"A Quirky, Fun and Addictive Game"

Feel the Magic: XY/XX for Nintendo DS is the first game to show all the possibilities offered by the new system. The game incorporates touch and sound into a quirky and original gaming experience that will be hard to match.

The game begins with a man who has accidentally swallowed a few goldfish. You are to help him by pushing them out of his stomach. After you have completed this task, a girl will catch your eye, and you join a performance art group called the Rub Rabbits. You will take part in several stunts with the Rub Rabbits, including parachuting, human bowling, and bull stampedes, to impress the girl and win her heart.

Feel the Magic is very similar to Wario Ware. The story mode is comprised of twenty-five mini games. Once you have completed a game in the story mode, it will be unlocked and added to your memories, where you will be able to go back and play them again.

The story is presented well throughout the game with short cut scenes between each mini game. Each moment will drag you deeper into the game, so much to the point that you will actually feel that you are the main character, trying to woo the girl, and fall in love with her.

The sound throughout Feel the Magic is excellent. The music is very good and fits the game well. There isn't much voice acting, but what few voices are in the game were done well.

Feel the Magic's graphics are not going to blow you away. You won't find stunning 3D graphics and amazing effects, but the graphics that are used fit the game nicely. IGN said it perfectly in their review of the game when they described the graphics as “elegant simplicity”.

The gameplay of Feel the Magic is fantastic. You may find a few of the mini games frustrating, but overall the gameplay is fun and addictive. The game makes excellent use of each feature the DS offers. In most games you will use the stylus to touch, rub, etc. There are also a few games that you will need to you the microphone or even blow on the screen.

The only negative towards this game is its length. The game only contains twenty-five mini games. After you complete each game in the story mode, it will unlock in the Memory mode. You will then be able to play each one individually. However, once you have completed the story mode, it won't take long to master each game. It would have been nice to see the number of games greatly increased, but you will still want to come back and visit this title regularly because it is extremely fun to play.

Overall, Feel the Magic: XY/XX is a great launch title for the DS and shows of many of the systems capabilities. If you're looking for a fun and original game or are a fan of the Wario Ware series, this one is definitely for you.

9/10

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 11/22/04