Electronics Arts has a blockbuster in their hands, if it concerns the games, created by Will Wright. Everybody knew it after the start of Spore (PC), there will be an addittion for the consoles and handhelds.
Last year EA entered the Nintendo DS with Spore Creator, a nice start. Reviews were good, but the Spore-gamer wasn't happy. Spore Creator in 2D couldn't compete with his big brother on the PC.
This year EA listened to the complaints and launched Spore Hero Arena on Wii and DS. This is our review of the version on the DS.

The campagnes were smashing. Spore Hero Arena was totally different, more RPG like with the techniques from the PC-version. With 3D, a Creature creator and a nice gameplay.
Just like in Spore Hero (Wii) is the game build on a simple story. Your creature is chosen to find red rocks, placed in amulets and fight the crooks, who found them.
It's a good and bad story, your hero is the good guy (off course) and your mission is to save the galaxy. Wandering around planets and fight. A lof of fights!

Though, the nice words of EA don't come through. OK, there is a 3D Creature Creator, just like the original Spore. Even the names of bodyparts are the same. Some recognition is nice for those who wander around in the big Sporepedia of the PC-version. But there is creating ... and creating. If you are used to the complexity of Spore, the creating part in Spore hero Arena looks a little crappy. It's nice, but no top-level.
When you start playing, you have one camera-view. Your hard work in creating your own hero goes up in smoke. The only way to look around is from behind in a sort of overhead view.
Moving around with the stylus runs smooth, the D-pad contains the defence - attackmoves (if you're left-handed, you may use the ABYX buttons).

Fighting your opponents looks nice, but after a while it's still the same. Throw your opponent out of the ring and ... you have won (again). Upgrading, evolving can give you nice creatures, but you are stuck in the first body you selected.

Reviewer's opinion ... it's a nice attempt to bring Spore in 3D to the Nintendo DS. Nice graphics, but somehow it lacks at excitement. After a while my interest in the game was gone and I went back to my good old Spore on the PC.