Review - Wario Ware: Touched! (DS)
Format: Nintendo DS
Publisher: Nintendo
Producer: In-House
Genre: Random / Puzzle / Action
Price: £30 new, £17 - 25 second hand (May 2005), £15 - £20 ebay (May 2005)
Origin: Japan
Reviewer: Sideath
An Edge inbox message sums this game up perfectly - 'Nintendo are appealing to the women non-gamer section not by 'pinking' avaliable genres, but by forming completly new ones.' Wario Ware: Touched! is a perfect example of that happening. That's not saying that Toched! is a girl's game - far from it. It's as difficult as any other game out there - and because of how you play it - easier and more difficult at the same time.
It's easier because gameplay seems so much more natural - when met with a match and a matchbox, it seems simple what to do. Because Nintendo's producers have started with the basics of game design - and working in a completly different direction - no D-pad or A/B buttons here, just you, your stylus, and your own living breath. The minigames thrown at you are so innovative, so interesting, that you simply have to pick up, play, and enjoy.
However, Touched! is a victim of its own success. In order to have some order to the game, various characters can be unlocked throughout the game. Each charachter unlocked has a special way of playing thier game, whether it's tapping, dragging, or blowing on the DS' microphone (which you're screwed if you're undead). However, because of this, you know exactly how to complete each puzzle, thus losing some of that random feel in previous Wario Ware games.
Touched! is more difficult, in the sense that everyone starts right at the basics. There's no gamer's analogue stick here. It's this game that will introduce you to the power of the touch screen (and indeed, improve your popularity somewhat). It's simple, easy-to-use nature means that anyone can get stuck in and addicted in minutes. Admittedly, there are a few minutes at the start for people who haven't played games in ages or for real hardcore players (see, opposite ends of the spectrum), who will be a little overwhelmed by the quick, quirky, and queasy nature of how the game is played. Leave them with the game for 15 minutes though, and it's hard to wrench the game off them.
So why is the game so much more difficult? Because everyone else will want to play on it, and your high scores might end up being 3rd!
So what are the negative points about Touched!? Apart from the unfortunate character systems, there is a limited number of ways the DS can be manipulated. Admittedly, just constantly blowing on the DS for half and hour can have its bad side. And it makes you look like a fool on the bus.
But don't let all that put you off, Touched! is one of the truly innovative and quirky titles on the DS, and I definetly recommend it as the best launch title on the DS.
Score: Eight out of ten
Recommended Award
Publisher: Nintendo
Producer: In-House
Genre: Random / Puzzle / Action
Price: £30 new, £17 - 25 second hand (May 2005), £15 - £20 ebay (May 2005)
Origin: Japan
Reviewer: Sideath
An Edge inbox message sums this game up perfectly - 'Nintendo are appealing to the women non-gamer section not by 'pinking' avaliable genres, but by forming completly new ones.' Wario Ware: Touched! is a perfect example of that happening. That's not saying that Toched! is a girl's game - far from it. It's as difficult as any other game out there - and because of how you play it - easier and more difficult at the same time.
It's easier because gameplay seems so much more natural - when met with a match and a matchbox, it seems simple what to do. Because Nintendo's producers have started with the basics of game design - and working in a completly different direction - no D-pad or A/B buttons here, just you, your stylus, and your own living breath. The minigames thrown at you are so innovative, so interesting, that you simply have to pick up, play, and enjoy.
However, Touched! is a victim of its own success. In order to have some order to the game, various characters can be unlocked throughout the game. Each charachter unlocked has a special way of playing thier game, whether it's tapping, dragging, or blowing on the DS' microphone (which you're screwed if you're undead). However, because of this, you know exactly how to complete each puzzle, thus losing some of that random feel in previous Wario Ware games.
Touched! is more difficult, in the sense that everyone starts right at the basics. There's no gamer's analogue stick here. It's this game that will introduce you to the power of the touch screen (and indeed, improve your popularity somewhat). It's simple, easy-to-use nature means that anyone can get stuck in and addicted in minutes. Admittedly, there are a few minutes at the start for people who haven't played games in ages or for real hardcore players (see, opposite ends of the spectrum), who will be a little overwhelmed by the quick, quirky, and queasy nature of how the game is played. Leave them with the game for 15 minutes though, and it's hard to wrench the game off them.
So why is the game so much more difficult? Because everyone else will want to play on it, and your high scores might end up being 3rd!
So what are the negative points about Touched!? Apart from the unfortunate character systems, there is a limited number of ways the DS can be manipulated. Admittedly, just constantly blowing on the DS for half and hour can have its bad side. And it makes you look like a fool on the bus.
But don't let all that put you off, Touched! is one of the truly innovative and quirky titles on the DS, and I definetly recommend it as the best launch title on the DS.
Score: Eight out of ten
Recommended Award
posted by sideath at 5/04/2005 03:16:00 pm
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