(Pros/Cons at the end)
I never played the first Scribblenauts. I recall the buzz it made at E3 2009 with its write-anything, create-anything gameplay, but I just never got around to buying it.
That's a good thing, though, because Super Scribblenauts is the perfect entry into the series for first-time scribblers. With revamped controls, improved physics, and the addition of adjectives, Super Scribblenauts is probably what the first game should have been all along.
The game puts you in the shoes of Maxwell, who must solve puzzles and overcome obstacles with the help of--well, virtually anything you can think of. The crux of Scribblenauts is the notepad, where you can write anything that comes to mind--be it a ladder, a tiger, a gun, a panda, and so on--and see it (usually) come to life in the game world.
This, as you can imagine, opens up a wealth of creative possibilities. One early puzzle in the game tasks you with making a lion go to sleep. A possible solution is to write in "moon," which summons a moon and turns the sky dark, allowing the lion to sleep. Another solution is to summon a tranquilizer gun and shoot the lion with it. You can even write in "sleepy meat" and feed it to the lion, who will become sleepy in turn.
This is where adjectives come into play. From what I've heard about the first game, you could only summon objects, which in itself is a powerful idea. But here, you can give life to the craziest corners of your imagination: a vampiric, purple, striped, floating, friendly panda is not out of the question. Whether that panda will give you any use toward any of the game's 120 levels is another issue, but it's something you can play with endlessly in the game's "sandbox" title screen.
The story levels themselves range from genuinely brainteasing to somewhat uninspired. The aforementioned "sleepy lion" level is an early standout, while another level in which you have to summon specific types of food is merely so-so. The game shines when it encourages you to discover strange solutions, but it falls when the answers are limited to obvious outcomes.
That's why the title screen sandbox is such a gamesaver. When you're itching to stretch your creative muscles, or to test the game's dictionary, you're free to summon all sorts of things and see how they play out in the game's world. You can create, erase, and create all over again to your heart's content. Put Santa Claus on a friendly winged velociraptor, if you wish.
Scribblenauts is flexible in that its levels are all bite-sized affairs, easy for those playing on the go, and yet there's enough of a pull from the core creative gameplay that you can sit for hours and still not get bored. Even so, those 120 levels will go by quickly, so Scribblenauts certainly isn't an epic game. But it's thankfully extended by the option to replay most levels in "advanced" mode, where you have to complete a level three times in a row by using different objects each time. You can re-use the same objects from the very first time you played the level, so really you're coming up with two new solutions, not three, but that probably makes it easier on the brain in some instances. I just wish I could turn off the hint pop-ups in advanced mode--I don't need to be told to do the same objective three times in a row.
Overall, Scribblenauts is a great, fun--and funny!--game. I'm giving it four stars because it stands as an extremely solid title, but a few issues (like only being able to share custom levels with friends) prevent it from the legendary greatness of a five-star game. Even so, this is one of the coolest games for the DS, and it's suitable for all ages. It's even a great title for parents to bond with their children by solving puzzles together and giving suggestions to the youngsters on what to summon. Highly recommended.
Pros:
+ This is a great first point of entry into the series. Since there's no real plot, you can start this game without needing to have played the first Scribblenauts.
+ The achievement-like Merit system is an addictive way to encourage you to try certain things in the game, and Merits can be earned even in the title screen sandbox.
+ Buying costumes for Maxwell is a lot of fun. You can play as a girl, if you want to, even though you're still technically Maxwell in disguise.
+ The game offers purchasable hints if you're really stumped in a level, and these hints will even unlock on their own if you wait long enough.
+ Adjectives. I can't imagine playing Scribblenauts without them!
+ Two different control schemes: stylus only, or the d-pad/buttons. Both schemes are lefty-friendly.
+ The custom level creator is fun and very easy to use.
+ Most levels aren't timed, giving you room to think.
+ 3 save slots, so multiple people can enjoy this game without stepping on each other's toes.
+ The in-game dictionary is impressive. You can summon a surprising range of things, and they'll be relatively accurate. (I was very surprised to find I could create a Teratorn.)
+ This game will make you actually reach for a dictionary just to see what kinds of fun things you can summon. A great way to expand vocabulary and sharpen spelling!
+ In-game spelling suggestions can lead you to new, strange objects.
Cons:
- Custom levels can only be shared with friends. I can only imagine how long the life of this game could be extended if the developers let people share levels with the world.
- Some of the story levels are uninspired.
- Not every object behaves as it should, or as you'd expect it to. Some objects are copies of others, or are otherwise useless.
Recommended for:
* Creative children (probably ages 6 and up, because you need to know basic spelling and language to effectively play the game).
* Creative adults (who will totally feel their inner child awaken as they play this game).
* People who want some novelty in their games.
* People who haven't played the first Scribblenauts and want another great title for their DS.
Things to note:
* This game,
Super Scribblenauts, is the second game in the series.
Scribblenauts is the first game. Their boxes and titles are very similar, so pay close attention if you're purchasing this as a gift for someone.