Before i begin my review, i would like to say that my sister has this game and really enjoys it. Being the kind soul she is, she said i could use one of the other save slots and if i enjoyed it, i would buy it later on.
First, this game is a series of mini games which are called lessons, which come with a story line. The storyline is good and engaging (i won't go into it here as some other reviewers have said it already) and wants you to carry on playing. The characters are varied amd fun, and it's nice to see that every child has their own personality, goals, strengths etc.
First are the things i enjoyed about the game:
The characters (see above)
The mini games: very addictive and fun, but they can be frustrating (see things i didn't like)
Planning: Rather than being set lessons, you can place the lessons in the diary yourself and there is no right or wrong (personally, i put the trip/sports at the end of the week), plus you can check who need extra lessons after class.
The PM activities: cleaning the classroom is fun as well as being able to add your own touch with items you have bought from the shop.
The lessons: they are varied and have their own degree of difficulty, which increases through the game.
Three save slots: having three save slots is good because you can share it with either friends of family without having to erase your game.
Downloads: The download only requires one card, which is great to show those who are thinking of buying it what the game is like.
Sketches: In the options menu, there is a section looking at each character and how they drew them, There is even an unseen character! It's a nice touch as it's interesting to see how some have changed.
As much as i enjoyed the game, i feel there are a few things which could have been improved on:
Meetings: I really didn't like these towards the end. One week, i only had one not bad, and miss pierce said it was unacceptable! Even when i had all goods and greats, i was told i must improve- i feel this is annoying because some of the games you can't get a high score in, which makes it unfair, and some children playing this may be upset. Maybe it should have said "good work, now let's try to improve" as the way it's stated makes me want to quit. Lucky for me, the week i got a boo, i finished the main storyline and didn't have to face miss pierce! I really didn't like that character- she was annoying, plus towards the end, she looked like the devil and could be quite scary to younger children playing the game. I'm so glad she got what she deserved in the end!
Trips/sports: A nice touch, but why include them when all they are cut scenes? Couldn't there have been a quiz or minigame? It just feels theres no purpose to them, which is a shame.
Kevin: there is a pupil called Kevin who is a real pain. I understand the makers trying to add realism by adding in a child like this, but he is unteachable! Even though i have held him back in evening classes, they do not worl as the score is too low to make a difference. There are only a few who disrupt the lessons, including Keven most of the time, so you know who the trouble makers are.
Heratbreak: At the beginning of most lessons, you are asked not to put certain pupils together. A few times, i have done this accidentally, but only once has thios ever been a problem, so this feature really doesn't work and just makes you seat them next to different people all the time.
Lessons: As much as i liked them, they can be very difficult to do. Pottery is a big offender becuase unlike the booklet says, you rub up and down ALL of the black arrows, or it doesn't work. When they dissapear, let go or your hard work will be for nothing. Colouring in is a pain because it takes forever and is impossible to get a high score for this. The amount it colours at one time is pathetic really. I know they makers don't want to make it easy, but this is ridiculous! In an The english games aren't clever either. In one, you have to circle the letter given in the words on screen. This is hard because if they are at the top or the bottom, you often have a rosette taken off you. In another with a wheel full of words, you have to write the numbered letter of the chosen word (first letter of this word etc). Unless the letter is a whole, letters like I, H and E are wither accepted as half written or it takes ages for it to be accpeted, lowering the score. I feel that this is bad practice for younger children as it doesn't help their writting skills.
Playing time: My sister (who doesn't have much time) managed to finish the main storyline after two weeks. I managed it in one day (thanks to the snow), so it really isn't something you can play for ages.
Storyline: Why does it only run for 9 weeks? As soon as i finished the 9th week, everything in the main storyline was wrapped up. You can still carry on as you fill each pupils stars to the maximum but some like Kevin will take so long that the lessons will soon lose their appeal and will become boring. The days were way too short and only took 5 minutes at most to finish (including the PM activities).
Overall, it's a good game filled with minigames and a good storyline, but it is suited to those who don't have much time to play on their ds and for a younger audience, which will be kept qyiet for a while. It does deserve a sequal, and if all the above things were sorted out, this would be a gem of a game, I'm glad i borrowed it as i would have felt disappointed by the timescale of the game. A good game if you've got a few spare minutes each day.