#ADecadeofDS: Maestro! Jump in Music

Amount of time devoted to this game in the last week--One hour, 38 minutes.

Most recent boss toppled, location reached or milestone achieved--I finished all 24 of the game's stages (each of which is backed by a different tune, from "ABC" to Beethoven's "Symphony No. 5") at least once, but only on the "easy" difficulty level.

Overall comments on the experience--If I were forced to sum up my impressions of this import-only music game in just one word, the word I'd choose would be "sigh."

That's because Maestro! Jump in Music has so many things going for it--the most noteworthy being its Disney-esque art style, which loses nothing in its translation to the DS' low-res screens, and its admirably diverse soundtrack--yet a few flubs keep it from being the thoroughly enjoyable experience it really should be. Even worse, these missteps actually make the game kind of frustrating--to the point that I'm not sure I'll spend as much time playing this one as I imagined I would before I bought it.

The main misstep, in my opinion: the touch-screen-centric gameplay (the pink bird shown on the cover art above walks from left to right across the screen, which is made up of a series of strings, and you "pluck" them along with music to make him jump, nab items and the like) on offer here isn't always the most responsive.

Actually, it's responsive enough when there aren't a ton of strings to pluck, items to grab or baddies to tap, but when things speed up or the screen becomes too densely packed, things deteriorate pretty rapidly. (As in, it becomes seemingly impossible to do everything you need to do to perfect, and sometimes just to complete, a particular level.)

Another of Maestro's missteps: for me, it features a few too many gameplay elements. Plucking strings so your feathered friend can nab items or change paths is fun, as is tapping certain enemies along with the beat (Taiko no Tatsujin-style, basically), but some of the other elements are far less so.

Specifically, near the end of the game, there are stages (or portions of stages) during which you have to repeatedly strum (rub) a number of strings, while in other stages you have to make continuous circular motions with your stylus--and neither activity ends up being very enjoyable or effective.

That said, the Simon Says-ish boss battles that pop up every fourth stage are a real breath of fresh air and rarely frustrate or annoy, so you'll always have those to look forward to (even if some of the levels that precede them don't enamor you).

Will I continue to play this game in the coming days, weeks and maybe even months?--I'll likely come back to it every now and then so I can experience some of my favorite stages a second, third or even fourth time, but other stages I'll avoid like the plague from here on out--which means I'll probably never play through the entire game again. Which is too bad, as it's a top-notch product in almost every way and it really should have been a much more enticing experience than it has been so far.

Do I recommend it to others?--Considering complete-in-box copies are somewhat pricey, and not all that easy to find outside of Europe (the only region that earned a physical release of the game, I believe), and considering playing it is a hit-and-miss affair, I don't think I would, unfortunately. If you tend to go totally bonkers for music or rhythm games, though, it may still be worth your while.

Next up--Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo Tales

See also: previous 'A Decade of DS' posts

Five favorites: European DS box art

All the way back in mid-November, I published a blog post about five of my favorite examples of Japanese DS box art. Last week, I followed it up with a similar post about five of my favorite pieces of North American DS box art.

As I promised at the end of the latter post, here are five European DS box arts of which I'm particularly fond:

1. Contact--How much do I like this RPG's European cover art? So much that I recently bought it despite the fact that buying the North American version would have been a bit cheaper. Really, though, how could I have said no to those adorably pixelized characters and that awesome, retro-tinged logo?

2. Final Fantasy III--True story: I've seriously considered picking up a European copy of this game (even though I already own the North American version) simply because of its beautiful box art, which brings to mind the classic imagery that appears on the packaging of the Super Famicom release of Final Fantasy VI and the PlayStation port of Final Fantasy IV.

3. Kirby Mass Attack--What do you get when you combine the best elements of the covers created for the Japanese and North American iterations of this portable puzzler-platformer? You get the glorious artwork that can be seen above, of course.

12 import games I bought in 2012 but didn't tell you about until now: Mr. Driller Drill Spirits (DS)

Remember this post from earlier this year? If not, no biggie. The reason I'm mentioning it now is that in that post I asked folks for their opinions as to which version of Mr. Driller Drill Spirits I should buy--the European, the Japanese or the North American one.

As you can see in the photos below, I ended up going with the European one. Not because I prefer its box art to the box art that was used for the Japanese or North American releases, mind you. Rather, I bought the Euro version because I came across a dirt-cheap copy on eBay and just couldn't pass it up.

Anyway, this iteration's box art is pretty nice, don't you think? I, of course, like the soft color scheme, although I have to admit I'm not at all sure why Susumu Hori (the protagonist) and Puchi (the pup) are framed by pink and purple puffs.

The photo above is of the back of Mr. Driller Drill Spirits' box, as I'm sure you can tell. I'm including it here just so I can cover all the bases. Plus, it features a rainbow.

Have you ever wondered what the cartridge that contains the European version of Mr. Driller Drill Spirits looks like? Well, wonder no more! I know, it could be a smidge more exciting, but it is a DS cart label we're talking about, after all.

See also: Previous '12 import games I bought in 2012 but didn't tell you about until now' posts

12 import games I bought in 2012 but didn't tell you about until now: Inazuma Eleven (DS)

OK, so the title I'm focusing on in today's "12 import games I bought in 2012 but didn't tell you about until now" post isn't as thrilling as the one I wrote about yesterday--or at least I don't think it's as thrilling.

Still, it's an import, and a fairly odd one at that (thanks to it being a soccer-based RPG), so at least it's not a total loss.

Would you believe that I've yet to spend much quality time with this pick-up? Yeah, I thought you would--especially given the track record suggested by the majority of my "Acquisition #123" posts.



Actually, I'm kind of amazed it's even been unwrapped, as I honestly don't remember playing it at all since it arrived on my doorstep a number of months ago.

I guess I should have included Inazuma Eleven in one of those silly posts--like "Five games I have to get back to (and hopefully finish) in 2013" or "Five games I have to rip from their shrink-wrap and actually play in 2013"--I published last week, eh?

See also: Previous '12 import games I bought in 2012 but didn't tell you about until now' posts

Let's Play: 'Which Box Art is Better?' (Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask edition)

Seeing as how Level-5's first 3DS-based Professor Layton title is due to hit the streets throughout both Europe and North America in a few short weeks, I thought I should prepare and publish another "Which Box Art is Better?" post in its honor.

Before we get to its European and North American cover art, though, let's take a look at the art, below, that can be found on Japanese copies of the game (which was released all the way back in February 2011).

The box art produced for the European version of Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask, which will find its way onto store shelves on Oct. 26 (the North American version follows just two days later), eschews its predecessor's minimalism in favor of a busy style that calls to mind the series' DS-based efforts. (View them here, here and here.)

At first glance, the title's North American cover art, below, looks pretty similar to that of its European counterpart, at least in terms of color and theme, but on closer inspection it manages to set itself apart thanks to a more elegant and less constricted design.

As for which one I like best: I'm sure this will shock some of you more excitable folks, but this time around I'm going with the European box art. Yes, it's busier than a mosquito at a nudist colony, and I'd like it a lot more if it included even 50 percent less text, but I still prefer it to its two "competitors."

For me, both the Japanese and North American cover designs are just a bit too ... sterile. (OK, so the Japanese design is way too sterile.) I consider the European design, on the other hand, to be dramatic and moody, plus it features the most appealing logo of the bunch.

That's just my opinion of this box-art trio, though; what's yours?

See also: Previous 'Which Box Art is Better?' posts

Let's Play: 'Which Box Art is Better?' (Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly edition)

I find it kind of funny that I decided to call this particular post "Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly edition." After all, neither of the games represented below is actually named Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly.

The following piece of art, for instance, will grace covers of the Japanese release of this Wii remake, which (I believe) will be called Zero: Akai Chō in that particular region.

The illustration below, on the other hand, will be used as the box art for the European version of the game, which will sport the rather unappealing title, Project Zero 2: Wii Edition.

Both titles will hit store shelves in their respective territories shortly, by the way, with Japanese gamers getting the title on June 28 and their European counterparts getting it a day later, on June 29.

Should this Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly remake be announced for North American release, which piece of art would I prefer to see on its eventual cover? I'm going to go with the European version this time around thanks to its more unsettling imagery. That said, I'm quite fond of the ghost-like logo that was created for the Japanese iteration.

Which piece of box art do you ladies and gents prefer?

See also: Previous 'Which Box Art is Better?' posts

Let's Play: 'Which Box Art is Better?' (Mr. Driller Drill Spirits edition)

Hey, don't look at me that way. I told you (last week, in this post) that I was a bit obsessed with Mr. Driller at the moment, remember?

Anyway, thanks to said obsession, I'm thinking of picking up another Mr. Driller title. (I currently only own the PS1 port of the arcade original.)

Specifically, I'm thinking of picking up the series' DS-based sequel, Mr. Driller Drill Spirits, which was released in Japan and North America in 2004 and throughout Europe in 2005.

Normally, of course, I'd just pick up the North American version, as it's sure to be the cheapest. When it comes to Mr. Driller Drill Spirits, though, that isn't the case, as all versions of the game (European, Japanese and North American) can be purchased for between $15 and $25 right now.

Also, I'm a bit wary of buying the North American release because it lacks a few of the features that are found in the Japanese and European releases.

As a result of all of the above, I've decided to devote an installment of "Which Box Art is Better?" to Mr. Driller Drill Spirits--in the hopes that your comments and opinions will help me decide which iteration I should add to my collection.

Here is the art that graced the cover of the European version of the game:

And here is the Japanese version's box art:

Finally, here is the art that was produced for Mr. Driller Drill Spirit's North American packaging:

Truthfully, I like all of the cover illustrations that were created for this game. If I had to choose a favorite, though, I'd probably go with the Japanese one--mainly because I like its use of pinks and browns.

I'm sure most folks consider the North American box art to be the "best," thanks to the fact that it's the only one that attempts to depict this portable puzzler's gameplay, but for whatever reason it doesn't appeal to me as much as the others.

So, those are my thoughts on this (completely silly) issue. What are yours? Which version would you pick up if you were me?

See also: Previous 'Which Box Art is Better?' posts

Is this a portable game system or a vending machine prize?

I don't think I've ever mentioned this here, but I've long wanted to own a GameBoy Micro. For various reasons, though, I've avoided buying one.

Until recently, of course.

My original plan was to buy one of the Special 20th Anniversary Edition systems--the ones that are red and gold a la the Famicom--but then I saw, on good ol' eBay, the hot pink GameBoy Micro seen in the photos below.

As you probably can tell (by, again, checking out the photos above and below), this particular GameBoy Micro is of the complete-in-box variety. And, surprisingly enough, the box in question is in pretty great condition--as is the system itself.

I haven't spent much time with it yet, but I've spent enough time with it to have come to the realization that these suckers are tiny! Too tiny? I personally wouldn't say so, although I'm sure some folks feel that way.

Anyway, would it surprise you to hear that this latest acquisition has piqued my interest in GameBoy Advance games? I'll bet not.

I haven't yet added any new GameBoy Advance games to my collection, but I'm planning on doing so soon. Which games? Well, I've been eyeing up (on eBay, of course) copies of Kurukuru Kururin and Legendary Starfy, for starters, so maybe I'll start with those.

See also: A few more photos of this awesome little system

Reason #402 I could be considered an 'eccentric' (aka bat-sh*t crazy) gamer

I have a bit of a "thing" for European DS game cases.

Oh, get your minds out of the gutter. I don't mean that I, uh, do things with them; I mean that I have an odd attraction to them.

It all started when I bought a copy of Freshly-Pickled Tingle's Rosy Rupeeland from the UK. For some unknown reason, that game's clear, thicker-than-the-ones-we-get-in-North-America case (see it in this photo) appealed to me so much that I wanted a few more.

I got my wish a few months later when I picked up a copy of the Euro version of Professor Layton and the Curious Village. (Here's a photo of it, in case you're, er, curious.)



There was, it seems, no turning back after that, as I quickly added Euro copies of Professor Layton and Pandora's Box, Professor Layton and the Lost Future, Last Window (the sequel to Hotel Dusk: Room 215) and Jam with the Band to my collection of DS games. (Photos of the aforementioned games can be seen here, here, here and here, respectively.)

Sadly--for my bank account, especially--I'm not through purchasing such games. I plan on picking up a copy of the Euro release of Inazuma Eleven at some point this year, for instance, and I also hope to buy a copy of Professor Layton and the Spectre's Call (the fourth in the series--it was called Professor Layton and the Last Specter in the States).

After that, though, I probably put a cork in this particular obsession--or at least that's what I'm hoping to do.

See also: Other reasons I could be considered an 'eccentric' (aka bat-sh*t crazy) gamer

For the ninth game of Christmas, the UPS man brought to me ...

... a complete-in-box copy of the GameBoy Advance puzzler called Zooo.

Most of you likely know this game by another name: Zoo Keeper. For some weird reason, its name was changed to Zooo when it was released for GameBoy Advance and PlayStation 2 in 2003 and 2004, respectively. Also weird: Said ports were released only in Europe and Japan.

As for why I imported the GameBoy Advance version of the game and ignored the more-easily-accessible DS version of it: I've found (through playing both versions via emulation) that I prefer the increased difficulty present in the former iteration.

Plus, I'm on a bit of a GameBoy Advance kick at the moment, and I liked the thought of being able to play this game on that great little handheld.

See also: Previous '12 Games of Christmas' posts