Let’s face it, you don’t need 3D to play Tetris. The classic action puzzle game that requires quick decision-making just hasn’t evolved. It saddens me to see a poison mushroom next to this game’s name, because I have always liked Tetris. I’ve played it on more consoles and devices than any other game. Despite already owning Tetris DS, Tetris on my phone, my iPod, my calculator, and my dog, I decided to give Tetris Axis a spin. I was disappointed and would not recommend it to anyone unless you have no other way of playing Tetris, and you can get it for less than the DS version. Sure, Tetris Axis has many game modes, but my bet is that you are most likely to play either Marathon mode or Fever mode. Marathon is classic play-’til-you-die, and Fever is a one-minute points grab. The other modes range from gimmicky to sort of fun. I do like that you can play multiplayer with only one copy of the game by using download play. Still, avoid this title, as the 3D effect and the always-dancing-on-the-lower-screen Mii do not add to the Tetris experience.

This game is a must-have for 3DS owners. It has the same addictive racing gameplay as all of its predecessors. Sure, Nintendo isn’t reinventing the racing wheel here, but why should they? There are 16 new courses as well as 16 courses from previous games. New additions include a glider, a Tanooki tail for deflecting shells and hitting other racers, and a “7 item” block that gives you a star, red shell, and five other items to use right away. The karts can even be customized with different wheels and gliders. I have had a lot of fun playing single-player and local multiplayer. The only complaint I have is the online multiplayer. There is an element of luck to Mario Kart (mostly being lucky enough to avoid blue shells), and this hurts the online competitiveness. Also, Nintendo will not release a patch to the game even when there are glaring issues. The biggest glitch is in a course called Maka Wuhu where you can easily skip an entire third of the race! Players who exploit this will constantly vote to race on Maka Wuhu. Overall, Mario Kart 7 doesn’t take any big risks, but it doesn’t need to. I highly recommend this game.

The last couple of Mario games have been pretty hit-or-miss for me. Sure, New Super Mario Bros. Wii was fun as a group, but when I played alone, I found it boring. I felt the same about New Super Mario Bros. DS. Thankfully, Super Mario 3D Land completely breaks that record and manages to mesh together the fun of Super Mario World with full 3D. The game does a fantastic job of balancing fun, as the time limit in each world manages to be long enough that you get a good sense of your surroundings but short enough that you don’t get bored. The 3D in this game is also the best the 3DS has to offer. It serves a real purpose in the game; there are tons of things you’ll see while in 3D that you’d take no notice of in the game’s 2D mode. The only real downside of the game is that some of the bosses become tedious the more you fight them, but they play such a small role that it’s easy to overlook. Initially, Mario 3D seems short, but it offers enough replayability to ensure you’ll be coming back to this for a long time.

I’ll admit, I usually hate how games use 3D, but The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D does it perfectly. Seeing the Deku tree and the open plains of Hyrule in full 3D is both beautiful and breathtaking and will be sure to mesmerize every time. The gameplay as usual is the really fun Legend of Zelda standard fare, meaning you’ll be carving through Ganon’s minions while puzzling your way through dungeons to save the land of Hyrule. Not much has changed in this remake except that you now have the option to use motion controls to aim your slingshot/arrows at your targets. Not only does this work great, but it’s also a lot faster than using the normal controls to aim. The game also offers a wonderfully challenging Master Quest mode which pits you against much harder dungeons after you’ve conquered your first playthrough. Between the great gameplay and the beautiful use of 3D, Ocarina of Time 3D is the best thing on the 3DS right now, and you should definitely pick it up!