Play Nintendo's Bird and Beans Review (DSiWare)

Bird & Beans is a very, very tiny game, but I've spent so much time with it that I felt a review was certainly justified. There isn't much of a story going on in Bird & Beans, in fact there is really none as this is more of an arcade style game. Even if there is no story, Bird & Beans does have a small history. It first appeared in the WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$! in 2003 as an unlockable mini-game with a highly addictive and challenging gameplay that makes it perfect for small doses. In 2009, Nintendo released this game on its new DSiWare service for a mere 200 points (or $1.99 on the Nintendo eShop). Its small structure makes it a perfect fit for such services.

I was actually a little hesitant about downloading this title, but after playing it for a bit I can now say that I'm hooked. It features a very simple arcade like gameplay experience that features a small bird named Pyoro that must catch beans with its elastic tongue as they fall from the sky. You will receive points for every bean caught with the point value being higher if you nab the bean quickly. To do so you will control Pyoro with the D-Pad (or Slide Pad) and press A to unleash the bird's tongue. Hold down A to allow the tongue to stretch out further. It is definitely an easy premise, however, if any bean hits the ground it will destroy that section and you can no longer walk there.


There are three types of beans to catch; Green beans which are regular beans that will help you increase your score, White beans which will restore a missing piece of the ground, and finally the special flashing beans which will restore most of the playing field. This comes in handy when you are trapped and have absolutely nowhere to move. If you are swift enough and can manage to beat the game's preset highscore then you will unlock Bird & Beans 2. Bird & Beans 2 is almost exactly the same as Bird & Beans, but Pyoro will be spitting seeds this time instead of using its elastic tongue. It's a little tougher as the seeds are practically invisible after spitting them which makes judging the distance between you and the bean much more difficult. However, much like the first game it is also a very addictive experience that will have you coming back for more.

One area that I was especially please with was the game's presentation. I adored both the game's graphics and its music because both elements evolve as you get a higher score. Graphics wise it isn't very intense, but I just love watching how the background changes and what gets added. There will be additional buildings added, a Ferris wheel that lights up when the game changes to night. Bird and Beans also features extremely catchy music that is also built upon during gameplay. More elements are added to the song which is a very nice touch in a highscore centered game. In fact, because of these evolving elements I feel encouraged to score as high as possible to see what comes next.

Gameplay (16/20)

Both Bird & Beans and Bird & Beans 2 offer an extremely fun and addictive arcade experience. You will love trying to beat your highscore and continue to play for a long time.

Presentation (16/20)

Bird & Beans has both a fun and amazing presentation. It offers a quirky, yet enjoyable soundtrack as well as an aesthetically pleasing package that both evolve with your highscore. I really enjoy it when games do these things and think that you will also enjoy this style.

Value (8/10) 

I wish I could give value a higher score, but without an online leaderboard you may only be competing with yourself for a highscore. However, faulting Bird and Beans too much at a $2.00 price point would make me a horrible, horrible person who doesn't enjoy having fun.

Overall

Bird and Beans was a surprisingly fun experience and for a measly 2 bucks there is plenty here to enjoy. I would recommend that you download this title if you have a DSi/DSi XL/3DS that needs some enjoyable downloadable software!

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