Ace Combat Assault Horizon Legacy

Namco has shown off the Mario-themed planes that you can unlock using Amiibo toys in Ace Combat Assault Horizon Legacy Plus.

Legacy of what, exactly? Ace Combat may be in the aerial dogfighting niche, but previous entries go all the way from heavy simulation to frothy action. The recent Ace Combat: Assault Horizon is the obvious starting-point, but Legacy also pays homage to the series' distant PlayStation past - and has ended up with baffling priorities.

Legacy's 3D dogfighting is a slim and feature-light offering with high production values but zero online functionality: no multiplayer, no leaderboards, no system for swapping its in-game replays. The PSP's Joint Assault had online multiplayer. Legacy is on 3DS, a portable where online functionality is even more central. It's a missed opportunity at best, criminal at worst.

Legacy's budget has gone on the audio and visuals, and it shows. The 3D effect has great subtlety, raising out landmarks by degree rather than 'popping' them forwards, and contributes to an enormous sense of speed and inertia when near land. What it does best is the big picture - that sweeping cityscape, a sunset over a mountain range, or a vast tundra dotted with settlements.

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The eyebrow-raising 3DS second circle pad attachment will cost 1500 Yen (£12.30) and be released on 10th December in Japan.

Online shop Play.com has updated with a raft of games from Japanese company Namco Bandai, including some unannounced titles.

Ace Combat Assault Horizon launches in Europe on 14th October, Namco Bandai has announced.

The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 game launches on 11th October in the US.

The Limited Edition includes the game's soundtrack and downloadable content.

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