In Mission Mode, you'll need to guide the submarine to the end of the level. Each mission will need to be completed within 10 minutes, which is plenty of time considering the missions can take you from 3-6 minutes depending on the difficulty of the mission. Whereas in Time Trial, you'll need to do the missions within a specific time limit, which is shorter than the generous 15 minutes Mission Mode gives you. At the end of some missions, you'll have to face off against a boss, it can be a giant sea monster or a battleship, either way, you're going to have to take it out, and believe me, it isn't easy!
Once you've completed a mission, you'll be asked to enter initials of your name which will be placed on the leader board. It's sort of annoying that you can't enter your full name, but one could argue it's a retro touch. Another negative about leader boards is that there are no online leader boards, which is a stupid mistake by the devs at Nintendo.
Another problem with Steel Diver is the fact that there are not a lot of missions, in fact, there is only 7 missions. This is quite sad as Steel Diver is quite addicting, but there's just not enough levels to fuel even more addiction. Sure you can try to complete every mission with all the subs, but I feel like there isn't a lot of fun in that, especially with the absence of online leader boards.
In terms of graphics, Steel Diver isn't too shabby, but the graphics aren't anything special. The 3D effect is a nice depth effect, which I think is perfect for the game. The music in the game is quite good. The sounds are also very good in Steel Diver; you actually feel that you're underwater, however, the cheesy voice acting restricts you of having that feeling. Steel Diver gives you the choice of three submarines:
Compact (N0-01 Mantee)
Midsized (NP-03 Blue Shark)
Large (ND-05 Serpent)
Compact (N0-01 Mantee)
Midsized (NP-03 Blue Shark)
Large (ND-05 Serpent)
All of them have pros & cons, for example, Compact is small and can dodge enemy missiles easier, but it's not as fast as the Midsized and Large submarine. Also, they have a different amount of missiles, and different direction of firing them. In Steel Diver there is also a form of customization, that form comes in decals. Yes, you can get little symbols on your sub. You'll have to unlock them, but it's a nice feature. However, I feel that Nintendo should have added more ways to customize your submarine, such as changing the paint job.
Sounds pretty simple right? Yeah, it's a simple game, easy to understand, but not easy to play. This is because of the controls in the game. Steel Diver doesn't actually use the Nintendo 3DS buttons or the Circle Pad. Instead controlling the submarine is done entirely via the Touch Screen. The Touch Screen features two main levers which you use to control the submarine.
You control the submarines by using the forward-reverse lever and the surface-dive lever. Some of the subs have a wheel, which if you turn puts them on an angle, which makes it easier to turn. There are other buttons such as the Masker button which makes you invisible from enemy fire. The controls at first were a bit overwhelming, but within a few minutes I got used to them.
Apart from maneuvering your sub, at the end of every mission you'll play a mode titled, Periscope Mode. In Periscope Mode, you're not underwater, instead you're looking through a periscope trying to destroy ships/submarines by firing missiles at them. Periscope mode is a fun mode, in which you'll need to move your 3DS around. Once you've spotted a ship, a simple touch of the touchscreen will sent a missile hurling towards the unlucky ship. It's not easy though, enemies will also fire back if they spot you.
To enhance replay value, Nintendo has include a Battleships clone, Steel Commander. It's a great little mode, but yet again Nintendo has forgotten to include online multiplayer. However, Steel Commander does support Download Play, which means only one copy of the Steel Diver is needed to play it with a friend.
Overall, Steel Diver is a valiant attempt at a new IP, and I thoroughly hope that this isn't the last we see of it. While Steel Diver does suffer from lack of content, and lack of online integration. It falls into the same class as Pilotwings Resort, I can't justify spending $40/£30, but it's a great game. While it is a little slow-paced, it's a great handheld game. If you're looking for a completely new experience on the Nintendo 3DS, I suggest you purchase Steel Diver. Anyway, I'm pretty sure you'll be able to find it cheaper now days.
7/10
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