Game of the Week: Dual Pen Sports

It is the latest sports title to appear on the 3DS, but Dual-Pen Sports certainly has one unique selling-point - The game is designed to be played with TWO styluses instead of one. As a result, the game even comes packaged with two unique green styluses of its very own.

There are seven sports included in the game: Boxing, Paragliding, Skiing, Football, Archery, Baseball and Basketball.

Each of the sports involves two distinct actions in order to complete them. This sounds complicated, but with a bit of practise, both actions will become second nature.

 For example, in the Basketball game, players must first tap the left side of the screen to catch the ball, and then slide the stylus in an upwards motion on the right side of the screen to shoot at the basket.

Each sport has two types of matches as well. Rank matches take place against a CPU opponent. The task here is to beat your opponents' rank.

 Please note, however, if you fail to successfully complete either of your two main actions, you will fail the round. If you fail for three rounds in a row, it will be 'Game Over', making Dual Pen Sports very challenging indeed!

The second type of match is a Score Match, whereby players try to score as many points as they can. This type of match also uses Score Multipliers.This is a lot of fun and adds loads of replay value to the game.

Each sport comes with a practise session before the main match, and has its own illustrated tutorial, which can be re-read at any time.

This is very helpful with sports such as Boxing, which contain two main actions for players to complete, (Strike Left and Strike Right,) but which also contains several optional actions that can be performed as well.

If you are concerned at the thought of playing a game with two separate stylus, then Mini Gamers can reveal that the game can actually be played just as easily with one single stylus, although the timing of each action may take a little more work this way.  

The game also features a Daily Challenge, these challenges will help players to hone their dual pen skills before competing in an actual match.

Each of the seven sports included can also be played against friends via the 3DS' local wireless settings.

 Unfortunately though, this will mean that each player will have to have their own copy of the game in order to play. Nevertheless, competing against real human beings does mean that you will get a chance to prove who the most ambidextrous amongst you and all your friends, which is an interesting contest.

Dual Pen Sports Trailer

In conclusion, unlike other sports compendium games, like Sports Island 3D, this game does not allow players to take part in complete sports matches, but rather consists of a set of sporting mini-game challenges, such as kicking the ball into the goal, or knocking out an opponent within three rounds and so forth. Thus, it may not appeal to the hardcore sporting fans amongst you.

Nevertheless, for those players who are looking for a unique, fun and challenging sporting title, which can be replayed again and again, then this is definitely the game for you. Overall rating: 10/10.