Pokémon Dash (Nintendo DS) Reader Review

Of all the games on display for the DS before its launch; Pokemon Dash appeared to be the most shallow and limited. Even with the novelty of the touch screen running, most people were quickly off to try Mario 64 DS.

I admit, I wasnt too bothered about ordering it; but it was the only game I could find in stock when my DS was shipped.

The game starts with a moveable Pickachu, and what fun it is to pull his arms, ears, tail and cheeks! I actually spent 20 minutes showing this to friends and family, who all agreed it was possibly the cutest thing they had ever seen.

The game istelf is far more deep than expected, though its still fairly simple. The balloon is an excellent addition, it adds strategy to an other wise simple game.

The racing is fun, but can be frustrating when you arent sure where to go. Over a few days you work out little ways of knowing where to be, and how to get there sharpish! The first mode is fairly easy once you get to grips with the game, but the unlocked mode is much much harder.

The ability to unlock mini levels using Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire is good, and provides a fun addition, though it is nothing more than a mini-game mode to be honest.

In the enthusiasm to get through the harder levels, you WILL get paranoid about scratching the DS screen. But despite hours of loudly cursing that darn Pikachu and scraping the stylus like a twitching madman; my screen is still perfect; and without any screen protector at all.

Probably the biggest let down of the game is the lack of download play, spoiling my thoughts of multiplayer Pokemon fun.

The graphics work well, but in no way push the DS. They appear clear and sharp, and look much better on screen than in the clips of the game available online. The sprites move smoothly and suit the style of game perfectly. Title srceen Pickachu is bright and vibrant, though he could probably have five or six times the number of polygons without slowing down the ds.

Sound can be a little annoying, with the squeals of "PIKACHU!!!" grating a little after the initial buzz of cuteness wears off. Though the music is fun and cheerful and fits the game extremely well.

Overall I am glad I bought this game.Its good fun, and shows the potential for new game ideas on the DS. I would rate it worth at least another 1.0 points if it had download play, as the potential for this game in multiplayer is huge.

Judgement: Flawed, but better than expected.