GENRE
	Educational / Family
	DEVELOPER
	Beanbag Studios
	PUBLISHER
	Electronic Arts
	LOCAL WIRELESS MULTI-PLAY
	No
	Wi-Fi/GLOBAL ONLINE MULTI-PLAY
	No
	MICROPHONE
	No
	BUY NOW AT

The “For Dummies” book series is a staple of retailers and bookstores. As most people know, the franchise’s primary aim is to take potentially complicated or confusing topics and explain them in simple terms. This approach has met with remarkable commercial success, with titles illuminating everything from computers to cribbage.

Nintendo DS, already the home to travel guides, cookbooks, and brain games, would seem to be an ideal home for a “Dummies” game -- especially one featuring travel games. As it turns out, it is indeed a good match, and those with a fancy for solitary gaming and a desire to learn how to play them will find this to be a good place to look.

visuals

As is typical with games of this genre, the presentation Travel Games for Dummies is pretty minimalist, with the obligatory “For Dummies” color palette being the dominant theme. Practically speaking, most everything works as it should; buttons on the touch screen, for example, are pretty small but are good enough for those with a steady hand. Likewise, the text is readable for most people, making good use of the upper screen for that purpose.

audio

The audio is, like the visuals, predictably understated. Ambient music accompanies the menus and tutorials, while environmental noises -- birds, waves, etc. -- are standard fare during actual gameplay. In a game of this type, the best audio is that which doesn’t get in the way, and in this sense the game succeeds just fine.

gameplay

There are three games packed into this DS card, each with a dizzying variety of variations. First up is Sudoku, which can be played at several levels of difficulty. Next is Solitaire, which includes several different variations on the single-player card-fest. Finally there is Crosswords, which includes varied boards of different styles and difficulty levels.

Each of the three main games -- Sudoku, Solitaire, and Crosswords -- is neatly divided into three categories: How To, Practice, and Play. The How To section is a step-by-step explanation of basic gameplay and strategy for the appropriate game. The How To section of Sudoku, for example, outlines the basic rules for the game as well as the common tactics used to deduce the appropriate numbers on the grid. The How To section of Solitaire, meanwhile, is particularly helpful, as it guides players through the basics of ten different variations on the game.

The Practice mode allows players to experiment with any mode of the game, free of consequence. Players can undo any action or actions, allowing for experimentation without the frustration of failure. Unlimited hints and clues are also available here, so a stumped player can get some assistance while learning the ropes.

The main mode is the Play mode. This mode serves up full-featured versions of all three of the games. Sudoku offers 100 boards at each of the five difficulty settings for a total of 500 different boards. Solitaire features ten different variants, including Klondike (the version of Solitaire most people are familiar with) as well as the likes of Pyramid, Canfield, Yukon, and Golf. Crosswords is divided up into multiple categories (ranging from animals to history) and includes no fewer than ten puzzles across three difficulty levels for each category.

Travel Games for Dummies does several things particularly well when it comes to gameplay. Control is solid; Solitaire and Sudoku, in particular, work really well with the touch controls. The help and hint screens are detailed enough to teach even the complete newcomer. The game saves all progress made, whether it be in learning, practicing, or playing, so players can stop or continue any event at any time if they so wish. Sadly, the game only stores one profile at a time, so players sharing the card will have to put up with each others’ saves.

There are some other limitations inherent in the game’s design. The biggest problem is that Travel Games for Dummies is sort of a jack of all trades and master of none. All three modes are eminently competent, but none are as robust as could be found elsewhere. All three games are deep enough to provide hours upon hours of play, but neither of them match, say, The New York Times Crosswords, Ultimate Puzzle Games: Sudoku Edition, or Solitaire Overload for the sheer volume of game options. While having all three games in one package for under $20, real fanatics of any one of the three games might find this total package too small.

multiplayer

N/A

overall

For the traveler looking for a tutorial in classic solitary gaming, you could do worse than Travel Games for Dummies. The game does a very good job of tutoring new players, giving them ample practice help, and then turning them loose on the real thing. The game also manages to provide a reasonably deep variety of games for the educated player. Advanced connoisseurs of Solitaire, Crosswords, or Sudoku might want to consider alternative titles, but those pining for an easy-access introduction to all three won’t be disappointed, especially at a budget price.

7.0/10