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The various iterations of the Wall E have gotten mixed reviews, but over-all the console version was considered under-par as best. The Nintendo DS doesn’t fair any better. The kids may or may not like it, but as a game it’s a bit ‘simple’.

The basic principle behind the DS version of Wall E is getting from point A, to point B. Wall E is split up into a series of very small ‘levels’ that has you figuring out puzzles and traversing obstacles in increasing levels of difficulty. Interspersed amongst the levels are small story segments that try and justify all this A – Bing. The story has been stripped down quite a bit for this version, with only the basic outline still there. Still, I suppose the game captures the essence of the film in the fact that there’s not much talking.

Since this game doesn’t really do anything new, is a bit bland, and doesn’t even have the full story, it’s hard to concentrate on anything other the flaws. Save points, for instance, are not as close together as you would like, meaning that you may find yourself repeating sections because you had to leave in between points.

Your character can’t do anything apart from move, and turned rubbish into cubes. Different kinds of rubbish form different kinds of cubes, which are each used for different tasks. One of the games few strong points is that you can use a combination of these cubes to get to the exit, but unfortunately the scale is too small, and some of the ‘puzzles’ are too easy.

Graphically, the game is as good as any other game on the DS. The environments are rendered in 3D, and the quality is probably as good as it’s going to get. However, the levels tend to look the same, just configured differently. Obviously there’s a major change when you go from say Earth to the Spaceship, but within each area, there’s not much diversity.

The combination of un-diverse environments and any lack of character progression give Wall E a bit of a bland feel. The only side ‘quest’ of sorts is to try and collect all of the coins scattered around the levels. Unfortunately, the only thing that happens when you collect all of the coins in an area is that you are treated to a screenshot from the movie. Not exactly the most exciting thing in the world.

Everyone now and then, you get to try something different in the form of a game mode that involves the character EVE. This mode has you, as EVE, racing from end of a ‘tack’ to another, dodging obstacles and, again, collecting coins. You have a set time limit to get from one end of the tack to another, and hitting objects will simultaneously slow you down, and drain your health.

Yes people, there is health. Wall E makes us of the DS’s second screen by providing a map and stats. And by stats, I mean health, as that is only stat he has. Represented by a ‘power bar’, Wall – E’s health goes down whenever he falls off the edge of something. Whilst this does add that element of challenge to the game, the movement is so limited that one false move can send you tumbling.

All in all, Wall E is a disappointment. During the course of this review, I even gave it to some of my younger relatives to play, and even they said it wasn’t that good. (I believe their exact terminology was ‘naff’.) This game doesn’t make use of any of the DS’s strengths, such as the pointer or the second screen. Gameplay isn’t that interesting, and can get boring very quickly. The story is so barren that it makes you want to go watch the film just so you can find out what actually happened. I feel sorry for developers who are forced to make games like this, as they probably wouldn’t have wanted to if given the choice. Buy it for your kid if you must, but only if they ask for it.

Score: 6/10

Apologies, we couldn't find any DS shots!

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