Games Radar Weekly Roundup: 20/04/2013

Hey everyone, this week we have a look ahead to what you need to know about the new 3DS Zelda title and Mario and Luigi:Dream Team.

First up is the Legend of Zelda 3DS. A friend of mine posted a screenshot on facebook, with no words; just this unassuming image of Link chopping at some grass. “What is this image?” I asked her, assuming it was some Link to the Past or something on an emulator. “The new 3DS Zelda game” she responded. And I’ve been in a permanent state of (0_0) ever since.

This…will be awesome. It looks like the old gameboy versions, it’s entirely unlike (which is neither good nor bad) the Wind Waker cell-shaded style, and from what I could tell, it will recapture all of the joys and frustrations of the earlier titles. Which will undoubtedly delight Zelda fans, including myself (and my friend). I had already come across the GR article before the roundup, so I’m glad I had to chance to share my excitement. People, this is going to be awesome, and it’s going to be awesome around Holiday-release time this year.

Mario and Luigi: Dream Team looks interesting. The previous entry in the franchise, Bowser’s Inside Story, was a solid marriage of 2D and 3D gameplay; with the same developer making Dream Team, it seems we’re going to get more of the same (which is awesome). The combo attacks are now called Luiginary (try saying THAT 10 times fast…), although there hasn’t been much mention of whether the upgrade system with badges and points from previous entries will return (I hope it does).

The screenshots in the GR article really give a lot of personality to the gameplay, and it’s got me really excited. And with the narrative, I’m glad that Luigi gets a chance to have more of a 1Player/Hero role than usual. On a list of Most Underrated Heroes, Luigi would be Top 5, easily. It’s also important to note that the game is slated for a Fall 2013 release, which is surprising given it’s announcement in Febrary; either the dev team at Alpha Dream is huge, insanely fast, or has been working on this since before the announcement. However you slice it, this game is shaping up to be another fun adventure in the Mario and Luigi franchise.

That’s it for this week. It seems that this year is a great time to be a 3DS owner; you have a slew of classic franchises coming out with new and unique games to complement the already nostalgia-heavy roster of the 3DS. Keep an eye out for these games, they’re sure to be must-have titles.