Star Wars: The Force Unleashed delivers a short yet satisfying experience on the NDS.
The main attraction this version has going for it are the touch screen controls. There are no other options for controls but that is just fine as developer, n-Space, has done a great job with using the touch screen. You walk/run using the control/D pad while pressing buttons on the touch screen to execute your attack. The six buttons are: force grip, push, lightning, saber-throw, jump and lastly, swinging your lightsaber. You can also perform combos by dragging your stylus over the action buttons. Using a basic combo as an exmaple, you drag your stylus over the lightsaber and force push icon to execute a force sweep. You unlock more combos are you fight bosses and there are around two dozen in total. I found myself using combos, force powers and the lightsaber evenly, never having to rely on one too much.
The game looks great in a somewhat detailed 3D environment with fantastic action going behind you at times. However, the frame rate has problems in areas where you're using the force with objects and AI on screen. The camera does have issues at times but that I found that minimal. A good thing is that all the bosses can be fully seen in the screen. The cut scenes look great but the game could use some more.
The game is on the easy side but I can guarantee that you will be playing some boss battles/areas over and over again. That being said, the game has a leveling up system in categories such as the force powers and more. This makes the game a bit easier especially when you get level 3 force focus.
The sound and music is good but it gets recycled extremely often. I found enemies' death cry a bit annoying while the game could use a bigger selection of compositions from the Star Wars realm. Also, all the dialogue in the game is done through text. Voice acting would be a great addition.
The game is on the short side, clocking in at around four hours to complete the main adventure. You could also unlock lightsaber crystals if you missed them on the first play through and go for the sith costume while playing through your second time. The game has 2 multi-player modes, death-match and duels. I haven't tried them or even know someone who has this game for their DS.
In conclusion, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed is a rewarding experience, especially if you're a fan. Using the force and slicing enemies feel great. If you aren't a Star Wars fan however, I suggest you to pick this game up when it gets cheaper or hits the bargain bins. After all, this is the best Star Wars experience on the DS.