As strong as my enthusiasm is for puzzle games, I have to wonder whether the Nintendo DS needs what looks like another match-three tile-swapping game. EA has heard my skepticism, though, and replied, “Fine. I guess we’ll put an action-platformer on there, too. Happy now?” Actually, yes, I am, thank you. Henry Hatsworth in the Puzzling Adventure, announced this morning by EA Casual Entertainment, actually looks like a pretty interesting game. It claims to combine a cute and colorful platformer with a Popcap-style casual puzzler, placing each on one of the DS’ separate screens, and causing the two games to affect eachother. Also the protagonist has a monocle, so you know he’s classy.
Now, obviously I’m going to reserve final judgement until I can see how the multi-game play is handled, but this sounds pretty damn fun to me. This is by no means the first dual-play meta-game; I’m reminded of Whirled’s macabre puzzle-RTS Corpse Craft, among others. And I don’t know that this game will “utilize the two Nintendo DS screens like never before,” as it promises, but it does sound pretty well-suited to the system. Plus, monocles. I don’t think I’ve ever seen monocles steer me wrong.
Henry Hatsworth in the Puzzling Adventure is due out in early 2009. Have a full press release, why don’t you:
LOS ANGELES — Love puzzle games, but also love an adventure? Now you can have both in one game. The Casual Entertainment Label of Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:ERTS) today announces Henry Hatsworth in the Puzzling Adventure an exclusive Nintendo DS™ adventure-puzzle game that adds a new element of fun by combining the action of an adventure game with the challenge of a puzzle game all in one.
“We are excited to bring an indie-inspired new intellectual property to the EA Casual Entertainment Label with Henry Hatsworth that fuses together two styles of gameplay utilizing the two Nintendo DS screens like never before,” said Robert Nashak, VP of EA Casual Studios. “The innovative elements of the game have the potential to appeal to both Nintendo enthusiasts and more casual Nintendo DS players.”
Meet Henry Hatsworth, a quirky, light-hearted character who players will guide on their journey through a new style of gaming adventure on their Nintendo DS. In this two-in-one adventure, players will explore five exotic worlds, fight a variety of opponents, and venture through more than 30 levels, including nearly a dozen hidden levels while taking on outrageous world-ending bosses. The separate worlds on the two Nintendo DS screens have a cause and effect inter-relationship, and players choose when to switch between conquering the action-platform realm and mastering the increasingly challenging puzzle world. A wide variety of power-ups will help Hatsworth in both of these worlds. Players will complete puzzle combinations and defeat puzzle enemies in order to gain power ups, health, and energy to supercharge Hatsworth in his adventure.
“Henry Hatsworth is an incredibly unique game,” said Scott Walker, Henry Hatsworth Executive Producer. “It’s a deep, challenging, and humorous game that you won’t want to put down.”
Developed by a team at EA Tiburon in the EA Casual Entertainment Label, Henry Hatsworth is scheduled to be available worldwide early 2009. The game is not yet rated by the ESRB or PEGI.
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