 Review By: Brittany Vincent |
Developer: | Arkedo Studio |
| Publisher: | SouthPeak Games | |
| Genre: | Action | |
| ESRB: | Everyone | |
| # Of Players: | 1-2 | |
| Online Play: | No | |
| Accessories: | Wi-Fi (local), Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection (leaderboards) |
The DS may have an extensive library of diverse games, but a good portion fail to utilize one of the most important aspects of the system - the touch screen. Few games have truly shone in this department, until now. Big Bang Mini for the DS (no, there's not a regular-sized Big Bang) is almost like atonement for all the industry's unwarranted abuse of the DS's touch screen. Big Bang Mini breaks the mold and emerges as a worthy contender of being called one of the best DS games currently available.
Though billed as a shoot-'em-up, you won't find the traditional diminutive ship or space environments here. Across ten locations, the objective here is to collect stars while avoiding enemy fire and letting off some of your own firepower. And even if there were a ship, shots wouldn't be fired from it. Using the stylus, you can flick upward on the touch screen in order to hit enemies and targets on the top screen. You aren't limited to where your location is on the screen - you can fire from anywhere on the screen. This calls for some real strategic gameplay. Straying even further from the norm and staying true to the game's title, you aren't firing lasers, beams, or even bullets.
You're shooting fireworks.
That's right - firing a shot actually equates to launching fireworks into the sky. When the fireworks are launched, they will explode into a colorful montage of lights and sound. However, the twist is that you will not only have to avoid enemy projectiles, but your own fireworks raining down into the lower screen. There is no limit on how often you can set off the colorful fireworks, but using them sparingly is how you will ultimately benefit - the less shots you fire, the less to hit your avatar! The shots that hit their mark and obliterate enemies will create a spectacular display of lights and colors. It's best to be as accurate as possible because the more you have to fire to hit enemies, the harder it will be to avoid showers of offensive fire. And when you've been hit once, it's game over. The dodging and weaving can get frustrating, but when you successfully evade wave after wave of relentless fire, it feels like quite the accomplishment.
When enemies have been defeated they will yield stars, ranging from small to large. These stars must be collected in order to reach the end of a stage. As they are racked up they fill a gauge located to the left on the lower screen. To make this process a bit simpler, each stage will offer special power-ups and upgrades to take out the competition a bit easier. These include awarding the player with homing missiles, bullet shields, or explosives that will reach all of the enemies onscreen.
Posted: 2009-05-12 19:09:46 PST