As popular as Zelda’s debut on DS- 2007’s Phantom Hourglass- was, it had its fair share of detractors. While its implementation of an entirely stylus driven control system was laudable, there was criticism of its occasional clumsiness. The game structure, reliant on revisiting stages of a central hub dungeon at various points in the game, was oft derided, and much hyped features like the ability to make notes on maps to assist in puzzles really came across in an overly patronising hand holding way.


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Here are just a few of the fun and interesting things that you can try out in Scribblenauts. For those of you who don’t mind spoilers, read on to the bottom for a complete dictionary of Scribblenauts words.

For Flying

There are a lot of alternatives to the ever popular ‘wings’ option. Sure, you can try things like flying carpets, and jetpacks. But if you want hover capability, try these words out: Read the rest of this entry »

The DS versions of big multi format games often get overlooked. With most of them being licensed games, a lot of press and public instantly assume an experience overly pared down from other versions on the handheld. It’s an erroneous assumption; often the DS version can offer something entirely different from the lead 360 and PS3 SKUs, the graphically simplified Wii and PS2 ports and the shunted over PSP version.

Certainly in the case of WWE Smackdown versus Raw, developers Toze have put out games that differ widely from their bigger console brothers in the past, and while 2008 and 2009’s iterations left much to be desired, they both offered a novel take on the wrestling game sub-genre. The question is, with SDvR 2010 offering the most improved polished and complete iteration of the game for years on home consoles, can the DS version make similar leaps in quality?

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Scene: Psychiatrist’s office, day. We see Professor Van Winklehorn, a sterorypical psychiatrist type, probably with a hammy Germanic accent, sat in a large leather armchair, relaxed, idly clutching a pen and notepad. He appears to be consulting a tiny DS cart which is placed upon a couch.

Professor: So, Henry…

Henry: Don’t call me Henry. My name’s Henry Hatsworth in the Puzzling Adventure. Please use my full name.

Professor: Shut up, we’re not being paid by the word here. Why have you come to see me today?

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The RPG is a divisive genre. While there are innumerable people who enjoy the sense of scale and atmosphere these games at their best can create, RPG detractors will deride the genre for its reliance on lengthy, self indulgent and let’s face it, poorly written, and more poorly localised plots and irritating characters, not to mention combat systems that seem like a relic of table top pen and paper games where outcomes are decided by an electronic roll of the 26 sided die.

Guess what? I’m in the latter camp. Show me an RPG and I’ll normally don my +4 robe of indifference and walk away. Despite being a Mario fan, then, I was predisposed against Bowser’s Inside Story, the western localisation of February’s Mario and Luigi RPG 3!!!. Yup, the Japanese title really does have three exclamation marks in it, and with the box art being a shabby knocked up image of the eponymous brothers and Bowser on a plain white background above the writ large title, it always seemed to me to drone from the shelf ‘this ain’t for you, chum, move along..’ Read the rest of this entry »

While I applaud the effort that has gone into to making a piece of software that encourages the mono-lingual gaming public to develop an interest in a very foreign and difficult language like Japanese, the game *really* sucks.

Mini “games”

The main in-game interface is a beautifully simple 3D walk-around thing similar to animal crossing – the only on screen icon being a backpack. The interfaces for each mini-game however are so badly thought out with irritating minor quirks that it really detracts from the overall experience. For instance, the first two mini-games I found after jumping in (it took a good 30 minutes to find anything mind you) were the hopscotch game for learning adjectives, and a slingshot shooting game for nouns, both of which were essentially the same stupid spelling game.

Who the _____ doesn’t know the rules of hopscotch?!

As far as I remember, hopscotch is a game where you jump along a series of chalk drawn squares. So when the game asked me to spell out the Japanese word for yellow (KIIRO, by the way), I found myself stumped to find neither of the letter squares in front of my character contained a K. Little did I know that they had rewritten the rules of hopscotch so that now you could jump on empty squares and go back and forward finding the right letters. Fair enough once you figure that out, but even then it’s so damn frustrating and slow to move around that I really just wanted to click on the right letters and be done with it – but then where’s the “game” in that. Don’t even mention the retarded balancing part that they tacked on one when they realized THIS SUCKS – apparently your character has troubling standing on one leg and hopping, so you constantly have to adjust the balance while doing the whole painfully slow jumping on the right letters thing … It made me want to kill myself, and certainly not “learn” more words.

Hit the letter in the right order – again!

And as for the slingshot game – this time you have to shoot the right letters from the selection rather than jumping on them. While the shooting feels vaguely satisfying – the stretchy sound when pulling back and moving around the lower screen by touch to aim at the letters on the top screen – I was frustrated again to find that the right letters weren’t always an option. You have to wait for at a whole damned minute or more sometimes for the next correct letter to pop up again before you can shoot it and continue. When I realized it was taking 5 minutes or more for one word I powered off my DS.

GFX

The graphics are nice enough for an adventure game, but then it fails in every other aspect so whats the point in praising that? Oh, I should mention that if you double tap while moving around you do a little jump, if thats enough to convince you to buy it. NOTHING in the environment is interactive, though. So essentially the whole wondering around the school thing is just a really slow menu systen, but the PR blurb wouldn’t have worked so well.

THE AMAZON BLURB vs REALITY

Mind your Language; turns understanding a new language into a fun, exciting game, where you learn while you play.

Mind your language turns learning a limited number of basic new words into a tedious, drawn-out and frustrating experience where you learn whilst using a really slow non-conventional menu system.

By using mini games to teach Vocabulary and Grammar, Players gain a knowledge of a foreign language without even realising they are learning.

By using mini “games” to frustrate, players are painfully aware that the software is trying to teach them something whilst simultaneously wasting their time and effort.

DO NOT BUY THIS CRAP

By all means, this ninja implores you to learn Japanese and expand your cultural horizons – just don’t touch this. Don’t even download it, like I did. If you want a lame adventure game that fails to teach you anything then go ahead – if you want to actually learn Japanese I suggest you take a look at the free smart.fm online learning tools which are infinitely more effective and will teach you a million times more vocab in half as much time. Bring your own motivation.

When not wasting his time with badly written DS software, Blue Lightning also masquerades as a tech professional over at TokyoBIT, where you can learn all sorts of things like tethering your iPhone in Japan and safe torrenting

The Nintendo DS, that most ubiquitous of console hardware, has a problem. The truth is, there’s just too many games knocking about for the little thing. Visiting any games shop with a second hand section will give you a glimpse of how Ninty’s a victim of it’s own successas racks upon racks and floor upon floor is taken up by copies of stuff like ASH, Eyeshield 21, or, um, Girl’s Mode, lowering their cover price steadily in a bid to gain some, any, attention, like a lady of the night with the years catching up to her. It’s like 1983 all over again, and soon Nintendo will be drowning in a flooded market, or worse yet, entire continents will sink under the weight of unwanted shovelware. Right? Read the rest of this entry »

The adventures of Link continue in The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass. It is the first Zelda game released on the Nintendo DS. This DS exclusive is completely rendered in pretty 3D cel-shading (yes, its spelled cel not cell) and Link is controlled with the stylus.
 

Keeping up with the usual Zelda story, Link is on another quest to save a kidnapped friend. Fellow non-Ninja gamers control Link by dragging the stylus along the screen. Sword slashes are executed by drawing a slashing motion on the touch screen. Perform a circular motion and Link will perform a ‘tornado’ attack on surrounding enemies. By taking advantage of the touch screen capabilities of the DS, combos are easier to string together. The top screen is also put to good use; it serves as a map for easier navigation.
 

Link primarily travels from island to island in a boat captained by an obnoxious fellow named Captain Linebeck. Linebeck’s antics can become annoying and sometimes I wish you could slash him with Link’s sword, throw him overboard and feed him to the sharks. But he does have his funny moments in the game.
 

Link will have to find clues on different islands. The game’s environment is large, so the spaces don’t feel tight and cramped. You can plot the boat’s course by drawing the sailing route with the stylus. One feature I also found helpful was being able to write clues in a diary.
 

The gameplay is characterized by trademark Zelda puzzles. The puzzles are fun, creative and rewarding. At first, I was stumped by some puzzles until I found out how useful Link’s trusty boomerang is.
 

The only downside of this game is that once you’ve completed the first floor of puzzles thrown at you and proceed to die on the second floor while doing puzzles, Link has to start all over again. That means complete the first floor again before advancing to the second. It becomes repetitive fast. But this is only a minor hiccup in an otherwise great game.
 

I’m not gonna lie, its very frustrating solving puzzles you’ve already solved. This repetitive chore caused me to go into Ninja destructive mode and led me to break my DS in half. No worries, Ninja’s are resourceful and I pieced it up again using nothing but gum and small twigs.
 

The boss battles are engaging and inspired. The bosses follow certain patterns but keep things challenging despite the predictability.
 

When I did get bored, I competed with friends via DS connectivity.
 

The visuals are superb and the sound is great. I never found the music repetitive.
 

The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass is one of the best games out there for the Nintendo DS. It continues the long line of awesome Zelda games. Definitely a must own for Zelda nuts and action-adventure fans.
 

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Black Mamba is running out of trees to jump on and would like to plant some more. You can help support his tree planting by purchasing The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass through our Amazon Affiliates Link, or buying the game at Play-Asia.com
 

The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass Trailer

Mario Kart DS offers something different compared to your Gran Turismos and Project Gothams. It features playful gameplay and easy-to-learn controls. It also helps me relax after a long day of handing out Ninja beatings. The premise is simple; race with your favorite Mario characters on insane racetracks.
 

There are a ton of characters in the game, each with their unique karts to race in. The characters and karts are balanced out so don’t blame Mario or whoever you choose when you lose.
 

At first that’s how I reacted. I would say things like ‘Mario’s a cheater, it’s his game, that’s why he is unbeatable, they wouldn’t name it Mario Kart and let Mario suck at his own game’. That’s the mini-rant I would go on when playing Mario Kart. But I soon figured out how to take advantage of other character’s strengths. For example I use Bowser because whenever he bumps into someone, he can knock them right off the track. The kart I choose for Bowser is speedy and light. His heavy body mass makes up for the balance and traction of the kart. It is details like this that makes Mario Kart deep and enjoyable for experienced gamers.
 

I had to figure out how to drift on my own because a friend didn’t want to tell me how (He is a selfish, selfish man). Drifting is an important skill in Mario Kart because some tracks curve too sharply and drifting is the most effective way to make sharp turns.
 

The power-ups are a nice touch to an already fun and deep game. The power-ups include stars, lightning, homing missiles, speed mushrooms and many more. My personal favorite is the homing turtle missile because it only attacks the player currently in first place. But this Ninja is always in first place so I get hit by the homing turtle missile most of the time.
 

The controls are tight and reacts great to the players reflexes. Mario Kart DS features one of the best graphics on the console. The graphics are clear, bright and kiddie-like.
 

After a while I got tired of beating on the helpless AI, so I called a couple of friends over and we played via DS connectivity. The game is more fun when beating on non-Ninja players.
 

There are a lot of inspiring tracks and unique characters to be unlocked. There were even secret characters I’ve never knew existed in the Mario universe until seeing them in the character selection screen.
 

Mario Kart DS is a must-own for every DS owner. It’s fun and quirky but it never gets old. So if you’re tired of all those simulation driving games, try out Mario Kart DS, I’m sure you’re gonna have a blast.
 

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Black Mamba is running out of trees to jump on and would like to plant some more. You can help support his tree planting by purchasing Mario Kart DS through our Amazon Affiliates Link, or buying the game from Play-Asia.com.

Mario Kart Trailer

If you’ve never tried playing Desktop Tower Defense on the Hand Drawn Games website, I’m going to advise you to proceed very cautiously. This is arguably one of the most addictive games that you’re ever going to come across on any platform. Be prepared to throw away at least a day or two before you start. And while you might be quite content to play it on your PC, if you find that you become so addicted to DTD that you need it on the go, there’s now a version available on the Nintendo DS thanks to THQ.



Desktop Tower Defense calls on you to strategically construct a maze of gun turrets all across a playing field. You are trying to create obstacles for an opposing army of baddies who are intent on breaking through to the other side. Your goal is to kill them before they can make it out. And you can use various strategies to do so. Head on over to HandDrawnGames and try the flash version of the game. If you find that you like it (I know you will!) and you’d like a portable version, you can pick it up for the Nintendo DS as well. We’d certainly appreciate it if you supported DS Ninja by buying through our affiliate link.

Desktop Tower Defense Trailer #1

Desktop Tower Defense Trailer #2 (Gameplay Demo)

Since the planned third Ghostbusters movie was scrapped because the actors were too old (I don’t know the real reason so I decided to make one up), Ghostbusters writers Dan Akroyd (Dr. Raymond) and Harold Ramis (Dr. Egon) decided to turn the script into a video game.
 

Unlike the console versions, the Nintendo DS version of Ghostbusters gets rid of the rookie story line. Instead, you get to play as the Ghostbusters themselves.
 

Keep in mind that Ghostbusters DS is an action-RPG. Instead of slashing away at low-level monsters, you have fun blasting ghost with your proton beam. Egon, Ray, Winston and Peter have different skills that can be upgraded after every mission. The concept adds much needed depth to the game.
 

The story starts out by Slimer escaping and hiding out at a hotel. Obviously, who ya gonna call? The Ghostbusters have to make their way to the hotel by riding in the iconic Ecto-1. This is where it gets really ugly. The streets of New York are so dark, you feel as if a mugger is following your every move. Cars in the opposite lane seem to pop out of the shadows and bump into the Ecto-1.
 

Every time the Ecto-1 bumps into cars, it accumulates damage. With every damage to the Ecto-1, it slows down. Then you have to either go to the repair shop or back to the Ghostbusters firehouse to get it fixed.
 

While hanging out at the Ghostbusters HQ, you can switch between the Ghostbusters and slide down the poles. I found the sliding highly enjoyable. Each character has their own specialty in developing the Ghostbusters arsenal, for example, Egon is in charge of developing new ghost-busting items.
 

Missions can be found written on the bulletin board. After accepting a mission, a time limit is given to reach the destination. The Ghostbusters hunt and capture ghosts in sewers, hotels, museums and cemeteries. You have to drive to each destination, which makes it a real pain. Ample time is not given for driving to missions, especially when the Ecto-1 is heavily damaged.
 

I also found it annoying that the phone keeps ringing at the Ghostbusters HQ. I felt I was working at a contact center. The ringing is meant to indicate that new missions are posted on the bulletin board but it rings every minute or so.
 

 
You can assign the other three Ghostbusters to follow you or stand guard. This feature is very helpful since ghosts can pop out of nowhere. You also have to make sure that the traps have to be emptied before making your way to a new mission. I had to learn this the hard way. I was reminded to empty my trap during a ghost battle, which majorly sucked.
 

Another downside to a potentially great game is the inability to control camera angles. It is impossible to see where slime and ghosts come from. After ghosts bump into the Ghostbusters, they immediately hit the ground. It takes time before they recover and get up again. Control over the camera angle would’ve helped a lot and would’ve lessened the frustration of having to keep track of oncoming quick moving ghosts.
 

I have to admit though that playing Ghostbusters was nostalgic. Everything is authentic; the familiar Ghostbusters theme song, the nicely looking and sounding proton streams and the light emitted from opening the ghost trap. The game is also successful at capturing the Ghostbusters daily lives.
 

The animated graphics are detailed and in my opinion max out the hardware capability of the DS. Everything your proton stream hits, it breaks, that’s how detailed the graphics are. The dialogue is funny and has the trademark Ghostbusters wit. Capturing ghosts is easy and blasting them with your proton gun never gets old.
 

Ghostbusters: The Video Game has its moments but falls short of a potentially great game. I found it fun to play for the first two hours but the terrible Ecto-1 driving game play was too much for this Ninja to handle.
 

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Black Mamba is running out of trees to jump on and would like to plant some more. You can help support his tree planting by purchasing Ghostbusters: The Video Game through our Amazon Affiliates Link, or buying the game from Play-Asia.com
 

Ghostbusters DS Trailer