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TouchMaster (DS)

• Developer:
• Publisher: Midway
• Genre: Puzzle
• Official Website: http://www.touchmastergame.com
• Score: 4 of 5: Niche

If there ever was a title that was meant to be ported to the DS, Midway's TouchMaster is it. The tabletop machine often found in bars is a collection of over 20 simple games, easily controlled by a touchable screen. It would have taken a lot to mess up this port, but even with no crazy special features or enhancements, this title exceeded expectations.

At first glance, TouchMaster could be easily compared to Nintendo's own Clubhouse Games. TouchMaster doesn't feature online play, and the slate of games includes more unique creations than traditional pastimes. It does include Solitaire and Checkers, but it's the ones like "Hot Hoops" and "Target 21" that really make it worth playing. The game's myriad of challenges are divided into categories to be less imposing and easier to access. Most of them are hit-and-miss, but with 23 options, players are bound to find four or five that fit their tastes.

The controls are perfect. The arcade version's screen was much larger, but since the interface was designed so tipsy bar customers could still hit everything, the reduction in size doesn't hurt it. Nothing is gimmicky; everything is a simple tap of a button or card. There's no challenge to controlling the game, leaving the focus on the gamesmanship and strategy.

The ability to upload scores to the game's Web site adds a bit of competitiveness that really fuels the game. While sending the scores takes a bit too much time, it works without fail, and it's hardly mandatory. There could have been some work on it, though. The menus are clunky, and after uploading scores, there's an entirely different process to view them. Still, Midway is getting to the DS a bit later than most, and it's a good early effort. The title doesn't have single-cartridge multiplayer, but it makes up for it by including pass-around hotseat play and the ability to compete in online tournaments.

TouchMaster isn't complex or deep - it isn't meant to be. Much like Big Brain Academy provided more entertainment for the Brain Age crowd, TouchMasteris there to supplement and expand upon Clubhouse Games. It will never be anyone's favorite game, but what it will be, though, is in your DS... a lot.

Jul 17, 2007 | 0 comments
Graham Russell