Here at Ballymena Today we remember gaming through the years. Pong? Commodore 64? Gameboy? We all had a console which when we got our hands on it was the most high tech exciting piece of kit we had ever seen. Do you remember when gaming looked like this?

Photo Credit: Betsy Weber; Creative Commons

Photo Credit: Betsy Weber; Creative Commons

The console may have changed but today kids are still as excited about gameplay as they ever were. I’m Rachel and I have a Nintendo 3DS. Here are my Top 3 Favourite 3DS Games This Year so far;

3. DONKEY KONG™ COUNTRY RETURNS 3D

donkey kongThe animals in Donkey Kong Island are being controlled by the evil tikis, who want Donkey Kong’s bananas in order to build weapons to CONQUER THE WORLD!!
But it’s more than that! You have to reach the very end of the game to finish it once and for all, by pulverising the one and only… Tiki Tong! It’s hard though, so it could take a while.
But don’t fret, because the Super Guide is always there to help you. Have you ever been on a level which you have been working on for over 10 minutes, and you’re still getting nowhere? Whenever the little pig guy (don’t ask) pops up with a little flag saying START on it, and if you feel you can’t do any more, hit the start button on your DS, and push ok. Then watch the Super Guide to do the level for you – you can also join in and replace him as soon as you want by pushing the START button.
This game is almost like another version of Super Mario Bros. There are about 8 worlds (and one bonus world) each with about 7 – 10 levels, which all have a ‘boss’ at the end. So you won’t get bored easily!
With great levels and a really catchy theme tune, who wouldn’t want to play it?

2. MARIO AND LUIGI DREAM TEAM BROS™

marioThis game is a follow-up to the previous game: Mario and Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story and it is based on the same layout. You control both Mario and Luigi (with the A+B button) around P’illo Island, trying to save the P’illos from the evil Bowser. But this time Bowser has an apprentice. A much more evil and sly apprentice, who is just as bad… ANTASMA‼ The P’illos (along with Prince Dreambert, who guides Mario and Luigi throughout the game) heroically trapped Antasma inside a dream, a long time ago, but at the last minute before Antasma was imprisoned, he turned all the innocent P’illos into stone, trapping them all inside their dreams.
So, centuries later, who comes along to save them all? Mario and Luigi, of course! Travel around P’illo Island saving P’illos from their dreams, go up dangerous mountains (Mount Pajama) to find treasure, make the Ultibed, test your skill both at fighting and in the Wakeport Contest and go into other dreams and watch Luigi get HUGE, and so much more! In order to know what I am talking about, have a look at the game and see what you think! It all makes sense when you know what it’s about! I found this game totally random and out-of-this-world crazy, which is what makes it so much fun!

1. KIRBY™: TRIPLE DELUXE

kirbyIn this game, there are 6 worlds, each with about 5 stages plus a boss level. Suck in your enemies and push down on the circle pad to receive their powers (only works on most enemies)! This is called copy ability, and there are 25 of them in total. And do you wonder why it’s called Kirby Triple Deluxe – because there is TRIPLE the fun! You can also move from the front to the background using a Warpstar, enabling you to find more treasure in the distance. Kirby can use the Hypernova ability to suck up or move gigantic objects, like giant trees, masses of enemies at once, and even (with a little trouble) whole big tanks as well.
There are also games in this game other than the normal Story Mode, such as Kirby Fighters, where you go in a tournament against other players to see if you can beat them. This also works for up to four people playing wirelessly. Another game is called King Dedede’s Drum Dash, where the King jumps up and down on big musical drums, while you have to keep hitting the right buttons at the right time (it’s trickier than it sounds). There are 3 levels, each one harder and more challenging than the previous. There is also a bonus level, if you get a gold medal (the best there is) in the first 3. I couldn’t get it, though. I only got a gold medal in the first, silver medal in the second level, and a bronze for the third and hardest, but I’m sure you could do better!
You can also collect Keychains in the levels. There are over 250 types of Keychains celebrating Kirby’s adventures. For example, if Kirby got a set of wings, in any level in any game, there could be a Keychain of him with wings, get it? Also, if you collect enough Keychains, not only does your game percentage go up, you may even get prizes!
This is my favourite game this year because it is really entertaining and also challenging as you go along the levels. I found it hard to put down, so it amazes me how I still found time for anything else‼ ☺

These are my top 3 favourite Nintendo 3DS games, so if you are into gaming, why not give these a go?