Operation: Vietnam

A slightly slow, single-player only arcade shooter. It has ten levels (plus ten bonus missions), above average graphics for a DS game, and a decent auto-aim that can't quite compensate for the fact that you can't strafe, and thus spend a lot of time running directly into enemy fire.

An enjoyable little blast through the sweaty jungles of Vietnam, with a gung-ho storyline and knowingly cheesy, Rambo-esque phrases. [Dec 2007, p.69]

The presentation shines, from the clean visuals to the seamless in-game hints and banter. Even the missions themselves are named after songs appropriate to the era, such as “Bad Moon Rising” and “Break on Through”. You don’t often see a budget DS action title that is “understated” or “cool” in any way, but I have to give it props on both counts.

The game does a pretty good job of delivering a play style reminiscent of classic top-down action games, and the addition of fun bonus missions is, well… a bonus.

As it stands it offers pretty good value. But when put alongside other games, it starts to look pretty tired.

Majesco's portable shooter is a decent distraction, but not much more.

The concept of a squad-based action/shooter done in a style similar to some of the older classics like Contra and Ikari Warriors is a fair one, but the frustrations of control and the indistinct visuals take away any potential there might have been. What you're left with is a game that's just mediocre – but the foundation is there.