100 Classic Book Collection

Although it may not need stating, I shall say it anyway. This is NOT a game, but I will probably keep calling it one throughout this review. This is a library in your hand. A library which contains 100 of the most famous literary works of all time.

As you expect, a game (which is not a game) which involves books is held on its side like a book, left or right depending on what handed you are. It’s best to control the beginning of the “game” using the stylus through the menus getting to the book of choice, since the D-pad doesn’t offer much use to begin with apart from scrolling along the books. However you need the stylus to select your book and start reading. But when you start reading, buttons can be configured to help turn pages. The configuration I found best was using the shoulder buttons to turn the page, since my hand was on the back of the DS while reading.

Here's a select few of the classic page turners you can find on the cartridge.

• Arthur Conan Doyle - The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
• Charles Dickens - A Christmas Carol
• George Eliot - The Mill on the Floss
• Herman Melville - Moby Dick
• Edgar Allen Poe - Tales of Mystery and Imagination
• William Shakespeare Julius Caesar
• Mark Twain - Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
• Jules Verne - Round the World in Eighty Days
• Oscar Wilde - The Importance of Being Earnest

For a full listing of all 100 books you can select from, open THIS LINK, in a new tab or window.

This is only the start, as other titles can be downloaded from the wi-fi connection. Here is the selection that was available to us at the time of writing:

• Jane Austen - Northanger Abbey
• Anne Bronte - Agnes Grey
• Susan Coolidge - What Katy Did at School
• George Eliot - Silas Marner
• Elizabeth Gaskell - Cranford
• Henry James - The Aspern Papers
• Henry James - The Turn of the Screw
• Charles Kingsley - The Water Babies
• William Shakespeare - The Merry Wives of Windsor
• Robert Louis Stevenson - The Black Arrow

However, there is limited space on the cartridge for books, and each book is a different file size, so you may not have enough space to download all the books on offer to download.

The text is of a reasonable size on both screens, but as you can imagine compared to a page of a normal book the screens are smaller, so you will be turning the page more often. As well as the book itself, information is available about the book and the author. Music is on offer as well, to provide some calming background noise, such as a café, airport waiting room and a log fire in the living room. Some dislikes on the music are Summer day and Autumn night, which sound more like a restless night in Spain with crickets chirping… not soothing for this reviewer personally at all. You have three bookmarks to use in each book and one bookmark in each book introduction.

If you’re a lover of classic literature or just want to try something new, then pick up this "Library", which like games which aren’t really games can be bought for £20 or under.

In these reviews we’re meant to come across issues such as gameplay and playability. It seems nigh on impossible to mention these since they’re non-existent. If you like reading lots of books, the "gameplay" and "playability" here is outstanding. It will probably take you much longer to "complete" than a normal game, assuming you read them all, and at a reasonable pace.

Comments

SanderEvers Says:
February 8th, 2009 at 09:35 || Total Comments: 135

Sorry guys, I must say it: worst review ever. If you buy this "game", then you shouldn't expect anything gamelike. It's like reviewing The Opera Browser as a game. If you want to read one of the classic books, then this game is awesome. If not, leave it in the store.

Cipher Says:
February 8th, 2009 at 10:34 || Total Comments: 325

Really not the sort of game you can review in the first place...SanderEvers put it perfectly. If you wanna read a ton of classic literature, get it. If not, don't. That's all you need to say.

S.C.G Says:
February 8th, 2009 at 11:05 || Total Comments: 390

It's still a review whether it's a conventional game or not, Nintendo have chosen to release this as software and one of our reviewers has kindly decided to write a review of it. We could have not covered it at all but instead the best possible job was done inside the current review template that we employ, in the future maybe we might consider having a different review format for software like this but for now this is the best we can do. Nice review Derek, it's much appreciated. :)

Nathan Says:
February 8th, 2009 at 12:26 || Total Comments: 1138

"Worst review ever"? Aren't you overreacting a bit? When you see book reviews in the newspaper, do you turn your nose up at it and say that people will either buy it if they want a book, or leave it in the store if they don't? The review touches on how accessible and intuitive the software is, if it's worth your money, how it compares to a real book(s), etc. All of which are valid points - you wouldn't want to spend 20 of your hard-earned British pounds only to find that you need to scream "NEXT PAGE" at 140 decibels just to flip to the next page. Therefore I'd like to say that the review serves its purpose, and Derek's done a good job of writing it for you ungrateful swines. :p

Hellfire Says:
February 8th, 2009 at 17:00 || Total Comments: 822

If I was looking to buy this, I'd like to know how well it works and what features it has, that's what reviews are for, if it's a non-game or not, it's moot.

Cipher Says:
February 8th, 2009 at 17:47 || Total Comments: 325

I'm not saying it's a bad review at all. I just don't see it as the type of game that could even be reviewed in the first place. I think the thing is that it's the way it's emphasized "it's not a game" quite a bit when you just have to assume it. Plus, away from the actual review, the scoreboard for reviews really doesn't work for this type of software. *isn't ungrateful, honestly*

Nathan Says:
February 9th, 2009 at 02:09 || Total Comments: 1138

Unfortunately, our archaic HTML system doesn't allow us to cut the scoreboard out of reviews.

Vileplume2000 Says:
February 9th, 2009 at 09:12 || Total Comments: 22

Things I would like to know when reading a review of a game like this, are things like: Can you change the font or the text size? Is there an option of speech? This would be something which would make the game more accessible to people, especially elderly with bad vision etc. Unfortunately things like this are not mentioned in the review, so I assume they aren't available in the game.

EEVILMURRAY Says:
February 9th, 2009 at 09:22 || Total Comments: 48

There is an option to make the text bigger, but only one size, small and large. I'm sure I mentioned that in the review. But I think that version is on my other computer, I thought I uploaded the updated review. There is no option of speech, I doubt the cartridge could hold 100 books being read out [which will probably have some extra settings to go along with it], along with the ones available for download. Many apologies.

Vileplume2000 Says:
February 9th, 2009 at 11:13 || Total Comments: 22

Yeah, speech would be a little bit too much, unless they would use a Google translator kind of voice. But I don't think anyone could enjoy a book that way.

Eenuh Says:
February 9th, 2009 at 12:50 || Total Comments: 26

Question: does this game feature different languages? I assume it doesn't... but then again I'm not sure it's even being released here in Belgium. =P

Nathan Says:
February 9th, 2009 at 13:45 || Total Comments: 1138

I think it's currently exclusive to the UK, Eenuh. Maybe they'll take a little extra time to work on securing the rights to translated books. I shall send an enquiry to Nintendo UK, for you.

Eenuh Says:
February 9th, 2009 at 13:54 || Total Comments: 26

Ah thanks! =D I was wondering about a release here, as I hadn't heard anything about it at all, only saw it in the UK. =)

Nathan Says:
February 9th, 2009 at 15:11 || Total Comments: 1138

Nintendo got back to me in a flash! Here's what they said. "You'll have to contact the local Nintendo branch in Belgium - as far as I know they have no immediate plans." We have a contact at Nintendo Benelux, so I can ask there too, but it doesn't sound like they're bringing it over, unfortunately.

Eenuh Says:
February 9th, 2009 at 15:18 || Total Comments: 26

Ah, that's too bad! I could possibly buy the UK version if I really wanted it I guess, brush up my English a bit haha. =P Thanks for asking them though, really appreciate it! =D

Darkflame Says:
February 10th, 2009 at 17:41 || Total Comments: 1073

a) I support reviewing this stuff. b) You need a "n/a" option on your review stats. As for the software; i) Why on earth is there no HG Wells? His stuff is just as much out of copyright as others on that list. :( ii) I'd like to see this combined with a much more extensive music system. MP3 playback while Reading books = Win, imho. (and something that still cant be done easily on homebrew...except if you want to mess about installing linux then typeing in long commands every time you want to run something)

Login to leave a message

• Register for a comment account
• Forgot password / Change password