Pipe Mania

Publisher: Empire Interactive
Developer: Razorworks
Genre: Puzzle
Release Date: September 29, 2008
Platforms: Playstation 2, Playstation Portable, Nintendo DS, Wii, PC

Reviewer: Eric

Old school gaming has been making a come back as of late. From Mega Man to the ongoing Castlevania series on the Nintendo DS, there are plenty games for gamers to rave about. One of the most beloved puzzle games of the 80s is making a come back and the Nintendo DS version is great.

Pipe Mania first appeared in 1989. This time around the game has been update, both graphically and gameplay wise. The story to the new version is not the best though. Pirate plumbers? Oh it gets better, all I have to say is the best plumber in town is spending out his kids to do his dirty work. Crazy I tell you, CRAZY!

If you want to talk about the most random storylines in video game history then Pipe Mania would be on the top of your list, it is just crazy.

The stylus is perfect for a game like this. Placing pipes is quite simple, making this Nintendo DS really enjoyable when it comes to using the stylus. As of late most games either don’t use the touch screen or they over use it, causing the game to be real bad at the early stages.

As the game progresses the stages will get harder. You’ll have to use different pipes to overlap each or you have to avoid certain objects that might be in your way. That might sound simple, but then you have to use so many successful pipes in order to win. Early on in the game this isn’t a problem but later on the stages will become extremely challenging, just like the games in the past use to be.

One of the neat things about this game has to be the in game treasure chests you can unlock, almost like achievements. You can unlock new characters all the way to new music. This is a great way to keep the games life span going on for quite some time. Most puzzle games just stick to the basics, but Pipe Mania goes way above the call of duty.

There are a few different games modes, but in the end most of them are the same thing. The two game modes that are really worth while are the story mode and the basic arcade like mode. I wish there was some online play or multiplayer matches, but for $20 you really can’t complain too much.

Final Verdict
Pipe Mania is by far one of the best puzzle games on the Nintendo DS. For what you pay for there is enough in this game to keep you occupied for weeks, maybe even months. Fans of the original game will fall in love all over again while new puzzle gamers will find out what they missed out in the past. I highly recommended this game to anyone that enjoys puzzle games.

Rating
8.75 out of 10