2011 Review of the Year

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Brian Jacques, High Rhulain, Mary Norton, Nintendo, The Borrowers Afloat, The Legend of Zelda - Ocarina of Time 3D, The Legend of Zelda - Skyward Sword, Wii U

That’s a bit more like it. 2011, though not without its difficulties (including two of the most problematic and stressful house moves of all time), was a considerably better year than 2010. Highlights included my moving to London to live with great buddies Ryan and Tom, flying to New York for a week for my brother’s wedding and the admittedly faltering launch of the Nintendo 3DS.

Any new piece of hardware launching is a special occasion but Nintendo’s new handheld got off to an inauspicious start in a debut year marred by start-up problems. A day one line-up and launchw window devoid of any must-have titles, the eShop delay, disappointing early sales, all signs of a flop. Not even the wonderful The Legend of Zelda – Ocarina of Time 3D could improve the system’s fortunes enough to avoid a drastic price cut and the unveiling of the aesthetically displeasing Circle Pad Pro was as good as Nintendo admitting they’d ballsed-up the hardware design. What a difference Mario makes. With Super Mario 3D Land and Mario Kart 7 finally available the fledgling console’s fortunes have been transformed and sales figures have skyrocketed to record-breaking levels. The Wii meanwhile seems to be on its last legs with flatlining sales and a damaging shortage of quality new titles. However The Legend of Zelda – Skyward Sword gave the Wii faithful reason to be cheerful before year’s end. Finally the DS, the little handheld that could, has been coasting along to a dignified death as its more advanced successor gains steam, throwing up a few more well-received games to take it into its dotage. It hasn’t been the easiest year for Nintendo but in this time of transition for the company they’ve kept things ticking along in preparation for a crucial year ahead.

Due to wallet restrictions I’ve been less than ambitious in my pursuit of new games this year. Of the titles I picked for my Top Ten Most Anticipated Games of 2011 there’s still two I haven’t got round to buying, two that have been delayed to this year and one (the second DS Fire Emblem title) that was never released in the UK (which made me equal parts sad and angry). I still plan to get Okamiden and Kirby’s Epic Yarn as well as Sin and Punishment – Successor of the Skies, a game still left over from 2010, as soon as I can afford them. However I won’t let my woeful lack of new game acquisitions stop me from announcing my Game of the Year. Ideally I’d like to wait until I’ve reviewed every 2011 release I have managed to get my hands on before declaring my decision but this is the first of five annual posts I have in the pipeline and I don’t want them to get backed up. Plus I don’t think there’s much chance of the four games with reviews pending (Super Mario 3D Land, Mario Kart 7, Star Fox 64 3D and Xenoblade Chronicles) supplanting either of my choices for GOTY and runner-up. So without further ado…

Rose Red Prince’s 2011 Game of the Year

The Legend of Zelda – Skyward Sword (Wii)

As you may have guessed from my Skyward Sword review I like Zelda quite a lot. Each new instalment is the cause of much fevered anticipation and this time was no different. Skyward Sword may have had its shortcomings but it was still a massively high quality experience packed with innovation and excitement built on a strong foundation of new and existing gameplay mechanics. The big draw was the brilliantly realised Wii Motion Plus sword combat which singlehandedly vindicated motion controls as a legitimate part of hardcore gaming but the game made bold steps in other areas too introducing a host of new concepts and focusing on diversity for a varied, compulsive experience. The bold, impressionistic art style, orchestrated soundtrack, increased difficulty and massive length all went towards a hugely satisfying package that should not have left any stalwart fans feeling short-changed. A worthy, if predictable winner. Read my full review here.

Runner-up: The Legend of Zelda – Ocarina of Time 3D (3DS)

It’s going to be an interesting year ahead for Nintendo with the 3DS gathering pace and a slew of big new titles on the way. The handheld faces stiff competition from Sony’s PlayStation Vita which launches soon and with Smart Phone gaming proving more and more lucrative it looks like Nintendo might not have it all their own way this time around. The big new development however is the Wii U which is set for release in the second half of the year. Nintendo’s first HD console will have to be very special indeed if it is to keep up with rival machines with Microsoft set to reveal the successor to the Xbox 360 at E3. Promising a renewed focus on core gamers and online functionality and with pioneering new technology the company might have enough to beat the highly-stacked odds. No first party games have been unveiled as yet and the final specs and complete functionality of the machine remain unknown but with great strides being made with the 3DS’ online features and industry insiders making promising noises the signs are good. I’ll be revealing my Top Ten Most Anticipated Games of 2012 in due course.

As always 2011 never saw me going without a good book to read either in bed, during lunch breaks, on the train (including, newly, the London Underground) or wherever the urge takes me. The year marked the end of an era with the sad death of Brian Jacques aged 71. Brian’s work on the Tales of Redwall inspired my lifelong dream to be an author and though the quality of his long-running series dropped off in his later years they are books that will always keep a fond place in my heart. I am still working my way through the series one by one, something I’ve been doing since 2010 and with seven books still to finish they’re set to keep me occupied for some time to come. Once again I didn’t read a single book published in the preceding twelve months so instead my Book of the Year and runner-up are the best titles I discovered for the first time in 2011.

Rose Red Prince’s 2011 Book of the Year

High Rhulain – Brian Jacques

After a succession of so-so additions to the Redwall saga this little doozy popped up and rediscovered a little bit of what made the series so special to begin with. Featuring an effortlessly likeable heroine backed up by a diverse and balanced cast of memorable characters and a refreshing focus on adventure High Rhulain turned out to be the most eventful and enjoyable title since The Legend of Luke and a possible indicator of Jacques starting to find his form again. I’ll have to plough on through the last few tales to see if it was a one-off or the start of a Renaissance. Either way it qualifies for my Book of the Year. Read my full review here.

Runner-up – The Borrowers Afloat – Mary Norton

Hopefully I should be able to get the last handful of Redwall titles reviewed by 2013 so you can expect more of Jacques’ work to feature on the site in the coming months but I’ll be sure to spice things up and read the odd book by other authors at some point, maybe.

It’s been an odd year for films with few standout blockbuster releases that achieved critical acclaim to match ticket sales. With dull predictability, movies like Transformers – Dark of the Moon and Pirates of the Caribbean – On Stranger Tides both made worldwide gross of 10 digits as did the rather more deserving Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2. But it was darker, more artistic films that found the most praise from critics with films like Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Drive and We Need to Talk about Kevin among the most revered. Animation is my big thing and it’s been a decent twelve months with corkers like Disney’s Tangled, Spielberg’s The Adventures of Tintin – The Secret of the Unicorn and Ghibli’s Arrietty leading the way ahead of good sequels like Kung Fu Panda 2 and Cars 2 (which no-one seemed to like but me). I’ve seen enough films last year to make a list of my Top Ten Films of 2011 so you can expect to see that in the near future.

There are lots of exciting films on the way in 2012 including some major heavyweight franchises. In the world of animation it looks like this year could turn out to be something of a Renaissance for stop-motion, which makes me very happy indeed. Instead of going into detail here let me invite you to check back soon for my Top Ten Most Anticipated Films of 2012.

And what about me? I’m already working hard to get ahead and make some career progress and am pursuing a number of different options. I haven’t written for either of my two novels in a while but, time permitting, should be getting back on that horse soon too. My New Year’s Resolution this time last year was to go to the cinema more often. I definitely kept that one. This year I’m resolving to be bolder in everything I do. So get used to that. And get used to this blog’s crisp new look too.

Game Review: The Legend of Zelda – Ocarina of Time 3D (3DS)

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3DS, adventure, Ganon, Ganondorf, GREZZO, Link, Nintendo, Ocarina of Time, The Legend of Zelda, The Legend of Zelda - Ocarina of Time, The Legend of Zelda - Ocarina of Time 3D, Zelda

The onset of the 3D era in the mid-nineties was arguably the most exciting period in the progression of the video game industry. Gamers used to exploring worlds in two dimensions found themselves in unknown territory as they entered the third. The earliest 3D games look crude and are typically unwieldy to control today but at the time there had never been anything quite like moving a blocky, polygonal character around an open space. The boundaries had changed and video games as a medium seemed to have opened up and matured with limitless possibilities. All the same this was unexplored territory for developers and many early 3D titles suffered from a slew of control issues. The industry needed a standard-bearer to show the way by building a template for gameplay and design when creating games for 3D environments. That game arrived in the form of Super Mario 64.

With its analogue interface, intelligent camera controls and imaginative level design Super Mario 64 became the new benchmark against which all 3D games were measured, inspiring innumerable copycats. It was fitting that such an important game should have starred the portly plumber since it was Mario who revitalised the sliding industry with Super Mario Bros. on the NES. This transition from 2D to 3D that Mario made so effortlessly proved much trickier for some classic franchises however. Big names like Sonic and Castlevania encountered big problems when trying to make the jump leaving space for new players to occupy their market share. Most of Nintendo’s major franchises including Mario Kart and F-Zero made successful transitions but there was one property above all that was attracting the most attention with its first foray into the third dimension.

Since its unveiling in 1995 the next chapter in the Legend of Zelda saga was the focus of much anticipation among gamers everywhere, particularly series fans anxious to return to Hyrule after a very long wait since A Link to the Past and the Game Boy’s Link’s Awakening. That wait would have to continue – originally planned as a Nintendo 64 launch title the game saw numerous delays which only served to build the hype. Finally, missing its intended release date by more than two years the game entitled The Legend of Zelda – Ocarina of Time was finally released and it surpassed all of the lofty expectations that were riding on it.

Ocarina of Time wowed gamers worldwide with its epic quest that excelled in every aspect of video game design. The story was sweeping and fantastical, filled with unforgettable characters and genuine twists. The graphics were the most detailed and realistic of any console game to date. The immersive sound design completely sold players the sense of being in a believable ambient world. The soundtrack remains one of the most beloved of all time at turns soaring, atmospheric, quirky and mysterious. The difficulty level was perfectly judged combining threatening enemies and huge bosses with fiendish and innovative puzzles in the brilliantly designed dungeons. Most importantly the gameplay was unparalleled, taking all of the conventions of classic Zelda and making them work in three dimensions, pioneering concepts that would become industry standards such as automatic jumping, horseback riding and the game’s crowning glory, Z-targeting. The game became the darling of critics and gamers alike and remains to this day the most critically acclaimed title ever made.

For me the reason Ocarina of Time stands out above everything else the industry has created is the fact that it was the first game that made me feel like I was going on a real adventure. The various elements combined to create the most immersive, beguiling experience I have ever had with a game. There is nothing like crossing the beautiful Hyrule Field with its infectious theme lifting your heart or stepping into its labyrinthine dungeons to lose yourself. Other games have drawn me in, inspiring me to spend hours on end in their fictitious worlds but Ocarina of Time did it first and did it best. It is my absolute favourite game and probably always will be.

Someday I’ll review Ocarina of Time properly but for now there’s the question of this remake. The title has seen numerous re-releases over the years including the remixed Master Quest which featured tougher enemies and reworked dungeons that offered a greater challenge than ever but by far the most significant reissue so far is this handheld edition. To call it a remake is not strictly correct as we’re essentially getting the same game again with better graphics, streamlined presentation and interface and stereoscopic 3D so a better way to describe it would be an enhanced port. All the same The Legend of Zelda – Ocarina of Time 3D is the most worthwhile and entertaining port you could possibly hope for.

Since half of this game’s target audience is those unlucky gamers who missed the original N64 release in 1998 it seems prudent to offer a refresher. The Legend of Zelda – Ocarina of Time is an action based fantasy adventure set in the mysterious and beautiful open world of Hyrule and casts you as Link, a member of the child-like Kokiri living in Kokiri Forest, the only one of his kind not to have his own guardian fairy and beset by nightmares of a man in black. The guardian spirit of the forest, the Great Deku Tree sends Navi the fairy to summon Link and requests that he fight to break the curse placed on him by an evil man of the desert before sending him away from the forest in search of the princess living in Hyrule Castle who will help him fight against the antagonist.

So you set off on a sweeping adventure that combines exploration, combat and puzzle solving. Much of the world is open to you from the start allowing very free flowing progression as you take time out from the main quest to find secrets and complete side quests. As the story progresses and you traverse the numerous dungeons you build up an arsenal of weapons and items including series staples such as the bow, boomerang and hookshot as well as new creations like bombchus, deku nuts and magic beans. You also gain two ocarinas over the course of the story including the titular Ocarina of Time with which you can manually play various mysterious melodies that have magical effects from causing rainstorms to changing day and night. Enemies are everywhere and can be fought with one of several swords and shields you gather on your journey or by using your inventory weapons. Just as troublesome are the puzzles which are frequent and imaginative especially in the dungeons and make imaginative use of your many items throughout.

The game world and everything you do in it has aged well, no doubt about it. Everything has its place, every side quest makes sense yet the game challenges you to go out of your way in pursuit of them, the level design remains highly engaging, the dungeons powerfully atmospheric mazes that make you feel like you’re in an antagonistic fortress, a lion’s den at all times. The characters are still loveable, quirky and well-placed, at once driving the narrative and encouraging you to take time to get to know them. Hyrule is still a huge, flawlessly designed world, convincingly full of life, a joy to explore always seeming to contain more to discover. The plot is still full of mystery and little touching moments full of heart, hinting at a deeper mythology than the game ever explicitly reveals. It’s a fantasy world that will hold you in raptures without ever feeling too detached, it’s a friendly, inviting place even when it’s full of monsters.

Of course these are all of the things that remain unchanged and timeless about the original title so let’s look at what’s new. The graphics have received a sharp upgrade, objects are detailed and smooth, textures full of colour and depth, the lighting subtler than before and many environments have received a revitalising facelift. Character models have benefited a great deal from the technical facelift and now resemble the game’s original character art more than ever, NPCs such as Saria, Kaepora Gaebora the owl and Princess Zelda herself look like how the original development team would have wanted to make them look had they had more advanced tech. The interiors of buildings and shops in particular are much improved, convincingly filled with foreground objects and papers attached to walls lending the places deeper variety and life. Everything everywhere looks better than ever before and somehow GREZZO, the dev trusted with the project have managed to maintain the unique sense of immersion despite translating the world to a handheld screen. It’s a gorgeous game.

Check out my Top Ten Zelda Dungeons post for an image of this moment in the original and you'll see the difference in graphical quality.

It’s this aesthetic enhancement that has always been the most tantalising prospect of the 3DS edition of the game. The greatest joy to be had whilst playing for a long time fan is rediscovering old areas of the world and seeing how they’ve been improved. It’s a simple, satisfying pleasure to see the sun hanging low over Kakariko Village, the improved detail and clarity of the market or the sheer immensity of the Desert Colossus all polished up and presented in such gorgeous pastels. GREZZO have done an admirable job of updating the visuals without losing the soul of the game’s style. This is definitely Ocarina of Time and it has, perhaps obviously, never looked better.

Then there’s the interface which is clearly different and mostly improved. The bottom touch screen is used brilliantly displaying most of the important information such as life and magic meters, freeing the upper screen of clutter and also features a permanent map. You can easily access the various subscreens by touching the appropriate tabs on the touch screen. Assigning items to buttons can be done either with the cursor and D-Pad or Circle Pad or by touch and is a smoother experience than before. The button configuration has been improved but still feels very familiar. Z-targeting is now L-targeting and the R trigger still brings up the shield, B and A swing your sword and perform context sensitive actions respectively just as before. X and Y are used for items that can be assigned to them and there are a further two hotspot buttons on the touch screen for two more items. The Ocarina has its own permanent hotspot and can played using three of the face buttons and both shoulder buttons or on the touch screen. The iron and hover boots are now assignable items allowing for quick use at the touch of a button, a design choice made with Water Temple in mind and yes, it does make exploring that dungeons watery depths a lot less hassle not to have to pause the game every time you want to put on or take off the iron boots.

Every action controls just as well as ever and remains intuitive throughout and it feels like you’re playing the same perfectly balanced game. A new addition is the use of the gyro sensor for first person aiming which involves you moving the system around to point at your target and is actually very accurate but makes maintaining the 3D sweet spot tricky. Which leads me neatly to the stereoscopic 3D and I can happily say that I was right in assuming that Super Street Fighter IV – 3D Edition was not the best game to judge the feature against. Playing with the 3D slider at max adds huge depth to the world and adds an extra layer of immersion despite the slight frame rate drop. Seeing the fireflies of Kokiri Forest floating around in open space is great and the effect makes Hyrule Field seem more real and huge than ever. It’s really worth playing through the game with the 3D permanently on. Gameplay-wise it adds very little but it does make the best use of the pop-out effect I’ve seen on the system so far namely when Link gains a new item and holds it up – it really looks like the item is floating just outside the screen.

The game also introduces a hint system that seems to be in vogue in Nintendo games these days. If you get stuck you can access innumerable hint movies from the Sheikah Stones in Kokiri Forest and the Temple of Time. These movies point you in the right direction without explicitly showing you how to solve a puzzle and can be a useful reminder if you’ve got stuck into a side quest and forgotten what it is you’re supposed to be doing. Knowing the game as well as I do I didn’t need to make use of them more than to just see what the little movies are like and many gamers will choose to ignore them in favour of striving for the satisfaction of solving a problem without help but it’s the kind of feature younger, less experienced or less able players will no doubt appreciate.

Everything about the game has recent a new coat of paint to make it fresh again but the sound has probably received the least attention. I had hoped for a full orchestral remix of the entire soundtrack but the same arrangements as before remain although they’ve been cleaned up and sound better than ever. It’s a slightly disappointing oversight but it’s a mark of the brilliance of the soundtrack that it still sounds superb and is a joy to listen to. As far as additional features go, there’s no Streetpass or online support but there is a new boss rush mode that lets you tackle the game’s end of dungeon behemoths in succession and work towards improved times but more important is the inclusion of the remixed Master Quest with its altered dungeons and greater challenge although some may be disappointed to find that it’s not available until you’ve completed the game once. Still, this is an absolutely packed game full of content. If you know Hyrule like I do you can get through the main quest in under twenty hours but newbies will take a lot longer and whatever your completion time is it will increase significantly if you try to hunt down all of the heart pieces and Gold Skulltulas and that’s before we even consider Master Quest. Plus it’s just such a wonderful game that many will want to experience the whole thing again and again.

Playing Ocarina of Time the first time around all those years ago is the best experience I’ve ever had with a game. No matter how good a re-release is it can never recreate the joy of that first time but Ocarina of Time 3D is nonetheless an absolutely mesmerising experience for a gamer who has seen everything Hyrule has to offer. It is probably newcomers who will get the most out of the game though but since the flesh of the game is thirteen years old it still cannot have the same impact as it did in 1998. But this is Ocarina of Time after all and the quality speaks for itself. There is nothing better to play on the 3DS and probably never will be. As it was with the GBA and DS the best thing to play on Nintendo’s latest console is a game designed for home console but that’s no reason why you should ignore it. If you are in any doubt just remember that this game is still considered by so many the best ever made and in an industry that advances as quickly as this that’s not a fact you should take lightly. The Legend of Zelda – Ocarina of Time 3D is a phenomenal title that really invigorates the N64 original and reminds us all why we play video games and shines a light for escapist entertainment, fantasy storytelling and interactivity like so few can.

Verdict

Returning to Hyrule in 3D with improved graphics was always going to be a massive treat but GREZZO have made it utterly fantastic with every design decision they have made. If you have any love of the series, action games or video games generally and especially if you’ve never played the game before, take the journey and allow yourself to be transported. Simply magical.

Presentation – 9

Design – 10

Gameplay – 10

Graphics – 9

Sound – 9

Difficulty – 8

Longevity – 10

Overall

9.7

Top Ten Most Anticipated Games of 2011

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Fire Emblem, Kirby, Kirby's Epic Yarn, Mario, Mario Kart, Mario Kart 3DS, Metal Gear Solid, Metal Gear Solid Snake Eater 3D, Okamiden, Paper Mario, Paper Mario 3DS, Starfox, Starfox 64 3D, Street Fighter, Super Street Fighter IV 3D Edition, The Legend of Zelda - Ocarina of Time 3D, The Legend of Zelda - Skyward Sword, Zelda

I love a good top ten, they’re geeky but fun. My first top ten concerns the ten games I’m most looking forward to in the coming year and will be a regular feature year by year. The following ten games hold huge appeal with me one way or another. I’ve had to cut out quite a few to keep it down to ten including Kid Icarus Uprising, Professor Layton and the Mask of Miracle and Pilotwings Resort but that just means the list itself is made up of nothing but gold.

10. Kirby’s Epic Yarn (Wii)

Though this title has been out in other territories for a while we’re having to wait until Spring for it in Europe. Kirby has always been a bit of an odd-one-out for Nintendo. His cute looks belie deep gameplay and often a great deal of challenge in his games but he’s never really starred in anything that has set the gaming world alight. That said there’s been quite a buzz about this latest offering which was unveiled at last year’s E3. The big draw here is the visuals which follow Paper Mario’s lead and describe a world made entirely out of fabric with all the characters including Kirby existing as nothing more than string outlines. This 2D side-scroller, while apparently very easy looks very charming and inventive and just makes the top ten.

9. Super Street Fighter IV – 3D Edition (3DS)

The exciting prospect on the hardware front for 2011 is, of course, the 3DS, which launches on March the 25th. I’ve got mine preordered along with a copy of this port of the latest title in the world’s foremost fighting series. This 3D release will feature all the characters and modes present in its console forbears and the unique visual style has been brilliantly recreated for the smaller screen and the steroescopic 3D. With a host of new content including support for the console’s street pass feature it’s apparent that this is no cheap cash-in and Capcom have really given the project attention. It’s quite likely that this will be the first new game I play this year so you can expect my review probably in April.

8. Metal Gear Solid Snake Eater 3D (3DS)

The first of no fewer than four remakes to make the list Konami’s big name entry for the 3DS in 2011 is this retread of the third in their massively succesful Metal Gear series, one I’ve wanted to be able to play for years but been unable to due to not having the right hardware. With the rpomise of plenty of new content to flesh out the original experience including gameplay ideas implemented in Metal Gear Solid 4 this promises to be one of the highlights of the 3DS’s inaugural year. If not for the fact that the game is still a bit of an unknown quantity for me it might have been higher on the list.

7. Mario Kart 3DS (3DS)

The announcement of this game was no surprise to anyone. Nintendo’s evergreen kart racing series has made an appearence on every one of their consoles since the SNES (and the GBA where handhelds are concerned) and this latest version is likely to become one of the best-selling games for the compaany this year. Obviously improvements in graphical power and the inclusion of 3D will be the attraction for this latest offering but I’m hopeful that Nintendo will put more effort into it than that and give the game decent one-player depth, perhaps something to emulate the adventure mode of my favourite kart racer the N64′s Diddy Kong Racing. Whatever happens though it’s bound to be immense fun and feature some of the best multiplayer around.

6. Paper Mario 3DS (3DS)

There’s nothing Nintendo’s mascot can’t turn his hand to. The plumber’s many RPGs have been popular since they began with the Square-developed Super Mario RPG on the SNES. Since then he’s moved onto two further RPG series, Paper Mario on home consoles and Mario and Luigi on handhelds. That balance is being upset now as Paper Mario crosses over to the 3DS with an all-new title that promises to return to the robust role-playing roots of the series after the platform-oriantated Wii installment Super Paper Mario. The 3D visuals will no doubt prove particularly effective here with the paper-thin characters and with some new gameplay ideas being implemented this looks set to be another addictive and amusing entry in a stellar series.

5. Fire Emblem (DS)

The 3DS may be dominating this list somewhat but there’s life in its predecessor yet. This latest entry in the uber-addictive Fire Emblem series has been out in Japan for months and there is some doubt as to whether or not it will be localised for Europe but if it is I’ll be jumping right on it. The follow-up to the Fire Emblem – Shadow Dragon, the subject of my first ever game review, this game is another remake of another early title and features similar graphics and presentation as well as an all-new feature that allows you to create your own character for your army. I’m very hopeful this will make it over here some time this year, it will probably have to be this year because the arrival of the 3DS is likely to spend the end of the DS. Here’s hoping the game makes it.

4. Starfox 64 3D (3DS)

Although it’s a little disappointing that we’re not getting an all new Starfox game, a remake of this classic is the best consolation prize you could ask for. Starfox 64, known as Lylat Wars in the UK was one of the best games for the N64 featuring action-packed, well-balanced gameplay and the most quotable script in viseo game history. Obviously we’re getting a graphical enhancement here but it’s accompanied by a completely re-recorded voice soundtrack which we can only hope lives up to the huge entertainment value of the wonderfully cheesy original. What new content there is has yet to be detailed but even if Nintendo just repackage the same old title it will be worth a play.

3. Okamiden (DS)

This could well be the DS’s swansong. Okamiden is the sequal to the critically-acclaimed, woefully overlooked PS2 and Wii classic Okami, an action adventure title featuring gorgeously stylised cel-shaded visuals and Zelda-esque gameplay and structure. Of all the Zelda clones down the years it was by far the best and this follow-up will push the DS hardware to its limits to recreate the vibrant world first seen in the original. With the DS touchscreen perfectly suited to the Celestial Brush and the best 3D graphics I’ve seen on the system I’m hopeful that this may prove to be the DS’s best game when it’s released.

2. The Legend of Zelda – Ocarina of Time 3D (3DS)

When I first learned of the existence of this game I started hyperventilating. The Legend of Zelda – Ocarina of time remains my absolute favourite game, thirteen years after it was released for the N64. Never before had a game managed to make me really feel like I was going on a real adventure and never since has any title brought me as much joy. I’ve given up hope of ever playing another game that could better it so I’m delirious that the game is finding its way onto the 3DS. Again we’re getting updated visuals but in addition to that the game will feature a more streamlined menu interface. Hopefully there will be substancial new content to get stuck into as well such  as the two dungeons planned for the original that were scrapped. Hope springs eternal but as with Starfox I’ll be more than happy with nothing more than a staright port.

1. The Legend of Zelda – Skyward Sword (Wii)

The Ocarina remake may be a massively big deal but there’s nothing that excites me more than the prospect of an all new Zelda home console title. Yes Skyward Sword’s unveiling at last year’s E3 was marred by technical problems but as far as I’m concerned only idiots cite that as reason why the final game will disappoint. It’s not like it was designed to be played on a big stage in front of scores of media people packing interfering hardware and Nintendo has always done right by the franchise. That’s not to say there aren’t concerns, as much as I love the Renoir-inspired impressionistic art style the graphical quality needs a tune-up and some of the enemy design could be better but the fact is we’ve seen next to nothing of the game. Nintendo will get the Motion Plus swordplay right, I know they will and with Eiji Aounuma promising that this game will see the biggest shake-up of the structure there’s a lot to look forward to here. This is without any doubt the most likely contender to land the title of 2011 Game of the Year.