Twitch Asylum

Raz, in the show you mentioned how you rarely play your DS. I'm in the same boat, even though I find myself buying games for it than get booted up maybe once or twice (ex. phantom hourglass).

However, I've finally found something that has me playing my DS nearly everyday. Geometry Wars: Galaxies. Dare I say that it could possibly be even better than Retro Evolved?

Definitely, give it a try. And I would recommend using the "strap on" thumb nubbin rather than a stylus to play.

-t.

teal wrote:Raz, in the show you mentioned how you rarely play your DS. I'm in the same boat, even though I find myself buying games for it than get booted up maybe once or twice (ex. phantom hourglass).

However, I've finally found something that has me playing my DS nearly everyday. Geometry Wars: Galaxies. Dare I say that it could possibly be even better than Retro Evolved?

Definitely, give it a try. And I would recommend using the "strap on" thumb nubbin rather than a stylus to play.

-t.

Wow, I never thought Geometry Wars would work on the DS. I am going to pick it up on the way home tonight.

Thanks for the heads up.

--Raz.

But its $30! I can't imagine it being that much better than the XBLA version.

Consider the xbla pricing to be a complete fluke.

I have no problem recommending anyone who even remotely enjoyed Geometry Wars on 360 to go spend 30$ on the DS Geo Wars game. To me, Geo wars is exactly the kind of game I want to have on a portable system because you can get into it right away (it doesn't have near the long "ramp up" that was in the xbla version)...basically you can start & stop playing on a whim.

I've certainly derived more enjoyment out of the Geo Wars DS cart than I have from nearly every other DS game I've bought and I've bought plenty, each time hoping that *this* game would hold some interest...only being disappointed 95% of the time (Puzzle Quest was also fairly entertaining once you get over the fact its just another version of bejeweled).


Oh and I should note, my wife will actually pick up the Geo Wars on DS, something she would never do on 360. Even she loved it on the DS.

Just go buy it!






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I picked it up last night on the way home from work, but haven't had a chance to play it yet. I will check it out tonight and report back. Is there a shared leaderboard?

--Raz.

I actually have no idea.... I've never bothered setting my ds up for wifi, although, I may have to if it has online leaderboards for friends... we may have another high score war on our hands!

teal wrote:I actually have no idea.... I've never bothered setting my ds up for wifi, although, I may have to if it has online leaderboards for friends... we may have another high score war on our hands!

Yup, exactly what I was thinking.

A friend of mine just achieved 2.8 million on Geo Wars (360). So, I might have to get back into that as well...

--Raz.

After all the talk about the DS, I decided to pick mine back up and continue playing the game that I bought with it, New Super Mario Bros. I know, I am very late to the party. Well, I was able to finish it in a day and a half. That includes the two optional worlds that you need to get into via mini-Mario.

Overall, I thought the game was great, but way too short, and way too easy. It is very reminiscent of Super Mario World, but the graphics have that 3-D on a 2-D surface look to them. For me it falls somewhere behind Super Mario World (my favorite of the series), and Super Mario Bros. 3. I am not sure why it seemed so easy and short compared to those. Maybe my gaming skills have just improved (doubtful). My guess is that they wanted to make it more approachable to the casual gamer. I sure hope if there is a "New Super Mario Bros. 2" that they increase the difficulty, create larger levels, or add more worlds.

I also played Geometry Wars Galaxies, but I am having a hard time adjusting to the controls. I have only played it for about a half hour, so maybe I will get the hang of it after a bit more practice. Overall, the game looks great, but I just keep feeling like I want to play it with twin sticks.

Finally, I started playing Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass. I started playing it a while ago, but my save game corrupted, so I am starting over. So far it is pretty decent, I have heard that it gets quite repetitive later (revisiting the same dungeon), but I am enjoying it so far.

--Raz.

raz0red wrote:Overall, I thought the game was great, but way too short, and way too easy. It is very reminiscent of Super Mario World, but the graphics have that 3-D on a 2-D surface look to them. For me it falls somewhere behind Super Mario World (my favorite of the series), and Super Mario Bros. 3. I am not sure why it seemed so easy and short compared to those. Maybe my gaming skills have just improved (doubtful). My guess is that they wanted to make it more approachable to the casual gamer. I sure hope if there is a "New Super Mario Bros. 2" that they increase the difficulty, create larger levels, or add more worlds.

On the casual gamer note, both my sister and my girlfriend stopped playing it due to not being able to save anytime. They both thought it was hard. Like you, I beat it pretty fast and thought it was easy. I loved it though and I also think a sequel would be awesome.


If you are a Mario Kart fan, I would suggest trying out Mario Kart DS. I personally think its better than Double-Dash, but most people disagree with me.

I Can't say I was too impressed with New Super Mario Bros. Certainly, it was an incredibly well designed game. I just got tired of it after a little while. 2d platformers just don't do it for me anymore and I couldn't shake the feeling that I had already played that game many times before. Of course, there are plenty of people who eat that sort of mario thing up, and that's fine... I'm just not one of them.


Raz- Stick with geometry wars. Are you using the stylus? I have to recommend using the little thumb thingy that's on the DS wrist strap. With the thumb thingy, it "almost" feels like a second analog stick... The D-pad does suck though, but it's still very playable.

-t.

teal wrote: Raz- Stick with geometry wars. Are you using the stylus? I have to recommend using the little thumb thingy that's on the DS wrist strap. With the thumb thingy, it "almost" feels like a second analog stick... The D-pad does suck though, but it's still very playable.

-t.

I am definitely going to stick with it. It is the D-Pad that is the most uncomfortable part of it. I have been using the stylus, but I will give the thumb strap a try. Another thing I notice about the DS is that it makes my hands hurt a bit. I wonder if my hands are too big, or maybe it is just the way I hold it. I don't seem to have the issues with the PSP...

--Raz.

I have the exact same problem when playing the DS. My hands usually hurt like hell after playing it for a while. But I don't think the thumb strap is anywhere near as bad as the stylus. And not having to hit any other buttons helps to. But yeah. The DS gives me one hell of a claw hand.

-t.

yes, i have some problem with using the ds for any serious session

partly i blame this on the amount of typing i do during the day job as a programmer and i have suffered from RSI in the past so maybe all that
and being an old bastard doesn't help either

i get similar cramp issues with the wiimote too after playing for anything longer than 30mins

still, i probably will be getting geometry wars anyway, once i finish phantom hourglass

Raz00000000: as to the Zelda comment you made.... I can tell you firsthand that you will want to submerge your DS in water once the Dungeon Repetition kicks in. In fact, I found it so mind numbingly laborious that I gave-up play it altogether.

hmmmm.... let me hypnotize you with the phrase "Submerge in water"... I think I'll get T-Shirts printed up.