If you never played the original Pipe Mania, the rules are simple: connect pieces of pipe to get the sewage (well Flooze) to the drain. While you can play this game for free online, the DS version has enough admirable qualities to make it worth a purchase for a pipe-puzzler fan.

It’s a simple concept, but relatively fun. Pipe pieces are laid out Tetris-style on the top screen, available only one at a time for you to place. You have a short time limit to start placing the pieces out on the grid. You are given, of course, a start point and end drain. You have to take the given piece and place it, somewhere on course you want to make. The strategy early on is essentially planning ahead with your drain pipes.

But the strategy changes as you acquire new moves that are available in certain areas. One later on, for instance, allows you to draw your own piece and place it. If you have a piece that doesn’t fit, you have to place it somewhere on the map. This can make the game a little complicated (and confusing). If you’ve played BioShock, you might be familiar with a version of this game. In my opinion, the mini-game in BioShock is a more successful pipe-mania game. But as the game progresses, the game came become especially frantic and difficult.

There is a lot to do in this game though. There is a story mode that actually has cartoon cut scenes that are voiced by a narrator that sounds eerily close to Michael Caine from Batman fame. While the story and goofy characters are forgettable (but well done), the arcade and classic modes extend replay value with extra levels. As you play through the story mode, you can unlock bonus modes, art, and other goodies in the Treasure Room. Sadly, what is missing is a multiplayer mode. Why it isn’t available, I don’t know.

Gameplay: 7.0
Relatively fun to play, especially in bursts.

Graphics: 8.5
Cut scenes are very well done and the game is very well polished for a simple puzzler.

Sound: 6.5
Adequate but nothing outstanding.  

Difficulty: Medium/Hard

Concept: 7.0
Classic games hold up for a reason.

Overall: 7.0
For $20, Pipe Mania is a solid game for fans of the classic. The lack of multiplayer is a serious misstep for any DS puzzler.