"All this baby needs is some Wi-Fi!"

It was released by the makers of Harvest Moon this past Summer and let me tell you: It's a darned shame there's no Wi-Fi!

You play the role of you a young pilot searching for his missing father. Don't worry, though--unlike Lost Magic, you won't know the truth until the end of the game. Remarkably, there's not that much to indicate much of this since your mission is to clip the wings of the Air Pirates (you heard right--and people still don't believe there's SEA Pirates!) who've got that part of the pacific under their reign of terror and...stuff.

I admit I only used Auto Control but darn it, you feel like you're really flying! The stylus is used to maneuver, making the experience all the sweeter! Dogfights are fast and furious. As you fly to your next destination you might be radioed by someone in distress. You must then spring into action and shoot down the scum of the skies. In later missions you'll team up with other Air Patrol Pilots to take out tougher enemies. You have Missiles, Machine Guns and Gatling Guns to combat the Air Pirate Menace. The Game has RPG-like elements thrown in for good measure. You must use the money earned for every kill to pay for upgrades and things of that nature.

You use the Stylus to navigate the menu. You point and tap when adjustinng things at each base. When flying you can use the Stylus to Adjust Speed and Altitude settings as well as change Camera or toggle Manual or Auto Mode. It IS possible to fly in Manual but it requires some knowledge of how a real plane works.

There is calm, serene music when flying around. It changes when you're fighting powerful enemies. The makers went WELL out of their way to make sure you don't feel bored as you're flying around. The sounds are that of a real dogfight down to when you send planes on their way to to the ground or sea.

The Graphics are, in a word: Stunning. It's so freaking real you have to remind yourself you're playing a handheld game. The planes are very detailed and the langscapes are lush. When you fly high into moutainous areas you can see the clouds. All that's missing are signs of life--this game is supposed to be in the South Pacific, after all.

No doubt you'll want to upgrade and customize your planes to be as potent as possible. You want the plane to be light and fast for chasing and evading the enemy. There's also leveling up and buying various upgrades. This will keep you playing for quite a time. After that you can make sure to tell Nintendo you want them to make the sequel with Wi-Fi on it.

As I said before, all this game needs is some Wi-Fi and it would be PERFECT. Freedom Wings set the standard on how ALL flight games for the DS SHOULD be. You can buy it for $15 or $20 everywhere. It's from the makers of Harvest Moon.

If you liked this game get Starfox Command. The Single Player Mode is a step back from its predecessors and Wi-Fi is a waste of time HOWEVER, the different kinds of Aircraft you can use will keep you coming back for more.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 12/26/06