Trends have shown that it's the bottom touch screen on Nintendo's DS that never gets enough use. Gameplay is usually reserved for the top screen and developers are baffled as to what to do exactly with the systems most unique feature. Enter the highly addictive "Zoo Keeper," a basic graphics swap of a popular online flash game that just seems to be made for this system.
Those who have lost hours of their lives with "Bejeweled" will be able to instantly pick up the console and play. It's a bit different than most puzzlers in that there are no screens to clear. In fact, it's always completely filled. All players are required to do is swap tiles (featuring very abstract animal art), two at time, to create rows of at least three either horizontally or vertically. When cleared, piece fall from the top to fill in the holes.
The only enemy here is time. As players progress through the levels, the timer on the left side of the screen begins to countdown quicker. The only way to move it back up is to clear spaces. In the highest levels, only clearing three tiles seems meaningless. You'll need massive chains to continue on. The stylus makes this play much faster than with a mouse, though if interested, you can use the d-pad and buttons.
To keep things a little more interesting when compared to an online flash game are some game modes, the biggest being multi-player. It only requires a single cartridge (convenience at its best) to play as both players make moves to cut down the others timer. Two out of three declares the winner. It's a shame that solo-players cannot play against an AI opponent, especially considering how much of a solitary game this is.
Normal is a basic game that asks players to capture so many of each animal to move up a level. That quota is raised each time you progress. Tokoton is nearly the same at first glance; it just requires that 100 of an animal be captured for a level up. Each time that goal is reached with each critter, it's another level up. This can be very fast paced with numerous levels being reached in rapid fashion. Point freaks will likely find a home here.
Article comments
1 - RJ
I have officially addicted my dad (and to a lesser extent, my mom) on Tetris.
Who knew that 60 year olds could be so entranced by video games?
2 - jadester
just a heads-up: believe it or not, Zoo Keeper was online before it was on the DS. I can't remember where i first saw it, but many sites seem to have it now. Try http://www.ebaumsworld.com/zookeeper.html for a version with sound.
I agree it's very addicting, perhaps a little more so than Bejeweled, if only because the more cartoony graphics somehow engage more.
Although, on the MSN Messenger version of Bejeweled, my record is ~ 100000
I came close to forgetting about my degree for a week or so back then...
3 - Matt Paprocki
Well, Ignitions own site had it available for a while. However, not only does it play slower and not allow for multiple moves to chain, it obviously doesn't save high score or offer multiple game modes. It's just enough to givge you a taste and nothing else.
4 - Petteri Hamalainen
Myself and several others are hooked on this classic. We have been playing it at coffeebreaks at work for weeks now. Definitely excellent party game!