Professional wrestlers and 3D plumbers: the new mobile games

By Benjamin Krueger Nov 20, 2011, 3:06 GMT

Berlin - Nintendo's most popular hero has finally found a space on the 3DS; Professor Layton is back; and a magician's assistant is about to start his last adventure. It's time for the season's new mobile console games.

Fans of Mario have had a long wait for Nintendo's near-trademark plumber to make his way onto the 3DS handheld. And, although there have been 3D Mario adventures since the Nintendo 64, Super Mario 3D Land is the first title with a true sense of depth and space.

Otherwise, the story is largely the same. Chief baddie Bowser has kidnapped Princess Peach, leaving Mario no choice but to rescue her.

He has the option of putting on his raccoon suit, last seen in Super Mario Bros 3 for the NES. With it, he can use the tail to deliver some punches and to fly for short stretches. For longer flights, he needs his propeller. One new addition is a boomerang suit, which he can use to fight enemies far in the distance.

Gameplay is the same as in any other Mario game. The plumber continues to jump from one colourful level to the next, each full of hidden shortcuts and secrets. Players can also make use of the StreetPass function on the 3DS, which let players turn encounters with other 3DS players into opportunities to unlock bonus levels. The colourful jump-n-run game is on sale for about 42 euros (57 dollars).

Professor Layton hasn't been around as long as Mario, but he's become almost as popular. On November 25, he'll start his fourth case on the Nintendo DS.

Professor Layton and the Last Specter takes players back to the past, three years before the events of the first game in the series. Players see how Layton and his assistant, Luke, meet and solve their first case together. The gimmick should make it easier for people new to the series to follow events.

Meanwhile, old pros will feel right at home in the game, a point-and-click adventure through a city full of puzzles and bizarre characters. Overall, the game includes 200 brainteasers, as well as a few bonus tasks. Just like old games, it includes several animated sequences. Costing 38 euros, it should give puzzle lovers a good reason to jump into adventure.

The heroes of WWE All Stars rely more on brawn than brain. Wrestling fans have been enjoying the game on Sony's PSP for a long time and now, on November 25, THQ will release a version for the 3DS.

The wrestlers are depicted in comic book style, with broader shoulders than in reality. Players can choose from a wide range of characters, old and new, which means you can pit the deceased Andre the Giant against a modern grappler like John Cena.

A variety of modes allow things like tag team matches, where four players can compete at once. The wrestling game will go for about 45 euros.

LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7 allows players to finally end the fight with the evil Lord Voldemort. The game doesn't stray far from the book, though it does add some of its trademark humour to the narrative. That's because what the little plastic LEGO men lack in dialogue, they make up for with gestures and expressions.

Still, there is very little new gameplay. From Warner Interactive, it has been released for all three mobile consoles and costs between 27 euros for the PSP version and 38 euros for the 3DS version.

Tales of the Abyss has been around since 2005, originally appearing for the Playstation 2. But this new version for the Nintendo 3DS marks the role-playing game's first European appearance.

The new version doesn't just sport new graphics, but also updates the fighting system of the role-playing classic. More freedom of movement is designed to make the fights more dynamic.