Touchmaster 3 (DS) Review

Released alongside the similarly themed Game Party 3 by Warner Bros. Interactive is Touchmaster 3 for the DS, another collection of mini-games populating bargain bins these holidays. But unlike its Wii counterpart, Touchmaster 3 actually manages to provide some fun, with a large variety of games inspired and originating from other well-known classic games.

Touchmaster 3 is a very versatile package for a wide ranging audience mainly due to its variety in game types. There are card games, action games, timing games, rhythm games, logic games and even trivia which totals the 20 different game modes available. It’s all presented in a neat package that’s accessible to any age group, though certainly those with a penchant for simple card games and other handheld-friendly titles will find much more value in this collection.

Most of the games are pretty simple takes on classics with card games like Poker and Memory, but always with a unique twist that adds more to the game. Poker Royale involves dealing out the best Poker hand possible, but along 3 columns simultaneously with a unique scoring system, where as Poker Slide involves a player rearranging set cards into a preset pattern similar to a Rubik’s Cube. The game Nine Hole has more depth than it may seem at first glance, combining bingo with a simple card game to make something a bit more compelling and addictive.

Other games, too, certainly involve a little more depth than they first seem, but Touchmaster 3 isn’t without a few let-downs that are either unexciting to play or just far too short-lived. Block Dropper is an interesting take on a puzzle game similar to the PSP’s Lumines, but it’s so slow and takes forever to get anywhere that it doesn’t really fit in with the pick-up-and-play style of the rest of the games. Other games like Cannon Fire, the side-on 2D, turn-based and slower form of Missile Command, are just slow and boring to play.

Other games are simply too short-lived and repetitive to last any long-term play. The game Bumperball attempts to mimic a Pinball table but the stylus controls of moving a circular bumper to hit the ball back is actually less fun than using simple flippers, and the table itself is very boring and empty with little to interact with. Slime Assault is actually a very fun Missile Command rip-off but after learning the ropes of the first few rounds, it can take a long time to build up to any challenging point.

Then there are other games that are perfect for this kind of collection. Fuse Line is a game clearly mimicking the classic Windows game JezzBall and it’s still a lot of fun to play especially with the stylus. Electro Maze is another stylus-friendly game where a player must carefully drag a ball through a tight maze collecting all the small dots on the map. It’s not great to play on a bus or anywhere you’re likely to get bumped but it does make some nice use of the stylus control scheme.

Warner Bros. have taken good advantage of the DS in this next Touchmaster. The interface is decent and well laid out, the controls are competent and the game range suits this style of handheld gaming. There’s a range of achievement-like trophies to unlock on each game, detailed instructions on how to play and a score board, all of which shape up most of the expectations of a mini-game collection on the DS.

I was honestly surprised with the fun I had playing through the Touchmaster 3 collection. The inspired retakes on classic games like Missile Command and JezzBall were a surprise, but there’s a concern in the lifespan of the title. If you love mini-game collections or want something suitable for the outlying age range of DS consumers, then there’s a good collection here. Just remember it was always intended for a bargain price.

Graphics 7.5

Decent 2D visuals are fine, the rare use of 3D polygons is not.

Gameplay 7.0

A wide range of games suits the title, if only some games were addictive like the others.

Sound 7.5

Catchy tunes lighten the experience.

Tilt 7.5

Good variety in a budget title makes for a valuable collection.

Value 7.0

JezzBall, Missile Command and Pipe Mania clones are familiar fun for the older kids.