The interface is one of the simplest I've seen on a DS cartridge, and the game is all the better for it. Tap once to activate a hotspot, and you are given an option to examine, interact, or talk when applicable. Tap the desired selection and the action is carried out. Getting around means either tapping where you want to go on the screen, or using the directional pad, which is a welcome option for those who like more hands-on control. At the bottom of the screen there is bar which contains your inventory items, and touching an item there also brings up the interact and examine options. Surprisingly, choosing to interact causes all onscreen hotspots that could possibly be used with that object to become highlighted, and will only go away when you touch the item again. This can be very useful, as it means in a given scene you can systematically go through the hotspots until you find the right combination of objects. At times, however, it will first be necessary to combine inventory items together in order to solve some of the puzzles.

It is in this area that Secret Files: Tunguska becomes something of a mixed bag. There are no new features designed specifically for the DS platform, just a straight conversion of the many inventory puzzles, some code cracking puzzles, and one scenario where you have to use both characters to help Nina escape from a hospital. The problem with the puzzles is the veiled logic behind their solutions at times. For example, there’s one involving a speed limit sign, where the end result implies that the character must have had some psychic knowledge of what was going to happen. Some of the unlikely object combinations can also be a hindrance, as there’s always a connection but it’s about as hard to see as the invisible man in a hall of mirrors, leaving you to stumble onto solutions accidentally or through trial-and-error instead. Fortunately the logic-based puzzles, like arranging a set of coins in a particular way or turning all the lights off on a grid to open a safe, are well thought out and not too difficult. If you do get stuck in this game, it’s more than likely that you simply haven’t found that elusive pixel-sized item you need. The diary is also of use with one puzzle in particular, but it’s such an underused feature that it’s not at all obvious that you need to use it when the time comes.

There are four slots to save your game in, and an option to turn sound effects off; not that you would want to unless you’re playing somewhere public, as they add some welcome depth to the game otherwise. The soundtrack plays at dramatic moments, which enhances the cinematic feel of the game, but most of the time is spent listening only to the ambient background noises. It’s a shame that better use wasn’t made of the top screen, as it’s only really used to illustrate conversations and successful combinations of objects. Still, all the elements of the original game are well constructed here, making for a smooth transition from PC to DS. Anyone new to Tunguska should get around 12-15 hours of gameplay, though anyone who’s played it before will get through a lot quicker, as there is no new content in this version.

Unfortunately, after the satisfying ending (for Nina and Max as well) comes a series of cinematic bloopers which don’t fit the tone of the game and do little but detract from the mood of the moment. The game sets itself up like an adventure movie, then ends in way more suited to straight comedy, but isn’t even funny. The mild comic excursions in the game are excusable, but the Hollywood spoofery of the ending is unnecessary. What’s worse is that you get some stuff that’s meant to be funny, then a kind of relevant story epilogue, and then still more (attempted) humour before the credits. These extras can be skipped, but they probably would have been okay if they hadn’t gone on so long. Stay right until the end and you will be informed in James Bond-style that Nina and Max will return in Secret Files 2, a sequel which at this point isn’t too far off.

Despite a few gripes with this game (though fewer than the PC version), I really enjoyed this port. The simple interface, stunning graphics which are some of the best I’ve seen on the DS, and an intriguing storyline all add up to an enthralling adventure. It doesn’t provide anything not found in the original, but I’d recommend it to anyone who hasn’t yet played the game and is looking for a good adventure on the DS. It has some questionable puzzle issues, no doubt, and even with its distinct take on a fascinating real-world event, the plot of Secret Files: Tunguska will never be considered particularly original, but with a sequel on the horizon, it’s a welcome opportunity to go back to where it all began for Nina and Max, and well worth the time spent doing so.