Give it some time, and you'll find that Steel Diver is an enjoyable, thoughtfully constructed launch title for the 3DS.
Steel Diver is a 2D action game where your goal is to simply guide your submarine to the end of the level. Of course, there is a plot, and like most action games, it's absurd! Anyways, you actually don't control your sub using the circle pad or the d-pad. Instead, Nintendo demands you use the touch screen controls to determine how fast and where you are in the water, which is a cool idea. As a result, this game has more in line with a simulation game than an arcade style shooter, which will turn off gamers with shorter attention spans.
So how is the actual game itself? It's good but not great. I enjoyed the challenge of the game, especially when you're trying to avoid the sea floor, mines, and fight off enemy subs and bosses. The levels aren't so bad once you get the hang of the controls. You get three subs to choose from (each adding to the replay value). I chose the tan colored sub because it's the easiest to control, and considering what type of game this is, that's saying a lot! Also cool is how sometimes you can use the stylus to "plug" in leaks. Pretty innovative!
I found this game somewhat compelling, probably because of the underwater theme. I also enjoyed the varied scenery, including the middle of the ocean, underwater caves, jungles, and even a volcano! You also get some fun periscope bonus challenges after you beat a level, where you need to sink as many enemy ships as possible. This takes place in a first person mode, where you can use the 3DS gyroscope to tilt your handheld to find enemy ships to sink. It's very well designed, and I love unlocking some of the power-ups acquired by sinking these ships. There's also a time attack mode as well, and I can say that it's certainly tough to beat some of the later records.
The main problem with Steel Diver is that its replay value is limited. You can shoot enemies, but your missiles take forever to get to the enemy, and the fact that you need to fire two missiles to sink them is especially annoying. I really also wish there could've been some shortcuts to spice up things a bit, because the levels do get old after a while. And you'll die a lot, by the way. Worst off, when you die, you start from the beginning of the level (sorry, no checkpoints)!!!
Graphically, the game doesn't look bad at all, but it's not up to the standards I've seen with the 3DS. Still, I enjoyed the scenery, and the 3D effect is nice and gives the game some depth, especially underwater. The audio is perhaps the best aspect of the game, with some excellent music and amazing audio effects. Earphone approved, my friends.
Steel Diver isn't the most addictive game on the 3DS, but this is a fun game that is unfairly turned down. Given a try, you might find something to like here. There are better action games on the 3DS, but this is one I'll probably pull out from time to time just to play once more.
Gameplay: 7/10
Graphics: 7/10
Sound: 10/10
Value: 7/10
Final Score: 7.4/10 (C)