Super Little Acorns 3D Turbo (Nintendo 3DS) Review

In Super Little Acorns, players take control of Mr. Nibbles, a squirrel who has had his acorns stolen by some fiendish foes. The objective of the game is to travel through the various levels and collect these acorns along the way, as well as partaking in other objectives, such as: eliminating all of the enemies in a level; collecting all of the fruit; and completing levels within a set time. Finishing these bonus objectives earns the player medals, which in turn also awards more acorns, adding to the overall completion percentage. In addition to this, completing these objectives unlocks different costumes for the main protagonist and whilst these do not add anything to the gameplay, there really is something amusing about watching a squirrel bouncing around on the screen wearing a fez - "Fezzes are cool," as The Doctor would say!

Due to this game being a mobile affair, these levels are relatively short and simple, with the primary goal being to collect all the acorns to gain access to the exit. This makes Super Little Acorns the perfect game for playing on short journeys, or even before heading to bed; it can get addictive, though.

As players progress through the game, different gameplay mechanics will be introduced to them, such as swinging on ropes and collecting power ups which make Mr. Nibbles move faster, jump higher, and even one that makes him invincible. Although the 3D effect is subtle, accompanied by the cute and colourful art style, this game is a joy to look at.

Something which makes Super Little Acorns 3D Turbo miles better than its smartphone counterpart (aside from the catchy name!) is the fact that it's controlled by traditional buttons, and not those virtual on-screen ones which often impede vision. This also provides solid evidence that no matter how popular smartphone games may be, traditional buttons will always be superior - especially for platform titles, where precision is key.

Not only does this expanded port feature improved controls, but it also includes two exclusive modes, one of which is Challenge Mode, which features a set of ten different challenges, each with three difficulty levels, making thirty levels in total. The other mode it features is known as Turbo Mode, which offers players the chance to play through the main game again, but with an increased difficulty level.

Of course, these extras come at a cost, with this 3DS version costing around £4 more than the original game on iOS and Windows Phone. Though, with improved controls and over 50% of new content, it's hard to not recommend this version of the game. The only negative thing to be said about Super Little Acorns 3D Turbo is the lack of variety in the soundtrack - while it features a few upbeat tracks, sadly, there aren't enough of them to prevent repetitiveness. This is only a minor issue, though, and people shouldn't be put off by it!