Nintendo's Forgotten Gems

ELECTROPLANKTON (DS)

Electroplankton might seem like an odd choice for a Forgotten Gems article. For one, it was released in 2006, which is much more recent than other games that have been, or will be, covered in this series. Second, it’s not really a game. Sure it plays in your handheld video game system, but it was created by interactive media artist Toshio Iwai as a piece of interactive art. However, the title has already been forgotten by the vast majority of the gaming community, and it is definitely a gem, so I figured its inclusion in the series would be appropriate.

Every part of this non-game is open from the outset, allowing players to experiment with the software however they see fit. Players are given the choice of 10 different musical experiments, each with unique Electroplankton that respond differently to different types of interactions.

For instance, Tracy is one creature that will continuously follow a line drawn by the player. The sounds emitted from the Tracy will differ depending on the directions of the line and the speed at which it is drawn. Another creature, Rec-Rec, allows players to use the microphone to record four short sound-bites which are put on a continuous loop. Beatboxers are sure to get the most out of this particular Electroplankton.

Of the remaining eight stages, Nintendo enthusiasts are sure to be most enthralled by the NES inspired Beatnes. While playing on this stage, players are encouraged to tap different parts of the Beatnes to recreate sounds from Super Mario Bros. while music from a variety of Nintendo games plays.

So why has this creative work already become a forgotten gem? A lot of it has to do with Nintendo’s distribution decisions for the software. The only store that ever carried it was the Nintendo World Store. Unless you lived in, or planned to travel to, New York, your purchasing options were limited to those of the online variety.

Also, timing was an issue for the title. It preceded the non-game craze spurred by Brain Age by a few months, which is unfortunate considering the appeal the title could have had within the expanded audience crowd.

Nintendo did honor the software and its fans recently by including a level based on the game in the widely-purchased Super Smash Bros. Brawl. The small percentage of gamers that actually know what Electroplankton is where pleased by this homage, while the majority of smashers let out a collective “huh?”