Author Topic: 100 Classic Books Review  (Read 5732 times)

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Offline NWR_MattB

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100 Classic Books Review
« on: July 02, 2010, 05:07:18 PM »

A good way to waste a couple hundred hours.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/23586

100 Classic Books isn’t the most exciting video game title in the world, and when placed next to the likes of Mario and Zelda it could be easy to skip over in favor of a more traditional title. While it is indeed true that 100 Classic Books may not appeal to everyone, Nintendo DS owners who are looking for an affordable collection of classic books will find an unprecedented quantity of classic literature for a value price.

As the title suggests, 100 Classic Books is a collection of novels that have been well-received over the centuries. It contains works from the likes of William Shakespeare and Charles Dickens, and has enough content to satisfy every type of reader’s tastes.

By turning the handheld on its side, players can turn the Nintendo DS into their very own book. The stylus is used to flip through the pages and navigate menus, and that is as complex as it gets in turns of controls. Things are kept quite simple and straightforward, resulting in an experience that mimics that of reading an actual book.

100 Classic Books will work on any iteration of the Nintendo DS, but people with poorer eyesight will most likely want to play it on the Nintendo DSi XL. Font sizes can be adjusted to a smaller or larger size to suit your reading preference, but the Nintendo DSi XL will ultimately give you the biggest fonts thanks to its increased screen size.

One of the neat features of the game is synopsis list that details the plot and theme of each novel, while at the same time providing a bare-bones look at each work without giving away any major events.

While the title implies that there are only 100 books included, more books can be downloaded via Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. Even if you don’t have access to these additional books, the 100 that are included have plenty of variety to satisfy every reader demographic. There are books such as A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare, A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, and Black Beauty by Anna Sewell.

Another neat little feature is the ability to add background sounds to your reading session to help you unwind and relax. One of the more commonly used sounds in my reading sessions is the sound of waves crashing against a beach.

While some gamers may be able to read an entire book in one sitting, it is doubtful that more active people will have the time to complete one in just a few hours. With this in mind, there is bookmark functionality that you can use to mark where you left off.

After finally completing a book, you may have difficulty deciding where to go next. Enter the Book Guide, a feature that lets readers answer a few short questions in order to get a recommendation of other books they may enjoy. Players can also evaluate books they have read to help them determine what genre they are most suited to.

100 Classic Books isn’t for everyone. Adults looking for a way to relax and enjoy various pieces of literature will ultimately be the ones who will get the most value out of the game. Most titles are more suited to adults, such as A Midsummer Night’s Dream (which involves the mix-up of Athenian lovers), but more mature children looking for a great read may get some enjoyment of the title as well.


Offline Morari

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Re: 100 Classic Books Review
« Reply #1 on: July 02, 2010, 08:09:22 PM »
Almost all of these books are in the public domain. They can be obtained--for free--from numerous websites. In theory, you'd then be able to use them on just about any device whether it be a modified DS, an actual eBook reader, a laptop, etc.
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Offline TJ Spyke

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Re: 100 Classic Books Review
« Reply #2 on: July 02, 2010, 08:12:52 PM »
I think it is a stretch to call this a video game. If I were to purchase The Da Vinci Code from the Kindle store, would that be considered a video game too? This is a collection of 100 e-books, that's it. It's generally a good collection (although, as Morari said, they are almost all public domain books and thus cost Nintendo $0 to use), but not a video game under any definition.

Good review though.
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Offline Kairon

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Re: 100 Classic Books Review
« Reply #3 on: July 02, 2010, 09:01:48 PM »
Books Read So Far: 5

First Book Read: King Solomon's Mines

Books Upvoted and given automatic 10's: Anything by Jane Austen

Currently Reading: Lorna Doone... which is like, 5000+ pages on normal font T_T

Current State: So so SOOO happy this finally came out stateside so I didn't have to import it!
Carmine Red, Associate Editor

A glooming peace this morning with it brings;
The sun, for sorrow, will not show his head:
Go hence, to have more talk of these sad things;
Some shall be pardon'd, and some punished:
For never was a story of more woe
Than this of Sega and her Mashiro.

Offline TheBlackCat

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Re: 100 Classic Books Review
« Reply #4 on: July 03, 2010, 03:38:04 AM »
2 words: project gutenberg.  They have tens of thousands of classic books just like these for free.
Imagine if every Thursday your shoes exploded if you tied them the usual way. This happens to us all the time with computers, and nobody thinks of complaining.
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Offline NWR_Lindy

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Re: 100 Classic Books Review
« Reply #5 on: July 03, 2010, 12:16:44 PM »
TJ, in my edit I removed all references to the word "game", as I agree that this isn't a game.  Unfortunately I screwed up and sent back the unedited version, and that got posted without me realizing it.  So, my bad.

I've changed it to my edited version.
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Offline Crimm

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Re: 100 Classic Books Review
« Reply #6 on: July 03, 2010, 04:38:05 PM »
TJ, in my edit I removed all references to the word "game", as I agree that this isn't a game.  Unfortunately I screwed up and sent back the unedited version, and that got posted without me realizing it.  So, my bad.

I've changed it to my edited version.

We call this "growing pains."

I bet this works great with the XL.  HAHAHAAHA SUCKERS!  YES! FINALLY GET TO CLAIM XL VICTORY!  Now I have to go bandage the cuts my finger on from all the sharp pixels from MMZ Collection
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Offline Mop it up

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Re: 100 Classic Books Review
« Reply #7 on: July 03, 2010, 06:13:02 PM »
Reading on the DS, with its bright screens, seems like it would be such a strain on the eyes.

Offline Grimace the Minace

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Re: 100 Classic Books Review
« Reply #8 on: July 07, 2023, 11:07:03 PM »
Does it have Pride and Prejudice? I know someone who's been meaning to read that.

Offline SyrenneMcN

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Re: 100 Classic Books Review
« Reply #9 on: July 07, 2023, 11:07:24 PM »
I hope Xander enjoys Pride and Prejudice!

Offline Crimm

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Re: 100 Classic Books Review
« Reply #10 on: July 07, 2023, 11:08:52 PM »
Does it have Pride and Prejudice? I know someone who's been meaning to read that.

...GOOD NEWS
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Offline Morningshark

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Re: 100 Classic Books Review
« Reply #11 on: July 07, 2023, 11:09:19 PM »
Someday, I hope this gets bumped again and some other "Xander" finds, "Pride and Prejudice".
« Last Edit: July 08, 2023, 12:19:28 AM by Morningshark »
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Offline FangzV

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Re: 100 Classic Books Review
« Reply #12 on: July 07, 2023, 11:25:49 PM »
A classic review for a classic title(s?). Glad that they actually bothered to include the features you'd actually want. Wonder if we'll ever see software like this on the Switch. It seems like the closest we've gotten is a library within a game, but sadly it does not seem to include The Pride & The Prejudice.

Offline Khushrenada

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Re: 100 Classic Books Review
« Reply #13 on: July 08, 2023, 12:06:00 AM »
Wait... This is a LEGIT bump?! It wasn't done by a spambot and it's for 100 Classic Books?!?!
Whoever said, "Cheaters never win" must've never met Khushrenada.

Offline nickmitch

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Re: 100 Classic Books Review
« Reply #14 on: July 09, 2023, 07:22:37 PM »
HD Switch Port WHEN??!
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