Mister Slime Review

Mister Slime is a game that is definitely one of the weirdest games that has came out on the Nintendo DS in a while. The game has a puzzle feel with a hint of adventure game to it. The game really doesn't fit into any category.

So what is Mister Slime? The game, Mister Slime follows this Slime character who goes on adventures and makes different stops to his family and friends. He does this by swinging on little dots that are on the touch screen. And this video game is entirely controlled by using the touch screen. You use the slime character by using his hands and sliding to one post after another. The game is very good. The 2D graphics in the game are amazing. If you are looking for a simple game on the Nintendo DS, then Mister Slime is definitely for you. This game feels like the Loco Roco for the Nintendo DS. 

Overall Grade: B

Pros:

• The 2D graphics are good.
• The touch screen controls are fluid.
• Nice and fun gameplay
• It will keep you addicted for a long time.

Cons

• None

Guitar Hero On Tour Review

In 2007, when Guitar Hero was announced by Red Octane, there was a Nintendo DS version also announced. Of course everyone focused on the console versions of the game, but not I (that is such incorrect grammar, but it sounds good). I focused mainly on the Nintendo DS version and I searched and searched to find all the information I could about the game, and in the end I came up with no information about the game. Early this year, they finally announced Guitar Hero on Tour's release with a video that shows the game being played with the special guitar attachment for the DS. On June 22, 2008, Red Octane finally released the Guitar Hero game for the DS, and now the question is, "Does Guitar Hero On Tour live up to the Guitar Hero name?". 

Guitar Hero On Tour is basically like every other Guitar Hero game. You play in guitar in a rock band. The game is kind of like a portable version of Guitar Hero 3: Legends of Rock. The game allows you to play in "Career Mode" where you  create your own band and go to different venues and perform different songs only to advance to other venues and continue doing the same thing until you finish the game. Along the way, you receive different sponsors and reviews of your performance. You receive money for your performance, and you can use that money to purchase guitars and different clothing. Another mode in the game is "Guitar Duel", this mode is a mode that allows for the player to play against a guitar player on the game Your goal is to beat them in any means possible and that means attacking the mess of them. You have the opportunity to attack them by gaining items while playing the song. You also have "Quickplay Mode" where you can play any song you want without having to advance to another song. Then you have "Practice Mode", where you are allowed to practice on your guitar skills. Finally you have the "Tutorial Mode" where you can learn how to play the game itself. And you know what, that's only "Single Player Mode". "Multiplayer Mode" is a mode where you are allowed to play with another DS player with the same game (this is Multi-Card play only). In this mode, you are allowed to play in Co-Op mode (where you and your friend play a song together) and Guitar Duel mode (where you are competing against your friend by attacking them items obtained in game).

The gameplay in Guitar Hero On Tour is what really innovative about this game. Let me stress this out, this is Guitar Hero on the freaking DS. You are playing a game that usually comes out on the consoles with an added guitar peripheral. So how would you put this experience on the handheld? Two words, "Guitar Grip"! This is something that plagued the developers as they were creating the game. They wanted to make the right guitar grip for the DS. They thought about three buttons or having the conventional five buttons. They finally decided to settle on the four button guitar grip. And it works amazing. On the DS, you apply this guitar grip in the GBA slot of your Nintendo DS. It is really an innovative piece of technology for the DS. You use the Guitar Grip by applying it into your GBA, and then turning the game on and controlling it like any other Guitar Hero game. To play the game you simply, wait for each color button to come at the right time and you mash the button on the guitar grip while you are strumming with the included Guitar Pick on the touch screen. The whole objective is to be able to follow the rhythms as they go by on the screen by strumming while at the same time pressing the buttons on the Guitar Grip. (I hope I explained it well enough).

The graphics in this game are good, the background action while the notes are flowing on the screen are very colorful and cool. The notes are very fluid and colorful and easy to recognize. The audio in the game sounds very good it sounds like close to MP3 quality music. Its amazing how the songs sound in the game. 

Overall the game, Guitar Hero on Tour is a great game to have on the go to play Guitar Hero on the go. Throughout the whole review, I have liked the game, but the one thing that I had a major problem with was the song choices in the game. Like some of the songs fit the game very well, but then some were out of place. For example, I love the song "This Love" by Maroon 5 (joke if you must) but in this game it sounded so out of place. There were some songs from Guitar Hero 3. The only thing that made the game not totally awesome was the song choices, some worked and some didn't. 

Multiplayer Side Note: Guitar Hero On Tour Multiplayer is freaking awesome!

Overall Score: A

Pros:

• Really captures the Guitar Hero experience on a handheld.
• The game is not too easy.
• The graphics and audio are great
• Multiplayer is awesome!
• It is truly an innovative accomplishment on the DS.

Cons

• The song selection isn't all there.
• The game doesn't have that much replay value after you finish all of the songs. 

Here is the video review: 

Lego Indiana Jones DS Review

Reviewed By: Gerard Manogin

This year is the year of Indiana Jones. This year they released Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull in theaters years after the last Indiana Jones. They haven't released a LEGO game since Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga eight months ago. Well this time around they have Indiana Jones and his past three adventures with Raiders of the Lost Ark, Temple of Doom, and the Last Crusade. 

In the game, you play as Indiana Jones and along with one of his comrades that you encounter along the way. The games is set up where you are able to pick with adventure you want to go on first. An example of this is that you are able to choose with movie you want to start with. You can start with the third movie or end with the first movie. It what ever you want to do. The story is quite simple, you are Indiana Jones and you are on an adventure to solve what ever mystery you need to solve. You have cutscenes to full explain everything that is going on, so that always helps. 

The gameplay is very simple and that isn't a bad thing. In the game, you control the characters by using the directional pad to move them around. You use the Y button to punch or hit characters, the A button to whip characters and assemble Lego structures, the B button to jump, and the X button to switch between characters. You also use the touch screen to get across huge spaces and cliffs with the whip, you do this by sliding the whip on the touch screen. There is also some moments in the game you will have to assemble a fan where you have to blow on the touch screen to lift a character up. The characters in the game have different attributes, like you will need to use Indiana for certain things or you will need use another character for certain things. Again this is all easy by switching with the X button. In this game it is impossible to die. You just break like a lego structure and reassemble. The gameplay is very solid in this game. 

The graphics are very Lego style Esq and for some reason I like it better on the DS than the PSP version. The DS graphically capabilities work for it, because the characters really look like Lego characters and the environments. Ever thing in the game looks nice and it works well for this DS title. The audio is okay, it isn't the best, it sounds good for a regular game on the DS. It certainly won't blow you away. 

Overall this is an good game for the Nintendo DS This game is very enjoyable and its a very entertaining game that captures the essence of LEGOs and Indiana Jones. Later this year, they will be releasing LEGO Batman for the Nintendo DS and if it is anything like this then I am totally ready for the game. 

Overall Score: A

Pros:

• Very Entertaining
• Nice looking graphics that goes with the whole LEGO feel
• Some interesting uses of the controls

Cons

• It can be considered very short at times.

Images are courtesy of IGN

Quick Review: Insecticide

Publisher: Gamecock Media

Developer: Crackpot Entertainment

Rated E10+ for Everyone 10+

www.insecticidethegame.com

In the Month of March, the game Insecticide for the DS was released. The Handheld Wars had this game as one of the most anticipating games of the year, but does it live up to the hype?

Insecticide is an original game in the DS where you are basically a detective trying to figure out why there are so many insects infecting the city of Troi. You play as the main character which is a detective investigating the things that are happening in the city and you are also kill insects that are getting in your way. The game tells an amazing story with some great cutscenes, in which are some of the most original that has ever been on the DS. The story is innovative and clever. Never would you think a game about being a detective who kills bugs and includes a killer story would be released on the Nintendo DS. I give Crackpot Entertainment major points on the story. I wish they would come out with another DS game in the future with an amazing story. The gameplay you basically use the control pad to move and to shoot. You also use the touch screen to interact with materials that are needed for the cases. My big problem with these controls was having to do with the touch screen because some times I didn't know what I could interact with and what I couldn't because some of the clues weren't self evident. The graphics in the game are not the best the DS has to offer, it looks like an okay graphical title, the characters are clear and done well, but the environments can look too blocky and gritty at times but I guess that was the feel the game was supposed to go with. The audio is good, because it goes along with the game, it has a very mysterious tone to it, the audio made me fell like it always was meant to keep you in the game. Overall, Insecticide is an stronger story than an engaging game, the game is fun at times but it can also be frustrating. Insecticide would be an excellent movie or the game might just be better played on the PC than the DS. So if you are looking for an excellent story in a DS game and can tolerate some frustrating moments in the game, then Insecticide is the game for you and now the game is 20 dollars at Gamestop. I think Insecticide lived up to the hype in story, but the gameplay and visuals could use some tweaking.

Overall Score: C+

Pros:

• Excellent Story
• Great Cutscenes
• Pretty Engaging gameplay

Cons

• Confusing controls at times
• Graphics could be better
• Might be better on the PC

Ninja Gaiden Dragon Sword Review

Ninja Gaiden is a long running game that has roots dating back to the NES. The series has been around for a long time. The game was revamped when Ninja Gaiden was released for the XBOX system, and later on this year Ninja Gaiden 2 will be released for the 360. Team Ninja has said in the past that they have always wanted to create a portable game but they didn't know where to go, and during 2007 they released information that they would be releasing the popular Ninja Gaiden game for the Nintendo DS. People were amazed and shocked, but does the amazement and shock measure up?


Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Swords follows the story Ryu, a ninja, who is trying to save a girl who has been taken hostage by a witch who is trying to defeat all of the dragons to keep the dragonstones out of the wrong hands. When she is taking hostage, Ryu, is now continuing on her mission to stop those the wrong hands getting on the dragonstones. So basically in the game you are going to different worlds that involve you possessing all of the dragonstones so you can keep it from the wrong hands who want to bring evil on to the world.

Now that we have the story out of the way, lets talk about the gameplay in the game. The game play in this game isn't your conventional game on the DS. The Nintendo DS uses the book styled gameplay like Brain Age esque. So in the game you use the stylus to slice the monsters, activate spells, and shoot arrows and etc. With this being said, you would think that the game would be a walk in the park, well it isn't. The game is all about the technique you use when you are killing the monsters, you learn different moves in the beginning of the game to help you successfully attack and kill the monsters effectively. You use the combination of the control pad and stylus to block an attack and to do a roll, but other than that you use the stylus to attack the monsters and to do spells. The stylus controls is a great and innovative way to control the game because it is new and it never gets tiring. But remember, the game is all about technique.

One of the games amazing factors about the game is the graphics. The graphics in this game are the best that I have seen on the DS, and this is because of the cheating factor of it. They used 2D backgrounds but 3D characters. Even though, they did this, it adds more depth to the graphical power to the game. This game is even great to look at during the cutscenes. I was waiting and ready for a new cutscene in the game. Speaking of cutscenes, they follow the hotel dusk way of telling the story. This also brings up the topic of audio in the game. The audio is amazing. It makes you feel like you are in the experience with the audio alone.

Overall Ninja Gaiden Dragon Sword is the defining action game for the DS. The Nintendo DS has finally found that action game that everyone has to play. This is one of the best games to come out for the system this year. This is the DS's answer to the PSP's God of War. Matter of fact, it is a more enjoyable experience than God of War. This is the Handheld Action game you must play. A note that should be added is that the game could be considered to easy but wait until you get to the Harder Modes, you will die! But overall, buy Ninja Gaiden Dragon Sword NOW!

Overall Grade: A-

Pros:

• The stylus control is nice and intuitive.
• The graphics were amazing.
• The story is very engaging.

Cons:

• The game is a little bit on the short side.
• The game can make you hands a little crampy from extended stylus usage.
• Sometimes moves don't register because of so many monsters on screen.

Sega Superstar Tennis Review

Sega Superstar Tennis is no Super Mario Tennis, that's the whole review right there. 

Sega Superstar Tennis is the answer to Super Mario Tennis. It is basically a tennis game that includes all the characters in the Sega universe. Those memorable characters are Sonic, Beat, Nights, Ulala, Amigo, and many more. To tell the truth, the only character I really knew was Sonic. That's pretty bad. The tennis game takes you to the different universes that are in the Sega universe. Such as Sonic, Space Channel 5, Jet Radio, Super Monkey Ball, and other Sega themed courts. The game offers a quick play mode, a single player mode, and a multiplayer mode. The quick play lets you play in singles or doubles against the computer. The single player has the option of playing in a match, a tournament, or some of the mini games in the game. The multiplayer allows you play with friends by means of local wireless game play with the DS in the same area. 

How does the gameplay fare? The gameplay is basically what you would think to find in a tennis game. You are basically playing a game of tennis by hitting the ball and trying to get a score of 50 and beat your opponent. The game does a good job of this. But this is Sega Superstar Tennis and it should do more, right? Well it does a little more, but not a lot. It allows you to go into superstar mode, in which your character is able to hit the tennis ball in different directions to confuse your opponents. With this superstar mode, it does a horrible job. I mean hitting the tennis ball in a different direction is all that cool. Is it? I didn't think so. Maybe some special powers of something would have work, but the superstar mode isn't all that super. Before I forget, there is some minigames in this game. The mini games are use less and doesn't provide any thing extra to the game. An example of this, is playing a mini-game where you have to kill zombies by hitting them with the tennis ball. It's very useless and not fun. There are other mini games in the game that doesn't have to even deal with tennis. 

The controls are simple at best. You use the A and B button to hit the ball over the net. You use the directional pads to move your characters around the screen. You use the L and R buttons for the not so super "Superstar" mode. There isn't any touch screen action. The controls are good for operating the game.

The graphics are nice looking. The characters look fully developed. The environments are good and colorful. They are appealing to the eye and everything is developed in 3D, this aren't certainly the best graphics on the DS. Sega keeps it safe by not really involving the player in the game. They just have an over the top view where you see everything and not really involved with the over the topness the game wants to achieve. The audio is okay, it includes sounds from the Sega universe and the characters' voices which is always a nice touch. 

Overall, Sega Superstar Tennis isn't all that super. The superstar mode of the game is supposed to be the games' selling point, but it fails ultimately. Sega Superstar Tennis wants to achieve the same success that Nintendo achieved with Super Mario Tennis, but it just doesn't have that same charm as a Nintendo game with Nintendo characters, because most of the people who would play this game would only recognize the Sonic character. The game was good in being a tennis, but not a character driven game. Sega should have made the game over the top, the intro movie looks more fun than the game itself. And that isn't great.

Overall Grade: C+

Pros: 

• The game is very colorful.
• It includes a lot of Sega characters for the Sega fanboy.
• It's a good game of tennis.

Cons:

• Bad and unnecessary mini-games.
• The game doesn't provide anything over-the-top gameplay.
• Superstar mode isn't super.

Wipeout Pulse Review

Wipeout Pure was one of the best launch titles that came out for the PSP, of course next to the great title Ridge Racer (inside favorite). Wipeout has been one of Sony's sort of fanboy only title, where only fanboys will only buy the game. That changed with the release of Pure. The game sold many copies to the point were it became a Greatest Hits title. Sony was hoping to capitalize on the success of the first game with a sequel to Pure with the newest game Pulse.  To tell the truth I wasn't really excited for this game, but I bought it anyway because I love the first game so why wouldn't I love the second. 

To start the review off, I wasn't expecting much from the game, except for an extension of the original title that came out during launch. Pulse, kind of follows its own rules and is a totally different feeling game than the first game that was released. This game sort of feels more strict and tighter, and you get this feeling early on in the beginning of the game. And I don't mean gameplay, I mean the menus. This might be the first review I have ever done that talks about the menus of a game. The menus feel like its hard. Yes, HARD. That just might be a think that I need to get over myself. 

So let's get to actually gameplay. During the game, you are racing against other spacecrafts in futuristic settings. You get to chose from an array of ships that you use that fit your abilites as a racer. So you start out in THE GRID. The Grid is the place where you race in Speed Laps, Single Competitive Races, and in Time Lap races. This is basically were you career occurs in the game. So you start in the Grid and you go to your first race. You control your ship by using the X button to accelerate, the Square button to attack with weapons, and the directional pads or the thumb nub to direct your ship around the game. These controls are okay, I hate the fact you have to use the square button to attack, while you are using the X button to racing your ship with acceleration. This provides for a pretty cramped experience while racing on a hard racing system. This is the first time in a review that I will actually talk about the AI (Artificial Intellegence) of a game. The AI in this game is incredibly hard and unforgiving. It is already enough that the game's gravity system is plauging a racing with making imperfect turns, but add the other racers around you being way better than you and that is one EASY MODE people. FREAKIN' EASY MODE. MEDIUM mode seems easier, and I didn't even think about touching HARD. This games AI is the hardest and the least enjoyable that I have ever experience in a game. When you are a playing a racing game, and especially a racing game, gamers want to feel a sense of achievement. If you are losing every race more than once on easy mode, then you are not getting that full experience of feeling good about racing games. 

Graphics is one of the things that this game does an exceptional job of doing. The graphics in this game are beautiful and fluid. The graphics never let up. These game produces some of the greatest graphics for the system. The environments are very vast in their detail, so congratuations to Studios Liverpool for their success on that front. The audio in the game provides some futuristic techno music in the game. Its okay, its not as great as the audio and music in the first PSP game, but hey its good for the job it serves as. 

This game also includes a very huge online support for the game. In the game, it has a special place where you are allowed to go to the Wipeout website. On this website it will allow you to download wallpapers, themes, and some new tracks that are released in the future. On multiplayer you are allow to play against your friends while using the Playstation Network. This is the first Playstation Network intergration in a PSP game. You also get to create your own ships on the game. This is a very online content game, the most ever seen on the PSP. 

Overall this game is a huge extension of Wipeout Pure. Even though, it is an extension, that doesn't mean that it is a great game. The game to me extents to having some problems with the hard AI. I can't really get past that, that just means that I need to put more time into a portable game that is mean to PICK UP AND PLAY. Wipeout Pulse is an okay game, I would recommend that you rent of buy a used copy of the game, because 30 dollars doesn't make it worry the risk or 10 dollars in trade in credit after you don't like game, doesn't either. Definately rent the game if you are appresensive about picking up the game. 

Pros:

• The Graphics are amazing.
• The Online content is huge.

Cons:

• The AI in this game is entirely to hard for pick up and play purposes.
• The controls need more refinement.

Wipeout Pulse 

Grade: B-

 

Geometry Wars Galaxies Review

Geometry Wars Galaxies

Publisher: Sierra

Developer: Bizarre Studios/Kulu

Rated: E for Everyone

Reviewed by Gerard Manogin

Since the release of the Microsoft's second home console the XBOX 360, the must have game for it was an arcade title, and that title was "Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved" it was a download and a packing game in PGR 3. Bizarre Studios decided to release a new Geometry Wars game for the DS and Wii, in the form of the Retro Evolved and with much more. This game includes new planets, missions and challenges.

If you have the original game for the XBOX 360 system then you already know the story behind. This story really has no story all you are doing is that you are a little shooting figure that goes around the space that is provided shooting geometric shapes that comes at you and stopping them from coming towards you because if you do then you die. This game includes a new galaxies system where you are traveling from galaxies to galaxies trying to unlock everything in the game. The game is basically you the player trying to get the high score everytime. 

As I previously said, you are a little shooter that is shooting geometry shapes everywhere. In order to shoot this figures you have to move your shooter with the control pad, while you are doing this you have to shoot using any button on the A, B, X, and Y. These buttons are also based on the direction of where you are shooting such as A for Right, B for Down, X for up, and Y for left. When you play the game the controls are easy. You also have the option of using the touch screen to shoot enemies that come your way. On using the touch screen in the game you are moving the touch screen on the bottom by moving the laser to point the direction in which you want to hit the upcoming enemies. The touch screen is a nice gesture but I would recommend that you guys use the buttons for the game to get the arcade feel of the game.

The visuals that are presented in the games is very simple. It includes neon shapes and dark backgrounds. Originally I thought that the game will be a little grainy. The game looks good for what it is. The game isn't really a graphic heavy game. The audio in the game is futuristic audio that should be appealing to the ear while you are playing the game.

Overall the game, is the ultimate arcade game for the DS. If you think that this is just like the 360 version then you are wrong. This is only one aspect of that version. The DS includes a lot more missions, battles and planets. This game is definitely for you if you are looking for a great arcade game that brings you back everytime. 

This game is definitely worth the price!

Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings Review

Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings

Nintendo DS

Publisher: SquareEnix

Developer: SquareEnix

Rated E10 for: Everyone for 10 and up

 

Final Fantasy XII is the most recent Final Fantasy game that has came out in the series. Final Fantasy XII is also one the longest and more story deep games. Square Enix has been supporting the DS by releasing Final Fantasy III and other games in the series on the DS as a re-release. Earlier this year, they announce that they would come out with a follow up to the PS2 title Final Fantasy XII, this follow up will continue the adventures of Vaan and Penalo.

This Final Fantasy game, which is named Revenant Wings follows Vaan and Penalo and the events after Final Fantasy XII. If you are a die hard Final Fantasy fan then you will probably know how the story adds up together. The story starts of basically with Vaan and Penalo trying to find the pirate ship so they can take over it and fly on it. Along the way you have to fight off monsters or creatures. This is where the gameplay comes in. The game is basically a Real Time Strategy game. This isn’t the first RTS for the DS, but it is definitely a RTS that developers may want to emulate in the future. In this RTS, you are able to control two characters at the beginning, when you approach a monster you control the characters with the stylus and you select the attacks that you are wanting to perform. This helps you advance on the next missions. Along the way you are going to find other characters that are willing to help you along the way, and you will be able to control their actions also. This game is very story driven, it includes dialogue and cutscenes to tell the story. This is SquareEnix, so you can expect a story with quality.

 

The controls in the game are very intuitive. And this is a great thing for the DS. It really shows that the Nintendo DS is the system of choose for games like this. All the action in the game takes place on the Touch Screen, so that is what you will be using for the game. The top screen acts a map for your adventure. You control the characters in the game by using the DS and sort of creating a box around the characters, by doing this then you are selecting the characters to do an action. After doing this then you point distance and area that want to go to. And you control the camera by using the direction pad. In the game, you also control the monsters that you summon with a certain crystal that you find against every enemy that you find, and these creatures are controlled along with the characters that occupy the creatures. The controls that are this game are very tight and fluid. They are some of the best that I have ever seen for the Nintendo DS.

The graphics in this game are amazing. The graphics compare to Final Fantasy III which was released by the same team that did this game. Given that all of the action is taking place on the bottom screen, the characters might now be the best looking thing in the game, but the surrounding area is just pretty and breathtaking for a Nintendo DS game. This is definitely an engine that SquareEnix needs to make available to other developers for the system. The graphics are also shown in the cutscenes that are shown throughout the game. They are definitely pretty appeasing to the eye. They are in the cinematic format that you expect from Final Fantasy.

The audio in the game includes soundtrack tunes from Final Fantasy XII. The quality of the sound is near MP3 or CD quality. The audio in this game is fantastic and something that you won’t get tired of hearing while you are playing the game. The audio gives you the feeling that you are on an epic adventure, in which you are.

Overall Final Fantasy XII Revenant Wings is a good game. The game operates on the DS well. These are some of the best controls, I have seen on the system in a while. If you are a Final Fantasy fan then this game is definitely for you. On the other hand if you are a RTS fan and looking for a good game, then this game is for you. If you are a Nintendo DS owner looking for something fun and strategic, then check this game out.

I recommend this game!

Brain Age 2: More Training in Minutes a Day! Review

Brain Age 2: More Training in Minutes a Day!
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Nintendo
System: Nintendo DS
Rated E for Everyone

Reviewed By Gerard

Take this Review with a Grain of Salt!

Brain Age was first introduced as a touch generations game in Japan that later took the Japanese audience by storm selling millions of copies. The game was later ported over to the United States as Brain Age. It sold hundreds and thousands of copies. So of course when Japan released a sequel, America had to port over the successful game for themselves.

Dr. Ryuta Kawashima is back and ready to once again train your brain!

Basically Brain Age 2 is just basically a way to train your brain in the same sense as the first game. In Brain Age you will do activities that will increase your brain levels or your brain age in a sense. Your Brain Age is the accumulated score that the system comes up with it after you do three rigorous activities. It measures it by the time you complete it in and in the proficiency you complete it in. The Brain Age just tells you what age level your brain is working in. And your goal in the game is to raise the level of your brain age by completing activities that will help you upon improving your brain age.

Play the Piano to enhance your rhythm skills!

Now let’s talk about some of the activities that you will encounter in the game. When measuring your brain age you will be asked you are available to talk in the certain area, if you say yes then you are greeted with the Rock, Paper, and Scissors game. And lets just say I rather play the Color game from the first Brain Age. This part of the game is completely broken, the game doesn’t understand my voice very well no matter how clear and fluently I pronounce it, sometimes it understands it and at others it just ignores it and just stops the whole Brain Age process completely. This would have been a good part of the game if it was working properly. So I just chose the option that “ I can’t speak”. The other activity in the “Brain Age Check” section of the game work just fine, and basically measures your process in speed and accuracy. After you get your Brain Age, you move on to the training, this is where the meat of the game comes in, the activities in this game are better that the first on, to me they are even more fun. I actually like playing these. You have “Sign Finder” where you have to match the correct sign with the math problem, you have “Piano Player” where you have to play the piano keys along with the song, “Word Blend” where you have to listen to more than one word and write them down, and there is a whole lot more. The activities in this one feel solid. The game also has the game that has taken America by storm, Sudoku, and Brain Age is still on of the best Sudoku games on the DS and one of the cheapest too.

Clearly you won’t be buying the game over its graphics. The game looks simply as ever and that is all it needs to do, it needs to be right to the point and this game does that very well. You hold the DS like a book again, and there is a option for left handed people also.

Overall, Brain Age 2 for the Nintendo DS fully walked circles over the first one. This game clearly makes you think and this one may actually help you get smarter. It makes you reflects fast in different areas that you didn’t even know needed training. The game has it faults though. The game’s voice and written recognition could have used major work, it’s like the voice recognition is worst than the first game. And that isn’t a great quality to have. That’s the only problem that is wrong with the game. The price point is simply set at the $19.99 price point that we all love. So head on over to your game store and pick up Brain Age 2: More Training in Minutes a Day! Your brain will thank you, and just in case you don’t have the DS, you can by the new Crimson Red DS that is specially bundled with the Brain Age 2 game with a carrying case that comes along with it.

I Strongly Recommend this game, but hopefully your voice sounds like a computer.

Product Review: Hori DS Lite Touch Pen

The Hori Stylus Pen for the Nintendo DS is a stylus that is in the shape of a regular ballpoint pen that houses your stylus and allows for more intuitive and controlled play on your Nintendo DS stylus controlled games.

I originally wanted to buy this because of the stylus wrap-up presented by CheapyD of CheapAssGamer, and so that made me want to try the stylus out for myself. I ordered the stylus from the Import Website Renchi (http://www.renchi.com/). So I ordered it on about July 3^rd and placed it on Mail Order just by using basic mail from Hong Kong to the United States and I received it on the 10^th .

When you open the packaging, you receive the pen and two replacement styli. The pen is the housing place for the stylus, and you can only use the Hori replacement stylus inside of the pen, because it fits just right with a slideable stylus not found on the original DS Lite stylus, this stylus can be used for any version of the Nintendo DS (lite and phat). The stylus pen is also able to fit on the top two holes on the DS where something like a strap would go.

When you correctly assemble the stylus then an improved experience will begin. By the stylus being a little bigger that provides for a more sturdier and improved experience when you are playing games that are very stylus heavy. Some of the games that I feel would require a lot of work Ouendan, Metriod Prime Hunters, Brain Age, and many more.

When playing with the stylus it feels very comfortable and usable. It feels like you are holding an ink pen, and that is the feeling that Hori was trying to accomplish. They did a very good job at it.

The quality is very nice, even though all it is, is just plastic. They made a true quality produce. It will add more girth and a more controlled feeling in your hand when you are playing many of the Nintendo DS games that require a lot of stylus work in it. If you needed a stylus that adds more control to your games then I would recommended getting this item. You can get this stylus from the website Renchi (www.renchi.com).

Hori DS Lite Touch Pen Photos