Viking Invasion Review for Nintendo DS

System: DSi (DSiWare)	Review Rating Legend
Dev: BiP Media	1.0 - 1.9 = Avoid	4.0 - 4.4 = Great
Pub: BiP Media	2.0 - 2.4 = Poor	4.5 - 4.9 = Must Buy
Release: Nov. 2, 2009	2.5 - 2.9 = Average	5.0 = The Best
Players: 1	3.0 - 3.4 = Fair
ESRB Rating: Everyone	3.5 - 3.9 = Good

Moving about the map is incredibly easy, using the D-pad to scroll the map and the stylus to tap turrets, empty hexagons, enemies, and to navigate menus. There's also a map being displayed at all times on the top screen so that you will always know where you currently are, where your turrets are placed, and where the enemies are coming from. Still, if you find that the enemy is moving too quickly for you to get set up, the game allows you to pause the action by tapping an on-screen button. This is incredibly useful, letting you pause before or even during a conflict in order to upgrade your turrets or build new ones, since you'll know which path your enemies are going to take.

Viking Invasion screenshot

My only big complaint about Viking Invasion is that there are only ten levels. Sure, some of these levels can take awhile to get through, especially if you lose a few times, but it could have benefitted from having a few more. There is a survival mode, which is pretty similar to the campaign although there is no story and no definite end to the action. In this mode, you'll choose a map and then be tasked with defeating never-ending waves that get larger and more difficult to destroy with each new wave. Trying to survive through more waves in this mode is fun, functioning as a high score, but perhaps not as much as playing through the campaign. Still, both modes can be played on three different difficulty levels as well, so if you're looking for more gameplay, you can always run through the campaign on a higher difficulty.

Viking Invasion is a very solid title on the DSi. The touch screen interface for building turrets and buying upgrades works incredibly well and just feels right. Being able to pause the action is a great addition that not only allows you to better keep up with your foes, but it also lets you put more thought into turret placement and strategy. While the campaign is a little short, the survival mode and different difficulty levels help to add some replayability to the title. So if you like the tower defense genre or are just looking for an enjoyable DSiWare game, Viking Invasion is definitely worth checking out.

By Adam Brown
CCC Staff Contributor

RATING OUT OF 5

RATING DESCRIPTION

3.3

Graphics
Nothing here will blow you away but everything looks decent, although it can be difficult to see the projectiles coming from your turrets at times.

4.3

Control
Using the D-pad to move the camera and the stylus for everything else works incredibly well, with very few instances of tapping the wrong thing to be had.

3.2

Music / Sound FX / Voice Acting
The repetitious music and sound effects can eventually get a little annoying, but the blasting of a Viking horn to signify every incoming wave is a nice touch.

3.7

Play Value
The survival mode adds more play time to the title, although it would have been nice if the campaign would have had more than just ten levels.

3.6

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

Game Features:

Thwart all your assailants' ruses and unlock new kinds of buildings: tornado-blowing windmills to repel the ships, monoliths that strengthen your fortifications or cannons that shoot studded shells.

Discover more than 10 levels, tons of units, a Campaign mode, a Survival mode, and three difficulty levels.

In the survival mode, the more you defend yourself, the more ferocious they'll become.