GENRE
	Party
	DEVELOPER
	Traveller's Tales
	PUBLISHER
	Warner Bros.
	LOCAL WIRELESS MULTI-PLAY
	Yes
	Wi-Fi/GLOBAL ONLINE MULTI-PLAY
	Yes
	MICROPHONE
	No
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The Guinness Book of World Records remains the standard when it comes to the strange and astounding. Traveller’s Tales (best known for the LEGO series of video games) has collaborated with Warner Bros. to bring record-setting to DS and Wii. The DS version proves to be a legitimately decent, if straightforward, minigame collection that puts Nintendo Wi-Fi to good use.

visuals

Guinness World Records takes a page out of the MySims franchise, employing colorful cartoon characters that can be customized with a variety of traits and apparel. From there, players are dropped on to a large globe that allows them to navigate to the various minigames. As is the case with most mingame compilations, the graphics are adequate to each individual task but aren’t system-pushing.

audio

Although not a selling point of a game of this type, the sound comes off pretty well. The music is catchy and varied among the various locations, sporting a peppy style that alternates between an upbeat acoustic sound and a MIDI marching band. Sound effects are also pretty good, helping hit home the game’s humorous minigames. There is also a sprinking of voice work, most notably announcing when personal bests or records are broken, although it’s pretty bare.

gameplay

Like its Wii counterpart, the DS is a minigame compilation. Players begin by creating an avatar, complete with features and apparel -- more than one profile can be stored on a single game card. From there, players traverse a large globe where they can access twelve “monuments,” at which there are a total of three minigames each. The minigames themselves are varied, including such oddball activities as a washing machine toss, a watermelon splitting contest that involves the use of one’s head, or cockroach eating. At the outset, only one minigame is available at each monument. Performance at different minigames yields rewards in the form of a currency; that currency can be used to unlock more minigames as well as unlock new apparel for the player character. The currency is a good component because it gives the game a sense of progression over time.

Virtually every action in the game is effected with the touch screen. The game is controlled by holding the DS sideways in a “notebook style,” which can optionally be flipped to accommodate those who are left-handed. Moving the avatar on the globe is used with the stylus, as is menu selection and navigation. Minigames are tackled using some use of the touch screen, whether it be touching a point on the screen with the stylus, tracing some motion or shape, or dragging a point in some direction. Not all of the games are a home run, but most of them are entertaining and can be mastered with enough practice.

Sprinkled into the mix are some of the trappings one would associate with the Guinness brand. Tickers on various screens, for example, spell out various real-world records in different categories. Other tickers display the current record-holders in Guinness World Records, which can be downloaded onto the game card. Most of this is window dressing, but it helps create a distinctive atmosphere throughout play sessions.

multiplayer

Multiplayer comes in a couple of forms. Players can team up locally to tackle specific games, either taking turns on the same system or connecting two systems together locally. Additionally, single players can log into Nintendo Wi-Fi and either upload scores or download records from around the world. (Direct competition via Nintendo Wi-Fi is not supported, per se.) Records are subdivided by world, country, state and system records, so players can see how they compare to players both nearby and far away. The instruction manual doesn’t offer any guidance on how to use the Wi-Fi connection and the process is a little hard to figure out, but it works quite well once those obstacles are hurdled.

overall

Guinness World Records isn’t the most revolutionary or innovative minigame compilation on the market, but it works well at what it sets out to do. By using a currency system, the game allows for unfolding unlockables over time, giving players a sense of accomplishment and progression throughout. Additions like purchaseable apparel and updatable records via Wi-Fi add legs to the game. It’s not a bad option, although at its initial retail price of over $30, it may be little on the pricey side given how many minigame collections already flood the system. Nevertheless, players pining to try their party game skills against those from around the world will find this a decent option.

7.0/10