Hydroventure: Spin Cycle (aka Fluidity: Spin Cycle)

It's not uncommon to find a Nintendo eShop title that has a great concept let down by shoddy aesthetics and a general lack of style.

Hydroventure: Spin Cycle is not one of these games. This latest release from Curve Studios is not only a hugely enjoyable experience, but it looks utterly gorgeous as well.

If you got a 3DS this Christmas, this should be one of the first games you download.

You are Eddy, a water spirit who jumps into a living picture book to help out his spirit friends.

Eddy can turn into a puddle of water and slosh about, guided by you tilting your 3DS left and right. By touching switches, collecting extra water bubbles, and washing any enemies, Eddy slowly but surely saves all of the spirits.

We've played games like this before, such as Puddle, but Hydroventure blows them all out of the water (pun intended, sadly) with its brilliant puzzles and well-crafted environments.

Gravity plays a big part in these puzzles, as you'd expect, and you've also got special abilities that you pick up throughout play. These work wonders in making sure the game never feels too samey and repetitive.

On top of the main focuses, there are also numerous reasons to go back and play through Hydroventure's levels again.

Jigsaw pieces are hidden away in each level, and you sometimes have to think outside the box to nab them. There's also a five-star rating to reach for on each level, and this requires you have a steady hand and collect as much water as possible.

Hydroventure will last you quite a while, as well, with around half a dozen hours of play to be had - and that's just to reach the end of the game.

Controlling the water can be a little finickity at times - especially on later levels. We'd have also liked some stereoscopic 3D visuals on the top screen.

But these are small niggles in an otherwise essential package. Hydroventure: Spin Cycle is a must-have for your Nintendo 3DS.