Brooklyngrenade

The Legend of Zelda has its fair share of handheld gaming glory, but none can match Link's latest adventure on the Nintendo DS. In fact, it is one of the best Zelda games period. Playing Phantom Hourglass on the DS is a refreshing Zelda experience at its core. This is largely due to the creative gameplay capabilities of which the DS encompasses and how well the developers at Nintendo utilize them for the game.

The most notable mechanic with Phantom Hourglass is how the player controls Link. It is all done with the stylus, while the d-pad and face buttons are alternatively in use to access the map and inventory menus. Additionally, the stylus serves to control Links attacks and other maneuvers. The motion replicates the action: make a line for a slash or stab, a circle around Link for a 360° spin attack, a circle motion at towards the edge of the screen for a diving roll, etc. The weapons and items found throughout the game all have their distinct applications with the stylus. For example, the hero of green attire has an effective boomerang which requires the player to draw a line and even shapes of direction for the boomerang to strike or activate. The beautiful thing about Phantom Hourglass' gameplay is that it works so intuitively well, and becomes a comfortable control scheme very quickly.

The overall game design compliments the gameplay mechanics also. The player will be using each of Link's special items and abilities. The dungeons all utilize the stylus' control scheme cohesively as well as the capabilities of the DS. There are certain actions the player will have Link perform throughout that game that will guarantee a smile or a quote of, "Ah, that's cool!" Like any Zelda title, there are sure to be boss battles, and Phantom Hourglass surely does not disappoint in quantity. Not only that, but each boss battle is uniquely fun and memorable.

The only grievance of the game's design is the Temple of the Ocean King. Throughout the game, Link must return to this dungeon a number of times after completing missions to advance the story. Each successful visit expands the length of the dungeon until Link reaches the final point. The problem that can persist for some players is revisiting the temple on several occasions only to start from the beginning each go-round. Additionally, there is an existing time limit to complete a section of the dungeon.

The main story of Link's adventure at sea roughly can take twenty to thirty hours to complete. This adventure alone is well worth the play-through for the most part. However, the multiplayer mode is a nice little treat that gives the game some extra legs. Essentially, it's one on one capture the flag Zelda style; so the triangle gems substitute for the flags. While it is the only existing multiplayer mode it entails a lot of frantic fun; the only true problem is that very little people populate the Wi-Fi servers.

Being the first direct Zelda sequel, specifically to the Gamecube's Wind Waker, Phantom Hourglass holds up a very good presentation. Since it stays in the realm of the 2003 classic, the cel-shaded graphics translate nicely on the DS. The musical score is what one can expect from the Zelda universe; which in most cases includes memorable tunes. The story holds up well, especially with the references to Wind Waker. Additionally, the characters alongside Link are memorable, for example the treasure-hungry navigator Linebeck who is truly a selfish coward on the inside. Due to the light-hearted look of the game a lot of the dialogue contains quirky humor, which is surprisingly executed well.

The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass is a great and unique addition to the franchise. With intuitive and accessible gameplay, it can be enjoyable for mostly anyone. It's a great addition to the DS library.

Capcom undoubtedly deserves much prestige. For years they have been making awesome games for every platform. Franchises such as Resident Evil and Devil May Cry certainly ring bells, with Street Fighter being relatively their most popular trademark. They have also developed cult classics like Puzzle Fighter. This original Playstation and Sega Dreamcast title blends a fast-paced puzzle game with a strong visual representation of Capcom's Street Fighter and Darkstalkers universes, thus making it a worthwhile Xbox Live Arcade purchase.

Puzzle Fighters' gameplay formula is fairly simple. The foundation is derived from Capcom fighting games: one on one combat. However, there are no health meters. The object of winning lies within the puzzle element. The simple tactics are similar to Tetris in which the player stacks square jewels upon a vertical quadratic spaced grid. The blocks come in the assorted colors of red, yellow, blue, and green). Making larger shapes of rectangles and squares with the same colored blocks helps greatly with your score and winning against your opponent. When "counter gems" appear, they break blocks of their corresponding color which places timed gems on your opponent's side of the playing field. In essence, this is the dose of damage, and your chosen character simultaneously attacks the other when this action is executed. One of the main strategies, as mentioned before, is to align the normal gems into the largest square and rectangular shapes as possible, then break them with a counter gem for a huge score and damage to your opponent. The round is won when your opponent can no longer stack the gems on their side any higher.

Although Turbo Remix has simplistic Tetris-like gameplay, don't be fooled by its cutesy premise. Matches can become very intense on higher difficulties, and a lot of skill can be utilized with it. To win early against tougher opponents (especially those of online encounters), the player must be quick and swift while establishing good placement of their gems. Doing this while keeping strategy in mind can get the best of who's playing, as sometimes it's not a good approach to use counter gems with only a few matching normal gems lined straight down. The damage effect to your opponent won't be as great of a deal and it can also give them a small advantage or opening to turn the tide.

With this XBL Arcade version, two additional gameplay modes are included from the Dreamcast version of the game: "Y" and "Z" mode. The form of normalcy is "X" mode, a rebalance for Turbo Remix. The central differences with Y and Z mode are the style in terms of placing and breaking gems; they adapt to the shape of these letters. For instance, Y mode allows the breaking with counter gems diagonally; hence the top part of the letter Y. Z mode plays with normal and counter gems randomly stacked together rising from the bottom, adding another level of intensity. You must rearrange the gems instead of placing those that fall from the. These two bonus gameplay styles alone are enough to add variety to this iteration of Puzzle Fighter.

Due to the frequent moments of intensity while playing, it ultimately results with addictive fun. On several occasions you'll want to play just one quick match, which might turn into two hour sessions. At the slightest, one could say there's some compunction here, because the game becomes rather addicting off of a very seemingly simple foundation of gameplay design. Then again, arcade inspired titles like Puzzle Fighter are meant to be that way. The combo system is indelibly satisfying, as it requires the action of big counter gem breaks consecutively, and the effect it has on your opponent can deliver a huge finishing move by your character (i.e. Ryu's Dragon Punch), making you feel like such a winner.

Visually, Puzzle Fighter HD is nice to look at. The backgrounds in each stage are very impressive, and so are the crisp appearances of the gems. The only thing lacking visually are the characters themselves. It's not like you will be paying full attention to them during play, but their large heads on top of their small bodies were not enhanced to HD goodness such as the background and shiny square gems. However, the "chibi" look of Street Fighter and Darkstalkers characters gives the game its own uniqueness. The sound effects stand out well, each character having their own weird, light-hearted voice puns. The jingles for each stage are catchy to the ear, and can be easily remembered.

Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo HD Remix is a gem, no pun intended. If you are totally new to the game, it will be exhilarating. For fans of the Playstation and Dreamcast versions, it's a mere graphical update; nonetheless, it's still fun as it was back then. The implementation of online multiplayer adds longevity, but for the 360 version, good luck finding a variety of people to play against. If you go the route of choosing a quick match, or even hosting, you will have to keep retrying, and when you do find someone, they are among the top on the ranked leader boards who will wipe the floor with you. It's a shame that there aren't a lot of folks playing this online, for it has a high competitive factor. Despite its lacking with multiplayer, Puzzle Fighter HD is one of the more fulfilling and addicting Xbox Live Arcade titles available out there.

Remember the good ol’ SNES days, when Super Mario Kart was released? For those who remember these times, wasn’t the game addictively fun? Well, nearly fifteen years later, the same can be said for the latest iteration of the Mario Kart series on the Nintendo DS.

From the gameplay aspect, it all feels very polished in Mario Kart DS. If you’re familiar with the series or even a complete newbie, there’s nothing to be skeptical about. Mario Kart games have always offered an easygoing pick up and play experience, and this time it’s really no different. However as you progress through the several kart classes, races noticeably become more challenging. A fairly new gameplay mechanic in Mario Kart DS is power-sliding. This is performed with the L and R buttons on the DS and a turbo boost can come as a result when simultaneously pressing left and right on the D-pad. Some players may become confused on how to do this, but it’ll become second nature to pull of fairly quickly. An improved map also provides as a helpful tool, while making a simple but effective use of the touch-screen. You can switch between two map views on the fly, a zoomed out version, showing the entire track and what racer is in what position, then a zoomed in perspective, giving you a more vivid idea of how far you are in front or behind.

Another huge aspect of Mario Kart’s gameplay has always been the items. Bananas, Koopa shells, bomb-oms, stars, and item stealing Boos all make a return. Several new items include Bloopers, the squid-like foes in most Mario games, whom blast an area of dripping ink on the screen, slightly hindering the vision of other racers. Additionally, you can transform your racer into a Bullet Bill, and make your way to the front of the pack at near hyper-speed. All the items are pretty fun to utilize and help the player in their own unique way. However, I did find myself sometimes getting the same items repetitively using most characters, and that kind of got annoying after a while. Races consist of up to eight participants. In the grand prix mode, there are three classes, 50CC, 100CC, and 150CC. Inside each class exists 8 cups with four races in each. Now that alone adds a strong bit of variety in the game’s value. In fact, variety is the strongest attribute of Mario Kart DS. Time trials and a battle mode serve as good add-ons, but the one game mode that stands out greatly and makes this version of Mario Kart a classic is the mission mode! It spans over six levels and you’ll complete challenges like: driving backwards through a number of gates in order with an allotted time of forty-five seconds. Progressing through these small missions leads up to an unlockable boss fight on each level.

While much is served on the single-player side, the greatest thing about Mario Kart DS is the multiplayer. Without question, this entry in the series delivers the best multiplayer action in any Mario Kart game to date. All game modes can be used in the multiplayer component. With the Nintendo Wifi capability, take your kart online with folks from around the world. You can even connect to players wirelessly within thirty feet of you, and them having a copy of Mario Kart DS isn’t even required. They can simply download a mirrored version of the game. The multiplayer is widely and easily accessible which extends the game’s overall value.

Mario Kart DS contains a pretty decent presentation. Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach and the rest of the gang are all here, with a few unlockable characters. The graphics are in 3D and look pretty much exactly like the N64 Mario Kart. What’s great is that most of the tracks are a collection of the best and most memorable ones from previous entries in the series. The sound isn’t too shabby; in a nutshell it’s all the sound effects and music from the Mario universe recycled.

In summation, Mario Kart DS is clearly the best Mario Kart game out. With a solid presentation, traditionally good gameplay that is significantly improved on, the load of extra content and game modes, and some of the best multiplayer around, it’s a must own for those with a DS. In essence, it maintains and at the same time expands on what made the original Super Mario Kart a classic back in 1992. Addictive and great fun!