Max and the Magic Marker Review

Max and the Magic Marker is an iPhone game that was re-created for the Nintendo DS. While the platform has been given up for dead by Nintendo, third party publishers remain committed with its huge user base, but the hardware is showing its age. Bad graphics aside, can Max and the Magic Marker prove to be an innovative title in the system’s twilight?

The premise behind Max and the Magic Marker is to use the Nintendo DS stylus for creating on-screen doodles. This has been done before in games that were arguably more successful at utilizing the technology: the launch title Kirby Canvas Curse and the more recent Drawn to Life games.

Playing as Max, the goal is simply to reach the end of the level without dying. Gaps and hazards along the way will prevent your path, so you will have to draw your own path. Simply press the stylus to the touch-screen and draw a line. When you remove the stylus from the screen is when the object becomes active on the screen, meaning you can walk or climb on it.

You have to collect paint bubbles in order to fill your painting gauge. Reaching a checkpoint empties your gauge, meaning that you will need to recollect bubbles in order to draw. You can also refill your gauge, albeit prior to reaching a checkpoint, by pressing the X button and up on the control pad. It’s worth noting that you can control Max using the analog stick when playing on a Nintendo 3DS.

The iPhone version looks a lot better graphically, although due to control issues, it would be hard to recommend going that route. The Nintendo DS graphics are quite muddy and unpleasant to look at. Max hardly has any detail to him and the enemies are just purple blobs. It’s a very simple style and not necessarily in the cute way, either.

Max and the Magic Marker is a retail release on the Nintendo DS. As such that means you will need to pay full retail price while iPhone users are spending $1.99 on this product. Quite the insult to Nintendo DS owners, if you ask me. The outdated graphics, high asking price and limited level design easily make this a game that you should pass up.