Orcs & Elves
© 2007 Electronic Arts, Inc.
If you like fantasy/fighting games, you might like this single-player DS title. After all, who wouldn't want to explore a Dwarven fortress as a young half-elf. You get the idea -- this game isn't for everybody, and it has dated graphics. As you explore, you find treasure, weapons, and enemies, and a quest to rid a mountain of evil. You use the DS touch screen to solve puzzles, cast spells, move and attack enemies and bargain for goods. Content includes 13 weapons that are pretty much the same, making the game play repetitive. Jon (18) says, "The exploration is in first-person, and all the battles and movements are turn-based, though it feels like a real-time battle. The graphics have a somewhat realistic feel, but are animated enough to be fun." The game is worthy of its Teen (T) rating due to the violent, rather dark theme. If you like The Hobbit or Lord of the Rings, you may find this game tolerable, although one tester noted that it "seemed dated" and was "state-of-the-art 1990." Developed by Fountainhead Entertainment for EA.
$30, Nintendo DS
Teaches: logical thinking, some reading
CTR Rating: 70%