Not enough to keep you hooked.

User Rating: 6 | Chokkan Hitofude DS
Polairum was one of the first puzzle games to be released on the Nintendo DS, coming out a couple of months shy of Meteos. Perhaps this would lead one to believe that the two games might almost be like close cousins, however the family feud could never be more hostile. The idea behind Polarium is interesting, but unlike Meteos, this game offers little to keep you playing at a continuous pace.

Gameplay (7.5/10): The point is simple: Use your stylus to alter squares of different colors to form one universal color block. At a glance, this would seem to be a very enjoyable concept, and, to a certain extent, it is. The touch-screen responsiveness is nearly accurate to a 'T' as you drag the stylus across the various rows and columns to change the colors of the individual squares without lifitng the pen. You submit your answer by tapping the screen after you've finished. If you accidentally end up lifiting the stylus before you're through, you can tap a button that resets the puzzle. There really are few problems with the touch screen, and any mistakes are usually the fault of a shaky hand.

There are 100 puzzles to solve in this game, and you unlock them by completing a series of ten puzzles at a time. In other words, if you want to get to puzzle 11, you have to have solved puzzles 1-10. Although the puzzles vary in terms of shapes and sizes, there's little motivation to tough it out beyond the third set of puzzles (puzzles 21-30). If you find yourself tired or frustrated with the puzzles (rest assured, you will at some point), you can try Challenge Mode, in which a series of puzzles fall through the screen, Tetris-style, that you must solve before it gets backed up. There's also a custom puzzles section in which you can make your own puzzles for your friends to try their hand at. These modes are a decent way of getting you away from the main puzzle mode, but it just doesn't carry enough variety to spend too much time on.

Graphics (6.5/10): There's nothing too fantastic about the graphics in this game. The tiles are in black and white, and the little tile-flipper looks like a barometer/compass hybrid. The only real amazing graphic to the games results when you clear the puzzle, and a series of yellow, star-like flashes balze across the screen. Overall, there's nothing unique to gush about with regards to the graphics: They're not horrifying, but they're not flashy enough dazzle the eye.

Sound (6.5/10): Again, there's nothing glourious to be said here. The game uses the same basic tracks in each of the game modes, tending to sound like a cross between elevator music and supermarket store tunes. When you clear a puzzle, there's no ultra-congraualtory theme that makes you feel like a million bucks.

Multiplayer (N/A): I didn't have any multiplayer experience, so I left it out. In fact, I'm not even sure there is any multiplayer at all.

Replay Value (5/10): If you have the constitution to sit through Puzzle Mode until completion, than you are far more strong-minded than I. After clearing Puzzle Mode, there's no real reason to pick up the game ever again, unless you want to keep going through it to find new solutions, or you want to rack up higher scores on challenge mode, or making custom puzzles is your thing. Try to clear puzzle mode, then trade it in for something else immediately (like...Meteos).

The idea behind Polarium is enough to make you want to experience it firsthand, but the way in which it's executed doesn't hold your attention for long. The other game modes are fun for a short while, but not as long as you might expect. Overall, there's little reason to stick with this game, but it is worth checking out if you've got a friend who has it.