Gaming

Weekend Hot Topic, part 2: Your favourite portable video game



I’ve never owned a dedicated portable console, but my brother did have a Nintendo DS, so I was able to sample a few things on it. I never got to beat Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story, as by then the console was developing technical faults like the touchscreen becoming unresponsive. Which was a shame. My early impressions of it are incredible.

I think that or a Pokémon or another Mario & Luigi will win this Hot Topic. For me, though, it is undoubtedly Legend Of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass. Yes, backtracking to the Ocean King Temple gets annoying after the third visit, if not the second – but this is still a very clever game. Like the bit where the game tells you to press a sacred crest onto the sea chart in order to transfer it. This baffled me for like a whole two minutes. Huh? What exactly does it need me to do, here? Oh! You have to close the DS! That was just brilliant!

It’s odd when the only new toy that Link gets (and I’m not sure it is entirely new) is a dismal, old shovel. But really, Link’s new toy is the DS itself. You can draw rope lines with your bow and arrow between conveniently parallel posts and in one boss use said rope to act as a barrier that will then bounce back its attack! How cool is that?

Then there’s the boomerang. The boomerang will never be that fun again. With the stylus you can trace out the boomerang’s flight path. And you are not restricted by silly, old physics. It can go on any crazed, squiggly route you desire! It can fly at right angles! Triple-back on itself! Do geometric shapes in the air! Hell, you might even be able to write your name! Or a shortened version of it at least. Sometimes I would just throw it around for the sheer joy of it.

I know it came out on the Wii U as well, but you won’t want that version. Its true home is the DS and is where it should always be played.
DMR





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