Tagged Products - ds

My Weight Loss Coach: Nintendo DS

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I like how this coach tells you to enter all the food you ate for the day and shows you how your exercise balances with your food choices...it sometimes tells you to set a goal of, for example, "try not to eat anything today that has any form of grease." Ok...cool! I can do that for 1 day or two...but you dont have to do that every day!

This is way cool. And would LOVE a part 2 later on down the road. I would buy part 2 now if they had it just so I'd be ready for it. It's so interesting what they do with a Nintendo DS these days! WAY TO GO N2DS!

Trauma Center: Under the Knife 2 - Nintendo DS

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SO SO SO much better than the first one...you'll really be able to tell the difference in game play. The first one still shows "wiggly" lines even when you really do draw straight ones.

I write my reviews mostly for the more casual gamer who games to escape and have fun. I really can't say if you are more of a hard core gamer or like insanely difficult games whether you'll like this version or not...but you can alter the difficulty to hard if you like so that may satisfy.

Overall HIGHLY recommended. I have put about 10 hours in and am on level 6 and am really enjoying myself. Its not easy---but it is rewarding enough so you can push yourself to play that operation just one more time.

Sidenote: The story is pretty good in this one. They aren't as sarcastic and it is even a bit romantic and funny!

My Weight Loss Coach: Nintendo DS

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SO SO SO much better than the first one...you'll really be able to tell the difference in game play. The first one still shows "wiggly" lines even when you really do draw straight ones.



I write my reviews mostly for the more casual gamer who games to escape and have fun. I really can't say if you are more of a hard core gamer or like insanely difficult games whether you'll like this version or not...but you can alter the difficulty to hard if you like so that may satisfy.



Overall HIGHLY recommended. I have put about 10 hours in and am on level 6 and am really enjoying myself. Its not easy---but it is rewarding enough so you can push yourself to play that operation just one more time.



Sidenote: The story is pretty good in this one. They aren't as sarcastic and it is even a bit romantic and funny!

My Weight Loss Coach: Nintendo DS

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the goals were not intimidating or out of reach for the average person and it's a EXCELLENT motavation tool. The CONS of this for me were when i was going through step by step and a the page turned their was no way you could go to the previous page, VERY ANNOYING! some stuff i wanted to read over and had no way of getting back to it, you cant stop and save right on the spot either so if you shut it off you have to start all over again. This was just in the beggining part of the game, the other annoying part was not being able to reverse a wrong choice or being able to cancel a challenge, maybe im not doing it right ( i am new to nintendo ds ) but this game should have a "go back" or something like that on all of its pages so you can back out and re-read things or make changes. And hey Nintendo!!! did you even consider that people have different diets??? im a vegetarian ( no eggs and no dairy in my diet ever!) so that is a problem for me when it comes to some of the food choices, i just skip that and replace it with something similar, its not that hard, it just would of been nice if the game had asked about the foods you ate or avoided when making your profile. Surely im not the only vegetarian out there! Hope this review helps!

My Weight Loss Coach: Nintendo DS

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the goals were not intimidating or out of reach for the average person and it's a EXCELLENT motavation tool. The CONS of this for me were when i was going through step by step and a the page turned their was no way you could go to the previous page, VERY ANNOYING! some stuff i wanted to read over and had no way of getting back to it, you cant stop and save right on the spot either so if you shut it off you have to start all over again. This was just in the beggining part of the game, the other annoying part was not being able to reverse a wrong choice or being able to cancel a challenge, maybe im not doing it right ( i am new to nintendo ds ) but this game should have a "go back" or something like that on all of its pages so you can back out and re-read things or make changes. And hey Nintendo!!! did you even consider that people have different diets??? im a vegetarian ( no eggs and no dairy in my diet ever!) so that is a problem for me when it comes to some of the food choices, i just skip that and replace it with something similar, its not that hard, it just would of been nice if the game had asked about the foods you ate or avoided when making your profile. Surely im not the only vegetarian out there! Hope this review helps!

My Weight Loss Coach: Nintendo DS

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the goals were not intimidating or out of reach for the average person and it's a EXCELLENT motavation tool. The CONS of this for me were when i was going through step by step and a the page turned their was no way you could go to the previous page, VERY ANNOYING! some stuff i wanted to read over and had no way of getting back to it, you cant stop and save right on the spot either so if you shut it off you have to start all over again. This was just in the beggining part of the game, the other annoying part was not being able to reverse a wrong choice or being able to cancel a challenge, maybe im not doing it right ( i am new to nintendo ds ) but this game should have a "go back" or something like that on all of its pages so you can back out and re-read things or make changes. And hey Nintendo!!! did you even consider that people have different diets??? im a vegetarian ( no eggs and no dairy in my diet ever!) so that is a problem for me when it comes to some of the food choices, i just skip that and replace it with something similar, its not that hard, it just would of been nice if the game had asked about the foods you ate or avoided when making your profile. Surely im not the only vegetarian out there! Hope this review helps!

Arkanoid - Nintendo DS

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mode. There are also assorted power ups you can collect throughout the levels as well. Some are more helpful than others and you'll learn the ones that will help you as you play. Some of them do more harm than good sometimes. Play the game and you will know what I mean. For me the game seemed a little boring the first time I played it but then I found myself not wanting to put it down. On another note, in Japan this game was released with a paddle controller. I'm not sure why this was not made available here in the U.S. but some of the reviews I've read about it say that it is the best way to play it. The controller will work with the U.S. version of the game if you can find one online. I've ordered one and will update this review once I get it.

My Weight Loss Coach: Nintendo DS

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to cancel the request.
2. Also, I got a food challenge of eating hard boiled eggs... this stuff makes me nauseous even when I smell it. Where's the menu option that lets you cross out foods you don't eat??

I'm going to keep using it and hopefully some of these cons will be out weighted by future results.

NinDS - Jake Hunter: Detective Chronicles

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who the game tries so hard to give a supporting role to, is dull and seems more like a puppet muttering generic responses to Hunter. After a while, the repetition becomes so tiresome, you may wish you didn't have to talk to the girl at all. And it's not just with Yulia; it's with the majority of the characters that you have to talk to move the plot forward.

It wouldn't be so bad if the plot was something that you were so fixated in that you just had to advance it at any cost. It's not even worth the expense of sitting through all the lackluster dialogue, typical jazzy detective music, and the uninspiring scenery. Wait a minute, isn't this an interactive visual novel? Isn't the narrative what should drive the entire game? Yes, and that is probably the biggest problem with Jake Hunter: Detective Chronicles. The three cases you have to solve aren't intriguing enough to save the game. Actually, there really isn't even that much of a mystery to be solved with half of them because they are predictable. You'll pretty much have the case figured out before you get half way through it, and in this case, that's about 30 minutes in. In fact, you'll probably have the game beat within 5-6 hours with no replay value (I can't see why you'd want to put yourself through these unoriginal cases again).

To add to all this mess, the gameplay isn't fun either. The game is about as linear as it can get. You can't move around or explore the atmosphere; instead you tap a button that tells you what it looks like. You don't even have much of a choice in how you respond to the questions you're asked or what you can ask people. If you pick the wrong choice, Hunter tells you he doesn't think that's the correct statement and forces you to pick the right comment. To top off this big pile of boring, at the end of the day, you are quizzed on all of the facts about the case. The quizzes just state the obvious and are a big waste of time. I'm left to wonder, is this the best they could do to make the game interactive?

So, does the Jake Hunter: Detective Chronicles even give you back the investment of your time and effort? No. My advice is that there are far better games on the DS worth your time. A story driven game that is not more innovative than something a high school student could write (and also edit, there are some obvious spelling and grammatical mistakes) just doesn't cut it.

LEGO Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures: Nintendo DS

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likley that I simply got a defective game and
most people have probably not had this problem, but I felt it was necessary to give people fair warning about this potential problem. I would advise waiting for a newer version of the game that may address any current issues or try the WII or PS2 version instead.

Arkanoid - Nintendo DS

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like "C" for catch, "E" for expanding your vaus and so forth. If you are familar with the original, you know what I'm talking about. In this one, the capsules are small and almost hard to read the lettering but once you learn their colors & powers, you'll be fine after that. I used to love the pink capsule for warping onto the next level. I haven't seen that capsule at all so far.

I actually completed the game in shock because I thought I had long ways to go. It goes to like 35 rounds and it was easy. (I am very good at the original and have completed the game multiple times) Each level they give you certain number of lives depending what you chose. If you use up all your lives, you can continue where you left off which is nice. So I played all the way to the end hoping to see the final face at the end but as it turns out the ending was...well I'll leave that for you to find out...

After I completed the game, it scrolled the credits, then says, "thanks for playing..." Then says, "Congratulations! You have earned new Vaus."
How exciting. I'll see how that is.

In all I enjoyed playing it but it wasn't as challenging as the original at all. (at the normal mode) I'll try the hard mode and see how it goes. The graphics, in my opinion, is MUCH better in the NES version. I'm giving it 4 stars because of that. Still it's fun to play whether you've played the NES version or are new to this game.

I'll revise or add onto this review once I try the hard mode or go further with a new vaus to see if there's anything new...

UPDATE: Ok I've tried the hard mode and it is a bit challenging so far as I'm into 17th round so far. It has the same challenges as the NES version with much less blocks again. There was this round that was just like the original where you have to get the ball into the right location to get into an area to knock out the blocks. That took me awhile.

If you don't like this review, give me a comment and let me know what you don't like about it.

Final Fantasy Tactics A2

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conventions and in turn, suffers from many of the same problems. It's problems, however, don't have as great an impact, and that overall helps Final Fantasy Tactics A2 be a better game than the Gameboy Advance outing.

Final Fantasy Tactics A2 focuses on Luso, a school student who is geared up for summer vacation. Unfortunately, his lazy ways have made the teacher want to straighten him out and instead of beginning his summer vacation right away, Luso is sent to the library to help clean it up. While he's there, he stumbles upon a book where the pages are blank. When he finally writes his name in the book he's transported to the world of Ivalice where he'll meet up with a clan who agrees to help him find a way home. Essentially, your main goal is the same as the first Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, to find a way home. The story isn't all that great. It's fairly forgettable, as a matter of fact. However, where Tactics A2 falls in story, it makes up for in gameplay.

Throughout the game, you'll visit pubs which will display missions for you to undertake. Once you select a mission you'll have to go to the location and carry out the duty. When in battle, Final Fantasy Tactics A2 plays like most other Strategy RPGs. You'll send your warriors into battle, move them a certain number of spaces and execute attacks against the enemy. Battles can, at times, be a little sluggish. Even the simplest battles can last for a half an hour at most, but the amount of strategy needed is pretty deep. As is the game's job system which can really put a spin on how easy or difficult a battle can be.

The job system is easily the best part of the game. You can choose a wide variety of jobs. Warriors, Mages and Summoners alike. The job a character can choose depends on their race. For example, a Viera can't become a Soldier. You'll unlock more jobs based on how many abilities you learn for other jobs. Abilities are learned through a character's equipment. This is both good and bad. It's simple to gain ability points, all you have to do is finish a battle. However, learning abilities is a slow task. While most can be learned in one or two battles, the fact that most battles will take a while to finish makes learning abilities take a little longer. Additionally, once you start needing 300 or 400 Ability Points to learn an ability, it's that much longer. Along those lines, since it goes based on your equipment, it's not always a good idea to go into battle with the best equipment. In terms of strategy, Final Fantasy Tactics A2 emphasizes it more so than most Strategy RPGs out there. A slight hiccup in your jobs or abilities can cost you a battle. The strategy involved in the game is very in-depth.

Another feature that returns from Final Fantasy Tactics Advance is the judge system. In every battle there are certain laws you must obey. To compensate, however, the judge also lets you have a privilege that will boost certain stats like strength, agility, etc. Breaking a law doesn't have nearly as harsh of a punishment this time around. If you break the law you lose your privilege and you can't revive any fallen characters. You'll want to follow the law as much as possible. Doing so can net you some bonus items, some of which are rare. The judge system works better in Tactics A2, but it still suffers the same problems. There are simple laws to obey such as not using a specific spell in combat, but there are still some outright ridiculous laws to beware of. In one battle, for example, it was against the law to miss the enemy.

The game also lets you use the stylus if you want. While the stylus controls seem like a perfect fit, they'll often slow you down. It's to the point where the stylus controls feel more tacked on than anything else.

Visually, Final Fantasy Tactics A2 is breathtaking. The battlefields are very well designed and colorful. The sprites are detailed as are the characters portraits. The spell animations are also pretty good looking, vibrant and colorful. What's even better is the games overall art design which is nothing short of fantastic. If there was anything to fret over, it would be that the game is isometric 3D and not fully 3D. This means that the camera stays fixed throughout the entire battle. You can't rotate it or anything and that'll become a problem when your characters get bunched up and you can't see them. The top screen is used to display the turn order by showing the sprites. It's detailed but the sprites also looks a little pixelated when they're enlarged on the top screen. Nonetheless, Final Fantasy Tactics A2 is an incredible looking game.

In terms of music, most of it you'll have heard before. Much of the music you here in Final Fantasy Tactics A2 is remixed from either Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, or Final Fantasy XII. Most of it is good music, although if you didn't really like the soundtrack to Final Fantasy Tactics Advance or Final Fantasy XII, you probably won't find this one to be too memorable either.

In the end Final Fantasy Tactics A2 is a better game than Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, but still doesn't manage to be as memorable as the original Final Fantasy Tactics. While it has a forgettable storyline, it's deep, strategic and engaging gameplay will keep the player immersed for hours to come.

Final Fantasy Tactics A2

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conventions and in turn, suffers from many of the same problems. It's problems, however, don't have as great an impact, and that overall helps Final Fantasy Tactics A2 be a better game than the Gameboy Advance outing.



Final Fantasy Tactics A2 focuses on Luso, a school student who is geared up for summer vacation. Unfortunately, his lazy ways have made the teacher want to straighten him out and instead of beginning his summer vacation right away, Luso is sent to the library to help clean it up. While he's there, he stumbles upon a book where the pages are blank. When he finally writes his name in the book he's transported to the world of Ivalice where he'll meet up with a clan who agrees to help him find a way home. Essentially, your main goal is the same as the first Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, to find a way home. The story isn't all that great. It's fairly forgettable, as a matter of fact. However, where Tactics A2 falls in story, it makes up for in gameplay.



Throughout the game, you'll visit pubs which will display missions for you to undertake. Once you select a mission you'll have to go to the location and carry out the duty. When in battle, Final Fantasy Tactics A2 plays like most other Strategy RPGs. You'll send your warriors into battle, move them a certain number of spaces and execute attacks against the enemy. Battles can, at times, be a little sluggish. Even the simplest battles can last for a half an hour at most, but the amount of strategy needed is pretty deep. As is the game's job system which can really put a spin on how easy or difficult a battle can be.



The job system is easily the best part of the game. You can choose a wide variety of jobs. Warriors, Mages and Summoners alike. The job a character can choose depends on their race. For example, a Viera can't become a Soldier. You'll unlock more jobs based on how many abilities you learn for other jobs. Abilities are learned through a character's equipment. This is both good and bad. It's simple to gain ability points, all you have to do is finish a battle. However, learning abilities is a slow task. While most can be learned in one or two battles, the fact that most battles will take a while to finish makes learning abilities take a little longer. Additionally, once you start needing 300 or 400 Ability Points to learn an ability, it's that much longer. Along those lines, since it goes based on your equipment, it's not always a good idea to go into battle with the best equipment. In terms of strategy, Final Fantasy Tactics A2 emphasizes it more so than most Strategy RPGs out there. A slight hiccup in your jobs or abilities can cost you a battle. The strategy involved in the game is very in-depth.



Another feature that returns from Final Fantasy Tactics Advance is the judge system. In every battle there are certain laws you must obey. To compensate, however, the judge also lets you have a privilege that will boost certain stats like strength, agility, etc. Breaking a law doesn't have nearly as harsh of a punishment this time around. If you break the law you lose your privilege and you can't revive any fallen characters. You'll want to follow the law as much as possible. Doing so can net you some bonus items, some of which are rare. The judge system works better in Tactics A2, but it still suffers the same problems. There are simple laws to obey such as not using a specific spell in combat, but there are still some outright ridiculous laws to beware of. In one battle, for example, it was against the law to miss the enemy.



The game also lets you use the stylus if you want. While the stylus controls seem like a perfect fit, they'll often slow you down. It's to the point where the stylus controls feel more tacked on than anything else.



Visually, Final Fantasy Tactics A2 is breathtaking. The battlefields are very well designed and colorful. The sprites are detailed as are the characters portraits. The spell animations are also pretty good looking, vibrant and colorful. What's even better is the games overall art design which is nothing short of fantastic. If there was anything to fret over, it would be that the game is isometric 3D and not fully 3D. This means that the camera stays fixed throughout the entire battle. You can't rotate it or anything and that'll become a problem when your characters get bunched up and you can't see them. The top screen is used to display the turn order by showing the sprites. It's detailed but the sprites also looks a little pixelated when they're enlarged on the top screen. Nonetheless, Final Fantasy Tactics A2 is an incredible looking game.



In terms of music, most of it you'll have heard before. Much of the music you here in Final Fantasy Tactics A2 is remixed from either Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, or Final Fantasy XII. Most of it is good music, although if you didn't really like the soundtrack to Final Fantasy Tactics Advance or Final Fantasy XII, you probably won't find this one to be too memorable either.



In the end Final Fantasy Tactics A2 is a better game than Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, but still doesn't manage to be as memorable as the original Final Fantasy Tactics. While it has a forgettable storyline, it's deep, strategic and engaging gameplay will keep the player immersed for hours to come.

Final Fantasy Tactics A2

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conventions and in turn, suffers from many of the same problems. It's problems, however, don't have as great an impact, and that overall helps Final Fantasy Tactics A2 be a better game than the Gameboy Advance outing.





Final Fantasy Tactics A2 focuses on Luso, a school student who is geared up for summer vacation. Unfortunately, his lazy ways have made the teacher want to straighten him out and instead of beginning his summer vacation right away, Luso is sent to the library to help clean it up. While he's there, he stumbles upon a book where the pages are blank. When he finally writes his name in the book he's transported to the world of Ivalice where he'll meet up with a clan who agrees to help him find a way home. Essentially, your main goal is the same as the first Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, to find a way home. The story isn't all that great. It's fairly forgettable, as a matter of fact. However, where Tactics A2 falls in story, it makes up for in gameplay.





Throughout the game, you'll visit pubs which will display missions for you to undertake. Once you select a mission you'll have to go to the location and carry out the duty. When in battle, Final Fantasy Tactics A2 plays like most other Strategy RPGs. You'll send your warriors into battle, move them a certain number of spaces and execute attacks against the enemy. Battles can, at times, be a little sluggish. Even the simplest battles can last for a half an hour at most, but the amount of strategy needed is pretty deep. As is the game's job system which can really put a spin on how easy or difficult a battle can be.





The job system is easily the best part of the game. You can choose a wide variety of jobs. Warriors, Mages and Summoners alike. The job a character can choose depends on their race. For example, a Viera can't become a Soldier. You'll unlock more jobs based on how many abilities you learn for other jobs. Abilities are learned through a character's equipment. This is both good and bad. It's simple to gain ability points, all you have to do is finish a battle. However, learning abilities is a slow task. While most can be learned in one or two battles, the fact that most battles will take a while to finish makes learning abilities take a little longer. Additionally, once you start needing 300 or 400 Ability Points to learn an ability, it's that much longer. Along those lines, since it goes based on your equipment, it's not always a good idea to go into battle with the best equipment. In terms of strategy, Final Fantasy Tactics A2 emphasizes it more so than most Strategy RPGs out there. A slight hiccup in your jobs or abilities can cost you a battle. The strategy involved in the game is very in-depth.





Another feature that returns from Final Fantasy Tactics Advance is the judge system. In every battle there are certain laws you must obey. To compensate, however, the judge also lets you have a privilege that will boost certain stats like strength, agility, etc. Breaking a law doesn't have nearly as harsh of a punishment this time around. If you break the law you lose your privilege and you can't revive any fallen characters. You'll want to follow the law as much as possible. Doing so can net you some bonus items, some of which are rare. The judge system works better in Tactics A2, but it still suffers the same problems. There are simple laws to obey such as not using a specific spell in combat, but there are still some outright ridiculous laws to beware of. In one battle, for example, it was against the law to miss the enemy.





The game also lets you use the stylus if you want. While the stylus controls seem like a perfect fit, they'll often slow you down. It's to the point where the stylus controls feel more tacked on than anything else.





Visually, Final Fantasy Tactics A2 is breathtaking. The battlefields are very well designed and colorful. The sprites are detailed as are the characters portraits. The spell animations are also pretty good looking, vibrant and colorful. What's even better is the games overall art design which is nothing short of fantastic. If there was anything to fret over, it would be that the game is isometric 3D and not fully 3D. This means that the camera stays fixed throughout the entire battle. You can't rotate it or anything and that'll become a problem when your characters get bunched up and you can't see them. The top screen is used to display the turn order by showing the sprites. It's detailed but the sprites also looks a little pixelated when they're enlarged on the top screen. Nonetheless, Final Fantasy Tactics A2 is an incredible looking game.





In terms of music, most of it you'll have heard before. Much of the music you here in Final Fantasy Tactics A2 is remixed from either Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, or Final Fantasy XII. Most of it is good music, although if you didn't really like the soundtrack to Final Fantasy Tactics Advance or Final Fantasy XII, you probably won't find this one to be too memorable either.





In the end Final Fantasy Tactics A2 is a better game than Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, but still doesn't manage to be as memorable as the original Final Fantasy Tactics. While it has a forgettable storyline, it's deep, strategic and engaging gameplay will keep the player immersed for hours to come.

The World Ends with You: Nintendo DS

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how awesome this game is. As a FIRST TIME RPG/Action player I have had no problem picking up all the skills needed to play. It is varied and has many options for difficulty. In fact (much to my surprise!) I have been doing much of the game at all 3 levels in order to collect the most pins and level them up.

For any type of gamer I highly recommend TWEWY. I can only hope they make a sequel.

NinDS - Jake Hunter: Detective Chronicles

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main character is thinking (essentially a hint system), but the game is so easy that you never really need to use it. But it was still a cool idea for a private eye game.

This game would be good for kids. Like maybe 11 or 12 at the oldest, simply due to the fact that its simply too easy. This game was a real let down.

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On a side note, this game was either rushed, or edited by idiots. The number of spelling mistakes is absolutely comical. I realize that I probably spelled a few words wrong in this review, but I'm not selling my review for 20 bucks.

Etrian Odyssey II: Hereos Of Lagaard

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good and bad - good if you seek to figure things out as a gamer, bad if you get easily frustrated by any challenge in games.

This is definitely a niche game, but a worthy addition to the DS library. If you are an old school Wizardry kind of player, you'll love it. The map making is to me at least a rather fun feature - I'm unsure about people who claim map making in this series is "tedious". I often map out while in combat after making my selections, and also the addition of auto battle has been a small but great addition making under leveled random encounters a bit less effort to get through.

If nothing else, it's a game that stands on its own merits in the current market. I can't think of any RPG I've played in this generation of gaming which stands out the way this series does (despite admittedly being an update to the truly old school CPRGs).

Space Invaders Extreme - Nintendo DS

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patterns and formations. The invader attacks are much harder to avoid, especially without the bases to hide behind.

Some invaders shoot the traditional bombs, others shoot large lasers, others have shields that block against certain types of your attacks, others wear armor so you have to shoot them several times.

There are bonus rounds which vary as well. You might have to shoot UFO's before a timer runs out, or shoot a certain amount of invaders before the timer runs out.If you can beat the bonus round you earn Fever Time, where you can power up for a short time.

Shooting a group of the same colored Invaders can yield bonus points and various power ups, like lasers, bullet spreads, and bombs.

There are Boss Fights. Yes, Boss Fights. In Space Invaders.

There is multiplayer. Local (from one cart), or flawless online. There is a Worldwide Rankings board. (The PSP one only has local multiplayer, the DS one is MUCH better).

The music is based electronic, and based on your gameplay. As you shoot, you make the music. And you will love the music you make. It affect the background as well. Trippy, groovy, and perfect for the game.

There is only one downside to Space Invaders Extreme. No paddle controller for America. In Japan, Taito made a weighted knob peripheral for the DS that plugs into the GBA slot at the bottom. It lets you play with a quick twist of the knob, and gives you a big advantage. SE/Tatio did not make this Paddle Controller available in the states but the game will support the paddle if you able to get one from Amazon Japan or PlayAsia. It also works for new new Arkanoid DS game. A definite purchase if you can.

For 20 bucks you won't find a better shooter than this. Buy this game. Now. If you like Space Invaders 1978, you should see what happens when a classic grows up.

LEGO Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures: Nintendo DS

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slapped on it in place of Star Wars. This isn't such a bad thing if you dug those games, but if you didn't for some reason, Indy won't win you over any. All in all though, Lego Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures is instantly enjoyable, family friendly fun that anyone can get into and enjoy.

Space Invaders Extreme - Nintendo DS

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at the limited options for fun. I feel that I could get a high score on the old game but I usually quit before losing, as it's a chore to play. The game has been trotted out in "old faithful" and "reimagined" formats for just about every system available, but they all have suffered the same problems as the original: the turgid, formal, repetitive gameplay just didn't age well, and most designers felt that giving the game more flair would dilute the original feel, making it more like Galaga than Space Invaders.

The now: SPACE INVADERS EXTREME reboots the whole concept. If you look at the screenshots, it looks like more of the same: You're still a little shooter at the bottom of the screen, and the invaders are still coming down at you, firing missiles at you and your protective bunkers.

thump
thump
thump
Yawn.

But wait! There's also an "interactive" synth soundtrack that moves everything along like a dance club. The invaders aren't shambling zombies anymore, they're FAST, and so are you. You can grab powerups like lasers that can clear out a whole column (or more!) of baddies with one shot. There are spread shots that can nuke entire rows. The enemy's formations change, sometimes you get big invaders, sometimes they have shields, sometimes they blow up all their neighbors when hit. The once-rare UFOs are now plentiful. The old vanilla 4-digit scoring has been replaced by a dynamic, pinball-style multiplier system with lots of pyrotechnics to match. Every 30 seconds or so, the game changes everything up so you aren't looking at the same phosphor-burn grid for minutes at a time.

Regular, bonus, and "boss" levels cleverly steal from other shooter games like Galaga, Attack of the Timelord (leave a comment for me if you know this cool game!), Gyruss Centipede, Gorf, Megamania, Phoenix, and others. Yes, "boss" levels are in here, where you have some biggies that take multiple shots to destroy. With the lights and music blaring away, these battles are not the tedious grind of old. The game remembers your last completed level, so you can always feel like you're making "progress," not just chasing the pure abstraction of a high score. There are worldwide online leaderboards for comparing your skills with others, too.

The game is also dead-easy to get into, just like the original. Just point and shoot. If you're really hardcore, you can import the Taito Arkanoid spinner to control this game, but left-right-shoot buttons are really more "pure."

To sum up:
Space Invaders classic concept;
Dazzling psychedelic special effects;
Dynamic, "always-on" gameplay that challenges without frustration;
High-score arcade purity with enough progression to make the game feel purposeful;
All for a bargain price.

If you have EVER liked Space Invaders (even if, like me, the thrill is gone), and you have a Nintendo DS or Playstation Portable, you will get many kicks from Space Invaders Extreme.

Import note: the Japanese version of this game is almost identical to the USA release except for a few lines of self-evident explanatory text, but the USA version is cheaper.