
	Platform DS Genre Action Publisher SouthPeak Interactive Developer Arkedo Studios ESRB E (Everyone) Released Q1 2009

‑ Has an old-school arcade flavor with the accompanying ridiculous difficulty level (especially on the higher levels), sure to remind many of a combo of Space Invaders and Centipede ‑ Visually impressive graphical presentation coupled with a differently interesting musical score

‑ Better keep the doctor’s telephone number handy ‑ gamers will need to dial it because of the carpal tunnel-inducing gameplay ‑ Stylus controls are good for shooting, but can get frustrating trying to shoot while at the same time escaping falling debris and pursuing enemy weapons fire ‑ Hard to focus on the beautiful visuals on the DS top-screen when so much attention is required on the bottom-screen action

Review: Puzzle Quest: Galactrix (DS) Review: Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon (DS) Review: Guitar Hero: On Tour Decades (DS)
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Big Bang Mini

Score: 8.0 / 10

From the very first time they flew overhead and bedazzled the Chinese way back in the 12th century through the latest July 4th celebrations in the U.S., everybody loves a good fireworks display with captivating bright colors exploding in a sparkling array of pyrotechnic beauty. Big Bang Mini for the Nintendo DS captures this exciting allure of fireworks.

An interesting action-shooter that has not only elements of fireworks but also an

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old-school gameplay mix of Space Invaders and Centipede, Big Bang Mini is a definitively unique gaming experience.

Using the stylus, the gamer shoots fireworks into some rather unique enemies that occupy the top screen of the DS. Including big, bloated piranhas, Space Invader-inspired space ships, Egyptian-themed pharaoh heads, translucent giant spiders, Chinese New Year’s dragons, and

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plenty of other strange and colorful creatures and entities. There’s nine levels to be played, each with a ladder of mini-levels that must be completed to open the next main level, along with boss battles.

The stylus is the gamer’s weapon in Big Bang Mini, as furiously stroking it over the bottom DS screen causes your fireworks projectiles to fly and explode upwards into the eclectic enemy collection. Those enemies return fire, however, and gamers must also escape and navigate through the falling debris that also can defeat their stylus-controlled ship. Just keep your doctor’s telephone number handy, because with the frenetic stylus shooting control and constant navigation of your shooter throughout the falling deadly debris and chasing projectiles hell-bent on your destruction, developing a serious case of carpal tunnel syndrome is a real possibility.

Unfortunately, gamers can’t always rely on pinpoint control of shooting and navigating simultaneously, even though the stylus shoots effectively enough, and the result will be plenty of defeats at the enemy hands. That gets frustrating, as well as the sometimes-ridiculous difficulty of Big Bang Mini that rivals any old-school arcade game that it obviously pays homage to, with its gameplay likeness to classic shooters Space Invaders, Galaga and Centipede.

Visually, Big Bang Mini is a colorful spectacle, from the beautiful fireworks explosions to the multi-tinted array of enemies. But with the fast-paced gameplay of Big Bang Mini, gamers won’t have much chance to be impressed by the stellar graphical gorgeousness, because gamers will be focused on the bottom screen and the tasks of dodging enemy projectiles and fireworks debris with only the occasional glace to the top screen where all the main gameplay is happening.

A somewhat eclectic game, Big Bang Mini offers all the spectacle of fireworks with plenty of visual attraction paired with an old-school-tough level of challenge and classic arcade-style gameplay.

‑Lee Cieniawa

lcieniawa@armchairempire.com

(August 7, 2009)