Project Rub (Nintendo DS) Reader Review

The most obvious thing about the game is that it is rather odd, and in a very Japanese kind of way.

The game basically features a collection of mini-games based around 'getting the girl'. Rather then just asking her out, you get the help from a group called the 'Rub Rabbits', who think it'd be more effective for you to ride a unicycle across a thin bridge connecting two buildings, or get in a shopping trolly and roll downhill avoiding a load of spikes. In short, if you want a plot that makes sense, look elsewhere!

Each mini-game is introduced by a 3 panel comic which explains the 'story' behind your actions. Surprisingly the mini-games are linked and the plot actually develops as you progress, but don't expect anything deep- there is no text in the whole game save for menu screens.

The mini-games themselves stand up well. Generally you repeat a mini-game a few times, each time the game is slightly harder then before. Some stages have 2 or 3 mini-games to choose from, and you can either complete them all once or one a few times if it seems the easier route. This may seem repetitive but in reality it doesn't feel like it unless you get stuck on a particular game. The games use the features on the DS (microphone, touch screen, 2 screens) in a variety of ways that are all the more impressive considering it was a launch game.

The strangeness of the game is clear from the graphics, too. All characters are silhouettes but despite this there's colour everywhere. The unique style works perfectly well and is surprisingly easy to get used to.

The game music is decent but not spectacular. There is a small amount of speech in the game, although most of the things people say are yelps or cheers. The girl also has a couple a couple of sound effects that suggest she's enjoying herself a lot (there's a gasp and a couple of 'Mmmmmmm's!')

In terms of value there's a decent amount of mini-games, and after it's completed there's a hard mode too. You can also unlock new clothes for the girl if you find secret bunnies that are hidden in the intro to each mini-game. While the clothes themselves do nothing (if anything they make you more aware of the pervy undertones of the game), there is a small feeling of achievement when a secret bunny is found. All of this means that the game is by no means short, although the lack of a multiplayer mode does decrease its replay value somewhat.

Overall, Project Rub was a great launch game and still holds weight with its solid gameplay and unique style. While there are plenty of mini-game collections available for the DS, this game is surely one of the better ones. If you haven't given in (or its sequel) a try yet, and you see it cheap, it's well worth a splash.