The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D

Platform: Nintendo 3DS, "New" Nintendo 3DS

Platform Reviewed f or: "New" Nintendo 3DS

Genre: Action-Adventure.

Release Date: February 13, 2015

Date Reviewed: March 20th, 2015

       Majora's Mask 3D is an HD remake of the N64 version from the year 2000. 15 years later and lots of begging from the fans we have it remade for the Nintendo 3DS. I played this on the "NEW" 3DS XL and the 3DS XL and prefer it a lot more on the newer model for the simple reason of the C-Stick which makes the camera very tolerable and easy to handle. The 3DS version offers a lot of new features and tweaks to the game. Some of these new additions include the addition of the Bomber Handbook. I find this useful because whenever you talk to and important NPC that offers a side quest it automatically goes into your notebook and what times they can be seen at and also offer additional hints on where to begin. Another feature with the book is the ability to set in game alarms so if you need to be at a certain place at a certain time you can set an alarm to notify you. One feature I wish they would've added to the book is the ability to draw or take notes yourself. If you walk around town and talk with the other Bomber Gang children then will tell you the heard a rumor and it will also automatically get put into your notebook.

Great Interface.

      Majora's Mask 3D is not only a beautiful game but very accessible. You are able to switch between items a lot faster on the fly. With the addition of two more item slots you are even able to assign two more items to your touch screen for the use of more items. Majora's Mask 3D looks really great with the 3D enabled, especially on the “New” 3DS because of the built in face detection. The controls are smooth, and very easy to master. The gameplay plays the same as the original and Ocarina of Time 3D with a few added tweaks to bring it up to date to today's standards. You go around to four temples and retrieve the mask off of each boss in order to awaken 4 gods to stop the moon from crashing and destroying Clock Town. However, this is done on a time limit of only 3 days and every time you go back into time in order to add more time to be able to beat the other temples you need to actually revisit each temple again in order to engage with Skull Kid. The beauty of this though is when you go back to a previous temple after already beating it a portal will open up at the entrance of each temple to send you back to the bosses. On top of the main quest there are many many side quests you can do in the game. The most disappointing factor from all of this is the lack of temples to go through and of course…..Great Bay Temple is still evil and annoying as ever.

Bombers Notebook is a great addition!

     Overall Majora’s Mask 3D is another exceptional HD remake in the Zelda series. Just like the prior Ocarina of Time 3D this wasn't just a simple remake. The controls are great which is vastly improved by the C-stick on the “New” Nintendo 3DS handhelds. The 3D is exceptional as well but again better on the “New” model thanks to facial detection. Even if this is your first time playing Majora’s Mask this is a must own game for your collection. The story is dark which provides a different take on the series. This is probably one of the most emotional games in the Zelda series since it mainly involves with death. The only really negative thing about this game is Great Bay Temple and the lack of main temples. Great work! Hope we will see more like this.

MUST OWN!
9/10

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Top 14 Games of 2014!

14. Gauntlet: 

Gauntlet is a remake of the original for the PC. This game got a lot of negative reviews because there wasn't enough to the game. I personally really enjoyed this version of the game. It's difficult, fast paced, great co-op, and very rewarding in the end. 

13. Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft.

Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft is on this list because I have always loved TCG games. I am a huge Warcraft fan, mix that with cards and we have a winner. Tons of cards, free to play, ranked mode, free in game rewards, and excellent strategy is what got me hooked on this game.

12. Smite.

Smite is also on this top 14 list because out of all of the MOBAS (next to Heroes of the Storm, it's still in alpha) Smite is the only one I enjoy playing. You play as gods in a third person view which makes the game a lot more interesting in the long run. Tons of great gods, costumes, game modes, etc.... and this makes for an excellent MOBA. Oh...and it is also free to play. It was recently announced for the Xbox One.

11. Hyrule Warriors.

Hyrule Warriors takes place in the style of the Dynasty Warriors series but set in the Zelda universe. Hyrule Warriors in on my top 14 list because it is loaded with content and fun. The story is abysmal, graphics and frame rate are fantastic, co-op is fun, story mode is fun but what made the game was the Adventure Mode. Tons to do, if you're a Zelda fan or Dynasty Warriors fan this is the game for you.

10. Bravely Default.

Bravely Default is a step back to how Final Fantasy used to be. There is so much to do and explore in this game. Tons of different jobs to choose and master from as well as a decent story. The music is to heaven to your ears and the visuals are beautiful on the 3DS! Fan of classic RPG's? Get this.

9. Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker.

Captain Toad is a character from the game Super Mario 3D World. He was given his own game due to his popularity in the game. Captain Toad takes place before the events in Super Mario 3D World and is a fun 3D puzzle platforming game. Highly recommended and very fun to play. Has a Nintendo charm that keeps making you smile.

8. Mario Kart 8.

Mario Kart is also on this list! I have been a huge fan of the Mario Kart series ever since the original one. Mario Kart 8 upped that ante again! Anti-gravity mechanics, beautiful graphics, great soundtrack and competitive online play. Mario Kart 8 also offers very well priced DLC where you can even race as Link!

7. Chariot.

Chariot is a platformer with an interesting mechanic. You need to pull, push and grapple and Chariot along the way collection as much treasure as possible and going through each level. Each time you beat a level you get to unlock additional modes for that same level adding more gameplay. Chariot is one of the most fun co-op games I have played in a long time. Give it a try!

6. Shovel Knight.

Shovel Knight is a game that a lot of people have been excited for. It is a 2D platformer set in the NES era. The gameplay is phenomenal and don't even get me started with the music. Fun, fast, and addictive gameplay. Mixes Mega Man, Castlevania and Mario all into one beautiful game.

5. Super Smash Bros. 3DS/Wii U.

Super Smash Bros. is another obvious pick for this list. A fan of the series since the beginning and now they have improved it once again in so many ways. Obviously the Wii U version is superior in graphics and smoothness but the 3DS version is still fun as ever. Great addition tot the smash family.

4. Pokemon Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire.

Pokemon ORAS is a remake of the original Ruby and Sapphire version of the game on the Gameboy Advance. My personal favorite in the series. This version offers a somewhat new story, new mega evolution's, Hoenn Remade in HD, and tons of new features. Another fantastic entry in the series.

3. Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor

Shadow of Mordor is another entry in the Lord of the Rings series. You play as Talion who is seeking revenge after seeing his family and himself slaughtered by Sauron's army. Shadow of Mordor has a familiar feeling to it. It is like Assassins Creed but a much better improvement of it. The nemesis system is an amazing system in the game as well as the huge open world you can explore.

2. Dragon Age: Inquisition.

Dragon Age: Inquisition is the best in the series so far. Takes a lot of great things from the first game and improves it drastically. The game is huge, beautiful and has a great story. Very addicting and easily can consume 100+ hours into this diverse world. Dragon Age is highly recommended even if you are just a fan of RPG's.

1. World of Warcraft: Warlords of Draenor

Yes, my number one goes to the flawless World of Warcraft expansion. The big reason is because Blizzard has outdone themselves with this one. This expansion alone brought back 3 million players. The telling of the lore has been greatly improved, the garrisons is one of the best features ever added to this game, the new raid Highmaul is a blast, and it brings back a lot from The Burning Crusade. This is a must buy. This is Cody's Reviews #1 game of 2014.

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Super Smash Bros. 3DS

Platform: Nintendo 3DS

Genre: Fighting

Release Date: October 3rd, 2014

Date Reviewed: October 17th, 2014

       The latest Super Smash Bros for the 3DS is the 4th entry in the series and a very popular and high demand video game. This version brings another huge roster as well as plenty of new characters to the game. The 3DS version brings a bunch of new modes which really extends the life of the game as we wait for the Wii U version. You have your classic mode where you fight random characters. This version you get to choose which patch you want to go. For example if you choose the red path the entire time it will be harder. Blue is easy and green is normal difficulty. The higher the difficulty the more coins and rewards you will get. Some of these rewards offer coins, new customizable moves, costumes, and trophies. The next mode is All Star mode which has been in the previous games. In order to experience the entire All Star mode you will need to have unlocked every single character. This mode takes you through the years of Nintendo characters like in the previous ones. Multi-man melee makes a return as well but instead of wire frame enemies you face a bunch of Mii characters. Home Run mode is back where you see how far you can hit the sand bag with the home run bat for each character. A new mode added is target blast. In this mode you have 10 seconds to launch a bomb from the platform and blow up as much targets as possible. Sort of like angry birds. You also have trophy rush mode where you are able to get a ton of coins and trophies. You also have a challenge mode. This really isn't a mode it's more like an achievement system where you complete certain challenges and unlock new stages, trophies, costumes and skills. Then you have your typical online mode where you can fight for glory or for fun. For glory is just a battle mode where every map is a final destination mode and no items are allowed. For fun is all default maps and all items are allowed and enabled. The last mode I want to cover is Smash Run. Now Smash Run would be a lot better if it was allowed to be played online but do not think will work well due to the lag. You start smash run in a huge dungeon where you complete objective and kill as much enemies as you can to power up your stats. At the end of the run you fight with 3 others and see who comes out on top. You can be climbing to the top the fastest, have a basic smash battle, or even race to see who wins and who uses their stats wisely.

Tortimer Island!

       Super Smash Bros. also has a fantastic soundtrack with a lot of returning tracks as well as brand new ones. A lot of the new ones are remixes like Dr. Wiley's Castle which is just great. The entire game runs at 60FPS with some pretty nice visuals which is very impressive for the Nintendo 3DS. However the animations for each of the assist trophies are at 30FPS which is completely fine. The Nintendo 3DS can only handle so much. Since the 3DS is much smaller than a TV each character as a dark border around them to see them much easier which can also be customized to make it thicker or thinner. Another cool feature is you can use your Mii characters as fighters and completely customize their abilities, stats and their costumes. There are three different types of fighting styles that the Mii's can use. They vary from swordfighter, fist fighter and gun fighter. You can even unlock badges and equipment to improve your Mii's stats so if you want to stack speed or power you can. Only thing is you cannot use these stats or customization options when you are fighting other players online. On top of that you are able use different skills for current characters which again you can use online against other players but is a great addition to the game to try the different abilities and combos.

Little Mac makes and Appearance.

       Overall in Super Smash Bros. 3DS there are a ton of features that will keep you occupied for hours on end. Tons of modes, options, unlockables, customization and decent online multiplayer. Super Smash Bros. is a must own game for all Nintendo fans and current fans of the series. This makes me even more excited to purchase the Wii U version which is set to release on November 21, 2014. The Wii U version will offer even mor modes and options apart from the 3DS, will have the same characters, different levels, and much higher visual quality. Great work Nintendo.

Fantastic Game!
9/10

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Hyrule Warriors.

Platform: Nintendo Wii U

Genre: Action

Release Date: September 26, 2014

Date Reviewed: October 1st, 2014

       Hyrule Warriors for the Nintendo Wii U is created by the company who made the Dynasty Warriors series. Hyrule Warriors is not part of the Legend of Zelda storyline, it is its own separate entry. Hyrule Warriors is almost exactly like Dynasty Warriors with the main difference being that it takes place in the Zelda universe where you can play with a wide variety of characters such as Link, Zelda, Ganondorf, Agitha, and even Princess Ruto of the Zora's. With Hyrule Warriors there is a lot of different modes to play on such as your Legend Mode which is the story mode. There is also Free Mode where you can play as any character on any mission you've completed on Legend Mode. There is an Adventure Mode which seems to be the favorite, including mine. In Adventure Mode you play on a classic map from Zelda 1. There are 128 different tiles to unlock and explore from the original Zelda game. In each tile there is an objective to complete to unlock additional rewards, weapons, and even characters. Adventure Mode is pretty unique, challenging and very fun. With Adventure Mode you may have to do some grinding with certain characters to increase their level, get better weapons and giving them more abilities to take down some of the challenges. You also need to play Adventure Mode in order to unlock the final four characters in the game. The rest of the Characters can be earned playing Legend Mode. The final mode to play is called Challenge Mode which is to take on difficult challenges.

Fast paced action, hundreds of enemies.

       Hyrule Warriors also offers co-op where one player plays on the television and the other plays on the Wii U tablet. Co-op mode is very fun but has some flaws due to the Wii U's limitations. In order to allow co-op on the Wii U they had to lower the resolution for the player who is on the television. It looks like a Wii game and the frame rate is lowered with noticeable choppiness. This does not make the co-op mode any less fun but people who are all about "DEM GRAPHICS" probably will be turned off by the visuals. You can play any mode with another player. There is however no online co-op which I think is a good idea because you will be experiencing a lot of lag with all of the action that is going on the screen at all times.

       The visuals of the game overall are very nice and runs at 60FPS on single player. The in game cinematics look fantastic, the huge environments, and the visual effects are all great as well. Most of the soundtrack is from previous Zelda games in the series. Some of the soundtrack are new and you can tell it feels like they belong in the Dynasty Warriors universe but it does get your adrenaline pumping when fighting bosses or even large crowds of enemies. The story is nothing new and overall not that great but I can see why. It would be very hard to create a fascinating story with what they had. You travel through different time points in the Zelda universe. You travel through Ocarina of Time, Twilight Princess, and also Skyward Sword. They will be adding a lot of new content every month up until February so get the season pass if you want to experience more. On average to complete all mission in the game you're looking at about 50+ hours to get it all completed. There is a lot to do and this game can be played for hours and hours, heck you don't even notice the time passing while you are playing it half the time.

King Dodongo is back!!

       Overall Hyrule Warriors is a fantastic entry into the Zelda series. They took a very different approach to Zelda and it is very nice to get away from their basic formula and go all out killing hundreds upon thousands of enemies all at once. There is so much to do in the game and it is really fun to be able to unlock a lot of different weapons for each character, unlocking new abilities, combos, etc.... There is so much to this game and is a fantastic addition to the Wii U family. If you like Zelda, and Dynasty Warriors then I highly recommend this game to add to your collection.

Great Soundtrack

GREAT GAME!
8/10

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My Top 10 Games of 2013!

Top 10 Personal Games of 2013!

10.

Bioshock Infinite

9.

DMC: Devil May Cry

8.

Metro: Last Light

7.

Diablo III

6.

Animal Crossing New Leaf

5.

Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft

4.

Tomb Raider

3.

Pokemon X/Y

2.

The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds

1.

Fire Emblem: Awakening

The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds.

Console: Nintendo 3DS

Genre: RPG

Release Date: November 22nd, 2013

Date Reviewed: December 27th, 2013

Gameplay:

LOZ: A Link Between Worlds is the newest game added to the Zelda series. A Link Between Worlds is a direct sequel to A Link to the Past for the SNES. After many long years they finally decided to do a sequel to the original. A Link Between Worlds is pure gold and is a must own for everyone. The game is like the original where the camera is a top view camera of Link. It does an excellent job as staying to it's roots from the original with the camera view, the enemies, the temples, and you are in the exact world from A Link to the Past. You start off by sleeping in of coarse and the Blacksmith's son comes to wake you up because you are late as usual for work. When you arrive to the blacksmith's shop he is talking to someone very important. As soon as the important figure leaves the blacksmith proceeds to give you trouble for being so late. After he finished yelling at you he notices that the man forgot his sword. Your errand is to find the man and give him is sword. From this point on, your adventure begins. A Link Between Worlds uses the 3DS extremely well. The game runs at a smooth 60 frames per second with no FPS drops at all. The biggest feature I love about this game is you can do the temples in any order you choose. You don't find your items in the dungeon anymore such as the bow or hook shot. Instead you can rent out all of the items or purchase them for yourself with rupees. This is a very smart thing to be added to the game because with this feature, the game allows you to do any of the temples in any order you choose. There is not a wrong way of doing things. This makes the world feel very open.

The Shop where you buy/rent items!

 

Each temple is fun with clever boss mechanics in each temple. Some of the bosses are beyond easy but what do you expect in a Zelda game now. There will always be a few easy ones. As you progress you discover that you can go into an alternate Hyrule. This place is called Lorule that is ruled by Zelda's counterpart Hilda. In order to access this world you are able to turn into a painting and walk along walls into tears which teleports you into Lorule. Although the overworld is largely the same as that of A Link to the Past, all the dungeons are totally new. Exploration of dungeons utilize the game's 3D effects and feature Link jumping between levels to solve puzzles and advance. It feels very smooth when you transition into new areas.

Like in previous Zelda titles there are always collectable items to be found. When you find all of the babies you get a new attack for your sword. Every time you return 12 at a time the mother will upgrade any of your items of your choosing to make them more powerful. Rupees are much more important in this game because you have to buy the items and they are not cheap. However, rupees are extremely easy to find and add up quickly.

2D Painting of yourself!  

Overall the gameplay is truly remarkable. It has a lot of nostalgia for the old fans and well as some new ones for people who started the series later on. This game has something for everyone. The world is huge, lots to explore, lots of puzzles, and collectables. All of these encourage the play to explore both worlds of Hyrule and Lorule.

Graphics:
The game follows the top-down two-dimensional gameplay of various Zelda games, especially A Link to the Past, though it is now presented with stereoscopic 3D graphics when played on the Nintendo 3DS. The top screen is used as the main screen, while the bottom touch screen contains the map, gear, and items. The loading screen consists of a black screen with a Triforce in the lower right corner. It runs smoothly at 60 FPS with new reduce in frames anywhere in the game. It is very colourful, the environments are large and very beautiful and full of life.

Comparison.

Sound:
The game features slightly updated sound effects from A Link to the Past. The music tracks are arrangements of the originals. In addition to the music from A Link to the Past, the Streetpass battle mode of the game includes two remixed and rearranged versions of the Temple Theme from Zelda II: The Adventure of Link. The Streetpass mode is inspired by the final "Shadow Link" boss fight from the NES game. It sounds fantastic and has a lot of nostalgia while just listening to the music.

Conclusion:
A Link Between Worlds is a highly recommend, must own game for the Nintendo 3DS. It is one of the best Zelda games ever created. New fans and old fans alike will find something they love about this game. Whether it be the nostalgia, music, graphics, or game play in general, people will find something they love about it. This game provides a lot to do and you can do it in any order you choose to. Fantastic, I hope to see more. Also, when you beat the game, test your skill in Hero Mode.

Overall Score:

10/10

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Four Swords Adventure Anniversary Edition

I would like to add one thing before going on with the review. Just wanted to let everyone know that this game is FREE. If you own a DSi or 3DS then you can download this game from the Nintendo Eshop for free. This game is offered free to the fans as an anniversary gift. As you all may know that this is Zelda's 25th anniversary, therefore, you receive a free game for being a loyal fan.

Gameplay:
This game is not the same game as the original Four Swords Adventure. This game was remade by Nintendo as an anniversary gift to all the Zelda fans. The gameplay is generally the same as in the original game. What I love most about this is the wireless capability. Remember with the original game you needed to play co-op with a bunch of link cables? Well now it's wireless; makes it a lot more fun. Lets start with the general gameplay then we will move onto the multiplayer portion.

Singleplayer:
If you play on singleplayer mode then you will control yourself as well as a secondary link. It plays as any typical Zelda game where you explore dungeons and defeat the boss at the end. With a secondary link you use him to help get through different puzzles that require two people to do it with. Instead of the secondary person you have a second link to control. You can throw him across obstacles and when you need him to hit a switch then you simply press the "L" or "R" buttons to control him. The point in this game is you need to save Princess Zelda once again from the evil Vaati, like in the original. You go through multiple dungeons to unlock keys to open the way to Vaati's castle to save the princess.

As your battling your way to get these keys you are exploring dungeons trying to grab as much rupees as you can. If you acquire a certain amount of rupees then you will unlock something (not going to tell you, will ruin the fun in it). Even when you beat the game you unlock something pretty cool! What I love about the campaign is once you beat Vaati you will unlock the "Forest of Memories". This is a fantastic edition to the game to celebrate the anniversary. The "Forest of Memories" has three levels to it just like all the previous dungeons you went through. What great about this one is you play through levels from the past games. The first one you play is the outside of Hyrule Castle from "A link to the Past" Zelda game. After you beat it you finish it off by going into the castle. The last level is the level from the very first Zelda game ever to come out. After you beat the forest, you unlock one final area.....all I'll say is that it's tough! Bring a friend, in fact bring three.

Multiplayer:
Multiplayer is the exact same thing as the single player. In multiplayer you and a friend, or friends (you can have up to four people play) go through the campaign and you all need to work together to solve a bunch of puzzles to get through the campaign. You and your friends go through and you all compete for rupees. If you end up getting the most rupees you win a medallion and if you get five medallions you unlock something for yourself. I find this game is much more fun with other people. You get angry and most of the time your laughing so hard.

Free gift for Zelda fans!

Graphics:
The graphics in this game are the exact same as the original, but a little bit more updated. The art is well done as well as the environments within the game. Nothing to special about the graphics, just like the original 2D version. Still very nice and crisp animations and graphics.

Have fun with friends!

Audio:
The audio in the game is outstanding. The reason being is because of the fact that every single Zelda song is in the game. From the classical levels all the way to the newer ones. In some way they use all of the music from the previous games. It makes the experience that much more enjoyable for you and your friends, especially if your a fan of the franchise. The audio for everything is nice and crisp, from swinging your sword to throwing your friend around, which is a blast by the way!

Conclusion:
Four Swords Adventure is an outstanding and an addicting game. If your a fan of great cooperative experiences or are a fan of the franchise then I promise you will NOT be dissapointed playing this game. For a free game, it is  very well done. Thank you Nintendo for giving your fans a fantastic game. Why not get this game? It's free!

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