BY: TJMAIDEN

Electroplankton comes off, less like a game, and more like a concert. There are no set goals, no princess to save, or cars to steal; Electroplankton is an underwater concert that you manipulate. Toshio Iwai used his audio and visual expertise to produce an interesting, if not casual diversion; as opposed to a more traditional, skillfull game.

Wikipedia describes it as such:
================================================== ====
Electroplankton is an interactive music video game developed by the Japanese multimedia artist Toshio Iwai and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo DS portable gaming system. This unique software allows one to interact with animated "plankton" and create music through one of ten different "plankton themed" interfaces. This title is commonly not regarded as a video game in the fullest sense, but rather a "toy" because there is no objective, timer, or top score. Everything that the game has to offer is available from the beginning. The first-run edition of Electroplankton in Japan came bundled with a set of blue colored ear bud headphones.
================================================== ====

While it is an interesting concept, and it is desgined well, it comes off a bit shallow. It's meant simply to explore the different ways the touch screen can be used as an interface to create audio and transform it into something melodious. Electroplankton acts more as a conduit learning tool for first time DS users, and though much of what's produced in Electroplankton could be musical, it is not intended as a music maker. And, ultimately, that's where the experience takes a dive: as creative and impressive, original and, most importantly, fun as Electroplankton is, it lacks a specific set of expected elements to keep the players' interest beyond the initial hypnotic sessions. Electroplankton ends up lending itself to be more of a background media; not wholly compelling, but perfect background noise for studying, or if you're like me writing reviews.