Electroplankton

Electroplankton is a unique piece of software for the Nintendo DS. It's hard to describe, as it is not a game. If you could define it, you'd probably call it 'touchable media art'. It's an amazing display of creativity, created by the renowned Toshio Iwai. It's something that you have to experience to fully grasp.

Electroplankton has been available in Japan for quite some time, and has finally been released in North America via online retailers and the Nintendo World store in New York.

Note: Most of the information contained within this article is derived from the Japanese version of Electroplankton.

Different Modes
Electroplankton boasts 10 different modes of play. These modes generate different patterns of audio and visual stimuli. While a few modes are completely random, there are a few that allow you to create melodies and record sounds. Combining some of these modes can yield some nice sounding results, some in the form of actual songs and/or patterns.

The 10 different modes are:
 * Tracy
 * Hanenbow
 * Luminaria
 * Sun-Animalcule
 * Rec-Rec
 * Nanocarp
 * Lumiloop
 * Marine-Snow
 * Beatnes
 * Volvoice

You'll also find that you can choose between another 2 modes of play when your first start Electroplankton:
 * Audience mode simply allows you to view demos of all the different modes. Cycle through the different 'plankton' with the L and R buttons. These demos can also be interacted with in the normal manner creating a hybrid of your composition with the inbuilt demo.
 * Performance mode places you in complete control of all the 'plankton'. It is in this mode where you will spend most of your time.

Playing Electroplankton
Electroplankton takes advantage of every feature the Nintendo DS has to offer (except for wireless play). With that in mind, you'll find that there are different ways to stimulate and play all the different modes.

For example, Volvoice allows you to record a short sound clip using the Nintendo DS microphone. You can then manipulate the various options in this mode to modify the way that your recorded sound is played back.

Another good example of playing Electroplankton would be the mode Nanocarp. A large number of 'plankton' swim around the screen, and you can stimulate them by creating ripples in the water. Tap in one area to create a ripple, and any 'plankton' caught in its wake will generate a varied sound. Use your hands to clap in specific patterns, and the 'plankton' will swim into different formations. Sometimes forming shapes, pictures, or even animations.

The best way to play Electroplankton is to experiment. Get into a mode, and try out various methods of input. Shout, clap, drag, tap, spin. Try anything, and you'll never know what will happen.

Tracy

 * Press select to erase all paths that you have created
 * Tap either glowing end of a path to erase only that path
 * The slower you trace your path, the slower the 'plankton' will move across it
 * The faster you trace your path, the quicker the 'plankton' will move across it
 * The sound a 'plankton' will make when traveling along a path varies depending on where you begin the path, the direction, and angle

Hanenbow

 * Press select to cycle between different layouts of leaves
 * Pressing Right on the D-Pad will increase the rate at which 'plankton' appear
 * Pressing Left on the D-Pad will decrease the rate at which 'plankton' appear
 * Press Down on the D-Pad to reset the rate at which 'plankton' appear
 * Press Up on the D-Pad to force 'plankton' to appear (three at a time)
 * By changing all the leaves to a certain color, something special will happen

Luminaria

 * Pressing Up or Down on the D-Pad will make the arrows cycle through a number of pre-set directions (excluding rotating arrows)
 * Pressing Left or Right on the D-Pad will make the all the arrows change directions together (excluding rotating arrows)
 * Holding down the stylus over a specific arrow will make it rotate indefinitely
 * Tap a rotating arrow to make it stop
 * Press select to reset all changes made

Sun-Animalcule

 * The sound a 'plankton' makes varies depending on the location, and time of day (in-game)
 * Tap in a blank area to create a 'plankton'
 * Tap a 'plankton' to remove it
 * Drag a 'plankton' to move it elsewhere
 * Press Left or Right on the D-Pad to change the time of day (from day to night)
 * 'Night plankton' appear when created during the night, and 'day plankton' appear during the day
 * Pressing select will erase all 'plankton'
 * Time will continuously change from day to night automatically

Rec-Rec

 * To quickly clear any sounds you may have recorded, simply press the select button
 * Change the tempo of the background beat by pressing Left and Right on the D-Pad
 * Change the type of background beat played by pressing Up and Down on the D-Pad

Nanocarp

 * Using the D-Pad, you can create a wave that will affect all 'plankton'. Press in the direction you want the wave to travel in
 * Press select to reset all the 'plankton'. Pressing reset will also cycle between starting in a vertical line, or a horizontal line
 * Tap anywhere to create a ripple. Any 'plankton' caught in this ripple will generate a sound
 * Try clapping in different combinations to make the 'plankton' swim into different formations (for example, try 3 consecutive claps)
 * If left alone, the 'plankton' will begin to generate sound by themselves while moving about their environment

Lumiloop

 * Spin the 'plankton' to generate sound. The faster your spin, the stronger and higher pitch the sound becomes
 * Hold down the stylus on a 'plankton' to slow it down or stop it
 * Press select to cycle between 3 different sets of sounds
 * Spinning a 'plankton' in one direction yields one sound, while spinning the same 'plankton' in the opposite direction will yield a different sound

Marine-Snow

 * Press select to cycle between different formations and collections of sounds
 * Each time you tap a different 'plankton', it will switch places with the previously tapped 'plankton'

Beatnes

 * Each part of each 'plankton' will play a different sound when tapped
 * Tapping a part of a 'plankton' will make it repeat itself at the same intervals a few times
 * Press select to change the sounds played, and the background music
 * Pressing Down on the D-Pad will reset the tempo
 * Pressing Left and Right on the D-Pad will decrease and increase the tempo, respectively

Volvoice

 * Tap the large 'plankton' in the middle to start recording
 * Tap the end of the antennae to erase what you have recorded. You can also press select to do the same
 * Tap one of the many available smaller 'plankton' to modify the way it outputs your recorded sound, and the shape of the larger 'plankton'

Collaborative Electroplankton
You might happen to know someone who also owns their own copy of Electroplankton. Try playing it together to see what types of interesting effects and melodies you can create. Connect both systems to an external sound system for a greater experience.

Create Bubbles
Touch or drag anywhere on the title screen or mode selection screen to create bubbles. These bubbles also appear in the top screen.

Links and Resources

 * Official Electroplankton Website (Japan)
 * Official Electroplankton Website (English)