Nintendo is the Mobile King

Hiya, folks. Been awhile since we last spoke - which I swear is not a product of today's post! (If anything, my modded Skyrim is to blame. Let's Play to come... Let's be real, like, 8 years from now. )

I had the game Animal Crossing on my mind, particularly because of a project I got cooking ( haven't even done the prep yet, you liar ), and it reminded me of Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp. For those who are uncultured swine unaware, Animal Crossing is a life simulation game. You move into a new town, along with up to three other human characters, and live among anthropomorphic characters. And that's pretty much it. You do normal life simulation stuff - fish, socialize, pay off your debt, decorate your home ECT. In the Pocket Camp mobile game you are living in a camp site, as opposed to a town or village. You have your own camper and everything. It fits perfectly alongside the main series games and it got me thinking of how great Nintendo's mobile game is. Let's go over the list, shall we?

Pokemon Go

No list can be complete without mentioning the crowning achievement that is Pokemon Go. For some, it was a fad that died out years ago. For many more, it's the best mobile game ever made. It sets out to do exactly what it was meant to - bring Pokemon to the real world and our every day lives. I have almost nothing but praise for this game. The graphics are great, the game play is quick and fun, the community is constantly evolving and the game is regularly updated. I feel the need to mention that this free to play game also does not throw ads in or your face or make it play to win. By simply playing the game you unlock a ton of stuff, negating the need to purchase things almost entirely. Only complaints are that you do need to be physically moving to enjoy the game ( which is the whole point ) and playing on your own is not going to be very enjoyable ( also part of it's design. ) Overall, a stellar game.

Super Mario Run

Nintendo's earliest dive into the mobile arena, Super Mario Run is akin to mobile legendaries such as Temple Run or Subway Surfer. You control the Mustachiod Mascot through a series of auto scrolling levels. Mario will be constantly running and your objective is to navigate through the obstacles and enemies while collecting as many coins as you can. Unfortunately, this game is a pay to play, you have to purchase the full game for about $10, if memory serves me right. Therefore, being the broke starving artist that I am, I've never played pass the tutorial level. What I did play was fun and enjoyable - though still hard for me to justify paying money for it. 

Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp

The game that inspired me to write this blog post, Pocket Camp is probably the most addicting of the Nintendo Mobile Arcade. It's focus is on the player having recently traveled to a vast camp site. From there, you are encouraged to decorate and to customize both your personal camp and the camper you use to travel. You unlock items from meeting the many animal friends that show up randomly at the campsites and becoming better and better friends with them. This may sound like a lot of the unlocks are RNG dependant, but with the use of an in game phone, you can contact and use items to interact with the characters that aren't currently present. You can also purchase items through the market place and your friend's lists. Other than earning money the traditional Animal Crossing way, this game also features a tremendous amount of events and contests, allowing you to unlock even more unique things. Now, I should mention that some people have claimed the game to be microtransactions heavy. But honestly, I don't see it. Sure, some unique things are stuck behind a pay wall - but the game gives you opportunity to receive the special currency needed to buy those things. Sure it's slow going, but these unique items typically make returns, from my understanding. Perhaps I just don't feel compelled to get certain unique things, but I don't think the game is pay to win at all. This one is probably my second favorite mobile game.

Fire Emblem: Heroes

One of the first big name mobile games from Nintendo that I've played. I've yet to play an actual main series Fire Emblem ( I'm sorry ) but what little I played of Heroes certainly has me interested. I, unfortunately, can't give this game a whole lot of praise. It's fun. You'll get enjoyment out of it. The gameplay and graphics are great. However, it heavily relies on RNG. You can summon famous Fire Emblem heroes from the series to add to your growing army - randomly. I'm sure you've seen this type of game before and while the system works, it does leave me a little hesitant to devote a lot of time into. I'd recommend it, but be wary.

Dr. Mario World

Nintendo's latest mobile adventure, Dr. Mario World plays pretty much how the puzzle game has always played. Match 3 or more of the same color and you'll clear the board. The game, though simplistic, is a ton of fun. I haven't dived terribly deep into it, but the bit I have played definitely leaves me wanting to do more. You can choose between a few characters, each with a different power up to helps you along the way. In a similar vein to Candy Crush, players will move along a board that takes them to different levels and more difficult puzzles. The game is fun and does not rely on microtransactions. I'd highly recommend it.

Thus ends our examination of Nintendo's mobile games, or at least the ones I've played. Perhaps one day I'll give each a more proper review but for now - Thanks for reading. What mobile games are your favorite? Which ones do you think I should try? Feel free to shout at me in the comments and make sure to follow the blog you get regular updates. I try to add a new post once a week and cover a ton of content. Thanks again and good night and joy be with you all.