Magnetica (Nintendo DS) Preview

Released in Japan as Shunkan Puzz Loop on the same day at the launch of the Nintendo DS Lite Crystal version back in March, unfortunately the game did not set the charts alight in the same way both the DS and GBA versions of Polarium did. However, now it has been re-branded as Magnetica, hopes are high for the game to perform considerably better in Western markets. Puzzle fans have already been treated to the likes of Tetris and Pok

Fully completed already, the game is due for a release across North America on 5th June and us European fans certainly will not have to wait very long either. The question is, however, will the game receive the attention it deserves. Nintendo did not exactly look after Polarium Advance very well, to be honest. The game launched well in Japan because of it coming out just a month after the Game Boy micro and the hype machine for it was still going strong. However, after the debacle of the micro's European release, Polarium micro (as it was to be called) never materialised and got pushed to an indeterminate 2006 date, which turned out to be 14th April, under the guise of Polarium Advance and came with no publicity campaign at all (at least none in the UK...). So hopes are not too high for Magnetica's support, unfortunately. But hey, you never know...

Anyway, the game has already had extremely positive reviews from Japan, with gaming Bible Famitsu magazine scoring it with a very impressive 31/40! The game originates from the 1998 arcade machine classic Puzz Loop, which was actually developed by Mitchell themselves, and is classed more of an 'action puzzle' game than a straight up, run-of-the-mill puzzle title. Players take control of the Nintendo DS stylus and must wipe out any balls that are on the screen moving in an inwards spiral. The balls quickly move in this directional style towards the centre of the screen, round the twisted track and if they reach their destination it is Game Over for you, leaving gamers with no choice but to try again.

In order to get rid of all the troublesome marble-esque balls as quickly as you can, the stylus must be used to fire similar balls from the very central part of the screen in an attempt to match up three or more of the same coloured balls, thus making them disappear into thin (virtual) air. The graphics are nice and colourful, but being a puzzle game the emphasis is more on crafting a fun title with an addictive quality that makes us want to come back for more. The game really is a fast and furious test of your skills and definitely should be one to keep an eye on.

The beauty is in the fact that there are stacks of power-ups available, many different tracks to play on and even a multiplayer mode to extend your playing time. Whilst in single-player mode gamers can collect items that will boost your score, slow down or even stop time, and there is one that actually reverses the course of the marbles. As for in multiplayer, some of the weapons that can be used include Ion Clouds that cause smoke to appear on the opponent's screen that must be blown away via the microphone; Recoils, which block marbles; Black Holes that quickly suck up any marbles that are launched; Gravitons that change the desired path of the balls; and Viruses, that deflect balls.

But this is no mere arcade experience, as real physics are included to make the same coloured balls actually feel like they are properly magnetised to each other. There is also the fact that you will not be able to put Magnetica down due to its wealth of in-depth modes