I already covered the basics of the Prism gameplay in my preview, so I’ll just give a quick recap for those who don’t already know about the game.
Basically, the point is to light up adorable little critters named Glowbos using the light emitted from Bulboids (think light bulbs) in a cave-like environment. Sounds simple, right? To light up the Glowbos, you need to redirect the light from the Bulboids using a variety of pieces and mirrors; pieces do things such as change light colors, split beams into two, and split beams into four distinct colors. Once again, it sounds simple, but it really isn’t.
What starts out as a simple game any child could beat (especially with the easily accessible hints) turns into a game for the most spatial of thinkers. In the beginning two or three quick moves of objects with the stylus will get the light to the starving little creatures, but later on you’re forced to move around at least a dozen objects to get light to just as many Glowbos.
In the basic game mode, you’ll attempt to make your way through over 100 mission. I say attempt, because a lot of people will just tire of the game before long. It really is a game you have to truly enjoy to play an extended amount of time. The concept may ramp up in difficulty later on, but it’s still essentially the same, and once you’ve begun hitting the harder puzzles, the constant stoppage and thinking involved will (sadly) put off a lot of people.
If you manage to clear the main mode (which involves some sort of story – I really don’t know what it is, other than something ate light) there’s a plethora of other fun modes to play. From modes which involve getting light to the Glowbos before they die to the aptly named Infinite mode, there’s something to keep you busy far past the final cave’s clearing.
What may be my favorite mode, though, is the co-op play. Competitive play is a little boring (and really no different than playing alone – you can just taunt a friend for winning) but co-op is where it’s at. In this mode, you and a friend each control a portion of the screen, and have to work together to get the light to the Glowbos. Depending on how intelligent your friend is, this could be a huge pain in the ass. I will tell you one thing, though: it certainly shows you which friends you have an unspoken understanding with.
Like many DS puzzle games, Prism’s visuals are nothing to be astounded over. You have some nice looking little Glowbos guys, some colored lines, some varying board layouts, and a few generic-looking items, and that’s it. Having originated in mobile gaming, the graphics may even be a little less than what many expect to see in a DS game. Somehow it works, though, and the simplicity of it all just adds to it.
Prism is a refreshing puzzle game on the DS, and a nice break from the various block-based puzzlers we’ve been playing the last few years. Sadly, there’s just something about it that doesn’t make most people want to keep going. I’ve had several friends try this game, and for the most part they agreed it was fun, but didn’t really want to play it more than a few minutes. If this was a little cheaper, it would be an easy buy, puzzle fan or not. At the price it’s at, though, only hardcore puzzlers or those looking for youth-friendly games for the holiday need apply. Prism may not be a game that blew me away, but it certainly is fun before you tire of it, and it’s a good title for the younger DS gamers.
