments are quite filmic, but only in being reminiscent of a Frank Drebin shoot-out from the Naked Gun movies, and we’re not entirely convinced that his particular combat style has any place in the Aliens universe… The various boss battles sprinkled throughout the game are similarly disappointing, with even the iconic clash of xenomorph Queen and cargo-loader exosuit failing to make much of an impact.

The game’s biggest failing is its length; we managed to finish the campaign within three or four days of fairly light play and were actually quite surprised when the credits rolled. Sure…these credits are accompanied by a hilarious slice of heavy metal called ‘LV-426 by the band Holy Light of Demons, but to see them roll so soon was disappointing. There also isn’t really much incentive to return to the game once finished – completists may want to hunt down all squad members and there are hidden areas of the ship, but when the reward for exploration is usually just some more ammo or a health-pack, it’s difficult to feel much of a pull to venture back into Infestation’s world. That core missions are lacking variety (with nearly all being of the ‘go there, find that’ variety) also doesn’t help.

Aliens: Infestation is slickly produced and generally fairly engaging, but it’s not quite an essential experience. It definitely gets a lot right – most notably in its fan-service, charming production values and it all feels very authentic. The fact it manages to create such an atmosphere of menace within a sprite-based, two-dimensional world is also hugely impressive. Sadly, for all its successes, the slightness of the package and lack of depth given to important elements is disappointing. Though at the game’s conclusion the Colonial Marine have done a great job of destroying hordes of xenomorphs, you’re left wishing that there were a few more of them out there waiting to find themselves on the wrong end of a pulse rifle. As it is, “game over, man…game over” comes far to soon.

DodoGo! Robo does not require any previous experience with the series, and is extremely simple, allowing you to pick up and play. For those who are unfamiliar with the series’ eggy charms, DodoGo! Robo is a puzzle game built around the simple premise of guiding an egg safely across a 2D map in order to reach a finish line. Quite why you need to do so isn’t really important, as is the reason is why this instalment features a robotic egg and a robotic dodo. What is important is that the game’s masterfully simple premise houses some wonderfully crafted puzzle design.

Unlike previous instalments, DodoGo! Robo tasks you with looking after a single robotic egg, rather than multiple albumen-bearing ovum. In fact, the whole game is somewhat stripped down, featuring as it does only one play mode, no online leaderboards and very little in the way of cutscenes or narrative. Fortunately, this does not result in the game feeling too lightweight and, in fact, makes the proceedings feel more focussed, with very little padding to get in the way of your engagement with the game’s puzzles.

On paper, escorting your robo egg to safety should be relatively simple – using the stylus to implement a range of tools (including a spade, planks, saws and – curiously – a brush that starts fires), you must map out a path before hitting a ‘Play’ button and watching your little egg trundle through the level. In reality, however, the puzzling can be incredibly demanding, requiring you to pay close attention to the terrain, the timing of events and the position of your egg at any given moment. Adding to challenge are a number of targets that are strewen throughout each level, a set amount of which much be collected in order to progress. So, while your desired path may be obvious, getting everything in place correctly can be a case of trial and error as you attempt to meet the sometimes exacting requirements. Though this may sound a little frustrating, in practice finally perfecting the route is extremely rewarding.

Generally speaking we try not to dwell on the price of titles too much, but in the case of DodoGo! Robo it feels right to do so, as its 200 DSi Point (around £1.80) price tag makes it an absolute steal. There is plenty of game here to reward your investment, and the high production values give no hint that Alien After All have cut any corners in delivering the title.

While DodoGo! Robo may not do a great deal to expand on the ideas laid down by the original, it delivers a cheap, cheerful and challenging package that is more than worthy of a place on your DSi. It’s a prime example of a simple premise being taking to a satisfying and engaging conclusion, and stands head and shoulders above most of its 200 DSi Point brethren. Extinction would be a cruel fate for this particular Dodo.

Pick up a spyglass and see it for yourself below! (Yaargh! etc etc etc):

You know how it works by now; Sonic spends the majority of the game blasting from one end of the stage to the next, collecting rings and busting mechanical bad guys. The Sonic Rush titles have obviously been the key influence, maintaining the speed and keeping much of what kept the momentum going, such as the grind-rails and boost power. Sonic moves fluidly throughout the levels and the game makes good use of the dual screens in this respect, dropping Sonic in the bottom screen one moment, then bouncing him to the top in an instant. There is something of a blind spot between screens and if you’ve played either of the two Rush games this should come as little surprise, but it rarely becomes an issue.

There is story and exposition here, told through static conversations with familiar faces such as Tails, Knuckles, Cream and Blaze. Thankfully, each and every one of these can be skipped – it’s something of a necessity when the dialogue is so pointless. Sonic Colors goes some way to trim the fat of the last handled offering (there are no jet-ski levels here, with the stylus reserved for the half-pipe special stages), whilst retaining many of the side-missions and presenting them through these supporting characters. The missions themselves are nothing special, generally asking you to defeat a set amount of enemies, collect a number of wisps or reach the goal within the specified time limit. With side-missions, emblems to collect and higher grades to achieve, the game offers a decent amount of replay value, which is just as well given its relatively short length.

The boss fights are also standard fare if you know what to expect, evoking a sense of 3D and, at times, giving Sonic an enclosed arena to jump around in. These battles boil down to trial and error, learning the pattern and then going in for the kill. Certain boss fights are definitely easier than others, with the more challenging ones involving an on-rails sprint where being hit scatters your rings with zero chance of getting them back. There are times when it can seem more like an exercise in frustration, but this is something Sonic fans should have come to terms with by now.

The biggest shake-up to the formula is the introduction of the wisps, a race of small aliens that imbue Sonic with colour-based transformations that we’ll try not to spoil too much here. Some of these abilities allow the hero to reach new heights, open new routes and break down barriers in earlier levels, while others end up as the single method of progression. The development team should be respected for experimenting with the Sonic formula, and doing so without forcing you to play as members of the supporting cast, but as with every experiment, not everything has proven to be successful. Violet Void should have provided a sense of empowerment given its nature, but the controls are so floaty and its level so full of instant-deaths that any fun has been sapped from it. One cyan power in particular proved unwieldy and more luck-based than anything. As each stage is centred on the use of one particular wisp, the game itself often comes across as a mixed bag.

The world has been built by Dr Eggman to look and sound exactly like a deadly tourist resort, complete with the signature spikes and pitfalls you would expect from a Sonic game. This has allowed the developers to put their thinking caps on and design creative stages as opposed to constant remakes of Green Hill Zone, this time presenting fun locales such as the neon Starlight Carnival. Granted, each land appears fake and manufactured, but this affords the game a distinct look that sets it apart from prior instalments. Even so, the obligatory water level is present and more aquatic than ever, and as always you’ll find a number of well-placed air bubbles to prevent Sonic from drowning. The team might have finally realised how much we hate their extensive list of ‘quirky’ characters, but there’s still a good amount of head knocking to be done.

Sonic Colors is more of the same in many respects, retaining the blistering speed of the Rush series and recycling the special stages from previous years. Fans will still find a few surprises this time around, including a form of multiplayer support available from a single DS card, but it’s in the colour-based wisp abilities that the game tries to stand out from the crowd. Many of the frustrations associated with the franchise are as present as ever, but if you’re looking for a Sonic game that does slightly more than just tear through enemies from left to right without having to slow the pace with needless fluff, then grab a ticket and prepare to enter Eggman’s amusement park.

Originally released to Japanese Windows Mobile devices in late 2009, this lovingly-designed tale has found its home on the Wii and Nintendo DS as a budget title, albeit an offering that boasts 100 levels. It’s a fairly complete package to be sure, yet has Naka’s protégés at Prope managed to restore their fabled founder’s reputation?

First things first, you’d be forgiven for thinking that the gameplay mechanics of Ivy The Kiwi? bear more than a passing resemblance to the 2005 Nintendo DS release Kirby: Power Paintbrush. Much like Kirby in Paintbrush, Ivy is a character that moves independently of the players control and must be guided by drawing vines via the Wii Remote. Players have complete control over the length and direction of each vine and can eventually even create slingshots to send the titular hero through the levels.
In addition to completing levels, players are also challenged to collect 10 feathers which have been scattered through each level, a practise which turns the title from a breezy platformer to a preceise and often infuriating action-puzzler. While you’ll initially feel like punching the air upon collecting all ten collectibles, considering the amount of levels, feathers and the difficulty involved to catch a potential 1,000, you’ll be forgiven for quickly growing tired of the challenge.

Speaking of our title character, Kiwi is a title that is slight on characterisation but heavy on charm. Essentially, all you need to know is that Ivy is a newly born bird that has fallen out of her nest and needs to find her mother, and you’re the one that literally has to guide her. Sure, the lack of a deep narrative is symptomatic of the title’s mobile roots, yet that’s not to say a lightweight storyline affects the character’s exploits. If anything, Ivy’s simplicity helps trump any award-winning script, while the bold, storybook presentation is nothing if not unique.

While we’ve already mentioned that Ivy has over 100 levels, there is one important caveat – the majority can be completed in less than two minutes. Having said that, the difficulty ramps up to a quite intimidating level later on, so don’t expect to see the back of a level in two minutes flat. To help longevity, a four-player split-screen option has also been incorporated, whereby players race towards the finish line of any chosen level. Considering the brevity of each, it’s a smart decision, while the usage of vines to block rival player lends a chaotic nature to local multiplayer sessions.

If you think back to the launch titles for the Wii and Nintendo DS, each looked to exploit the unique features of their chosen medium to the fullest (Yoshi Touch & Go for DS, WarioWare: Touched! For Wii), yet such thinking has largely fell by the wayside in recent years to chase white-hot gaming trends, be they maths puzzle titles or dance releases.

Thus, while it may be difficult to call Ivy The Kiwi? an innovative title, particularly because so much of the gameplay harks back to a five-year-old Nintendo DS near-launch title, Ivy’s exploits are a breath of fresh air in today’s gaming landscape. While Ivy may have been released on mobile devices first, the title appears to have found its natural home on the Wii.

Coming only months after the ambitious and much improved 2010 World Cup tie-in, FIFA 11 seems to have taken all that was learnt from that particular effort and tied it into this fully fledged release. Rolling into FIFA 11, you’ll notice none of the lag on menu screens that blighted last year’s smooth finish, and moving into Manager Mode highlights some key differences to the series. Not only is FIFA content with providing, arguably, the most realistic footballing sim on the market (more on that later), but EA Canada have gone much further in bringing the FIFA experience closer aligned to football management sims (Football Manager, for example). ‘Career Mode’ now boasts three different choices of which to delve into; ‘Manager’ (the usual manager mode), ‘Player’ (previous years’ ‘Be a Pro’ mode is now brought streamlined into the main crutch of the game), or ‘Player/Manager’ (an amalgamation of the two). Serving each under the same banner of ‘Career’ is a logical step, but one that has been missing up until now. FIFA 11 might overwhelm new players who just want to start up a game, but for fans of the series there’s no denying that giving the option to play in each of its modes in one place is a nice touch, whereas last year ‘Be a Pro’ felt quite separate to the main game.

Our time in Manager Mode this year was wholly impressive, with a visual overhaul to the face of the news screen; bringing the league table, news articles and latest game information all entwined in one display, whilst the transfer market is now much more active and true-to-life, with contracts having to be settled and rival clubs outbid. We had a problem with how days are simulated through, often being sluggishly slow and protracted, although everything in the build up to the match is otherwise fantastic, building up atmosphere once you enter the stadium with accurately modelled players and a neat presentation. The commentary is just as woeful as it ever has been though; repetition is still a regular occurrence and the commentators will often be rambling on about something that has no relevance to the play.

That play, though, is some of the most fluid, dynamic and dare we say it, realistic, we’ve yet seen. In addition to the general improvements to AI (especially the goalkeeper, who will now react more suitably according to the action), FIFA 11 also marks the start of Personality+, an advanced system that is said to accurately project individual player traits onto the pitch. Sufficient to say, at this point it seems early days and the difference is minimal and barely discernible to you and I. ‘Pro Passing’ also makes its way into the game, requiring you to hold down the pass button depending on how powerful you want the touch to be – removing the magnet-to-metal feel of previous FIFA’s and, actually, results in a more slower (for the better) progression of play; you’ll now have to be more patient in the build up of play to earn success, which we can only applaud.

The system also makes it way into penalties, with a green meter bar having to be stopped in the green in order for shots to maintain their accuracy. How the meter reflects the more tense situations (for example, in the final of a cup) by reducing the amount of green available to the player is also a guaranteed winner in our eyes. Back into the main form of play, players are now much more likely to tussle accurately for the ball, replacing the stinted animations that made the system apparent, in favour of a more physics-based rough and tumble. There are a few bugs that ought to be patched at a later date, such as pop-in issues and long load screens, but this year’s FIFA is one of the most accomplished we’ve seen in some time.

Not urged to stop there, FIFA 11 expands upon its 10 v 10 mode – where 10 players in each team can control a specific position – to where the goalkeeper can now be used. The result is, surprisingly, a well conceived role where the right thumbstick is used for diving and your positioning must be spot on. While it’ll appeal to a more targeted audience, the inclusion is still great, and we can see many 90-minute last-gasp corner’s being taken with the keeper planted firmly in the opposing box.

The last few years have seen the FIFA series come on leaps and bounds. This year is no different, with a welcome update to the visuals and presentation stakes, whilst again, EA have beaten down hurdles to bring gameplay to a delicate balance between realism and fun. The whole package is huge and well worth a purchase, even for those who’ve picked up last year’s. We can’t see where they take it from here, but then we think that every year!

As with previous games in the series, Pang: Magical Michael is centred around a wonderfully simple – and indeed elegant – formula; players must shoot floating, bouncing balloons with a harpoon, with each balloon shot splitting into two smaller ones until they reach a size where further division is impossible; clear the screen and it’s on to the next level. In practice, this makes for an experience that blends the pin-point shooting of Space Invaders and the spatial navigation of Asteroids with basic platforming mechanics (minus the ability to jump!).

The beauty of Pang: Magical Michael is that it manages to retain the simplicity of this concept, and yet still push the series in new and interesting directions. It does this mainly though constant reiteration and riffing upon a basic concept, tweaks to tiny elements having a substantial impact on how each level must be approached. In many ways, it shares much in common with Treasure’s wonderful Bangai-O Spirits, a game that broke down the arcade shooter into its core elements and then proceeded to re-fuse them in a dizzying number of combinations. Pang: Magical Michael might not match Treasure’s effort in the sheer quantity of levels, but it mirrors the same relentless pursuit of the new, the different or the (seemingly) downright impossible.

Split into a number of modes, Magical Michael certainly has breadth. The natural starting point is the Tour mode that sees the titular character travel the globe in hot pursuit of renegade balloons. Spread over forty levels, Tour Mode opens with the basics, but quickly introduces new elements, ranging from glass-platforms that shatter when stood upon, playing cards that can be machine-gunned at balloons, split screen challenges and much more. With it being possible to clear many levels within the space of twenty seconds, the Tour mode manages to maintain a heady pace that prevents it from growing stale. Once completed, an expert mode is opened up, extending the well-balanced learning curve and the title’s lifespan.

Arcade mode is in essence a retreading of the Tour but with only a limited number of lives being provided. Though a small change, it results in more taught gameplay, as you can’t simply throw yourself around the levels safe in the knowledge that an infinite number of restarts lie waiting should you fall foul of a heinous balloon. Other modes of play include Panic Mode (survive for as long as possible) and a fiendishly addictive multiplayer which offers single card multiplay as well as virtual opponents. In the latter, Balloon Battle is particularly noteworthy, with players building their own balloons before blowing on the DSs microphone to launch them onto the opponent’s screens. Underlying all of these game types are extensive online leaderboards, another simple addition that does much to raise the experience from casual arcade distraction to a veritable playground for high-score hunters.

While the solidity of the gameplay is an obvious strength, ‘solid’ is about as big a compliment as can be paid to the Pang’s visuals. Michael himself is a pink suit wearing non-entity (think: Lloyd Christmas from that scene in Jim Carrey’s Dumb and Dumber) and while spotting the real-world background locations could be considered a small meta-game in itself, the slabs of colour of which they are made are perfunctory rather than pretty. The sound effects and sound track are also pretty uninspiring, and some repeated samples can begin to grate.

Developer Mitchell Corporation has approached the task of reinvigorating a 22-year-old game with intelligence and verve and regardless of the presentational shortcomings (which are easy to forgive when considering the low RRP) Pang: Magical Michael is an engaging and consistently entertaining experience. Perfectly pitched for the portable gaming market, it also proves that there are ways out of creative cul-de-sacs – you just need to find the right developer!

As a Nintendo published title, Art Academy is as slickly presented as you would expect and developer Headstrong Games (whose previous title was, rather astonishingly, uber-violent swear-fest House of the Dead: Overkill) has done a great job bringing to life what could have been a very dry experience. Your host and tutor is the charismatic Vince, a chirpy, bearded, smock-wearing artist, who – as the title promises – walks you through various skills in easy to follow steps. His clear and concise instructions are supported by demonstrations of what you need to do, and also are sprinkled with useful pieces of art history and theory.

Sensibly, Art Academy eases you in to its teaching methods gradually, laying foundations by starting with the basics before moving on to more challenging tasks. Your initial lesson consists of drawing a circle in pencil that soon progresses into a basic rendering of an apple. Then it’s on to a rudimentary seascape and sunset. By the end of the main set of tutorials, you will have painted everything from trees to still-lifes, crashing waves and more. While the title does not assess your work in any way (remember: this is not a game), each step teaches you essential skills, and genuinely manages to instil a sense of achievement once completed before long. In actual fact, mastering the ability to sketch an apple or perfectly block out the background of your orchid painting can take on a challenge equivalent to those found in traditional games.

With any piece of creative software of this type, it is vital that the tools included feel accurate, easy to use and authentic, and in this regard Art Academy is a great success. The pencils and paints available are incredibly authentic, and generally indistinguishable from the real thing; the DS’s touch screens inability to measure varying degrees of pressure is a slight shortcoming, but on the whole this doesn’t pose too much of a problem. Paints can be blended and watered down to the desire consistency and an easy to use palette allows you mix your own colours. Obviously there is also the additional benefit that using Art Academy’s digital toolbox does not create the mess usually associated with slopping paints around.

So, we’ve established that Art Academy is a slickly produced, easy to use package with an authentic tool-set and as a slice of infotainment, you can’t really ask for much more. Unfortunately there is one major shortcoming – namely the complete inability to take any of your works of art off the DS cartridge; once a painting is complete, the only way to view it is through Art Academy itself. This is disappointing, especially if you’re playing on a DSi with its ability to upload pictures to Facebook and SD Card support. The fact that this latter feature was supported in the downloadable Art Academy: 1st and 2nd Semesters makes this omission doubly strange. Another missed opportunity is that you are unable to attach your name to completed paintings in the gallery; comparing your work to other artists in your household would have fitted beautifully with the Touch Generations ethos, and while still possible, you may find yourself scratching your head as to who crafted each piece of work when watching a slide show.

Despite the problems, we still find it very easy to recommend Art Academy. Whether you’ve always fancied having a go at painting but have never got around to it or you simply want something new (and different) for your DS, Art Academy is an incredibly well presented, relaxing, engaging and rewarding experience. Once you’ve finished the main series of tutorials, you can move on to tackle a number of sub-projects – in which you receive less tutorage from Vince – to test your abilities and grasp of the skills you have learnt and this adds a significant degree of ‘playability’ (for lack of a better word!). Add to this a free-paint mode, an option to take your own reference photographs (should you be using a DSi, that is) and considering the simple fact that all the skills learnt are transferable to real world painting and drawing, it is fair to say that Art Academy has the potential to fulfil your creative yearnings for quite some time.

The highlight of the showcase was unquestionably (and unsurprisingly) the Nintendo 3DS – with multiple units on the floor featuring a range of non-interactive videos, interactive demos and a few fully playable games, it was an excellent opportunity to spend some time with Nintendo’s next evolutionary step in hand-held gaming. For our impressions of the system itself and the range of titles on offer, make sure you read our hands-on report.

For those that were able to tear their eyes away from the beguiling charms of the 3DS, there were a ton of other titles to enjoy on the Wii and DS. From the knitted beauty of Kirby’s Epic Yarn to the retro charms of GoldenEye and Donkey Kong Country Returns to the family friendly fun of Wii Party, the breadth of titles on show was impressive, and we came we away genuinely excited about games that had previously barely registered on our radar.

Here are a few of our highlights from the event.

Wii Party (Nintendo, Wii)

One of the biggest surprises of the event was Wii Party, which looks destined to mirror the success of Wii Sports and Wii Play and become one of the definitive Wii experiences. Clearly based on the Mario Party series, Wii Party discards the moustachioed plumber and shuffles the ever-lovable Miis onto centre stage, a move that makes absolute sense and that meshes perfectly with the Wii’s family focus. Over 70 mini-games are promised, all of which are tied to a range of play modes. In the two modes of play that we were able to try – a ship-balancing themed co-operative mode and a more traditional game board – the mini-games included everything from shooting balloons with a pop gun while riding a rollercoaster, riding a dinghy down some rapids (much like Kinect Adventures, funnily enough…), hurdling logs and bouncing fruit into baskets. So, it was all predictably off the wall then, but the game was consistently enjoyable and exuded Nintendo magic.

Kirby’s Epic Yarn (Nintendo, Wii)

Our hands-on time with Kirby’s Epic Yarn was breezily enjoyable, with the quirky visual style – everything is stitched and sewn from material –impressing with its attention to detail. Though he’s lost his trademark enemy-sucking super powers Kirby himself is as flexible as ever, with a range of wool-based transformations and whipping skills at his command. Whether pulling buttons to tug and fold the material-themed world, snagging enemies and unravelling them or yanking the tongue out of a giant woollen dragon, everything ran incredibly smoothly, bringing back fond memories of the wonderful Super Paper Mario with the consistency of design on show. Our only gripe is that it felt a little on the easy side and we’ll be interested to see if HAL Laboratories ramp up the difficulty as the game progresses.

Donkey Kong Country Returns (Nintendo, Wii)

Treading similar platforming ground as Kirby was Donkey Kong Country Returns, which stays true to the template laid down by the original series on the Super Nintendo while mixing in a hint of Donkey Kong: Jungle Beat from the Gamecube. While surprises were fairly thin on the ground, the game’s presentation was crisp, and gameplay made good use of the Wiimote and nunchuck, with Donkey and Diddy Kong hammering the ground when the controllers are shaken. The two-player mode places emphasis on co-operation rather than competition, and works well; puzzles are best overcome with co-ordination and Diddy and Donkey can literally join forces (with the former leaping on the latter’s back and blasting away with peanut-handguns). Donkey Kong Country Returns is unlikely to shatter any expectations, but those who enjoyed the original will feel right at home, and for newcomers, it’s looking likely to be a slick introduction to the Kongs’ platforming escapades.

GoldenEye 007 (Activision, Wii)

Continuing the retro-vibe, Activision’s re-imagining of the N64 classic GoldenEye is something of an oddity. In the grand scale of first person shooters currently available, it definitely looks like a blast from the past, and those expecting a drastic visual re-vamp may be left somewhat disappointed; the multiplayer level we played retained the same ambience of the original, with a slight lick of paint and sharpening of textures. Despite this, it seems to perfectly capture the joy of split-screen warfare as experienced on the N64. We played a number of three player contests on one map, and from the character selection screen (where players will inevitably tussle to play as their old favourite or the hat-throwing Oddjob) onwards, we could feel our competitive heckles rising. Add online play into the mix, and GoldenEye is certainly looking capable of claiming the Wii’s FPS crown.

Particularly noteworthy was the implementation of Wiimote targeting controls; while the game also supports the classic controller, the motion controls proved to be responsive, easy to pick up and (most importantly) accurate. GoldenEye is looking to be a confident and enjoyable trip down memory lane that does justice to the much loved original.

Metroid: Other M (Nintendo, Wii)

While we only played a fairly short section of the game (skipping the lengthy introduction in order to get to the meat of the gameplay), Team Ninja’s take on the Metroid franchise is certainly different. Visually, the game retains the classic Metroid-trappings (all sci-fi industrial corridors, flickering vid-screens and neon lighting), but gameplay-wise it’s quite a departure. Gone is Metroid Prime’s first person perspective, which has been replaced with a third person experience that feels not a million miles away from Capcom’s Devil May Cry or Ninja Gaiden; given Team Ninja’s heritage this is hardly surprising. Importantly, Other M still feels like a Metroid title, and the inclusion of a first person viewpoint (accessed by pointing the Wiimote at the screen) and d-pad based controls look likely to make an intriguing whole. While we did miss the analogue stick a little bit, the d-pad controls seemed to work perfectly well, so we can’t really complain too much.

Other M also has a greater emphasis on narrative, and while the first time you hear Samus Aran speak is slightly jarring, this looks to be panning out well with even our short time with the game leaving us intrigued as to how the plot will develop. Overall, the Metroid franchise appears to be in safe hands, with Team Ninja creating a title that has the potential to be both unique within the series and within the gaming landscape as a whole.

NBA Jam (EA Sports, Wii)

In what is actually something of a theme for the showcase as a whole, NBA Jam is yet another ‘blast from the past’; and a title that no doubt brings back fond memories for many gamers lucky enough to be around in the 16-bit era. For the uninitiated, NBA Jam can best be described as super-charged two-on-two basketball. Played with Wiimote and nunchuck, NBA Jam is all about instant, arcade gratification, and the OTT basket ball action proved to be as entertaining as it was when we played the original 17 years ago.

Visually, the game is a little rough around the edges, but the photographically rendered characters have a slightly cartoony edge that works quite well, and certainly fits with the craziness of the whole experience. The action itself is fast-paced but with plenty of room for tactics, with players capable of all manner of aerobatic slams and ground based tricks. As with the original, the game’s USP is the players’ ability to leap to ridiculous heights before slamming the ball home, and while it may be a fairly shallow element in terms of gameplay, it nevertheless helps to create an experience tailor made for sofa-based rivalries. This latest version is also embellished with Wiimote-based motion controls reminiscent of the basketball game featured in Wii Sports Resorts. Whether the game will have the desired longevity in single player remains to be seen…but we’re looking forward to finding out.

Ōkamiden: Chiisaki Taiyō (Capcom, DS)

Each version of Okami has seen the integral Celestial Brush mechanic – the ability to draw onto the game world – take steps forward in terms of implementation. The Playstation 2’s acceptable analogue sticks gave way to the Wii’s excellent use of motion-control, but it’s this DS version which inevitably makes the most sense – drawing onto the screen with the DS’s stylus is as direct and pleasing as you’d hope. There are shades of the DS Zelda games in both the use of the touch screen and the cuter aesthetic (Ōkamiden is a direct sequel to the first game, in which you play as a baby wolf), and based on the brief demo presented here – in which we had to fill in a missing bridge, as well as briefly abandon our new partner, the young boy Nushi, while we solved a switch puzzle – we’re confident that Okamiden: Chiisaki Taiyō will be just as involving and delightful as both Phantom Hourglass and Spirit Tracks. (Zoheir Beig)

Upon finally leaving the showcase (which, to be honest, wasn’t easy when there was a bank of 3DSs sitting there…begging to be played…), our heads full of the experiences we’d had during the day, one thing became clear: Nintendo remains in a very strong position. Despite the hardware inside the Wii and DS being now somewhat dated, a vast majority of the titles on show reconfirmed the importance of strong game design; from the instantaneous arcade thrills of NBA Jam to the riotous multiplayer of Wii Party to Team Ninja’s reinvigoration of the Metroid series, Nintendo fans should rest happy in the knowledge that there is plenty heading there way that will in all likelihood deserve a place on their collections.

Let us know below which up coming Nintendo titles will have you reaching for your wallet.

Maestro! Green Groove opens with a charming cutscene in which we witness a great calamity befalling the world, stemming from something as innocent as the jazz improvisations of scatting-songbird called Presto. Presto’s scooby-doo-wop-skiddly-ba-doo-wop’s prove all but irresistible to the lovely female songbird, Bellisimo, something that does not go unnoticed by the heavy metal loving arachnid, Staccato. Staccato’s, heavy-rock leanings have made him unlucky in love and the heartbroken spider calls forth a smog that smothers all music out of existence; the world falls into silence. Thus, it falls to Presto to set out on a search for the worlds missing sounds, and bring the evil Staccato to justice…

Maestro! Green Groove has the looks of a fairly traditional platformer but is, at heart, a fairly pure rhythm action experience. The game’s mechanics are quite simple, but nonetheless quite difficult to explain. Levels are constructed from suspended strings running from left to right; Presto moves automatically along these strings and can be made to jump or descend by a quick stroke of the stylus across the string (just like playing a guitar). Further depth is added with the introduction of different string types – strum a red string, and Presto is sent soaring onto the DSs top screen, giving you more freedom to concentrate on plucking glowing strings that require specific timing. Successfully controlling Presto, collecting percussive fruit and plucking glowing strings, all trigger audio feedback, building and embellishing the accompanying music. On top of this, the game also requires that you tap leaping spiders in rhythm before they hit your screen, sending out distracting shockwaves.

It’s certainly an ingenious concept that, at its best, works wonderfully, with the tactile nature of the stylus control blending beautifully with the music; it can feel responsive, fresh and engaging and definitely immerses you in the music. Boss fights against the malicious Staccato introduce a new mechanic, with the touch screen playing host to a selection of drums and strings, that must be plucked – call and response style – to replicate the tune played by Staccato and his cronies on the top screen. The game also makes use of the microphone, with extra points being earned by the player singing along – despite being reasonably musical ourselves, we simply could not get this feature to work with any degree of accuracy.

Some slightly poor design decisions stand in the way of the game reaching its full potential. The biggest problem is that instead of having a fixed view that would allow you see all the strings at all times, the game attempts to always keep Presto at the centre of the action. The upshot of this is there are numerous occasions when Presto jumps that strings disappear off the bottom of the screen, making it incredibly difficult or even impossible to pluck them. While this is forgivable when Presto falls through a gap acting as a perfectly reasonable punishment for your errors – its less easy to stomach when you’re actually performing well.

The second major issue is the game’s slightness; though selling as a standalone package, Maestro! Green Groove is actually only one world that has been sliced out of the full retail version – Maestro! Jump in Music (which has to date not been been released in Europe) – and repurposed for DSiWare and the iPhone app store. While we’re not completely averse to such repackaging of content, Maestro! Green Groove ultimately feels somewhat slight as a result. Included in the game are a measly three audio tracks (Beethoven’s ‘5th Symphony’, Dvorak’s ‘New World Symphony’ and Chopin’s ‘Nocturne No 2 Opus 9’) plus an original composition to accompany the handful of boss fights. To 100% complete the game takes a few hours at most, at which point, replayability is reliant on your desire to beat your high scores. For 500 DSiWare points, it could be worse, but when you realise the exact same game can be bought for the iPhone for 59p…it’s hard not to feel a little short changed if you plump for the former.

Maestro! Green Groove is a nice little title that strives for originality and almost achieves its goal. Production wise, we have very few complaints – visually, it’s all very slick (with some nice character design and crisp 2D sprites embellished with the sparing use of 3D in the boss battles) and the songs themselves are well produced, absolutely doing justice to original compositions. Unfortunately, it’s difficult to whole-heartedly recommend. Upon completing everything the game has to offer, the simple fact is that you’re left wanting more – more levels in which to perfect your strumming skills, more songs to enjoy and more time for the game to convince you of its design decisions. In fact, it really isn’t too much of a stretch to suggest that Maestro! Green Groove feels like more of an extended demo than a fully fledged DSiWare title – its brevity is put into stark contrast by other 500 point titles on the service such as Starship Patrol and Reflect Missile. Our advice would be to give the iPhone version a try and if Presto and company managed to get under your skin, hope that the full retail version gets a European release.

Despite the advancements, could the 3DS actually prove to be less versatile than the humble old DS and DSi?

Think about the DS and its games catalogue for a second – this is a system that, since it’s very conception, was built around the concept of versatility; offering new ways to play and new tools for designers to use. It hosts games that require you to use the sylus, the d-pad, combinations of both and, at times, to flip the device on it’s side, holding it like a book.

This latter method of play in particular could problematic for the 3DS. With a 3D screen that requires you to hold the device at a particular angle and distance away from your eyes in order to get the 3D effect, the ‘book’ style of play may be essentially removed from the equation. While this may be easy to over look – we will, after all, be gaining increased processing power, tilt sensors and an analogue stick – what could the impact of this be on the types of games that the 3DS can host? Will we see less innovation, as developers are drawn to simply dazzling you with 3D visuals? Will the touch screen be relegated to being an afterthought or purely a screen to host maps and stats, as the visual WOW! of the top screen and comfort of the analogue nub come to the fore?

While we’re still massively enthusiastic about the system, and only time will tell if the above concerns are valid…we can’t shake the feeling that Nintendo’s shift towards visual innovation may not necessarily be the win/win situation that you might think.

Miyamoto insisted the game, developed exclusively for the Wii, entitled The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, acts as a “key turning point in Zelda’s history”, although the following and embarrassing on-stage demo of said game was underwhelming to say the least. It’s not to say the game isn’t fully functional, but Reggie was keen on insisting “technical difficulties” led to Shigeru’s failed attempts at controlling certain aspects of his on-stage demo. What he did manage to show was fantastic- including the 1:1 control (via MotionPlus support) of Link’s sword, where a shake of the right hand will equip said sword, with the Nunchuk controlling the shield. Whilst the showing did at times seem a little unresponsive to his movements, we were assured that it would feel streamlined and smooth on the show floor and I’m fully confident that this will be the case. Besides, when do demos ever go according to plan!?

The way that certain enemies could only be killed through specific sword swipes was particularly impressive; as such it’s to be expected a great deal of creativity will have gone into the game’s enemy types to ensure fresh and distinct play experiences throughout. Shigeru also presented the selection of items that are key within Zelda titles (this time, holding the ‘B’ button brings up a radial menu where the cursor can then select an item). From the bow and arrow (the aforementioned technical issues), to the beetle that can be deployed and controlled by the Wii Remote to collect hidden items, to the motion-controlled whip, SS’s game play already seems to have a strong emphasis on offering deep rewards for experimentation with each weapon, and huge reserves of opportunity for a bountiful amount of intriguing puzzles. The cel-shaded visuals and bright, vivid and colourful kingdom of Hyrule also looked superb and were a joy to behold. Miyamoto ended his first involvement with the conference with a proud mention that the game is scheduled for release next year.

And thus, the mentions of legendary gaming characters could not be stopped, as a new Mario sports game was announced- in a similar vein to Mario at the Olympic Games and Super Mario Strikers, titled Mario Sports Mix. The trailer showed Mario and friends competing in volleyball, handball, hockey and basketball, although expect a full list of included mini-games later, in time for its 2011 release. Yes, Nintendo seemed keen on revisiting past gaming series with a string of titles announced throughout the conference that were frankly, brilliant. GoldenEye may have been leaked slightly before its full announcement here, but it couldn’t hinder the crowd’s overzealous applause of its first showing. Featuring the likeness of Daniel Craig, 16 player modes (including “paintball”, “melee only”, and “you only live twice”), as well as split screen and online multiplayer, it promises to deliver where no other game on the Wii truly has so far- a core FPS experience, aiming to match its rivals on its more powerful counterparts.

A return for Kirby was also presented neatly, with a beautiful art style, conveying its cutesy exterior. Its classic 2D platforming mechanics meanwhile looked intuitive and outrageous fun, with a number of guises for Kirby employed. The game, which focuses on a fabric/ thread thematic reference is named Kirby’s Epic Yarns- gamers can also enjoy interacting with the world, such as unzipping backdrops, or pulling the background back in a neat folding effect to reveal something completely different. It’s the kind of innovations from the classic 2D platform that Nintendo always seems to conjure and promote so well. It looked positively sumptuous. But Nintendo weren’t going to stop any time soon, as the classic tune of bongo drums greeted another trailer, leading to a revival of Rare’s flagship Donkey Kong Country from the days of the SNES. Developed by Retro, Donkey Kong Country Returns has an identical look to the classic Super Nintendo title (exploding barrels, mine carts, banana collecting, and all!), with updated graphics and the ever familiar sights, sounds and erm, monkeys.

Disney and Junction Point’s Epic Mickey was also smartly demoed. A beautiful 2D art-styled cut scene with Mickey and Peter Pan’s Smee set off the showing, with the game then transposing back into its 3D environment. The game, with a world populated by characters rejected from Disney’s past, focuses on the progressive game play mechanics of “drawing and erasing”, either removing parts of the world with “thinner” or drawing onto the world with paint- restoring it to its painted glory. The platforming looked joyously responsive, with the camera tracking Mickey exceptionally well through the 3D world. Split into different zones (action, quest and travel)- the latter, which was demoed, involved Mickey in a side-scrolling 2D platformer in a similar style to his first cartoon animation, Steamboat Willie, with its classic black and white flickers juxtaposing with the previous world excellently.

Nintendo seemed almost keen to skip over more casual releases Wii Party and Just Dance 2 in favour of giving the core fan-base what they deserve for being forgotten in recent years. Wii Party is a Mii- inclusive party game, the like of which we’ve all seen, and no doubt, played before- featuring 13 party game modes, delivering “yet another Nintendo game that will drive social interaction”. The latter, Just Dance 2, continues the hugely popular Wii-exclusive dance game, and invites up to 8 players to dance in “crew face-offs” and features over 40 new tracks.

Team Ninja’s Metroid: Other M was also presented via a neat trailer, with Samus set to return on August 31st. Reggie also boasted about Dragon Quest IX’s incredible success from the launch in Japan, spouting figures sold to be a massive “4.2 million copies” for the Nintendo DS exclusive, demonstrating its status as a “phenomenon”. He continued to confidently announce its scheduled release in the US in 26 days, with one of the biggest applause of the presentation greeting his sentence.

And finally, the cornerstone of the presentation. Banishing any negativity towards the product, Reggie stated “today, we’re not just raising the bar, but extending that bar into the distance”, with the most jazzed-up and electric entrance of an inanimate object you ever will witness. Ladies and gentleman: the Nintendo 3DS. Demonstrated by Satoru Iwata, the recently revealed but only now shown successor to the DS, the 3DS, ought to take the limelight as the highlight of the show. In addition to its new analogue control method, its 3.5” wide-screen top display, graphical improvements, and motion sensor and gyro-sensor, the 3DS adds an all-new dimension to games, without the need for glasses (something they seemed keen to express!). Sadly, such a device could not be shown on stage since it needs to be held to gain true effect, although it was guaranteed to promise “a better sense of height, depth and space”, with the ‘Project Sora’ announcement from last January revealed to be the first title developed specifically for the new hand-held, this being Kid Icarus: Uprising.

The two external cameras also allow users to take photos in 3D, whilst the “3D depth slider” will allow players to choose exactly how much of a desired 3D effect they wish to implement. It’s certainly a clever touch, and will relieve any grievances the player will have with such a new experience. New games from Level 5 (a new Professor Layton), Activision (DJ Hero 3D), Namco Bandai (Ridge Racer), Capcom (Resident Evil) and Konami (Metal Gear Solid) were also reeled off, each making use of the all-new functionalities and perception that such a device enables. It certainly looks intriguing and interesting, with extremely glowing reports already surfacing from the show floor in LA from insiders. As they kept re-iterating within the show, however, to truly understand will require you to hold the system yourself. But don’t expect booth babes to come showing you the new 3DS like it happened in the show, as you’ll simply have to buy one at the local, grungy shop when it’s released later this year.

In retrospect, Nintendo have done extremely well in positioning themselves in a much brighter light for the core gamers amongst us with their showing at E3 2010. Far from the calamitous reveal of the vitality sensor at E3 2009, classic IPs were revived and given excessive levels of optimism and excitement, and more new games were announced than can be detailed sufficiently here. The 3DS should be an enormous success, with the technology seemingly being much more than a gimmick, whilst the new level of interaction to games with such a device can allow developers another forward-thinking role in the year’s to come. We’ve seen them step up to the plate with the touch screen and motion sensing, now it’s the weight of three dimensions – I can’t wait!

Pitched as a handy tool to help you deal with the daunting prospect of preparing a meal for your Mother-in-law or to rustle up a special treat for a loved a loved one, the title will come with (yes…you guessed it!) 1000 recipes for every dining occasion, with guides on how to prepare the meals along with nutritional information.

The title is also set to feature bespoke cheese and wine guides with pairing suggestions for hundreds of wines and cheeses.

Whether or not the title will feature a certain moustachioed Italian plumber walking you through his favourite pasta dishes has yet to be revealed…!

Already a phenomenal success in Japan (shifting 4.2 million units to date), this news will no doubt be welcomed by European RPG fans itching to try the game for themselves.

Here’s the press release in full:

‘Before setting off on their adventure, players can create their own heroes, deciding how they would like their face, hair and clothing to look. As the story unfolds, players become stronger, smarter and more powerful, and can customize companions who join their group. Players will have fun discovering more than 1,000 pieces of clothing, armour, weapons and other items that will provide them with a unique appearance and special abilities. Players can also change the class of their character at any time, choosing from a variety of vocations that will impact their abilities and strengths in the game.

In DRAGON QUEST IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies, players begin their adventure as guardian of a city who is sent to retrieve the fruits of a sacred tree that have the power to grant wishes. Players travel the world, conquer fearsome monsters and unravel an epic storyline. During their journey, players will encounter mighty opponents in fast-paced battles, and also interact with a colourful cast of characters.

DRAGON QUEST IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies contains special modes that let players to share their adventure with others, allowing up to four players to team up via a local wireless connection and experience the fun of tackling challenging monsters and dungeons cooperatively with their own unique characters. Players can even leave the game active in their backpacks, pockets or purses and still interact with other players via an interactive “Canvassing Mode.” Information about players’ unique characters can be wirelessly transmitted to others, and treasure maps and customized greetings can be exchanged automatically by players who come within range of one another when their games are set to Canvassing Mode.

Players looking to enjoy a variety of different game activities can take on special side quests. Some of these quests will be earned by progressing through the game, while additional quests will be made available for free download for players with broadband Internet access after the game launches, providing hours of additional content for virtual adventurers to enjoy either on their own or with friends. Some downloadable quests will continue the main storyline of the game, while others offer standalone missions.’