Agetec’s LOL is one unique game. In fact, there is no other game like it on the DS, or any other system for that matter. While the concept is simple and nothing you cannot do with a standard pen and paper, this title puts the pressure on the player to make the game fun.
First and foremost, there is no single player option in LOL. This game is strictly for 2-4 players, single card download play. Again, chalk one up in the unique category.
The game’s concept is a little hard to explain without actually playing it, but I will try and explain anyway. Once all players have downloaded the single card wire-less link file to their DS’s, the host then takes control by giving the other players some type of task or question to complete. For example, the host may ask everyone to draw an animal. Or maybe the host will ask a trivia question. Or even a fill-in the blank question. The host then writes this task/question/objective on his DS screen and the assignment is given to the other players. This question is then assigned a specific time limit in which the other players can answer. But just like the freedom of the host, the other (guest) players can supply whatever answer they want to give.
Once the time is up, everyone then votes as to who was the winner. Maybe the host provided the task of “who can draw the best rabbit,” but everyone really liked player 3’s drawing of male genitalia and voted that the winner. Yeah, it has absolutely nothing to do with the original objective, but because everyone got a kick out of it, player 3 could have been voted the winner. Every single game is different and 100% controlled by the players.
That is it. There is really nothing more to this game. Like an electronic form of Pictionary, LOL brings something simple, but unique to the DS. Because this game has such a unique concept and is strictly for 2-4 players, retail outlets rejected selling this title in stores. Only available through online purchase through Agetec’s website, LOL screams “collector’s item.” The limited distribution should fetch this game a pretty penny in years to come. Unfortunately, the game is priced a little on the high end. $20 seems a little steep for something you can do with a standard pen and paper. If this game sold for, say, $10-$15 and you have a couple friends that own DS’s, then LOL might not be a bad purchase.
Graphically, there isn’t really much too this game. The same goes for audio. Just very simple presentation fits the basic “do-it-yourself” gameplay attitude. My only complaint is that I wish there was an option to draw images in color. Even choosing from a color pallet of five colors could really have opened up a lot more options for this game instead of the basic black. Also, once you hop into a menu, there is no option to back out and go back to the main screen. You must turn the system off to go back to the main screen. But this is a minor flaw because there really isn’t any need to go back to the main screen once the wireless data has been sent/received.
LOL is marketed under the slogan of, “If the game is boring, You are boring.” It couldn’t be further from the truth. This game is exactly what you and your DS buddies make of it. You want to take this game seriously, you can do that. You want to goof around and draw naked stick figures, you can do that. With no good way to market this game, combined with the limited distribution channel, LOL is bound to be a collector’s item. The price of $20 seems a bit much for a game this basic, but that $20 should be recouped, and then some, if this game is sold on eBay a couple years from now.
