I tap ‘n dragged some long skinny arms onto my oblong-bodied creature and watched on the top screen as his animations automatically changed to accommodate them.

The creature editor for Spore DS made an appearance on the expo floor at GDC today and the demonstrator gave us some exclusive information as we chose more goofy body parts to mix ‘n match on our model.

This Spore version is built from the ground up for the Nintendo DS and focuses most on the creature game, which means making the distinction between a more aggressive or more social animal. Socialites have the advantages of mini-games, petting, and friends who might even follow you into battle.

Combat uses a combination of stylus driven slash attacks and bio attacks, which use up an energy bar. As you unlock evolutionary parts to stick onto your creature, some of these might generate regen properties, but otherwise you’ll have to stick to the old fashioned way of eating flowers to regain energy.

Most of the game is about exploring the world, where there are things to dig up or smash. Quests range from saving a planet to thawing out fish for a hungry NPC. Speaking of NPCs, you’ll be able to populate your environment with your friend’s creatures, all via a Wi-Fi trading system.

If you can’t wait for more creature creation, don’t miss the juicy news that the PC character editor will be available early, with youtube integration included.

Tags: animations, character_editor, creature_editor, distinction, DS, expo_floor, fish, Nintendo-DS, social_animal, spore

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