I'm finishing the editing on the next episode of the Negative World Podcast, and I just bought Tappingo 2 for a mere $2.99 plus tax. This is leaving me with a whopping $6.24 left on my Nintendo Network wallet and with my 3DS already in the eShop, I'm in the mood for another handheld title. The question remains... which one!? Help me Negative World! (note I might wait to buy till more than just one or two votes come in so please do over the next day or two)

The Options!
1.) Kirby's Dream Land 2 - I've hated on the Kirby franchise before and while Kirby's Adventure was alright, it didn't blow me away. Still, the art on the eShop looks fun for Kirby's Dream Land 2 and I'm tempted for some reason.

2.) Shantae - I didn't back the new Kickstarter because I wasn't all too impressed with it, but then again I never even heard of the source material before. Perhaps I should drop the dough on a belly-baring gypsy girl who... runs around dodging enemies?

3.) Blaster Master - I've never played, and I stayed away from the sequel/remake/whatever. I hear this is an incredible game but I didn't really 'get' it when I looked into it once. Hell, I may have demoed it before and still didn't get it. Isn't it kind of hard too or is that a fallacy? Still, it's got great music.

4.) Castlevania III - The only thing I know about the Castlevania series is that it has great music and is apparently very hard. I think it was Anand or someone who was telling me that some entries are not as hard as others and are somewhat manageable. It might have been this very episode of the show I'm recording, though I edited a big chunk of it last week.

5.) The Mysterious Murasame Castle - If my memory serves me, this is that originally Euro or JPN-only NES game that's a bit like Zelda? Is it really as awesome as my brain thinks it's heard? From the screenshots it looks like it may not hold up the test of time... hmm... perhaps the votes will sway me.

6.) Ikachan - I had heard great things about this game from the maker of Cave Story. I LOVE Cave Story though I know this is quite different. I also heard it was pretty short, which can be nice some times but it was kind of a let down to hear.

7.) Super Mario Bros. 3 - Well, I've played this one so many times over the years. Still, maybe it would be good to have on the handheld?

8.) Harvest Moon - While I have the latest 3DS one still to play, I LOVE the Harvest Moon series, the older ones in particular. The original is stupendous and Harvest Moon 64 made it even better. Friends of Miracle Town is still my most adored in the series. Playing that during Geology classes helped that horrid night-class go by faster a long time ago. I've never played the GBC one though... is it any good? Should I get my farming on? How were the upgrades to your home and farm? I always found working towards those goals to be the most fulfilling.

9.) Save it for Picross e5 - So I posted last week in the Daily Chat thread that Picross e5 was being rated by the European version of the ESRB... meaning it should be a relatively upcoming title and I presume it would have a release in the USA soon as well... but I don't know when it's going to happen. Still, are none of these worth my time and I should just stick with my money for now?

Thanks to anyone and everyone who votes. I'm just in the mood for something different and part of me wants to try something totally unlike what I'm used to, hence many of the titles up there. That's why there's no 'Other' option. If you want to suggest something else, please vote for one of these but tell me about the other one also in the thread. I'm all ears!


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If you have never played a Shantae game before do NOT play the original, play Risky's Revenge on DSiWare or I dunno... wait for one of the new ones. The original is not really that good.

I voted Castlevania III, although there are about 8 Castlevania games I'd put in front of it. Have you really never played Castlevania? HOW?!

I'd say maybe Murasame because it's a part of Nintendo's past, although I'm not as huge a fan of it as some on the boards.

Truthfully, maybe wait for Picross!

@Zero

Hmm, noted. I did realize there was a stop-gap game between the original and the kickstarter I saw though it doesn't sell for less than $6.24 so I didn't include it. I will look into it more though. There's no reason for me not to.

As for Castlevania III...yep, never played a single one. Not even once. Never owned it. Never hung out with anyone who did (and offered to play it anyway). Just never came up.

@ploot

Have you completed Murasame? What kind of game is it really?

I really really really wish we knew when Picross was coming. I love and conquer all games that release in the puzzle genre of Picross.

I wouldn't go for any NES virtual console game on the 3DS since they're too small and you're better off with the Wii U version (or waiting till it comes). Like Zero says, Shantae is really not great. Ikachan is free on PC. So I'd say between Kirby's Dream Land 2 and Harvest Moon, neither of which I've played.

Risky's Revenge is on Steam now and is $10 full price, cheaper than its DSiWare counterpart.

@Jargon

Is Ikachan free on Mac? That's what I'm working with. You do have a point about the NES games.... I do prefer to play those games on Wii or Wii U. That's why I didn't slap SMB: Lost Levels on here.

@DrFinkelstein

Looks like this version works on Mac (and is free)

I LOVE playing NES games on the 3DS. The colors really pop and the controls are fine for me. I'm playing on an XL though - perhaps the screen is too small for NES titles on the original 3DS or 2DS.

The image quality on NES games played on Wii U is pretty bad, in my opinion. The colors in particular. Yuck.

As for your poll, I'd recommend Blaster Master. It's a great game that's held up well. If you don't want an NES game, I'd go for Kirby's Dream Land 2.

Castlevania III is one of my most favorite games of all time. I can easily recommend that one.

Otherwise, go with Mysterious Murasame Castle.

Wait wait wait. OP has never played a Castlevania game?!?

Nevermind, I take back my vote. Buy Dracula's Curse!

Shamelessly promoting my own review of Mysterious Murasame Castle.

Voted for it too. I love the old Castlevanias, and the third one is great, but I would suggest starting with the first game. It's more simplistic, but the core gameplay is pretty much the same, and if you play it before Castlevania III perhaps you wouldn't see it as automatically inferior.

@r_hjort

Seconded. The original Castlevania is a masterpiece and should not be skipped. Even if 3 arguably has improvements, you don't want to miss on the atmosphere of the original.

Yeah, I'm gong to have to agree. Don't skip the first Castlevania.

Anything NES, keep it on Wii U (since all of the Castlevanias are on Wii U). I know you like Picross, so save it for e5.

C3 is going to be stupidly hard if you haven't played the first game. It's fun but it takes a ton of time to master.

I'm actually playing through Shantae. It has a lot of quirks that are taking me a while to get used to. I don't know if I would heartily recommend it. Specially given the likes of Super mario Bros. 3 on display. Sorry to be of little help.

If it were me, and only because I'm a cheapskate, I'd first look on my Wii U DDP amount to see if a small purchase might push me over the edge for a $5 GC. If it does, you're right back where you started anyway, plus with a little something extra on Wii U.

I played through Shantae: Risky's Revenge. It was alright. Definitely some things I didn't like about it. If the GBC game is just kind of a worse version of that then I don't really have any desire to play it.

I voted for The Mysterious Murasame Castle. I haven't actually played it, but it is the one of these I would get since I can't get it anywhere else. My second choice would be to wait for Picross e5, since you know you already like it and it's exclusive to 3DS.

I think that something you've already played and own elsewhere is probably the lowest value of the bunch. Something new is better.

TIP: If you set your system's location to a tax-free state, you won't have to pay tax on the eShop.

@Mop it up

Brilliant tip!

@Mop it up

What states are tax free?

@GameDadGrant

No idea, but mark Alabama off that list. It's 9% here.