Magnetica (DS)

[basilb]

im pretty surprised this game has been as popular as this. It play like a bust-a-move variant with even less room for strategy, the use of the touch screen makes it more involved, but there are far better puzzle games (like meteos) available on the ds

[Locky]

i found that too, got stuck at every level from 5 onwards and took me ages to clear, not sure if i'm missing some tactical insight here but the screen jsut fills too quickly with coloured blobs !!

maybe i'm just getting old and slow but can't see a tactical route thru this puzzle game, its all speed and reactions.

Using the magnetic properties of the balls is one key part of the game - the balls will be attracted to each other and drag others away from the hole of doom!

[Lyris]

That's the part that I haven't managed to master yet. Is it just me or is it really hard to get that to actually work?

Say I have a big long line of balls - and the one nearest the hole is, for example, yellow. I'm meant to fire another yellow ball at the very end of the chain to drag it backwards?

I never get the chance, because the end of the line is off the screen. So, when I try to do that, it just pushes the line further!

Tricky but fun.

[Locky]

That's the part that I haven't managed to master yet. Is it just me or is it really hard to get that to actually work?

Say I have a big long line of balls - and the one nearest the hole is, for example, yellow. I'm meant to fire another yellow ball at the very end of the chain to drag it backwards?

I never get the chance, because the end of the line is off the screen. So, when I try to do that, it just pushes the line further!

Tricky but fun.

It's really hard to explain but I'll try and describe it using a few balls of different colours:

[HOLE]YYGGBBG[space][space]Y

Y = yellow, G = green, B = blue

Basically, if you have a blue ball and fire it at the two blue balls that are already there (in the middle), they will then explode. The two green balls will be attracted to the one on the right, will head towards it, and explode, meaning the two yellow balls about to fall into the hole will be attracted to the yellow ball on the right, whether there is a large expanse of space or not. The two yellows head back up the shute towards the yellow one because of the magnetic attraction.

Does that make any sense?!

[Lyris]

Yeah, I realise that - but I find that there's rarely ever any room to use that tactic so it's of no use when the whole screen gets full.

I'm on Quest mode #18 and there's THREE holes for marbles to fall down... so damn hard to keep track of them all.

[merf]

it makes perfect sense, and I know it works like that, i always seem to end up with a line of different colour balls near the hole and just push them in !

like many ds games, for me the fun of this is in using the stylus, i always hated it as a 'straight' button game.

[Locky]

I think it's just a case of firing the balls off as quick as possible really! I'm not sure what level I'm at in Quest. Have you come across the

->Open Spoiler<-

clouds that you have to blow away

yet?

[Lyris]

Unfortunately I have - just got to Quest 27. Really, really bad idea - a total pain. I did work out I could use my finger to sort of avoid it though.

[Locky]

Unfortunately I have - just got to Quest 27. Really, really bad idea - a total pain. I did work out I could use my finger to sort of avoid it though.

That level is hideous - it took me ages to get past it. The stuff appears just when you don't want it to! I'm now up to 34 and it hasn't been too bad to get there.

Have you managed to get a silver or gold medal on any of the levels yet? I think I've managed one silver so far, with the rest being bronze!

[Lyris]

Well, I finally got past that one... let's hope they don't use that pain in the ass gimmick on later levels.

[Locky]

Well, I finally got past that one... let's hope they don't use that pain in the ass gimmick on later levels.

Unfortunately they do - I've just come across it again! Grrr! It's such a pain to clear it and sometimes it won't all go at once!

Managed to finish the level and get a gold star amazingly though!

[Kaladron]

Good to see everyone else is struggling through like I did. If you're finding it hard now then just wait until you do the last ten levels. I spent about a day on each one.

[Locky]

Good to see everyone else is struggling through like I did. If you're finding it hard now then just wait until you do the last ten levels. I spent about a day on each one.

Don't say that - I thought I was doing pretty well!

Will try and stop doing a running commentary for each level, if it's only going to get worse! How many are there?

Kaladron, have you found yourself wanting to go back and replay the levels and get better medals or was it just a relief to finish? How are you doing in the Challenge mode?

[Lyris]

Euurghh... Quest level 39. FOUR paths all going into the middle.

I wouldn't be surprised if this is as far as I get with this mode (Noooooooo!)

[Locky]

Has anyone tried using a rumble pak with this game? I got one with Metroid Pinball recently. I'm not sure I like using it with Magnetica - feels rather weird like popping bubbles!