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Game & Watch Collection (Nintendo DS)

Reviewed by: Frank GameTZ Subscriber 800 Trade Quintuple Gold Good Trader Gold Global Trader (13) Has Written 11 Reviews Secret Santa
Reviewed on: 21-Apr-2010

Description

Intro
Do you remember playing the Game & Watch Gallery series on the GameBoy? Maybe you even remember playing the actual Game & Watch handhelds? The Club Nintendo exclusive game "Game & Watch Collection" is essentially the DS version of the Game & Watch Gallery series, only not as many games to choose from, and you can only play in Classic A and Classic B mode.

Gameplay
The game plays about the same as it did back in the say, and as it did on the GameBoy ports. All 3 games available use the same control scheme move up, down, left or right using the Nintendo DS's D-Pad. Use the A or B button to perform an action. Simple as that, right? Well... yes, but as you progress through a game the speed of either the varmint, barrels, or oil drops greatly increase adding difficulty to the simple games. The Game & Watch series is known for its simple pick up and play style. You don't need a certain skill to play the games, just patience and a lot of time to waste as the games are addicting. One thing I must say I was disappointed about this game is that the 3 games on the cart are straight ports of their original version. There is no "Modern Mode" available to play like there was in all 4 installments of the Game & Watch Gallery series.

Graphics
The graphics really aren't going to wow anyone, however they are great for what they are, and that is a port. The graphics look almost exactly like they did on the original Game & Watch handhelds. All 3 games utilize the top and bottom screen, as the originals did. The graphics are mimicked LCD game graphics. The best way to describe LCD game's graphics is to think about those little LCD games you'd get in a box of cereal, or a dollar store. Now like I said they won't wow anyone, but since they are all suppose to be direct ports of the original handhelds you can't really say anything negative about them. There imitations of the first handheld gaming available.

Sound
Unfortunately there isn't anything too exciting about the sound. The sound, like the graphics, are meant to be exactly like the original handheld devices. That being said there is no music in any of the games. The only sounds you get are beeps that indicate you moved, beeps that indicate that a background object moved, or beeps that indicate your score went up. The only music in the game is on the title screen and it's nothing too great. It's just a simple melody that can get pretty annoying after a while. Although the sound isn't up to today's standards it doesn't have to be. As I mentioned before the 3 games are ports and are meant to sound, look, and play just as they did back in the 80s.

Games
There are three games available to play on Game & Watch Collection:

Oil Panic: In this game you play as a person (possibly Mr. Game & Watch?) carrying a drum. Move your character left and right to collect the oil that is dripping from the roof. Once you fill up your barrel (3 drops) you must dump it out one of the 2 windows, where another person is holding yet another drum. The person on the bottom moves left and right so you must time your drop accordingly, otherwise it will land on a pedestrian and you will loose a life. If you fill up your drum completely and catch either go to catch another drop, or let an oil drop touch the floor the building catches on fire and you will loose a life. Once you loose 3 lives it's game over!
Donkey Kong: In this game you play as another Mr. Game & Watch character. Your goal is to save your girlfriend from the big bad ape, Donkey Kong. In order to save your girlfriend you must first jump over barrels (located on the bottom screen) until you climb up the 2 ladders to the second screen. There you must flip a switch that activates a crane cable that will rock back and forth. You must jump onto the crane cable to unlatch one of the support beams holding Donkey Kong. Unlatch the support beam 4 times to knock Donkey Kong down and save your girlfriend. You must jump accordingly and you must be careful Donkey Kong doesn't throw a barrel at you. If you either get hit by a barrel, or jump to the crane too early or too late you will loose a life. Loose 3 lives and it's game over!
Green House: Play as yet another Game & Watch character as you kill varmint that try to eat your plants with your trusty can of bug spray. On the bottom screen spray the spiders that spin down their web to try and eat your flowers. The further down the web they go the more times you have to spray them until their dead. On the top screen spray the worms that try to eat your flowers. They are easier to kill as they go down in one spray. Use the ladder in the middle of the two screens to move from top screen to bottom. If one of the bugs eats one of the flowers you loose a life. Loose 3 lives and it's game over!

Availability
The game is not for resale, and only available from the Club Nintendo website. Originally only available in Japan in 2008, but was released in 2009 in the US Club Nintendo. In Japan it is available for 500 points, and in the US for 800 coins. Although it was only intended as a Club Nintendo Reward, the game can be purchased on eBay or other online selling websites.

Overall
If you’re like me and you enjoy classic LCD style games, or enjoyed the Game & Watch Gallery series on the GameBoy then this is for you. It's a fun compilation of 3 games. It'll only set you back around $30-$35 dollars.