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If you think back to GBA, most versions of console games for it turned out pretty badly. This was mainly because the GBA didn't
have the power to have nearly as many options, levels, characters, etc. However, time is relentless and now we are at the
era of the DS. Since the DS is much more powerful than the GBA and can produce much, much better 3D graphics, console to handheld
transitions work better. And Rogue Agent DS is a sure sign of that. Although it isn't perfect, it is a great version to check
out, and even keeps most of the features of the console version, and even adds some new to the mix.
What's new here?
Well, I'll just start by stating the obvious. The graphics have been reduced in quality from the console version, but they
still look pretty impressive for NDS. Anyway, onto the less 'like I didn't already guess that' things.
First off, the controls have changed quite drastically from the console version. You use the touch screen kinda like a
mouse pad, and the control pad kinda like the arrows on a PC keyboard. If you've played PC FPS games, then you should already
get the idea, but it is a bit different naturally. You use the shoulder buttons to fire (just like on Gamecube), and they
both act independantly. L is for your left gun, and R is for your right gun, you tap the gun icons on the touch screen to
reload. You can change the controls to your liking, but for me (I use DS Lite), the default control scheme is the only thing
that does me any justice. I don't really want to get too deep into explaining the controls to you button by button, let's
just say it works good.
For the actual game options, you have Campaign mode, and Virtual Training mode. Both offer a fair bit of gameplay value,
but Campaign mode isn't quite as hefty as it was in the Gamecube version. You have 6 levels, as opposed to 8. All of them
are pretty damn long though, which I thought was quite impressive, and annoying at times when my palms were sweaty and I just
wanted it to end. But, that is kinda the way all long levels are, and in the end you'll feel a deep sense of accomplishment.
Most of the levels in campaign are very faithful to the console version levels. Pretty much every part of the levels look
ripped right out of the original game, with downgraded graphics. So it isn't all that different, but that is what makes it
so impressive!
Since I can't really tell you anything else different about the campaign, let me tell you about the virtual training mode.
It is multiplayer, and has a rather large selection of characters and levels. It has every single gun from the console version,
and the ones that weren't available in MP on Gamecube, are available on DS (Longbow SR, for example)!
The catch? You have to play through campaign mode first to get all the cool MP stuff. That includes easy, normal, and
hard mode. Of course, if you're bold enough to play hard mode on your first try and beat it, then you'd get it all anyway.
It has most of the levels from the console version, but a few are missing. Luckily for me Goldengate bridge is still a level
on DS! Even though it doesn't have the wicked feel it did on Gamecube, it is still cool. But yeah, there are some new levels
on there too, and I can't remember what they are but you'll see anyway if you get the game, or already have it. You can play
virtual training with bots, which was a huge bonus for this DS version. But they are pretty stupid, even though it is nice
to have even still. But that isn't all, you can play wireless MP with your friends too! Up to 8 people can play in single-card
play, which only requires one person to own the game, and everyone else just needs to download play on their DS. The thing
is though, this mode only has one selectable level specifically designed for single-card play. It is still cool though that
so many people can play. But there is also multi-card play, which means everyone you're fighting needs to own the game as
well. This mode can only have up to 4 people playing at once, but has all the levels available, and the other stuff not in
single-card mode. No doubt about it, the virtual training mode is the biggest feature to this game, even though you can get
a blast from the campaign mode as well.
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