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Brain Quest: Grades 3 & 4 Review

Like 'Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?', but thankfully without Jeff Foxworthy.




http://ds.ign.com/ar...5/925261p1.html


Closing Comments

Brain Quest is a fairly fun trivia game, but only for kids that love proving how smart they are. The focus isn't on teaching the kid the answers (though it occasionally does explain some of them), but rather just seeing what you and your friends know. If there was a fleshed out multiplayer it could be a really good trivia game. The Quest mode adds rewards to keep the game interesting, but what's the fun of proving how smart you are if there's nobody around to care?


7.5 Presentation
Bright and cheerful. Easy to use interface. The collectibles and themed worlds are cute.

7.0 Graphics
Simple, cheesy character design. The colors are bright and everything is clean and easy to read.

6.5 Sound
The soud effects are limited and repetitive. Might get a bit grating for parents. Different music for each subject though.

6.5 Gameplay
Solid trivia game format, different ways to answer questions and a challenging mix of subjects. Totally dropped the ball on multiplayer, so single player is the only fleshed out part.

7.5 Lasting Appeal
A ton of questions to play and dozens of collectibles to earn. Plus sudoku, if you're not sick of that yet.

6.7
Passable OVERALL
(out of 10 / not an average)

Brain Quest: Grades 5 & 6 Review

Like 'Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?', but thankfully without Jeff Foxworthy.




http://ds.ign.com/ar...5/925271p1.html


Closing Comments

Brain Quest is a fairly fun trivia game, but only for kids that love proving how smart they are. The focus isn't on teaching the kid the answers (though it occasionally does explain some of them), but rather just seeing what you and your friends know. If there was a fleshed out multiplayer it could be a really good trivia game. The Quest mode adds rewards to keep the game interesting, but what's the fun of proving how smart you are if there's nobody around to care?


7.5 Presentation
Bright and cheerful. Easy to use interface. The collectibles and themed worlds are cute.

7.0 Graphics
Simple, cheesy character design. The colors are bright and everything is clean and easy to read.

6.5 Sound
The soud effects are limited and repetitive. Might get a bit grating for parents. Different music for each subject though.

6.5 Gameplay
Solid trivia game format, different ways to answer questions and a challenging mix of subjects. Totally dropped the ball on multiplayer, so single player is the only fleshed out part.

7.5 Lasting Appeal
A ton of questions to play and dozens of collectibles to earn. Plus sudoku, if you're not sick of that yet.

6.7
Passable OVERALL
(out of 10 / not an average)

Naruto: Path of the Ninja 2 Review

Though he's made some progress since last year, this ninja-in-training still has a lot to learn.




http://ds.ign.com/ar...4/924855p1.html


Closing Comments

Naruto: Path of the Ninja 2 is an admirable attempt to offer a Naruto-branded video game that isn't a fighter, or an action/adventure, or a fighter/action/adventure cross-over. And it makes improvements over last year's first Path of the Ninja, by offering a greater variety of playable characters and a new story that isn't a repeat of a plotline already seen in the anime. Where the game falls short, though, is in its still-too-severe reliance on dated role-playing conventions. The random battles, uninteresting overworld exploration and lack of innovation in gameplay design beyond the expected brief touch screen mini-games all keep it from rising anywhere above the range of "fair" as an RPG. Diehard fans of the series will enjoy it, as they've enjoyed the wealth of other products featuring the grinning face of the No. 1 knucklehead ninja over the past three years. But the rest of the DS owning crowd has far better role-playing experiences to look to on Nintendo's handheld, and shouldn't worry about walking down this Path.


7.0 Presentation
Fortunately, the storyline used in this adventure isn't a retread of material already seen in the anime. Unfortunately, it's still pretty forgettable.

6.5 Graphics
Last year's first Path of the Ninja was a port-up from a Game Boy Advance design. This year's is better, but it's still clearly rooted in that last-gen style.

6.0 Sound
"Chubbies rule!" Choji will be reminding you of that fact again and again, as each character in Path 2 has access to only a handful of continually repeated catchphrases.

6.5 Gameplay
The battle system employed here has the potential to be deep and strategic, but that potential only realizes itself in some boss fights. The rest of the time is tedious and too conventional.

7.0 Lasting Appeal
Though the story mode can be completed fairly quickly, the game extends its appeal with a good variety of playable characters and a Wi-Fi Connection battle mode.

6.5
Passable OVERALL
(out of 10 / not an average)

Transformers Animated Review

A good, solid Transformers experience, even if the "transforming" element feels tacked on.




http://ds.ign.com/ar...5/925706p1.html


7.5 Presentation
Love or hate the cartoon, at least the developer injects a lot of that property into the Nintendo DS game.

7.5 Graphics
A2M's 3D side-scrolling engine looks good and works well for the design they've created for the Transformers game.

8.0 Sound
Lots of voice-over recorded by the animated series' actors, and some nice use of the cartoon's soundtrack.

7.5 Gameplay
There are Transformers, but very little transforming, so keep that in mind when you get into this solid, fun and challenging Lost Vikings-like game.

5.0 Lasting Appeal
Rather straightforward experience -- no unlockables or extras, just a bunch of side-scrolling puzzle challenges with a bit of basic racing peppered throughout.

7.4
Decent OVERALL
(out of 10 / not an average)

What's Cooking? Jamie Oliver Review

Half-baked.




http://ds.ign.com/ar...6/926029p1.html


Closing Comments

What's Cooking? Jamie Oliver is an admirable effort but it doesn't go far enough beyond regular cookbooks to make it worth it. Truly interactive features like voice commands (so you don't get your DS grubby while cooking) and video tutorials would have been useful -- and will appear in Nintendo's first-party cooking title later this year. Plus, the game aspects here are more annoying than anything. Gamers who want to get their hands dirty in the kitchen should wait a bit for Nintendo's effort.


5.5 Presentation
The manual has been designed like a cookbook, which is a smart move to appeal to casual gamers. Everything inside the game feels pretty phoned-in, though.

5.0 Graphics
Some still images of Jamie and poorly-rendered kitchen utensils.

4.5 Sound
Jamie's audio commentary is fine, but the midi elevator music is really irritating.

4.5 Gameplay
Only half of this package is a game -- and that half is pretty terrible.

5.0 Lasting Appeal
There are a lot of recipes here to work through. You can make up your own recipes and send them to friends. But...why?

4.9
Poor OVERALL
(out of 10 / not an average)

KORG DS-10 Review

A fun, but limited, musical toy.





http://ds.ign.com/ar...6/926790p1.html


Closing Comments

While the Korg DS-10 can produce some really cool sounds and it's fun to play around with, it isn't standalone, full-featured music software. Nerdcore musicians might be able to put together a band with several systems running the cartridge, but on its own it is little more than a music toy. The step sequencer is a very unfriendly way of composing songs. I could see the DS-10 being used as a portable tool for musicians to capture ideas while they're on the road. The software does control very well with just the stylus, especially the KAOSS Pad. But I see this as more a proof-of-concept piece and will hope for a more useful solution for taking my DS on stage.


6.5 Presentation
The software sounds great and the synths are robust, but your sequencing options are limited and cumbersome.

5.0 Graphics
It's functional, but it isn't pretty.

8.5 Sound
Great synths and effects, but the fact that each synth is monophonic really limits the sonic possibilites.

7.0 Gameplay
Not really applicable, but the touch screen controls work great and programming patterns is a breeze.

7.5 Lasting Appeal
You won't be producing complete songs with the Korg DS-10, but it could be handy as a way to capture musical ideas on the go.

7.1
Decent OVERALL
(out of 10 / not an average)

Rock Revolution Review

You'd probably have more fun if you just bought a rock.




http://ds.ign.com/ar...6/926890p1.html


Closing Comments

There is no reason for Rock Revolution to exist. Guitar Hero: On Tour already does the portable guitar game right, and Hannah Montana: Music Jam is actually a decent full-band game. Konami's game is ugly, the audio is a joke, and the gameplay is dull. This is anything but revolutionary.


4.0 Presentation
Neither the game's interface or the black & white manual care to inform us who the included artists are.

4.0 Graphics
An unattractive art style is paired with ghetto animations.

3.5 Sound
All cover songs, which is pretty unforgivable today. While the guitars and vocals are competant, the midi bass is laughably bad and drums are buried in the mix.

4.5 Gameplay
The touch screen guitar strumming and drum tapping will put you to sleep.

5.0 Lasting Appeal
Four players can play together if everyone has a copy. And for single-card download play, a whopping ONE song is available for two players to play the same instrument on.

4.1
Poor OVERALL
(out of 10 / not an average)

Quantum of Solace Review

007 comes to DS in this fun, but somewhat limited affair.




http://ds.ign.com/ar...7/927232p1.html


Closing Comments

Quantum of Solace isn't a bad little action game on DS, but it is noticeably less cunning and sleek as the agent that inspires it. While stealth can be used to a certain extent, and while the added melee mode attempted to deepen the core experience, we often found ourselves getting just a strong of results from sprinting through the halls with 007 armed and dangerous, getting the jump on baddies, and then mowing them down from a rage of two or three feet. The camera is too close for any serious gunplay, and the lack of a cover system means you're often stat-mashing against other players to whittle down stats and ultimately deliver a killing blow, and stylus-only control is a bit odd in certain cases, specifically when dealing with "tap to shoot" controls that slightly manipulate the camera with every tap, or just aren't as satisfying or accurate as we'd like. If you're a Bond fan, and you've got your heart set on a pocket offering, Quantum of Solace will satisfy for at least a few sittings, with lots of options, character expansion, and some pretty impressive production values for a DS game. The gameplay though seems to take a back seat to the rest of the package, and while it still has its fun moments, there are a handful of better ways to do this type of game on DS.


8.0 Presentation
One of the game's best aspects overall. Lots of character VO added in, a story that follows Casino and Quantum, as well as the games, and a sleek, sexy interface.

6.5 Graphics
Some of the animations are a bit odd (Bond and baddies alike have instances of "gorilla arms"), but for the most part it's strong 3D, decent animation, but nothing truly amazing on DS.

8.0 Sound
The "action music" plays and cuts abruptly during battles, but outside of that it's a strong composition with a lot of VO from the real actors, and a standout audio effort on DS.

6.0 Gameplay
Gun combat isn't too rewarding with such a close camera and no cover system, but it works. Melee is a bit rougher, with all-stylus "draw-to-fight" controls, but again works for the most part.

6.0 Lasting Appeal
There's a lot of customization and stat tweaking that can be made, and each area can be replayed for better times and more Bond Points. The gameplay itself though won't really suck players in.

6.8
Passable OVERALL
(out of 10 / not an average)

High School Musical 3: Senior Year Review

Wow, it's not an Elite Beat Agents clone.




http://ds.ign.com/ar...6/926959p1.html


Closing Comments

High School Musical 3: Senior Year makes a serious effort to be a fun and original game, and Griptonite Games deserves credit for that. It uses a unique control scheme that is fun for the most part. However the controls are tricky, making it hard to really excel at the title, and younger gamers may become frustrated if they can't progress. It feels like the developers held back and played it safe with the title. License games generally dont see much, if any, innovation though, so seeing one that isn't a complete ripoff of another game is refreshing. I doubt this is the last we'll see of High School Musical (why chop that money tree down?) and hopefully Griptonite will take their engine and evolve it to make a really fun music game, with or without Disney songs.


6.0 Presentation
Okay this quiz and yearbook nonsense is not fooling anyone. This is not any better than those lame paperdoll retellings of the movie plot.

7.5 Graphics
The 3D models look a little goofy while they dance, but there are a bunch of them, and they change throughout the songs.

8.5 Sound
11 playable songs are in the game. Your kid and millions others already love these songs, and they sound pretty good on the DS.

6.5 Gameplay
I really dig the idea of the pinwheel and melody bar. They need to be on the same screen to be able to match up easier because its hard to control.

6.0 Lasting Appeal
Beating the game on easy or medium will take all of a day or two. But the DGamer unlockables and unbelievably difficult all star mode might keep then engaged for a few days more.

7.0
Decent OVERALL
(out of 10 / not an average)

Spyro: Dawn of the Dragon Review

Its heart is in the right place, but the game still just isn't quite there yet.


http://ds.ign.com/ar...7/927753p1.html




Closing Comments

I definitely think that what's been done in The Legend of Spyro: Dawn of the Dragon is a big step in the right direction for the DS version of the series, but it's just not quite there yet. Activision, if you're continuing the Spyro series for 2009, give these guys one more chance to smooth out the rough edges, because there's a lot of promise and potential in this year's game that just needs a bit more tweaking for it to work properly.


5.5 Presentation
The storyline is told through voice-over cutscenes, but with absolutely no animation to the cinematics they're not very interesting.

7.5 Graphics
A solid engine that runs 3D in a 2D platformer, and the Star Fox-like levels don't look all that shabby either.

6.0 Sound
The voiceover is crisp and well acted but the soundtrack is a little lifeless for such an epic adventure.

6.0 Gameplay
It has all the elements to make it good, but it's brought down by small but noticable annoyances: stiff control, wonky combo system, unfair off-camera attacks, and poor choice of button commands.

5.0 Lasting Appeal
It's a straightforward action game with not much to shoot for once you're done.

6.2
Passable OVERALL
(out of 10 / not an average)

Back to the Barnyard: Slop Bucket Games

Sloppy collection of mini-games for the DS.


http://ds.ign.com/ar...7/927835p1.html




Closing Comments

Back to the Barnyard: Slop Bucket Games is just another mediocre mini-game cash in riding solely on the power of its Nickelodeon TV show license. Only two of the ten included challenges offer up anything remotely new, and even less actually take advantage of the barnyard setting. The complete lack of multiplayer support ultimately keeps the game from rising above the already crowded mini-game compilation genre. The game may be fun during the brief first playthrough, but it quickly becomes clear that Slop Bucket Games is a title that deserves to be put out to pasture.


6.5 Presentation
The Back to the Barnyard license just isn't used very well here. Also, the jarring jump from 2D to 3D hurts the overall flow of the title.

6.0 Graphics
It's too bad Firemint didn't make the entire game three-dimensional, as these sections make the two-dimensional mini-games look downright primitive in comparison.

4.5 Sound
Audio mediocrity across the board. You might be better served to turn the volume down in the overworld, as the music can get a tad tedious.

6.0 Gameplay
These are all tried-and-true mini-games, sure, but there's nothing really new here. What's here plays well, but ten mini-games just isn't enough.

4.0 Lasting Appeal
You'll have seen everything there is to see in less than an hour. Lack of any sort of multiplayer support hurts this title even more.

4.9
Poor OVERALL
(out of 10 / not an average)

Prof. Layton and the Curious Village UK Review

Curiouser and curiouser.




http://ds.ign.com/ar...7/927923p1.html


Closing Comments

Ultimately, it's fair to call Professor Layton and the Curious Village a glorified brain trainer - everything beyond those core puzzles is little more than non-essential gloss. However, it's precisely those extras that make Professor Layton such an compulsively rewarding, refreshing experience. It's a beautifully presented and gently-paced title that, while far from revolutionary, is simply a joy to play. Admittedly, if you hate puzzles, those aesthetic trappings are unlikely to win you over but everyone else is likely to fall for Professor Layton's puzzling purity and effortless charms.


8.5 Presentation
From charming art design to brilliant audio, it's a beautiful, slick package. Only minor interface quirks irrate.

8.0 Graphics
The gorgeously stylised, hand-drawn art style is refreshingly unique. Aside from occassional video sequences, it's a largely static affair though.

8.0 Sound
Music fits the European mood of the game, even if it's a litte repetitive. Infrequent voice work is largely excellent although sidekick Luke grates.

8.5 Gameplay
Adventure elements are basic but the puzzles are numerous, varied and, most importantly, enjoyable.

8.0 Lasting Appeal
Once it's over, it's pretty much over - how long that takes though depends entirely on your mental prowess.

8.5
Great OVERALL
(out of 10 / not an average)

Robocalypse Review

Who wouldn't want an army of robots at their command?





http://ds.ign.com/ar...8/928046p1.html


Closing Comments

Robocalypse offers fairly conventional RTS gameplay, but it is a well-oiled machine that plays very well. What is really unique here is the gleefully absurd humor and art style. The daft, irreverent tone is refreshing, and we should hope Lender and Wright have more game scripts up their sleeves. RTS titles are a rarity on the DS, and this is a polished effort. Strategy fans shouldn't let it go by unnoticed.


9.0 Presentation
Great art style, and the game is loaded with humor and personality. Giving orders on the touch screen works well.

8.5 Graphics
Your robot troops are well-animated and sport a lot of detail. This is one of the better looking DS games.

9.0 Sound
An orchestral, cartoon soundtrack and some light voice acting to bring your hero units to life.

8.5 Gameplay
Your basic RTS design has been streamlined and fine-tuned for play on the DS. It sucks you in so that, even if you fail a mission, you really want to give it another try.

8.0 Lasting Appeal
Beyond the single-player campaign there are multiplayer modes for up to four owners of the game.


8.9
Great OVERALL
(out of 10 / not an average)

Smackdown vs. Raw 2009

THQ's brawler takes a big step in the right direction, but needs to shed its touch-only controls.




http://ds.ign.com/ar...8/928264p1.html


Closing Comments

We said this the first time we played Smackdown vs. Raw 2009, and we'll say it again now. This game needs button control. The season mode is a great start for a new action RPG-like take on the WWE, there are new modes, added direct control for a sort of No Mercy feel (if we could ditch the "circle to grab a guy, tap to punch" controls that just end up getting in the way), create-a-superstar which is off to a great first year, hell in the cell, ladder matches, hardcore, TLC, and so much more to check out. Honestly THQ, we know you're already considering it, but we're just fine if next year's offering doesn't have an endless amount of modes, online connectivity, or even a new slew of superstars. Above all else, a game should control and play wonderfully before moving on to anything else, and right now Smackdown vs. Raw needs to go back to the basics and remember what made the N64 games (built on a somewhat like-powered system) so damn good. It's about control; always has been, and always will be. Nail that, keep the touch controls in for those that want them, and then expand the design. Smackdown vs. Raw 2009 is a big, big leap in the right direction, but it still isn't a game we'd recommend you go out and buy unless you simply must have WWE on the go. Next year could be a whole other story though, and it's all about control.


8.0 Presentation
There's a pretty beefy roster of players to check out, a new RPG/adventure mode stacked on top of the core gameplay, more matches, and better overall visuals. Nice.

9.0 Graphics
Some of the best on DS hands-down. This game is sweet, sexy eye candy. Now it just needs to play as good as it looks.

7.0 Sound
There's no commentary, and the crowd doesnt do much, but you'll get random VO snippets in there from time to time, and wrestler music is in there for ever character. Not bad.

6.5 Gameplay
Touch control has to go. Smackdown is a fighter, and the No Mercy feel is nearly there. Drop the touch support (or move it aside), add more variation in and out of the ring, and go from there.

7.0 Lasting Appeal
During its worst times, the game is a pain in the butt to play. At its best, it's a good - not great - brawler that you'll need to work through clunky touch controls to enjoy.

7.5
Good OVERALL
(out of 10 / not an average)

Margot's Word Brain Review

With a design that combines elements of several past vocabulary video games, Margot's DS debut should please players addicted to words.




http://ds.ign.com/ar...8/928416p1.html


Closing Comments

So, taken all together, the six word-based activities in Margot's Word Brain are a fair bunch of vocabulary video games -- even if they're almost all derivative of other, past vocabulary video games. Dedicated DS owners more familiar with those games of yesteryear would probably be turned off by Word Brain's repackaging of each design, and prefer to stick with the original editions -- and, indeed, if you don't yet own titles like Crosswords DS then you should go back and grab them. But more casual players in line with Nintendo's Touch Generations target audience likely won't mind the many similarities between Margot's selection and those other titles, simply enjoying that this one cartridge has brought all those ideas together into one place. And serious, hardcore, read-the-dictionary-for-fun word nerds would definitely have fun here, as it's a game made just for them.

If you count yourself among the linguistic elite, or might be buying Christmas gifts soon for someone who does, then Margot and her $14.99 MSRP are certainly worth a look. But those without a strong passion for language are better off looking elsewhere, or just loading up that free online version of Bookworm for a quick fix before moving on.


6.0 Presentation
Margot's Word Brain clones the presentation of Brain Age, with its helper character and book style configuration. It's a choice that works well for the title.

5.0 Graphics
Basic visuals present each game challenge, most of which are made up by the same set of static, unanimated letter tiles for you to click on.

5.0 Sound
Equally average music and sound effects accompany the graphics, though the occasional digitized voice sample is thrown in for good measure.

6.0 Gameplay
Margot's Word Brain capably clones several past vocabulary-based video games, and is fairly fun at what it does. What it doesn't do, though, is innovate much on its own.

7.0 Lasting Appeal
Word nerds, crossword addicts and the Scrabble-obsessed will probably play this budget-priced package for a long time. Lesser language lovers likely won't, though.

6.0
Passable OVERALL
(out of 10 / not an average)