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Developer: Backbone Entertainment
Publisher: Majesco Games
Genre: Strategy
Region: NTSC
Format:
Release Date: 14 Feb 06
User Rating
10 (1 vote) -
- The mighty AoE RTS gets ported to the DS, and manages to retains much of the classic's gameplay charms in this much addictive turn-based game.
Overview
Who would have thought five years ago that the Age of Empires series would be on a handheld device? I remember the first time I ever picked up a copy of Age of Empires (the original) and was literally blown away with what a great real time strategy experience it was. Well now quite a few years later Majesco has decided to bring us the Age of Empires franchise on the Nintendo DS. Now what may surprise some is that it is no longer a real time strategy, but has been transformed into a turn based strategy game. So how does the transition go? Read our full review to find out!
Gameplay
I have to admit I was really curious to find out what exactly Age of Empires was going to be when it was announced for the Nintendo DS. I really had no idea whether the developers were going to keep it as a RTS or what they were going to do. It was really unclear for a while as to the plan of attack. But when I did find out that the game was going to be a turn based experience, I was kind of relieved as I think most of us realize that it would be near impossible to do justice to the original Age of Empires game on the DS in real time. So how does the game work in turn based style?
I have to say you really have to sit down and get your hands on this game in order to really appreciate the depths that it has. Age of Empires: Age of Kings still retains a lot of the basics of the original game, in that you will still be creating villages, learning new technologies, and building massive battalions. However, this time around the battlefield is more structured, as like many other turn based strategy games you will be moving objects via squares and of course only on your turn. Now this may sound like a dumb down version of the original game, but at times you actually can see the opposite taking place. I say this because now that the game is in a turn based form, it is actually much more strategically inclined then it was on the PC.
In fact, when playing the game on the DS I have to say there are things I like more about this version. Mainly the fact that the pacing works really well and this adds so much more strategy that you feel even more involved in on the action. The games campaign mode will still feel familiar to anyone who has played the game during its initial release on the PC. You will go through the campaign in the same sort of fashion and I believe it has the same sort of effect success on the Nintendo DS.
I have to say that in the end I was just really impressed with Age of Empires: Age of Kings as it manages to really successfully bring a great RTS game and make into a great turn based strategy game. Obviously the game may be a bit short for some peoples standards, and that is why the game does have some multiplayer options, which does require both players to own a copy of the game. So if that is the case then you will have some even extra added content something that I found to play pretty well. In the end, Age of Empires is not a revolutionary game but a very entertaining and strategic game that plays very nicely.
Graphics
I have to say similar to the gameplay of Age of Empires: Age of Kings, the visuals don' come out and just grab you, but instead give the game some time and you will see what the game really has to offer. The game hosts a lot of color that really works well for the game. I was most impressed with the fact that the game just manages to still look great, even though it is a turn based game. So if you like the look of the series, you will continue to like the simple but effective look of this title.
Fun Factor
If you can' tell already, I am a big fan of this game, for more reasons then just it being an Age of Empires game. I like the fact that the developers didn't just try and port a game over, but create an all new experience using a very popular game. If you do enjoy the occasional turn based strategy game, then I think there is going to be a lot to enjoy in this game. It obviously doesn't do anything never been done before, but it does a very smooth take on the genre and manages to use a very good Age of Empires franchise to do it with.
Overall
I have to say that coming into this game I really wasn't expecting much from it, mainly because these sorts of ports usually end in disasters. But luckily for DS owners and fans of the series this is not the case. If you own a DS and like the genre, then I would highly recommend checking out Age of Empires: Age of Kings, as it really is a very good game.
- Gameplay
8.0 - Graphics
8.0 - Fun Factor
8.0 - Overall
8.0
