Game-Boyz: Make no doubt about it; my daughter loves her Disney TV shows. Whether it be Zack and Cody, Hannah Montana, Cory in the House or Wizards of Waverly Place; she watches every new episode usually more than once. Unfortunately when it comes to the Disney DS games based on the aforementioned shows, my daughter has been disappointed more often than not. So when Wizards of Waverly Place for the DS arrived, I reluctantly handed the game over to my daughter hoping this Disney game could buck the trend. Much to my surprise she really enjoyed the game but it wasn't too long before she 'hit a wall' and stopped playing the game altogether.
Game Vortex: "Although gameplay leaves something to be desired, Wizards of Waverly Place: Spellbound "gets it." There's no way to actually verify my suspicions, but I'm fairly certain a little more research went into the actual show beyond a quick glance at the Wikipedia page and Google search."
If you're a huge fan of the series, Wizards of Waverly Place might be worth a look. Even so, don't go in expecting any real story or clever dialogue. This game has very little to do with the series, and is simply banking on its name to sell an otherwise lackluster game.
Black Lantern Studios failed to capture the spunky spirit of the show and the length and storyline leave a lot to be desired. A mere four and a half hours into the experience and IGN's dreams of reenacting more Wizards madness were shattered. Add that disappointment to the hit-or-miss mini-games and you've got one underwhelming game.
Presentation - 7.0
Graphics - 7.5
Sound - 7.0
Gameplay - 5.0
Lasting Appeal - 4.0
Overall -
