Drama Queens
Ages: Teen

The title has a somewhat icky connotation - in fact the game focus on the cutthroat competition for boyfriends and BFF (Best Friends Forever) and the fleeting meaning of BFF. Is this the way it is in High School?

Why a board game on the DS? There is a spinner and convoluted 3D paths for love, career and friends and secret cards to play. True, you can't pack a board game in your back pocket and it does make single player possible - but feels strange. The animation and graphics are well done. Different locations are colorful and detailed, Hollywood Hills, Fashion Gate Mall, Dance Club, Glamour Runway. The girls' various personalities come through when moving or reacting to cards played for or against them. The "speech" was cleverly done consisting mostly of interjections - uh, aww, ah, um with an occasional burst of, "I won!" and it gave the sense of being more fully vocalized that it actually was.

Four characters take turns spinning the wheel - AI will fill in for real players. Cards are used before spinning and are mostly about stealing BFFs or boyfriends. There are three differently colored paths designating love, career, and friends. Landing on a "bomb" spot will result in a disaster. Miscellaneous events happen out of the blue - getting or being dumped by a boyfriend, having a friend stolen, losing or getting job promotions. Final personality score depends upon boyfriends, BBFs and careers. Players are rewarded with life points which you can spend shopping for BBFs, boyfriends or promotions. I am not making this up.

I found Free Play better than Story Mode. There were fewer secret cards, and the game moves faster. The instruction book was comprehensive and the developers did something that should be implemented in games for kids - Text Speed - Dismiss, Slow, Normal or Fast. Dismiss kept text on the screen until dismissed with the stylus.

Lots of care went into this game but I do not believe that there was a female involved in it. The girls are mean and shallow, boys are at a premium and at the end, they can be purchased.

Fun Factor: A board game on your DS. Unusual
Female Factor: Good graphics - bad ethos
Player Friendly: Game saves upon exiting. Text speed is under the control of the player.

Reviewed by: Gen Katz, Editor - 07/09