Published: Monday, 9th March, 2009 12:30pm

Big Bang Mini

Nintendo DS

In this next-gen age filled with high res, HD goodness, we sometimes need a reminder that the most fun, most engaging games needn't be the biggest or best. That's it not always about the size of the franchise, or the glitz of the launch. That sometimes small and perfectly formed games can eat your time more than the biggest blockbuster. Think Tetris. Big Bang Mini is a timely reminder of this.

Designed by three French blokes on a shoestring, Big Bang Mini is the kind of fiendish game that you think you'll play for ten minutes on the train and then suddenly find you've missed your stop you've become so engrossed.

A touch-only shooter, it utilises the DS functionality to inject something new and fun to an old favourite 2D format. Drag your ship around the screen to place it where it is at least risk before using a flicking movement to launch your firework style bullets at the enemies in the sky. The key here is accuracy, because if you miss then your rockets explode and the shrapnel plummets back down to earth - meaning you can actually kill yourself if you're not careful.

It's a simple but fiendishly precise process to master as you fire a volley of bullets, and then move your ship around avoiding any debris, and try to catch the power up stars that you get with the successful obliteration of enemy ships before beginning your next offensive. As the levels get harder you have new enemies, and additional barriers and problems to overcome, from clouds that will scupper your bullets to walls that'll squish you if you don't finish the level quickly enough.

Big Bang Mini's design is simply stunning. There are nine worlds, each with a different theme, style and music, making for a fun and engaging game.

As well as working your way through the 90 levels there are unlockable modes which add extra replay value, including Challenge mode (just keep killing enemies to get a score high enough to upload to the worldwide leaderboard), Versus mode (two player), Mission mode and - if you complete that - an alarm clock that will wake you with any of the relentlessly cheery songs from the soundtrack, surely a DS game first.

Coming as it does with a budget pricetag we defy you to find more fun for less cash for your DS. Definitely recommended.

Five stars

* Big Bang Mini is out on the Nintendo DS now.

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