Aeroporter
It’s the baggage handling simulator you never knew you wanted. Coming from the, frankly bonkers, mind of Yoot Saito (creator of Gamecube pinball oddity, Odama) Aeroporter is a colour matching puzzler that pulls off that magic, one-two punch of making you pull your hair out, whilst ensuring you return for more. The basics of switching colour-coded luggage pieces among different conveyor belts is simple enough, but the game wastes no time in ratcheting up the complexity by applying constraints of time and visibility. The slow steady trundle of luggage has to be managed with care and can quickly become a disaster of Terminal 5 proportions. To call the game visually basic would be putting it kindly. That the game rise above its rudimentary looks is a testament to its cruel but considered design.
Mario and Donkey Kong: Minis on the Move
The 3DS eShop is home to many titles that would have seen a full price cartridge release in years gone by. Minis on the Move is probably one of them. Is the game a Mario classic? No, but it’s a well-crafted and, for its price, generous game. The tile laying main game is a three-dimensional twist on the classic Pipe Mania. This is fun in itself but the elements of Lemmings, plus the natural charm of the Mushroom Kingdom make this a highlight in the Mario and Donkey Kong series.
Mighty Switch Force
Way Forward’s action platformer takes our bronze medal for being the third best game on the 3DS eShop (with a very honourable mention for its sequel too). Both are fundamentally simple titles, harking back to the hey-day of 16-bit action games. Upon these foundations a multitude of interesting mechanics are layered, making effective use of the 3D screen and two decades of 2D gameplay evolution. It’s an artistically exquisite title with visuals evoking games like the Megadrive’s Gunstar Heroes. Add in a stunning score by Jake Kaufman and you have a perfectly formed portable experience.
BoxBoy!
Just like Christmas it’s a box that ends up being one of the most entertaining gifts. While recent Kirby games have been well received it’s here, in the basic, line-drawn world of BoxBoy! that Hal Laboratory find a new space to demonstrate what talented designers they are. BoyBoy! is a game that never stops thrilling with its ingenuity and inventiveness. A text-book example of how simplicity does not mean forgoing charm, complexity and wit. Until Valve say otherwise BoxBoy! is as close as you’ll get to Portal 3.
Shovel Knight
Shovel Knight is the all-time classic game the NES never had. Like BoxBoy! it constantly delights by finding new ways to exploit a simple move set. The game is expertly paced, gradually increasing in difficulty but always teaching and guiding the player to make them better. It’s a feast for the senses too, capturing the just right level of nostalgia with it’s visual and audio design. The result is the best game on the Nintendo eShop. Shovel Knight is also available on PlayStation platforms and is soon to hit Xbox One, so there’s really no excuse not to play it.
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Have we missed anything? Disagree with our choices? Let us know in the comments below.
