While it can be fun for die hard fans, The Mercenaries should have remained a bonus to a core Resident Evil title.
Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D is basically the same thing, and even though it functions fine and features some pretty click graphics for the 3DS, it never lives up to it's full potential.
If you've played the Mercenaries in either Resident Evil 4 or 5, then you might as well move along as there's nothing to see here. Well, the isn't completely true. The Mercenaries 3D does allow you to play as Claire Redfield, a long running Resident Evil character who was playable in 2 and Code Veronica. This is the first title in the series where she plays with the "over the shoulder" camera angle Resident Evil 4 popularized. Although fun to play as her again, this isn't her shining debut to the new format fans could have hoped for.
Outside of Claire, players can use Chris Redfield, Jill Valentine, a special forces like operative named HUNK, Albert Wesker, Barry Burton, Rebecca Chambers, and Jack Krauser. And that's it. Each of the characters in the game, again outside of Claire, have been in past Mercenaries titles already. Considering each available map is also taken straight from 4 or 5, it simply feels like deja vu.
If Capcom wanted to make the product worth while, they should have included other Mercenaries vets such as Leon, Ada, or Sheva while bringing back some more characters for fan service such as Carlos, Billy, or Steve. They could have also included some more weapons and created some maps based on past titles. Playing the Mercenaries in Raccoon City could have been a blast. Unfortunately, the title offers up something we've already played. Add that to the fact that it's sold as a full blown retail product, it isn't remotely worth it. It never amounts to anything more than an overpriced bonus mission.
Aside from what The Mercenaries could have been in terms of maps, characters, and overall value, the gameplay is fine. Again, if you've played your fair share of The Mercenaries on previous titles there's little reason to jump on board with this, but for die hard Resident Evil fans it does provide some fun action that you can take with you on the go. Since the missions are over fairly quickly and there's little time prepping what character you want to use, it does make a fairly excellent mobile game. The graphics are excellent, the gameplay holds up nicely (Capcom even implemented the ability to reload while moving and a clunky way to fire while moving as wel) and the animations are solid. Enemies at a distant look distorted and choppy, but other than that it shows off some pretty good capabilities for the system.
The Mercenaries also offers co-op via the internet or linking two 3DS systems together so if you're looking to spend more time with the game that's probably the best way to go. There are various unlocks, such as costumes, that can get some time out of dedicated players but they're not really worth going after since they don't change much but aesthetics.
Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D functions fine and can offer fun for die hard fans, but the price tag is off putting and the one save file will make some players turn away since you can't go through and unlock everything again. The game would have fared better if it were a downloadable title for something like $10, or if it was to be packaged with a full blown Resident Evil title. If anything, The Mercenaries 3D is like a glorified tutorial to playing Resident Evil on your 3DS, preparing you for the much better Resident Evil Revelations.