My first introduction to Line Rider was a McDonald’s commercial, honestly. I was amazed at the detail on the screen with all of the different images and the ability for the rider to drive everywhere. When I read about a DS version coming out I had to jump at the chance to play the game. What I discovered is that while Line Rider can be just as fun as the commercial it can be a daunting experience designing tracks.

In case you haven’t seen or played Line Rider before then here is a quick introduction. Imagine drawing a track or course with a pencil for a crazy bobsledder to ride on. You can edit parts of the track with different attributes such as a speed boost to get your rider really going. But the real kicker is you can be as creative with the track designs as you want. Some gamers have gone so far as to create works of art in their track designs. Check out the huge number of videos on YouTube for tracks created by some amazing designers.

Line Rider 2 for the DS keeps the artistic nature of the original PC version alive with some new features. Story Mode has you playing in a number of challenges where you have to get your Rider from the starting point to the Finish Line. Each challenge can best be described as a puzzle, where you have to connect the dots so to speak. Connecting the dots is done by drawing lines to get your Rider to the end of the track. It’s up to you to be as simple or as creative as you desire to get to the finish line. A simple straight line might work but it could be even more entertaining designing a circle, pyramid or other obstacle you can think of. The ultimate goal is to get to the finish line; oh, and to pick up the targets scattered throughout the stage.

Besides the Story Mode the other new feature in Line Rider 2 is the Puzzle Mode. This mode has you designing puzzles for other gamers to solve. Just like in the Story Mode you have to collect the targets and get to the finish line. The catch here for Puzzle Mode is that you must be able to finish your own puzzle before it can be shared with other gamers. Yes, you can’t design an impossible maze for others to try fruitlessly to complete. Once you have a puzzle completed you can then upload the track using the Tracking Sharing feature. Once you’ve registered on the Web site you can upload your track and download additional tracks created by other users. Sharing can be done either locally among other Line Rider 2 owners or using the Nintendo WiFi Connection.

The last mode in the game is really where Line Rider novices should spend their time, Freestyle Mode. This is where you will get a trial by fire experience in learning how to get comfortable with the controls and design a track.  Now this is where the biggest hurdle for the game appears because actually designing a track can be a very complex experience. Don’t let the YouTube videos make you think otherwise, you will be spending numerous minutes and hours getting the designs just right. The actual in-game experience does a poor job of offering any sort of instructions on the numerous different options available to use. You will need to break out the instruction book to get an understanding of the different options available in the menu system during track creation. Honestly though, how many of us keep the instruction manual handy anymore when we’re playing games?

Once you figure out what each menu option does you will still have a huge amount of trial and error to get your tracks just right. Physics play a big role in how the Rider actually performs on and off the track. One small jump might send the Rider flying off making you miss the landing spot you so thoughtfully designed. Or one small bump in what you though was a straight line causes the Rider to crash and burn, ending your ride.

My favorite was trying to create a loop only to get the Rider stuck between two lines unable to move.  The only option was to end the ride and then start tweaking again.

The tweaks will keep your soon-to-be masterpiece probably on the shelf for a while until you get everything ironed out. Don’t get me wrong the actual experience of seeing your Rider zip through your track is a great feeling. Unfortunately, I wouldn’t put it past many gamers to give up on the game quickly because of the challenges faced when designing the tracks. Simply drawing a straight line is easy enough but you’ll want to get jumps, loops and other extravagant obstacles on your track. The extravagance is where you’ll start to bang your hands against the DS in frustration because your Rider is going out of control.

Line Rider 2 is a solid game with an exceptional learning curve. If you take this into consideration then you shouldn’t have any problems enjoying the game. However if you’re quick to get frustrated or lack patience in learning controls then you probably want to skip Line Rider 2.  Line Rider 2 is a unique experience that might offer more for artists and designers than actual gamers.

Gameplay: 6.0
The actual gameplay is centered more upon designing instead of playing a game. The Story Mode is as close you will get to an actual game since you are figuring out various puzzles in each Act.

Graphics: 5.5
The short cut scenes played before and after each Act contain the best graphics of the entire game. The visuals for your Rider and basic tracks are really simple since they are lines. You can get very creative on your track designs but the visuals are still lines.

Sound: 5.9
Most of the music in the game is based upon techno music that you can thankfully change. The game offers several different tracks to select to keep you from getting too annoyed with just one song.

Concept: 7.0
The actual track design portion of the game really is brilliant. Being able to create huge and expansive tracks with almost limitless possibilities is amazing. Unfortunately getting use to building those tracks is where the game falters.

Difficulty: Medium/Hard
The steep learning curve will probably scare off many gamers from really digging deep into the track designs.

Multiplayer: 7.4
Being able to upload and share your track designs with other users is a great feature that more DS games should offer.  Of course, just like Line Rider 2 the sharing option should always include the Nintendo WiFi connection.

Overall: 6.4
Line Rider 2 is a unique experience for the DS that is only limited by a challenging interface. Yet once you get a decent track designed and watch your Rider sled away with reckless abandonment the excitement and fun kicks in.