WiiNintendo

A WiiNintendo game review by hattrick.

Game – SimAnimals Africa
Version – DS (also available on Wii)
Time Spent Playing – 2 hours
Obtained – From EA (review copy)

Introduction
I remember back when I first started playing video games.  They did not have much of a storyline – you just jumped right in.  SimAnimals Africa for the Nintendo DS felt much like that.  You begin the game on a simple menu screen, prompting you to start a new game.  From there, the African parrot is your guide through the basic features of the game.  After a tutorial that lasts about 3 minutes, you are set free in the Meerkat Meadow.  Your basic goal is to attract animals to that area and make them happy.  Along with that, you can discover new plants and insects.  When you make enough animals happy, you unlock the neighboring area.  There are a total of 6 areas.  The ultimate goal of the game is to find all the new animals, plants, and insects; complete all the goals for different animals (i.e. getting cheetahs to have a baby); and get the mystery egg to hatch in the Jungle Ruins.

Gameplay
Let me completely open about this.  This game is primarily for two types of people – those who enjoy simulation-type games like SimCity and those who enjoy cute little African animals.  While I did get into it for a bit, it was mainly because I wanted to unlock things.  I did not have to do with the gameplay pulling me in.  In fact, I only played another 20 minutes after unlocking all the areas and the mystery egg.  By the way, if you remember how long I stated playing earlier, you will realize it does not take that long to move through the game.  While this game is primarily made for children, I do wish there was a bit of ramped up difficulty.  Through those 2 hours of gameplay, I was able to unlock 80% of the animals, 55% of the plants, 10% of the insects, 33% of the fish, 31% of the rare foods, and 30% of the goals.  It is also important to remember that I had one goal in mind as well – to get all 6 areas unlocked.  I am assuming that if I spend another 2 hours with the game, I will probably be close to completing it 100%.  Sure, for those who enjoy the cute animals, the game could continue for hours of enjoyment.  However, for those who are more about progression, you will easily complete this game in less than 6 hours.

Controls
While, at times, the controls felt great…other times, I was complaining about my hands hurting.  You control your bottom screen in 2 ways – either scroll by using the control pad, or scan the land with the stylus.  I chose the control pad the majority of the time as it felt quicker and more natural.  I also have this thing with not scratching my touch screen, which leads me to the next point.  To interact with the environment and animals, you hold down the L button and scratch the item on the touch screen.  For instance, to pet a meerkat, you motion back and forth over his back.  In fact, he will eventually roll over, allowing you to rub his belly.  Granted, you do earn different ways to interact.  One example is the ability to blow into the microphone to create wind used to shake trees and blow animals around.  Even with the added bonus controls, my left hand was feeling a bit cramped at times, trying to hold the L button, hold the DS, and shake a banana tree for a gorilla that was running away.

Visuals
The game looks good – plain and simple.  I have no complaints.  The top screen is an overall map, and the bottom screen is your close-up map.  The menu system looks like it was made in an African tribe, and the animals look similar to their real-life counterparts.  Sure, they are not realistic, but they look great for a DS game.  Some maps are a bit lifeless and colorless, but I would assume that is only because they are trying to represent what it really looks like in those areas of Africa.  Not to mention, it is up to you to create more life.

Sound
Overall, the game sounds great, as if an African tribe composed it.  As I recall, there is basically one song per map area and another for the menu system.  Some sub-maps also have their own music.  The animals also sound like they should.  In fact, many sound quite similar – enough to surprise me when the cheetah cub started growling when I picked him up to move him near a meerkat.  The only complaint I have about the sound of the game is at the beginning.  When going through the tutorial, you hear the same 2 bars of music every time you complete a task and each time the parrot talks to you, which is quite a bit.  I was definitely glad to get past that tutorial.

Concluding Overall Impressions
As a fan of simulation games or cute animals, I think you will love this game. Although it does not allow for hours and hours of gameplay, it should be satisfying for the younger audience.  However, for those hard-core gamers out there looking for an epic 30-hour-plus game, you should definitely look elsewhere.

*Please check out for my review of SimAnimals Africa for Wii by clicking here.

For gameplay video, click here.
For the developer interview, click here.

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