DS

Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day!

June 28, 2006

DS / Reviews / by Lauren Rasco Make a comment! / Tweet it!

I must admit when I first looked at [i]Brain Age[/i] I was thinking to myself, “You’ve got to be kidding me!” After playing I can’t help but think of the saying “don’t judge a book by its cover.” [i]Brain Age[/i] may seem silly and even perhaps a little dorky at first glance. Give it a chance; you might be surprised what you find inside.

To sum it up, [i]Brain Age[/i] is a video game developed by a real neuroscientist – Dr. Ryuta Kawashima of Japan- that helps you develop your “brain age.” The game consists of multiple mental exercises ranging from simple math calculations to reading aloud to help you train your brain to be tested in the [i]Brain Age[/i] Check.

When you first start the game you get to create a profile. The only noteworthy thing at this point is that you get to use the stylus to create your signature. You also input your birth date and what hand you use to write with. The nice thing is there are multiple profile spaces so that for instance Cone and myself both have our separate training space. And then I can gloat when I have a lower brain age. After your profile is set, you then get your first [i]Brain Age[/i] Check. Your brain age is a number that reflects how active your brain is. The best possible “age” is 20. I am currently at age 23. Your goal, obviously, is to train to get to age 20.

Once you are established as an old fart in the brain age world you then get to go to the Daily Training area of the game so that tomorrow you can improve that embarrassing brain age. You can only record scores for training and your brain age once a day, so it encourages you, nay forces you to play daily. In the training area there are multiple exercises to choose from and the more you play, the more you unlock. My personal favorite at this point it one called “Head Count.” It would be much too complicated to explain in full but it deals with keeping track of people as they enter and exit a house. It is definitely a challenge. The game keeps track of your scores via graphs and you can compare yourself to other player’s profiles and also hook up your DS to another to compare scores and other things.

Also included with the training and brain age testing is Sudoku. You have probably seen it before in the newspaper. It is a series of 3 x 3 squares with some numbers provided to you. You have to then fill in the blank squares with the numbers 1-9. That may sound simple, but there’s more. Each 3 x 3 square can only contain each number once, as can each column and row. It is addicting that is for sure. It is pretty sad that for the past few nights after our son goes to sleep Cone and I fight over who gets to play Sudoku first.

A bit cheesy at times, some of the things the doctor says to you are a bit corny. A bit weird, like when it asks you to draw a rhino, a giraffe, and then Africa from memory to be compared to the drawings the doctor did himself. I maintain that there is no way ANYONE could draw as well as he does with a stylus on a DS screen. Overall, [i]Brain Age[/i] is a fun way to spend a few minutes – or hours if you are Sudoku-ing it – everyday making yourself smarter. You really can’t complain about that. And if your mom tells you to put down the handheld for a while you can simply explain that you are trying to better yourself as a human being. Just don’t tell her I said that…

Guilty Gear: Dust Strikers

June 4, 2006

DS / Reviews / by Robert Faulhaber Make a comment! / Tweet it!

While Arc System Works’ first attempt at making a four-player Guilty Gear game wasn’t what you’d consider to be a failure, Guilty Gear Isuka was a noticeable departure from the style of gameplay fans of the series had come to expect. Added problems with the controls turned off gamers and as such, Isuka wasn’t considered by many to be a great title. With Guilty Gear: Dust Strikers, the latest title in the franchise, the series takes a massive departure from technical fighting to a style of game in the same vein as Jump Super Stars and Super Smash Bros. Unfortunately, Guilty Gear: Dust Strikers is handicapped more by the console it’s played on rather then its own devices.

The typical Street Fighter-style of controls Guilty Gear has had in the past are mostly replaced with much more simplistic moves including a set button for special moves. It initially felt strange playing Guilty Gear as a button masher, but after giving it a few playthroughs, there was some familiarity to some of the moves. Some of the super moves the characters had from previous games are present as well, but performing them on the DS control pad can be difficult considering how fast the action is during play. Thankfully these controls are not further encumbered by the touch screen, which is barely used during the main combat portion of the game save for activating power-ups when they are acquired.

The visual presentation attributed to Guilty Gear: Dust Strikers takes the great character style that Guilty Gear is known for and shrinks it down to almost obscene levels. Yes, you can sometimes recognize the characters, but it would have seemed wiser for developers to use the style of character sprites in Guilty Gear Petit (on the Wonderswan Color) rather than the barely recognizable versions found here. Thankfully, Dust Strikers carries over several stage and character themes from previous Guilty Gear games that will be instantly recognizable by existing fans, and while the game’s visuals leave much to be desired, the series’ aural presentation has been emulated very well here.

In addition to the Arcade and Story modes found in the game, Dust Strikers is also a series of mini-games that make use of the stylus and touch screen much more heavily. Each game varies in difficulty, and achieving the high score in one unlocks unlocks a new portion of another of Dust Striker’s modes, Robo-Ky Factory (borrowed from Isuka). Obliviously, there is a Versus mode, which makes the game somewhat more fun and accessible, but unfortunately the game does not support single cartridge multiplayer – thus severely limiting the game’s accessibility.

Guilty Gear is a dark horse candidate from the mainstream fighting game genre, and as such Dust Strikers is the series’ black sheep. DS owners are advised to take care if they are contemplating purchasing this odd take oh the Guilty Gear franchise, as besides the series’ moniker, this is definitely not the same game that you are used to playing.

New Super Mario Bros

May 29, 2006

DS / Reviews / by Ben Jacobs Make a comment! / Tweet it!

Nintendo fans have been waiting for so long for a new side scrolling Mario game that they’d probably take anything at this point. However, the fine folks at Nintendo have seen fit to not only deliver a new proper [i]Super Mario Bros[/i] game, they delivered one that is absolutely amazing. The game screams old school from its 2D gameplay to its multitude of throwbacks to the Marios of yesteryear. This game is easily one of the best the DS has seen, and one of the most enjoyable handheld titles in years.

So what is [i]New Super Mario Bros[/i]? It’s a whole bunch of what’s old with a pinch of the new. You take your classic [i]Super Mario[/i] gameplay with elements from every iteration of the series and add a few new tricks. You got your running, your jumping, and your fireflowers. Mario also learned a whole bunch of new skills while in the third dimension. Now you can jump off of walls, butt-stomp, and even do the triple jumps from [i]Mario 64[/i] and [i]Sunshine[/i]. These new elements blend seamlessly with the old. On top of the new moves, there are a few new items too; the ability to turn super small, super huge, as well as become a Mario-Troopa as it were with a shell of your own blend just as well as the new moves.

It is this blending that makes the game truly a delight. The 3D graphics don’t look out of place at all, and allow Mario to be a lot more expressive in his movements than when he was 2D. The game is simply a delight to look upon with the controls being spot-on. I’ve heard a lot of mention of Mario being too ‘floaty’ in this iteration, but I played all the previous Mario games just to check, and the difference is not even worth noting. Mario moves with a weight to him, which is exactly how the control has always been and should always remain.

The level design in previous Mario games was an absolute joy. Everything was deliberate, with no cheap tricks to try to throw you off. It is in this way that [i]New Super Mario Bros[/i]. is a breath of fresh air. After playing [i]NSMB[/i], I realized how spoiled we were by the Mario games. Coins aren’t hidden in out of the way places where you have to check every nook and cranny. No, there’s a deliberate flow to each level. If you’re a clever gamer, you’ll see the way to go immediately. The levels are also highly varied. There are periods of the game where you get a new type of enemy in every level. The designs go from absolutely clever to downright difficult and each are a joy to play.

You might be concerned with difficulty and I can say with a level of certainty that [i]New Super Mario Bros[/i]. is exactly on par difficulty-wise to the other games in the series. You will die; A lot. But you will probably never run out of lives. The game is very generous with lives. This is not a change to the formula, nor is it a bad thing. The challenge lies in figuring out how to beat levels, not having to repeat section you’ve already beaten.

With brilliant graphics, gameplay, and level design, [i]New Super Mario Bros[/i]. drops a gigantic POW on the handheld gaming world. The issues with it are small. The save system is sometimes inconvenient as you can’t save whenever you want but only at certain check points like opening a coin-path or beating a castle, but was never an issue when I played through. The DS’ sleep mode comes into play here. The DS’ other features are used very sparingly. You get a nice progress bar to tell you how far you are in a level and you can use the touch screen to drop a stored item onto Mario. These gripes are very very minor and should not stop every single human being from playing this game. It is an instant classic and no gamer should be without [i]New Super Mario Bros[/i].

True Swing Golf

May 29, 2006

DS / Reviews / by Matt Signorile Make a comment! / Tweet it!

I approached this game with little seriousness, remembering how I was the champion at [i]Mario Golf[/i] for Game Boy Color back in the day. This game had nothing on me, or so I thought. I expected a calm relaxing game of golf.

The game begins by asking whether you’re right handed or left handed, as you’ll be using the stylus as your virtual club. You then have to select an attitude (cool or wild), which seems to have no considerable impact on the game, although if you miss a long put a wild character will act a bit more passionate.

The modes of game play are in itself limited, even though I wasn’t expecting much from a golf game. There’s four modes altogether, including Stroke Play, Match Play, Free Round, and Championship. In stroke play, you play alone. In Match Play, you play against a computer. Free Round is simply a training mode where you can play the same course over and over again to sharpen whatever skills you feel you are lacking in. Championship mode is a tournament, in which you can win money to buy golf goods at the Club House. By the by, Match Play and Championship mode feel EXACTLY the same, with the exception of earning money. Unfortunately, each game play mode feels exactly like the other one, devoid of any emotion or feeling whatsoever. The only time I felt slightly exhilarated was when I scored an eagle in Championship mode.

[i]True Swing Golf[/i]’s unique feature is the ability to swing the golf club with the touch screen. Simply take the stylus and ride it up the touch screen to the golf ball, and you got yourself a swing. I also noticed that it measured how fast and powerful I hit the ball through how fast I whizzed across the touch screen, which is a nice addition. This also led to many, many, many anger outbursts, as I would totally whiff the ball on several occasions. In addition, while putting, there is a nice red tracking line, which at first seems very convenient. But I noticed that sometimes it would simply stop between the hole and my golfer. This added to the frustration, as I would have to “guesstimate” while putting.

Furthermore, since the DS is a portable system, I brought this game with me on the road for an hour drive to my grandparent’s house. Let’s just say, I highly do not recommend this game to be taken on the road. It requires a very high level of concentration along with a steady hand. I cannot imagine playing this game during a bus ride, as the controls require you to be very specific.

To be honest, the game does bring a novel idea to the table, but it ultimately doesn’t deliver. It is devoid of any real entertainment, even on those rainy days. However, if you are a golfer, and own a DS, this game may be for you. The 20 dollar price tag is a good bargain for this game, if you’re the type that watches golf on TV. The controls rely on you to have an understanding of golf before you play it. To the average gamer, this game scores a double bogey.

New Super Mario Bros

May 17, 2006

DS / Reviews / by Jason Dobson Make a comment! / Tweet it!

Classic. There really isn’t any other word to describe New Super Mario Bros., Nintendo’s latest, and dare I say greatest game for the Nintendo DS. The game is classic both in its gameplay, which carries with the it the hallmarks of being perhaps the most polished platfromer ever created, as well as in how it makes you feel while playing. I’m over 30 years old and the instant I began playing New Super Mario Bros. I was 11 years old all over again. Some people say Nintendo makes ‘kiddy’ games. I say they make games that bring out the child in you, as that is exactly what this game does so well.

At its core, New Super Mario Bros. is a traditional 2D side scrolling platformer that dabbles in 3D but never forgets that it is a throwback to a simpler age of gaming. The game is an uncomplicated, yet highly addictive experience that brings together elements from over two decades of the franchise. As remarkable as Nintendo is or has been in the past, here the company is in rare form.

The best way to think of New Super Mario Bros. is as the culmination of all previous Super Mario Bros. adventures. The developers have picked out many of the most remarkable aspects of past games, added in a few new touches, and created a quest that feels familiar yet decidedly new at the same time. For example, classic items like the Mushroom, Fire Flower, and P Switch are found throughout the landscape, but there are new items like the Mini Mushroom that shrinks Mario so that he can squeeze through tiny spaces and down ridiculously small pipes, and a Blue Shell that Mario can wear and dash through enemies like a tossed Koopa. There’s also a Mega Mushroom that A

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