Stuff for Dads

  The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass (DS)

Rated: 7+ but there's large amounts of text, so any children playing will require strong reading skills.

Story: It's a Zelda game. To no one's great surprise, you're an elf boy with a sword and wearing a pointy green hat. You must rescue a kidnapped elf girl and dispatch an ancient evil along the way.

Gameplay: Most of the game involves exploring islands and dungeons using an overhead view. All control is via the stylus (although some buttons can be used as shortcuts). Touch the screen where you want to go. Tap monsters to attack them with your sword.

As the game progresses, you acquire extra equipment. These utilise the stylus well. For instance, to use the bow, you select it, touch the screen to aim and then lift the stylus to fire when the shot is lined up. With the boomerang, you get to trace a path for it to follow. The game's many puzzles require clever use of the equipment to open up new paths and doors.

Save System: Manual save at almost any time. Unfortunately, loading the saved game returns you to the start of the current dungeon, which is a pain. The game's best if you can play decent length sessions or leave it in sleep mode in between short goes. Tricky if you've got a seven-year-old Pokemon addict who shares your DS.

Comments: Can it be? A proper, traditional game on the DS that uses the dual screens and the stylus effectively and also plays to the machine's graphical strengths?

Goodness, we only had to wait two and a half years.

After Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess on Wii, I approached Phantom Hourglass with some trepidation. Twilight Princess is good but far too similar to previous games in the series. I wasn't sure I could face another cookie-cutter sequel. Wondrously, however, with only a few apparently minor changes, Phantom Hourglass seems fresh and returns the fun.

The most obvious difference is the control method. Tapping monsters to attack them feels odd to begin with, but it soon becomes natural. It's much more pleasant and comfortable than using the d-pad and buttons, and allows better control, especially over weapons like the bow and the boomerang. The whole thing has obviously been designed with the intention of making the most of the touchscreen rather than taking an old template and trying to bolt on touchscreen functionality.

The other major difference is the use of the top screen. It shows the current map for most of the game. This is, of course, nothing new in a DS game - shoving a map on one of the screens is almost obligatory. In Phantom Hourglass, though, the map is integral to the gameplay. Most of the maps can be swapped down to the lower screen and drawn on, allowing notes and secret paths to be recorded. One dungeon requires several visits and getting through it at speed is important, so a well-annotated map is vital. In other places, sketching on the map is part of the solution to puzzles. When stealth is required, the map shows the location of enemies. Just as much effort has gone into utilising the dual screen aspect of the DS as has been used on the touch sensitivity.

On top of this attention to the features of DS, some minor changes have been made to the Zelda formula to make things less frustrating. The fighting is easier, monsters re-spawn less and the puzzles are sharper and more satisfying. Bottles, heart pieces, and tiny purses are gone. You no longer need to find the map and compass in dungeons. All in all, much has been added and it's so well designed that nothing that's been taken away feels like a loss.

Yep, if you've had enough of Brain Training and want to move on, this is the game to get.

The only real criticism is that the rewards for the side-quests are even less worthwhile than usual. Quite often you'll go to a lot of trouble only to receive a useless part for your ship. Mostly, you get spirit gems. There are three types of spirit gem and ten of the same type gives you a special power. Twenty of the same type allows you to upgrade the relevant power. Since the gems are dispersed fairly evenly, you'll have nearly thirty before they're any use at all. Getting all twenty of any given type requires vastly more effort and perseverance than completing the main quest. I played the game fairly thoroughly and only got eighteen of each. It's fun enough collecting them for the sake of it that the game isn't spoiled. Still, it's a slap in the face for less obsessive gamers. It's particularly jarring compared with the friendly nature of the rest of the game.

Oh, and, very occasionally, you have to yell into the microphone. That's just not too handy on the bus.

Nonetheless, Phantom Hourglass is a fantastic game that would be impossible on any other console. It's also the best game of 2007 on any format.

Conclusion: The finest Zelda game in ages and proof that the unique features of the DS aren't just gimmicks. Tests your brain and brings a grin to your face.

Graphics: Attractive, cartoon-style visuals that are bright and clear. Occasional close-ups highlight exactly how basic things are really but, in general, the game has the best graphics on the DS.

Length: Long.

Rating: 5/5.

Labels: computer game review, DS

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  Nintendo DS Console (& DS Lite)

Price: £100 for the DS Lite. (The older, chunkier version is £90 but isn't widely available any more). You should be able to pick up the console with a bundled game for an extra £10 or so.

Extras:

• MP3 player cartridge - £20 (requires an SD memory card which isn't included).
• Web browser - £30.
• All kinds of other bits and bobs like carry bags, stylus spares, screen protectors, in-car chargers and cartridge cases - a few pounds each. (Screen protectors are a bit of a waste of time, though).

Comments: There was a conspiracy theory going around when the DS first came out that it was really just something Nintendo had cobbled together in a bit of a hurry to distract some attention from the fast-approaching PlayStation Portable and give them a little breathing space to design a machine that out-classed Sony's offering. Where were the multi-media capabilities and the cutting-edge graphics? Why did the games come on expensive cartridges rather than cheap discs? What was the point of downloading stuff over wi-fi if there was no way of storing it?

Sure, the touchscreen interface was a good idea but why two screens? Nintendo said it would encourage innovation. Great gaming minds considered the possibilities. They pondered wonderful new gameplay. They thought long and hard, and then, as one, developers around the globe hesitantly murmured, 'Well, you know, you could play the game on one screen and have a map on the other.'

And thus it was so...

Sony executives must have been pretty pleased. Their machine was obviously technically superior, could play music and movies and had all kinds of games from Wipeout to Grand Theft Auto lined up. What did Nintendo have? A gimmick-laden oddity with Mario, a brain training non-game and a dog-owning simulator. Sony must have thought they'd have an unassailable lead in the handheld console war by the time the proper Game Boy Advance 2 turned up...


An original DS, charger, stylus and game cartridge. DVD box for scale. (I would have used an original DS for scale, like I normally do, but I only have the one...)

Funny old world, isn't it?

Hardcore gamers and gadget freaks bought PSPs but their mums all bought DSs. And so did everybody else. If there ever was a GBA2 being secretly prepared in Nintendo HQ, then it's been indefinitely shelved. The DS has easily beaten the PSP in terms of sales, and soundly thumped it in terms of profit.

By keeping things simple, the DS reaches out to people who haven't played games before and to those who haven't played games in years. Its software line-up is laden with fun, colourful platformers, puzzle games, turn-based strategy games and tongue-in-cheek cooking simulators. These are supported by familiar franchises such as pokemon, Mario and Zelda which lure in the traditional Nintendo fans.

If you like the kind of game where you use big guns to shoot terrorists or you want a decent racing game which doesn't involve Mario in a kart, then the DS isn't for you. Indeed, even if you just like games with three dimensions, you're going to be fairly disappointed. The graphical capabilities of the DS would struggle to compete with the PSOne, let alone the PSP.

The appeal of the DS is the control system, however. It has plenty of buttons but the lower of the two screens is touch sensitive and can be worked using a stylus or a thumb strap. A few games miss the point, requiring the use of all the buttons and the touchscreen which really only works for those people with three hands but there are other games which are controlled almost entirely with the stylus. Chess pieces can be moved round the board with a couple of taps, for instance. In Trauma Centre, the stylus is used to perform surgery, lending itself to cutting, stitching and injecting. In general, though, games utilise the stylus to make control easier rather than to add significantly to the gameplay. Being able to use a pen rather than having to get to grips with a load of buttons is very appealing to gaming newcomers.

The DS has a few other nifty features. Closing the lid puts the machine into battery-saving sleep mode. In normal use, the rechargeable battery lasts eight hours or so but the DS can maintain itself in sleep mode for days. This means it's perfect for a quick go on the bus - there's no need to worry about finding a saving point before reaching your stop. Close the lid and it can go straight in a pocket. (The screens are also much easier to see clearly in sunny weather conditions than the PSP screen).

Some games (notably Mario Kart Super Circuit and Metroid Prime: Hunters) feature online play over a wi-fi internet connection. Metroid even has an option for voice chat. Other games allow local wireless multiplayer, so you can play with other DS owners in close range. In some cases, only one player actually needs to have a copy of the game.

The DS is backwardly compatible with the Game Boy Advance, providing access to a vast catalogue of old games. (Sleep mode doesn't work with GBA games, however).

The newer version of the DS, the DS Lite, is smaller, lighter and has adjustable screen brightness. It's slightly more expensive but is definitely the version to get. The only disadvantage of this version is that GBA cartridges don't fit snugly and protrude slightly from the bottom edge of the console. To make up for this, the DS Lite has a built-in cover for the GBA slot when it's not in use.

All in all, the DS is a great little machine. Whether you should get one, though, depends on whether you like the sound of the games. You really need to be a fan of cute platformers and puzzle games to get the most from it.

It's also worth pointing out that the decent games have maintained their price over time so don't expect to hoover up a load of old games at a bargain price. Mario games still typically cost £25 new - and that's online. It's £25 for a second-hand copy in the high street.

The best games include:

• Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time - A witty RPG with entertaining turn-based combat.
• Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass - Exploring and adventuring in a semi-sequel to the GameCube's Wind Waker. Good use of the stylus.
• Dr Kawashima's Brain Training - Simple language, memory and maths games tarted up as exercise for your brain. It's addictive and also includes sudoku.
• Pokemon Diamond/Pearl - Sprog1 got Pearl the day it came out and we didn't see him again for a week.
• Wario Ware: Touched - A huge selection of frantic microgames designed to use all the features of the DS. Blow out candles, wipe off dirt and unroll toilet paper as fast as you can!

Other good games include: Freshly Picked: Tingle's Rosy Rupeeland, Advance wars: Dual Strike, Animal Crossing: Wild World, Tetris, Nintendogs and a zillion platformers, such as Yoshi's Island and New Super Mario Bros. There's a startling lack of games developed by western studios, though. The DS would be perfect for real-time strategy, point-and-click adventures and some Tolkien-esque role-playing action but has almost no software in these genres.



Conclusion: The DS is great but it's not for everyone. If you want to play movies, music and portable versions of PS2 games, then you should get a PSP. The DS is about less adrenaline-fuelled games - the kind of games where you train a puppy. It's also cheaper, more rugged and has a much wider range of titles suitable for children.

Pros:

• Touchscreen provides an intuitive means of control.
• Plenty of good games available.
• Lots of games suitable for kids.
• Lots of games suitable for your mum.
• Plays all Game Boy Advance games.
• Clamshell design protects the screens when not in use.
• Lite version is particularly small and portable.

Cons:

• Lacks graphical power.
• Unique features (second screen, touchscreen, etc) are often under-utilised.
• Games are relatively expensive.
• The volume control switch is a bit fiddly.
• Poor support from western developers.
• The game cartridges are small enough to be mistaken for chocolate mints.
• My seven-year-old won't give mine back.

Rating: 4/5.

Labels: computer game review, computer games, DS, toy/game review

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