"A nifty little toy. Yes...TOY."

What kind of a game is Electroplankton? Is it even a game at all? The second question is probably the one to ask, and I would honestly have to say no. Of course, that doesn't mean you wouldn't be able to enjoy it anyway. Electroplankton is a small collection of interactive toys that make use of the DS's assortment of functions, such as the touch screen and the microphone.

Each of the options in the game offers a different experience in the game, utilizing different control schemes. For example, "Lumiloop" has you spinning the different circular plankton to create ambient sounds. The direction they spin and how fast you spin them alters the sound they make. Another option called "Hanenbow" has a setup of what looks like a plant, where a single leaf slings little plankton into the air. Moving the single leaf and the plant leaves can cause the plankton to bounce on the leaves and make musical sounds. Frequent bounces change the leaf's color and also its sound. The D-pad plays a role in this game (and some others), and the Select button can change the setup to something different.

A few games use the microphone in unique ways. "Rec-Rec" lets you record four different samples to a beat to create a unique musical loop "Volvoice" is a strange voice recorder that lets you say something in the microphone and then play it back through a selection of interesting effectors. "Nanocarp" also uses the microphone in an indirect way; while you can use the touch screen and D-Pad to make lovely sounds, you can make certain noises through the mic to make the plankton arrange in a special formation.

Much of this game is exploration, and a little of it can involve creativity. In-game, they don't tell you to much about what to do, so you have to try things out yourself, messing with the touch screen and playing with the DS's buttons. Whether or not your ventures will result in a musical masterpiece depends on a little skill and a lot of luck. But you aren't able to save these masterpieces anyway, so you mustn't hold them too near or dear to your heart.

Downsides? Well, if you expect a real game to come out of Electroplankton, you won't get one. Much like the title says, it's better described as a kind of toy you play with rather than a game. There are no goals to accomplish or scores to beat. Just some fun things to do. Also, like I mentioned before, if there's something you did that you like a lot, you won't be able to save it. There's really nothing two-player to do in this game, so don't expect anything like that. Perhaps its biggest downside may be its lasting appeal. In the days ahead, how long do you speculate you will be playing Electroplankton?

Nevertheless, Electroplankton is an interesting experience. It's relatively friendly to import; the menus have English in the game and there isn't all that much to read anyway. So if you want to own one of the more unique DS offerings, give Electroplankton a try.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 04/20/05