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Electroplankton

EMAIL PRINT ds

6.9 User Score:

Mixed or average reviews

Based on 49 critic reviews
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Based on 33 votes
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Game Info

Publisher: Nintendo

Developer: Nintendo

Genre(s): Puzzle, Music

Players: 1

ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)

Release Date: January 9, 2006

Summary

Electroplankton is a "touchable media art" game that presents the player with "soothing music" and graphics on the DS's two screens. The game features 10 "digital planktons" that respond to players when they touch the screen or use the microphone. Planktons react by making gestures and sounds of their own. The game takes further advantage of the DS's microphone by recording and playing back sounds and voices as tunes.

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What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

100

Nintendophiles

If you have a DS, find a way to procure this game. You will find yourself mesmerized in a way that is profound, delightful and extremely satisfying. [JPN Import]

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100

Just Adventure

The ultimate DS show-off title. It looks great, it sounds great, it has near-infinite appeal to gamers and non-gamers alike. As such, it's a great reason to buy Nintendo's finest handheld to date and if it ever gets a EU or US release will no doubt be the next craze after Nintendog fever takes hold.

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Gamestyle

It's innovate, it's fun and it shows real determination from Nintendo to show exactly what makes the DS stand out from the rest, and for that reason alone you should show your support. DS game of the year? No doubt. Electroplankton is simply an essential DS title.

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Cheat Code Central

It's a freestyle experience that allows one to unlock his or her creativity without fear of judgement. It can be totally engrossing and incredibly relaxing.

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My Gamer

This is probably the game that should come bundled with the DS, but if you have an ounce of creativity, you owe it to yourself to order Electroplankton.

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Deeko

Electroplankton is not a game in any sense of the word. It is art, plain and simple.

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Nintendo Power

The only flaw is that once you've played a little Electroplankton, you'll want more. Ten kinds of musical creatures, especially such little masterpieces, can stimulate you for only so long. [Feb 2006, p.99]

Nintendojo

If you find yourself even slightly interested, do yourself a favor and give Electroplankton a chance. It is not an experience you'll likely ever come across again. [JPN Import]

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The Onion (A.V. Club)

Like those children's books that make noise or the shiny gum wrapper you can't stop folding and unfolding, Electroplankton is strangely addictive and impossible to keep your hands off once you've started playing.

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GameBrink

It doesn't take any time to learn how to play. You can spend a lot of time playing with each species, but it's easy to burn out on the game if you play it constantly right after you buy it.

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GamePro

It comes as a nice surprise to encounter a DS game brimming with originality and imagination.

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Edge Magazine

This stands as software that will give back to the user as much as they are willing to put in. Without goals, with nothing there to ‘win’, Electroplankton is its own reward. [June 2005, p.93]

Modojo

Toshio Iwai has captured this very special desire, our need to express ourselves... Silky smooth to the touch, Electroplankton tantalizes the senses. [JPN Import]

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GameCube Europe

Electroplankton’s value is very difficult to quantify, and on its own terms succeeds in what it set out to achieve- a ‘touchable media art’ piece of software (creator Toshio Iwai’s words) and in that context it is difficult to find fault with it.

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PALGN

It's too much of a great piece of software to pass by undetected. So for those interested, import if need be, but do not miss out.

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Games Radar UK (Pre-2006)

With a beautifully simple interface and very loveable creatures, Electroplankton won't fail to put a smile on your face - and isn't that what really counts? [GamesMaster]

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Gamers Europe

Others, and I include myself in this group, will love it for being new, unique, different, and just a wholly enjoyable experience that offers something original every time you come back to it.

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Yahoo! Games

We've seen non-games like this before; the Dreamcast's "Seaman" comes to mind. Typically, they're fleeting novelties that burn out quickly. Electroplankton feels different, simply because it offers too much choice and unexpected surprises.

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1UP

An incredibly subjective experience, and it certainly won't be to everyone's liking. Yet at its best, the game turns Nintendo's DS into an odd spin on the iPod -- an intimate, portable, personal musical experience that shifts and changes each time you touch the screen.

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eToychest

As brilliant and unique as Electroplankton is, there just isn't enough here to keep most players – myself included – entertained for more than a few minutes before moving on.

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GameBiz

This is exactly the kind of thing that the DS was created for. Excellent, unique, fun, you'll never have so much fun with fish (unless you want to play Seaman on the Dreamcast). [JPN Import]

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N-Insanity

Electroplankton is also one of those games for people looking for a change in game design or a form of innovation.

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Thunderbolt

I’m not talking about overcomplicated leveling systems, highly technical handling, hardware connectivity, or any of that other crap that’s being pushed on us. We already have everything we need: Our ears, creativity and sense of rhythm. Case in point: Electroplankton.

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BonusStage

As much as I love and appreciate all that is unique and wonderful about Electroplankton, there simply isn’t enough lasting appeal provided here in order for me to muster up the must-buy recommendation I really do want to give this title.

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Da Gameboyz

I also think that the omission of a save feature also a big disappointment considering what kind of work can go into making music.

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Pelit (Finland)

Mesmerise, hypnotise, electroplanktonise. It is beautiful and captures your heart, but only for a half an hour. [Mar 2006]

GameCritics

Videogames this ain't. Art it might be. But what is it? Electroplankton is. And that's all it sets out to be.

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GameZone

Electroplankton isn’t an acquired tasted. Come to think of it I’m not sure there’s a gamer out there that this was designed for.

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GameSpot

Electroplankton is an interesting experiment in both music and game design, but its reliance on the novelty of something different limits its lasting value.

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Gamer 2.0

But beyond the blurring of the lines and the unceasing debate, one thing is for certain; Electroplankton is unquestionably art.

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Game Informer

Unfortunately, most of the forms are just too random and arbitrary to be really compelling. [Feb 2006, p.113]

WHAM! Gaming

This is a one-of-a-kind title that could only be done on the Nintendo DS, but this melange of musical marine life won't be everyone's cup of sea water.

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IGN

But without the helping hand of the developer to offer some set goal or accomplishment, it ends up a smidge too shallow and empty to really be something as fulfilling as a final Nintendo DS product.

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GameSpy

Unfortunately, unless you're extremely into music making, your fun will run out before too long. The inability to save anything really hurts as well.

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GamerFeed

This is a game that's been created for the weirdos of the world interested in a game like no other.

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Siliconera

Electroplankton doesn't provide thrills as much as it stimulates creativity. One major disappointment is that while Electroplankton does promote art, it doesn't allow you to save anything. [JPN Import]

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Maxim Online

And while it's more of a tech demo than a test of reflexes, after a long day of crime and combat, it's just what your overworked thumbs need.

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NGamer UK

It's too superficial to be more than a curiosity and not versatile enough to have real mileage, but it has a magical quality that'll put a smile on the faces of all who touch it. [Aug 2006, p.64]

Digital Entertainment News

This is not a game, but it's also not the audiovisual tool Nintendo would like you to think it is. It's a toy, and it won't hold your attention for too long.

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Times Online

This gentle time-waster is a relaxing antidote to intense shoot ’em ups.

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Computer Games Magazine

What you see--or more specifically, what you hear--is exactly what you get. [Apr 2006, p.91]

GameShark

The concept of the game if really neat, but when it is put into play, it disappoints. It ends up feeling like it is a side game to a larger game, like a little bonus unlockable.

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Electronic Gaming Monthly

Electro-plankton might have been more engaging if it gave you goals, such as coming up with a certain number of notes in a given amount of time or having to replicate songs and riff on them. It should, at the very least, have allowed you to save your work; instead, your musical creations are fleeting and forgettable.

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Detroit Free Press

Me, I like Electroplankton, if simply because it took some guts to make it. I just wish there was more to do than peer at the screen and say, "Like wow, man. Heavy."

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AceGamez

This one is unfortunately destined to drown in the pool of DS tech-demos and toys, as a great idea that never reached its potential.

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Game Revolution

Despite its innovation, charm and style, the glaring functionality omissions render it impotent. You turn it on, draw out some cool sounds for a couple minutes, and then shut it off wondering why you can't save anything.

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Gaming Age

I’m all for original games that tap the creative juices of its players. I even like music games. Unfortunately, Electroplankton serves up 30 minutes of decent fun, but then the party’s over. There simply isn’t enough to do, not enough options to explore, and the experience is cut short way too fast.

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netjak

To conclude, there's no game here, limited staying power, and no real incentive for you to buy this game. In fact, it looks, feels, sounds, and plays like something a programming major might make in Flash. My recommendation: Trick your buddy into buying the game and borrow it once.

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Stuff

Pretentious bullsh.t. Playing with tiny, microscopic things. Paying $35 for a game that's suckier than the free games that came with your cellphone.

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What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this game is 6.9 (out of 10) based on 33 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Bud gave it a9:
Awesome and captivating. I don't know who wrote the review from "Stuff", but they're obviously not looking hard enough.

Chris D gave it a4:
A fun and creative time killer, but not much more. Unfortunately small and limited. I loved it dearly for about a week and never touched it again.

DJ T gave it a4:
"Eh"... that's all i can say. It's pretty, it's neat, it's cool... but for maybe 6 minutes. Otherwise, you'll put it away and never touch it again. So you make sounds and neat things happen on the screen with the stylus. Then what? Oh yeah... you'll go back to gamestop and get another game to play.

Harry N. gave it a10:
It's more captivating than anything... draw, fling, spin, shoot, dazzle, yell, clap, sing, and record into the most musical, addicting game ever. More replay value than any Mario, Pokemon, or Mario Party game out there. If you ever thought of joining a band or being a singer, you need this game. It increases your rhythm a tonne and a half, not to mention how appealing the ElectroPlankton look for every age and gender.

HoffaH gave it an8:
Very cool concept. It's not really a game, but a chill interactive experience. At first I thought I would get bored, but once I got started I didn't want to stop. Basically, you compose music in a semi-intentional and semi-accidental fashion. I got REALLY into it. Very relaxing yet somehow engaging. Beautiful art. Play with a good set of headphones for the best experience.

John B. gave it a10:
Electroplankton shouldn't be approached as a game... I'll give a few thoughts/justifications here as to why there is no save feature and why the game does indeed have replay value. Electroplankton provides a rewarding musical experience by enabling easy access to creating relatively complex music, structured and unstructured, depending on which plankton you use. Even those who have no musical inclinations can feel the reward of this game, and it is truly great that the sensation of creating melody can be provided so easily for such people who are willing to appreciate it through something like Electroplankton. There is no save feature in this game, and there is a point to that. The game is really only meant for creative stimulation... It forces you not to linger on existing ideas, making every Electroplankton unique. For those really, really concerned with saving, there are two ways to do it. One, plug your DS into your computer via the headphone jack... This can be done using a cheap male/male wire, and recording can be done through a simple mic recorder built-in to the computer, or it can be done on complex recording software. The other alternative is some of the game's built-in features. For example, when 'A' is pressed in the Hanenbrow setting (adjustable leaves on plants in the water that plankton bounce on to make different notes), markers appear on the screen indicating the exact location, in degrees, of the leaves. Also, with Luminaria (the plankton that follow arrows with changeable direction), you can simply write down the arrow positions, and when you come back to the game, just recreate the previous situation, though it can take a little time. Even though I only play this game now for about fifteen to twenty minutes at a time, I'll sometimes become completely mesmerized for upwards of one or two hours. Playing with the various plankton is almost like listening to an album... Each plankton being a track. Sometimes, you only want to hear the hits, or your favorite at the time, but sometimes, you will want to get the experience of the entire album. While I may not always play Electrolpankton for a long time, I can honestly say that I play it more regularly than any of my other DS games, and overall I have probably played it most of all as a result of that. Electroplankton is not a game to get psyched up to play. You may get bored a little quickly if you have ADHD or just drank eight Red Bulls and popped a few Viagra... In other words, the best time to play would be in some down-time. Play before bed, or when getting up in the morning. When used at the appropriate time, the game can be mesmerizing and relaxing, and will generally just put you in a great state of mind. I recommend this game to anyone with an open mind... Even if it isn't opened very wide.

J Max gave it a10:
Ignore the philistines. This is not a game, and if you approach it that way, you won't like it. In fact, I'd go so far as to say this is the first piece of interactive art ever released on the Nintendo DS. It's art in the same way that John Cage used transistor radios to create music. It could very well end up being a watershed title...it might end up being the first true art in an interactive medium. Imagine if an artist like Christo or a composer like Xenakis (if he wasn't dead) was to write a program for a game machine! If it happens, we may look back and see Electroplankton as the first! Buy this now!

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