Wow, I never realized this was possible on the DS.

I've spent a good amount of time playing ds games. I'm a huge RPG game fan so much so that I've gone back and played my very first RPG game several times over the many many years just to reminisce. Usually I prefer to play RPGs on my computer or console system as to be honest with you I'm a little spoiled, part of the fun of a really great RPG is the amazing cut screens and detailed story lines. Though I have played many RPG games on my various handheld game systems over the years usually my biggest disappointment is the quality of the storyline, the hours of game play, and of course the virtual lack of cut screen scenes. You can't totally blame it on the handheld systems though we are talking about small screens and a limited storage space. I've dedicated most of my DS game play time to strategy games and of course my beloved sim games and its been some time since I even considered a RPG, role playing game for those of you non gamers, but its not that I've not thought about it. I just don't have time to sit down and play a long game at my consoles anymore and forget even talking about computer games. I feel way to guilty about not writing or studying. I do however have time to sneak a little game time in while in the car, no not while I'm driving but when I'm the passenger, or any other time I'm spent waiting.. I've just sort of given up the idea of a RPG for my ds that would really keep my attention.

I've never played the other Blue Dragon games so I can't tell you how it compares to the other games. I can tell that without a doubt Blue Dragon is the most impressive role playing or even strategy game I've played this far with any of my gameboys. The game play is sort of a mix of a role playing game with a pretty in debt plot line mixed with a real time strategy game which makes it quite challenging. Things don't stop just because your still thinking or your toddler just knocked over his entire glass of juice on the dog, though there is a pause button for the second moment. The last real time strategy game I played was for the computer and I was a little concerned that the learning curve would be a hindrance on how to maneuver all these little people no the screen to the battles but really its no different. For each of the battles you pick your team from the group of members you have currently which really is quite impressive as usually in most games of this type you have five or six choices but Blue Dragon Plus gives you a real range making your game play options quite endless. Once the battle has started you use the stylus to control your members individually or as a group by circling them with the stylus, basically the same tatic you'd use on a computer game with the mouse, and sending them off. There is also this really cool animation of a dragon that is used when you use magic as well that I found interesting.

What I really want to talk about though is what I find to be the coolest part of the game and seeing as my first real "wow" factor in video games was the cut screens, Blue Dragon Plus has really an impressive array of cut screens that use both the top and bottom screens on the DS. Now you can't really fairly compare them to something you'd see on the 360 or PS3 but for a handheld especially a gameboy it's really neat to see both screens used that way. I wouldn't normally even bring up cut scenes in a review as we come to expect them but I'm just not used to seeing them as often in the games I review most often for the DS so it was really a impressive change.

I do have to remark though there is quite a bit of toilet humor in the game and when I say toilet I mean poop humor. Come on people what is not funny about poop, really. heh.

Blue Dragon Plus is available right now for the Nintendo DS and you can pick up your copy on Amazon. I highly recommend it for children and adults though it's most likely best suited for children over seven as the strategy aspect of the game play is pretty advanced. I'm only a little ways into the 30+ hours of the game and I've found some of the battles quite challenging.

I'm so excited to say that I have four copies of Blue Dragon Plus to give away to my readers including the official strategy guides which is a HUGE plus.

To enter :

• Leave a comment on this post. Check out Blue Dragon Plus and tell me what sort of video games are most popular in your household and what you like about Blue Dragon Plus.
  
• Make sure there is a way for me to contact you - if your email address is not on your profile or you are not a blogger you may leave it in your comment or email it to me directly (angelaandconnor at gmail dot com) We have had to disqualify a lot of potential winners as of late as many people do not have emails available in their profiles or leave anonymous posts without any way to contact you.
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  • This contest will end April 30th at midnight!