How to play your battle cards right in Dynasty Warriors DS

It was only a month ago that we were impressed over the quality of the 3D visuals in Koei's melee brawler Dynasty Warriors DS: Fighter's Battle. Now, we can dig a little deeper into the game's tactical gameplay that will be guiding us as we slash our way through formations of at least a dozen enemy troops.

The first decision to make will be in the choice of three playable characters, with each having its own special attribute: Dragon (speed), Chimera (power) and Phoenix (balance).

These attributes will be important in determining the way you play the game, with speed most useful for darting attacks and making sure you don't get surrounded, while power will prove expedient for more direct players. Presumably balance will stop you from falling over.

Another option involves the game's Obstacle Roulette System. This lets you unleash special tactics or spells using the cards that make up the system. You get to choose up to seven of these – they're based on characters from the original Dynasty Warriors game – and, as well as being useful for sudden attacks, the characters will also help defend your bases during the game.

The final element announced is the wireless Versus mode that will support up to three players. Koei says the gameplay in this mode will be subtly different, compared to when you're playing against artificial intelligence, as Obstacle attacks become a more important part of gaining victory on the battlefield.

Dynasty Warriors DS: Fighter's Battle is due for release sometime this autumn.