"Plink-Plonk! Buy us!"

Ok, this is my first review so, here I go. Electroplankton is not an actual game; you can't get a highscore and there's no ending. It's more of a relaxing toy to keep you occupied when you've suffered the pressures of a Mario Kart WIFI tournament
So here's how it plays. You have access to 10 different species of Electroplankton which you can play with. Each one has it's own musical properties and sounds. Using the touch screen and the mic, you can fiddle around with the plankton and make more-or-less random tunes. The species are shown as follows:

Tracy
Ugh, that name gives me the shudders. These plankton come in a group of six. Draw lines on the touch screen and they'll trace it(hence the awful name), making sounds as they move. Entertaining for a while, but soon turns into a cacaphony(Try writing Trogdor, You'll see what I mean).

Hanenbow
The adjective "Plinky-Plonky" was never used correctly untill these tadpole guys were invented. Hanenbow will launch themselves from a leaf in the direction it points, mostly towards a small plant. They'll bounce off leaves, making sounds. Change the angle of a leaf and the launcher using the stylus to make more harmonic tunes. Quite fun once you get the hang of it. Plink-Plonk!

Luminaria
This species follows arrows dotted on the screen, emmiting light and sound as they travel. Change the direction the arrows to change their direction and certain aspects of the resulting music. A bit boring, just sitting back and poking occasionally.

Sun-Animalcule
Not my favourite. Tap the screen to place eggs, which grow and emit light and sound. According to the Manual, there is a cycle of 5 minuites representing a day,and some time during the "day", the plankton go to sleep and are replaced by their nocturnal cousins, the cresent-shaped Falcato. I have never seen this happen yet, but I'm not patient. A bit like a Tamagotchi without the feeding and everything.

Rec-Rec
True to their name, Rec-Rec record sound and voice. Tap one, then speak into the mic when you se a line coming from the mouth. Press select to baleet it.
Quite nice.

Nanocarp
The world's smallest synchronised swimming team. Tap the screen to create sound waves. The plankton make sounds when the wave hits them. clap, speak or blow into the mic to make them form shapes. Fun and creative.

Lumiloop
They may look like doughnuts, but Lumiloop are no picnic(so leave the choccy dip alone, Homer!). Spin one around with the stylus to create a soothing hum and a cheerful glow. Spin several to make a hypnotising melody. Nice and relaxing.

Marine-Snow
The snowflake-shaped plankton float around until you tap them. Then they switch places, making a sound, Try tapping several or dragging the stylus across. Short-lived, but creative.

Beatnes
Oh, man! These things are the best! Beatnes float around, a classical NES tune playing in the background. Tap their polygonal heads, bodies and tails to make remixes of the tunes. A must-play!

Volvoice
Tap this guy, then speak into the mic as he flashes. Tap him again to hear your voice. By tapping the shapes on the screen, you can distort the resulting playback. Now-I-sound-like-a-robot! Isn't-that-cool?

There are more features while playing with the plankton, but you'll want to read the manual about that.

Sound: This game is ABOUT sound. many, many sounds and tunes will waft from the speakers and fill your brain. It's like having an ear massage minus the risk of baby oil related shoulder stains! If anything you make sounds tuneful, it's because of your happy-go-lucky fiddling on the screen. 9/10

Visuals: All the plankton feature a cute expression consisting of beady eyes and a smile. The many blends of colours will dazzle you. very pretty, but not for those who suffer from epilepsy. 8/10

Value: This game is a must buy, with all the ingenuity of the creator, Toshio Iwai, bundled in. One fault, though: You'll get bored easily 6/10

Conclusion: Why don't you buy this already?!

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 02/22/06