Reviews// Electroplankton (DS)

The Nintendo difference

Posted 10 Jun 2005 16:23 by
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Or is it unique. Take a look around, say, the Tate Modern - the world’s most visited free museum and arguably now at the forefront of modern art, outshining the neighbouring Saachi Gallery with raw piece turnover. The last Unilever piece to be displayed, following moments of art-changing genius such as Anish Kapoor’s ‘Massive Red Thing’ was a sound installation. It featured the cavernous Turbine Hall decked out with occasionally positioned speakers on the walls. Out of the speakers came the most clichéd ‘art is noise’ spew one could possible imagine. The sound of laughing. The sound of crying. The sound of screaming. It was perhaps the most cynical piece of plagiarism SPOnG has ever witnessed, yet it was deemed worthy of one of the most prestigious positions available in the world for modern art. Further investigation at Tate Modern reveals more sound installation. One a box into which attendees are invited to inset their heads. Inside you can hear an artist talking. About herself. Electroplankton destroys what passes for modern interactive music/sound art on all fronts. Once you see this game in context, its importance as both a piece of art and an expander of digital interactive entertainment should not be overlooked.

Luminaria is, according to Nintendo, an adaptation of one of Electroplankton creator Toshio Iwai's previous works, in which four plankton move along predestined grid networks, with each representing a different instrument. The direction, and thus pitch of each stroke, can be changed by tapping on an arrow and revolving it. This section is played at high speed, with the UI purposefully slow forcing the player to always be chasing the sound, creating new and unexpected patterns.

The DS’ microphone is employed throughout Electroplankton, with perhaps the best results away from Nintendogs’ voice-recognition brilliance. Volvoice is a base-level sampler that provides ten effects to any recoded sound, controlled by tapping orders to manipulate the flow and frequency. Nanocarp monitors clapping and blowing, offering the user visual and audio rewards.

It’s somewhat difficult to know how to wrap up a review of Electroplankton. It’s not a game and therefore sidesteps traditional boundaries of quality. Perhaps it would be best to say that SPOnG found its time with Electroplankton more rewarding that almost anything we have seen running on a game console to date. It is a fascinating look at what the future holds for the DS and, although the lack of depth can be quite frustrating, (users of sequencing software will try in vain to extract more from Iwai-san’s work) its appeal is unquestionable. Put it into the hands of anyone – literally anyone – and the briefest moment of confusion will be replaced with the kind of smile reserved for only the most special of experiences.

SPOnG rating - A

Electroplankton is arguably the most important DS title to date. Although it serves more as a glimpse of the future than final solution, the intent behind the work is at all times apparent. It’s soothing and inspiring and magical and even comes with free headphones. If you want normal videogames - racing, shooting, hitting things with a stick and nothing more, buy a PSP. If you are looking for a portable platform that will deliver an endless stream of interest and stimulate you in ways you were not expecting from a machine marketed as a videogame player, buy a DS. You need look no further than Electroplankton to justify Nintendo’s confidence in a product written off by so many.
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Comments

TigerUppercut 10 Jun 2005 16:02
1/12
it is indeed, very good.
TigerUppercut 12 Jun 2005 10:39
2/12
*looks around*
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kid_77 12 Jun 2005 12:33
3/12
If I had a DS I'd get it. But...
Joji 12 Jun 2005 14:34
4/12
Another different title for my list. Chill Tiger, I'll look into bagging an import copy. £30 quid for a DS game officially, don't make me laugh.

Now hurry up with that Trauma Center: Under the Knife review, Spong. Think it's out in japan June 16th so please review it.

Perhaps regular import review requests might not be such a bad idea, think about it spong crew. When news is slow we'd have something else to read. Also think about all the good games we never see officially thanks to suits and decisions out of our hands.

Good review by the way, it did sound like a tricky one to review.
Ditto 13 Jun 2005 07:51
5/12
Rumours suggest that this game won't make it outside of Japan.

This sounds like such an accessible title. Nintendo need to get this to the US and Europe - it would finally show the DS is capable of non-traditional games and sell bucketloads of units in the process.

It's on my list.
Joji 13 Jun 2005 11:08
6/12
I suppose Electroplankton is in the hands of Nintendo and it's marketing team. The problem also is that marketing folk really have to get creative to sell this title and others like it. If they manage it though it will be good for the industry where it's too easy to push identikit games out of the door.

What worries me too is that compared to japanese release list we are missing some good titles for the DS already. The cool part is that we can import games as we see fit, but only the hardcore gamers in the know like us here would bother.

Adam, you may be right. I've checked the DS release list and I don't see Electroplankton on the list. All I see for June is Ridge Racer and Another Code officially. You would have thought that Electroplankton would be quicker to translate than AC, and I don't see it on the future list either. Perhaps Nintendo are holding it for Xmas release. Hope so.
OptimusP 13 Jun 2005 11:11
7/12
Well, release it in Europe anyways, Europeans have a healty appetite for some crazy japanese stuff.
And it's not like they would make a huge financial risk, the damn game cost like 50 000$ to make anyway.

Tell you what Big N, you give Europe Electroplankton and we'll buy it like crazy if you promise not to release the hip-hop and/or rap version of that game here. Thank you.
soanso 28 Jun 2005 01:45
8/12
this game looks excellent.
can anyone recomend a good importer
preferably one based in britain (I'm a bit wary of the hong kong based folk)
or else ca games it is. not the cheapest but at least I know what I am getting with them.
LUPOS 22 Aug 2005 04:25
9/12
TigerUppercut wrote:
it is indeed, very good.


well i was there... it was on the shelf... all shiny and only 4000 yen.... with little comfy head phones... so i says lets see if steff knows whats up... and indeed you do... i was very please with myself the first time i made the flower bloom... i enjoy plugging it into the surround sound system and lyign on the floor and playing with it... also my GF and her friend both love it emensily probably more than I.
anyway, have played it fairly extensiv;ey i concur... it tis quit fancy... only complaint is i wish there was more plankton to choose from... as for the translating the game already has english in its menus... only the booklet would need translation... and it is a bit thick..... plus there is one game (thing) that i still dont understand how to work... but i quick trip to game faqs will mot likely fix that.


pick it up... if you liek this sort of thing.
_____
TigerUppercut 22 Aug 2005 05:34
10/12
Congratulations! You have made a good purchase sir and yes, isn't it funny how much girls zero in on it? Erica was blown away by EP, as was I. Isn't the instruction booklet mysterious and frustratingly beautiful and Japanese? Which plankton don't you understand?

Edit: BTW, there are different leaf games - cycle through them using L or Select I think...
LUPOS 22 Aug 2005 10:19
11/12
TigerUppercut wrote:
Congratulations! You have made a good purchase sir and yes, isn't it funny how much girls zero in on it? Erica was blown away by EP, as was I. Isn't the instruction booklet mysterious and frustratingly beautiful and Japanese? Which plankton don't you understand?


i love the booklet and wish i coudl read it... i have a freind who is japanese so i will try and bug him to read soem of it to me, i dont think that hes up to translating the whole thign sadly.
the one i cant figure out is the four fish swiming right to left with the line that goes to whichever one you touch... all i can make it do is make a little staticy noise soemtimes...



Edit: BTW, there are different leaf games - cycle through them using L or Select I think...


thanks, i was wondering about that... i was doing the aduience mode and noticed the different configurations but didntknow how to get them.
TigerUppercut 22 Aug 2005 11:03
12/12
Ah yes. It's a sampler - first you record a sample then play it back through a load of different filters/effects! Each of the plankton makes a different effect.
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