With Tokyo Game Show looming, there are a lot of gamers throughout Asia who are hastily packing their suitcases to visit the region’s biggest games event. Whether press or public, these gamers have got a journey ahead of them—be it on the train across Japan, or on the plane over the sea.
Gaming, fortunately, is a hobby that can turn that wasted time into time well spent. Catching up on old classics, plumbing the depths indie gaming has to offer, and even full AAA experiences are all possible on-the-go thanks to advances in portable hardware. But which games deserve the hard drive space they’re stored on? We’ve picked out a few choice titles (per modern portable system) we think no gamer on a long journey should do without.
Nintendo 3DS
Etrian Odyssey IV
Few genres have captured the feel of being a lonely explorer as well as the first-person dungeon crawler. The Etrian Odyssey series has been successfully mashing up the best bits of ancient dungeon crawlers like Wizardry with some of the best JRPG battles the genre has to offer. Tactical choices will serve you well both in battle and out, as highly strategic boss fights are complemented by each class’s wealth of customization options.
Each floor is a new experience, and many become puzzle-like mazes that compel you to try to progress just one floor further. But no obstacle is ever so frustrating as to halt your progress entirely, making for a great portable experience. For a compelling JRPG you can sink hours at a time into, Etrian Odyssey IV is hard to beat.
Professor Layton and the Azran Legacy
Any of the Professor Layton games will do, but the latest is a fine conclusion to the series’ second trilogy. Filled to the brim with fiendish puzzles of a staggering variety, but always offering ways out for those who get stuck and just want to progress, the series is a natural fit for gamers with hours to kill. It doesn’t hurt that the characters and plot are compelling enough to motivate you to keep going hours after you might’ve put a more bland puzzle collection down.
Radiant Historia (DS game)
The 3DS has an extensive library of old DS games you may have missed. But few are as under-appreciated as this JRPG gem from late in the system’s life. Tactical battles that keep you on your toes even in random battles, one of the most engaging and twist-ridden plots to grace the DS, and great visuals make this one that more gamers should be embarrassed to have skipped.
The timeline-hopping mechanics give you plenty to do, as you unravel the mysteries and try to force fate in the direction you desire. But the game can occasionally leave you at a loss as to what to do, so it’s advised to download a walkthrough onto your phone or computer, just in case.
Playstation Vita
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