It may sound odd to lavish praise on a game with graphics that intentionally recall a time when graphics didn't matter. It doesn't seem like the old vector graphics were poor as much as they were just stripped down greatly from what we now enjoy. It's more and more rare to run across old titles like Asteroids in actual arcade cabinets, so most of us have to live with ports and retro gaming on whatever platform we own. Part of the love that gamers showed toward Geometry Wars when it originally released, as a mini-game and then as a download option for the Xbox, must prove that retro gaming can never die. It's not really "retro gaming" if you're playing a brand-new game, now is it? The graphics have something to do with the appeal of Geometry Wars. They are clean and fast and you get some nice special effects the likes of which we could only dream about in the olden days.

The music is slightly less evocative, unless you find Electronica and Techno evocative. I actually happen to like Electronica, but the repetition starts to wear on a person in the context of a game. Especially in the context of the small DS speakers, playing Geometry Wars Galaxies (DS) isn't exactly a supersonic sound sensation. Put headphones on and your perspective will change, which supports my theory that most of the sound and music designed into portable games is lost due to the hardware limitations. The actual sounds of the game are pretty awesome, with lots of subtle cues from enemies that tip you off to their whereabouts and activity. Reward sounds for securing awards based on high scoring are also a big piece of motivation within the game. The visuals are also nuanced more than it might seem at first glance. Actions on screen such as explosions carry some dreamy effects, and the movement of certain enemies - especially of the Snake variety - is downright hypnotic. You'll play through Geometry Wars Galaxies (DS) quite a bit and not fully appreciate the craft in its visuals and sound because you're too intent on just staying alive. And that's not a bad thing...

Those of you that have already played Geometry Wars in some form get it. You're only checking this out to decide if the DS version is worth your investment. The quick answer is yes, and no. Those of you that owned an Xbox and had your head in the sand, or opted out of the Microsoft thing entirely, are in for a great and pleasant surprise. Geometry Wars as a game has a lot in common with the retro title mentioned earlier, Asteroids. Both games hinge on very simple graphics and a style of play that involves piloting a tiny ship through a field of dangerous obstacles and enemies. The similarity really ends there for the most part. Geometry Wars as it was originally configured is featured in this DS version as Geometry Wars Retro Evolved. In the game documentation, this is the distinction between "Classic" and "New" gameplay. There are both Classic and New enemies and there are some definite differences between the two modes. Even experienced players of the original release will find lots of new things to love about the "Galaxies" version of the game.

Before we go down that hole, a word about how the game is played. Every level begins with your ship on the field, and you are quickly surrounded by enemies. Enemies move in mostly predictable patterns and you luckily have the ability to control movement and weapons independently. The enemies, when destroyed, leave behind Geoms. These act as a combination of power-up and currency. The immediate benefit gained from racking up more points through collecting Geoms is that you'll see a real difference in the power of your weaponry. After each level is complete, you'll find that the Geoms you racked up will go toward upgrading your weapons permanently. The other use for these things is to spend them on additional weapons or to open up new areas in the game. The ability to upgrade weapons between the frenzy of one level or another and then to use specific weapons according to your personal strategy and style is a nice touch.

Other nice touches include multiplayer modes and download options where you send a full copy of the original game to a friend. Like any other download, the game is only available until the destination DS is turned off. The multiplayer options allow for you to play cooperatively or competitively. In the competitive modes, you'll actually push enemies onto the other player somewhat like the block-breaking puzzle games that deliberately pressure the other player as you succeed. Playing either multiplayer option is great on a wireless platform and the ability to duel a friend without the requirement of two cartridges is especially nice. The handicap in this case is the lack of a leaderboard. Playing the single-player experience gives you a true online ranking system where you can publish your scores and pull down the latest changes. It's too bad that online multiplayer wasn't built in, but it wasn't for the Wii either, if that's any consolation. The leaderboards create a lot of replay value and will definitely spur on the more competitive gamers to keep striving. The final feature that wins brownie points is the option to connect the DS and Wii version of Geometry Wars Galaxies to unlock additional content. If you don't like the DS version enough to own it, you can always rent it long enough to enable the special content on your Wii...

The DS version of Geometry Wars Galaxies is very challenging compared to the same game on the Wii. The reason for this isn't anything so subtle as development or design. It's more the controls that fail to meet the needs of the DS gamer, unfortunately. The "big idea" for this version is that the touch-screen and D-pad combination is all that gamers need to simulate the original control scheme of two joysticks. The game really depends on two control systems working independently to give gamers the ease of moving and firing in opposite directions when necessary. The solution for DS was to assign the touch-screen one of the two controls (the default is to use touch to rotate the ship) and let the D-pad provide the rest. In theory, this should work well, but it just never gelled for me. Chalk it up to large hands, but I'm not sure. This game and a few others that have come and gone recently are pushing into strange territory where the DS involves too much physical multitasking. If you hope to avoid hand cramps, you end up doing some contortions in order to brace the system on something while you whittle away on the touch-screen. The controls are fairly tight but it never feels as good as twirling two analog sticks. The other issue more relevant to measuring difficulty against gameplay is that enemies move quick and are unrelenting in Geometry Wars Galaxies (DS). Coupled with less than ideal controls, the challenges in some levels quickly lead to frustration; you know what you should be doing and you have the reflexes to pull it off, but just can't find harmony between the touch-screen and the D-pad.

Aside from bright and simple graphics, the appeal of Geometry Wars Galaxies (DS) also stems from its simple controls. Learning the game isn't difficult and the control scheme doesn't change at all throughout the game. One element that is constantly changing and requires adjustment on your part is the drone that shadows your ship. This drone starts with a default behavior that just mirrors what you are doing. It turns out that attacking is a specific drone behavior and there are others. You can buy your way to new upgrades through collecting Geoms, so you have an interesting choice to make early into your Geometry Wars Galaxies (DS) experience. Do you upgrade one drone behavior to the max, or spread points around multiple drones? Having all the drone behaviors loaded and reasonably powered up is key to defeating certain enemies, so you'll want to invest time in some strategy. Most everything like the drone upgrade happens automagically, without your say-so and without requiring any interaction. This makes for a nice package when retro gamers don't want to manage squat; they prefer to just jump into the game. Jumping in is available, but you'll want to practice on those nice, easy planets to get a feel for enemy profiles before you face them elsewhere.

The control oddities are a killer on the DS, but not so much that a motivated player will be unable to adapt. If you've been dreaming about a portable version of Geometry Wars, this is all you've got, for now. If you just want to unlock some additional content on your version of Geometry Wars Galaxies for Wii, you might as well just rent Geometry Wars Galaxies (DS) and get the two linked up. If you have a friend and know you'll be doing lots of multiplayer, you might also be able to overlook the idiosyncrasies of this version. The bottom line is that Geometry Wars Galaxies (DS) plays well enough to please the fans and may win some new adherents through its unique brand of gameplay that has now swept the planet on almost every platform. If you have a choice and don't put too much stock in portability, the Wii version is clearly superior. For those with a compelling reason to buy the portable version, Geometry Wars Galaxies (DS) may not be Mr. Retro Right, but it will do a nice job as Mr. Retro Right Now.