Car races and wind-up toys - gaming heroes get moving

By Benjamin Krueger Dec 25, 2011, 3:06 GMT

Berlin - Mario and Pokemon have long been mainstays of the Nintendo console. But, as they make their debut on the 3DS and other machines, they're taking new approaches.

Thus, the cars in Mario Kart 7 can suddenly fly and Pokemon characters appear as wind-up toys. In other changes, the Power Rangers are back ... as samurais. And those aren't the only changes facing old favourites on mobile devices.

It's only been a short while since Super Mario Land 3D appeared on the 3DS. Now the second most important title featuring the ubiquitous plumber arrives: Mario Kart 7, with Mario, Luigi and other characters again competing in a breakneck car race.

Along with picking the right cars, players have to pick the right tyres: small tyres do better on the asphalt, while broader ones will help on overland routes. There's also a choice of wings, since Kart 7 lets players take to the air for the first time. There are also propellers for underwater treks.

Weapons and power-ups include classics like bananas and turtles, but also some new additions from other games, like the fire flower from the jump-n-run Mario and the raccoon costume, which comes with offensive and defensive capabilities.

All these gimmicks can be tested on 32 stretches, half of which appeared in previous Mario Kart games. On a technical level, Mario Kart 7 makes use of all the extras the 3DS has to offer.

The carts can be steered with motion sensors. The game also uses the Streetpass function and allows online competitions. Of course, it can all be seen in 3D. The game costs about 35 euros (45.50 dollars).

Pokemon has also found his way onto the newest Nintendo console. Super Pokemon Rumble isn't a new version of the famous role-playing game, it's its own action title.

Wind-up-toy versions of the familiar monsters wage war against each other, with players taking on the role of one Pokemon to fight up countless levels in order to take on the Boss. If the player wins, the Boss converts to his side.

There are more than 600 different Pokemon available in the game. Players can continuously change between characters. This gives the game a tactical side, since every monster has strengths and weaknesses.

There's also a cooperative mode where two players have a better chance of winning the war. And, thanks to StreetPass, Pokemon collectors can brush off old characters during a casual meeting with another 3DS holder. The action-rich game retails for 42 euros.

The attempt by one frog to cross a four-lane street became a 1981 hit in arcades. Now Frogger is enjoying a comeback on the Nintendo 3DS.

Frogger 3D updates the original 8-bit graphics into 3D. The title character no longer need just move forward, but can move freely throughout a level, hoping the whole time not to get squashed.

That can get complicated when the goal is not crossing a street, but negotiating a free-standing cube rotating in a room. Thankfully, the frog gets some help through the 60 levels - for example, from a big toad. From Konami, Frogger 3D costs 38 euros.

If you're looking for more realistic action, then check out Ace Combat Assault Horizon Legacy. Hidden behind the long title is a dogfight scenario for the 3DS from Namco Bandai. Want-to-be pilots can engage in spectacular aerial fights in modern jets.

Players can choose from a variety of jets for countless missions attacking both ground and airborne targets. Gaming controls are completely over the touchscreen. It costs about 44 euros.

And while there's always something new for the 3DS, there are still some fresh items for its predecessor, the DS. Those include Power Rangers Samurai, where the five brightly coloured fighters do what they do best: fight the bad guy.

Every ranger gets new abilities. For example, the red ranger is resistant to fire, while the blue one has few problems with water. The rangers can also assemble into a giant robot to fight their opponents. From Namco Bandai, it costs about 40 euros.