So the recent wave of music titles has you feeling like a rock star, huh? Well, how about putting that new-found talent to use with Korg DS-10 Synthesizer, a music creation program from XSEED Games. And yes, I refer to this title as a program, a piece of software rather than a game. Because that's exactly what it is. The "game" here is not defined by the developers or creative director. You are the creative director. The fun and satisfaction comes from what you manage to create using this wonderful piece of software.

Now don't be fooled by the fact that this program resides on the Nintendo DS. It is a complex little guy, with a plethora of options, effects, methods of layering tracks, etc. And only an experienced synth musician will be able to decipher all of these options and techniques without first consulting the manual. That's not to say the program is overly difficult, but there is a bit of a learning curve. For those of you that have experience with a looping program such as Frooty Loops, you'll be able to quickly get your mind around Korg DS-10. For those of you unexperienced with such programs, I'll attempt a brief explanation. Songs are constructed out of building blocks called "loops," which are four-beats each, and can be repeated and arranged at will. You alone are responsible for creating these building blocks, but Korg DS-10 gives you just about all the tools you could ask for. In each loop, there is a drum sequencer, used for creating a drum beat. There are also two synthesizers, which can be played and recorded like a piano and also programmed via their own respective sequencers.

And those are the strict basics. There is also the KAOSS Pad, which is a fun little doodad that makes interesting use of the DS touch screen. Placing your stylus at a location on the screen will play a note based on the x-coordinate of that location, and at a particular gate based on the y-coordinate. Sliding your stylus around the screen dynamically alters the note and gate, leading to some interesting, though mostly experimental sounds. There is also a basic drum pad on which you can create beats using the touch screen. I personally found the drum sequencer to be much more capable, but the drum pad was fun to mess around with at the very least.

Once you've laid down some tracks in your loop, you can then make use of the multitude of effects offered by the program. Though I'm not usually one for effects, I found that their addition really brought some new life to my loops. The flange effect, in particular, was fun to play with. There is also an extremely versatile patching editor that will provide you with even more options and effects.

A little music theory or even some basic knowledge of music and scales will certainly come in handy with this title. It's a very powerful program, and I imagine the most creative of you will be able to produce some absolutely fantastic works with great ease. I love the potential that this program offers. It is by no means musically dumbed-down for a video-game audience. And that is both a blessing and a curse upon Korg DS-10. The blessing is in that the musically inclined are likely to embrace and praise the title. The curse however, may be more significant in that by appealing to a specialized group, it lacks the casual appeal that often leads to commercial success. And though there is a slight learning curve, it is really not that difficult for someone who wants to compose or even just have fun and create some interesting experimental noise.

If you're creative, interested in music, or maybe even just want to do something productive with your DS, give this title a shot. One New York City-based band has already made the DS-10 their instrument of choice and is shooting for rock stardom. That may be an extreme case, but with the enormous potential that this game represents, anything is possible.

Gameplay: 8.0
The gameplay is pretty solid throughout the various synthesizers, sequencers, pads, etc. It's fun and intuitive to use, and it responds as you'd expect it to. There's not much else you could ask for from a music program.

Graphics: 7.5
Korg DS-10 is obviously not a graphically based title. That said, the interface and menus are done well enough that it does not distract you from your main goal, to create music.

Sound: 9.1
The sound that comes out of your DS will be solely based on your creative prowess. But overall, the quality and variety of the sounds you can produce are excellent. And that's enough incentive to keep on making music for me.

Difficulty: Medium
Korg DS-10 is not difficult in the traditional sense. You can pick this title up and have it make noise pretty easily. But there is a slight learning curve if you really want to put together a solid piece of music.

Concept: 9.5 
I love the concept here. It's a new and productive use for the Nintendo DS and that's great. And this is the real deal compared to all those other music games. You won't just be rehashing old classics on a fake plastic guitar, you'll be creating legitimate music that you can call your own.

Overall: 8.8
Korg DS-10 is definitely not for everyone, because of the simple fact that it is deep, rich, and does not ignore the details. There's a lot of potential here just waiting to be unlocked, that is for sure. If you're interested in music and what to put your creativity to work, give this title a go. It's worth your time.