For a long time we have been fans of the Starfox series: so un-cool yet cool at the same time, it has spawned a series of games quite unlike most other first-party franchises in their form and type. Unlike most Nintendo games, there is a great deal of violence, an incredibly strong storyline, a sense of teamwork and a continuity that runs throughout the whole of the series -Mario, Zelda and others (Metroid excepted) are the standard non-linear type of Nintendo game that do not necessarily precipitate the others, nor follow any real continuity. Starfox therefore is unlike these other Nintendo franchises.

And unlike most other Nintendo-owned franchises, only two of the games are any good.

Without any doubt, the Starfox series has been living on the reputation set by Starwing (Starfox) and the N64 sequel, Lylat Wars. Both intensely driven, powerful games that drew in the player by creating the feeling of camaraderie, desperation and a constant motion towards the inevitable goal. Starfox Adventures and Starfox Assault were two abortive attempts to bring the series up to date, two epic howlers that failed to live up to the promise of their worthy predecessors.

And now, we are presented with a handheld version of the game for the first time on the mighty DS. Does it live up to its predecessors? Can it be the game to finally bring the franchise back into the A-List? The answer to both these questions is: Um... well... yes and no, really.

After switching the game on, the player is given he usual back-story of the game: The team has split, Fox is on his own and there's trouble a-brewin' again in the Lylat system. This time round the evil menace to be confronted has been biding its time under the poisonous surfaces of Venom's vast Oceans. After the previous game, Venom was quarantined by the Cornerian fleet and believed to be subdued. Famous last words, anyone?

Like lightning, the new enemy swept across the system, eliminating all resistance in its path: the Cornerian fleet is decimated, General Pepper taken ill and replaced by that old war hound, Peppy. Fox is totally cut off from his friends with almost no hope of survival, and yet the plucky former leader of Team Star Fox does not give in, does not falter and steps up once again into the breach to fight for his friends and anthropomorphic animals the universe over. Huzzah!

This new adventure sees a number of significant changes in the style of play, not in the least because the designers have decided to implement a "touch only" state of affairs. The game is almost entirely touch-controlled, with the fire action mapped to any button you care to press other than the "Select" and "Start" buttons. Sliding the stylus around the touch screen causes the ship to bank, roll or speed up and slow down dependant on the areas of the screen that you touch.

Does it work? The answer is again: yes and no. And unfortunately, this is the defining trait of Starfox Command: it really is a game that is successful and unsuccessful in so many ways.

Two immediately noticeable additions to the game are the timer and the "command" sections. Also, players familiar with Lylat Wars will recognise that all battles are now played in "all range" mode in enclosed arenas. The "Command" sections occur pre-battle and are highly tactical in nature. The Great Fox arrives in a sector that is clouded by a fog of war and it is up to the pilots to determine where the enemies and bases are, all while maintaining a protective CAP around the Great Fox. The interface is touch-screen and the method of play is turn-based much like Advance Wars: when an enemy is encountered the game switches to battle selection mode (there can be several battles to fight, one after the other). Rather than fighting with the squadron, players take on the role of the pilot that encounters the enemy and fly it solo. When two pilots engage the same squadron, it is up to the player to choose who will take the fight. Much of the camaraderie is lost this way, but the game becomes much more tactical in that you must move the appropriate fighter to engage the right enemy, and as turns are few in number, every decision makes a difference.

The "on rails" experience is gone: players are now confined to an arena of limited size and given a time in which to defeat a certain type of enemy. Failure to destroy the target enemies and collect their "core" results in the destruction of your ship. While adding realism and forcing the player to consider their fighting skills, some of the charm from previous games is lost. True, the "on rails" experience was limited too, but at the very least the craft displayed a real sense of motion. On the other hand, the timer coupled with the arena-style battles and target enemies all compliment each other very well to create a dynamic experience that rewards careful play.

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The controls are tricky to get used to and even harder to master. But Starfox Command really is a game that rewards continued play; the more combat time you rack up, the more comfortable the interface and the style feel. However, there are times when the touch-screen-only really grates and you yearn for the more simplified and less exciting, but ultimately easier, D-Pad and buttons style of play. Strangely, such an option does not exist, perhaps the developer brief was that the touch screen should not simply be used as a map but should have a real function just as in Metroid Prime: Hunters. The sad truth is though, it is just not as effective in guiding a small and agile fighter as it is being used as a substitute for a mouse-look system in an FPS.

With the DS proving to be more of a graphical powerhouse than originally thought, one would be justified in expecting something quite special in the graphical delivery of the game. Unfortunately, the outcome is quite disappointed. Rather than being a match for the epic and legendary Lylat Wars (because we all know the DS could do it) the graphics are merely adequate for their purpose. Enemies are a few polygons in size, often repeated in their forms and looking pretty samey. Even the larger bosses are unspectacular, intimidating though they may be. The "Command" sections and between battle interface sections are very well done to be fair however and the style is nice and crisp looking. The battles themselves suffer from no noticeable slowdown even with multiple enemies on screen also, perhaps thanks to the simplicity of the enemy models.

The Star Fox ships are all unique in design and quite elegant in their differences -sweeping wings characterise Falco's ship while Slippy pilots a dull, squat fighter that much reminds me of the character himself. There is not a great deal of fogging present in the levels; however, this again is likely to be attributed to the simplicity of all the other constituent parts. There are some nice effects used in the boss battles, such as dazzling colours and big explosions, but it never gets beyond a merely competent look to really wow the player.

Complimenting and superseding the graphics are the sounds of battle that will rage in your ears long after the game has been turned off. Noises reminiscent of Starwing such as the collision and heavy damage alarms serve to remind the player of its predecessors, but also provide a fitting accompaniment to the overall atmosphere. It is perhaps more the sound of a collision that drives me to avoid hitting enemies and obstacles than the need to stay alive; the creators of the series really outdid themselves when it came to forcing you to keep on the straight and narrow.

During the "Command" sections, sounds are fittingly restrained and the gentle hum of engines can be heard above the twinkly score that makes us think of the stars. General sound effects are suitably well done and the stereo mode of the game never over-eggs the pudding by being to loud or too quiet in parts. It is perhaps a little disappointing that no voice-overs were used for the characters, but as there is such a large cast to cope with, it was probably done for the best. Still, I would have liked to hear the cast of Lylat Wars reprise their roles of "Do a barrel roll!" and "Try hovering!"; two phrases that spring instantly to mind when we think of the franchise, but their omission is not enough to ruin the proceedings.

Gameplay wise, the whole product is let down by the lack of digital control: the touch controls are either too sensitive or not sensitive enough. When it comes to spaceship maneuvers, the bottom screen of the DS is just not big enough to allow for tight turning circles and barrel rolls to be adequately differentiated. With practice, a sort of accommodation is reached whereby you learn to basically barrel roll the whole time and turn while rolling. This means that you avoid enemy fire and turn at the same time, which is a useful skill. Just don't expect to be able to boost or use the brake at the same time, as their touch commands occupy entirely different places on the touch screen. After only a few minutes of play, I actually found my hand cramping -a novel experience as I have often heard people complain of this on the DS but have never, until now, experienced it first "hand." I found myself strongly wishing for the controls to be available on the D-Pad and buttons, but it is not to be. The developers, in their infinite wisdom decided to make the whole affair entirely touch-screen oriented.

That said, once the compromise is reached, and your hand stops its spasms in pain, the controls become close to second nature. And they need to be, considering that battle sequences are timed. This is another new feature of the game and lends it a sense of urgency that would not normally be found in "all-range" mode. With the freedom of the arena to slowly pick off targets, the game would become tiresome very quickly: the timer forces the player to count the seconds and make every action an important one. Initially, we balked at the timer as an unnecessary restriction on freedom; however, the timer makes the experience much more real and drives the player to get good very fast. Also, one timer is used for all battles. So if the player starts with 150 seconds and uses up 90 seconds on one battle alone, then that leaves 60 seconds for a subsequent battle. Luckily though, not only does barrel rolling deflect enemy fire, it also adds precious seconds to the timer. Again, quickly learning the intricacies of the control system rewards the player with making the game easier.

However, for all the criticisms I have leveled at the game, the multiplayer on Starfox Command is easily one of the most enjoyable features for us. Battling against friends or enemies across the wireless network has quickly become second nature - partially because I'm an ace and partially because it's so easy to pick up and play. Lag is not noticeable, and watching other players perform acrobatics is enthralling enough to seriously distract from the task of completely toasting them. Pick-ups also enhance the game rather than spoil it, but they are not necessary to ensure victory: a good pilot will easily be able to evade the attacks of his or her opponents.

In conclusion, Starfox Command is not a bad game, but neither is it a great game. It falls in an uncomfortable category somewhere between good and average that makes it almost impossible to define. There are flashes of genius, marred by long moments of mediocrity. Excellent flight sections are needlessly maimed by an over tight timer and difficult controls. Starfox remains my favourite Nintendo franchise, but it will be the older games that I go back to time and again for my thrills. That said, this is an extremely competent game that deserves to enjoy some success at retail - at least enough to spawn a better sequel.