To be honest, when I saw the new title Flipnote Studio that is coming to DSiWare, I was a bit uncertain about how well it would actually work and if it would be accessible and enjoyable to anyone who’s a bit artistically challenged, like myself.

However, after a brief tutorial given to me by the incredibly pleasant lady by the Flipnote Studio booth, I was creating my own movies in no time. I was surprised by the absolute ease with which a short movie can be created. At first the interface seemed incredibly overwhelming, however with a learning curve of about one minute, navigating the menu and tools is much simpler than it initially seems.

Flipnote Studios is a DSiWare title that allows players to create their own flipbook style movie through still frame pictures that the player draws one-by-one. The initial step is to begin with any picture that the player would want to build off of. After this first picture is drawn the player would tap the back button on the touch screen which would save the picture. From here, players will go back to the drawing screen to create their second slide. The one aspect of this game that allows the flipbooks to be created with ease is that, when players go on to create their second slide, the previously drawn picture is outlined on the new slide. This allows players to draw with accuracy and focus on the picture itself, instead of where the object was previously positioned. However, if players desire to build off of the same picture, instead of needing to draw a completely new one, pushing down on the D-Pad will bring up the original saved image from the first slide.

Movie frames can then be colored using a limited color palette (I mostly used black, red, and blue) as well as different effects for adding color. For example, color can be added in a solid line or with a stipple effect, just to name a few. Once you feel satisfied and proud of your accomplishment, just hit play to watch the playback! While my tree blowing in the wind was cool to me, it was dwarfed in comparison to some of the truly spectacular creations I witnessed other E3 goers make.

One of the other great features I discovered was the ability to add sound to your movie clips. Sounds can either be recorded via the microphone through the game or imported from a sound file off an SD card. Completed movies can also be shared via WiFi with other players.

Overall I had a lot of fun with Flipnote Studio, and it certainly seems like a cool little DSiWare tool that can undoubtedly hold lasting appeal.