Game Reviews
Latest Reviews
Browse our collection of reviews.
Latest Reviews
Review: FIFA 08 (DS)
EA has already had several kicks at the ball when it comes to creating the ultimate DS soccer game - has the company finally succeeded with this latest effort?
With the Wii instalment of FIFA 08 leaving us extremely impressed indeed, we had particularly high hopes for the Nintendo DS version here at NintendoLife. Although the franchise has come in for some harsh criticism over the years, things..
Review: The Sims 2: Castaway (DS)
EA's best selling franchise relocates to a somewhat less comfortable environment - but is this a situation worth surviving?
In the modern world of capitalism it’s a commonly accepted fact that when a company hits upon a successful concept they’ll flog it for all it’s worth. This is clearly demonstrated by EA’s highly lucrative Sims franchise - in the past year or so we’ve already..
Review: MySims (DS)
MySims arrives on the DS. Is it time to remove Animal Crossing: Wild World from your DS cart slot?
On paper EA’s MySims seems like the perfect game concept for the Nintendo DS. The machine has already proven it can play host to vibrant ‘virtual worlds’ thanks to Nintendo’s best selling Animal Crossing: Wild World. The enduring allure of the ‘Sims’ brand is also a massive plus point and..
Review: Luminous Arc (DS)
Altus bring us yet another slice of Japanese RPG gaming - but can Luminous Arc present a solid challenge to the best the genre has to offer?
While it’s certainly true that we’re all hardcore Ninty fans here at Nintendo Life, it would be silly to suggest we don’t dabble with rival systems from time to time. One manufacturer that is almost impossible to ignore is Sony. You may not like them..
Review: Dragon Ball Z: Goku Densetsu (DS)
Cardmehameha!
[screenshot=468bc2098dbeb]Card Based Combat[/screenshot]Sorry, I had the overwhelming urge to begin this review with a play on words involving DBZ and cards… and that was the best I could do!Anyway, to the point. Dragon Ball Z is quite easily the most recognisable cartoon to come out of Japan. I remember the days of my childhood where I would wish to have the strength of Goku, the..
Review: Worms: Open Warfare 2 (DS)
Worms kinda lost it’s way big time. Some games welcomed the switch into 3D, making them feel fresher, fuller and on the whole a lot more enchanting. Worms was not one of those games.
Last year, Team 17 decided to bring the series back to it’s routes. DS and PSP iterations of the game reminded us why the game was so crudely popular on the PC way back in the mid/late 90s. A combination of..
Review: SimCity (DS)
The big city is here... on the little DS.
Sim City is arguably one of the best simulation games out there: it practically wrote the book on the genre. On the PC it's a tried and tested formula. But, never before has it made a comfortable transition to any other format. So, has Sim City DS achieved the grandeur of modern day society, or does it bear more semblance to the dark ages?The concept of Sim..
Review: Guilty Gear: Dust Strikers (DS)
The cult 2D fighting game series makes its debut on the Nintendo DS, but has the magic of the previous titles been retained?
The Nintendo DS often represents a rather difficult proposition for developers. The unique nature of the hardware can sometimes pose a significant stumbling block when it comes to porting existing franchises to the popular handheld. Do you stay true to your roots and ignore..
Review: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (DS)
Can EA atone for the shameful lineage of Harry Potter games with their latest instalment on the Nintendo DS, or will this particular spell fizzle out like the rest?
If you’ve had the forethought to read our recent preview of the Wii version of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (let’s compress that down to HP:OotP from hereon in) you’ll be aware that we were pleasantly surprised..
Review: Trioncube (DS)
The DS certainly isn't short of puzzle games. Does Namco Bandai's latest release have enough charm to stand out from the crowd and represent a worthwhile purchase?
Handheld consoles and puzzle games go hand in hand. Through the history of portable entertainment every major machine has played host to at least one truly ‘essential’ puzzler. The Gameboy was practically sold on the back of the..
Review: Final Fantasy III (DS)
The 'lost' Final Fantasy is at last made available to the English-speaking world. Is it a glorious reinvention of a genre classic, or merely a pointless step back in time?
Given the stature of the Final Fantasy series, it’s somewhat surprising to think that only very recently has the entire franchise been made available to a worldwide audience. Up until Final Fantasy VII, Western gamers had been..
Review: Pokemon Diamond & Pearl (DS)
Pokemon Diamond and Pearl have finally arrived on the Nintendo DS. Was it worth the long wait? (Yes!)
[screenshot=46327821901ad]Pokemon returns to your DS[/screenshot]Pokemon fans have received three lackluster Pokemon Games since the Nintendo DS launch over two years ago. Pokemon Dash, Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Blue Rescue Team, and Pokemon Ranger were poor offerings, almost as if Nintendo had..
Review: Dead 'N' Furious (DS)
Dream On Studio’s tribute to Sega’s ‘House of the Dead’ hits the DS – is it the sleeper hit of the year or as sad and shambling as the flesh-eating zombies contained within?
Zombies, eh? They seem to be everywhere these days. After starring in a seemingly endless flood of low-budget gore fests in the seventies, the festering undead enjoyed a period of well-earned rest before recently..
Review: Theme Park DS (DS)
Resurrected from the PC original released in 1994, Theme Park on the Nintendo DS places you as the designer, developer and manager in a realistic and believable finance-based simulator.
Created by video game legend Peter Molyneux, Theme Park has a very simple concept on the surface but when you persevere with the title you will find there is a great amount of intricate detail and depth to..
Review: Meteos: Disney Magic (DS)
Arguably the best DS puzzler in existence returns with a brand new appearance – but has this alliance with the House of Mouse sullied the game name of the series?
It’s never pleasant watching someone you admire sell out. Be it a band, sports personality or comedian, many of our heroes fall victim to the irresistible allure of cold, hard cash. Sadly it would appear that our video gaming idols..
Review: Puzzle Quest (DS)
Tetris meets Final Fantasy? That can't work, surely? We lift the lid on one of the most interesting DS releases of the year.
When developers mix widely opposing game genres it usually results in a bit of a mess. This is the main reason why I initially gave Puzzle Quest a fairly wide berth when I saw it in my local videogame store a few weeks back. The vaguely generic fantasy artwork coupled with..
Review: Gunpey DS (DS)
The Wonderswan puzzler is reborn on the DS - but has Mizuguchi's Q Entertainment done enough to elevate it to truly classic status?
When Gameboy creator Gunpei Yokoi was tragically killed in a car accident in 1997 he was working on what he saw as the successor to Nintendo’s machine – the bizarrely named ‘Wonderswan’. When the handheld was eventually released in 1999 manufacturer Bandai..
Review: Hotel Dusk: Room 215 (DS)
Hotel Dusk is a return to the text-based games from gaming's past. It really shines with it's creative art and impressive conversations and the storyline. But is it worth your money?
Hotel Dusk is entirely a throwback to retro text based games, but with some promising DS gameplay that really shines. You play the game horizontally (Brain Age style) and only use the touch screen. By conversing with..
Review: Diddy Kong Racing DS (DS)
The Nintendo 64 classic returns on DS, but how does it compare to Mario Kart DS?
Ah Diddy Kong Racing, one of my old friends, how nice to see you again. How fitting is it that Diddy Kong Racing is Rare's first DS title. One of my favorite games for the Nintendo 64, the game that in my opinion took Mario Kart 64 and improved on it in every possible way. This particular remake comes on the back of..
Review: Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin (DS)
Konami's evergreen vampire hunting series drops by for a second bite on the Nintendo DS, but can it maintain the blistering pace set by Dawn of Sorrow?
Those of you lucky enough to have experienced the sublime Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow will no doubt be very excited by this latest release for the Nintendo DS. Once again Konami have settled on the tried and tested ‘Metroidvania’ format, first..
