Age of Empires: The Age of Kings

"Not many games have been able to do what Age of Empires has done. Age of Kings takes everything great from the previous Age of Empires PC series, and creates a new world based on those fundamentals. The DS version retains every major aspect of the PC game, while delivering the gameplay in a whole new way. In the strategy genre, games are made or broken based on their balance, and Age of Empires crams a ton of content onto the system, while actually offering more balance than even the PC versions."

"Age of Empires DS provides a title that will appeal to those Discovery Channel Dads who picked up the stylus for Brain Training, and proves that Nintendo's flip-top toy can supply grown-up depth as well as giddy frivolity. Now, if we can just get a DS version of Laser Squad Nemesis..."

"Graphically the game is more than enjoyable with a lot of variation and beautiful artwork. Those afraid that the makers would spare on that part can stop worrying as even on the sound there's the necessary content, with a pleasing soundtrack and more than enough qualitative effects."

"In the end, while Age of Empires has been stripped of its frills, the core still shines brightly. Ignoring the ‘limitations’ of its chosen format entirely, The Age of Kings is as competent and enjoyable as any strategy title out there, and its most certainly to Backbone’s credit that it’s added yet another string to the DS’ bow, and given us humble gamers a quality title to boot."

"For the most part, this is a great game. The real shame here is that it has to go head to head with the king of handheld strategy games: Advance Wars. Age of Kings certainly does a good job of competing with AW, but ultimately is unable to top it. With that said however, if you are a fan of either series (AOE or AW), you will enjoy Age of Kings and it comes highly recommended."