Mighty Milky Way Game by Wayforward Technologies Reviewed by Philip "Pocket Squirrel" Wesley Size: 88 Blocks Save: battery, 1 Slot Released: 2011 Works with: DSi, DSi XL, and 3DS ESRB Rated: E Rating Descriptions: Mild Cartoon Violence, Suggestive Themes. Quick Opinion: Own, especially if you like physics games. **************************************************************************** Opening Snide Remarks: The second game in the MIGHTY Franchise from Wayforward Technologies is here and so is this review! After being a bit less than impressed by Mighty Flip Champs, I entered into this one with a little bit more caution. The entire premise is changed up and there is a new "quirk" to overcome in this title. Thankfully, it seems to have taken a page from Mario Galaxy or The Little Prince in terms of setting. Onward to the review! **************************************************************************** Gameplay Description: The trick of the game this time is gravity and the physical pull of planets. You play as Luna, a green alien with the ability to "pulse" planets, walk at variable speeds, and create planets via Planet Candy. The idea of each level is to get past traps and obstacles to get to the goal. You do so by "pulsing" whatever planet Luna is currently walking on. You pulse a planet by tapping it with the stylus and causing Luna to shoot off of the planet. Jumping off of a planet twice destroys the planet. You can use the momentum caused by jumping off of a planet to put yourself into orbit around other planets. The larger a planet, the greater the gravitational pull on Luna. Some planets can be pulsed an infinite amount of times and Luna can create planets if she has collected Planet Candy. The size of the planet is determined by how long you hold down the stylus. There are additional types of planets, enemies, and obstacles to worry about. If that seems confusing, let me give you an example of what I mean through confusing SCIENCE! Think of Luna as the MOON and the planet that you are on as the EARTH. If the EARTH where destroyed, the MOON would be pushed forward by the blast and either get pulled into orbit around VENUS or orbit around MARS depending on which it is closer to. Now, pretend you could speed up or slow down the orbit of the MOON. This way, when you destroyed the EARTH, you could very quickly get to MARS, then blow it up on your way toward JUPITER. It sounds complex but it is really easy to do in the game and there is an extremely in-depth tutorial to explain it. The planet hopping is interrupted by Luna's arch nemesis and possible "special friend" T-Rex. T-Rex is a laser shooting dinosaur that follows her around in some of the levels, destroying whatever planet Luna lands on. There are also enemies on some of the planets that you have to avoid. You can also send those enemies flying by pulsing the planet they are on. The levels are pretty varied and the game does a great job of introducing new obstacles at a reasonable rate. The game does get very difficult later on, but it never spikes drastically like Mighty Flip Champs. This game also has a lot of action in it and quick timing in some of the stages. Liked: Well paced, clever, and somewhat morbid physics based fun! A fairly in depth tutorial is included to get everyone up to speed and the game progresses in a way that helps ease the player into the planet busting fun! The game is also a decent length with about 40 levels. Selecting levels involves pulsing off of Luna's home planet and then walking around a level planet until it displays the level you want. Then you destroy it with out a second thought to select that level. This means that the game mechanics are fully realized inside the MENUS as well. That is pretty cool and very seamless. Hated: There is no real incentive to go back and play through already completed levels. **************************************************************************** Graphics Description: Luna is really well animated and the graphics scale nicely as you zoom in and out of the action to plan your next planet hop. The T-Rex levels are wonderfully chaotic and the "coffee break" scenes in between each level are random and nice looking. One of the scenes shows a sleeping Luna in her room. You can see posters and stuffed animals based on Mighty Flip Champs all around her. You can also see the T-Rex peeking in her window. Yeah, there is a little bit of creepy undertones that has worked its way into this game. But scenes of Luna and T-Rex sharing a milk shake or enjoying a 3D movie are silly and seem to work with this game. The game looks nice and everything is easy to see and understand. Liked: This is a good looking DSi Ware title that uses some neat sprite scaling and has a nice, detailed art style to it. Hated: The backgrounds are a bit static. **************************************************************************** Sound/Music Description: The game has a "Vocaloid" remix of the Mighty Flip Champs theme with VOCALS in it right off the bat. Break out the headphones because Mighty Milky way has some excellent music. There are also a lot of depressing vocal phrases in French that Luna says when she fails a level. If you know French, you will be casually disturbed by the over dramatic French phrases coming out of Luna's mouth. If you do not know French, you will be just fine. Of course, you could account Luna's self deprecating French dialogue as a throw back to the humor of Woody Allen movies. I have to say that Annie Hall would have been much better if Alvy and Annie were played by a confused Cyborg T-Rex and a Green Alien who destroys planets. I feel that the best way to demonstrate this is by paraphrasing Annie Hall. All of Luna's dialogue in this short scene is EXACTLY what she says in French when you lose a life. T-Rex: "A relationship, I think, is like a shark. You know? It has to constantly move forward or it dies. And I think what we got on our hands is a dead shark." Luna: "Death is preferable to the agony of life." T-Rex: "That's how you are. Always with that Right-Wing Rock & Roller Rhetoric. You want it to be clever but it only shows what books you didn't read in Catholic Prep School." *Luna "pulses" the planet* Luna: "And the Universe has one less mouth to feed." Going back to the music, I find that the remixes of Mighty Flip Champ tunes and the new music are just excellent. This is another Wayforward game that hits it out of the park music wise. The music has a light feel to it that truly compliments the voids of space. Liked: Wonderful music and great vocal work! Hated: Luna seems to be terminally depressed. Like a Green, French, Alien Rose McGowan in The Doom Generation. **************************************************************************** Play Control/Game Design: The Directional Pad and the buttons are used to zoom in or out of a stage and increase or decrease Luna's walking speed. The rest of the game is easily controlled by the touch screen. The levels are designed to have multiple solutions and the game has some exciting challenges as the difficulty increases at a good pace. The game is based on gravitational pull and momentum. This only works if the game gets the physics down properly. Mighty Milky Way gets the physics right and the challenge levels right. Overall, I do feel that a "challenge" mode for the planets that was timed would be a good addition. Sadly, there is nothing of the sort, so it lacks a bit of replay value. Liked: Easy to control, easy to understand, open ended level design, and great use of physics! Hated: There is no incentive to go back to previous levels. **************************************************************************** Improve: Add a time attack mode and layers to the backgrounds. RIYL: If your favorite part of Super Mario Galaxy was jumping from planet to planet and abusing the gravitational pull of each planet, this is that type of fun in a side scrolling format. **************************************************************************** Final Words: Aside from the creepy, suicidal French ramblings of the main character, I found this game to be fun, charming, and challenging. I think that Mighty Milky Way is a game that needs to be experienced and played by anyone who loves physics puzzles. If I were to joke around, I could say that Mighty Milky Way is out of this world! However, I am not going to gravitate toward such low humor. **************************************************************************** Score Gameplay: *** Graphics: *** Sound/Music: ***** Play Control/Game Design: *** Value: **** Star Total: 54 Personal Opinion Merit: 22% Final Score: 76% Letter Grade: B ****************************************************************************