Best Deals on Nintendo DS / DSi Accessories

10 Comments

1. AreYouKidding? says:

   October 18, 2010 at 6:40 pm

   Review by AreYouKidding? for The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass
   Rating:
   ***Note: Some spoilers within***

   It’s been a while since I enjoyed a Zelda title on a handheld. This selection doesn’t disappoint.

   I’m only a few hours in and I’m hooked. The story line, graphics, music and the characters are all excellent. This title, like Wind Waker, uses the cartoonish/younger set of characters versus the young adult set from Twilight Princess.

   For now, here is what I like and don’t like. Of course, I’ll update the review as I get deeper into the game.

   Pros:

   - Picks up where Wind Waker left off. A great story!
   
   - Having the map on the second screen is brilliant. Being able to jot down notes on it is even better. This is by far the most useful tool in the game.
   
   - You can save at any point in the game.
   
   - Puzzle mix is pretty balanced. Nothing too simple and nothing aggravating to the point I want to put the game down. I really dig some of the creative elements they’ve added to the dungeons. That’s all I’m saying; I don’t want to give away any spoilers.
   
   - The boomerang. I love drawing the path out on the screen. Not only is it used to complete certain actions/puzzles, it’s a vital tool in fights. Tip #1: Go slow when drawing the path. If you hit walls or obstacles, the throw is not completed. Tip #2: You can hold down the left shoulder button to instantly switch to the boomerang. This is a great way to quickly arm it.

   Cons:

   - I feel like I’m always running out of “screen”. This just boils down to the stylus control and limited real estate of the DS.
   
   - Getting Link to “roll” is quite difficult for me. Others may have this move down. I’m still struggling.
   
   - You can “fall” into water (you lose a heart piece) and off of cliffs. One stylus touch too far and Link can be sent flying off a cliff forcing you to start a map from where you landed. For me, that always seems to be the beginning.
   
   - Other than accessing menus and flipping the screens, the direction pad is pretty much unused. In similar games, I prefer to use it for “moving” characters on screen. It was a little disappointing to see this left out. Not a deal-breaker, just nice to have.
   
   - Using the microphone. I don’t think you need to incorporate this into every game. It’s great for its intended purpose, but frankly, I don’t want to have to blow on my DS to make candles go out as part of a puzzle. Is there a button that will do the same? If there is, I haven’t found it yet. I’m still blowing. Just a minor annoyance.

   So far this game is a lot of fun; more to come soon, if I ever put this thing down.

   ***UPDATE 10/08/07***

   The game continues to rock. The story is getting deeper and I’ve very into it. I also like how the ocean-going portion of the game is panning out. (E.g. Upgrading the ship, plotting courses, ocean battles, etc.) The addition of “treasure hunting” or “salvaging” is like a mini-game in itself.

   The versatility of the items you acquire continues to impress.

   Examples:

   - The bombs (oh, how I love the bombs) can obviously be used to blow up enemies, but they are equally useful in blowing up crates and walls so you can gain access to new areas and treasure.
   
   - The bow and arrow (my new favorite) is not only a fast and accurate weapon, but a vital tool fot activating dungeon “eyeball” switches.

   ***UPDATE 10/14/07***

   More great items, more great adventure.

   Here are some highlights from the last week (hopefully I don’t spoil anything).

   - Fishing is great. I found myself a fishing rod. Well, I was actually given it. It is little hard to control at first, but once getting the hang of it, provides a lot of fun and there is a nice surprise waiting for you if you “catch ‘em all”.
   
   - I’m hooked on the Grappling Hook! Like the boomerang, it’s a vital tool and is used for much more than just grappling. One great example, think “Human Slingshot.”
   
   - I finally died (fire and ice dragons were tough until I figured out what to do). It was nice that all I had to do was walk back through the blue portal and I was right back to the boss fight again. Thank goodness I didn’t have to do the entire dungeon again.

   ***UPDATE 10/28/07***

   I finished the game on a flight to LA this weekend.

   - The storyline continued to develop and really kept me interested; all the way to the end.
   
   - The new items (especially the hammer) were perfect additions to the already creative arsenal. (Hint: Be sure to hold down the stylus for a second or two and the hammer doubles in size and punch)
   
   - A couple of the boss-fights were actually in 3D-mode versus top-down 3rd person. The graphics during these sequences looked great.
   
   - There were even some really funny moments towards the end. When G’Pa snatched the hourglass from Link mid-spin, I cracked up.
   
   - Lastly, the final boss fight was excellent. Not too hard, multi-leveled (literally) and actually really fun. No frustration.

   Kudos to Nintendo for making one of the best games I’ve ever played on the DS. Thank you!
   
2. maxmasa31 says:

   October 18, 2010 at 7:34 pm

   Review by maxmasa31 for The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass
   Rating:
   Let me say, that I’m a HUGE Final Fantasy fan, and have only played two other Zelda games EVER, and never to completion. So it is with some surprise that I say “The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass” stands the model upon which all future DS RPGs should be. It has replaced Final Fantasy III as my new favorite DS RPG and it was no contest.

   The graphics are second-to-none for the system. I thought FFIII and Chocobo Tales were good, but this takes what the system can do to another level. It’s colorful, bright, cute, and stylish. For a game on such a small screen, the detail is wonderful.

   And while some may pass off the stylus-only gameplay as gimmicky, I felt that the tight integration gave me a feeling of being more involved with the game, as opposed to simple button-mashing. The ability to control Link’s speed with your stylus is a very clever take, and I actually prefer it to the usual “Hold down B to run.” I also like being able to plot the path of my boomerang with the stylus. A very nice touch that adds to the fun of the game.

   I enjoy the puzzles and the “time limit” set by the Phantom Hourglass is a great way to keep players on their toes in dungeons. The puzzles, while not overly difficult, offer enough challenge to be fun and not frustrating. And if you can find the hints to solve the puzzles (which are usually scattered somewhere), almost no thought is needed at all.

   The story is engaging (this is a sequel, tho’ you don’t need to have played “The Wind Waker” to understand what’s going on) and the characters likable. I also found the music and sound effects to be pleasant and very good for a game that already packs so much into such a small cartridge.

   There’s so much to LoZ:PH, that I haven’t even had a chance to try the multiplayer mode, though it seems to be a watered-down version of Four Swords. And that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Four Swords is universally considered the pinnacle of multiplayer Zelda, so if it’s anything like that, PH is definitely headed in the right direction in that department.

   This is a great game for players of any level. Hardcore gamers will appreciate the innovative gameplay and great graphics, and casual gamers will like the challenge and interesting story. Kids will like the bright, colorful graphics and slick fighting/boomerang moves, while adults will like the story and puzzle-solving. This is what a DS RPG should be. Heck, this is what ANY game should aspire to be!
3. Linda Oskam says:

   October 18, 2010 at 8:17 pm

   Review by Linda Oskam for The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass
   Rating:
   In this episode of Zelda (my first one ever) Link has to save Zelda after yet another unfortunate encounter with a villain. This time she is kidnapped by a Ghost ship, Link falls from his ship and washes up on the shore of Mercay island, where he meets his companion for this trip: the fairy Ciela. Together they have to defeat a whole array of increasingly scarier monsters before they can truely free Zelda.

   I admit it: I’m 44 and new to gaming. This game is rated as 7+ in the Netherlands (even though there are very few 7 year olds than can already read English), so I was kind of anxious about the childishness of the game, but, boy, did I have fun! Yes, I agree with some reviewers that it is tedious to return to the Temple of the Ocean King all the time, but that is made more than made up for by shooting, stabbing, hooking and bombing all the very ingeniously invented monsters of the various temples and islands. But apart from that you can also fish, trade, dig up rupees, pimp up your boat, fly with chicken. And you have to solve some riddles that are difficult, but not impossible.

   Some people claim that they went through this game in 12 hours. I have no idea how they did that: the final fight alone took me all in all almost 3 hours (and some less-than-polite language) to complete. And apart from the game proper there are a number of side-quests or you can just go treasure hunting or shoot seagulls, all according to your preferences. And their is a multi-player mode that I have not even explored yet…

   The graphics are amazing for such a little screen and after a while you actually start to like Link, the little green fellow with the tight pants and the big eyes that is your alter ego in this game.
4. Karen F. Nath says:

   October 18, 2010 at 8:37 pm

   Review by Karen F. Nath for The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass
   Rating:
   Ok, let’s face it. If you are a gamer of any sort, you should know that the Legend of Zelda series has undoubtedly been one of (if not the) most influential, innovative, and downright fun ever.

   I bought this when I was stuck in St. Peter, MN over a weekend. Boy, was it fun. I rarely buy games right after they come out (yeah, I’m a cheapskate), but I paid the $40 up front two days after release. I loved the innovative uses of the DS. You know how Rayman Raving Rabbids used every possible function of the Wiimote? Well, Phantom Hourglass does the same thing with the DS. You’ll blow on the mic, write on the map, and every movement and combat is used exclusively with the stylus. This is how the DS was meant to be used.

   About five hours in, however, I discovered a major problem. After a level, I have to return to The Temple Of The Ocean King, and run through everything again…on a timer? That means all the enemies, puzzles, etc. It was ridiculous. The Temple is hard enough the first time around, but on a timer? And having to repeat everything is just mean. Honestly, it’s one of the most annoying things I’ve ever had to do in a game. (And be forewarned, you will want to do the Temple when you’re out of earshot of other people. Played this on a flight to Europe and the man next to me thought I was insane for yelling every time the timer ran out.)

   It’s a classic Zelda game with a great new control scheme, pure and simple. Highly reccommended, but slightly difficult.
5. Ensorcell says:

   October 18, 2010 at 8:54 pm

   Review by Ensorcell for The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass
   Rating:
   I am a huge Zelda fan. I started playing the series with the original Legend of Zelda for the NES when I was seven (and still play it on occasion) and I’ve played every Zelda game since, with the exception of the Game Boy Color titles. I’m even playing Phantom Hourglass on my limited edition Gold Zelda DS Lite that it was bundled with.

   So far, this game is really poor, and it disappoints me greatly. From a 3rd party developer, I might understand. But Nintendo is better than this. I see throngs of 5 star reviews, and I’m just not understanding it. Overall, Phantom Hourglass feels like a whole lot of work, and not much payoff. Where’s the fun? I haven’t found it yet. (I think they accidentally left all the fun in Minish Cap.)

   Here’s a rundown of my experience up through the end of the first dungeon. I was so overwhelmed with feedback and disappointment by that point, I had to write a review. Here are some positives and negatives.

   Positives:

   * It’s a Zelda game!

   * Tapping on enemies is to attack them lets you target (almost) precisely in such a way that you avoid having to make your character run and then attack – instead it all happens for you.

   * Drawing the path of the boomerang – this is a fun mechanic. I wish the game would pause when I was drawing with it, otherwise it’s satisfying as-is.

   * The art direction is clean and stylized, and reminiscent of Wind Waker. Though I’ve never had a problem with the art direction in other Zelda games, I’ve found this art style makes gameplay more satisfying. For example, when you kill enemies, they burst in a plume of cartoony smoke, which is gratifying feedback and appropriate to the Zelda universe.

   * The story – I haven’t gotten deep into the story yet, but it’s on par for a Zelda game. Could be better, could be worse. I’m putting this in the “positives” section because it’s easy for a game to screw up a story, and so far this story isn’t horrible, so it gets the benefit of the doubt.

   Negatives:

   * The control scheme is absolutely terrible, and the crux of most of my issues with the game. Using the stylus to move creates many problems, and solves very little. 80% of the time it feels forced. Only rarely does the player get into a flow where being mindful of the control disappears. The rest of the time it’s a tangible barrier between you and having fun in the game. Good control schemes disappear and you become the character. Not here. Details:

   o Screen is always partially blocked by the stylus and sometimes your hand. (This is unacceptable for an adventure game where you constantly have to figure out where to go.) It’s like someone decided to start making shadow puppets at the movies, except that you can’t kick anyone out of the theater to make the problem go away. I suppose I could invent technology to make my hand translucent. Or maybe Nintendo’s next DS will come with a screen you can attach to the top of your hand so you can see the game you’re playing underneath it.

   o Tapping is not detected 100% of the time. Pressing a button is.

   o “Scribble little circles on the edge of the screen to roll” is horrible direction that took a long time to figure out. There’s no indication exactly how large or how close to the edge. A picture of the scribbles would have gone a long way. To me, what ended up working was drawing zigzags at the edge of the screen, very tiny.

   o Rolling is still difficult to do, even when one figures out how to actually do it. Link usually runs a bit before you can pull off the maneuver, which means you occasionally run past your target before you can roll. And sometimes running past your target means you run and jump off a cliff or ledge. Ah, I yearn for the 100% accurate button-press. Where have you gone?

   o It’s just not fun using a stylus for this game. I feel disconnected from Link. It’s no longer me controlling him (as with a direction pad/joystick), instead, it’s me telling him where to go. The difference is subtle, but important. Adding this one layer of indirection removes some agency and the satisfaction of immediate and direct control. I want to be Link, not direct him.

   o Why is there no option to move with the D pad and strike with the buttons? I understand that’s probably another month of dev time to get all the controls and UI worked out, and a bit of extra QA, but you have to respect your players. Good developers give you different configurations.

   * Blowing on the microphone or yelling in the mic as an occasional gameplay element is just plain annoying. It should either be a large part of the game such that one purchases the game for the gameplay around blowing/speaking into the mic, or it shouldn’t be part of the game at all. It should not be a “feature” that happens to be thrust on players that only want to play Zelda. When playing in crowded areas, it makes one look insane. When playing alone, it just feels gimmicky. Someone make it stop, please. The only time I want to blow on my DS is when the screen is dusty.

   * If you try and read a signpost when your character is to the side or behind it, you get a message, “You cannot read it from here.” Really guys? Is this supposed to be cute? What, do you think that if Link were to read the sign from behind that we’d all toss the DS down and be like, “Psh, this game is so unrealistic.” Instead, you make me circle Link around to the front of the sign like a moron and try it again. I feel like a scolded child that didn’t know his manners. Grow up, Nintendo. Game design isn’t just about being cute, it’s also about respecting your players, and making the interface EASY TO USE and not punishing.

   * Okay, having to make notes on the map as a form of gameplay is just not cool anymore. It died somewhere between Zork and the dawning of the Super Nintendo, when games could *gasp* map for you. Why? Because scrawling notes like a madman about everything an NPC just told you about where to go, and drawing poor misshapen map symbols that look like I ate a box of number 2 pencil graphite and vomited on coffee-stained graph paper lost its appeal after the hundredth time a decade ago… not sure why. Perhaps because I’m not a cartographer.

   It was progressive in gaming when an NPC told you where to go, then a shining beacon appeared on the map (and some games even draw the path in the game for you!). The step back we take in Phantom Hourglass? Being told to take our own notes on the important bits.

   Example (1) – “Note where the 3 torches on the island are.” And it even shows you one of them! But it doesn’t mark it for you. Why not? It should at least have them marked automatically when you get them on the screen. Nope. Instead, I have to realize that I’m not an artist as I attempt to draw a flame on the map where the torch is. And I’m in a car, no less, which makes it near impossible. Great. I had to erase 3 times and start over so that I could tell where it actually was, and so that it didn’t look like the game had some back memory blocks corrupting the screen. You try drawing a torch on the map, and there’s about a 30% chance that anyone watching will be like, “Dude, why are you drawing dog poo on your map?”

   Example (2) – You just found a note on the wall showing you what order to hit the 4 switches in, now, “mark them on your map.” *Sigh.* I didn’t buy a “my first sketchbook” game. You just told me the order, so mark it for me, you punishing bastards! It feels like the designers were compensating for something. Like they were sitting around the table going, Geeze, our game just isn’t fun. What can we add? We haven’t used drawing on the map much. Let’s make them do that. That’s fun, right? Ooo, I know, we can make them blow into the mic, too! Too bad this thing doesn’t have a built in accelerometer or we could have them shake the whole thing when those little green blobs stick to them. We’ll have to add that in the next handheld. Maybe they can hold it and do summersaults in real life to make link roll. Awesome! And I hope they do add that, because then the DS would know when I hurl it off the top of a 30 story building into an exploding nitroglycerin plant. Don’t get me wrong, being able to make notes on the map is cool, as an optional feature. But forcing you to note information the game is telling you (and knows you need to remember) is just plain work, and bad design.

   * So you go out sailing in your new boat (yay!). Then on one of your first trips, you get a random popup about jumping over something in the water. Apparently someone has booby trapped the ocean with spiky trip wires. Really? What’s fun about randomly having to press a button on my voyage so that I don’t get hurt? The player gets nothing out of that. Here’s a better design: randomly you sail past a school of hopping golden fish in the water, and if you press the button at the right time, you catch one! Sell it for cash! Or instead of a fish, it’s picking up a bottle with something inside. It doesn’t matter, but the point is this – instead of a random punishing mechanic, you can make the player do the exact same button press, but reward them instead! So you’ve solved your problem (Sea travel is just going from point A to point B, we need something to break it up and make it interesting,) and players will actually look forward to encountering these events rather than find them an annoyance. Heck, players might even decide to just go for a spin in hopes of stumbling on them. Lawyered.

   * I resorted to a walkthrough 4 times by the end of the first level. I blame 3 of those instances on the developers. The other can still be attributed to them, but not as entirely.

   o Getting the first sword requires you to look at a sign and draw the number 7 on it. However, the first time I walked up to the sign and tapped it, I got the message to the effect of, “Grandpa always wants you to ask permission before going through his store house.” So I went and spoke to grandpa. But all he did was tell me to go talk to some other guy. Long story short, I did those things in an unexpected order, so I got bad feedback. Developer lesson: you cannot count on players doing things in the order you want them to. You must support every potential order. After checking out a walkthrough, I realized that going back to the sign would reveal that it was actually blank, and wanted me to write something on it (despite getting a message the first time I tried to read it).

   o The order of the 4 switches in the first dungeon. This I blame partially on myself for lacking perception. There was a 1-tile diagram on the wall that I didn’t see. Developer lesson: you have to make things dead-obvious. Put sparkles on the wall signs if you have to.

   o Having to hit a switch with the boomerang that was nearly off the screen, and impossible to walk to. Scrolling the screen in the boomerang tool barely let me see it. What were they thinking? Definitely not anywhere near in sight enough.

   o Having to use the boomerang on the boss. That was the first thing I tried, and it wasn’t effective. Why? Because there are moments where the boss cannot be touched by the boomerang right after he splits up. As this was the first attack I tried (using the old Zelda logic – I found a new item in this dungeon, I probably have to use it on the boss) I filed it away in the “ineffective” part of my regimen. Then I tried all 3 forms of sword attacks. No luck. So I tried standing between the split bosses when they were flanking me, thinking maybe I needed to have them shoot each other with their fireballs. Nope, didn’t work. Okay, so maybe I use the boomerang or my sword on the fire they shoot and reflect it back at them? Nope. Okay, walkthrough time, big developer fail. Then I find out the boomerang does work… sometimes. What made it worse was you collect him and hit him again with the boomerang, it stuns him and you can hit him a lot with your sword (good so far), but it often broke back up into 3 ghosts a lot of the time after I condensed him with the boomerang. I could never tell whether it was me being too slow to hit him again with the boomerang, or if it was just a mechanic where it took a few times before he “stuck” in his larger form. Big lack of feedback to the player here. Fail.

   ————–

   Like I said, that’s just up through the first level. This game has racked up far more than 3 major strikes on me, and normally I’d drop it by now, forever having labeled it a poorly developed piece of garbage. However, since I have a long standing history with this series, I’m going to suffer through Phantom Hourglass a bit longer in hopes that it will suddenly become fantastic. My hopes are low.
   
6. Sandy - Mom of 3 Boys says:

   October 18, 2010 at 9:01 pm

   Review by Sandy – Mom of 3 Boys for Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games
   Rating:
   My 10 year old has had this for 2 months now & still LOVES this game. It provides hours of enjoyment with the different sports & skill levels. Unlike other games which he beats within a week, this one has been worth the money!
7. Michael Kerner says:

   October 18, 2010 at 9:16 pm

   Review by Michael Kerner for Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games
   Rating:
   When it has came down to Mario & Sonic At The Olympic Games when it came out last year for the Nintendo DS, it really was a big surprise that really delivered better than was the case with the Nintendo Wii version, in controls and in gameplay. While the Summer Olympics has been over for over a year, now it is time for the Winter Olympics to come alive in January or February in 2010. But with all that feeling, there are so many people tyring to figure out what would be the best game to summerize the Winter Olympis. Back in 2006, there were so many that felt like they were just missing a lot of edge, and a lot of gamers chose other titles. With all the hype around now, Mario & Sonic At The Olympic Winter Games has finally arrived for the Nintendo DS. But there are some tweaks here that are different around, but is it worth it, or is it just a figure 8 accident? Well, it really isn’t bad.

   Mario & Sonic At The Olympic Winter Games for the Nintendo DS brings in a lot of the excitement and the gameplay that has delivered well from the previous game, but there are a few new things here that make the gameplay a bit different. First if all, there is a new Adventure mode that you have to go through, where you have to accomplish certain golas and unlock all the events through the story. At times, it can take a lot out of you, but is the only way you could get to play alll the games, before you master the game. There are also new characters coming to the game including Metal Sonic, Donkey Kong, and Silver Sonic. The events range from ice hockey, the luge, to skeleton, downhill skiing and ski jumping, speed skating, to rarely recognized like the Biathalon (skiing and skeet shooting targets), as well as dream events like the original Mario & Sonic At The Olympic Games. The graphics look great, the control is mostly strong in some events, but at times during some of the events like Ice Hockey, it can be a bit frustrating, especially when you’re using the stylus at times, and takes awhile to get used to, but the gameplay is really a lot of fun to maintain.

   Overall, while Mario & Sonic At The Olympic Winter Games is a great title for the Nintendo DS, there could’ve been a little more. Nevertheless, it really is a great title to enjoy for anyone whom had loved the original version, and anyone who is eagerly awaiting what is next. I really like the game a whole lot, and I absolutely recommend this as a great addition to your Nintendo DS library. While you might await to see what does come next year and who will win the Olympic Gold Medals, but for right now, let Mario & Sonic At The Olympic Winter Games handle in the real fun.

   Graphics: B

   Sound: B

   Control: B 1/2-

   Fun & Enjoyment: B for solo player; B- for multiplayer

   Overall: B 1/2-
8. 3 dogs 3 cats 3 people says:

   October 18, 2010 at 9:29 pm

   Review by 3 dogs 3 cats 3 people for Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games
   Rating:
   My 5 year old was captivated by the 2010 Winter Olympics! Just after the games he was interested in buying this game with money he had saved. He has been very happy with his purchase. In fact, he loves it so much that I have to limit the time he spends playing it. He has only had a DS four months, but seemed to pick up on how to play this game quickly by running the demo features.
9. J. Rivera says:

   October 18, 2010 at 10:19 pm

   Review by J. Rivera for Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games
   Rating:
   As expected, a game involving Mario and Sonic was a HUGE success with my little cousin…and GROWNUPS ALIKE! It is a very entertaining game that involves you in many winter sports events using different characters from the Mario Bros. and Sonic collections. I highly recommend this game for hours of innocent non-stop fun.
10. John Samadi says:

    October 18, 2010 at 10:25 pm

    Review by John Samadi for Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games
    Rating:
    Some of the games are challenging to my ten year old daughter. Perhaps she does not try her best to play them as she is busy with other games and , school assignments.