Feel The Magic		Grade: C+
	Publisher: Sega (2004) Reviewed: 2006/2/10 Rating: Teen (crude humor, mild violence, suggestive themes)

With so many derivative games out there, it's refreshing to play something as quirky and inventive as Feel The Magic. This game does a beautiful job of demonstrating the system's capabilities, taking full advantage of dual screens and using the touch screen interface in a number of imaginative ways. The odd premise has you playing a guy attempting to win over the heart of an attractive female (hence the bikini-clad chick on the cover). Feel The Magic's graphics have a very stylish appearance that uses cell shading and renders people in black silhouettes. Combined with some playful electronic music, the distinctive visuals set the stage nicely for the many bizarre predicaments you'll participate in. You'll brush scorpions off a woman's back, pop open the parachutes of skydivers, brush away landmines for kids riding down a street in shopping carts, and rub a guy's stomach to make him regurgitate goldfish. One stage even makes use of the system's microphone to let you literally blow out candles. You never know what Feel the Magic will throw at you next, but it's never boring. Unfortunately, some of these mini-games are more weird than fun. I love "bowling" at people on the bus stop or turning away charging bulls, but nudging people out of sandpit or scrubbing dirt off a person is just tedious. In the end, Feel The Magic may be more of a novelty than anything else, but its unconventional gameplay and interesting controls are tailor-made for the DS. © Copyright 2006 The Video Game Critic.

Check for Feel The Magic on Ebay, Amazon

1 player

Go Diego Go! Safari Rescue		Grade: NA
	Publisher: Take-Two Interactive (2007) Reviewed: 2007/11/30 Rating: Everyone

A spin-off of Dora the Explorer, Go Diego Go! is an animated Nickelodeon show aimed at preschoolers. This game takes our young Spanish hero on an Africa Safari. Like its "sister" game (Dora Saves the Mermaids), Go Diego Go offers a series of mini-games that make fine use of the DS voice and touch capabilities. While reviewing the game late one night and not trying to disturb the wife, I was surprised when it prompted me to say "Jamba!" into the microphone. I spoke it gently, only to have the game respond with "Louder!" All I could do at that point was laugh. Go Diego Go is whimsical fun that lets you bang on drums, blow balloons in the air, snap pictures of animals, and drag sticks out of an elephant's path. There are some easy side-scrolling stages where you move around rocks and jump over logs by tapping the screen. The scenery looks fairly plain, but the exotic drum music is appealing. One thing I really like about this game is how there's no text to read - all the instructions are conveyed by a clear voice. My nephew Jordan (age 5) found the game to be fairly easy, although I noticed he got stuck on the same spot I did! Sometimes you're asked to drag branches to the pile, but it doesn't always register, instead responding with "Try again!" Otherwise it's pretty smooth sailing, and kids will learn some Spanish words and animal facts over the course of the game (Did you know that elephants can swim?). The game isn't very long (under an hour), but with its auto-save, it's ideal for small gamers with short attention spans. © Copyright 2007 The Video Game Critic.

Check for Go Diego Go! Safari Rescue on Ebay, Amazon

1 player

How The Grinch Stole Christmas		Grade: D
	Publisher: DSI Games (2006) Reviewed: 2007/12/14 Rating: Everyone

Looking for a good Christmas game for your DS? Good luck with that! On television, How the Grinch Stole Christmas is a timeless classic that will delight kids and adults for generations to come. On the DS, you'll be bored in ten minutes. Assuming the role of the Grinch, you sneak around expansive houses while avoiding clueless people wandering in predictable patterns. The top screen keeps a tab on your progress as you snatch up gifts, Christmas trees, wreathes, and other decorations. Once you gather the minimum number of items, you can climb up the chimney and move onto the next house. Unlike most stealth games where you need to remain out of eyesight, the Grinch can walk right in front of people without anybody noticing. Only by touching someone will you find yourself in trouble. Some of these encounters trigger mini-games you can play to "escape" detection. These easy, stylus-driven games usually involve tapping on wandering people (to send them back to their rooms) or avoiding a crowd of sleepwalkers. The Grinch would be okay if it had some variety, but every house looks exactly the same except for a new layout. By the fourth one, you'll practically be begging for some generic platform jumping! The colorful graphics aren't bad, and I like how the Grinch slinks around in a sneaky manner. The jazzy background music is catchy, but doesn't have much of a holiday ring to it. Treats are promised to those who conquer the advanced levels, but getting there will be a chore. © Copyright 2007 The Video Game Critic.

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1 player

Kirby's Canvas Curse		Grade: B
	Publisher: Nintendo (2005) Reviewed: 2006/2/20

If you enjoyed Yoshi's Touch And Go but found it too short or simplistic, Kirby's Canvas Curse is for you. Kirby is a pink ghost who has appeared in many Nintendo games over the years, and for this outing he assumes the form of a pink circle with a face. Controlled entirely with the stylus, you guide Kirby through a series of maze-like stages, collecting items while attempting to locate the magic exit door. Kirby is in constant motion, but you can direct him around dangers by drawing rainbow-colored "bridges". You can also subdue his enemies by tapping on them. Tapping on Kirby himself causes him to dash, and drawing a wall in front of him makes him reverse direction. Of course it wouldn't be a real Kirby game if he couldn't assume the powers of other creatures he encounters. Canvas Curse's modest 2D graphics and whimsical music might not win you over, but its imaginative stages just might. The game seems awfully simple at first, but each subsequent stages introduces a new wrinkle to keep the action fresh and challenging. The boss stages are totally unique, and the "jump for distance" bonus stages are a blast. So what's not to like? Well, unlike Yoshi's Touch and Go, Kirby's Canvas has a real puzzle vibe that taxes the cranium a bit more than I would prefer. More advanced stages take place underwater or in total blackness, and these border on tedious. Still, for DS fans looking for something substantial, Canvas Curse delivers the quality gameplay we've come to expect from Nintendo. © Copyright 2006 The Video Game Critic.

Check for Kirby's Canvas Curse on Ebay, Amazon

1 player