At the core of Spore Hero Arena is the Creature Creator, the tool that lets you upgrade and customize your character. This system works remarkably well for a handheld format and makes for nearly limitless creations. The battles, set in arenas similar to boxing rings, are less well designed and can be a little frustrating; opponents overpower your creature easily, and the small-screen/mediocre graphics, make characters' moves difficult to follow at times. Fortunately, the Wi-Fi battling and trading characters plus unique character building make for a good (though not great) experience. 3/5