Winter Sports 2009: The Next Challenge (Nintendo DS) - Review by Andrew

Introduction

We did actually mean to review this early last year but the piles of Q4 releases meant we never actually getting around to it. It's almost a year on now and given the fact that we're almost at the end of 2009, we thought we should probably give it a look. It's the right time of year too because over the next few weeks the average sports programme will be full of winter sports with everything from downhill skiing to ice-skating covered. This RTL offering just happens to feature both of these so if you wish to indulge in a bit of outdoor pursuits (without getting cold) then this may just be for you.

Gameplay

Winter Sports allows you to tackle the events in a range of different ways: a Tournament of 3, 6 or 9 events, Single or Multiplayer or just trying to beat the best time but it's the events themselves that gamers will be interested in. There are seven of these both indoor like Figure Skating and Curling; and outdoor including Bobsledding and Ski Jumping. They seem to last no time at all, although you will always be forced to play them at least twice in order to record an average score. Once you've exhausted the main game there's still the Campaign that throws you into different times scenarios with various completion criteria and the Multiplayer, which is of the 'pass around your DS variety' and not on-line.

Controls

Not unlike the original Track and Field, this is all stylus control and, while you may not get blisters on your fingers, you will require a certain level of skill.

Graphics

The visuals are a bit of a mixed bag really. The images and animation of the various athletes is really quite good but unfortunately the same can't be said of the various environments, all of which seem static and lifeless in comparison. The menu system deserves a mention because when you scroll around to select an icon but only manage to select the closest one to you it can get incredibly frustrating.

Sound

While the music isn't too bad, most of it has nothing to do with Winter Sports and appears to be something that the developers just had lying around. The sound effects are also rather average and, if it weren't for the visuals, you'd probably struggle to guess what they were.

Dual screen

Just about everything, from the menus to the various events, is controlled with the stylus so get ready for some tapping and swiping action. Most of the interaction is fairly simple with each of the separate events preceded by a tutorial. Most of the events, such as the downhill skiing, simple require you to 'set off' and then move your skier from side to side and through the games. The Skeleton Bob and Bob are similar only this time around a course. The Figure Skating involves you tracing over shapes, which are replicated by the animation, and the Speed Skating is probably the closest to a 'Track and Field' interaction with the gamers frantically pressing the button in order to win the race. The only really confusing one is the Ski Jumping, which requires a number of split second interactions, which ended with us repeatedly landing on our heads. The problem with all of these though, is managing to keep your stylus on the controls whist keeping an eye on the top screen when, unlike a more traditional control set, there's absolutely no indication that you have 'slipped off' the action other than the fact that you'll lose the event.

Final comments

Control issues aside, Winter Sports 2009 is one of the better winter game sports compilations out there (yes, we know there aren't that many). It's still not without its problems though, largely the lack of replay value, and there's a good chance that once you've completed it you'll never go back to it. Still, you are likely to find a used or sale copy now (we did mention it was a year old) so it's probably still worth a look.

Pro: Great Animated Athletes
Con: Lack of Replay Value
Final score: 5.1

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