Jet Impulse review

When Jet Impulse was first announced for the DS, it immediately grabbed Gamestyles attention. On the back of a disappointing flight sim in the form of Starfox Command, Nintendo were planning to release a more realistic take on aerial combat. Back then it was known as DS Air, and the game has since been released in Japan under the new name. With no sign of a release in America or Europe, Gamestyle decided that it couldn't wait any longer, and imported the game. It's not the type of game that you would readily associate with Nintendo, but they have approached it with their usual dedication to creating a fun and engaging gaming experience.The game impresses from the moment that the intro starts. The DS is not known for its graphical prowess, but the full motion videos shown at various points in the game are some of the best seen on the console. Taking you to the menu screen is a clip of a frantic dogfight, set to music that might as well have come straight out of the film Top Gun. It sets the mood for the action perfectly, and you know exactly what this game is going to be about; fast-paced, arcade action. The controls are simple and effective, making it immediately accessible. Stylus control is nowhere to be found in Jet Impulse, and although using the D-pad to manoeuvre your plane may not offer the same degrees of movement as using the touch screen, it doesn't hinder you in your task of engaging enemies, and blowing them out of the sky. There are two variations of control, and more experienced players can opt for the advance setting, which gives you a more realistic control over the aircraft. Both systems work well, and it doesn't take long before you are tracking aircraft and avoiding missiles with ease. Speed is controlled by the shoulder buttons, and a double-tap of the throttle turns on the afterburners and gives you an extra boost. To assist you in your aerial annihilation, each plane is equipped with a machine gun and an unlimited supply of missiles. The touch screen acts as your dashboard, and when a target appears on your radar, you select it, get close enough to achieve a missile lock, and then unleash a salvo of missiles. As the game progresses, the enemy pilots get smarter, and you will find it harder to keep them in your sights long enough to obtain a lock. Even when a missile is fired, theres no guarantee that it will hit the target, as the more skilful pilots can twist and turn their planes to avoid it. Its a skill that you will have to master, as your enemies have an annoying tendency to try and shoot you down.For the single player, the main part of the game is the story mode, which has you flying on 19 missions with a great variety of objectives. You will be destroying a set number of aircraft in one mission, before taking out radar towers, and anti-aircraft guns so that bombers can have a clear path to their target, in another. You will be asked to protect particular vehicles or buildings, outrun pursuers, avoid detection, and even stop an oil tanker from crashing into a port by taking out its propellers. Due to the differing nature of each mission, you can choose to pilot a different plane for each one, and then customise its arsenal to best suit your needs. There are over 20 different planes and 50 different missiles and bombs to unlock and choose from. Each has varying attributes, so some planes can sustain more damage, but are slower and less manoeuvrable, whereas others have a more powerful afterburner and can turn on a sixpence, but will be destroyed if hit by a couple of missiles. Together with your unlimited supply of missiles, you can add a limited supply of bombs, or more destructive rockets. The planes can only carry certain weapons, so it pays to pick your craft carefully. If you know that your mission will primarily consist of bombing a single large target (like a submarine, in one scenario), then choose a bomber that can carry a large payload and sustain a good deal of damage. At the end of each mission you will be rewarded with a number of points, depending on how well you did on the mission. You can use these points to buy the planes and weapons once you have unlocked them, which is done by completing certain levels, and bonus objectives in each mission. You can also download extra planes via Nintendos Wi-Fi Connection service. Its a great feature, even if the planes available are either ridiculously good, or very silly (a flying saucer is one example).In addition to the story mode, there are also four challenges for you to undertake. There is a battle challenge in which you face wave upon wave of air and ground targets, a bombing game in which you have to bomb targets in a set order with bonus points for accuracy, and a game which has you bursting balloons with your machine gun. Another challenge is unlocked once you have completed it via the games Wi-Fi in which you have to destroy large adversaries within a certain time. The idea behind all of them is to try and improve your score each time, and earn yourself points to buy new planes. The game does offer gaming via Wi-Fi, and you can choose from 3 different modes that include competing against other pilots, or working together to destroy targets. Although if you access these modes online, you can only play against one challenger, the game supports local Wi-Fi of up to four players. Its a nice distraction to the main game, but the VS mode is probably the weakest aspect of Jet Impulse, as the action never gets as intense as the single-player missions. Its the little touches that make playing Jet Impulse a great experience. The in-game graphics, whilst blocky at times, are fluid and colourful. The games characters have varying personalities, and the voice acting is impressive. This may be the reasons that Jet Impulse is taking so long to be released elsewhere. The game talks to you throughout, with your wingmen chattering over the radio, and giving you in depth briefings of the missions before you take off. Strangely enough, some of this is already translated into English, as are most of the menu options and in-game icons. Its easy to understand and navigate, and the fact that its a Japanese title should not deter anyone from importing it.Jet Impulse offers some of the best arcade action on the DS. The lengthy and varied story mode, together with the number of planes and weapons to unlock, keeps the game fresh and interesting. Whilst the online modes are weak, they are enjoyable, and the different challenges offer another aspect to the game. One concern is the level of difficulty, with none of the missions offering much a challenge, but you will probably find yourself having too much fun to care. If you fancy more of a test of your dogfighting skills, however, a harder difficulty is unlocked on completion of the story mode. Gamestyle hopes that this game does get a release outside Japan, as it deserves to be played by as many people as possible. The online experience denies Jet Impulse from getting a better score, and there does seem to be little effort put into developing this side of the game. It is, however, fantastic entertainment, and the best flight sim currently available on the DS.