Scribblenauts!

[helioseclipsed]

I can't believe I haven't seen a thread for the DS game Scribblenauts on here yet. It comes out next week!


I can't be the only one who knows about it, but for those not in the know, it's a game that lets you type in any noun you can think of, and POOF, there's the object. Even works for some proper nouns (mostly long established people like Einstein, not really anyone modern from what I understand).

The graphics are cartoony, but it's the concept of the game that attracts so. Different objects have different behaviors. One of the coolest scenarios I've seen demonstrated: create a "Villain" (who instantly tries to muscle up on you), then a "Full Moon," which, when placed in the sky makes in night. Under the full moon, the villain turns into a werewolf, making it much more dangerous. Then, the player creates a "time machine" which he hops into and is instantly transported to medieval times. On stick of dynamite later, and there's a broken bridge, an injured knight, and a dead horse. Time to escape back in the present.

Of course, you can sit the action out too, and just let Cthulhu battle God, but let God have the upper hand by giving him a shotgun and a skateboard to ride.

Seriously, the game is ridiculous. Comes out Tuesday, and I'm so there it hurts.

[PoolMan]

I have heard of Scribblenauts, and I admit the word finding is mighty impressive. I hear it's pretty tough to find an item it doesn't know.

But I have a tough time wrapping my head around whether it's going to be a fun game, or perhaps whether it'll even be a game at all. I'm going to let it come out and wait a while, see what the community thinks. I'm not sold yet.

[Al]

I dunno, Pooly. It recognizes the word 'philosoraptor.' That almost makes it an instant purchase.

[helioseclipsed]

The crux of the "game proper" (the part with levels with endings and maybe awards or something) is a series of open ended objectives that you can solve in any way you can think of. Bonus achievement is there for solving them multiple times never using the same items.

But the appeal for me is the quintessence of sandbox gameplay. This may not have miles of land like a GTA game, but for all its size, there's a limit to what you can do in those games. Mostly a choice between running around and fighting or jumping into some kind of vehicle to move more quickly. When you weren't on missions in those games, there was never any destination to aim for. I had great fun with those games, but only from a destructive standpoint.

Scribblenauts literally lets you play the game before even leaving the start menu. You can just play there and conjure, mix, match, and experiment with anything right from the get go. It seems to me that the only limit in terms of having fun with it is something between your imagination and how interesting the interactions can be.

Also, the Philosoraptor entry is in fact there. In the video, the game character rode him for a while. To bizarre truths, presumably.

[coccatino]

unrelated to actual thread topic but Pooly- I Love your new signature image.

[BlackCatWhiteCat]

Haha. I totally agree. I'm gonna go out of my way to show it to my husband when he gets home from deployment in a few days.

[PoolMan]

Yes! I KNEW a horrible philosopher/artist/ninja turtle mashup sig would get the ladies!

[Al]

Okay, so I splurged and picked up Scribblenauts. Verdict so far: pretty darn cool. It doesn't have *every* word in the dictionary, but the selection is still pretty impressive and the game rewards you for being creative, which I like.

I can see the puzzles maybe getting stale by the end of the game, especially because the movement controls are a bit imprecise, but right now color me impressed.

Favorite bit so far: I summoned the Stairway to Heaven, knocked on the door, and God came outside. Ha!

[dex]

Woah!

[Rett Mikhal]

Does it have the greatest weapon ever made?

[PoolMan]

Ack, wish I'd tried "Sharkapult" before I traded it in.

But trade it I did. The control just snapped my brain. Amusingly (but not surprisingly), the trade value on one of the most keenly awaited DS games of the year a mere two weeks after it came out? 10 bucks. I'd say the industry has rejected this game, big time.

[helioseclipsed]

Sadly, I have to agree. I got about halfway through the levels before deciding that the feature was a great concept that deserved a much better game to be built around it. I did have a good amount of fun with the open field before the menu screen, just messing around, but the novelty wore off after a bit when I realized just how limited the action really is.

But really, $10 a month after release? I actually sold mine to a friend who wanted to try it out (though not for $30), so he paid less than if he even bought a used copy, and I got plenty more, so I guess I'm lucky he wanted it.

Definitely some squandered potential though.

[PoolMan]

This is one of those instances where I get extremely frustrated with gaming media, especially IGN. They spent months hyping and hyping Scribblenauts, gave it a 8.7 review, and THEN, two full weeks after the release, they write this.

For all intents and purposes, the second article review reads like a 6.0 review. It's much closer to the truth of what people seem to be experiencing. If this article had run the same day as the review, I probably wouldn't have bought the game (which I'm sure is the point).

Blargh. "Journalism" by popularity and publisher pressure.

[TheOogieBoogieMan]

Just wanted to share:

Like a bunch of us, I got frustrated by Scribblenauts's tough controls and put the game, like Baby, in the corner. But I gave it another shot after upgrading to the DSi XL, and guys, I feel like the game redeemed itself. Having a bigger touch screen means more precise controls, and while it's not perfect, Scribblenauts is much more playable now.

I'm not saying everyone who bought Scribblenauts should go spend 200 or so bucks to make it playable, but still...silver lining?

Also: Super Scribblenauts! Now with adjectives!