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Games
The amazing games you need to play in March
Every game you need to play this month. But especially Zelda.
Look, let’s be honest, if you haven’t already gone out and bought a paper calendar just for the satisfaction of circling March 3 in the fattest, reddest permanent marker you could find, you’re no gamer. It’s not just the Nintendo Switch that hits on that most glorious of Fridays; as well as a slate of launch exclusives, The Best Friday marks the arrival of a new Zelda, the first home console outing for Link since 2011.
Breath Of The Wild isn’t getting March all to itself though; titles from rivals are rushing out from the shadows to hack at its heels with a deku stick for your attention. And if you can stop clicking the Joy-Cons in and out of your brand new console for just a moment, you’ll find they’re definitely worth your time too. Let’s take a look.
Horizon Zero Dawn (PS4, March 1)
Dinosaurs! Robots! Dinosaurs that are robots! Guerilla Games’ second ever PlayStation 4 game is an epic adventure that smashes together old and new. You play as young hunter Aloy, who is trying to uncover the secrets of technology that humanity seems to have forgotten.
If you liked Far Cry Primal but secretly wished that some of the monsters would turn out to be the Dinobots from Transformers, this game is for you.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild (Switch, Wii U: March 3)
Open world Zelda that you can play at home on your HDTV or on the bus to work. What more could you want? Nintendo have made some sweeping changes with this new instalment – weapons break after overuse, crafting is essential and you won’t find rupees just lying on the ground anymore. That said, this is still the Zelda we know and love: sprawling, beautiful, intelligent and stuffed full of puzzles. Savour it.
1-2-Switch (Switch, 3 March)
You’re not alone in wondering why Nintendo isn’t bundling this collection of mini games in with the Switch by default. As a result, this is going to get overlooked like the uplifting French movie about an elderly couple in the banlieue learning to play tennis that comes out the same week as the next Fast And The Furious.
If you’ve just bought a Switch though, and are desperate to show off its capabilities to your friends, family or colleagues, 1-2-Switch is the perfect showcase, not least because many of the games don’t require you to even look at the screen. Just make sure you know your opponent well enough to suggest trying the udder milking mini game. They might take that the wrong way.
Super Bomberman R (Switch, March 3)
No huge surprises here, saving that Bomberman is still a thing. We’re glad that it is though; there are a few more exhilarating local multiplayer games to play with a group of friends. That group can expand to seven by the way, as Super Bomberman R supports eight-player multiplayer. Carnage.
Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 (Xbox One, PC: March 7)
Better late than never, Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 is finally available to play on both Xbox One and PC on March 7, continuing Capcom’s interest in bringing its fighting games to desktops. With Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite on the way later this year, there’s no better time to get reacquainted with the classic 2D fighter and its many, many heroes.
Nier: Automata (PS4, March 10)
We’re never quite sure which PlatinumGames we’re going to get these days. Will it be the studio that brought us Bayonetta, The Wonderful 101 and Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, or will it be the studio that murdered Star Fox on Wii U, and egested our childhood memories all over Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles?
We’re quietly positive it will be the former this time, especially with Square Enix on publishing duties, itself on a major creative roll currently. The pitch may not be much – you play as a robot fighting other robots and monsters – but we’re expecting inventive bosses and addictive fight systems nonetheless.
Star Trek: Bridge Crew (PS4, March 14)
The meatiest virtual reality game to be released for the PS4 since Rez Infinite, Ubisoft’s new Star Trek game is a novel idea, letting you walk around on the bridge of a starship, whereas most Star Trek games before have focused on macro strategy or shooting things. This, on the other hand, looks like the closest you’ll ever get to being in the show, with slow burning exploration and a Klingon threat promised.
Mass Effect: Andromeda (PS4, Xbox One, PC: March 23)
Expectations are always high for a BioWare game, but especially so when it comes to Mass Effect. For those who have managed to forget the original trilogy ended on something of a dour note with one of the most terrible video game endings of all time.
Mass Effect Andromeda isn’t a sequel, BioWare insist, but it clearly carries over many of the series’ traits, including that excellent fusion of gunplay and old-school RPG levelling up. With PS4 Pro support planned, expect this to be one of the most beautiful console games yet.
Kingdom Hearts 1.5 + 2.5 Remix (PS4, March 31)
Don’t let Square Enix fool you: Kingdom Hearts may be a role-playing game, but the real challenge these days is in figuring out what the numbering stands for, and which older Kingdom Hearts spin-offs Squenix has tossed together while the epochal wait for Kingdom Hearts 3 continues.
The meat of 1.5+2.5 Remix is – as best we can tell – the original two (superb) PS2 games remastered for PS4, but there’s a stack of extra content in there as well for serious fans, including a remake of a 3DS game as well as about a million years of extended cut scenes. Some duffers in there, for sure, but also some classic JRPG action as well.
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