The Wii and DS link-up takes a matter of seconds, and cross-platform play handles exceptionally smoothly. The Wii version suffers slightly in comparison to the DS one – a good deal of the interface is empty space, while the two windows mimicking the DS screens seem a little blurry. If you own both consoles, you’ll probably want to plump for the handheld version, which not only has the benefit of being portable, but also looks crisper as a result of running in its native resolution.
But despite all this, Echoes’ multiplayer is sublime, combining the sort of depth you usually find in an MMO with fast-paced arcade sensibilities. With a full roster of character classes – and four smart people controlling them – it can be as much fun as Gauntlet, the granddaddy of co-op. We’ll have to wait and see how online fares, but if you own a current Nintendo console and have four like-minded friends, you should be very excited indeed.
Feb 9, 2009
