I'm all for good puzzle games and grew up playing board games like Othello, which made this game seem like a natural fit to me. However, what I found was that Polarium just didn't fit the bill for what I expect out of a decent strategy game.
Gameplay
The gameplay in Polarium is rather simple. You use the stylus to draw lines on a grid which in turn flips the color of the tiles from black to white and visa versa. The objective is to match horizontal lines of like colors which in turn clear lines from the grid. The premise of clearing these lines depends on the mode which you're playing.
In challenge mode whole rows of blocks fall onto the screen which you must clear as quickly as they appear. When the stack reaches the top of the screen you lose. Challenge mode gets harder as the paths to draw with your stylus aren't as readily obvious. In this mode you're assigned a score based on your ability to clear the lines, your ability to clear more lines with a single drawn line. Levels are separated by 100 lines to clear and you get a bonus when you clear the entire screen. This mode is very similar to most reactionary puzzle games like Tetris and Meteos. It's a very challenging mode and tough to pick up on some of the game's nuances right away.
Another mode is puzzle mode. This time you're not racing against the clock but rather just trying to figure out how to clear a screen of blocks with just one drawn line. The great thing about this mode is that you're given a border around the grid where you're free to travel around. There are 100 stock puzzles, which get progressively harder the more you complete. In addition you have the ability to create your own puzzles based on your own creativity, also there are puzzles which you can create based off designs found on the internet. I actually got a lot out of this mode as I really honed my skills while not having to worry about moving quickly. In all it took me about 6 or 7 hours to complete all 100 stock puzzles.
The final mode is versus mode. This allows you to compete against another player using their own DS to clear lines. Those lines are transferred to your opponent's screen which they in turn must complete. You win by clearing your screen first or removing the most lines before the timer runs out. In addition there are various special tiles that can affect the gameplay whether it's speeding or slowing the tiles that appear or creating obstacles in your opponent's path. In all, this mode was very enjoyable once I could find an opponent. The ability to play via download play is useful for those friends who do not have the cartridge. Still, I would have definitely preferred an internet Wifi mode.
In addition to these modes, there's a tutorial which is appreciated albeit somewhat worthless given the simplicity of the game. You can also share puzzle designs with your friends as well as a demo mode for those who do not have the game.
Overall the gameplay is enjoyable at first. The simple premise is refreshing, but in the end the gameplay gets stale after a while. Challenge mode can really become frustrating pretty quickly and Puzzle mode only lasts so long. I found a lot of enjoyment in the multiplayer game, but unfortunately it's too tough to find an opponent especially if you're an adult.
Controls
The control scheme is straightforward and takes full advantage of the Nintendo DS touch screen. However, controls are not without their annoying quirks. The controls are entirely touch screen based. Given the small tiles, you're compelled to use your stylus to draw your path. The stylus also lets you meet the potential to draw lines quickly and efficiently. Unfortunately this is submarined in the challenge mode by the shifting blocks. After flipping blocks and removing lines, there's a second or so where you can start drawing your next line before the blocks fall into place. The result is your line is shifted upwards by as many lines as you remove. This is a problem because often times you either have to account for the shift, erase your erroneous line, or submit your line really fast. The other problem is that while the blocks are falling into place, your line drawing is suspended, which slows things down even more. All of this amounts for an increased learning curve that shouldn't be and really didn't offer much of an initial impression to me.
Graphics
The graphics are nothing special, but they are practically designed. The size of the tiles is perfect. They're big enough to recognize the stylus properly, yet small enough you can fit plenty of them on a single screen. The use of the upper screen as a spillover screen is also clever too. Polarium unfortunately doesn't offer much in the way of colorful designs, backgrounds, or impressive animations. The graphical presentation could use an arcade-like facelift, but instead it's pretty stagnant. The graphics aren't much to speak of unless you like bland but effective.
Sound
The audio is in a word terrible. While the sound effects were mediocre offering little interaction with your moves, the music is what really annoyed me. The musical tracks are whiny and thoroughly unimaginative. The theme in the puzzle mode is the worst of all which is even more annoying given the solitary nature of the mode. The audio isn't a reason to avoid purchasing this game, but think of it as a warning to mute the sound and have your MP3 player handy.
Replay Value
The replay value mostly lies in the multiplayer. The multiplayer gameplay adds depth to the stale single player game. Having a human opponent as well as item tiles really helps to mix things up. I loved item tiles in Tetris DS and Planet Puzzle League and I think they thrive here. Unfortunately the multiplayer isn't very accessible. While it does have DS download play so you only need one copy, it can be restrictive if you don't have another interested DS owner nearby. The ability to create your own puzzle can also add replay value as the 100 stock puzzles can run dry rather quick. However, there are dozens of puzzles available online for you to solve.
In the end there's a decent amount of value in Polarium. For me it was a positive gaming experience that ran dry rather quickly. For the right price, I recommend picking this game up, but not to let it linger in your collection unless you really find some lasting value in it. For me, I just couldn't find much value in the game beyond about 10 hours of gameplay.
This is for Polarium (Nintendo DS). This is BRAND NEW, FACTORY SEALED! Please e-mail me for any questions before you bid. Payment must be received wit...More at eBay
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