When The Adventures of Cookie & Cream was introduced for the PlayStation 2, it provided an attractive change to the typical platforming game. It called upon two players to work together in unison, solving puzzles with their cooperative skills. Recently, From Software finished up work on a new version of the game for the DS, naming it just Cookie & Cream. Despite its name, however, this game leaves a bitter taste.

Like the first game, players guide two rabbits, aptly named Cookie and Cream, on a mission to save the world. One rabbit does all the platforming work on the top screen, while the other sits next to a steamer on the bottom screen. As the adventure progresses, players must activate switches in order to continue, at which point the bottom screen swaps out to one of many mini-games. Players must perform certain actions to activate platforms or open gates, such as cutting ropes with a knife or getting a group of gears spinning in the right direction.

This would be great if the gameplay stayed coherent throughout each scenario. Most of the puzzles seem pretty dry, with players able to click on a "hint" icon in case they can't figure it out. Unfortunately, some require a little more thinking than others, especially with the ones involving item placement. Since each stage runs on a time limit, this becomes annoying. Worse yet, when Cookie and Cream come upon a boss character, the game instructions don't plainly indicate how to defeat it, forcing the player to tap the screen like mad in an attempt to find its weakness. While not impossible, it doesn't make sense for someone to beat a boss with luck in the place of skill.

The presentation could've been better, too. While From Software programmed the game well enough to use both screens, the underwhelming graphics and sound fail to inject much personality. Cookie & Cream feels like a first-generation Nintendo DS game, instead of a sparkling new game. The game also has an overabundance of "cuteness", just like the original. The heroic bunnies, the bosses, the levels, the mini-games – everything looks overly cute. Kids and fans of the original PS2 game probably won't mind, but everyone else may find it too overpowering.

Cookie & Cream doesn't completely suck. Some of the puzzles offer mild amusement, It also has an unexpectedly high amount of multiplayer support, both locally and online. Players can join up with a friend in single cartridge download play or team with up to four people with multiple cartridges for mini-game interaction, as well as co-op play. The Wi-Fi Connection also finds exceptional use here – that is, once players find someone. While this doesn't even come close to the multiplayer experience of superior Nintendo releases, it does grant a little relief from the mundane single-player campaign.

The problems with Cookie & Cream can't be overlooked. Even with the multiplayer options and the touch-screen gameplay, it fails to provide much enjoyment. Fans of the original game and patient kids probably won't mind digging in. Everyone else, on the other hand, should pass this one by.

Final Score: 6 (out of 10)

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Cookie & Cream

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Our Final ScoreMediocre

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