I ordered the PPGZ DS game (on a whim, actually), and to my utter surprise, it arrived in my mailbox yesterday. Anyway, I got through everything and have decided to write about it. Enjoy. Screenshots and translations of instructions are provided by actar.

This is the menu screen. It plays a digitized version of the OP1 music. Here, you have two choices: Game Start and Instructions.

Instructions:

Peach will be your guide throughout the game. The game is board game-style with different tiles. The objective of the game is to reach the goal first.

There are two special types of zones: Peach and Mojo. If you land on a Peach zone or Mojo lands on a Mojo zone, you/he will receive a bonus, whether it be sweets or a card. However, if you land on the other person’s zone, the player will receive some unfortunate happening. I’ve come across being moved back a certain number of spaces, losing a turn, or having your roll restricted to one or two. Not sure it there are any others.

In addition to those zones, there are seven different mini-game tiles, each corresponding to a different category of mini-games. Landing on these zone will result in one of three mini-games in that category. These games are played simultaneously, so speed is crucial.

Before the start of the mini-game, you are presented with a betting screen. Using sweets you get from Peach zone or from playing the mini-games in training mode (maximum of nine in one story mode game), you can place bets on the mini-game. The winner of the game will advance the corresponding number of zones.

0 = 3 zones
1 = 6 zones
2 = 9 zones
3 = 12 zones

Like so.

At the beginning of each game, you are given four different zone cards. Just before you step onto the last zone after you roll, tap any of the cards to change that zone. This can be used on any player, including yourself. This provides a little strategy to the game. Be careful. Mojo tends to use these against you on harder stages.

The game is over when someone reaches the goal.

 

Game Start:

Choosing Game Start will take you to the main menu, where you are given four options:

Story Mode
Party Mode
Training Mode
Erase Data

 

Story Mode:

Choose your character. The candy slots on the side tell you what level the board will be when you choose them.

After a brief introduction, Peach sends out the call…

…and your character transforms.

You are then taken to the game board. Play is at the bottom, while the top screen provides a map of the course, the players, who’s turn it is, and how many sweets and cards each player has. Touch the screen to stop the spinning die.

You will move the corresponding number of zones. Depending on what zone you land, you’ll either receive a bonus, a curse, a mini-game, or nothing at all.

If a mini-game ensues, instructions will appear at the top. Play the game, and if you win…

…you jump ahead. Continue play until the goal is reached. Once all the girls have gone through all of their respective boards, a fourth option will appear on the character select screen: Final Battle. Here, Mojo will challenge the girls to three successive random mini-games. Fail any, and the game is over.

 

Party Mode:

This mode allows you to play against up to two other people off of a single card. You can choose any board you want. All rules from story mode apply.

 

Training Mode:

This mode contains all of the mini-games the game has to offer. You can play any you’ve played in story mode. Choose a character, then choose the game you want.

Mini-Games:

Numbers 1: 20 Touch

In this game, each player is presented with the same 20 balls numbered 1-20. Each player touches the balls in numerical order. Since everyone shares the same set-up, speed is definitely a key. Once a ball is touched, it is removed and a small icon appears telling who got it. Whoever touches the most balls correctly wins.

Numbers 2: Clock Addition

Each player is presented a simple addition or subtraction problem. For example, 07:20 + 55 minutes. Use the touch screen to set the clock (you only control the minute hand) to set the clock to the answer, then hit “Set.” The first to three correct answers wins. However, getting three wrong answers results in elimination.

Numbers 3: Calculation Fill-In

Each player is presented an equation with a missing element. Players must choose which number from one to five goes in the missing spot. The first to three correct answers wins. However, getting three wrong answers results in elimination. Careful. Equations get more difficult after the first two.

Knowledge 1: Country Flags Identify

This game requires you to read Katakana. Every player shares the same setup. The players are presented with ten country flags surrounding four country names. Touch a flag whose name appears. Your character will then move to that flag. Careful. Others may head to the same flag and beat you to it. Once you claim a flag, touch the star whose name matches the flag. If correct, the flag will be moved there. The first to get two correct wins.

Knowledge 2: Where Is This Country?

This game requires you to read Katakana. Every player is given a map of Europe. The name of a country will appear above it. Touch that country. The first to three correct answers wins. However, three incorrect answers results in elimination.

Knowledge 3: Animal Silhouette

This game requires you to read Katakana. Every player shares the same setup. The players are presented with a silhouette of an animal next to three animal names. As time goes on, the silhouette becomes clearer, but your choices may be limited. Only one character to a choice. Best of five wins.

Motion 1: Mojo Fight

Players share the same setup. Basically Whack-a-Mojo. First to ten hits wins.

Motion 2: Banban Balloon

Players move their stylus up and down as fast as they can to blow up their balloon. The first to pop their balloon wins.

Motion 3: Powerpuff Race

Players share the same setup. Basically a car race. To control the car, place the stylus in front to speed up, behind it to slow down, and left and right to move left and right. Battle your opponents for victory.

Figures 1: Girls Search

Tap the card that matches the girl on the left. First to three correct answers wins. However, three incorrect answers will result in elimination.

Figures 2: Mirror Mistake

Tap the item on the left whose reflection on the right is incorrect. First to three correct answers wins. However, three incorrect answers will result in elimination.

Figures 3: Sponge Cake Count

Tap the number of sponge cakes shown on the left. First to three correct answers wins. However, three incorrect answers will result in elimination.

Words 1: Word Building

Using the stylus, guide your character to three hiragana characters in order to form the word at the top. First to collect all three wins.

Words 2: Pair Shooting

This game requires you to read Katakana. Three words and three pictures will float along a river. Move the spring on the bottom left and right with the stylus and let go to shoot out a target. Hit the word and the corresponding picture in either order. The first to match all three words with their pictures wins.

Words 3: Spell Touch

A word in English will appear above a bed of sprouts. The letters of the word will come up, and you must spell the word by tapping the letters in order. The letters will disappear and reappear with a new letter after every touch, so be careful. The first to spell three words wins. However, three errors will result in elimination.

Memory 1: Touch Paint

An image will appear for a few seconds. Memorize it and select the color and the location it belongs to paint the picture as was seen. The first to complete the picture wins.

Memory 2: Which One Appeared?

A selection of desserts is shown for a few seconds. When the curtain lifts up, all the deserts would have been shuffled around, and one new desert will have appeared. Touch the new dessert. Three correct answers will lead you to victory. However, three incorrect responses will result in elimination.

Memory 3: Flower Touch

A bee will fly to some flowers. Touch the flowers in the same order of the bee’s travel. Three successful rounds brings victory. However, three errors results in elimination.

Sounds 1: Rhythm de Ponpa

Think DDR or Donkey Konga. While music plays, a stream of blue and red markers will come from the left and head to a circular marker on the right. Tap the corresponding markers below that when the markers arrive in the circle. Listening to the music is essential for a perfect score. The best performer wins.

Sounds 2: What Is This Sound?

Tap the item that makes the sound. Three correct answers bring victory. Three mistakes bring elimination.

Sounds 3: Composer Identify

This game requires you to read Katakana. A song selection will play. Before time runs out, select the composer from the three available choices. Three correct answers for victory. Three incorrect answers for elimination.

 

Erase Data:

Pretty self-explanatory.

 

Review and Comments:

Presentation
Rather simple menus are easy to navigate, but the lack of new artwork is somewhat depressing. All artwork are digitized versions of stuff we’ve seen on the show.

Gameplay
Yet again, pretty simple, but there are some serious flaws with it. Despite the fact that the game can be completed in a matter of a few hours, a lot of the mini-games are either not interesting or much too simple. Animal Silhouette is one to look out for in Story Mode. Mojo will always choose the right answer unless you get it first, and you really don’t have much of a choice. Others are only fun if with others. The mini-games are also far too short and too few in number. I can understand the “too short” one, since there are mini-games after almost every roll, but there could have been much more variety in the game. If you’re rather observant, you can also manipulate the die to land on anything in your favor, since there is no random number system as seen in most other party games. I must applaud, however, the use of cards to switch zones at the last minute. Definitely a neat aspect that can be fun to use when playing the boards with others.

Sound
Nothing great or not here. Pretty average stuff, although the exemplary sounds go to the digitized version of “Kibou no Kakera” (head over to To the Z! and download the latest weekly report to hear it), the piano piece in What Is This Sound?, and the surprisingly vast majority of song selections in Composer Identify.

Graphics
As you can see, standard 2-D stuff. The only 3-D objects in the game are some elements on the board, best seen in Bubbles and Buttercup’s boards. More could have been done, though.

Replayability
Once you got through Story Mode, unlocked every game, and tried them all…there really isn’t much to do. Sure, playing the mini-games separately gives you more candy, but the average person can easily go through Story Mode without using a lot or even one.

Like most licensed games, this one suffers from the company’s desire to make more money off an established franchise without putting their best effort into it. Therefore, it receives…

More Screenshots: