SCRIBBLENAUTS UNLIMITED - 3DS
Let me begin by stating I adored the first Scribblenauts but had problems with the controls making me move when I wanted to grab something or visa versa. Super Scribblenauts I cannot say a bad thing about as it went above and beyond the first game with new features, co-op and fixing the control issues of the first game. If you are a fan of the series, then I highly suggest you avoid the 3DS version of Unlimited.Scribblenauts Unlimited, unlike the predecessors, has a story that is actually tied into the other games and quite well at that! Also, unlike the predecessors, it has almost absolutely no replay value. The storyline consists of Maxwell and his sister obtaining each a gift from their elder family members. Maxwell gets his notebook and his sister gets a similarly magical and wondrous item. Stuff happens and the story explains why Maxwell begins using the notebook for helping people, what the starites do, and a lot more, actually, considering it was only two very short cinematics. I know I am being vague here, but please forgive me as I am trying to not ruin the only thing I found enjoyable about this game.
The graphics fit right at home with the first two game so aside from those two short cinematic storyboards I mentioned, don't expect anything 3D for a 3DS game. I honestly do not know why they didn't make it a regular DS game as I am certain that the cart could have held a LOT more information even on the DS considering this game utilizes the same graphics and far less features than the second game in the series. Everything is still easy to see and has a nice cartoony look to it as always. Even when things are clutter-some you still are able to make all objects out without a hassle.
The sounds, like the graphics, are pulled from the first two games with slightly remixed Scribblenauts theme music for when objectives are cleared. This is not bad, don't get me wrong. Sometimes consistency is nice and I was pleased with it here.
Gameplay... this is where Scribblenauts Unlimited falls in score drastically. Much like in the sequel you can add adjectives to your words to create more detailed descriptions and vary your puzzle solving ways. However, the 3DS does not have the new editor mode the PC and Wii U versions both have where you can customize the looks of nearly every item in the game piece by piece. The co-op mode that the Wii U has is also lost here and non-existant. Remember the level editor of the second game? Yeah, that is all it is; a memory. Remember how in the first two games you had an objective and the game made you repeat it several times without using the same object more than once to solve it? That is lost as well. What this game has is a lot of little tasks that pretty much can be solved by using one of about 20 different object words and about 6 adjectives. That isn't an exaggeration as I literally just finished one-hundred percenting the game in a total of about ten hours and I can name them all off.
So, as Maxwell or one of his many siblings that you unlock along the way - nothing to buy things with this time - you go from level to level doing odd tasks for people as usual. Typically there are eight starite shards - ten shards makes a starite - given on every map by doing eight easy and fast quests which sometimes don't even involve anything more than tapping the character to finish and at least ten I solved simply by passing by an object without having checked the quest beforehand. I was working on a different quest, passed by something and completed another one. It caught me off guard every time as they were never expected.. Every map also, typically, has one or two full starite quests which are a bit harder but still won't make you think in order to complete. These starite quests place Maxwell in a position where he must build something piece by piece, help a line of people one at a time, or ward off predators with a weapon. Just as the shard quests, most require an obvious food or article of clothing. For example, one starite quest early one had me serve food at a restaurant for five odd customers, One of the customers was a vampire looking for a rep0lacement for blood. I fed him an entire bottle of Corn Oil to which he loved and then replied "Thank you! that was delicious! Thank you for showing me a friendlier alternative!" which immediately made me think "Oh my God! I made a vampire that runs on ethanol!". So you collect the starites and shards and every so many you talk to your sister to unlock new areas. Collect sixty and you beat the game. There are one-hundred six in total of full starites to collect and if you do it only unlocks two more character skins - that is it. Useless by that point considering the lack of reason to want to play the game any more. The world is happy and unless you tell the levels to reset they stay as you left them.
One new feature that was added was annoying only for the simple fact of navigating to see the objectives was tiring. They have Shard Objectives, which are little clues that give you a shard if you solve the riddle. for example, use and instrument to charm an animal. Okay, so obviously give Maxwell a flute and play it near a snake. To see the objectives you pause the game, choose SHARDS, click a tab to see Shard Objectives, then pick one of several categories that each has their own thirty or so objectives for. The one I mentioned was under music, so click music and begin tapping an arrow left or right to find ones you have not done. As you will most likely not end up doing over ninety percent of these even when you have completed all NPC quests, you are going to get annoyed at having to navigate this way each time. And no, you can't hit the left arrow to go to the last in the list - if the last one in the category is what you need and there are forty two in that category then you are poking that right arrow forty-two times. The objectives have little fun names which did amuse me and made me wonder if the programmers only added these objectives simply to reference other games and movies or songs. Make a silver hammer for our hero Maxwell and have him hold it to get "BANG-BANG!" - an obvious Beatle's reference which may be lost on the target audience especially if they are not using Maxwell at the time. A lot of them are named after internet memes or classic lines.
To sum things up, as a stand alone this game is so-so with little to no (for me none) replay value. As part of the Scribblenauts series it is a decent game for a beginner new to the games, but why would you want it when you can pick up the first or even the amazing second game for cheaper and they both work in all DS, DSi, and 3DS systems? As part of the series I would give this game a 2 or 3 out of 10. As a stand alone I give it a 5 out of ten.
Scribblenauts Unlimited for 3DS - certainly nothing to scribble home about!
