Similarities between Spectrobes and Pokemon are unmistakable but somehow I don’t think young gamers are going to care about that as they lap up another monster battle series.
In fact, comparing Spectrobes to Pokemon does Spectrobes something of a disservice because if anything it is a deeper and more evolved version of the Pokemon concept.
Spectrobes: Beyond The Portals for Nintendo DS is the second game in the Spectrobes series from Disney.
The intergalactic adventure reprises the roles of Rallen and Jeena, interplanetary patrol officers.
As the two heroes you must find, excavate, awaken and train the mysterious fossilised creatures known as Spectrobes.
Once your Spectrobes are ready you use them to battle enemies.
It’s an RPG adventure with a strong sci-fi element to it and a decent amount of action as you go along.
The gameplay is split into two different activities.
The first is exploring the 3D worlds to find fossils to excavate and other materials to harvest.
Excavation involves using the stylus to chip away at the rock, carefully trying not to damage what’s inside. The method of excavation you use depends on what environment you are in. For instance, desert excavation involves blowing away sand using the microphone or an in-game tool.
There are 185 Spectrobes to unearth, all nicely animated and upgradeable. It’s not particularly challenging to find the Spectrobes, but that may be a good thing for the younger audience the game is aimed at.
You can upgrade your Spectrobes using minerals you’ve picked up on your travels or by defeating enemies, which leads on to the second area of gameplay – combat.
For each battle you must select two of your Spectrobes, and here is some nice strategy. Because each creature has its own unique characteristics, it takes some tactical thinking to choose the most effective pairing for each fight.
One of the Spectrobes looks after itself while you control the other one.
Fighting is fast and fun but is let down by slightly cumbersome controls and the effort needed to lock the camera on to enemies.
Going online with Spectrobes: Beyond The Portals adds an extra dimension to the game. You can visit the marketplace to buy or sell Spectrobes, you can obtain special items and you can interact with other players, including engaging in turn-based online battles.
What’s good about Spectrobes: Beyond The Portals as a game is that it offers hours of challenge for young gamers. What’s good about it as a sequel is it represents a big step forward from the first game. If the progress continues, Spectrobes will establish itself as one of the leading game series for children on the DS.
Verdict: 7.5 out of 10
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