The AI movement of the players is as tight as you would expect and the controls have been mapped on to the handheld with the minimum of fuss. The main action buttons cater for all the shoot and pass options the console version has and the R button makes your players dash. The left shoulder button, however, has two functions - when in possession of the ball, holding it down makes the player feint and dribble, while when defending it allows you to swap between players.
After a few moments adjusting to the controls we soon got caught up in the action. Playing as Argentina we could tell the difference between controlling the sprightly Crespo and the more considered and controlled Riquelme, just by the way they felt when in possession. And rather than the slightly staid simulator that the full console version can be, we realised the DS version offered a far more open game.
Above: All the correct players' names are included
The best way to score is cutting in from the wing and shooting across the goalkeeper, which regularly results in a goal. The AI opposition is equally adventurous in the play making PES DS perfect for action packed handheld gaming.
The demo we played only gave us the option of playing as international teams so we can't confirm if club teams will be included in the final game, but all the correct international players' names are included.
So, overall, even though it seemed like Konami had lacked ambition with its lack of touch-screen use, it has succeeded in bringing the PES magic to the handheld.
The half an hour we played it for just flew by so we're eager to get our hands on it again as soon as possible.
