Too put it simply, Whack-A-Mole on the Nintendo DS is an achievement by the human race. When asked for the greatest accomplishments of our species, some would say putting a man on the moon, putting a probe on Mars, or finding the Higgs Boson. I say Whack-A-Mole for the DS. Those who have not played the game will likely misunderstand it's majesty. Some may see it as a simple carnival gameToo put it simply, Whack-A-Mole on the Nintendo DS is an achievement by the human race. When asked for the greatest accomplishments of our species, some would say putting a man on the moon, putting a probe on Mars, or finding the Higgs Boson. I say Whack-A-Mole for the DS. Those who have not played the game will likely misunderstand it's majesty. Some may see it as a simple carnival game ported to a handheld gaming device, these are the same people who see the works of Tolkien as a simple fantasy. The beauty of Whac-A-Mole is different to every person. Some may find happiness with it's flawless gameplay. Players tap out moles in a 5X4 grid to remove them from the board, while avoiding traps, spined moles and other such hazards. While this sounds simple it soon becomes a game of strategy, with all the complexity of chess as players allot their hammers to hold forts and keep incoming Mole swarms at bay. Players cannot defeat every group of moles, and must make sacrifices and cut their losses strategically. The moles have a defined advantage over you, they can burrow beneath the ground and penetrate your defenses, giving them an easy way to remove or bypass large city gates. This makes a huge revelation in the genre, as players are tasked with allotting troops to stay behind to hold the fort.
Whac-A-Mole also has fantastic characterization. The moral struggle the humans face is touching, and provides lessons that we should implement into our own lives. The moles may be a pest, but in truth, they are an up and coming species. While it would be going against social norms to kill off a growing race such as the moles, they may overtake the human population if not properly secured. These decisions give Whac-A-Mole infinite replay value, both to see branching paths in the plotline, and to encounter new environments and gameplay options.
Finally, Activision has offered multiplayer for the game. The mutliplayer puts both players in control of an army with limited resources attempting to defend against an oncoming swarm of moles for as long as possible. The multiplayer has all the strategic and twitch depth of the single players, but also allows players to dig trenches and throw objects to slow their opponent's progress. With Whac-A-Mole Activision has turned out yet another winner of a game. It is a diverse, strategic, and morally deep game that makes huge leaps in the progress of the genre. 10/10… Expand
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