But the Nintendo DS game that truly captured my attention when it was revealed at the Game Developer’s Conference, and later E3, in 2005, was a title called Electroplankton. Games like Professor Layton and even Brain Training demonstrated the exciting potential of the DS’ touchscreen long before the iPhone and later smartphones popularised touchscreen gaming. The DS was released just a few months ahead of Sony’s more powerful PSP and many assumed the quirky handheld wouldn’t stand a chance against Sony’s portable, but the DS and its follow-ups would go on to sell over 154 million units and inspired developers to create some truly innovative games that took advantage of its dual-screen design. Even the dual-screen Nintendo DS was a risky endeavour following the massive success of the Game Boy Advance. The Super Nintendo may have been a by-the-books 16-bit console, but games like Mario Paint made the SNES more than just a gaming machine, but a creative tool as well. Nintendo is no stranger to trying weird things. I’m more of a “hey, I guess I should play this now that it’s finally on sale” kind of gamer, but in 2005 I was obsessed with a Nintendo DS game called Electroplankton: a delightful collection of musical experiments that to this day is still a joy to tinker with. As a mostly passive gamer who’s never chased achievements, high scores, or actually completing most games I’ve played, it’s rare that I’ll go out of my way to hunt down a title I’m interested in.
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