Mushroom Men: Rise of the Fungi (DS)

The DS version of Mushroom Men sets the stage for the Wii version, and follows the same formula of weapon creation and level exploration, only this time it’s in “2.5D”.

Another difference is that in Mushroom Men: Rise of the Fungi players have to choose between three character classes, each with different strengths and abilities.

While Rise of the Fungi also sports large areas to explore, it’s a platformer game at its core, and the areas available for exploration are much more restrictive than in Wii’s Spore Wars.

The game’s graphics were very decent and the color palette and art direction was very similar to its bigger brother. The DS version has the same fourth quarter release window as the Wii game, and could be a good companion piece to Spore Wars, which is definitely the main dish.

[See also: Mushroom Men gallery]