Nintendo DS

Bust-a-Move DS

Although I do like playing Ultra Bust-a-Move on the Xbox, mainly for the larger screen, I have to admit that this DS version is hands-down the best version of this franchise due to the control system and the new swap-a-ball feature. Get this game.

But glitz and glamour aside, this is one challenging and addictive puzzle game that will keep you highly entertained for weeks and months to come. A definitely recommendation if you love puzzles games rooted in logic and skill.

Bust-A-Move DS would seem like a mixed bag, but the truth is, the intuitive touch control and signature gameplay far outweigh the bare-bones presentation and lack of any new game modes. The truth is that, even for veterans, the Bust-A-Move style of gameplay is still endlessly addictive, which is why the series is so successful and has spawned so many imitators. Don't be fooled, though; the original is still the best. There are over five hundred puzzles to challenge in one-player mode, and at a bargain-bin MSRP of $19.99, Bust-A-Move DS could be one of the best DS titles to take a gamble on this winter.

As far as puzzle games go, this may not be the prettiest, but it certainly is one of the most addictive, which is all that really matters with this particular genre. Bust-A-Move DS is a strong challenger to the likes of recent releases Tetris and Puyo Pop Fever. And if you like the sound of it from this review, at the time of writing you can buy it from Amazon.co.uk for just �11.97, that's 60% off. Click the box below to see the deal for yourself and then sit back and enjoy the game when it arrives. Now you have no excuse...

There’s no point in denying it; Bust-A-Move DS looks like some sort of kiddy incarnation of a puzzle game fit only for young children. But behind the cheery presentation and cartoonish graphics, there’s a quality puzzle game that is second to none in the DS’s game library. It has a total of five hundred story mode puzzles, an Endless Mode for people that enjoy a challenge on a masochistic scale, and Multiplayer Modes that can make the best of friends turn into the most bitter gaming rivals. It makes wonderful use of the DS’s Touch Screen capabilities, allowing for precise aiming and intense gameplay. On top of all that, this game is downright addictive; the vast multitude of puzzles will suck hours away from whatever used to be your free time. While Bust-A-Move DS will likely fall under the radar of most DS owners and into the dark shadow of Meteos’ popularity, this budget title should be in every puzzle enthusiast’s game collection.

Whenever a company changes Bust-a-Move, something usually suffers as a result of the ambitious additions. Surprisingly, the core gameplay isn’t hurt by the new touchscreen control. In fact, it enhances it by picking up the pace and making things a bit more frantic. Of course, if you’re a purist you still have the D-pad aim option, but you’d be removing one of the coolest additions placed in the tried-and-true series. It’s a shame that’s the only real addition to the DS version; as fun as the action puzzle design remains, it’s a slight letdown to see a somewhat underwhelming focus on production values. Even though it’s full-featured there’s this slight feeling of emptiness throughout the experience. But there’s still plenty of classic action to enjoy, with a new way to enjoy it.

Bust-a-Move DS continues the tradition of solid and addictive kinetic-puzzle fun that has been the hallmark of the franchise since it first appeared in arcades over a decade ago. Other than its new control interface made possible by the DS touch screen, the game really shows no significant evolution. Whether the control scheme appeals to you or not is completely a matter of personal taste. I for one find it a blast and look forward to many more hours of play. I know my uber-Bust-a-Move-player wife does too. She says no handheld system is complete without a version of Bust-a-Move. (I may be seeing a lot less of my DS after this.) So for the same old good game with a new way to control it, Bust-a-Move DS earns an above-average "B" score.

Though there are not many surprises in Bust-A-Move DS, the gamble taken with the touch screen support ends up paying off and proves to be a good shot in the arm for what is otherwise a tried-and-true puzzler. There are a good number of puzzles for you to sink your teeth into when flying solo, and the multiplayer makes it easy to play a game with anyone who has a DS, making this a somewhat modest, yet well-rounded, package.

Pour une fois que la série des Bust a Move a l'occasion de se renouveler un peu, les développeurs ont su prendre la balle au bond en intégrant judicieusement les fonctions tactiles de la console. La maniabilité au stylet rend le soft à la fois plus précis et plus difficile à maîtriser, mais elle convient parfaitement à ce type de jeu. On regrettera simplement que les concepteurs n'en aient pas profité pour imaginer des modes de jeu plus novateurs.

To be interested in this game, you either have to really, really like the Bust-A-Move series and be desperate for more of the same, or have never heard of 'video games', due to the fact that you don't own a car and have never glimpsed them from the window while driving past a branch of Dixons, and yet you find yourself with a terrible hankering for a puzzle game with a huge amounts of puzzles and a pleasing multiplayer mode. It's very good at what it does, but it doesn't offer anything new.

It's obvious that Taito's plan to achieve world domination is by releasing a Bust-A-Move for every single system on the planet, and while my love for this series began to wane quite some time ago the DS version has partially rekindled my interest. It's just a good, entertaining puzzle game that manages to somewhat stand out from its predecessors, and it's worth buying if you love the franchise or need a fun videogame to keep you busy.

Bust-A-Move DS is just like every other Bust-A-Move before it. The only real difference is the use of two screens and stylus touch control. If you like Bust-A-Move, then you’ll like this game and there is no reason not to purchase it. If you are looking for a solid single card multiplayer mode, then you’ll probably also like this game. But the game’s overall presentation is down right poor. The menu system is unclear, level completed indictors are absent, and the music is ear busting. And why is it that whenever you want to go back to the main menu, the game restarts completely and you have to watch the developer and publisher screen’s again? This game is best enjoyed with four other human opponents for heated multiplayer competition. The overall gameplay is there but lacks the finishing polish that every game needs.