Zenses: Rainforest Edition

Release Date: November 6, 2008

Zenses: Rainforest Edition Review

We give our final thoughts on the stronger of the two Game Factory puzzlers.

We've been covering the Zenses series from Game Factory since its initial unveiling, and now that both Ocean and Rainforest have made their release for the holiday season – and we've taken both through their respective paces – we've returned to not only tell you if one (or both) of the games are winners in their respective "casual puzzle" genre, but also to a give you the lowdown on which of the two we personally enjoy more. For the Zenses: Ocean Edition review, click here. As for the next one, we move onto Zenses: Rainforest Edition. Packaged with six casual games, all of which are touch-only in design, Game Factory is out to appeal to the casual, female demographic and deliver a design that's based off of an obvious rainforest theme, both in sound and visual design. What it really comes down to though are the six puzzles, and in the case of Zenses: Rainforest Edition, you'll find more for your money than in Ocean.

Right off the bat we need to be specific in stating that Zenses (both Ocean and Rainforest) aren't hardcore games, so this review is geared more towards the casual user. If you've got a mom, sister, or younger family member or friend that's into DS, but might even consider games like Super Princess Peach or even Brain Age as a bit too complex, Zenses is the way to go, as it's very straightforward, score takes a backseat to just relaxing and playing a few rounds of one of the games, and the achievements that can be unlocked are purely optional, as everything in the package is unlocked from the get-go.

Our main gripe with Ocean was that a few of the games just didn't fit with the package, and seemed like throwaway offerings that bogged down the overall value of the package. There are a couple in Rainforest that aren't quite as good as the best in the pack as well, but all in all Rainforest has a better offering than Ocean, and if you're only going to pick up one, we'd go with the bamboo over the ocean tide any day.

The games are nearly identical in design, but Zenses: Rainforest Edition is the better buy over Zenses: Ocean. We had more fun with the six-game set.

The package kicks off with Treasure Spin, which is already a more innovative game than anything found in Zenses: Ocean. Based on rotating a game board with blocks and little flower-filled spheres, the goal is to spin the world clockwise or counter-clockwise and get each of the spheres to collide with each other. Once all of them are in a single chain, they disappear, and the level is completed. It's fun, simple, and innovative. In Stack Jack, the second of the six games, players use the touch screen to grab three circles and "stack" them into one larger circle, basically grabbing a center piece, a middle ring, and larger outer ring. It's an interesting idea and the only real gripe here is that the game requires players to keep sliding up the pieces they're working with on the bottom screen, waiting for the right piece they want to scroll from the top. Since it's random, oftentimes the actual "time left" score isn't reflected by your skill, but rather how generous the random object generator was. On higher intensity levels though, it's more about skill, as things can move pretty fast.

As a few others that are really pretty entertaining, you've got Flower Board, which is a basic pair-making game, where the top screen shows intended flower icon pairs, and you've only got a set number of available "cards" (or flowers) to lay on a large grid. Strategically placing them in order to get multiple pairs from a single spot on the board, players can rack up huge combos with the smallest possible moves. In Sapphire Wheel, developer Shinen has included what is basically a better version of one of the Ocean games, where you'll use specific shapes to fill grid areas similar to tangram puzzles. Adding more strategy this time around though, the amount of playfield space is huge, and it's up to the player to stack gems and not work themselves into a corner. It's a much better offering than it's Ocean counterpart. Twist'n'Turn is the only game in the list that doesn't really appeal to us, as it's amazingly difficult after a few rounds. In this 2D version of a Rubik's cube, players swap gems and rotate gearl-like circles to move around objects from area to area. If it sounds complex in writing, it's even crazier when you see it in motion, as more and more objects are thrown in the harder it gets. Play it too much, and your head may explode.

The package rounds out with the classic Solitaire game, where you hop from space to space, jumping and collecting pieces as you go. It's a simple game, but it's also timeless, and there's a reason people still play it after all these years. That makes five out of six entertaining titles in the mix, which is much stronger than Ocean's offering. As you'd expect, Rainforest also has a similar relaxing style to it, with an animating waterfall a the title screen, lots of river animations and tree-top backdrops, and a more vibrant, colorful look to it than Ocean. It's the same style of course, but all in all it feels like a more visually vivid, graphically impressive package, if even just by a hair.

The Verdict

We’d still position Zenses: Ocean Edition and Zenses: Rainforest Edition as $20 offerings, so at the price of $29.99 it’s a bit steep for the causal crowd on DS, but if you’re only going to spring for one of these options, or planning on grabbing one of them first to feel out the concept, go with Rainforest. There are more compelling games, we personally like the visual design a bit more overall, and it’s got the same casual feel, and very open, “everything’s unlocked” offering. If you can wait until it drops to $20, that’s the perfect price for a package of six “flash game” designs on DS. If you’re looking to scoop it up for the holidays, we’d rather spend time in the rainforest than out at sea.

IGN Ratings for Zenses: Rainforest Edition (NDS)
Same design as ocean, but a bit better overall. The visuals just feel crisper, though the options and core offering are identical.
There’s a bit more to see visually. The game’s are more varied in color, the animated backdrops have a better look to them, though the core package is nearly identical.
The same relaxation-based trance music as Ocean. No VO, but well designed overall. Simple.
The games are just better on Rainforest. It’s a nice mix, though again, this is meant for the casual gamers out there, not the hardcore.
Lasting Appeal
The games will hook you for a bit longer, and the basic leaderboards (local) and multiple difficulty levels are included just like in Ocean. More worth your cash than Ocean Edition overall.
(out of 10, not an average)
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Game Details

Published by: Game Factory
Developed by: Shin'en
Genre: Adventure
Release Date:
United States: November 6, 2008
Australia: October 10, 2008
MSRP: 29.99 USD
Also Available On: