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 games: ds round-up
Hands on. Back when Nintendo launched the DS, way back in 2004, one of the first games we got a taste of was Metroid Prime Hunters, thanks to the “First Hunt” demo. Two-ish years down the line the game arrives in its finished form, having been delayed in part to implement wi-fi capabilities. The result is a game that has both a huge single-player adventure and multiplayer modes involving six new rival bounty hunter characters. All of which is stupendously exciting for fans of Nintendo's magnificent long-running title. However, it must be said that Metroid Prime Hunters features the most awkward control system yet to grace the DS. And considering the touchscreen innovation has previously been used to make many titles unusually intuitive and accessible, this comes as something of a surprise.  Metroid Prime Hunters. A juggling act that at first feels like it requires three hands, playing Hunters involves an initial hurdle that's pretty challenging compared to the more immediate control of earlier handheld Metroid instalments. However, once you've wriggled about, manhandled the console and fiddled with the controls to find an arrangement that suits, Hunters is a deep, satisfying high quality game that relates closely to the similarly sophisticated Metroid Prime GameCube titles, whose graphic style it emulates. I'm not sure I could play this on the bus, which gives it something of the feel of a folly for a handheld game. I've also never experienced quite such an impressive first-person shooter action on a handheld either. If Hunters is a bit specialised, worry not, as the DS, with its ever-expanding, hugely-impressive PSP-eclipsing catalogue now features a new version of the granddaddy of pick-up-and-play handheld games, Tetris. As the game that consolidated the success of the original GameBoy, classic-feel Tetris is of course included here. But Tetris DS again also takes advantage of the wi-fi for battle play and there are myriad modes, retro Nintendo goings-on on the top screen and a banal musical score in the mix here. It’s fair to say that Tetris remains as playable as ever in this format.  Tetris DS and Phoenix Wright. Talking of vintage GameBoy, Pokémon is 10 years old this year and the DS is getting a new title in the form of Pokémon Trozei, which takes the form of a falling block puzzler, except here it's Poké-critters falling from the top screen to the touch screen. It's actually pretty fun and funky, and a change of tone and pace from the more traditional Pokémon games. It's not all about shooting things and lining stuff up, though. The DS is also doing a good line in... I'm not sure what you'd call this genre, profession Sims maybe? Trauma Center Under The Knife (sic) has you doing surgery with the DS stylus, while Phoenix Wright has you in the role of a lawyer. And just to take the genre spread even further down the line, this year we have games that promise to nourish the brain and the novel prospect of Electroplankton, a music-creation game. Really, Nintendo are on a roll. A boosted morph-ball roll perhaps.
Dan Etherington
Phoenix Wright, Tetris DS, Pokémon Trozei and Trauma Center are out now. Metroid Prime Hunter is out on 05 May 06. Electroplankton is out in July 06.
 comments
Read members' comments related to this game.
comment by Syd
Jul 4, 2006
I AM NOT AN IDIOT!!
comment by Doctor_rules
Jul 4, 2006
now all this convo is showing is that ds users are perverted idiots.
comment by Syd
Jun 28, 2006
Is there a real difference in size and weight between the ds and the lite? I haven't had a chance to see a lite yet.
comment by oblivion-oath
Jun 28, 2006
errmm... I will leave that unanswered.
comment by Syd
Jun 28, 2006
...besides, there's nothing wrong with stroking a cute little pussy now and again. You should try it! 
comment by Syd
Jun 28, 2006
Nintendos fun games are not wasted. Why should they change for, as u say, macho idiots who just like telling people "I have a PSP, oh it's great, you can watch films on it". I guess I'm just lucky. I still have a TV at home I can watch films on...and play Playstation/X-box games on. Face it, Sony have messed up with the PSP. DS has already won.
comment by juan pedro carlos
Jun 28, 2006
Well I got a ds-lite yesterday and it's f**king ace!
comment by oblivion-oath
Jun 28, 2006
indeed
comment by Doctor_rules
Jun 23, 2006
its ashame because once upon a time nintendo was at the peak of gameing
comment by oblivion-oath
Jun 23, 2006
I have to say, although I love everything that Nintendo has done, I think I agree with you. All Nintendo's innovation is often wasted, because while e.g. Wario Ware is a great concept, and is soooooo much fun. But its not "cool" to have a game with little cartoon characters, and pink flowery kittens you have to stroke. Great concept, wasted on the chavs and pikeys and "cool" people who want macho games.
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 tomb raidergames #149  guitar herogames #148  elder scollsgames #147  the godfathergames #146  the outfitgames #145 books  books and comics archive Author interviews and reviews from 2002 to 2008. |
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