2014 is about to come to a close, therefore it’s time to look back and reflect on the games and experiences that shaped that year. We also need to coldly and cruelly isolate the ‘best’experiences and hand out awards. Today we’re talking about handheld games. Which was you favourite? Let’s nominate!
Here’s what we’re going to do. Today I’m going to take nominations. The week after I’m going to take your nominations and create a poll. You are then going to vote on that poll. The week after that we’ll announce the winners. So if you could, please leave your own nominations in the comments below.
Here are some of my own personal favourites to kick things off…
OlliOlli
Super Smash Bros.
Hohokum
Personally I think it’s been a bit of a rubbish year for handheld games. 2013 was ridiculous to the point where my two favourite games were 3DS games. This year has been a little disappointing in comparison.
Or am I completely, utterly wrong? Drop your nominations below!
Comments
52 responses to “Kotaku Awards 2014: Best Handheld Game”
Fantasy Life
+1
Probably my GOTY, its what I always wanted Animal Crossing to be and then some!
Agreed. I can’t stop playing it. I love that you kind of need every class for something.
tomadachi life was probably my favourite this year.
is this an australian or american kotaku poll? Bravely default was 2014 in America wasn’t it?
Seconding Tomodachi. Still checking it, not as often as I did when it was new, but still more than any other handheld game (bar Smash)
Australian-only. We normally do the US awards in January.
Haha, yeah I was about to ask that same question.
Apparently I’ve only bought two 3DS games from this year – Kirby and Smash. And I haven’t even touched Kirby yet.
Totally got nothing on last year. Even if I pretty much only played last year’s games this year.
Smash bros 3ds.
Tug of War With Mrs. Palmer and Her 5 Daughters 3DS
Whoa, that’s in 3D now?
I’ll have to get in on some of that action.
Yup! It’s like, at least 50% better than the original 2D version. Shame about the micro transuctions though. 🙁
Is this like…a masturbation game?
If so colour me interested.
As long as you don’t mind the fact that it’s single player only.
Hey @puck, help me make this game.
Will do!
I’ll get started on R&D – lemme get back to you XD
You better come quick with some updates.
Smash 3DS all day.
Only bought one handheld game this year, so I guess Smas Bros. is my pick.
It is pretty awesome though. picked it up on Friday and I just unlocked the second challenge page yesterday.
Luftrausers!
(Vita) Freedom Wars
(Vita) Hatsune Miku Project Diva f (western release counts!)
(Vita) Hatsune Miku Project Diva F 2nd (release in the same year!)
(Vita) Monster Monpiece (does it count if not released in Aus – stupid censors – but released in EU/NA?)
(Vita) Frozen Synapse Prime
(Vita) Tales of Hearts R
(3DS) Smash Bros
(3DS) Pokemon Omega Ruby/Alpha Saphire
(Vita) Final Fantasy X/X-2 Remastered
Does Theatrhythm Curtain Call count? I’ve lost so much time playing that and by far most played hand-held game. But then it is just an updated version of an older game.
Hey if a new Zelda game can count…! *ba-dum*
-_-
I was just reminded that that Senran Kagura Cooking Mama game (whatever it was called) came out this year.
Definitely the forerunner, right there.
Senran Kagura Bon Appetit!
I feel like I need a hot shower and a steel scourer everytime I play it :/
Whatever floats your boat, I guess.
DanganRonpa
Didn’t play a lot of new handheld stuff, but from what I did play I’m gonna go with OlliOlli on Vita.
DanganRonpa
Theatrhythm Curtain Call
Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair.
Shovel Knight – haven’t played a game like this in a long time. Finished it the other week and was legitimately sad about it. Started a new game straight away.
Persona Q
Etrian Odyssey and Persona are my jams, so this combination was manna from heaven for me.
Akiba’s Trip: Undead & Undressed
… deserves a special award just for the title.
I’d suggest Sword Art Online: Hollow Fragment, for which the combat system is ridiculously deep, but it gets a bit grindy. Main quest is pretty interesting, however.
A little premature, as the year isn’t over yet, and Persona Q doesn’t come out until next week. Can I nominate Persona Q in advance? Based on the pedigree of previous games (Persona and Etrian Odyssey), it will probably devour more of my time than every other handheld game this year put together.
List of nominations:
Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth
Danganronpa 1 & 2
Super Smash Bros 3DS
Minecraft Vita!! It’s the exact same (console version) game in your hands, with exchangeable saves. It’s not an original nomination but goddamn, I’m still not sick of it.
Shin Megami Tensei IV
Danganronpa 1&2, for being the most gripping visual novels i’ve ever played. (with 2 being miles above the first, however they both deserve nominations)
Freedom Wars, for being a really great Hunting game.
yeah this
I’ve just finished Danganronpa 1 and i was going to wait a bit before picking up 2, because most reviews i read made it sound like more of the same (not a bad thing) but with less interesting characters. In your opinion how is 2 better than 1?
The characters in two are better, you are given a reason to care about every death whereas no one really cared about
Leon, Sayaka or Junko/Mukurobeing killed in the school life since you didn’t get to know them well enough.The culprits of each death were not as easy to predict as in the first game and the crime scenes and reasons behind it were superior, though this is a matter of personal opinion.
I went into 2 expected more of the same as the first game, which it is, just bigger and better.
It was actually a good year for handheld releases, it’s all just a matter of subjective opinion depending on what kinds of games you like. My nominations would be Disgaea 4: A Promise Revisited and Etrian Odyssey Untold.
Pokemon Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire
Smash Bros. For 3DS
Professor Layton vs Phoenix Wright (came out this year for EU, AUS and USA, but Japan original release was 2012, if that counts?)
My list at the moment is –
Professor Layton VS Ace Attorney
Smash Bros
Disgaea 4
Freedom Wars
Of those I had the most fun so far with Professor Layton vs Ace Attorney
I’m gonna say Persona Q because Persona. Haven’t played it yet but it’s out in a few days and I’m certain that it will be my answer either way.
Other notable games:
Theatrhythm Curtain Call
Professor Layton vs Ace Attorney
Bravely Default (Does it count for this year?)
Oh yeah, if bravely default counts in this year its going to make my choice harder.
Did link between worlds make it into last year’s nominations? I know it came out quite late last year…
Pokemon Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire
Oh my God, Shovel Knight on 3DS. I was about to pick Smash Bros but I couldn’t help it. Shovel Knight is near perfection.
They obviously won’t count, but I’m chuffed that Sony released Flower & flOw as cross-buy titles for the Vita. If they do Journey as well, I might just explode.