From the screenshots, Henry Hatsworth in the Puzzling Adventure seems confusing. The puzzle-platformer appears to be two games at once. On the top screen, there’s a platformer. At the bottom, there’s a match-three puzzle game similar to Bejeweled.

But somehow designer Kyle Gray manages to fuse the two genres together. In Henry Hatsworth, players control the titular character. The controls are fairly standard. He moves with the directional pad. He can strike enemies in different directions using the Y button. He can shoot them from a far by pressing the A button. Players jump across chasms and onto platforms with the B button.

Where the game becomes interesting is when players hit the X button. This freezes the top screen and moves the action below. The game becomes a puzzle as players have to match three blocks by moving them horizontally.

Players can use the buttons or they can fiddle with the stylus. Gray, the developer, was an expert and his fingers moved so fast that the puzzle-solving seemed instant. But speed is necessary in this part of the game because the blocks are actually Hatsworth’s fallen foes.

In the game, whenever Hatsworth defeats an enemy he falls into the puzzle as a piece. The screen inches up from the bottom, and if the blocks reach high enough, these enemies are resurrected and come back to haunt Hatsworth.

More on this awesome mashup game on the jump

Alexa and Nintendo DS

Originally uploaded by matt.herzog

It’s been done to death, but we’ve all noticed that the Nintendo DS is a hit with the ladies. Oh it’s such a big hit that Nintendo made one in Paris Hilton’s favorite color — pink.

There have been girl games to attract this substantial demographic. But the weird game I’ve seen that looks to cater to women is Project Beauty. It’s a makeover game.

According to Agence France Presse, a Japanese cosmetics company will release this title that scans your face into the Nintendo DS and lets you manipulate your appearance.

It’ll teach you how to apply “foundation, blusher, mascara, lipstick and” a whole lot of other stuff I have no idea about. No, I am not a disgrace to the man race. As of this moment, the game is only coming out in Japan, but you aspiring beautician gamers can always import it I suppose.

Elebits was one of the surprise games to come out during the first year of the Wii. The gameplay was creative and was one of the few first-person shooters that worked for the system.

Unfortunately, creator Shingo Mukaitoge’s follow up Dewey’s Adventure was less than stellar. For all his creative ideas, combining a platformer and a Marble Madness game just doesn’t work.

So when I heard that Konami was making a sequel to Elebits, I was fairly optimistic. Even if it was going to be on the Nintendo DS, I thought that it could be good. But as usual, the team has managed to surprise me again.

Elebits: The Adventures of Kai and Zero is a 2D adventure game that takes place after the events of the Wii game. Kai and Zero, the elebit behind the first one, get transported back in time. (Apparently, Kai’s dad built a DeLorean.)

More on Kai and Zero and Omega Elebits on the jump

The rock revolution in video games has benefited some genres more than others. Old rock stand-bys such as The Who are getting new life with titles like Rock Band.

But other areas of music have so far been ignored. There aren’t many games with turntables for instance. Meanwhile, the whole genre of techno and house have been ignored by the video game industry unless you count Dance Dance Revolution.

So it’s good to see the Korg DS-10 on the Nintendo DS. From the title, folks can probably tell that this isn’t exactly a video game. It’s more like a music tool a la Jam Sessions.

The Korg DS-10 is a synthesizer based off an old analog Korg MS-10 model. Players can lay down six tracks total. Two with the synthesizer and four drum beats. The music tool works with other DS and works fairly well despite the intimidating interface.

In bringing the synthesizer to the DS, XSeed wanted to create a authentic reproduction. I don’t care much for how the different knobs are presented. On the other hand, when it comes to making music, it’s easy to dive in and create your own tracks despite the intimidating interface.

The game provides you with a set of drum beats and players can work on a piano in two different modes to provide the melody. Although I didn’t know what the hell I was doing, I did manage to make a good tune in the 10 minutes I spent messing around the system.

More on ooh-aah, ooh-aah, ooh-aah of techno music on the jump

When Hannah Montana: Music Jam hit shelves last year, I was genuinely excited. I wasn’t a fan of Miley Cyrus. Despite my little sisters constant urgings, I haven’t seen the show. Nor was I an enthusiast of pop music. I like my tunes a little more emo.

But I did like the Music Jam’s gameplay. It was phenomenal. It borrows a little from Jam Sessions and a little from Elite Beat Agents to create a phenomenal experience on drums and guitar.

If Music Jam was an appetizer for what’s to come, then Ultimate Band for the Nintendo DS could be considered a first course. Fall Line Studios and Gorilla Systems Corps. expanded the concept immensely in ways I didn’t even expect.

Players start off as a musician fresh off the bus. Looking to make it big in Rockapolis, our hero forms a band, finds a manager and works different venues trying to win over the audience and city.

To do so, players will have to play up to four different instruments: lead guitar, rhythm guitar, bass guitar and drums. There could possible be a fifth instrument (but I wasn’t able to see it in action.) They’ll play through 15 unlockable songs, which each use a voice recording.

The guitar gameplay consists of strumming and holding down the directional pad as a chord. As the notes start streaming down the frets a la Guitar Hero. The system works well and it doesn’t cramp your hand like other titles.

For the drums, players have to tap on a virtual drum set posted on the touch scree. To hit the right drum, circles will appear over each pad and players will have to strike it to continue the song. It works beautifully. If tapping isn’t your style, you can also press the face buttons or directional bad to bang the virtual drums.

Now that you know how to play, check out Ulimate Band’s extras on the jump

Logitech announced a bevy of new products at E3 this week that includes a new wireless wheel and a Wii keyboard.

I had a chance to check out the Logitech Driving Force Wireless wheel for the PlayStation 3. The peripheral sits neatly on your lap or table top. It has force feedback and good turning radius, but it’s nowhere near as impressive as Logitech’s flagship wheel, the Driving Force GT.

Without any clips to anchor it to the table, I was afraid that the wheel would slip around my lap, but fortunately, it worked well. It seems like a device that would go well for the more casual players. Being wireless means that it doesn’t take too long to set up and there’s nothing to trip over while your playing around.

The wheel itself runs on 2.4 GHz wireless technology. It also includes an expandable lap rest. The price point is also intriguing. At $99.99, it’s much more affordable than Logitech’s other wheels.

Photos of hand-held cases and a new wheel for women on the jump