Review: Diddy Kong Racing DS (DS)

Graphics- 8/10
Sound- 9.5/10
Gameplay- 9/10
Replay Value- 8/10
Overall- 8.5/10

I was in need of a new DS game, so I went hunting. I remembered Diddy Kong Racing DS, so I purchased it. This is another game you can chalk up as a great N64 remake.

I guess I should start out by saying that I am very much in the minority when it comes to this games. It seems like everyone who touches this game hates it. It could be that I was way too excited to the Rare logo on a Nintendo game for the first time in way too long or it could be that I want to like this game, because I liked the original for the N64. Anyways, whatever the reason is, I like the game. People have complained about the graphics and more specifically, the textures. I have noticed this - but I only see this when I am looking for a problem, and that is not how I should review a game. In other words, when you aren't looking for any problems, odds are you won't see any. Enough about the graphics, lets get right down to the gameplay - and boy is there a lot of it. The racing aspect of this game has remained great, and nothing really has to be said, because almost nothing has changed (read what I said here.) The only change is to the start of the race, more specifically the way you boost at the beginning. If you are in a car, you spin a wheel on the touch screen, if you are in a plane you spin a propeller, and if you are in a hovercraft you blow into the microphone. To say the least, this is a very compelling idea, unfortunately, spinning the wheel is so hard, spinning the propeller is to easy, and blowing is way way to easy (oops...). However, this is a very minor detail. As long as we are talking about the cars, I might as well tell you one of the new features that I like about this game. That is the newly added unlockable features, which includes car upgrades. Are you as excited as I was? Well... probably not, but anyways, my excitement didn't last long because, it turns out upgrading is too easy, and makes the game too easy. If you keep losing a race, just upgrade your top speed, and you will win. "But, wait," you say, "I don't have enough coins to upgrade!" (you collect coins during races.) Well then, you just go back to the first races, the way too easy races, and you collect lots of coins. The other things that you can unlock include a design-a-course race, which I was disappointed in, mainly due to its lack of depth.

Anyways something that I loved in the original was the music, it was awesome, and thank god it wasn't changed for this game. Hot Top Volcano still has the same somewhat stereotypical music. Another thing I loved in the original was the elephant's extremely stereotypical Indian voice, but unfortunately, this did not return (it's not hard to figure out why.) Something else that I have yet to mention is the Wi-Fi, and for the most part it works fine, it's nothing special. It does add more to the game though. In the end, I still spend a lot of time with this game, and I don't care what everyone else says. If you read my original review, you can understand why I like the remake. Is my review possibly biased? Well get used to this, it's a good game.

Pros: Upgrades, Music the same, Much like the original.
Cons: Loss of stereotypical Indian voice, Design a course, Upgrades.

Review: Dan

Review: Final Fantasy III (DS)

Graphics- 8.5/10
Sound- 10/10
Gameplay- 9/10
Replay Value- 8.5/10
Overall- 9/10

I've long been a fan of the Final Fantasy series, but since I missed out on some of the oldies, I've been picking up the newer remakes. And I must tell you, Final Fantasy III on the DS is the best of the remakes and already one of my favorite Final Fantasy games.

Recently, with the rise in new Final Fantasy releases, the market has seen a rise, as well, in remakes of the older, classic Final Fantasies. Final Fantasy III on the DS is one of the newer remakes and easily the most updated, as the graphics have been changed from 2D to 3D. Although it is obvious that the graphics are certainly not the best on a portable system, they give the game a certain charm that makes the visuals very appealing. One of the main things that adds to this is the wonderful use of color in the designs and environments. The picture is very crisp, appealing, and fun to watch due to the use of color and detail. With all these properties working together, the visuals prove to be very attractive. Working with the visuals, the sound, namely the music, really raises the game to another level of entertainment. The soundtrack, specifically the theme song, is breath taking at numerous moments. The music is perfectly composed, with the ability to affect your emotions drastically.

The game play is truly what gives the game it's classic feeling. Just like Final Fantasy games of old, the game takes place on a large over world, covered by green fields, dense forests, and rugged mountains; as well, the other part of the adventure is when you enter the numerous, detailed dungeons, towns, and castles for quests that range from treasure hunting to saving the world. There is plenty of room in the game which supports the free form questing style of the game. As you travel through the more detailed places of the world, such as caves and dungeons, the feeling is truly adventurous with the threat of monsters and the reward of treasure being real. As well, there is a nice feature to the game; as it's name, zoom, implies, you zoom in the camera to find needed items and buttons for secret passage ways. The game really uses the feature in the game play and it is often needed for advancement. This zoom feature adds a feeling of light puzzle solving to the adventure. The battles themselves are true to the classic, turn based style of older Final Fantasy games. Fighting is simple, quick, and often fun and satisfying, with some key battles being more epic in scale, giving the game a nice range of action.

These are all the elements that make the game what it is; fun, adventurous, and pretty free, but the main feature is the job system. The job system allows you to choose what type of adventurers your characters are at almost any moment. The choices range from warrior to red mage and thief to monk. Even more options become available as you advance through the game, such as dragoon and ninja. The game play really changes depending on the classes chosen, making it easy to make the game fun for any ones' taste. In the end, the choice of classes throughout the game, along with it's semi-free form nature really gives the game a nice amount of replay value. Over all, Final Fantasy III is a wonderful addition to the DS, and a great remake. The visuals are appealing, the game play is very fun and adventurous, and the music is truly stunning. As well, even with out replaying the game, you can have tons of time of fun and adventure with this one.


Pros: Very appealing design, great adventure, wonderful music. Job system is fun
Cons: Graphics aren't quite as good as they could be.

Review: Vedran

Review: Mario Kart DS (DS)

Graphics- 9.5/10
Sound- 10/10
Gameplay- 10/10
Replay Value- 10/10
Overall- 9.5/10

Best Mario Kart game ever. Period. This game has it all; great courses, great gameplay, online gameplay, great characters and karts, and the list just keeps going.

This is what it is all about, I don't know if I will ever get so much entertainment from a DS game. Not only was the single player nicely done, the multiplayer was too. To start the single player, is set up just like all the other Mario Kart game. You have to choose between 50cc, 100cc, and 150cc - with 50cc being the easiest and 150cc being the most difficult. As you beat different cups you unlock different rewards such as new karts, courses and characters. That leads me into another great feature of this game, and that is the cup selection. In this game it is set up so there are eight total cups to chose from. There is the normal four and then the "retro four" which is basically the previous games greatest hits, course wise. They did manage to get it pretty close to perfect with the course selection (damn Baby Park). Not only are the four retro cups nicely done, but the new ones are nicely done also. If you remember this is the problem that I had with Double Dash, and this little problem was fixed very nicely. I still like to go back to the courses and play the computers every once and awhile, which is something that is very hard to achieve in a racing game, but if I get bored of the computers I can always play some noobs online. This is where my only compliant for the game is - the online system is a little bare. Overall however it isn't bad for Nintendo's first online system. It also can be a little annoying when you play a hacker online, but that is not the games fault.

Another good feature about this game is the character and Kart selection choices. Once is all said and done you get to choose from up to twelve characters: Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, Yoshi, Toad, Donkey Kong, Wario, Bowser, Princess Daisy, Waluigi, Dry Bones, and R.O.B. As far as karts go you ultimately get to chose from 36. Now, I don't know if you're aware but that is a lot of karts that you can choose from. On top of that there are many other good things about the game. There is mission mode, which can be anything from drive through some tires, to fighting Boo for coins. Mission mode can be fun and all, but there is no reward for it, other than the satisfaction of perfect completion. You can also design your own emblems to be used in multiplayer races and battles. Which reminds me, the battles in this game tend to be a forgotten aspect, and they should not be. I guess what I am trying to say is that well this is the best "kart" racing game ever made, console or portable system because it combines the best aspects from all the previous games. This game is one of those must-own games that you hear so much about.

Pros: Tracks, Characters, Karts, Multiplayer, Single player, Online.
Cons: Online bare, Snakers online.

Review: Dan

Review: Pokémon Diamond* (DS)

Graphics - 9/10
Sound- 9.5/10
Gameplay- 10/10
Replay Value- 9.5/10
Overall- 9/10

This game has really taken off and I'm not surprised. This game plays the same as the original Pokémons and has many great updates. You should definitely consider revisiting the Pokémon games if you have given up on them.

At first I was unsure if I was going to buy the game because I have not been following Pokémon like I used to and do not know many of the new Pokémon. I soon decided to get the game, and boy was it a smart move. I quickly found myself engulfed in the game and I couldn't stop. I played for 10 hours the first two days I had it. I don't know if it was the lack of a good Pokémon game in my life for several years, or the fact that there is just so much to do but I was hooked and still am. The first thing that caught my attention while I was playing was the graphics, there has been a massive update to them that is visible right away. The game looks a lot better than any of the previous games, and the the fact that the DS has a backlight helps (I know the SP did too.) The only problem with the graphics is when you are moving really fast. You can actually see the parts of the buildings jump around a little as the game tries to load them. While this is most likely because of the DS's insanely low refresh rate it will bother at first, but you do get used to it. The other thing that is noticeable is the sound, but not for the same reason as the graphics. The sound effects have stayed almost the same, which I actually like because it reminds me of the original sounds you heard on the Gameboy. The music on the other hand has been updated a little and sounds a bit more sharper and changes more frequently meaning there is more music, and all of it is classic Pokémon sounding music.

Enough of the technical stuff, lets get down to gameplay. It's it what makes the game so good. As I have said it is in the style of the classic Pokémon games, which I guess I should explain for the three people in the world that don't know how it is done. You are on an adventure to fill up your Pokédex and along the way you have to beat the Elite Four, which are the four most powerful trainers in the game. Along the way you have to capture Pokémon and train them by fighting and defeating other wild Pokémon and fellow trainers. The fighting method is turn-based, with the Pokémon that has the highest speed stat striking first. You choose a move that will do damage to the opposing Pokémon based on you level, opponents level, type of Pokémon, And you attack stat along with there defense stat. However it doesn't stop there, you can have certain attacks that will raise your stats or lower your opponents stats in certain ares. This can make certain battles a fight to the end or you may be seeing how quickly you can knock out the foe. The more your Pokémon fight, the more experienced they become, the more they level up, learn new moves and eventually evolve. This system is a fantastic one and it does make the game, its simple yet complicated enough that all types of players will enjoy it. On top of all this the game has great replay value because you Gotta Catch 'em All, so there's another couple of hours added on to your total playing time.

So, what am I trying to say? Pokémon is back? Not quite, but this game is a great game for all of us who fondly remember spending our childhood playing Red or Blue, or even Yellow. The only major complaint that I have with the game is that there is only one game file. I was hoping for three, but it has been one file since the start of the series, so I can't be to disappointed. If you own a Ds, this game is a great pick-up that will keep you entertained for hours.

Pros: Improved graphics, An original Pokémon game, Sound.
Cons: Graphics show off DS's low refresh rate, One save file.


*Review based on Diamond version - Pearl is similar only with different Pokémon

Review: Super Mario 64 DS (DS)

Graphics- 9.5/10
Sound- 10/10
Gameplay- 9/10
Replay Value- 10/10
Overall- 9/10

Messing with one of the greatest games of all time? What are they crazy they? What...it's actually good? Oh, then it's ok.

As you can tell, when this game first came out I was very nervous, they could really screw up one of the greatest games of all time. After it came out it started to get positive reviews and it put my mind a bit more at ease, but I still wanted to see for myself. Now that I own the game, my mind is 100% at ease. Much like New Super Mario Bros. they managed to stick close to the original formula while still adding plenty of new stuff, so you aren't buying Super Mario 64 (which still would have sold really well.) The biggest update to this game is the graphics. They have been updated greatly and some levels even have new graphics all together. When I say the graphics have been updated, I guess I really should say they have been sharpened, because that is what really happened. As for new graphics, go to levels like Tick-Tock Clock to understand what I'm saying, but certain aspects of the game have new stuff on them....it's hard to explain. Another update is to some of the levels, they have newly added parts. While some levels are kept the same, other have newly added areas, usually pertaining to a new star. Usually these new areas are fine, however I strongly disagree with what they did to Tick-Tock Clock. They added more floor. Anyone who has played the original will know that falling from type of significant height almost always assures you death. Now its near impossible to die. To test this I randomly jumped of the edges 10 time and I only died twice.

As I hinted at before some of the stars have been changed. However, the main thing with the stars is the addition of them. In the original game there were 120 stars, now there are 150. one of the big ways that this is achieved is with the "5 silver stars" star. This is basically like the classic eight red coin missions, only with five silver stars. Along with that there many other minor changes made to the stars that only hard-core players of Super Mario 64 will notice. Believe it or not the star-changing is not the big problem that I have. The biggest problem that I have is the controls. More specifically the D-Pad. This game is meant to be played with an analog stick, end of story. Nintendo tried to fix this problem by adding the option to use the touch screen as an analog stick, and well that just doesn't work. It is way to hard to get used to and can end up costing you a lot more lifes than the D-Pad costs you (I can't tell you how many lifes it has cost me.) Other than that I really have no big problems with the game. Could the graphics be better? Maybe, but they will do just fine and there are only a few instances where you notice them being poor. In fact, I was impressed at the leap between this game and the original cartridge for the N64. The other big thing with this game was the multiple characters. This works a lot better than I thought. All the character have there own abilities that make you think before you attempt to get a star. Yoshi can to his classic quick feet movement that gives you an extra little bit on your jump and can save you in tight situations. Mario can do his wall jump. Wario is extra strong and is the only one that can break the black boxes. Finally Luigi can jump really high and do a helicopter move after a backflip so he can gently float to the ground.

This is one of the main reasons I purchased the DS as was the original with the N64. Fans of that game will love this game for it's added content and enhanced graphics as well as the multiplayer aspect, which isn't half bad. The multiplayer is basically seeing who can collect the most stars in a certain amount of time, but you can hit the stars out of other player leading to utter chaos. It's unfortunate that you can't play the mini-games as multiplayer. The mini-games are unlocked by catching rabbits throughout the game and most of them are really good and incorporate the stylus well. Enough rambling, the bottom line is this game is well worth the 30-35 dollars you will pay. Buy it.

Pros: Enhanced graphics, Multiple characters, Multiplayer, More stars, More stuff in general.
Cons: Controls, Some level/Star changes are for the worse.

Review: Dan

Review: Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day!

Graphics- 8/10
Sound- 9.5/10
Gameplay- 9/10
Replay Value- 8.5/10
Overall- 8.5/10

Brain Age is a great pick up for the price, but be warned this is not for every one. It strays away from typical video games and actually forces to think. Seriously.

Brains age is Nintendo trying to capture a different audience when it comes to Video Game. They where aiming for an adult audience, if you remember the commercials that ran when this game first came out. It was aimed at the "forgetful" adult, who wants to improve their brain power. This game apparently achieved that because it is one of the best selling games for the DS. To me it is pretty obvious why. It is actually a good game, I did not expect to like it as much as I did. From your first brain age check you will become hooked on lowering it to twenty. The problem is that when you get it low you might not play for a few days because you are afraid of re-lowering it, or you risk having to take a test that you are bad at. Speaking of tests let's talk about those seeing as that is the main point of the game.

The first two tests I'll talk about are the most obvious ones, the calculation tests. There is Calculation x20 and Calculation x100. The two tests are basically said numbers of different types of Math problems. Calculation x20 is obviously the easier of the two, but not just because there is a lower amount of problems, they also seem to be easier. Calculation x100 is much more grueling and annoying (in that good "I'm so close" way.) The only big problem is you will most likely have problems with some numbers at first, mainly four and eight. The problem with four is that sometimes it can be misread as a nine, which is understandable. The bigger of the two problems it eight - you have to draw it perfectly straight and that is pretty hard when you are trying to go really fast. After awhile though you won't have that much of a problem. The next test is Syllable Count. This test is simple enough, yet addictive. You are given a phrase and you have to write the correct amount of syllables. The first time you attempt this test you might be surprised, because it is actually harder than it seems. The first couple of times I was surprised at my overall score, but by the third time I was much improved (yes, the game does actually work.) I still remember the first time I didn't get any wrong, it was surprisingly exciting. The next test is by far the worst one - Reading Aloud. You are given a passage and you have to read out loud as fast as you can..don't slur though. There are two problems A.) You feel like a complete idiot, and B.) It is way two easy to cheat, you can just hit next even if you haven't read the passage. Thank god you have the option of saying weather or not you can speak aloud. Nest is Head Count. One of the hardest ones by far. You have to count a certain number of people and then a house falls down in front of them. People then start to enter or leave the house. You have to keep track of the number of people in the house because at the end you have to write the correct number of people in the house. Lastly we have is Low to High. Sets of numbers are shown on the left and you have to quickly memorize them because once they disappear you have to touch the correct boxes from low to high on the right side. There are a few other tests I didn't mention, mainly because they are nothing special and they work well.

The other aspect of the game is the Sudoku. This works out very well mainly because any number problems you experienced seem to melt away during play. This is also helped by the fact that you are given time to make sure the number is read correctly before you accept. There are over 100 puzzles on three varying levels of difficulty, so it's sure to keep any Sudoku avid busy for at least a little bit. The other great thing about this game is Dr. Kawashima - he's hilarious! Just watch his face and you'll see what I'm talking about and some of the tips he gives you are actually pretty useful. The only really bad thing is that you have to unlock certain games and they can take a real long time, at least some of them can. If you are thinking about buying this game be warned this is not a party game, but it is fun in general. Basically Nintendo nailed what they were trying to do by appealing to older gamers so proceed with caution if you aren't and older gamer or if this is something that isn't that appealing to you...if it isn't why are you reading this?

Pros: Sudoku, Dr. Kawashima, Some games work well.
Cons: Some games don't work well, Not a party game.

Review: Dan