Game of the Year 2014 - The 10 best Nintendo 3DS games

It has been a tricky year for Nintendo. It's struggled to shift Wii U consoles, disappointed its shareholders, and been knocked for six by mobile.

But look at the best games on the 3DS and it's another story. Of a console in its prime, housing massive and inventive new games that simply wouldn't work on another platform. Of Nintendo's continued success in the metrics that matter: joy, fun, and treasured memories.

Even in a year that it struggled, Nintendo managed to bring loads of must-have games to its superstar handheld. These ten represent the absolute very best.

Theatrhythm Final Fantasy: Curtain Call
By Square Enix

If one game series deserves a rhythm game based on its back catalogue of soundtracks, it would be hard to argue with choosing Final Fantasy. And that was the idea behind 3DS classic Theatrhythm.

This psuedo-sequel is not some quick and dirty update, though. It more than triples the amount of tracks available up to a ridiculous 221, and adds new modes like a light RPG quest, welcome button-based controls, and even online play.

Curtain Call improves on the original in just about every way imaginable, making it impossible for Final Fantasy fanatics to evade.

Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire
By Nintendo

This is a remake of an old Game Boy Advance game, tarted up with the graphics of last year's Pokemon games. Yawn, right?

Well, not quite. Not only is this another stellar JRPG that's worth another go (or a first play, if you missed it the first time), but it's also got some brand new features that we hope to see in future instalments.

Like the handy DexNav which makes it a doddle to complete your Pokedex and let's you sneak up on critters with special abilities. Or the Eon Flute, which lets you take to the sky and fly freely between towns.

It might be a remake, but it's also decidedly fresh.

Super Smash Bros for 3DS
By Nintendo

Smash Bros is a masterpiece. For starters, it's a cracking fighting game, all fast and fluid, bouncy and fun.

Some like to play with items turned off and on the most flat and boring stage. I like to play with items on high, and on a stage that rolls along a train track. It's manic - and it somehow manages to work on the 3DS's tiny display.

But it's also a triumphant tribute to Nintendo with references to decades of classic games in every character, stage, item, taunt, trophy, and alternative costume. As a card-carrying Nintendo fanboy, this game is like heaven.

Kirby: Triple Deluxe
By Nintendo

Of all Nintendo's heroes, Kirby seems to get the easiest jobs. His games are always a little on the easy side, with toothless enemies and breezy challenges.

But that matters little, when the world's are so full of creativity, fun, and charm. In this one you can bounce between the background and foreground to bypass enemies or solve puzzles, and you can bet this concept is used in some ingenious ways.

Plus, Triple Deluxe is packed to the rafters with extra content, including bonus levels and collectables, and even an alternative take on the entire main game. You'll be playing this one well into next year.

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy
By Capcom

The Ace Attorney games are brilliant. They're crazy courtroom dramas, that zig and zag between being utterly goofy and surprisingly heartfelt. Sometimes you're defending a clown or using a talking parrot as a witness, sometimes your friend's life is on the line.

But good luck finding them today.

That's why this faithful 3DS port is so welcome. It uses the classic audio, the iOS port's art (don't worry - it looks much nicer on the 3DS screen) and the original buttons. Plus, it adds new features like the original Japanese script and - best of all - the ability to speed through text.

Shovel Knight
By Yacht Club Games

Tell someone less savy that this is a port of some 8bit platformer from the NES, and they'd believe you.

This defiantly retro dig-em-up looks, sounds, and plays like one of Mario and Mega Man's cousins proving that quality game design is timeless and that sometimes it's nice to play a game that actively hates you.

Because it's just way more satisfying when you get good, level up, and finally prevail.

Shantae and the Pirate's Curse
By WayForward

The 3DS is sorely lacking when it comes to Metroidvania games. The last Castlevania outing was a rather linear brawler, and Samus Aran seems to be lost in space at this moment.

Luckily, that half-genie hero Shantae is here with a retro-inspired adventure filled with smart puzzle, good level design, and fun combat

It's also super charming, with offbeat and fourth wall-breaking humour and a cast of loveable characters. And like every WayForward game, they're all drawn with great expression and animation.

If you've been missing grid-based maps and upgrades that unlock new areas, this is one to get.

Professor Layton vs Ace Attorney: Phoenix Wright
By Level-5 and Capcom

Now I know why people go crazy for crossovers. It just took the combination of two of my favourite games - the tumultuous courtroom saga Ace Attorney and the bonkers puzzle collection Professor Layton - for me to understand the excitement.

Sure, the marriage of the two game styles could have been tighter, but this gives us the best of both worlds, with a wacky set of characters and a bonkers twisty-turny plot that would somehow fit perfectly in both franchises.

If you have a soft spot for either game in this mash-up, you need to check it out.

Mario Golf: World Tour
By Nintendo and Camelot

Mario Golf plays a surprisingly good 18 holes for a golf game where a chimp can play against a ghost, underwater.

Yes, Camelot is an expert at balancing Mario's cartoon buffoonery with more grounded golf realism. So in some modes you get proper tactical play on down-to-earth courses, and in other modes you're firing off power-ups and bouncing your ball off giant Goombas.

And my favourite bit: the challenges. These are tasty puzzle-like morsels that kept me rapt for hours.

Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth
By Atlus

This seems like a game that's made for a very specific audience. It's got characters and themes from the Persona games, but in a hardcore dungeon-crawler designed by the people behind Etrian Odyssey.

If your veins don't run with JRPG mana, you might not be the target audience.

But our reviewer Matt - who's never played a game in either series - was left thoroughly impressed. You get a deep and involving dungeon-crawler, complete with the option to draw your own map.

And if the difficulty and grind gets you down, you have the light-hearted charm of Persona to cleanse your palette.