Wireworld DS

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Title: Wireworld DS (Homebrew)
Console: Nintendo DS (flash cart required)
Author: unknown
Homebrew Download: Click here to download

Review

Review written by ProtoKun7 (based on Revison 8. 20 Jul 2009 of 3)

Wireworld may or may not be something you've actually heard about, but if you haven't, you should. It's essentially a program called a "cellular automaton", which consists of a grid of cells with four different states:

  • Off
  • Electron head
  • Electron tail
  • Conductor

Replayability
You can either use (the four different states) to improve your knowledge of cellular logic and advanced mathematics…or just to make psychedelic patterns with. I might make it sound really complicated, but not only is it simple, its simplicity also makes it very fun to use even after the umpteenth time.

The cell states follow specific rules, which you can use together to create the patterns (using the touchscreen) that you want.

Graphics
Not covered in review

Story
Not applicable

Gameplay
Off cells stay as they are, until you change them manually.

Electron heads will turn to electron tails after one step in the program.

Electron tails turn to Conductor cells after a step (in a sense, they 'lose their power').

Conductor cells will only turn into Electron heads if one or two of the neighbour cells are Electron heads (the power gets transferred to the conductor), otherwise they will stay as they are.



Keeping in mind these simple rules, using plenty of cells together to make generators, conduits, logic gates and diodes can really be quite interesting and enjoyable at the same time.

Control
Wireworld DS also has several options you can use to adjust your grid; some of the important button commands are explained in the first screen:

R (trigger) - Saves file
L (trigger) - Loads the saved file
X - Toggles whether a state that the program is in while paused is restored when unpaused or not (hard to explain, so it might be worth testing it yourself)

Y - Toggles speed between fast/slow (can also be adjusted by tapping the arrows at the bottom of the screen)
A - Pause/Unpause simulation (adjustable on screen by tapping the cross/tick icon)



The sheet that you are provided with in this application is relatively large, and can be scrolled around by using the directional pad. Additional options that can be used during the program are:

  • Selecting the types of cell by referring to the colour scheme mentioned already,
  • Removing the entire grid (the icon of blank paper),
  • Removing only the electrons (the red and blue cells, so that only the black and yellow cells remain as they are) by pressing the icon resembling a horseshoe magnet.

Final Notes

Overall, I would give this program at least an 8.5 out of 10. It can be very addictive and enjoyable, but sometimes loading a file doesn't always work properly, sometimes instead giving you randomly spread cells in my experience, but this doesn't happen anywhere near enough times to be considered a huge problem. Scrolling is fairly swift, but can sometimes be too swift if you only intend to move over by a few cell's width, and although having a very large area to play around with, it is finite, so it's all the space you have.
Besides that, there's not really much I need to say, other than that I hope you enjoy using the program as much as I do.

Pros
1. Not provided
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Cons
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Replayability N/A N/A
Graphics N/A N/A
Story N/A N/A
Gameplay N/A N/A
Control N/A N/A
Overall Rating 8.5 It can be very addictive and enjoyable

Boxart

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Screenshots

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