WARIOWARE D.I.Y.

LET'S FACE IT: some careers are far cooler than others. Being a game developer is right up there in the awesome stakes. So you'll be pleased to hear that WarioWare D.I.Y. and your chance to make games has arrived. As far as Nintendo DS titles go, this one really is exceptional.

Why? Because it balances an incredible amount of scope with user friendliness. Famous for its kooky micro-game series, fans of the WarioWare franchise will love this opportunity to take the wheel.

Those lusting after a traditional WarioWare hit will still be fulfilled with the 90+ preloaded mini-games. However, the real muscle of this title lies in the player-generated content, ie: creating your own micro-games. Prepare to endure a very lengthy, non-optional tutorial first, though. In fairness, the extensive creation tools on offer would be totally mind-boggling without this tutoring. You'll learn how to create graphics and music first, and then the logistics of assembling the actual gameplay (how it is played, and how the game is won).

It's significant that even A.I. instruction is totally straightforward. When you're eventually unleashed, the biggest constraint is how much free time you have (warning: D.I.Y. is kinda addictive). Alongside developing games, you can also compose music and design comics. Plus online (or locally even) you can show off your hard work and even collaborate with friends to make the most of individual skill sets. Pretty cool, eh?

This title really has a decent shelf life. The reason WarioWare D.I.Y. doesn't receive a perfect score is that, unlike its predecessors, this version only allows stylus 'tap' based action. So you can't drag and drop objects, for instance.

It feels like a waste of functionality, but it does keep the challenge level realistic. In terms of ranking the graphics, sound and gameplay they're really only limited by your ability and effort. The scope for excellence is there; how far you go is up to you.