Spore Hero Arena review

Not quite heroic

12DOVE Verdict

Pros

  • +

    Create your own creatures

  • +

    Goofy

  • +

    cartoony charm

  • +

    Decent selection of minigames

Cons

  • -

    Small screen hampers visual impact

  • -

    Whole game is rather dull

  • -

    D-pad controls feel all wrong

Why you can trust 12DOVE Our experts review games, movies and tech over countless hours, so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about our reviews policy.

Spore’s main ‘hook’ – the whole ‘design your own peculiar/amusing/offensive-looking creature’ thing – is a bit lost on DS, where the small screen hampers your foul creation’s visual impact. But the main problem with Spore Hero Arena isn’t that the detail of your creature is lost in a haze of pixels, but that the whole game is rather dull.

Having birthed some funny-looking animal, you jet around a galaxy visiting planets in search of new body parts and other collectables. There’s an emphasis on combat against other, similarly unsettling animals, but the scrappy D-pad controls feel all wrong. There are optional minigames, but they’re short and uninspired, and seeing your own bizarre creature-child galloping through them can’t change that.

Nov 2, 2009

More info

GenreStrategy
DescriptionThere are optional minigames, but they’re short and uninspired, and seeing your own bizarre creature-child galloping through them can’t change that.
Franchise nameSpore
UK franchise nameSpore
Platform"DS"
US censor rating"Everyone"
UK censor rating"7+"
Release date1 January 1970 (US), 1 January 1970 (UK)
More