Posted: Sunday 12th October 2008

Spore is the new game from The Sims creator Will Wright. Whilst the game is making waves on the PC, DS fans are treated to a version tailored specifically for the Nintendo handheld. Spore Creatures attempts to capture the spirit of the PC title whilst offering a different gaming experience for DS gamers.

The PC version of Spore is open-ended, much like The Sims, but for the DS the game is given a tighter storyline. Controlling one creature, you get to explore a planet whilst constantly evolving. As you explore the landscapes, you find a variety of bodyparts that you can use to evolve your creature. The bodyparts enable you to do different things and often you have to use trial and error before you find the right combination to suit your need. You need to constantly evolve to ensure that you are capable of fighting enemies and navigating the different terrains. Without the right bodypart you may find yourself getting incredibly stuck so always think about what your creature is missing to overcome any barriers.

The main attraction of Spore Creatures is the rather impressive creature creator. You can literally spend hours making your creature look mightily impressive, and as we found this can end up being detrimental to what you actually need to achieve in the game. The bodyparts can be attached absolutely anywhere on the creature so you can make some real nasty looking Frankenstein's monsters if you wish. The flexibility of the creature creator is impressive but there are some flaws with it. You can't dictate what sits on which level and sometimes you'll want to put a mouth on the creature but it can't be place on top of another bodypart. This is a little frustrating but it's certainly not a deal breaker.

If you prefer your games a little more linear, then Spore Creatures is the version of Spore that you should buy. The game offers a much more linear adventure than the PC version and it isn't anywhere near as open-ended. That said there is much fun to be had here and hours worth of gameplay. The creature creator will keep you busy enough but once you get stuck into the game you'll be on it for hours. Spore Creatures isn't as impressive, visually or otherwise, as Spore but for a DS game it's a must-have for your collection.