Recently in Nintendo DS Category

The first 3D Pokemon game for enthusiasts of the Japanese phenomenon is now here.

Created exclusively for the Nintendo 3DS this is packed full of the anime charm and relentless battles that fans love.

With over 600 Pokemon to collect this is a great game whether you are fighting in one-player mode or via wireless play.

I'm not a huge fan of Pokemon, mainly because I think it missed the generation gap but this is great fun for kids.

Score 4/5

The successful Horrid Henry franchise makes it's way into the gaming world with a bright and breezy platform game set across three different worlds.

The platform element of the game is intermingled with puzzle solving and shooting and all in all it's fairly standard, enjoyable fodder for kids.

The 3D generally works pretty well and for the most part there are few complaints, although the game is very easy for anyone other than much younger children.

This isn't the game that will redefine gaming but it will put a smile on the face of children.

Score 3/5

The Nintendo DS has set itself up as the home of puzzle gaming in recent years and has become the console for brain-teasers and mind-benders.

The Professor Leyton series has demonstrated just how successful this genre is and how it fits perfectly for gamers who want a quick handheld thought provoking fix.

You take on the role of a contestant on a TV programme from 1961, The Incredible Puzzle Masters Show.

At the same time you are tasked with helping an FBI pal solve a string of riddles connected to murder scenes.

It quickly becomes apparent that there is more going on than meets the eye and you will have to be sharp to uncover the sinister truth.

The game pushes the 3DS in terms of variety and offers a wide range of different types of puzzles using the accelerometer through actions and puzzles and offering a wide range of enjoyable and taxing conundrums.

Graphically the game tries really hard, for me the inclusion of video didn't work too well, it seemed quite clusmy although I could totally see what the makers were trying to achieve.

The 1960's setting is nicely recreated and the 3D element works well, the overall mood of the game is a success.

There are a lot of things here that we have seen before but the storyline does try to and make it feel unique.

I found the game enjoyable but it did lack something that sets games like Professor Leyton apart.

It is really packed full of stylish content though and once again shows that a lot can be made from a tiny 3DS cartridge.

A good game though and well worth a look if you like this genre.

3/5

Image via Wikipedia

Nintendo have brought Fox McCloud back for another adventure, this time in 3D on the new handheld console.

It's a long time since I played Star Fox on the SNES and I have fond memories of what a quality title that was.

The wonderful world of Raccoon City and Resident Evil needs little introduction.

For years now it has set a high standard of gaming and carved out a niche market for itself.

Many games now copy the suspense, the zombie elements and the style of play such is the impact it has had on gaming.

Each game had that ticklist you come to expect with Resident Evil games in terms of the storyline, the chills and the investigation - not to mention the odd annoying camera angle.

The weird thing about this latest offering on the 3DS is that it differs greatly from what has gone before it.

Rather than being story-based and constructed in a linear or open-world way it's actually a game that harps back to the old-school 'beat your score' type gaming.

That's a rarity these days but more so with games like this.

What Capcom have done is create a visually appealing game, watered down elements of the combat, removed the storyline and focused on the excellent settings and enemies for a bit of button-mashing.

When I say watered down the gaming I don't mean that in a disparaging way, the new direction the game has taken for its 3DS outing makes it necessary.

The gameplay is great and the action is relentless and receptive throughout.

It's enjoyable but it does feel very hollow, despite a flood of unlockables.

Sometimes as a gamer you need to know why you are there, with that person and the context of what is going on.

That said, it is very well designed and the mechanics are a dream on the 3DS.

But is there enough to sustain interest?

You have to be a BIG fan of shooting the baddies and beating your own score.

Gamers also get a taste of the horror to come thanks to the addition of a playable demo of Resident Evil Revelations.

Image via Wikipedia

THIS Easter I can guarantee one thing: it isn't the Easter Bunny the kids are going to be talking about, it's the Nintendo 3DS.

Following hot on the heels of Microsoft's Kinect for the Xbox 360 comes Nintendo's foray into the next generation of gaming.

Just as Kinect revolutionised the way we see console gaming by doing away with controllers altogether, Nintendo once again redefines the handheld gaming genre with the 3DS.

The hype has been huge. 3D gaming WITHOUT glasses.

Not possible, surely?

I was sceptical. I thought it was marketing overdrive from Nintendo that could not live up to the promise.

And I was wrong. This IS 3D gaming without any glasses required.

The graphics are crystal-clear with huge depth, and it feels like the action is going to burst out of the screen.

In terms of computer gaming, this is history in the making - and it does need to be seen to be believed. Michael French, who is editor-in-chief of games industry magazines MCV and Develop, believes the impact will be significant.

"Nintendo 3DS turns 3D into something mass-market and credible," he told me. "It has the potential to win over the sceptics and impress those used to watching 3D film and TV encumbered by glasses.

"The launch looks set to be the biggest hardware release in the UK yet, with pre-orders at in excess of 120,000. That's already much higher than the Wii's large-scale launch in 2006.

"Depending on stock availability, up to 150,000 could be sold in the first weekend. After that, it depends on availability. But sales could well be much higher if there are enough units out there."

Not only has Nintendo delivered on the 3D promise, but it has done so with very high-end graphics and a handheld console bursting with hidden extras and class. This is wi-fi compatible, has a 3D camera and even comes with built-in motion and gyro sensors for a whole new range of possibilities in terms of gameplay.

Control systems have been tweaked, too, with a new 360° circle thumb-pad to give you effortless control of the action. It has built-in dual speakers on each side of the screen, an extendable stylus, built-in microphone and touch-screen.

If James Bond was into handheld gaming, this is surely what he would carry around between shooting people with his Walther PPK and bedding busty blondes.

It's innovation at its best and once again sees Nintendo - veterans of the industry with a track record of consistently delivering ground-breaking products - pushing the boundaries and striving to be number one.

If you don't believe me, walk into any electrical store, games store or supermarket where you see one on display, pick it up - and prepare to be astounded. This is the future, it's here, join in...

The Games

NINTENDOGS 3D: Quite simply a huge hit in our house. The dogs look even cuter in 3D and the gameplay is vastly improved.

SUPER STREET FIGHTER IV 3D: One of the more grown-up titles. For fans of the franchise this is perfect. The backdrops look fantastic and it plays like a dream.

RIDGE RACER 3D: A very traditional racer which is blisteringly quick, very responsive and works well with the 3D. Unspectacular but entertaining.

RAYMAN 3D: A remake of the old Dreamcast classic Rayman 2. Brought to life for a new generation with colourful 3D and quirky gameplay.

SUPER-MONKEY BALL 3D: Another big hit in our house. This is a lunatic game based around puzzles. Tilting the monkey ball round the puzzles is excellent with the new motion sensor.

GHOST RECON: SHADOW WARS: An adult title aimed at older gamers. This is a slick, turn-based RPG game presented from a bird's eye view. Not groundbreaking but solid and enjoyable.

SPLINTER CELL 3D: Another classic gets a revamp. This is a good action adventure game loaded with weapons and requiring some tactical nous. A little let down by the clumsy control system.

ASPHALT 3D: A high-octane, well-polished racer. Plenty packed in, and some great graphics, but ultimately lacking in anything fresh.

RAVING RABBIDS: TRAVEL IN TIME 3D: Sixty different levels over four different time periods, this insane adventure will delight fans young and old, whether they're new or diehard fans.

THE Pokemon franchise seems to get bigger each year with a new look.

Last year, we reviewed the excellent Pokemon Silver game and now they have returned with Pokemon Black and Pokemon White.

They are two separate games but ones that can be linked up wirelessly via gamers to make a combined game.

As ever, the aim of the game is to explore your environment catching Pokemon and training them as you go. Then you need to launch them into battle, but this time around there are some new battle modes to enjoy and plenty of variations in both story and gameplay.

Graphically, this is as cute and cheerful as you would expect but it was the depth of the story and the plot twists that really make the game.

If you are a fan, then rest assured this is progress, and a game that has clearly been designed for you.

I'm not a Pokemon aficionado but I did find this to be good fun and a very high quality game.

This is a cracking little game to welcome in the New Year and one that was quite obviously dreamt up by somebody with a great imagination.

Ghost Trick is a highly stylized puzzle game with an excellent storyline which has you playing as the ghost of a murdered protagonist who must try and discover who killed him.

To do this you can investigate, solve puzzles and clues and posessing inanimate objects to aid you.

You can also interact with the recently deceased and aid them in the minutes leading up to their death and try and change their fates.

The main emphasis of the game though is the problem solving with each different scenario giving you a problem to overcome.

As you progress through the puzzles you get to learn more information and listen to conversations in the quest to find the truth.

It is a brilliantly quirky visual style and a charming one at that and there is a real uniqueness to the game and a feel all of it's own.

I have really enjoyed playing the game so far - it is totaly different and very fresh feeling.

Well worth a look!

Another low key Christmas offering that is now rattling around the bargain shelves and is well worth a look.

There aren't really a glut of racing games on the DS and I would have to say that this isn't a bad little game to pick up and play.

This is all about high-octane stunt racing where you can construct your own track and then put it to the test.

Race in the fastest and funkiest cars and basically tear around the most insane courses you can imagine.

It's great fun to play and worthy of a play. It may not be the most in-depth or sophisticated of games but it is a lot of fun.

This game was the perfect choice for my 4-year-old daughter Lily, not only is she a big fan of Cooking Mama style games she is a fully fledged Dora disciple.

I mentioned Cooking Mama because this game has a fair bit in common with it, some of the mini games work on the same principles.

Simple food challenges like twirling pizza, chopping and stirring are great for kids on the DS - it is a good interactive platform for them.

The one thing I liked the most about this title was not only that Lily had so much fun playing it but also that it incorporated simple maths like counting into the game too.

This is the perfect kids friendly game with cutesy colourful visuals and a great title for those Christmas stockings.

Educational, interactive and fun - what more could you want?