Sonic Rush		Grade: B
	Publisher: Sega (2005) Reviewed: 2006/1/15 Rating: Everyone (mild cartoon violence)

As a Sonic fan since his debut in 1991, I was totally psyched to hear about this new 2D Sonic game for the DS. Sonic Rush plays much like the original Genesis Sonic games, which should come as good news to longtime fans. It's the same fast-action, platform-jumping, enemy-bashing formula that made the blue hedgehog famous. The colorful stages are loaded with bumpers and spinners that propel you through large stretches at a time, although certain areas do require careful timing and simple puzzle solving. You can play as Sonic or a purple cat named Blaze, and both have their own paths through the game. Tails the fox appears in cut scenes, but his kiddy voice is annoying has hell ("Alright, Sonic's here! Do your best, Sonic!") Rush is played across both screens, and while this doesn't have an enormous impact on the gameplay, it certainly looks cool. A new "tension gauge" lets you execute "super boosts" if you can fill it up by performing mid-air tricks. Personally, I found this gauge to be unnecessary and somewhat gratuitous. Sonic Rush offers a brand new set of zones, and while they're certainly colorful and unique, they're uneven in difficulty and not as enjoyable as they could be. The Leaf Storm is your typical introductory stage, with inviting green foliage and easy gameplay. Mirage Road has an Egyptian theme and Night Carnival has a glittery retro look. Water Palace features a scenic Greek backdrop, but the bulk of the action takes place underwater, which is a real drag. Are these tedious underwater stages really necessary in every Sonic game? Besides the water, there's also a preponderance of "bottomless pits" that also put a damper on the action. The third "act" of each zone is a boss battle, and these make effective use of the system's 3D graphic capabilities. Some bosses are amazing, like the mechanical snake that disconnects its head and attacks you with it! Rush's bonus stage is a throwback to Sonic 2, challenging you to collect a number of rings while running through a 3D half-pipe. It can only be played with the stylus but that works very well. One aspect of Sonic Rush I didn't appreciate at all was the music. These disjointed tunes are straight-up wack, and seem to be constructed from a hodgepodge of irritating voice samples. Despite its flaws, I had a good time playing Sonic Rush. It maintains an old-school style of play, but doesn't feel stale at all. Actually, it makes me want to play a new 2D Sonic game on the big screen! Will that ever happen? © Copyright 2006 The Video Game Critic.

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1 or 2 players

Space Invaders Revolution		Grade: C-
	Publisher: Mastiff (2004) Reviewed: 2005/11/20

It's hardly what I'd call a "revolution", but this souped-up version of Space Invaders should appeal to some old-school fans. Revolution's "classic mode" tries to emulate the original 1977 game, but its aliens are oversized and there are a lot more missile collisions. The "new age" mode offers interesting variations on the original game, including splitting aliens, one-on-one battles, and huge pixelated bosses. Spicing up the action are nifty power-ups including speed-up, rapid-fire, and side-cannons. Revolution isn't well suited for DS. Controlling your cannon with the touch screen is possible but not practical, and even selecting power-ups by touching the lower-screen is awkward. Revolution offers more Space Invaders action than you can shake a stylus at, but the game was never really meant for the small screen. © Copyright 2005 The Video Game Critic.

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1 player

Star Fox Command		Grade: C+
	Publisher: Nintendo (2006) Reviewed: 2007/1/26 Rating: Everyone 10+ (mild fantasy violence)

I like Star Fox Command, but it's probably not what most Star Fox fans had in mind. Command has its share of arcade-style shooting stages, but these are tied together by strategic missions that play more like mini board games. As you position your ships on a map on the lower screen over a series of turns, clashes with enemies initiate the shooting stages. It's kind of cool how you draw the flight paths of your ships and watch the action unfold. I suspect Nintendo incorporated so much strategy because the shooting stages couldn't quite stand on their own. They're all pretty similar, as you freely fly over sparse planet surfaces while trying to destroy a certain number of enemies as the clock ticks down. Flying, aiming, and performing special maneuvers are all done with the stylus, and the left shoulder button is used to fire. The stylus makes it easy to precisely target enemy ships, but special maneuvers like boosting (double tap high on the screen) and spinning (rapidly move the stylus side-to-side) tend to throw off your steering. Star Fox Command is addicting at first, but its overbearing strategy becomes tiresome after a while. The advanced missions can be pretty drawn out, and sometimes a single hidden enemy will slip by and ruin an otherwise flawless mission, forcing you to start over. There's also a lot of worthless text dialogue between stages, although thankfully you can skip this. Star Fox Command certainly takes advantage of the DS's capabilities, but unless you have a mind for strategy, you may want to pass this one up. © Copyright 2007 The Video Game Critic.

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1 or 2 players

Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith		Grade: B+
	Publisher: Ubisoft (2005) Reviewed: 2007/8/16 Rating: Everyone (10+)

I enjoyed the Gameboy Advance version of Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, and this DS edition is even more impressive. At its core, it's the same side-scrolling hack-n-slash Jedi fighter, but an improved presentation and additional gameplay elements elevate the overall experience. The touch screen is used to execute one of four "fury" moves (the GBA version only had one), and the game also incorporates several 3D space battle stages. I wasn't expecting much from these battles, but these proved to be a pleasant surprise. With rich visuals and fly-anywhere controls, they reminded me of Rogue Squadron (Nintendo 64, 1998). Another improvement over the Gameboy Advance is the epic, digitized soundtrack. These memorable melodies are lifted straight from the films and add a new dimension as the story unfolds. The bulk of the game still involves slicing endless droids with your light saber, but there are plenty of attack options including deflecting shots back towards enemies and using the Force to "push" enemies to the ground. Granted, Revenge of the Sith is still a button-masher at heart and it will wear on your thumb after extended play. Robots require more and more strikes to destroy as you progress, and that gets annoying. You can assume the roles of Anakin or Obi-Wan, each with his own branching storyline. With a nod to the old school, Star Wars Episode III is a worthy upgrade to the Gameboy Advance edition. © Copyright 2007 The Video Game Critic.

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1 to 4 players

Super Black Bass Fishing		Grade: F
	Publisher: Majesto (2004) Reviewed: 2006/8/8 Rating: Everyone

Sensing this could be a port of an old fishing game, I went back and played Super Black Bass (SNES 1991) before reviewing this. My theory was largely confirmed, although a few token changes were made so this would look like a legitimate DS title. Unfortunately, this is really a step back from the SNES game. You can play using the stylus, but it's hardly necessary. Before you get started, go directly to the options menu and turn off the vomit-inducing music. The main "tournament" mode forces you to sit through some lousy cut-scenes about some bratty kid trying to enter a fishing tournament. Once that unpleasant ordeal is over, you'll find yourself in your boat on the lake. But would you believe that you can't even steer it around!? No, instead you're forced to move it from square to square as if you're playing some kind of board game! That sucks, but at least you can easily spot the best fish locations with your depth finder. Casting using a simple meter works well, but like the SNES game, you'll need to experiment to find the "magical lure" that fish will be attracted to. The water is just a shimmering pattern of pixels, but the fish look tasty enough. Touching the stylus to the screen reels in your lure, and while you also have some degree of side-to-side movement, it's not very precise. Fights with fish are less than spectacular, and I hate how both your line and fish pass directly through logs as if they were ghosts. Black Bass Fishing's menu interface is a case study in poor design. Performing a simple action like changing lures is so complicated that it's almost a game in of itself! There's nothing else on the system to compare it to right now, but I sure as hell hope someone can make a better fishing game for the DS. © Copyright 2006 The Video Game Critic.

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1 or 2 players

Super Princess Peach		Grade: C
	Publisher: Nintendo (2006) Reviewed: 2006/6/10 Rating: Everyone

The first time I played Super Princess Peach, I relished its old-school 2D graphics and classic platform action. It was quite refreshing to finally control the "damsel in distress" from so many old (and new) Mario titles. In addition to running around and pouncing on enemies, Peach wields a remarkably versatile magic umbrella that can be used to glide through the air, float on water, and beat foes senseless. But the game's real hook is its use of the touch pad, allowing you to unleash one of Peach's four "emotions" at any time. These powers allow Peach to laugh (fly), become sad (squirt water), angry (burst into flames), or happy (regain health). Not only do these provide strategy, but they offer multiple ways to solve puzzles. Interesting bonus stages also make good use of the touch pad, letting you roll logs or "flick" rubber bands in order to guide our heroine to safety. There's a lot to like about Super Princess Peach, but as I progressed through the game my enthusiasm waned. Many stages tend to be dull, mazelike, and some contain annoying "memory" style puzzles. The controls are generally good, but it's easy to slip off narrow platforms. The graphics and sound are rather bland and not particularly memorable. Super Princess Peach is definitely on the easy side, and experienced gamers may become bored with it over time. Perhaps younger gamers will appreciate it more, but I found Super Princess Peach to be pretty average stuff. © Copyright 2006 The Video Game Critic.

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1 player