DS Fanboy writes:
After a few controversial picks, I've decided to take the edge off and pick on an easy target. After all, doesn't picking on the weak make us all feel a little better? So don't worry about today: we've got not one but TWO S's replaced with Z's!
Pedigree
Instead of talking about the developer and publisher, let's just take a long look at the title. It's in three parts. First: "Bratz," a franchise which has been criticized locally for allegedly attempting to sell sex to children. Abroad, things are even worse: "On December 21, 2006, the National Labor Committee announced that the factory workers in China, who make Bratz dolls, labor for 94½ hours a week, while the factory pays only $0.515 an hour, $4.13 a day. The per doll amount is $0.17, much less than the Bratz dolls actually cost (from $20 to $40)." (Wikipedia).
And most important of all, let's not forget the last letter of the first word, a disgusting trait also shared with the second word: "Ponyz." When did the letter "S" become uncool? Did he totally say ohmigod and she was all like "right?" Or did Z suddenly become incredibly popular? Did Z come skateboarding through space while wearing sunglasses and playing a hot pink electric guitar? That's still cool, right?
Game Vortex writes: "As many Bratz games as have come out, it seems like there is always a new one available. Bratz Ponyz 2 is the latest one for the DS, at least until the next one comes out next month.
The color pink is definitely the theme for this game. Almost all of the backgrounds, places, and ponyz are done in pink and blue and green pastels. It's really not as annoying as it sounds though, and it is perfect for younger girls. When you start the game, you can choose between a yellow, pink, blue, or green pony for your main character. Once in the game, you can do all sorts of customizations like makeup, stickers, and clothing, to make your pony look however you want it to look. You can also switch to the other ponyz from your house so you can play as any color at any time."
While the overall adventure does still fall short of offering real depth -- it's still a rinse-and-repeat process of playing mini-games, getting items, then playing mini-games again -- Bratz Ponyz 2 has taken strides in the right direction.
Presentation - 7.5
Graphics - 7.5
Sound - 7.0
Gameplay - 6.5
Lasting Appeal - 6.5
Overall -
Gamertell has posted an article that relates a story published in Betty & Veronica Digest Magazine to a surge in female-oriented games being released September 2008.
From the article:
"In an issue of Betty and Veronica Digest Magazine (no. 125, Jan. 2002) with a story titled 'Game Gambit' featuring fictional game maker Zapco Games. The company has asked Betty, the blonde-next-door and sometimes gender-bending teenager, to help test a series of arcade games targeted towards girls. The story starts with Betty claiming most games and being too violent for girls and Zapco shows her a series of prototypes that Betty rejects as being too stereotypical..."
The fictional, stereotypically female-oriented arcade games in the comic book story are strangely close to the eight DS releases listed in the article.
