Turn Around and Go Back From Where You Came

Ever since WarioWare was invented, every developer is taking a crack at fun, quick mini games.  While Turn It Around has an interesting concept, it falls complete flat with flawed controls and outlandish variety. 

The game’s concept is simple and right to the point.  Through 24 mini games, the player will participate in a number of odd activities such as man-tossing, Arknoid playing, or riding elevators (ala Elevator Action– Taito).  The gimmick of the game, however, is to “turn it around.”  From the game’s title, one could probably assume that the stylus will be used to spin things using a circle motion on the touch screen.  And that is exactly what the game does for just about every game.  While using the touch screen for mini games can be entertaining, the flair wears off if you use the same rubbing motion over and over again. 

But the game takes the wind out of its own sail by allowing the player to use the D-pad instead of the touch screen.  In just about every other game, having both a touch screen control and D-pad control option would be most welcomed as the user could use whichever is most comfortable (too bad Zelda doesn’t have this option).  By offering D-pad control, there is no need to ever pull out your stylus.  Therefore, the main gameplay element is removed from the actual gameplay. 

On the same note, most of the mini games are either over too quickly, or are just so strange that the player will feel more confusion instead of entertainment.  It should be noted that every one of these mini games can be played through in mere minutes, rendering this game’s replay value to a small amount.  Yes, the player does have the option to mulitpak link this game with some friends, but this is just a chance to play bad mini games together.  And once mini games are completed, you can compete against yourself by working toward a higher score.  But no matter how hard you try, the game will always give you a score with a low grade.  

The touch screen controls are also highly inaccurate.  When a mini game is completed, the player has the option to input initials for permanent record keeping.  But the touch sensitivity is so difficult to use, this simple task is more of a pain than a reward.  And because each game takes seconds to complete, the user will be seeing this initial input screen a lot.  And with the inability to save your previous inputted name, the user will just type the “AAA” just to get past this screen.  You know the game has problems when you have difficultly entering your initials.

The whole game is basically built around spinning.  Sometimes you have to spin fast.  Sometimes you have to spin slow.  Sometimes you only need to spin once and the whole game is over.  Either way, you are spinning over and over – it gets boring pretty quick.  Plus, with the games that force the player to spin quickly repeatedly, you will start to question the durability/health condition of your touch screen, which is never a good thing. 

Even with the budget price of $20, this is not a recommended game.  The quirkiness is a little too over the top and the touch controls are shoddy at best.  And with “spinning” being the theme, it is a wonder why the developers allow the player to use the D-pad.  Stay away from this one.