FLIPS:Enid Blyton (Nintendo DS) - Review by Andrew

Introduction

Nintendo have already had considerable success with their classic books cart and there's certainly something to be said about using your DS as an e-reader as opposed to forking out for an expensive, not to mention black and white, kindle. We already know that the DS can be used for much more than simply games; publishers have managed to use the console for cookbooks, language aids, travel guides and even self-help courses. EA are better known for games but can this world-leading publisher get gamers reading again?

Gameplay

FLIPS aims to present a selection of books in a user-friendly format and this cart features the Enid Blyton's classic Faraway Tree Stories collection and includes 6 interactive books on one game card. 3 of her well loved titles; The Enchanted Wood; The Magic Faraway Tree and The Folk of the Faraway Tree and 3 new Enchanted World titles inspired by her characters and writing: Silky and the Rainbow Feather; Melody and the Enchanted Harp and Petal and the Eternal Bloom.

Controls

While you can use the D-pad to turn the pages, the stylus is much more satisfying.

Graphics

Because these are books the clarity of the text is the most important thing and it's fair to say that all the stories are incredibly easy to read, even on the first generation DS. This is mainly down to the fact that the screens have been 'scaled down' to improve clarity so expect to have books that run for thousands, rather than hundreds, of pages to compensate for this. Hyperlinks will also take you to images and animations, related to the stories but, other than that, there's nothing exactly groundbreaking here.

Sound

Other than the sound of 'newly printed' pages turning, nothing.

Dual screen

We've already mentioned that you can use the D-pad to turn the pages but the stylus makes everything that much easier and selecting hyperlinks is as simple as tapping the screen. In case you do find the whole interactive book thing a little daunting, you'll be pleased to learn, that before you even begin reading, there's an enforced tutorial guiding you through the various features of the cart. One thing we did notice is that, should you misplace your trusty stylus, the screen is sensitive enough to allow you to use your nail to turn the page.

Final comments

The positive sides of the FLIPS series should be obvious and the ability to carry so many titles will delight readers of the series. It's never going to be Chinatown Wars or the latest Super Mario Brothers title but it's a great addition to the console, you can read your books online without having to fork out for a Kindle. It's a bold experiment and hopeful it will improve as the series develops and who knows, your fingers might occasionally enjoy a break from gaming while your reading provides brain training the old-fashioned way.

Pro: Easier than Carrying a Pile of Books Around
Con: Not a Game
Final score: 7.5

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