With muddy graphics, a complete lack of depth and a set of boring and clunky controls, Atlus’ “101 in 1 Sports Mega Mix” for the Nintendo DS is a complete waste of time.

For those wondering why Atlus, the company known for its bevy of cool RPGs over the years, published a sports game, after playing this, you’ll still be wondering.

With so many games included and Atlus’ name attached, you’d expect a certain level of quality on this one. Instead, every version of every game is haphazard in one way or another, either plagued by horrific control or the kind of graphics that waved bye bye to handheld consoles years ago.

For example, in bowling, it’s hard at times to tell how many pins are on the lane, due to the lackluster sprites. The game is so thin at its core that you can’t even throw a hook if you wanted to. At the same time, you’re rewarded points for each successful pin you knock down, with no formal scoring system. Because of this, fans of the sport won’t find any reason to play this half-baked version.

The same thing goes for billiards, as the developers didn’t go to the trouble of color mapping the individual balls. As well, there’s no way to add english to your shots.

Cough. Scoff. Grumble.

The few games that don’t fall into this category are just plain lackluster. Seriously, who wants to play darts with a moving bullseye and get points for just hitting the board?

Possibly youngsters, that will like the quickplay because it’s quick and easy to pick up. Everyone else however will be at a loss for words, pondering how this game got released in the first place.

Everything from the graphics to the spotty control and even the Greek Olympus menu screens all reek of disaster, proving that even a quality company like Atlus can make a game that does everything wrong. Even at a reduced price, this is a game that belongs anywhere else but your collection.

Broken, boring and bland “101 in 1 Sports Megamix” on the Nintendo DS is easily one of the worst handheld titles this year.

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