Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

Death Jr. and the Science Fair of Doom brings fast-paced action to the Nintendo DS by blending stylus-driven attacks with traditional button controls. As you guide D.J. or Pandora through science fair hallways and demon-infested labs, you’ll switch between touch-screen gestures and button combos to unleash an array of weapons. From firing pistols and shotguns to tossing explosive C-4 hamsters and spinning D.J.’s trusty scythe, the combat remains varied and often chaotic, making each encounter feel fresh.

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The inclusion of dual-character play adds depth to the core gameplay loop. Both D.J. and Pandora have unique animations and slightly different attack ranges—Pandora’s firearms feel quicker but less powerful, while D.J.’s scythe provides satisfying melee reach. You can swap on the fly, which not only encourages experimentation but also keeps you engaged when one playstyle grows repetitive. The DS’s touchscreen serves both as a menu for selecting weapons and as an attack modifier, giving you a sense of direct control over Dez’s deathly arsenal.

Puzzle elements also make a stealth appearance between the run-and-gun stages. You may need to tap switches in a specific order or manipulate objects with the stylus to clear obstacles, adding light brain-teasers to the largely action-focused levels. While these mini-puzzles never overshadow the combat, they do break up the pacing in a welcome way, preventing the gameplay from feeling like a relentless corridor shooter.

For those looking to challenge friends, the game includes two multiplayer mini-games: Reaper Ricochet and War Mode. In Reaper Ricochet, you catapult explosive hamsters off tombstones in a risk-reward style battle, while War Mode sets you and a partner loose in side-scrolling shoot-‘em-up arenas. Both modes are straightforward to pick up and inject a fun competitive edge that extends replay value beyond the single-player campaign.

Graphics

On the graphical front, Death Jr. and the Science Fair of Doom makes effective use of the DS’s hardware. Character sprites are crisp and well-animated, with D.J. sporting a fluid scythe slash and Pandora’s gunfire flickering across the screen in satisfying bursts. Enemy designs range from school lab mishaps like mutant frogs to fully rendered demonic ghouls, each with distinct color palettes that pop against the somewhat drab lab environments.

The environments themselves display a surprising amount of detail for a DS title. Science fair booths, classroom hallways, and underground corridors are distinguishable through clever use of textures and effects like flickering fluorescent lights or bubbling chemical vats. While you won’t mistake this for a console-level presentation, the art style is cohesive, and the level layouts are clear enough to navigate without frustration.

Special effects such as explosions, shadowy demon auras, and the occasional screen shake when a large monster appears help sell the sense of over-the-top action. The game occasionally suffers from minor slowdown when too many C-4 hamsters detonate on-screen, but it never reaches a point that significantly hampers the experience. Overall, the visuals strike a solid balance between stylized cartoonish fun and the darker tone of a demon invasion.

Story

The narrative picks up in a delightfully tongue-in-cheek manner as Death Jr. and Pandora attend their school’s science fair, only to accidentally unleash the demon Moloch. It’s a simple premise, but the quirky dialogue and character interactions inject enough humor to keep you invested. D.J.’s cheeky quips and Pandora’s slightly cynical retorts land well, creating a dynamic duo that feels charming rather than irritating.

The plot unfolds through short cutscenes that use in-engine graphics, paired with text boxes that highlight character personalities. While the overall storyline is a familiar “accident meets apocalypse” trope, it’s elevated by whimsical asides and minor subplots—like rescuing friends Smith and Weston or dealing with the mad-scientist mayor. These slice-of-life moments add color to what could’ve otherwise been a one-dimensional demon-slaying romp.

Boss fights against reanimated fair projects and Moloch’s lieutenants offer a narrative cadence, marking clear milestones in the story. Each boss encounter comes with its own brief backstory snippet, reminding you why you’re bashing mutant hamsters or blasting through armories. It’s not Shakespearean, but the lighthearted tone blends nicely with the over-the-top weapons and stylized violence.

Overall Experience

Death Jr. and the Science Fair of Doom is a robust action-adventure title for Nintendo DS owners seeking a dose of gothic humor and stylus-driven combat. The mixture of touch and button controls gives the game a distinctive feel that stands out among other DS shooters. Combat remains engaging throughout the roughly six- to eight-hour campaign, with enough weapon variety and environmental change-ups to stave off monotony.

The inclusion of local multiplayer mini-games is a welcome bonus, perfect for quick sessions with friends. Even if you’re mainly drawn to the single-player story, the mini-games showcase the developers’ commitment to adding value beyond the main quest. Reaper Ricochet and War Mode may be simple, but they capture the game’s playful spirit while giving you a reason to keep the cartridge at the ready.

While it doesn’t redefine the DS action genre, Death Jr. and the Science Fair of Doom delivers a satisfying blend of humor, weaponized mayhem, and light puzzle-solving. Its art style and character chemistry elevate what could have been a routine run-and-gun title, making it a solid pick for fans of the series, as well as newcomers seeking a quirky, fast-paced adventure on Nintendo’s handheld.

Retro Replay Score

5.2/10