June2015
Review Art Academy: Atelier (Wii U)
Magnum opus
By its very nature, inspiration often strikes when we least expect it to. A random walk through city streets might spark the idea that forms an entire novel, just as the sound of rain lashing against a bedroom window could help to shape the mood of a composition. The Art Academy series has always respected and encouraged the creative...
June2014
Review Pokémon Art Academy (3DS)
Make Smeargle proud by sketching Fletchling
Since we first put stylus to touchscreen on the original DS, Nintendo's handhelds have made full use of the unique interface by allowing us to interact with games in a whole new way. Some ideas have worked better than others, but the natural act of scribbling or doodling shapes, in particular, has never...
July2012
A flawed masterpiece
New Art Academy’s arrival on 3DS comes as no surprise, as the original DSiWare titles and the retail compilation on DS further boosted the handheld’s appeal, particularly to those who wanted more from a gaming machine. As part of a group of ‘bridge’ titles from Nintendo, designed to attract new audiences, it served its...
April2011
Review Lord of the Rings: Aragorn's Quest (Wii)
“It is but a shadow and a thought that you love. I cannot give you what you seek.”
As a hack-'n-slash game based on the famous movie franchise, Lord of the Rings: Aragorn's Quest enters a field that is already well-plowed by earlier releases. But with it's unusual twist on storytelling, is there something here worthwhile to nudge burned-out fans...
August2010
Your only limit is your creativity
To DSi owners, Art Academy will be a familiar sight. Last year we saw Art Academy: First Semester and Second Semester, a set of artistic tools by Nintendo. While First Semester received positive reviews, Second Semester was criticized for being “less of the same”, resembling an overpriced expansion pack rather...
October2009
Review Art Academy: Second Semester (DSiWare)
Less of the same.
Two weeks ago, Nintendo released Art Academy: First Semester. We reviewed it and were happy to do so. The title was impressively functional, easy to use and very much successful at fostering creativity. These are all good things. We were painting apples and red peppers like there was no tomorrow. The sun was shining. We were merry...
September2009
Review Art Academy: First Semester (DSiWare)
Paint Misbehavin'
Much moreso than WiiWare, DSiWare has seen a significant number of non-game releases. Applications, utilities, programs...call them what you will, but they're not games, and they've not been exactly welcomed universally, either. Art Academy may well be poised to change that, not least because they've selected as their focus...
March2009
Battalion Wars advances onto the Wii…
Calling the first Battalion Wars an anti-climatic experience wouldn’t be too far off the mark: the spin-off from the highly acclaimed Advance Wars series was expected to be a smash hit success. Unfortunately, the distinct lack of tactical depth brought the game short of the mark in many people's eyes...
February2009
Review House of the Dead: OVERKILL (Wii)
Overkill; the capacity to obliterate a target with more weapons than are required.
Last year the Wii was graced with arguably two of the greatest light gun games of all time thanks to House of the Dead 2 & 3 Return. For fans of the series, like myself, it was fantastic to replay some truly classic arcade games as the Wii simulated the old...
