Gaming Age writes: "Still, there's not a whole lot to the game, and without some challenging puzzles, it's only something I can see appealing to gamers that feel like they need to hit that 100% completion mark. Otherwise, you'll blow thru the main game in a few hours of time, and you'll be left with not much to do after that. There's nothing in the way of boss fights or any remarkable encounters, and while some of the level designs are pretty well thought out, and definitely make good use of the mechanics, there's nothing here that stands out as exceptional. It's a decent way to waste time for a few hours, but nothing I can see myself going back to again and again. Still, it is only $20 or so, which is about the right price for the content. If you enjoy a bit of puzzle mixed into your platformers, then this is probably going to be right up your alley, otherwise, you might not see the appeal in it".
DreamStation writes: "Docomodake began as a marketing character, mascot if you will, of the Japanese cellular phone company NTT DoCoMo. He's quite the icon in Japan and has become the first family of fungus. Now Docomodake and his family of mushrooms have invaded North America. A quirky, but cute platform game, Boing! Docomodake DS takes Papa Docomo and sends him on a journey to find the lost members of his family, who for some mysterious reason have all gone missing. You will use your Docomo to climb, dig, and roll around various stages all while transforming into mini Docomo's or back into his larger and normal self. Honestly, could this be anymore Japanese? Short answer is no. The rest of this review will serve as the longer answer to this intriguing and often asked question."
Docomodake BOING! is an action game for the Nintendo DS with a heavy emphasis on solving puzzles. In the game, you play as a mushroom named Papa Docomodake, who is searching for the rest of his family across several different towns. In each town, you'll face eight unique stages, each of which requires you to split Papa Docomodake into several smaller versions of himself that can be manipulated with the stylus.
Mini Docomodakes can be placed atop each other to fill in platform gaps, linked together to create ladders and stairs, placed on switches to open new areas, and launched at enemies, among other abilities. Each set of stages tends to be slightly more complex than the last, and while the game is not particularly challenging for skilled players, it does require some puzzle solving skills. For example, you may need to drag a mini Docomodake to a switch while standing in a particular area, or leave some of your minis in a certain place while you explore elsewhere in the stage. On the touch screen at all times are two icons: one that lets you freely look around the entire level, and another that tells you how to perform all of the available moves and abilities in the game.
TGH writes: It's not often that mushrooms get to star in their own game. The fungi tend to play second fiddle to other characters, most often mustachioed plumbers. Ignition's latest DS title, "Boing Docomodake DS" actually has very little to do with saving a princess, but that's about all that has in common with Mario. It's actually a bit more in line with the recently released "Mushroom Men," since you play as a mushroom on a quest to save its family. However, this unique puzzle-platformer takes a refreshing approach to navigating levels and stylus based gameplay, that set it apart from, not only Mario's games, but most games on the market as well. What more would you expect for a Japanese telecom mascot?"
