Alice in Wonderland for Nintendo DS Review
I have not yet completed the game, but I am right at the end... I've been trying to get all the treasure chests and some of them are proving difficult... anyway here's the review.
Synopsis
A side-scrolling platformer and puzzle game where you must guide Alice through Underland to find the Vorpal Sword and defeat the Jabberwocky. You can play as the McTwisp the White Rabbit, Absolem the Caterpillar, Chessur the Cheshire Cat and the Mad Hatter.
Gameplay
Gameplay is pretty much stylus orientated. Using the stylus you guide the characters around Underland, you can also make them guard and dodge roll with the stylus. Tapping on enemies will make the character fight them, however sometimes you will need to roll behind enemies during battle. You must also rescue Alice from portals otherwise... its game-over. Its quite an easy game, though probably a little more difficult than the Wii game.
Each of the characters have one skill and one special skill they can use to help solve puzzles or progress through levels, and one battle skill that they can use to help defeat enemies (these skills are accessed by pressing any button on the DS, except the special skills which are stylus). The puzzles in the game often force you to change between characters for their different skills to progress. Its actually quite a clever little game. If Alice cannot make a jump or climb up onto a platform, she will call to you and you must help her accross or up it. Also if you leave Alice for too long eventually card guards appear and you'll have to defeat them.
Throughout the game you must collect puzzle pieces to help complete the Oraculum map of Underland; these represent the different levels. I wasn't sure about how much the game relyed on the stylus at first; but after a while of playing I got used to it. The battles can get repeatative but overall the gameplay is fine.
Graphics
The graphics in this game have a unique and creepy-cute style; very different from the Wii version. Infact the graphics is one of the things that makes this game so appealing; the levels are interesting and the characters are adorable.
Only problem is sometimes it can be hard to tell where to go next, but this generally isn't something that happens often.
Overall the graphics are very nice.
Sound
The music in the game is atmospheric and suites the levels well, the characters don't have voice actors but this is a DS game anyway. There are various sound effects and Alice often calls to you; other than that I'm not sure what else to say.
Playable Characters
McTwisp the White Rabbit - Time
The first playable character in the game. He fights with his pocket watch, and his battle skill is to stop time on the enemies for a while. His field skill is starting, stopping, reversing and fastforwading time on certain objects. McTwisp's special skill is to jump long distances.
Absolem the Caterpillar - Gravity
The second playable character. He seems to fight with his antennae, and his battle skill is to pick up enemies psychicly. His field skill is gravity reversal, letting you and Alice walk upside down on platforms. Absolem's special skill is to create bridges over large gaps.
Chessur the Cheshire Cat - Invisibility
The next playable character. He fights with his claws, I am unsure on his his battle skill, I'll update this when I find out. His field skill is to turn objects invisible or visible. Chessur's special skill is to be able to jump from one side of a platform to the other very quickly to get much higher up.
The Mad Hatter - Perception
The last playable character. He fights with a sword... or a cane, one or the other, his battle skill is to squash enemies. His field skill is switching the entire area around to the background, letting you find hidden places. The Hatter's special skill is to run very fast accross dangerous terrain.
Story
The story does follow that of the movie, but of course with changes; but the game looks so different from the movie anyway. Unlike the Wii version the characters act a little differently from their movie counterparts. Most of them call eachother by nicknames and joke around, its all done in a very cute way.
Overall
I really like this game; even though I like the Wii version I do prefer this one. I really do recommend ot, especially if you like puzzle games or side-scrollers. Of course this is all based on Alice in Wonderland so thats another reason its great.
Also you can play as Absolem, thats a reason enough.
I have not yet completed the game, but I am right at the end... I've been trying to get all the treasure chests and some of them are proving difficult... anyway here's the review.
Synopsis
A side-scrolling platformer and puzzle game where you must guide Alice through Underland to find the Vorpal Sword and defeat the Jabberwocky. You can play as the McTwisp the White Rabbit, Absolem the Caterpillar, Chessur the Cheshire Cat and the Mad Hatter.
Gameplay
Gameplay is pretty much stylus orientated. Using the stylus you guide the characters around Underland, you can also make them guard and dodge roll with the stylus. Tapping on enemies will make the character fight them, however sometimes you will need to roll behind enemies during battle. You must also rescue Alice from portals otherwise... its game-over. Its quite an easy game, though probably a little more difficult than the Wii game.
Each of the characters have one skill and one special skill they can use to help solve puzzles or progress through levels, and one battle skill that they can use to help defeat enemies (these skills are accessed by pressing any button on the DS, except the special skills which are stylus). The puzzles in the game often force you to change between characters for their different skills to progress. Its actually quite a clever little game. If Alice cannot make a jump or climb up onto a platform, she will call to you and you must help her accross or up it. Also if you leave Alice for too long eventually card guards appear and you'll have to defeat them.
Throughout the game you must collect puzzle pieces to help complete the Oraculum map of Underland; these represent the different levels. I wasn't sure about how much the game relyed on the stylus at first; but after a while of playing I got used to it. The battles can get repeatative but overall the gameplay is fine.
Graphics
The graphics in this game have a unique and creepy-cute style; very different from the Wii version. Infact the graphics is one of the things that makes this game so appealing; the levels are interesting and the characters are adorable.
Only problem is sometimes it can be hard to tell where to go next, but this generally isn't something that happens often.
Overall the graphics are very nice.
Sound
The music in the game is atmospheric and suites the levels well, the characters don't have voice actors but this is a DS game anyway. There are various sound effects and Alice often calls to you; other than that I'm not sure what else to say.
Playable Characters
McTwisp the White Rabbit - Time
The first playable character in the game. He fights with his pocket watch, and his battle skill is to stop time on the enemies for a while. His field skill is starting, stopping, reversing and fastforwading time on certain objects. McTwisp's special skill is to jump long distances.
Absolem the Caterpillar - Gravity
The second playable character. He seems to fight with his antennae, and his battle skill is to pick up enemies psychicly. His field skill is gravity reversal, letting you and Alice walk upside down on platforms. Absolem's special skill is to create bridges over large gaps.
Chessur the Cheshire Cat - Invisibility
The next playable character. He fights with his claws, I am unsure on his his battle skill, I'll update this when I find out. His field skill is to turn objects invisible or visible. Chessur's special skill is to be able to jump from one side of a platform to the other very quickly to get much higher up.
The Mad Hatter - Perception
The last playable character. He fights with a sword... or a cane, one or the other, his battle skill is to squash enemies. His field skill is switching the entire area around to the background, letting you find hidden places. The Hatter's special skill is to run very fast accross dangerous terrain.
Story
The story does follow that of the movie, but of course with changes; but the game looks so different from the movie anyway. Unlike the Wii version the characters act a little differently from their movie counterparts. Most of them call eachother by nicknames and joke around, its all done in a very cute way.
Overall
I really like this game; even though I like the Wii version I do prefer this one. I really do recommend ot, especially if you like puzzle games or side-scrollers. Of course this is all based on Alice in Wonderland so thats another reason its great.
Also you can play as Absolem, thats a reason enough.
