I’ve recently picked up a copy of Scribblenauts for the DS, needless to say, it’s awesome! Although I’ve managed to make it freeze and the controls need a little bit of work, check out the review by Matt for the full details because this isn’t to talk about the review. This is because Scribblenauts made me think: education and gaming have a turbulent relationship. Rarely does anyone do a great job at making learning even slightly entertaining. Sometimes it’s so bad you can’t even mock the educational attempt. Learning games typically only teach you that most learning games suck. The last great education game to stay with me is Oregon Trail. Since then nothing else has stuck with me, until now of course.
Ever since my first glimpse at Scribblenauts back at E3, the game has been at the forefront of my mind. Summoning almost anything you can think of to solve a puzzle or reach a Starite is pure genius. While the premise of the game is terrific and the core gameplay is great, some parts of the game just don’t live up the enormous amount of hype.
Are you getting stuck on some of the Action levels in Scribblenauts? Can’t figure out how to get to that Starite? Grab some handcuffs and a vending machine. Sounds kinky and it’s a cheap way to win, but it works in a pinch. It just goes to show there are hundreds of ways to solve each level.
Scribblenauts has dropped in the US of A so most people are giggling away like school girls, trying to stump the game and make penis shaped items appear. Across the pond there is much less glee and celebration as Scribblenauts has yet to hit shelves. But to keep these limey soccer hooligans happy they are localizing the English game into… English. So that means I’m screwed. Lots of ‘Z’s get replaced with ‘S’s, random ‘U’s will be inserted in places and every other word doesn’t mean what it should. Jerkoffs become Wankers, liquor store become off-license, underwear becomes pants, sausages are bangers and all hell breaks loose.
Hopefully with this localiZation they will add in the word ‘Yob’ so you can put a drunk guy who mumbles a lot, punches you in the face then vomits on his own shoes. Or maybe ‘Craic’ will have the same but replace the yob with a ginger Irish guy? Does this mean next there will be an Australian localization where every word gets shortened and ends in ‘O’? We will have to wait until October 5th to find out. Well the Brits will have to wait I’m going to fly back to the former colony and get the REAL version.
One of my most anticipated games of 2009, Scribblenauts, finally has a release date. You read that right, I’m lusting after Scribblenauts nearly as much as some of the big name console titles this Holiday. On September 15th, we’ll all be able to play the game non-stop and you’ll get to see why I’m like a little school girl with this game.
I still think it could be a Game of the Year candidate, which is saying a lot given the known lineup coming this Fall. With that being said, if you own a DS, you better buy this when it’s released. That’s an order.
A DS puzzle game could be the best thing I saw at E3 this year. It turns out I’m not alone, as a few huge outlets have named Scribblenauts their overall game of the show. Developed by 5th Cell and published by Warner Bros., Scribblenauts is one of the coolest implementations in the puzzle genre I’ve ever seen.
Before you look I just want to say AWESOME. Matt agrees, this is a day one purchase. Scribblenauts is a puzzle game for the DS that 5th Cell has given a neat little twist. To solve puzzles you write any word you can think of and the game will create that object. Have a zombie in the way and want him to be crushed by a meteor, then write meteor. Yes it’s that cool, just watch. I cannot wait to see how many problems can really be solved with alcohol, or dildos… I’m sure someone out there already has an answer for this.
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