I’ve always liked the Digimon series. The monsters are arguably cooler and the show’s plots were pretty engaging for a kid’s series. What I didn’t like were the games, which never really “got it” and always went in the wrong direction, allowing it to become even more enveloped in the shadow of Poke’mon. Digimon World DS is one of the first games in the series that does what it has needed to do for the last few years.

Digimon World DS’s visuals are pretty basic, though they get the point across. The entire game gives off a very SNES vibe, which I personally enjoyed. However, the game still looks like a GBA game, which is probably an indication of where the game began its life. The DS has potential to be a monster when it comes to 2D, so static monsters and basic overlays for attacks is disappointing. Still, everything is big, bright and has the Digimon look like they’re supposed to, which is all that really matters to the game’s audience.

Sound, on the other hand, is really, really good. There’s no voicework or that many sound effects, but the soundtrack is awesome and reminiscent of some of the 16-bit era’s stand-out soundtracks.

You begin Digimon World DS as either a young boy or girl who, while investigating digital monsters (or Digimon) on the Internet, receives a strange invitation to see Digimon for yourself. Before you know it, you are sucked into the Digital World, given your own companion monster and Digivice, and branded a Digitrainer.

The first few minutes are spent going through every aspect of the game. You’ll learn about battles, collecting Digimon for your Digifarm, evolution… if it is in the instruction manual, you’ll find it here. If you manage to get past the interactive instruction book, you’ll find a solid, enjoyable monster collection game.

Digimon World DS feels a lot like the Poke’mon series, but with a few tricks of its own. One of the main differences is that Digimon is a little more quest-based. You are always going somewhere and never just roaming around just to pick fights with random people. Even with the added focus, there is still a lot of roaming, especially when you come across dungeons, which are sparse and not all that interesting.

Another addition is that you can build relationships with your monsters by talking to them. By talking to them, you can lower their stress levels (which makes them more reliable in battle). Sometimes you can even unlock quests that will net you Trainer Points.

Points lead to another difference. Rather than teaching moves to your party, you can equip them with armor and weapons, similar to a traditional RPG. By equipping items, your Digimon can learn new abilities. The system is flexible and allows for more customization. There are, however, limits to who can equip which items.

As you defeat other Digimon, you earn data. Once you’ve acquired enough data, you can convert the data into a new Digimon. This method has its advantages and disadvantages. You never have to worry about running out of room since you can transfer your creations to the Digifarm; however, it does make it harder to nab rare Digimon since you’ll have to seek out and defeat them multiple times.

While in your Digifarm, your Digimon train and gain experience. Digimon on your farm don’t gain as much experience as the ones in your party, though you’ll never run into the problem of not having the “right type” at a high enough level if the situation calls for it. The downside is that a good Digifarm costs money, so unless you’re willing to shell out big money, you won’t be able to support some Digimon or train them properly.

Your Digimon will eventually evolve into stronger versions. Digimon takes a different approach to evolution. You not only get to choose when your monsters evolve, but can choose between multiple evolved versions if you wait to meet certain conditions. It is usually in your best interest to create multiple copies so you can get all of the evolved versions.

Digimon World DS also offers both WiFi and LAN multiplayer options. WiFi is, unfortunately, limited to Digi-matching – which lets you breed your Digimon with your friends, producing Digi-eggs. LAN options include battle and trading. The game’s younger audience takes some of the sting out of the lack of competitive online modes. It isn’t hard to imagine young kids joining WiFi battles, though I imagine most would rather battle with friends from school and around the neighborhood.

Your success in Digimon World DS rests solely on how well you build your team. Not only does this mean choosing the right equipment and making sure your monsters get plenty of experience, but also keeping them happy. If your Digimon are unhappy, they won’t be as effective in battle. It is in your best interest to complete any quests they offer, especially since they lose happiness when they die in battle.

One of the downsides is that none of your Digimon earn healing abilities, leaving you to rely on the items you have in stock. Battles can get rough, especially in later parts, so even if you team is happy and well equipped, there is still a chance that your party will go down. To make matters worse, if you die in a dungeon, you are required to restart it from the beginning. At least you have the option of saving anywhere.

Combat feels more like a traditional RPG. You can have up to six Digimon in your party at any time with three showing up on the battlefield. Battles aren’t overly complicated and are based around a simple to use set of commands on a menu. You can change the order of your party. There’s nothing here that hasn’t been going on in turn-based RPGs for years, though I’m not complaining since there’s no need to needlessly overcomplicate things.

The touch screen is used, though sparingly. Touching the screen allows you to pull off attacks a little quicker than by pressing buttons; it is more for convenience than anything else.

As you might expect, Digimon World DS is great for Digimon fans or anyone waiting for a monster collection game to occupy their time until Poke’mon Diamond and Pearl are released.