On-the-go professional wrestling fans can now get in on the action with TNA Impact! Cross the Line for DS and PSP (DS version reviewed here). Play as your favorite wrestler, including Hulk Hogan, Kurt Angle, Mick Foley, and more than a dozen others. Pit them in a Quick Match, follow their storyline, or compete in a series of tournaments to see who is the best around.

There are three types of matches you can play. The first is a standard wrestling bout where you must pin your opponent down for a given time, or cause him to tap out via submission moves. Pretty standard stuff. There is also a Cage Match where you must climb to the top of a chain link fence around the ring, all the while avoiding your opponent and keeping him from reaching the top. Finally, there is a special round called “Ultimate X” where you must climb and shimmy up ropes around the ring to reach an X marker at the top of the stadium. Again, you must shake off your opponent and keep him from winning, too.

Graphics are pretty decent and the 3-D characters have lifelike movements and signature moves. And there is tons of real video footage introducing the characters, which is pretty advanced for the DS. Only problem is the sound effects. During the game you usually only hear generic grunts and groans.

The only other main problem with this wrestling game is the controls. Moving around with the D-pad and using the buttons to punch, kick, slam, and pin is simple enough. But it can be hard to grapple your opponent even when you’re facing him. Also, in order to successfully pull off a submission move or recover from a pin, you’ll switch to touch screen mini-game on the bottom. When you have your hands full with all the button presses, it can be difficult to immediately whip out your stylus for the touch screen challenges. A wireless two-player mode would’ve been a nice addition, too.  But I imagine portable gamer professional wrestling fans will still enjoy playing as their favorite fighters anyway.

Kid Factor:

TNA Impact! Cross the Line is rated T for Teen with ESRB descriptors of Blood, Alcohol Reference, Violence, and Mild Language. The wrestlers use punches, kicks, and other painful moves and their victims react accordingly. Some of the videos show blood on the wrestlers, but the alcohol references and mild language are in the text only. Reading skill is necessary for all the text in the game (a more interactive tutorial mode would’ve been helpful, too). If you’re OK with your kids watching wrestling on TV, they’ll be OK with this game, too.

Tags: Game Reviews