"A good showcase for the DS' unique features."

When the DS was announced the immediate question was what can you do with two screens (one touchable) that you can't do on a one screened system? This is the best answer so far. Of all the launch titles this seems to be the only one that couldn't be played on any other system. However when you boil it down the gameplay is just a collection of minigames. Luckily a funny story were added to make the game seem like it was more than just a bunch of minigames... but ultimately it isn't.

Graphics 8/10- It was hard to actually do this category. The graphics aren't really anything good or special and are way under what the DS is capable of. However the style they chose is interesting and unique and pleases the eyes. So while the graphics aren't technically great they give the game its charm and they are attractive.

Sound 7/10- The songs they have are good. And the voices are nice, go along with the style, although they are infrequent. The problem with the sound is that the theme "RUB IT" plays through waaaaaay too many of the games. It gets annoying quickly.

Controls 9/10- Its weird to have a non kareoke game that utilizes a player's mouth. The controls for each game use either the stylus, blowing, or shouting. The stylus is responsive and pretty acurate but some of the games should be slightly more forgiving. The vocal imput it fine.

Gameplay 7/10- Some of the minigames are great and a whole lot of fun... while some are just frustrating. MOST of the time you don't have to play through any one game at any point to progress (you can choose between three) you're required to play through some annoying ones as the story goes. There are varying degrees of difficulty... which is sometimes good (some of them are too easy the first time... but the frustrating ones aren't any better when you make them harder...). You have beat the game once to unlock a hard mode and again to unlock a harder one. You can also play any game individually.

Overall 7.5/10- Mario 64 DS also has minigames many of which are as good or better than those in Feel The Magic. This just goes to show how much presentation changes things. Mario 64's minigames were great but you just choose them from an uninspired interface. Throw in a funny story, and a good graphics style and you have something worth paying 30 bucks for. With a few changes and some more minigames this could have been a really really great game. As it is this is a great pick up and play title and an overall fun experience.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 11/28/04