I just want to start this post by saying that I’m pretty enamored with my fun new little dual-screened friend. My DS is the first hand held game machine I’ve owned since my original monochrome Gameboy and I gotta say… I’m in love. So I thought I’d start a new feature here on ModStomp called the “DS Game Of The Week”. I’m not sure if it’ll actually be weekly, but basically, I’ll just be sharing my thoughts on a different Nintendo DS game each week. I’ve got quite a few so far so I shouldn’t have to worry about running out of games to talk about any time soon. I’m not really planning to make this an official “review” type of feature, but more just my random thoughts about how I like each game and how playable it feels to me. Ya’know… mostly useless opinionated blather.

Anyway, for our first installment, I thought I’d share my thoughts on a fun little game I happened to accidentally stumble upon called Touch Detective. I figured I’d start with this one because you probably don’t need to hear any more about Mario Kart and Pokemon. It was a total accident that I happened to try this game, but I have to say that it’s much more enjoyable than I first thought it would be. The basic story line is that you’re a young girl named Mackenzie who has inherited the family detective business and you get to help her solve her first few cases. The gameplay is nothing extraordinary (it’s basically just a point-n-click style adventure game), but the combination of colorful anime-style graphics, decent character development and a fun humorous approach to the story makes this game surprisingly enjoyable.

For the most part, this game is a flashback to the classic point-n-click adventure genre. If you’ve ever played Kings Quest or Grim Fandango then this game will seem pretty familiar, but the clever and generally humorous stories combined with the unique look of this game set it apart and make it more than just another clone. For the most part, the puzzles are pretty intuitive, but I have gotten stuck a few times as well. As with most other point-n-click adventures, when it seems like there’s nothing left to try… try EVERYTHING again!

At several points throughout the game you’ll be whisked into short in-game cut scenes. I felt like this was one area where this game really shines. In the bottom screen, using the game engine (instead of something cinematic), short scripted scenes will play out between the characters. This helps to develop the characters and give you a much better idea about what type of people they are. During these short scripted events you’ll also be treated to something unique in the top screen. As the scene plays out you’ll be treated to the inner thoughts of the main character in the form of thought bubbles. You quickly learn how your character feels about the other characters and situations she encounters by the thoughts that go through her head as she interacts with them. Although these thought bubbles don’t really do much for the gameplay, it’s a unique way to help you understand and develop a “bond” with Mackenzie.

Where the story and characters set this game apart, the gameplay does not. It’s pretty standard point-n-click and the only control interface you’ll use is the stylus (as the title suggests). When you want Mackenzie to move, you point to where you’d like her to go. When you want her to interact with someone or something, you “touch” it. You’ll gather items that you can inspect and use much like most other games of this type. And like other games in this genre, the items are generally, but not always vital to the continuation of the story. Most of the uses are pretty intuitive, but there have been a few instances where I had to pay short visits to online walkthroughs (this is the best one I’ve found) to figure out what to do next. <RANT>Kinda like the first time I played Kings Quest 5… who the crap would have thought to squeeze the honey comb and use the honey and the gems to lure the gnome out of his hole in order to capture him in the honey. And online walkthroughs didn’t exist back then. I SPENT FREAKIN’ WEEKS TRYING TO GET OUT OF THAT BLASTED FOREST! AAAARRRRRGGGGHHHH!!!</RANT>

I’m not sure how much replay value this game has because there’s no room for story alteration from one play through to the next, but it’s definitely worth a single play through, even if you just plan to sell it when you’re done. To be honest, I initially tried this game to see if my daughters would want to play it. I really didn’t think I’d be interested at all, but I found myself immediately sucked in. On a side note, my girls have enjoyed watching me play it, but I’ve spent a lot more time playing on my own than with them.

As I mentioned in the beginning, this isn’t really an official review, but if I had to give it a score, I’d say it’s been one of the more enjoyable DS games I’ve tried. I’d have to say that it deserves a solid 7.5 out of 10. Gamespot only gave it a 6 based on bland gameplay, but if you enjoy the point-n-click genre, this will be right down your alley. If you don’t expect anything too mind blowing and just accept it for the goofy stories and fun characters then you won’t be disappointed. My only real suggestion is that it may be worth picking up used and then reselling due to the lack of replay value. Other than that, I have no problem endorsing this fun little adventure game.