One of the Nintendo DS Triple A titles
Something we’ve complained about before on Circuitjerk is the lack of true innovation on the Nintendo DS. Essentially what you’re getting is a puzzle game that instead of using a mouse to click on objects, you can interact directly with the screen. If not a puzzle game, you’re getting a rehash of a past experience like Resident Evil or Castlevania.
When people go apeshit for a Nintendo DS game, I normally check it out to see what all the fuss is about. Games like Nintendogs, Dementium: The Ward, or Trauma Center have all been a let down. Yes they innovate, but only for the DS.
Nintendogs didn’t do anything that Gigapets or Seaman didn’t do before. You interact, train, and feed your little virtual pet. At the end of the day, you’re true goal is to see how horribly you can kill you creature.
Dementium: The Ward found a way to bring first person shooters to the DS. Essentially, Renegade Kid found a way to bring a 20 year old gaming platform to a handheld device. They incorporated the touchscreen (while cramping all of the tendons in your hand up) into your FPS experience.
Then Trauma Center was a game where you could do surgical procedures on patients using the touchscreen. I played a similar game called 3D Medical Adventure on my Windows 95 computer. I remember taking “lasers” to rabies in a brain. It was excellence
Essentially, the true DS innovation is sort of lacking beyond the touchscreen.
Recently I picked up Professor Layton and the Curious Village to find out what the hell people were talking about. I have to admit, for a DS game, this one is pretty solid.
Saying that, it still is a puzzle game. Puzzles are strung together through a mystery plot. The NPCs will say ridiculous things like, “I know why women don’t love me, it’s because I can’t solve this puzzle.” BAM! Then like a random battle in Final Fantasy you’re knee deep in puzzle fun.
There’s a lot on this cartridge. I’ve counted well over 100 puzzles as well as a few sort of side quests. There’s full FMV movies, great sound effects and voice acting, and a colorful world.
It’s a damn good game that has kept me coming back for six hours now, but again the argument has to come in, is a handheld platform game on equal terms with a console game? Would I pick up Professor Layton when I’m sitting idly at home with an Xbox360 and Playstation 3 in the same room. The answer is, yes and no. I have played this game when I’m at home, but I’ve only played it in the 15 minutes before I fall asleep. So if I can’t say anything else about this game, know this, it’s the first handheld game (non-PSP game that is) that I’ve brought into my household and used for more than just a time suck.
Kudos Professor Layton, I will meet you and the diabolical machine soon.
Professor Layton and Pokemon: Platinum are the only titles to hold my attention on the DS. I actually really enjoyed a majority of the puzzles in Professor Layton even if they were set up with a ‘hey i like food, LETS PUZZLE.’ I’m a excited for the next title in the series.
I can see how Professor Layton could deliver a genuinely unique and affecting experience. But it seems like most of what it’s doing could be accomplished by “Activity Book Six: Pencils Ready!?” at half the price.