Which new series should I try?

[faerare]

I will be getting a 3DS XL on Friday (so excited!), and I am considering buying a game from a franchise I've never tried before.

The main contenders are:
1) Fire Emblem: Awakening
2) Pokemon X/Y
3) Kid Icarus Uprising

To give you some idea of my preferences, my favorite games include Smash, Animal Crossing, Legend of Zelda, Paper Mario, Tetris Attack, and Mario Party. While I enjoy platformers (e.g. Mario, Donkey Kong), I am often pretty bad at them and lose interest quickly.

Any suggestions? All of these games have good reviews online... it's just a matter of figuring out which suits me best. I am also open to other suggestions!

 

[SomewhatMystia]

Gonna have to say KI or Fire Emblem, but I haven't played the latter. Pokemon XY is pretty good, but it feels a bit... lacking? It feels like its more just trying stuff out, since it was their first game with the new engine and all that. It's also *super* easy, with gym leaders (and trainers) getting all six pokemon filled until way later in the game.

Based on your preferences, FE would probably be the way to go, since KI is a very twitchy shooter in its ground parts (which make up a fairly large portion of the game). FE is definitely more of a thinking man's game and can be kinda bull**** on harder difficulties, though. Well, at least if Awakening is like the others.

Other suggestions (personally speaking), though? I'd have to recommend Etrian Odyssey 4 (or Untold, if you want something more story-driven), for being a really solid dungeon crawler. SMT Devil Survivor Overclocked is also a pretty solid strategy game, and if you can't find Overclocked, the originals on the DS aren't too rare. I'm also a fan of the new Harvest Moon (Back to Nature) and Rune Factory 4. Also might be interested in picking up the older RF titles, but I don't know how well those hold up. Oh, and Rhythm Heaven is pretty addictive, if stupidly hard until you get the hang of a minigame.

 

[faerare]

Thanks! I will take a look at those games. I've been a fan of Harvest Moon in the past (I loved the N64 and gamecube versions) but their more recent games felt like a rehash with no new elements. I'll take a look at it though!

 

[SomewhatMystia]

Word of warning about Back to Nature, it does take some time to get going properly. The pace usually picks up toward the end of the first Spring or Summer.

Also, if I think of any other recommendations, I'll let y'know!

 

[Spak]

I would say a good starter for Pokemon is Soul Silver or Heart Gold on the DS. The new Gen 3 remakes may also be good, but I don't know yet. Awakening is great, but not a good indicator of the series as a whole. The mechanics are at the same at the basics, but the pairing mechanic and marriage changes the whole game. Also, it has an option to turn permadeath off in case you don't want to lose characters forever. I personally like the challenge, but it's there if you want it. Uprising is great and the multiplayer is amazing, but your opinion on the game will vary depending on how much you like TPSs. Bravely Default would also come highly recommended.

 

[finalark]

Fire Emblem is a turn-based strategy game known for its signature perma-death feature and (usually) high difficulty. Awakening drops the difficultly down a few notches and has a casual mode which disables perma-death for new fans of the series. Compare to X-Com.

Pokemon is an RPG based around capturing monsters. Pokemon X/Y introduces a number of new mechanics to the series and has the most refined game play to date. However, despite being RPGs the story tends to be an afterthought with the focus on capturing and leveling monsters. Compare to Shin Megami Tensei.

The older Kid Icarus games are platformers with adventure game elements. Kid Icarus Uprising is closer to a space shooter of sorts. The controls are kind of strange (or goddamn unplayable since Nintendo hates southpaws) but the story is really funny. Compare to Star Fox.

 

[faerare]

Thanks everyone for the feedback! I have a hunch that I am going to try Fire Emblem... it seems like Awakening, while atypical for the series as a whole, is a good way to ease into Fire Emblem. I went to Best Buy this evening to look at games, and they didn't have any of the three I mentioned above! Guess I will be ordering online from Target or Amazon.

 

[finalark]

I'd like to suggest giving GameStop a look. Say what you will about their business practices, but its the only place in Tucson where I can easily find uncommon games as long as they're relatively recent. Hell, the one closest to me had three copies of Xenoblade in.

 

[SomewhatMystia]

I'd like to suggest giving GameStop a look. Say what you will about their business practices, but its the only place in Tucson Southeast Ohio where I can easily find uncommon games as long as they're relatively recent.

Can confirm for my own situation, as I just grabbed a copy of Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen this evening. The prices are also kinda on-par with what Amazon has 'em for... Well, for some games anyway, once you factor in shipping costs.