It soon seems that the DS will have just as much games aimed at 'non gamers' than it will with their regular ones. Nintendo's Touch Generation series of games seems to be gathering momentum after the big success of Brain Training and its sibling Big Brain Academy. 42 All-Time Classics is the latest game to entice people who wouldn't normally play games to the handheld.
42 All-Time Classics is, oddly enough, a game that comprises 42 favourite games into one little game cart. Games are split into categories comprising of card, board, action, variety and single player games. Among these you'll find familiar faces such as Chess, Backgammon, Ludo, Solitaire and Hearts. You'll also find other not-so familiar ones such as Hasami Shogi and Koi Koi. Each game comes with a very handy and comprehensive guide on how to play the game which is pretty much a necessity with the more obscure games on there. You can also customise game rules based on your preference for most of the games on the cart.
There are three main modes in the game. Free Play is where you'll probably spend most of your time.
This will let you choose and customise which game you'd like to play from the vast selection. There are some games, at first, that are locked and this is where Stamp Mode comes in. Stamp Mode sees you complete various types of games in ascending order of levels. To progress to the next game you need three stamps which are awarded in tiers of one, two or three depending on how good you play the game. Progress enough and you'll be able to unlock all the games to play in Free Play. Finally there is Mission Mode. Mission Mode sets certain tasks for you to do such as amassing all the squares in Takeover or making the cork pop in 5 seconds in Soda Shake (yes it's a game apparently). You won't unlock too many major things, mainly just icons you can customise your little name badge with but if you're a completist you'll enjoy it. However some of the Missions seem unforgivably tough turning an otherwise light hearted game into a tough as nails battle.
Playing these games wouldn't be nearly as good if you couldn't play against other people and, luckily, the game offers full support of this. As well as local DS to DS connection the game also supports Wi-Fi play against people all over the world with the Nintendo WFC and both modes can be played with up to eight people (game specific). Another bonus is that you can now chat to people while you are playing. The game comes with a PictoChat function so you can now chat to other players while one is taking their turn or vent off if you happen to lose your game against your friend. And 'friend' is the key word here. While you will have unlimited access to PictoChat while playing against your friends after acquiring their friend code if you are playing against people you don't know you are limited to only a few stock phrases.
The game is kept plain and simple to look at. There are no fancy graphics and, seeing as you'll be playing card game and such, there doesn't really need to be. Everything is kept clean, clear and functional. One thing that does let the side down is the music which will make your teeth grit within just a few seconds into the game. There are a few variations for you to unlock but it's really just best to turn it off unless the insanely happy jazzy sounds emitting from your DS doesn't want to make your head explode. The DS is used well in both of its unique aspects. The two screens allow for an uncluttered design. The top screen may not be used massively for all games but its always handy to see stats and other pieces of information at a quick glance. Similarly the touch screen is obviously a very useful tool for all the games.
With 42 games to choose from there's going to be some you love and some you'll avoid and there's going to be some that work great and some that don't. The most notable examples are Billiards and Darts. Billiards should just be renamed Air Hockey because that's what it feels like. The balls seem to slide on the table and it's difficult to judge how hard you'll be hitting it. Darts is pretty much luck of the draw, you pull back on the touch screen and hope for the best. Also some people may question the value of Soda Shake as a game however its fun enough and worth a laugh for a minute or two with friends.
42 All-Time Classics may not sound too dazzling and some people questioned the point of such a game, especially considering there are similar games out there and the fact that people can have these games at home. However the imitations out there on the market are inferior in terms of content, both quality and quantity and they all lack the lovely WFC touch that Nintendo have kindly provided. And it's also doubtful anyone will have the 42 games in their homes so having them all on one tiny cart which you can pick up and play for a few minutes whenever it grabs you is welcome. Finally the game comes in at a very wallet friendly £19.99 (£16.99 online) so you cant deny its value for money. Whether alone or with friends this game will take up plenty of your time without you knowing about it.
[8 out of 10]
42 ALL-TIME CLASSICS IS
Chock full of games So very, very addictive Great on your own or online
42 ALL-TIME CLASSICS IS NOT
Chock full of 42 perfect games Pushing the DS to its limits Blessed with the most beautiful in-game music
Pictures of 42 All-Time Classics (Nintendo DS)
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How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
42 All-Time Classics brings all the best-loved card, board and parlour games to Nintendo ... more
DS for anyone to play; with simple touch screen control and a multiplayer mode that pits your skills against players across the world! With no boards to set up ...
Postage & Packaging: £4.50 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
42 All-Time Classics brings all the best-loved card, board and parlour games to Nintendo ... more
DS for anyone to play; with simple touch screen control and a multiplayer mode that pits your skills against players across the world! With no boards to set up ...
Postage & Packaging: free Super Saver Delivery Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours...
Oct 10th, 2006
very helpful by (100%):
