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10 top Nintendo 3DS indie games you need to own
Because some of the best games for Ninty’s handheld don’t come on a cartridge.
10 top Nintendo 3DS indie games you need to own
© Nintendo/Roll7
Nintendo may be having a tough time of it of late, but you wouldn’t know it looking at its handheld library. The Nintendo 3DS is more than four years old and still going strong, and plays home to many tip-top adventures and in-depth games ranging from The Legend of Zelda to Xenoblade Chronicles 3D – but if you only played boxed games on your clamshell, you’re still missing out on some of the best games on the system.
Nintendo’s online eShop is home to some top indie games, many of which are exclusive to the console including some of the most groundbreaking and downright weird indie titles to ever grace any platform. Relax though, we’ve got your back, as we’ve done the hard work for you: join us as we take a look at 10 top indie titles you need to take for a spin if you haven’t already.
OlliOlli
Roll7 has been on a killer streak as of late, not only launching its side-scrolling skateboard sequel OlliOlli 2: Welcome to Olliwood on PlayStation 4 and Vita, but bringing its original controller-smashing title to even more platforms, including your trusty Nintendo 3DS. The handheld’s dual screens suit the skating game well, giving you a quick look at your stats, tricktionary and objectives, and the game’s buttery smooth on the 3DS, complemented by some solid controls – they might leave your Circle Pad in a bit of a mess down the line but that’s only because you’ll have played it too much.
Gunman Clive 2
Side scrolling shoot ‘em ups are enjoying a resurgence as of late, and one title that’s given a fresh spin on things is Gunman Clive – and its sequel is even better. Playing just like classic side-scrollers like Mega Man, Gunman Clive transports you to the wild wild west, giving you a classic adventure romp that has you taking down bandits in an effort to chase down the first game’s bad guy. It looks sublime, thanks to its drawn-pencil-style visuals and linen-paper aesthetic, now with added colours, and it handles incredibly well too. Grab it from the eShop, take it on the move with you, and save the day.
Shovel Knight
One of a rare breed of Kickstarter games to wind up on Nintendo’s handheld, Shovel Knight is very nearly perfect. It’s a homage to the classic NES sidescrolling platformers you loved growing up, with a banging chiptune soundtrack, a Super Mario Bros. 3 style map and a hilarious script that never quite takes itself seriously, which is just as well since the game is about a spade wielding chevalier.
But just as we remember the past through rose tinted specs, Yacht Club Games have updated Shovel Knight for modern sensibilities, removing everything that was terrible about 8-bit gaming: there are no infuriating limited lives, and you can adjust the difficulty to how you see fit by deliberately avoiding health upgrades and smashing checkpoints for extra dosh. The 3DS’s touchscreen also makes switching between weapons (or relics, as they’re called) much easier – if you have both consoles, pick the game up here rather than on Wii U.
Azure Striker Gunvolt
While we wait for Mighty No. 9 to come out of its Kickstarter-funded cocoon, Inti Creates’ Azure Striker Gunvolt is one side-scrolling shooter that’ll keep you busy until Keiji Inafune’s creation is ready to roll. The 3DS indie title sports the same sort of side-scrolling shoot ‘em up gunplay that Inti Creates is known for from its work on the Mega Man Zero and ZX franchises, but Gunvolt adds another layer of complexity to the mix, letting you ‘tag’ enemies and unleash lightning on them, leading to massive chains of destruction. Not for the faint of heart, Gunvolt’s a dastardly difficult title, but well worth the blocks on your SD Card.
Cave Story
Perhaps the slowest burning indie game of all time, Cave Story has built up some amazing momentum since its initial release as a freeware PC game more than a decade ago. The quirky platform shooter – which owes a heavy debt to Metroid – has seen releases on Nintendo Wii and DSi before, but is now available to play again all over on 3DS. Creator Daisuke "Pixel" Amaya has infused the game with a great soundtrack and a great narrative – not bad for a game given away for free. There is a cartridge version of the game, Cave Story 3D, but it’s out of print and rarer than a Mario game on Xbox – grab the original from the eShop instead.
Runny Egg
Crack an egg open and you get a runny goo, right? Well, that’s not quite what this quirky indie title is about, as instead, you play as an egg with legs that needs to run its way through 16 tough and twisting levels that have multiple choices for you to weave around all while collecting ducks. Watch out for enemies which could crack your shell, battle bosses and even roll your way to the end of the game if you gather enough speed – we just hope our title hero doesn’t end up on our plate.
Shantae and the Pirate's Curse
WayForward Technologies and Inti Creates have joined forces again to bring the latest Shantae adventure to life, and it’s on your Nintendo 3DS. You take the role of the half-genie Shantae, and it’s up to you to venture across the world, don pirate gear and foil the evil Pirate master in a vivid, cartoony world that oozes style. The side scrolling platformer looks superb, with fully realised levels, polished animations and vibrant colours, all joined by spot-on controls that feel just right. And even better, there’s already a sequel on the way. Grab it.
Siesta Fiesta
Sure, it looks a little bit like classic arcade staple Breakout, and plays like it too, but Siesta Fiesta puts a modern day spin on the formula with colourful and vibrant visuals, solid controls and 64 increasingly difficult levels for you to crack on with. You play as a tiny, slumbering child called Siesta, who visits Fiestaville, home to colourful-looking creatures called, of course, Fiestas as you tour the world and beat its levels. Siesta becomes the bouncy ball, while you take control of the bed to fire him at the game’s blocks, and its sidescrolling levels put a different spin on things. Don’t forget the boss battles too, which take the form of giant animal piñatas that you have to break, and you have yourself a quirky Breakout clone that’s refreshingly decent.
Heart Beaten
We’re all for weird games, but Heart Beaten takes the cake for being one of the strangest we’ve seen yet. More of a series of minigames like the WarioWare series rather than a straight-up single indie title, Heart Beaten throws 15 epic challenges your way as you shoot down a declaration of love to crush a poor chap’s heart, with each game representing that break-up: you’ll crush hearts in a side-scrolling shooter, run ‘em over in a driving mini game or simply kick and punch them in a Street Fighter-style to just say no. Heart breakingly addictive.
Cut The Rope
Yes, you’ve probably played it before. You’ve probably played the sequel through as well, and for free. On the off-chance you haven’t though, this really is a game that deserves your attention: ZeptoLab’s charming creation Nom is a hungry and rather expectant little critter who does absolutely nothing to deserve candy, but requires it anyway. Your task is to cut ropes, pop balloons and prod whoopie cushions to guide the candy into his gob with the power of gravity. It’s best played on a touchscreen smartphone, but if you’re rocking a classic candybar in your pocket instead of an iPhone or Android, it’s worth the price of admission.
