Decided on a 3DS, now just need some games...

[AnthrSolidSnake]

So not too long ago I made a topic about how I couldn't decide between a 3DS or a PSVita. Weighing my options and asking you guys, I went with a 3DS (XL). Now I just need to keep an eye on some games, and would like some recommendations.

So far, I know I'm getting at least four games with my 3DS:
Ocarina of Time 3D
Kingdom Hearts 3D
Blazblue Continuum Shift II
Pokemon X

However I'm sure I'll, knowing my gaming habits, blast through those games quickly, and will be walking through game stores sadly waiting for new games to burn a hole in my pockets. So what games do you recommend that will do that justly?

I'm not too picky on what kind of games. Not big on puzzle games, or anything with Mario or platformers in general.

Also while we're at it, how about some normal DS games as well, since I know I can play those too. I only ever bought three games for my DS when I had it, and still have those games:
The World Ends With You
Pokemon Diamond
Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass

 

[NinjaSniperAssassin]

Shin Megami Tensei 4: Ball-bustingly difficult, but rarely does it feel insurmountable. An engaging, rewarding turn-based RPG with a seemingly simple but deceptively tough-to-master combat system and a pretty decent story. Get it if you like RPGs and don't mind a challenge.

Virtue's Last Reward: Play 999 first, then pick up the 3ds sequel. Brilliant story, entertaining puzzles and genuinely interesting characters that all play an important role in the grand scheme of things. But seriously, play 999 first. You'll appreciate the game that much more.
PS. I know you're not that into puzzle games, but I still recommend VLR. You'll be missing out on a hell of a tale if you pass it up.

 

[smithy_2045]

Get Pokemon Black/White and B/W 2 as well.

 

[sextus the crazy]

Shin Megami Tensei 4: Ball-bustingly difficult, but rarely does it feel insurmountable. An engaging, rewarding turn-based RPG with a seemingly simple but deceptively tough-to-master combat system and a pretty decent story. Get it if you like RPGs and don't mind a challenge.

Virtue's Last Reward: Play 999 first, then pick up the 3ds sequel. Brilliant story, entertaining puzzles and genuinely interesting characters that all play an important role in the grand scheme of things. But seriously, play 999 first. You'll appreciate the game that much more.
PS. I know you're not that into puzzle games, but I still recommend VLR. You'll be missing out on a hell of a tale if you pass it up.

Seconded. Make sure to play 9 hours 9 persons 9 doors first, as VLR spoils the whole story. also, 9 hours 9 persons 9 doors is a fucking excellent game in its own right.

Fire Emblem: Awakening. Straight up one of the best FE games to hit Foreign shores. Good if you like challenging, but fair tactical RPGs.

Theatrhythm: final fantasy. A final Fantasy Rhythm game. Takes the most consistently good element of the FF series and makes a whole game around it, a significant number of good tracks + lots of DLC tracks.

Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor Overclocked. Play like a mash-up of SMT4 and Final Fantasy tactics. Really hard, but worth it.

 

[the_great_cessation]

Get A Link Between Worlds. It's absolutely fantastic and the best Zelda game since Twilight Princess (or Wind Waker if you didn't like Twilight Princess...).

 

[ShinyCharizard]

Shin Megami Tensei IV, Devil Survivor Overclocked, Fire Emblem Awakening and Super Mario 3D Land are the best 3DS games I've played.

As for DS games. Pick up Devil Survivor 2 and Radiant Historia.

 

[MysticSlayer]

If you didn't play it on PS2, Tales of the Abyss is also on the 3DS.

I also know a lot of people like Shin Megami Tensei IV, but I would be a little careful on that one. It isn't necessarily a bad game, but it has a lot of noticeable weaknesses. The story and characters are sort of bland compared to a lot of other RPGs, and the game's challenge is often derived from randomness and questionable design decisions rather than thoughtfully challenging the player's wit. Just as an idea, I had instances where the game set the enemy to go first by default, but then they get enough critical hits on the right attacks to kill off my whole team (or nearly kill them off) before I even had my first turn, and that was hardly due to running an easy-to-kill team. Furthermore, you may be encouraged to build one team only to need a completely different one within 10 minutes, but it isn't until later in the game where you can carry both teams simultaneously. In short, it often feels like you had no control over the encounter or that the designers just weren't thinking some things through. This isn't the case all the time, and it does tend to get better the further you go in, but just be prepared for some "stuff games stopped doing for a good reason 101" during the early sections of the game.

There's also New Super Mario Bros. 2. It's standard for a Mario game and hardly does anything new, but it is a solid game and I had a lot of fun with it.

 

[Exhuminator]

I have bought quite a few 3DS games, but I have not played even a 1/5th of them yet. However, the two I've played to completion so far were: Resident Evil: Revelations and Super Mario 3D Land. I enjoyed both games tremendously, and I fully recommend them. Revelations has amazing graphics for the platform, great immersion, and fun shooting mechanics. Super Mario 3D Land is just insanely fun, and proves that 3D can be as useful as it is a gimmick.

 

[Zero of Arcadia]

If you like Demon's Souls or Dark Souls you should try the game they ape, Monster Hunter Tri Ultimate. Monster Hunter is the thinking man's hack'n'slash, where you have to learn the patterns and vulnerabilities of the titular monsters or be ground to dust beneath their heels. Great fun, but G rank is torture.

I'll also throw my hat in for Fire Emblem Awakening, that game is great. As good as if not better than the Radiance series, and that was two games over two console generations.

 

[Souplex]

Fire Emblem: Awakening. Fourth best Fire Emblem released in the states, and a lot denser than the others.
Legend Of Zelda: A Link Between worlds. One of the best Zeldas ever.
Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon.

 

[Kaimax]

Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate, Must buy, but make sure you have other friends to play with, Solo-ing (imho) is kinda boring after awhile.

Fire Emblem Awakening Best JRPG for the 3DS.

Ace Attorney 5, Phoenix Wright Dual Destinies,Great story and cases, but pretty much zero re-playability and it's a sequel, so keep that in mind.

 

[Robert Marrs]

Honestly I would take a pass on kingdom heats 3d. I found it to be extremely annoying and boring. Paper mario is a solid game, dead or alive dimensions is good but way to easy if you have any experience playing dead or alive, fire emblem awakening is really good, resident evil revelations is good, rayman origins is fun but not quite as responsive at other versions. really excited for super smash bros and mario party so keep and eye out for those.

 

[likalaruku]

It's backwards compatible with DS games, which will be cheaper.

Franchises I'm aware of:
*Dragon Quest.
*Final Fantasy (supposedly less focused on graphics, more on gameplay).
*Mega Man Star Force. (RPG)
*Rune Factory.
*Professor Layton.
*Mario & Luigi. (RPG)
*Harvest Moon.
*Animal Crossing.
*Kingdom Hearts.
*Etrian Odyssey.
*Anno.
*Shin Megami Tensei.
*Digimon Worl.
*Pokemon.
*My Sims.
*Zelda New World.
*Drawn to Life.
*Izuna.
*Sonic Rush.
*The Sims.
*Spectrobes.
*Yugioh 5Ds.

Every RPG & simulator for the DS I can think of:
Adventure Time - Avalon Code - Away Shuffle Dungeon - Beyblade Metal Fusion - Black Sigil - Blue Dragon - Children of Mana - Chrono Trigger - Contact - Dawn of Heroes - Deep Labyrinth - Dungeon Explorer - Fire Emblem - From the Abyss - Golden Sun - Inazuma Eleven - InuYasha - Legacy of Ys - Lost Magic - Lufia - Luminous Arc - Lunar Dragon Song - Lunar Knights - Magic Starsign - MapleStory - Master of the Monster Lair - Mazes of Fate - Mystery Dungeon - Nostalgia - Phantasy Star - Radiant Historia - Ragnarok - Rhapsody - Rondo of Swords - Sands of Destruction - Soma Bringer - Sonic Chronicles (RPG) - Sonic Colors (RPG) - Sonic Speedball (RPG) - Spiderwick Chronicles - Suikoden - Summon Night - Super Princess Peach (not sure if platformer or RPG) - Super Robot Taisen OG Saga - Tao's adventure - The World Ends with You - Viva Pinata.

I recommend googling "Top 10 Nintendo DS" & "Top 10 Nindendo 3DS" & seeing which ones frequent multiple lists, or just reading the reviews on what shows up.

 

[Hazy]

Virtue's Last Reward: Play 999 first, then pick up the 3ds sequel. Brilliant story, entertaining puzzles and genuinely interesting characters that all play an important role in the grand scheme of things. But seriously, play 999 first. You'll appreciate the game that much more.
PS. I know you're not that into puzzle games, but I still recommend VLR. You'll be missing out on a hell of a tale if you pass it up.

Make absolutely goddamn sure you know where NOT to save. There's a bug in the 3DS version that will completely corrupt your save. Very nasty stuff.

And Animal Crossing: New Leaf is a must-own. It's such a joy to play.

 

[Zero of Arcadia]

It's backwards compatible with DS games, which will be cheaper.

Franchises I'm aware of:
*Dragon Quest.
*Final Fantasy (supposedly less focused on graphics, more on gameplay).
*Mega Man Star Force. (RPG)
*Rune Factory.
*Professor Layton.
*Mario & Luigi. (RPG)
*Harvest Moon.
*Animal Crossing.
*Kingdom Hearts.
*Etrian Odyssey.
*Anno.
*Shin Megami Tensei.
*Digimon Worl.
*Pokemon.
*My Sims.
*Zelda New World.
*Drawn to Life.
*Izuna.
*Sonic Rush.
*The Sims.
*Spectrobes.
*Yugioh 5Ds.

Every RPG & simulator for the DS I can think of:
Adventure Time - Avalon Code - Away Shuffle Dungeon - Beyblade Metal Fusion - Black Sigil - Blue Dragon - Children of Mana - Chrono Trigger - Contact - Dawn of Heroes - Deep Labyrinth - Dungeon Explorer - Fire Emblem - From the Abyss - Golden Sun - Inazuma Eleven - InuYasha - Legacy of Ys - Lost Magic - Lufia - Luminous Arc - Lunar Dragon Song - Lunar Knights - Magic Starsign - MapleStory - Master of the Monster Lair - Mazes of Fate - Mystery Dungeon - Nostalgia - Phantasy Star - Radiant Historia - Ragnarok - Rhapsody - Rondo of Swords - Sands of Destruction - Soma Bringer - Sonic Chronicles (RPG) - Sonic Colors (RPG) - Sonic Speedball (RPG) - Spiderwick Chronicles - Suikoden - Summon Night - Super Princess Peach (not sure if platformer or RPG) - Super Robot Taisen OG Saga - Tao's adventure - The World Ends with You - Viva Pinata.

I recommend googling "Top 10 Nintendo DS" & "Top 10 Nindendo 3DS" & seeing which ones frequent multiple lists, or just reading the reviews on what shows up.

Gotta be fast with Avalon Code, I just snapped up a copy and they are fading fast into the 'collectable' kind of game. It is a rather well put together piece, but if you don't grab a used copy within the next few months all that's left is to buy at $120 minimum from 'collectors'.

 

[Strain42]

Well lemme go ahead and get these ones out of the way. I have to post them because I'm biased. It's nothing personal

Devil Survivor: Overclocked
Devil Summoner: Soul Hackers
Shin Megami Tensei IV

and when they eventually come out in the English you should also get

Devil Survivor 2: Break Record
Persona Q: The Labyrinth of Shadow

(names may change for English release)

Okay, now onto some other titles I'm going to recommend.

I just started playing Rune Factory 4 and it's been pretty good, Fire Emblem Awakening is supposed to be pretty awesome but I just really suck at it so...yeah

On the digital side of things there's always Ace Attorney: Dual Destinies and coming soon they're putting the Squids series on the eShop (seriously, this is an amazing RPG experience that shouldn't be missed by anyone)

 

[Atmos Duality]

Fire Emblem: Awakening. Straight up one of the best FE games to hit Foreign shores. Good if you like challenging, but fair tactical RPGs.

I hate to be that guy...but FE: Awakening isn't really that challenging as a tactical game, nor is it really fun.
Because when it is challenging, it's NEVER for "fair" reasons, but artificial stat-jacking.

If you like that kind of difficulty, fine. But as a "tactics/strategy" game, it's laughably shallow because all the AI does is rush you en masse, or wait for you to move into range so it can rush you piecemeal.
(I am not exaggerating; that is LITERALLY ALL the AI does)

And once you know that, it's trivially easy to cheese the AI into making retarded moves repeatedly.

That said, FE:A is very well presented; much better than any FE game to date.