"The problem with Electroplankton is that few plankton are worth using"

Electroplankton is certainly a very interesting "game" for the Nintendo DS. Available only online from Nintendo's e-store, it's definitely for people who have a keen interest in the ever-growing "games as art" niche. To that effect, Electroplankton does an admirable job of utilizing nearly every unique feature of the DS, in ways that are both ingenious and entertaining. The problem, sadly, is that for every good "plankton" mode there's a bad one. Adding insult to injury, you can't save anything you create in Electroplankton, so your works of art will have to eventually be erased. It's a fun little tool to impress people with, but for a full-priced piece of software it certainly doesn't offer enough interesting things to do.

Graphics

Electroplankton's unique neon-based art style is certainly eye-catching. The game is vibrant and colorful, with no small amount of humorous animation. It looks even better on a DS Lite, which brings out the subtle blue hues of the water in some of the modes. Overall, it's simple and effective, but also satisfying.

Sound

Every plankton "game" is based in some part on sound. For example, one mode involves bending leaves in order to alter how the plankton bounces off the plant, which in turn changes the kinds of sounds the plankton makes. In another, you can record up to four different voices on fish, and the game will relay them to a beat, which can be adjusted (along with the voices, once they're recorded). One mode plays classic NES themes and memorizes the random buttons you press. Whatever the mode, the clear emphasis is on sound. The game-generated sound effects are very surreal, though the player-generated sounds are obviously quite different and more humorous (usually).

Gameplay

Though Electroplankton isn't really a "game", it does offer some entertainment for those who like messing with things. I nearly every mode, there are things you can change which alter the music and graphics. Some of the things you can make are really quite cool; I managed to sing the entire "Doug" theme in different octaves to create harmony with the four recording fish. The problem is that you can't save your creations, which kills any reason to play it again. Nevertheless, it is entertaining.

Overall

Too expensive for what it is, but it is nevertheless entertaining and quirky.

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 09/06/06