Reviews

DS Game Reviews

  • Review Scribblenauts (DS)

    Write your way to victory!

    You don’t have to solve - or even begin - the included challenges to fully appreciate what Scribblenauts is trying to do. Right after the opening credits slide show, you are greeted by Maxwell standing in a field with nothing to do but smile as he always does. So you give him something to do. Anything. Type...

  • Review Rayman DS (DS)

    Any port in a storm?

    For those of you who missed out on the PS1/N64 generation of the late 1990s, Rayman was actually quite a big deal. Viewed by many well recognized gaming institutions as one of the ‘Greatest games of all time’, Rayman 2: The Great Escape received many plaudits for its innovative level design and gameplay features. Though a...

  • Review Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story (DS)

    Is the third time the charm for the Mario & Luigi series?

    After years of hearing Super Mario RPG fans clamor for a sequel, Nintendo put developer AlphaDream to work creating a new Mario-themed RPG for their Game Boy Advance system back in 2003. But instead of copying the same ideas used in the original Super Mario RPG, AlphaDream came up with the...

  • Review Professor Layton and Pandora's Box (DS)

    Is Professor Layton's second adventure the worthy sequel fans are hoping for?

    After the success of the first Professor Layton release on the DS, it should come as no surprise that we'd get a sequel. The game's unique blend of mystery storytelling and brain-teasing puzzles somehow forms one of the most unique and engrossing gaming experiences...

  • Review Fossil Fighters (DS)

    Is Fossil Fighters a worthy new IP or really just a prehistoric Pokemon?

    Nintendo is constantly looking to expand their horizons when it comes to new IPs, and you'd have to think that was their intention when they brought Red Entertainment's newest title Fossil Fighters on board as a first-party release. The game takes fossil hunting and builds an...

  • Review Yoshi's Island DS (DS)

    A decent game sullied mainly by its overshadowing predecessor

    Following a critically-acclaimed title like Yoshi's Island, the immediate question that most will ask after learning the existence of Yoshi's Island DS will be: is it better than the original? Actually, scratch that: anyone who has played through the sublime SNES platformer will know what...

  • Review Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (DS)

    More hogwash than Hogwarts

    Harry Potter and The Half Blood Prince is, as I’m sure most of you are aware, the latest entry in the massively popular series concerning the teenage wizard Mr. Potter. For those muggles out there unfamiliar with the plot “The Half Blood Prince” is where the epic tale of good versus evil really heats up; the...

  • Review Dementium: The Ward (DS)

    A healthy, suspense-ridden shooter, or just another flatliner?

    Due to the limitations of the platform, first-person-shooters are not a common sight on DS. Indie developer Renegade Kid is one of the few out there to fully take advantage of the lack of competitors, but is Dementium good enough on its own merit? Dementium begins with a commonly...

  • Review Moon (DS)

    A science fiction FPS on DS? Lunacy!

    The DS’s heritage for first-person shooters has been a little – wait for it! – hit and miss over the years, with Metroid Prime: Hunters singlehandedly flying the flag as titles such as GoldenEye: Rogue Agent drag the poor machine’s name through the dirt. One developer determined to craft the handheld’s...

  • Review Mario Kart DS (DS)

    Let's-a-go!

    The Mario Kart series started on the SNES, and it has since become one of Nintendo's best multiplayer options, right alongside the likes of Smash Bros and Mario's many sports outings. With that in mind, Nintendo coded up another Kart game for their highly successful DS system. They could have easily coughed up a Mario Kart that...

  • Review The Legendary Starfy (DS)

    The Legendary Starfy ultimately lives up to its name.

    The Starfy series has enjoyed a great deal of success in Japan over the years, but Nintendo's release of The Legendary Starfy in North America marks the first time that many gamers outside of Japan have had the chance to experience the game's unique charm. The developers obviously didn't want to...

  • Review Disgaea DS (DS)

    Demons make work for idle thumbs.

    For those unaware, Disgaea DS is a remake of a PS2 turn-based tactical RPG that's gained cult classic status over the years. It follows the story of youthful demon, Laharl – the son of the late overlord – on his quest for dominance in the Netherworld. Held in high regard by many PS2 owners, Disgaea has finally...

  • Review Line Rider: Freestyle (DS)

    Line Rider slides from a PC Flash game to the consoles: will it ride to success or crash into failure?

    Line Rider was originally a simple Flash game where players could freely draw slopes for their sledder to ride down. Even though the game had little structure or goals, it gained considerable popularity among PC gamers, which resulted with many...

  • Review Knights in the Nightmare (DS)

    Strategy-RPG goes bullet-hell in this unique and thoroughly demanding game

    Let me put a word to you, folks: hardcore. That's right, hardcore. It's a word used to describe something overwhelmingly tough or resilient, something that crosses a perceived threshold of difficulty and endurance and reaches a level that few others can hope to match. Within...

  • Review PDC World Championship Darts 2009 (DS)

    Bullseye? Perhaps not.

    PDC World Championship Darts 2009 from Oxygen Games brings all the, ahem, "excitement" of darts to the Nintendo DS, offering four different modes of gameplay as well as a local tournament mode. Being a game based on arguably not the most active of sports, and indeed one which is most often associated with an older...

  • Review Personal Trainer: Walking (DS)

    Nintendo brings fitness gaming to their portable DS system.

    With the success of Nintendo's Wii Fit release for their Wii console last year, it comes as no big surprise to see them release a fitness title on the DS system as well. Personal Trainer: Walking takes the simple task of walking and builds an entire DS title around it, allowing you to...

  • Review Pic Pic (DS)

    The best puzzler on the DS?

    Puzzles have always been an ideal fit for the DS, with its touch screen capabilities and the portable nature of the console means that is perfect to dip in and out of a puzzle for a few minutes in between waiting for a phone call or the dinner to emerge unscathed from the oven. As a result, there have been numerous puzzle...

  • Review Jewel Quest Solitaire (DS)

    Is this puzzle game a hidden gem or a useless trinket?

    If there's one thing you could say about Nintendo’s DS console it's that it certainly isn't short of puzzle titles. Over the years we’ve seen many good (and not so good) games that reside within that particular genre, and in Jewel Quest we have another to add to the ever-expanding ranks. The...

  • Review Moto Racer DS (DS)

    More than just a quick thrill?

    Looking at the library of DS games it is evident that racing is a scarce genre, with motorbike racing being even more so; such games tend to generate little excitement due to the DS’s restricted graphics capabilities and potentially awkward controls. Despite this, will Moto Racer DS – the first outing of the series...

  • Review Magnetica (DS)

    How does Nintendo's ball-flicking puzzle game stand up to their other efforts?

    Some games are destined to sink into obscurity, and unfortunately, Nintendo’s ball-flinging puzzler Magnetica was one of them. When the game was first released it was met with rather positive reviews but even such high critical praise wasn't enough to make a dent in the...

  • Review Challenge Me: Brain Puzzles (DS)

    A challenging brainteaser or a couple of mindless puzzles?

    If someone had told you a few years ago that a videogame which trained your brain through a series of puzzles and mini games would be one of the biggest sellers on the DS, well, you probably wouldn’t have believed a word of it. However, fast-forward a couple of years and the Brain Training...

  • Review Trace Memory (DS)

    Is Trace Memory worth remembering?

    Ten years after her parents’ presumed deaths, thirteen year-old Ashley Robbins receives a mysterious package – apparently sent by her father – that contains a small device coincidentally resembling a Nintendo DS. Tracing this package to the deserted Blood Edward Island, Ashley sets out on an adventure to...

  • Review Pass Your Driving Theory Test (DS)

    A pass, with a few minors.

    Here in UK before you can attempt the practical driving test you must pass the Theory test. Pass Your Driving Theory Test by LDC aims to get you through the theory test. The game, if you can call it that, is played with the DS on its side. The questions are on the normal screen and the answers are on the touch screen. When...

  • Review Kirby Super Star Ultra (DS)

    Can Kirby prove that his latest DS adventure is a super offering?

    It’s not at all hard to love Kirby – after all, he’s an adorable little puff ball! Nethertheless, despite being cute and on the short side, he packs a powerful punch and is not scared to dish out pain. This gives Kirby the appeal to satisfy young and old gamers alike, which has...

  • Review Kirby: Canvas Curse (DS)

    Paint the town red. And orange, and yellow, and green, and blue...

    Creative freedom has become an essential element of game design. Without it players are left following the path developer have set, and where is the fun in that? Worry not however; Kirby: Canvas Curse allows players to express themselves in ways you probably wouldn't expect. Forget...

  • Review Lux-Pain (DS)

    A dark and twisted adventure that takes the player deep into the depths of the human psyche - both a truly rewarding and at times painful experience.

    Lux-Pain has a tried and tested set-up common in many Japanese visual novels; an idyllic suburb of a Japanese city where all is not what it seems. Fans of the genre will be pleased by the wealth of...

  • Review Retro Game Challenge (DS)

    A TV show about a man playing videogames actually works as a game itself.

    Retro Game Challenge was originally released in Japan back in 2007 under the title Game Center CX: Arino’s Challenge. This is because the game is actually based on the Japanese TV show titled Game Center CX, which stars Shinya Arino, a popular Japanese comedian who tackles a...

  • Review Flower, Sun and Rain (DS)

    Flower? Nope. Sun? Very little. Rain? In buckets.

    Flower, Sun and Rain is the first DS game from game director Goichi Suda, aka Suda51. It started life as a Japanese PS2 game, but it's been ported over to DS presumably to take advantage of the feature-rich console. Or so you'd think... Known by many as the mastermind behind classic style-driven...

  • Review Game & Watch Collection (DS)

    A blast from the past or something best left forgotten?

    If you are a Nintendo fan living in North America, you probably remember the heavily publicised launch of the Club Nintendo program last December. Additionally, if you were a big investor at the time, you were probably hoping that you had enough recent Nintendo products to afford the coveted...

  • Review Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Echoes of Time (DS)

    The definitive version of Square Enix's latest FF outing.

    Square Enix has made some outlandish choices in the past, but none as strange as their decision to port Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Echoes of Time to the Wii. While the home console version wasn't all that impressive, its portable partner is a much more enjoyable experience. With the...