2012 has been packed full of blockbuster video game hits, and we’ve compiled a list of our favorites of the year.
Nintendo Land (Wii U)
Nintendo Land, sold separately and also included in the Nintendo Wii U Deluxe Set, is a collection of twelve mini-games starring some of your favorite Nintendo characters. The game uses the Wii U GamePad plus your television to create a “two-screen experience,” allowing the action on your GamePad to correspond with what’s occurring on the larger TV.
For example, in Mario Chase the person with the GamePad plays as Mario, and they have the advantage of seeing the entire level and everyone’s location on the map. Mario’s goal is to run away from up to four other players who have a more limited view of the action on the television. It’s an experience we’ve rarely had before in any video game, but it is some of the most fun we’ve had in a long time, conjuring up memories of the pure fun you’d have playing tag as a kid.
Games like The Legend of Zelda: Battle Quest have you don a bow and arrow, lifting your GamePad in front of you to aim arrows at oncoming bad guys. Captain Falcon’s Twister Race thrusts you into the fast-paced racing world of F-Zero, making you tilt the GamePad to avoid hazards that litter the futuristic track. We could go on describing these games, but this is truly a case of having to experience it to really appreciate it. Nintendo Land is an easy must-have for anyone with a Nintendo Wii U, and one of the top reasons to pick up the system.
