Platform: Nintendo DS| Price $29.99| Player(s): 1| Wi-Fi - No
*Toys 'R Us timed exclusive in N.America, Amazon lists a December 03 2008 release*
Soul Bubbles is best described as puzzle game, when you start your game you are prompted to blow on the DS microphone to create a soul guardian that is tasked to guide souls from the start of a level to the finish, to guide these spirits you first have to encase them in a bubble and make the soul guardian guide the bubble blow blowing in the right direction, in the initial description it sounds like you need to blow on the DS microphone however the good news is that guiding the bubble through the levels is done by the stylus so there's no need to waste your breath or to cover your DS with saliva.
In the game there's 3 initiation levels that serve as your tutorial and 7 worlds and in each world there's 5 stages. In each stage you start with 7 spirits and you only need 1 spirit left to finish, there are 3 calabash gourds hidden well in each level which forces the player to thoroughly explore each level there are also stardust in each level which primarily functions as a guide to point you to the way to finish the level. At the end of each level you are graded by how many spirits are left,how many calabash and stardust you collected. Each level will take you at an average of 5 - 15 minutes to finish on your first play through so the game isn't necessarily long by any means.
The controls in this game are phenomenal and is one of the best uses of the DS ever since Kirby's Canvas Curse and LOZ:PH, like I stated you use the stylus as the primary control method with the dpad or A,B,X,Y buttons you activate special powers which include drawing new bubbles, deflating bubbles or cutting bubbles/joining two separate bubbles and a button to switch the screens which allows you easy access to go to another part of the map.
The graphics are phenomenal and really push the DS hardware, the graphics are extremely detailed each level has really impressive environmental effects and the level design is incredible. Each world has a different theme which keeps the graphics and presentation fresh. The soundtrack in this game is essentially subdued, peaceful and very spiritual which fits this game which allows the player to be comfortable while playing and be essentially sucked into the game play.
The one flaw of this game is replay value there is just isn't a lot of replay value, while the main game is a decent length there aren't a lot of unlockables or incentives to replay this game outside of a "time attack" mode. Also there isn't that much of a challenge all the levels are fairly easy and it's hard to die in this game some calabash gourds are hard to find and make you think how to get them but it's still fairly easy to obtain all of them if you take the time to explore each level thoroughly.
Pro and Cons:
+ Excellent use of the DS and pushes the DS hardware in every department
+ Clever puzzles in each level
+ Excellent controls
+ Impressive graphics
+ Very unique game
+ One of the best games on the DS
- Some levels may be frustrating
- Low replay value
- Game isn't very challenging
Score Breakdown (Note: I will not be using a number system but a grade letter system so from worst to best is the following: F, D, C , B , A there are no plus or minuses just solid letter grades)
Graphics: A
The graphics are excellent and Soul Bubbles is one of the most graphically impressive games on the DS, everything is very detailed, the bubble physics are incredible and the game is graphically breathtaking thanks to an amazing art direction and level design.
Sound: B
The sound track is subdued and very spiritual it's very appropriate in this game and it gives a nice atmosphere to this game.
Control: A
For a game that relies on the touchscreen almost exclusively the execution is almost perfect, there are no real flaws in the controls and the implementation is excellent. The only bad thing I can say is that it's annoying to play catch up with the bubble from time to time. But you never really feel like that you are fighting with the controls.
Gameplay: A
Excellent level design with a lot of cleaver puzzles in each levels. There are some parts in some levels that may frustrate some people but that occurs rarely. Nothing really feels counter intuitive which is a good thing. This game is a big breath of fresh air because of how unique it is.
Lastability: C
Perhaps the weakest part of the game, each level will last you about 5 - 15 minutes, once you beat the game there isn't a lot to come back to except for a couple of unlockable art pieces and a time attack mode. Other than that there isn't any other incentive to play this game again.
Final Score (Not an average): A
Bottom Line: This is a high quality game with some negligible flaws, it's one of the best games for the system and really pushes the DS hardware and features. It won't be a big hit however the developer should be proud with how the final product turned out. If you want to support an excellent and unique game buy this game! And yes it's that worth it to go to Toys 'R Us just to buy this game.
Topic: Soul Bubbles (Read 8452 times)
