PixlBit

I think the 12-bit generation must've been one of the best.

Faux retro games are all the rage these days. Capturing the look, sounds, and feeling of the gaming days of yore has proved to be a successful formula for most of the companies that have tried it. Renegade Kid has given the subgenre a shot with their latest title, Mutant Mudds, to great success. Instead of modeling itself after the most popular NES games, it creates its own identity that merges ideas from all past generations and systems – even the Virtual Boy. This mash up of ideas comes together in a spectacular way, making it one of the best titles available today on the 3DS.

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A mix of improvements from the first elevate the mechanics, but changes to the core gameplay harm the overall experience.

I know I'm going to be in the overwhelming minority here, but I have seriously mixed feelings about Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando. On one hand, the game drastically improved upon some of my gameplay complaints from the original title, on the other, it went ahead and created a whole new set of problems. Lenghty fetch quests and far too many required mini-games made the game feel drawn out and the overwhelming combat drastically overshadowed the platforming. This hurt an important core element of the game leaving it unbalanced, unfocused, and devoid of an element of character it once had before.

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