Gaming to Go: Electroplankton

by David Hinkle { Oct 13th 2008 at 3:10PM }

"Wha? Who is this impostor in my beloved column," you ask? Well, I kindly asked Matt if I could step in and guest write the column this week. Luckily, Matt is a fan of not working and allowed me to do so. I imagine he's sitting on a beach right now, complaining about the salt in his drink.

So, Electroplankton. Many of the longtime readers will know it's one of my favorite DS games. But, what's it all about? Well, it's a pick-up-and-play music game by Toshio Iwai, where you can create a variety of looped tracks for your listening pleasure. And utilizing the headphone jack, you can take your musical creations and export them to your computer or some other device for saving. For those who crave an overall goal or some end to work to, then Electroplankton might not be the game for you. The game may seem a bit shallow to those that aren't intrigued by the prospect of simply making music, but I assure you it's a charming and fun game, and one that is perfect for gaming on the go for any lover of the quirky and unique. If there's one thing you can say about Electroplankton, it's that there isn't any other game on the planet like it.

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Gallery: Electroplankton

Tick tock of the clock ringing in your ears? Tell your timepiece to shove it! We live busy lives, but remember this: there's always time to game. Check back with Gaming to Go every week for the latest and greatest titles you should spend your precious few minutes with. And if you're looking for more original content from DS Fanboy (bless your heart), then check out our Point/Counterpoint feature and Bury the Shovelware.

Tags: electroplankton, gaming-on-the-go, gaming-to-go, music, nintendo, rhythm, toshio-iwai

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Henry @ Oct 13th 2008 3:14PM

This game is nice I ripped a kid off and payed him 20$ for it

chispito @ Oct 13th 2008 3:38PM

I love Electroplankton. It's just so charming and fun, a nice accessible alternative to the DS-10 if you are craving some music.

InvisibleMan @ Oct 13th 2008 4:39PM

I love Electroplankton too, but I would never call it a "game"... In fact, I think people would be dissappointed if this application is portrayed like that.
To me, it is more like a really fun version of a Lava Lamp!

no one important @ Oct 13th 2008 5:11PM

Electroplankton is my favorite game of the current console generation.

That is all.

NetOperator Wibby @ Oct 13th 2008 6:26PM

Man oh man, I am now so pissed that I traded my game last year. But I needed money at the time. I found myself thinking about Electroplankton a few days ago so this article is kinda creepy.

JfreshInEffect @ Oct 14th 2008 11:12AM

This game was going for around $100 or so when I got it used on craigslist for $10, since then the price has gone down to around $70 or so. A little too steep for a visual art experiment. But this is definately a peice of worthwhile art for designers and musicians alike.

mepondermd @ Oct 13th 2008 10:37PM

Great DS software (note: not a game!). It's the only one my wife and 2 year-old son also get into. Wish there were more versions. I actually do "get" not having a save function, since it makes the overall experience more organic. As was pointed out, you can plug a cable from the headphone jack to your computer's mic port and use Audacity to record your creation, if you want to save it.

Nathew @ Oct 13th 2008 11:19PM

oh, how i wish i could go back in time and buy up a bunch of copies.

Nycteris @ Oct 13th 2008 11:32PM

I missed picking up a copy of this in my local store. I've never been sure if I would have liked it, really. But now I have pre-ordered DS-10 so I hope that's fun... if not as cute.

hellhammer @ Oct 13th 2008 11:55PM

This was one of my first DS titles.

Electroplankton is fantastic. I'd really like one for Wii.

Xoviet chiK - Gyiyg Strikes Back @ Oct 14th 2008 2:58AM

You can save your music with any stereo audio recording software, all you need is a 3.5mm male to male stereophonic cable. I use Electroplankton samples every now and then.

http://www.amazon.com/Cables-Unlimited-AUD-1100-25-3-5mm-Stereo/dp/B000V6R2OK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1223967390&sr=1-1

Xoviet chiK - Gyiyg Strikes Back @ Oct 14th 2008 8:17AM

Oops.

I guess Amazon is backordered, won't ship for 3-6 weeks unless you buy from a third party on there. My bad.

Nukie @ Oct 14th 2008 6:09PM

Yes, I would agree calling this a game is a stretch. It's more like an organic musical instrument. It is fun and relaxing. And it encourages experimentation and creativity with sound. I also like the abstract colors and shapes. It's a must in anyone's DS collection. Most unusual.