by Greg - 01.31.07
Majesco seems to be one of the few publishers to truly understand Nintendo’s vision of casual gaming on the DS. Last year’s Cooking Mama was one of the first games to continue the hype wave from Brain Age, and Majesco is back again with one of the most brilliant casual game ideas yet. They are bringing out a game based on the New York Times crossword puzzles.
The New York Times Crosswords features more than 1,000 real crossword puzzles and the unique ability to write in answers with the stylus or use a Touch Screen keyboard to enter letters. Various modes of play include Puzzle Me Quick for a fast word fix; Puzzle Week for extended play with progressive difficulty; or Challenge mode with adjustable time and difficulty settings. In addition, the game includes both cooperative and competitive 2-player play so puzzle fanatics can work together or face off in wireless challenges.
This is a brilliant idea, and the NYT license will definitely add to the credibility of the title. The handwriting recognition alone is promising. If they launch it at that comfortable price of $20, this could be a huge hit.
