Sssnake

I know I probably shouldn't start out a review by rattling on about my personal life, but I plan on doing it anyway. Not too long ago I had the pleasure of adding the Watara Supervision to my video game console collection. Despite the fact that I own a half dozen different Game Boy products, a WonderSwan, a couple of Neo Geo Pockets and both models of the Lynx, the Supervision had somehow eluded me. But those dreary days are behind me, because now I own a Watara Supervision and life suddenly makes sense.

To test out my brand new toy I decided to throw in the cheekily named Sssnake, which I assumed had something to do with lawn mowing. Unfortunately I was wrong, this game has nothing to do with cutting grass and has you take the role of a snake. In fact, this is not just any snake; it's a magical snake that grows as you slither around the level.

Hey, wait a minute! I know this game, this is that "Snake" game that has been around for thirty years and has found its way onto every cell phone in the world. This isn't a brand new IP; this is just a variation on a mini-game classic. Is this all that the Supervision is going to offer me, nothing but new versions of old school computer games?

After getting over my initial disappointment, I soon realized that Sssnake is actually a fun play on the original version. The object is still the same, you move around the screen picking up fruit and other objects avoiding obstacles like walls, crossbones and your ever growing tail. Each level has a different maze that will make collecting the various fruits and vegetables difficult, so what starts out incredibly easy turns into a frustrating nightmare by the end.

The real problem with this game isn't that we've played it a million times on other consoles; it's the fact that the controls are a little sluggish. I died too many times trying to quickly move my snake in different directions; the D-pad buttons simply aren't responsive enough for this kind of game. Thankfully the sluggish controls didn't break the game for me; I still managed to have a good time playing through this strange "updated" version.

Like the original computer game, the graphics in Sssnake are understandably simple. The levels are made up of only four of five different sprites, and outside of you growing larger there aren't any big special effects. To its credit the game runs wonderfully on the Supervision, it's easy to see where you and your tail are and there aren't too many problems with flashing graphics (something I've seen a lot of in other games).

Sssnake may not be the killer app for the Supervision, but it is a fun game. There's a reason why this title is on every cell phone known to man, and it's not because of the limited hardware requirements. If you're the type of person that likes to beat your score then you will probably find a lot of enjoyment out of this title, but it may not keep you engaged as long as something like Tetris.