Meteos Game by Nintendo Developed by Q and Bandai Reviewed by Mikaa robbin12388@bellsouth.net Size: 1 DS game card (256megabits 32megabytes) Save: Yes - unlocked materials plus profile from DS hardware Released: June 2005 Works with: Nintendo DS Rated: E (For Everyone) Quick Thoughts: Must-have for puzzlers. **************************************************************************** Opening Snide Remarks: When I first read the description for Meteos, I just shrugged. When I saw the screens, I shrugged again. To be fair, the screens for Meteos looked like about half a dozen other GBA or DS puzzlers put out in the last few months, and I just could have cared less. Then Famitsu, a noted Japanese video game magazine, gave the game an abnormally high score, one of the highest ever presented. Then I read the surprisingly detailed article on the game in Nintendo Power. Then I learned that the team behind it was the very same that did Lumines, which I have also reviewed at DMG Ice. Need I mention that I had my interest peaked? **************************************************************************** Gameplay Description: Well, it's an interesting adventure to play, that is certain. First is the plot: an evil planet (named... Meteo. Go figure) is lobbing debris at other planets, destroying civilization and cosmic objects and anything else. Then... three meteos (the objects fired from Meteo) of a similar make aligned, and fired back towards Meteo. Planets around realized this fact and worked together to build a massive starship out of meteos, sending it to destroy the threat. There's the plot, and while the endings are not exactly what you would expect (or obtained like a normal game), the gameplay is quite simple, really. Multi-colored blocks fall from the top of the bottom screen, up to six or so at a time when you speed up. Using either the stylus or a traditional cursor with the D-pad, you move the meteos either up or down in a given tower, trying to align at least three meteos of similar design in rows of three or more, either up and down or left and right. When you align the meteos, meteos in the matching line form rockets, shooting into the air of the planet. From here, the desired effect is actually not up to the player, but at the discretion of the planet. See, each planet has its own physics and weird effects. One planet will launch the rockets so fast you would never see it; another would not launch at first, but if you get another set ready before the first set reverts back to normal meteos, they will launch; yet others will launch half-way, then begin to fall. This is part of the charm, and part of the challenge. You must quickly find what works, then move to work with your given planet before you are annihilated. There are a surprising amount of options, each one, upon completion, earns you meteos to fuse together to unlock other planets as your base, items to control, sound options in the sound test, and rare metals. The modes range from time trials to survival, one shot with your default planet to "story" mode. The latter has several options, from straight up, to multi-path, to a multi-path with mission goals. A very nice variety. There are a wide range of multiplayer, for both single card and multiple cards. I have not been able to do either, but I did find a surprisingly nice option should I find another DS owner: there is an option that allows other players with DSes to download a demo of Meteos. Not a big feature, but a very nice inclusion, allowing others to practice or try it out. Liked: Addictive gameplay, demo for sharing Hated: Stylus occasionally slips, slow D-pad cursor **************************************************************************** Graphics Description: Remember the backgrounds of Metroid Zero Mission? No? Imagine water colored images of exotic scenes with the occasional photo like image of a background. Very detailed, the gems are very nice to look at, and everything is very detailed. It's a nice thing. Liked: Overall great quality. Hated: Um, no image gallery? Not much to gripe about here. **************************************************************************** Sound/Music Description: Wow. Remember, these are the people that made Lumines for the PSP, and anyone who has played that knows the high quality to be found on that disk. Now, this is a DS cart. And, granted, the music is not as good; only one series has ever had CD-quality on a cart (namely the Star Wars series). Yet the music here is quirky, funny, memorable, and enjoyable. Add in the fact that the music fits with the alien landscapes, and that the sound test allows you to replay all of the quirky music makes this one enjoyable cart. Liked: Sound test, great quality for a cart Hated: This ain't a Star Wars game, and thus the music's limits are noticeable. **************************************************************************** Play Control/Game Design: The blocks should have been bigger. That is the one gripe I must point out for the stylus controls right away; you WILL, at some point, miss the desired meteos and grab the wrong one, usually at the wrong moment. Yet despite this, the controls are first rate, right up there with the greatest of Nintendo games. The D-pad controls are not fast enough for good usage, and the fact that the cursor will rise up with the rockets when they launch, you will have to take valuable time to reposition the cursor, usually ending with you in a VERY bad position. On the up-side, virtually anything can be fiddled with, and accidentally tapping the wrong icon on a menu will not go through without double checking first. Very nice. Liked: The menu can be played with via the stylus, the controls support both stylus and standard controls. Hated: The standard controls leave a lot to be desired, the blocks could have been a bit larger. **************************************************************************** Improve: Make the blocks larger, add more planets, and more great music. RIYL: Lumines (PSP), Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo (GBA), Polarium (DS) **************************************************************************** Final Words: Good Gravy, any puzzle fan should own this title ASAP. And despite the slightly high price at the moment, it is well worth it. Don't worry about the extra five you would shell out for this; it is worth every penny. **************************************************************************** Score Gameplay: **** Graphics: ***** Sound/Music: ***** Play Control/Game Design: *** Personal Opinion: ***** Total: * X 22 (22*s) Final Score: 88% **************************************************************************** Currently Known Codes: As with Lumines, keep playing; I unlocked several things just by continuing to play.