Top 10 best 3DS games of 2012 (so far)

So as not to make Nintendo's 3DS feel overlooked after the arrival of the new kid in town, we've rounded up the best games released on Ninty's newest handheld in the first half of 2012.

Speaking of which, the opening six months of this year have proven to be pretty productive for The Big N, with the eShop steadily picking up steam, and Nintendo continuing to resurrect classic franchises on new platforms.

With so many splendid recently released 3DS titles to choose from, we've had to make some tough decisions in producing this list you see below.

Anything you think we should have included instead? Let us know in the comments section at the bottom. Yep, right there.

Art of Balance Touch!
By Shin'en Multimedia

Art of Balance Touch! is a straightforward name for an (initially) straightforward game - simply balance the objects that you're given.

The difficulty increases when you're handed oddly shaped blocks and challenged to create a tower that has all the structural integrity of that one in Pisa.

Thank heavens, then, for pixel-perfect controls as you make your way through the hundreds of levels on offer.

Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3
By Nintendo

Is it fair for us to include a game from 1994 in our list? We think so. Wario Land is as characterful and inventive as any modern-day release, I reckon.

In this Game Boy classic, Mario's anti-hero alter ego is on a quest to find lots and lots of treasure. Charging through superbly designed levels and stomping on baddies soon becomes a black-and-green riot.

VVVVVV
By Nicalis

An indie darling from indie darling Nicalis, this pre-8-bit pixel-art platformer is as tough as nails. You'll die constantly as you explore the VVVVVV dimension, flipping gravity to avoid the many, many hazards that await you.

New content in this 3DS version helps seal the deal, but we'd play it over and over for the chiptune soundtrack alone. It's an utter delight.

Heroes of Ruin
By Square Enix

With this gigantic and gorgeous dungeon-crawling action-RPG, Square Enix shows Nintendo just how great online experiences can be on the 3DS.

It's focused heavily on the co-op element: other players join your gameworld to help you fight enemies, trade items, or just chat using the device's built-in microphone.

Crush 3D
By Sega

In Crush 3D, you're Danny, a boy physically trapped in his own brain. If that idea hurts your head, then the spatial puzzles contained on this cartridge may just send your head spinning out of control.

You can shift perspectives at will, allowing you to more easily traverse the world. You'll be altering the third dimension to make faraway corridors and distant ledges just footsteps away before you know it.

SpeedThru: Potzol's Puzzle
By Nintendo

Your task in this title sounds simple on paper / screen: fit a block through a hole in the wall.

But, when that block is hurtling toward the wall on account of a tight time limit and you need to rotate it in just the right fashion to pick up the maximum number of points, it's easy to miss your target.

This gem will sit on your 3DS's home screen for yonks. There's loads to do, most of which is pretty challenging, I tell you.

Rhythm Thief and the Emperor's Treasure
By Sega

With stunning 2D anime characters in front of gorgeously rendered 3D backdrops, Sega's rhythm-action game is as impressive visually as it is aurally. Which it is, by the way.

Essentially, Rhythm Thief and the Emperor's Treasure is a mini-game collection loosely connected via a ludicrous story.

This cross between Professor Layton and Elite Beat Agents really shows off the presentational power of the console to great effect.

Kid Icarus: Uprising
By Nintendo

This Kid Icarus reboot finally arrived this year, and it was well worth the wait.

Taking advantage of just about every hardware weapon the 3DS has in its arsenal, this is a game that justifies shelling out for the console pretty much by itself.

With Kid Icarus: Uprising sporting a deep combat system, customisable controls, and a surprisingly entertaining story, it would appear that Pit is back... and very much here to stay.

Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games
By Sega

With over 50 Olympic events offering top-notch button-bashing, touchscreen-swiping, and gyroscope-tilting action, this Mario and Sonic crossover shocked us a little by turning out to be rather good.

What could have been an easy cash-in on a well-known licence is in reality a great collection of mini-games based on real-world sports. There are also some cheeky winks and nods to fans of both franchises thrown in. Presumably in the manner of a shot putter.

Resident Evil Revelations
By Capcom

There have been quite a few portable Resident Evil games, but at long last there's one that truly does Capcom's series justice.

Graphically, this adventure sits somewhere between Resident Evil 4 and 5, and with a Circle Pad Pro attached to your 3DS it plays just like them, too.

With Capcom returning to the more corridor-focused action of its earlier Resi Evil titles in this game, Revelations proves every bit as tense as any other entry in the series, too.