10) Mario Kart 7 (25:55)
The seventh installment of the Mario Kart series drove onto my Nintendo 3DS with style, offering thirty-two tracks total to rev my engines on. My brother and I actually tag-teamed getting that much-heralded triple star rating on each cup-- new and retro. I spent a lot of time online, grinding for coins in order to unlock all of the kart bodies. I really hope Mario Kart 8 for Wii U has a shop to spend coins in instead of randomly unlocking kart pieces, many of which I ignored and disliked. That way I could get the kart parts I want when I want.
9) Mario Tennis Open (28:31)
I went to the Best Buy Experience, where a Nintendo rep was demonstrating the four E3 2013 demos that the company had in Los Angeles. While I didn't get to play any of the demos, I did get to have a lot of StreetPass action with folks there. Now, I have a full line of opponents that I'm ready to take on in Mario Tennis Open, among other games. While Mario Tennis Open is one of the weaker entries in the Mario Tennis series, I still found plenty of enjoyment out of the game.
8) Super Mario 3D Land (32:25)
You wouldn't believe how excited my brother and I were when we saw the announcement and accompanying first footage of Super Mario 3D World. Both of us loved Super Mario 3D Land, and we find it to be one of the best 3D Marios, flawlessly blending 2D and 3D Mario gameplay together in heavenly harmony. I started yet another new data in the game. That's how I know the game is special. I constantly am eager to replay it over and over again. I'm certain that with multiplayer in Super Mario 3D World on Wii U, my brother and I will be replaying that game repeatedly come December.
7) Fire Emblem: Awakening (32:45)
I joined Chrom and his merry men and women on a quest to save the planet from doom. Fire Emblem: Awakening delivered tactical RPG action that made me want to keep playing just one more battle. Of course, since I was a total newbie entering the franchise, I was total (as the kids say) "weaksauce" and played Casual mode on the easiest difficulty. The way I played the game, I'd only have four characters at the final battle! Not so much a strategic master am I... Regardless, I really enjoyed Fire Emblem: Awakening, and now I am pestering my brother to finally play through the game on his own.
6) Swapnote (34:17)
A lot of people have stopped swapping notes with the free Swapnote app on the Nintendo 3DS. Compared to Miiverse, Swapnote looks a high school student production. That notwithstanding, I continue to use Swapnote on a daily basis, as if my playtime didn't indicate that already. I am addicted to drawing pictures in 3D, sharing photos and accumulating as many new stationery as possible. There are plenty of limitations with Swapnote, which is why many have quit using the program. However, despite these limitations, I am still finding some fun out of the program.
5) New Super Mario Bros. 2 (37:38)
My brother and I spent an abnormal amount of time grinding coins to reach that one million mark. We're totally not going for 10 million, if that's what you're wondering. We are not that bad of masochists or gluttons for punishment. That said, New Super Mario Bros. 2 surprised me greatly. It offered a chance for the new guys to develop a 2D Mario, and I actually found the level design more creative and innovative than the veterans' effort on the Wii U. Yes, the game was easy, but I really enjoyed what I played. My brother can vouch for me, too.
4) Paper Mario: Sticker Star (47:35)
While Paper Mario: Sticker Star is on the low end of greatest Mario RPG titles, my brother and I still enjoyed what we played of this Nintendo 3DS exclusive. The removal of experience points turned a lot of players off, and Shigeru Miyamoto's insistence that no new characters should be introduced also ticked some people off, as well. Another problem with the game was the obtuse nature of some puzzles and bosses. As you can see, Paper Mario: Sticker Star had a lot wrong with it, but it was still a fun and engaging adventure from beginning to end.
3) Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance (63:52)
Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance is the lead up game to Kingdom Hearts III, so it is recommended playing. That's not the only reason I recommend it-- it's also just a fantastic action RPG. While the Final Fantasy characters were replaced with folks from The World Ends With You, the Disney part of the Kingdom Hearts equation brought with it extravagant new worlds, like those from The Hunchback of Notre Dame and Fantasia. Darn it-- now I want to play through the game again!
2) Kid Icarus: Uprising (66:35)
One of my favorite Nintendo 3DS games is one that my brother and I spent time essentially equally on, though we used separate save files, is Kid Icarus: Uprising. The return of Pit, Palutena, Medusa and many others was quite grand, and the epic flight sections, ground combat (that does take getting used to), and boss battles made for a game that I would love a sequel to. Kid Icarus: Uprising delivered one of the best soundtracks in a long time, beautiful 3D visuals and tons of replay value. Although our combined time total was 66:35, we didn't even scratch the surface of all that was possible in the game.
1) Animal Crossing: New Leaf (81:56)
To say the game at the number one spot is addicting would be an understatement. We've only had the game for less than two weeks, and Animal Crossing: New Leaf has already reached the top spot and over 80 hours of combined playtime. That is absolutely crazy. If you want to be submerged into a seemingly innocent world that will suck away your hours like they were seconds, then Animal Crossing: New Leaf is the game for you. Expect a full review of New Leaf at the end of this week.
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You might be wanting to compare play times from this month to our last look at which 3DS games got the most play. If you're one of those people, feel free to look at past lists here:
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