Touch up Old Masters with Paint by DS
Rework Van Gogh and Cezanne, without getting your hands dirty
We predict this idea that the DS has become the entertainment equivalent of a non-stick frying pan into which publishers can throw any old concept will, at some point, fragment horribly, wiping out various profit projections in the process.
Whether Mercury Games' Paint by DS will be the straw that breaks this particular camel's back, we're not qualified to say. After all, Mercury's has made money selling Crazy Frog racing games, so if nothing else, it should know all about marketing to an audience.
Still, a touchpainting oil or watercolour-based game, even one including works from the likes of Cezanne and Van Gogh, as well as puzzle mini-games based on the 15 famous pieces of artwork include in the game, doesn't strike us as the most sensible DS experience.
That said, Paint by DS doesn't come alone. It will be the first in an ongoing set of titles from Mercury, which will be released as part of its non-violent, non-competitive Zen series. Developed in conjunction with Japanese company Ertain, these are designed 'to aid the relaxation of the busy, modern urbanite'.
Paint by DS will be released on August 24th, priced at £20. There will be two limited edition versions: one including a paint set, and one including a paint book. Click 'Track It!' to hear more after we've canvassed some opinions.
