Chase Koeneke’s Top 10 Handheld Games of 2016
Ed. Note – Chase is…well, Chase is me, the editor, and I run this joint. That means I get to take certain liberties, like making a top 10 list instead of a top five like I asked from all my contributors this year.
A big thanks and shout out to all the guests of Gamers on the Go throughout the years, especially to those who submitted lists this year for our Extravaganza. Even though I play a ton of handheld games every year, each person’s list contained something I hadn’t played, hadn’t played enough of, or didn’t even know was a thing. Means I’ve got a lot to play over the holiday break, and that means I’m a happy camper.
Check out all the lists and coverage of 2016′s best portable games with the tag “GOTGGOTY2016.” See you all next year!
Honorable Mention: Warbits (iOS)
To say Warbits is inspired by Advance Wars is a huge understatement. It’s exactly Advance Wars, almost ashamedly so. The unit types, the environmental features, the primary-colored armies: It’s all spot on (the only glaring omission is the commanding officers with their varied “CO Powers.”) Warbits dares you to call it a rip-off, but the more you play, the more you realize it’s actually a loving homage to a seemingly forgotten series. Having one of the best handheld gaming experiences of all-time (Advance Wars) beautifully translated to mobile devices is fantastic, even if it slightly misses the mark when it comes to the charm and heart found in the genuine article.
10. Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth (Vita)
I went through a pretty quick Digimon-watching phase when I was a kid, but while I found the anime to be fun and light, the few times I’ve dipped my toe into the Digimon games, I’ve felt bogged down in overly complicated mechanics and poor design. So I went into Cyber Sleuth with pretty low expectations, but those expectations were quickly exceeded and then some. Though Cyber Sleuth gets a little up its own ass with its nonsensical story, playing through the fun battles with Togemon, Metal Seadramon and all my other childhood favorites was just the nostalgia trip I was looking for. It’s still second fiddle to Pokemon, but Vita owners now have a monster-collecting game they can be proud of.
9. Picross 3D Round 2 (3DS)
Forgetting that my 3DS is region locked (seriously, why is this still a thing?) I bought the Japanese version of this game long ago, not knowing it was not compatible and unplayable on my US system. That’s how badly I’ve wanted a sequel to the excellent DS puzzle game, Picross 3D. Regular, two-dimensional Picross is fun enough, but if you’ll pardon the pun, Picross 3D Round 2 just has more depth. Getting a localized version announced and released on the same day was one of 2016’s more pleasant surprises, and is a game I’m happy to go back and mess around with whenever the mood strikes. I’ve had some bad run-ins with sequels to Nintendo puzzle games (looking at you BOXBOXBOY! and Stretchmo), but Picross 3D Round 2 artfully dodges the sophomore slump.
8. Invisible Inc. (iOS)
Turned-based strategy is my genre of choice, and when the geniuses at Klei (makers of one of my favorite games of all time, Mark of the Ninja) took a stab at it, it’s no wonder it’s a lock for my list. There’s a thoughtfulness to the world and its mechanics at play here. Despite its turn-based nature, the game demands your full and undivided attention, as a single move can often mean death. While Invisible Inc. is at its best at its most unforgiving, the amount of customization in the game’s difficulty options mean that it can be a surprisingly accessible experience as well. The iPad version is rock solid, but I still can’t help but think this game would show up higher on my list if only it had made its way to the Vita (where I probably would’ve played a lot more of it).
7. Mini Metro (iOS/Android)
Mini Metro wins my heart for its amazing ability to be serenely relaxing and nail-bitingly stressful simultaneously. Watching the train cars move back and forth around the sharp, minimalistic map brings a calming sense of satisfaction, but when the ever-growing amount of train stations hits critical mass, there were few experiences more harrowing this year. The basic strategy is smart and layered, preferring to let you experiment rather than tutorializing you to death up front, similar to a great tower defense game. But the real treat comes with the various modifiers at play on the different real-world-inspired locations (my favorite being Osaka with its super speedy shinkasen bullet trains).
6. Dragon Quest Builders (Vita)
I’ve kept myself away from Minecraft knowing it would completely suck me in and never let go. But the idea of Minecraft elements in a game with a guided story experience sounded like something I could handle. But no, I was completely sucked in, gathering materials, crafting new furniture, arms and fortifications and building an impenetrable fortress from the Slimes and Drackys of the outside world. And then I finished the first quest line and realized the entire world I’d meticulously manicured in my own image would disappear as soon as I began the second chapter. Distraught, I quit cold turkey, but nothing can take away the beautiful experience I had in that first chapter. Who knows, maybe someday I’ll give Chapter 2 a try.
5. Bravely Second: End Layer (3DS)
Much like the characters of Bravely series, I got a real bad case of déjà vu with Bravely Second. From my 2014 write up on Bravely Default:
StreetPass done right, the Brave/Default system, the plethora of cool job classes, the customizability of random encounters and game speed: It’s all just so, so good…until you get near the end. The repetition Bravely Default puts you through for the final quarter (maybe even third) is unbearable and kept it from being a classic. Fingers crossed that Bravely Second gets it right.
Those same words apply just as well to Bravely Second. The combat and random encounters got even better. The job system has been further expanded into greatness. And then it all peters out in the end with another bad twist ending and more repetition. It’s infuriating. Fingers crossed that Bravely Third gets it right. Wait, where have I heard that before?
4. Risk of Rain (Vita)
I’ve been waiting a long time for Risk of Rain to come to the Vita. And it did not disappoint. A fantastic port of the 2013 PC game, Risk of Rain joins the family of roguelike-ish gems on the Vita. Played on easier difficulties, Risk of Rain is fun and breezy and seeing the power-ups stack to ridiculous levels is a joy. Bump it up to the “normal” difficulty, and you’ll be scratching and clawing for every upgrade, getting through each area by the skin of your teeth, if at all. And god help you if you try the hard mode. Great as a solo adventure, better in co-op with friends, Risk of Rain was the best reason to dust off your Vita in 2016.
3. Pokemon Sun/Moon (3DS)
The combat has been slowed way down. The map is kind of a mess. The new Festival Plaza feature is a bad fix to a problem no one had. The “trials” that have replaced the gyms of previous games pale in comparison. The new Z-move feature is weak compared to the Mega Evolutions of X and Y. New evolution conditions have reached peak ridiculousness. Listen, I have a ton of problems with the new Pokemon games, but at the end of the day, they are still solid experiences that had me hooked for hours and hours and hours. The new monsters are some of the most creative yet and a great addition to the series. Though limited to a scant few Pokemon, the new “Alolan form” subspecies are a really cool way to refresh older ‘mons. Taking the good with the bad, Sun and Moon still end up being worthy new entries in the franchise, but it’s hard to reconcile with the fact that they could’ve been much, much better.
2. Dragon Ball Fusions (3DS)
“Dragon Ball Fusions is a more fun Pokemon game than the new Sun and Moon,” is not something I imagined saying this year, but here we are. Despite a ton of drawbacks (awful inventory upkeep, uninspired story, obtuse capture mechanics, long and unskippable battle animations, etc. etc. etc.) I became (and still am) completely addicted to it. The combat is deep and strategic with just a hint of luck, pitting teams of five against each other in turn-based battle arenas that make you feel awesome when you get it all right. The fusion mechanic in the title is a lot of fun as you mix and match characters who may or may not have fused in the show or the manga. This is way better than a licensed game had any right to be. Despite not being that much of a Dragon Ball fan, I ended up completely charmed by Fusions.
1. Fire Emblem Fates (3DS)
Fire Emblem Awakening was my 2012 game of the year – and currently sitting at #5 for my favorite games of all time – so suffice it to say the three games that make up Fates had some incredibly big shoes to fill. And for the most part, they did a bang up job. For every tiny quibble I have (team-up mechanics got nerfed a bit), there’s another thing that got improved upon (no more weapon degradation!) But the strategy continues to be top notch and the array of difficulty settings make the game as easy or as hard as you want it to be. If I had to pick one of the three in the package, I’d argue in favor of Birthright for its relaxed pace and coherent story, but for the Fire Emblem/Advance Wars/strategy fan, all three games are absolute must plays.
