The more I explore the DS catalog the more I'm convinced that the DS played a significant role in "seeding" what would later become the app store in terms of playful apps and games.
Master of Illusion is basically an app that lets you learn (real) magic tricks, perform magic tricks for your friends (using the DS), and also have the DS perform magic tricks for you. I think the retail version of this came in a larger box with a (regular?) deck of cards. I just have the game box and cart - but you can use any deck of cards.
I would have loved this when I was a kid and (very, very briefly) into magic (in 2nd grade!) because it's so simple, and engaging.
I'm surprised they even went all the way and added some progression (you get magic points which unlock new tricks and such) and there's even a broader premise of a store/show and a weird character on screen.
Wow, this game is a lot harder than I expected and for - for me - the wrong reasons! Almost everything in the game is done via the touch screen and it works REALLY well (almost) all of the time. And, the game really does play super fast and smooth. I think it might be a bit forgiving when assigning hits and such, which is fine because at times enemies are only 10 pixels tall or so...maybe less.
The part when I run into trouble is that there are some dexterity/reaction time based moments - this is when the jedi are doing all these acrobatic things and you have to tap on stuff when it's green (and not red) and I find that my timing is off consistently. I feel like either the window of red/green is really small (it's almost like they flicker between them for some items - notable for me the spots/poles where you spin around like in gymnastics) or the timing is supposed to have some rhythm which I don't understand. I even wonder if playing on a 3DSXL is making the difference (instead of playing on a regular old DS)?
I'm susprised at how well the swapping between characters works - with the trooper requiring you play more conservatively (take cover, wait to reload, wait to recharge shield) while the jedi is all about getting into the thick of it.
Fun stuff, though I don't think I'll finish it just because the frustrating parts are a bit too frustrating for me...
This is basically a hex/counter tactical wargame - units are each individual soldiers, it takes place in WWII (there are two campaigns with lots of missions!) And there are stats out the wazoo - more than I imagined for a game of this kind. The interface is pretty simple and works and the manual has enough information to get started...though...
(a) This is the sort of game I'd rather have played first as a boardgame - mostly to really understand the different options and how they work. For example, I know I can stand, one knee, go prone - and that each has benefits (and supposedly drawbacks as well). BUT, I don't feel equipped to make real decisions because the information on these is all kept under the hood. So, does kneeling mean you get a bonus to hit? How much is that bonus? (as in, how significant - is it a +1? on a d6 equivalent? etc.) Pretty much everything in the game is like that - with the real mechanics and odds all under the hood. The soldiers have stats - that affect what they can do, but it's not clear how much and how significantly or not. If I'd played the boardgame version - I'd have some sense of that because the mechanics would have been out in the open (e.g. roll a D20 add X, consult this chart). So, it feels hard to play the game "seriously" as a tactical strategy game...
(b) There are headshots of all the soldiers. I'm sure they're all the developers + friends because they look...well, not really soldiery. You can tell for some that they just but the helmet on and took a picture because they're wearing something that's not a uniform. This isn't a knock on the game - just something I noticed and thought was fun.
