Game Title: "Touchmaster 2"
Platform: Nintendo DS
Studio: Midway
Rated: E for Everyone; contains mild cartoon violence
Rating: 7 out of 10
THE REVIEW
Gameplay: The real complaint about "Touchmaster 2" is the lack of trivia games. That was one of the draws for the first "Touchmaster" game. But then again, the first game had more than 20,000 questions about music, entertainment, sports, history and current events. So, maybe it was time for a break.
With "Touchmaster 2," the gamer still uses the DS stylus to move dice, cards, bowling balls, pool cue balls, cars and lost treasure hunters.
The games are addicting and the gamer will have a hard time turning the DS off, because once a game is over — whether it's bowling, billiards, Dice King, Pokier Slide, Speed Solitaire or Catacombs — the gamer has that itch in the band of the head that says, "You can do better."
For hours of fun, problem solving and overall entertainment, "Touchmaster 2" is a nice companion to the original "Touchmaster" DS game.
Graphics: The graphics are enough for a person to know he's playing cards or bowling. In fact, the bowling pins fall pretty realistically.
Audio: The audio is important in games such as Catacombs, when the adventurer is trying to avoid dungeon traps like arrows or giant spiders. And, back to bowling, the pins and balls sound like the gamer is at a bowling alley.
THE WRAP-UP:
Parent's take: The mild cartoon violence is evident in Catacombs when the lost treasure hunter gets hit by an arrow or trapped by a spider's web, but there's nothing graphic — no blood and guts.
Final word: "Touchmaster 2" is highly recommended for anyone who can use a Nintendo DS.
E-mail: scott@desnews.com