NintendoLife When you consider the substantial modes on offer, the Castle Club career upon which we're only just embarking, and all of the online aspects yet to spring to life, this promises to be one of the most engrossing time-sinks on 3DS this year. Its quick-play options are fun and will suit a quick play on a morning commute, yes, but there seems to be significant depth to enjoy; we'd also like to think that given time even less confident players will take off the training wheels, switch to manual mode and truly dive in. Ignoring the slightly cautious recommended line of the game, adjusting for wind and attacking the pin with optional backspin is simply a delight when it works; actually, it's satisfying even when it doesn't work as planned. Most notably, we just want to keep playing. The 3DS triumphed in 2013 with a few key experiences that, conceivably, could devour dozens of hours and make time pass in a flash, games both accessible and complex at once.

Polygon On the course, I was able to simultaneously take my shots, rather than waiting for my friends to line up their moves. As we progressed, small icons would appear on-screen, allowing me to measure their ball's progress against my own. Although the game doesn't feature voice or text chat options, I could razz other players by sending emoticons.