A cut above

Another Code: Two Memories
Nintendo DS, £29.99
Cing/Nintendo, ****

The DS might lose out heavily to the PlayStation Portable (PSP) when it comes to looks, but there's no doubting the quality of software for Nintendo's unconventional handheld.

But while games such as WarioWare and Project Rub can't be faulted for ingenuity, longevity is a problem. Once the novelty of rubbing the screen or blowing into the microphone has worn off, there isn't much left. So a release such as Another Code: Two Memories is welcome.

Essentially a point-'n-click adventure reminiscent of elderly classics such as Monkey Island, Another Code mixes strong narrative with tricky conundrums to offer something unique on the DS. The plot, which involves liaising with ghostly relatives, is a cut above the gaming norm and streets ahead of anything on the DS. But this is a game, not a book, so luckily the interactivity matches the story.

The two-screen setup works well, with the bottom used to move the main character around and the top reserved for a closer-in view. Manipulating in-game objects such as photos with the stylus only adds to the feeling of involvement. The main problem is the one that bedevils the genre - getting stuck.

Players will invariably run into puzzles whose solutions are sadistically obscure. The upside is that solving these brainteasers is immensely satisfying. Another Code is likely to appeal to older players who enjoyed Myst, and is a fine example of the new breed of handheld gaming.
Greg Howson

A higher plane

WarioWare Twisted
Game Boy Advance, £29.99
Nintendo, ****

Nintendo's crusade to prove that lateral thinking can breed innovation even on low-tech platforms continues apace with WarioWare Twisted. Despite being designed for the Game Boy Advance, it offers a unique gaming experience: the extra-fat cartridge it is supplied on contains a motion sensor, which detects clockwise and anti-clockwise movements.

Thus, you get the usual collection of gleefully idiotic WarioWare micro-games, stitched together by an endearingly unhinged storyline, but this time around you must simply twist your GBA to work your way through to the boss levels.

This may involve violent or delicate movements; as the game progresses, you may have to punctuate the twisting with the odd button-press. Previous versions of WarioWare seemed as intuitive as you could imagine, but Twisted takes that ethos to a higher level. At times, it feels as though your brainwaves are controlling the game. That feeling combines with the irresistible craziness of the microgames to create a gameplay experience that has you chuckling every few seconds.

A caveat, though: although the game was clearly designed for the original Game Boy Advance, I found it easier to play on the DS rather than the smaller GBA SP. Regardless, WarioWare Twisted is a must for GBA devotees.
Steve Boxer

Missed opportunity

Bomberman Hardball
PlayStation2, £39.99
HudsonSoft/Ubisoft, **

In the late 80s, when Japanese developers seemed to be springing great arcade icons on us every few months, Bomberman was one of the best. The idea was simple: run around a maze planting bombs to eliminate your rival while collecting icons to boost the explosive power of your arsenal.

Luckily, this basic mode remains in the latest incarnation, albeit speeded up to a manic degree and made more complex by the addition of new types of bomb. However, it also remains the best part of the game - yet, surprisingly, it makes up less than a quarter of the whole game. Hardball also packs mini-games for tennis, golf and baseball, where you can rack up points and unlock hidden items and bonus abilities.

Alas, these modes are blighted by a lack of ambition or flair. Golf is pretty but imprecise (particularly in judging the right distance to hit the ball), while tennis lacks the special moves that make arcade tennis so much fun. Baseball manages to be the best of a bad lot, but most annoyingly none of these extra modes feature themed elements - no serving with bombs or driving your ball into explosive bunkers. What a missed opportunity.

In the end, what is left is an overpriced bundle of mini-games, lacking the depth to make them anything more than minor distractions. And the less said about the pointless Life Mode the better. Bomberman was a great idea from the golden age of arcade games. They should have left it there.
Mike Anderiesz

Top 5 games

All formats

1. Medal of Honor: European Assault

2. Destroy All Humans

3. Juiced

4. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

5. Cricket 2005

Leisure software charts compiled by Chart Track, © 2005 Elspa (UK) Ltd

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