Teenage Zombies: Invasion of the Alien Brain Thingys! Review for the Nintendo DS (NDS)

Teenage Zombies: Invasion of the Alien Brain Thingys! box art

System: DS	Review Rating Legend
Dev: InLight Ent.	1.0 - 1.9 = Avoid	4.0 - 4.4 = Great
Pub: Ignition Ent.	2.0 - 2.4 = Poor	4.5 - 4.9 = Must Buy
Release: April 15, 2008	2.5 - 2.9 = Average	5.0 = The Best
Players: 1	3.0 - 3.4 = Fair
ESRB Rating: Everyone 10+	3.5 - 3.9 = Good

Another issue I had with this title was the length of the gameplay. The main mode is only about seven stages long, which translates to about five or six hours of gameplay. The length of the game feels entirely too short, even for a handheld title. There are other modes beside the main story mode, but these modes entail mini-games you have already encountered in the game, and honestly, none of the games are really good enough to warrant a replay

Teenage Zombies: Invasion of the Alien Brain Thingys! screenshot

Graphics in this game are fairly good and go along with the comic book feel of the game. Levels are strictly linear, and characters and environments are all in 2D. Character animations look really good and are very fluid. However, the levels themselves are very static and really detract from the animation quality.

Controls in this game use the touch screen to select both your zombie and power-up. You use the d-pad to move around and the face buttons to attack, use special powers, and power-up. The controls are very easy to use, and although it sounds difficult to control three characters simultaneously, the controls here feel very fluid and make it very easy.

Sound in Teenage Zombies is average. The stage music is okay, but some of the voice sound effects are a little too repetitive. One thing that is fairly good, however, is the voice acting during the comic book scenes. Not all the comic book scenes have voice over, but the ones that do greatly benefit from it.

Overall, I think Teenage Zombies: Invasion of the Alien Brain Thingys has a great concept but suffers from being too simplistic overall. If there was a little more attention given to making the game longer, and perhaps a little more challenging, this would have been a worthwhile title. But as it stands, this title just ranks about average.

By Amanda L. Kondolojy
CCC Freelance Writer

RATING OUT OF 5

RATING DESCRIPTION

3.8

Graphics
Character animations are quite fluid, but static environments detract from the overall look of the game.

4.3

Control
Controls are easy to pick up, and make switching between different characters feel natural.

4.2

Music / Sound FX / Voice Acting
Music is pretty good, but some of the voice effects are a little repetitive. Voice acting during comic-book scenes, however, is very good.

3.0

Play Value
Story mode is way too short, and replayable mini-games are not memorable enough to warrant picking back up.

3.5

Overall Rating - Good
Not an average. See Rating legend above for a final score breakdown.

Game Features:

Read the in-game comics with a one of a kind "book view" - hold the DS vertically and then turn pages by opening and closing the cover.

Unique platforming gameplay that requires swapping between characters to complete levels.

Seven distinct and challenging worlds, including the final battle on the Big Brain's mother ship.

Sub-level intermissions featuring stylus-based mini-games to earn bonus points.