This role playing game in the Shin Megami Tensei series from Atlus is the first of its kind to be offered on the DS Lite. This game is captivating and is set in the exciting city of Tokyo. Devil Survivor is a unique strategy RPG hybrid which effectively combines adventure that is text based and role playing.

In this game, you are the 17 year old cousin of Naoya, a genius programmer. Naoya gives you and your friends Yuzu and Atsuro some communication tools. You are essentially working with most of the same characters from other games of the series, like Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner. Three demons in Devil Survivor then surface when Atsuro tries to hack into the COMPs. These vicious looking demons are ready to pounce on you and tear you to pieces when you discover that the tool given by your cousin has the capacity to defeat and tame the demons.

The demon is now at your service. With his help, you and your friends embark on an interesting journey around the city investigating the strange happenings. You realize that only those who have a COMP can stop an invasion from the demons. There are cryptic messages from Naoya as well as mystery e-mails predicting the future. Everyone’s head carries the dreaded countdown number which predicts the number of days they have left in their lives.

Every decision you take through the Nintendo DS game has an effect on the way the game will end. You can level your characters by indulging in free fights. The battle system is unique and interesting. Your friends and you are entitled to two demon cohorts. Enemies always come in groups of three. The center person is always the ringleader. You defeat him and the battle is over.

Some of the light games that were released on the Nintendo Wii and PS2 versions cashing in on the current popular trend have been now introduced to the Nintendo DS. ‘Carnival Games’ is one of those games which came with a limited appeal and mediocre controls on the Wii. On the DS though, this game is surprisingly appealing and interesting. You as a player are welcomed to the carnival by a strange looking ring master. You have the option of playing on the multiplayer mode on the Wi Fi with your friends or simply just play on your own in the single player mode.

You start off with designing your own characters and you can customize various items such as clothing, accessories and hair. These can be purchased with the help of the tickets won by you. In fact, all of Carnival Games DS revolves around playing mini games numbering twenty scattered throughout the carnival and earn tickets in order to buy various items to customize your characters. In order to perform certain tasks or completing mini games, you will also have to unlock items. Though the aim of the game lacks in depth, the mini games themselves are quite enjoyable and fun.

There is a map at the top of the screen and a 3D world displayed at the bottom with the help of which you can explore the carnival. The 3D effect is pleasing as there are a lot of attractive stalls and trees with detailed graphics. With traditional carnival music adding to the atmosphere, this game offers quite a few hours of interesting game on your Nintendo DS.

This real time strategy game from Konami, Ant Nation, basically centers on how much children enjoy torturing ants. While the version of this game on the Wii was more subtle, Ant Nation on the DS is definitely a real time strategy game. As a player you have a huge task of taking up a challenging range of at least 100 missions.

Drones and Warriors are the two varieties of ants. Just like how manual labour is done by the drones and warriors fight, the ant types break down on expected lines. The skill is in finding the perfect balance between the two types. For example, with more number of drones, it is possible to collect a lot of materials for the ant colony. You will have to also create warrior ants to combat threat from the enemy ants and other hazards. Again, in turn, as you create more ants in this Nintendo DS game, you have to extend the colony. This requires you to use the services of more drones to create new chambers.

The game does not really end with creating new ants. In order to train them to be more resistant, you have to use your toolbox which features unique items. With the help of these, you have to hit your ants with fire, water and other hazards. This helps the colony resist even hazards such as volcanic eruptions. Ant Nation definitely helps to spice up the real time strategy genre on the DS, which, aside from Age of Empires: Mythologies DS, is really lacking quality titles. So any RTS fans can get ready for this  interesting game of strategy, which will be sure to provide you with hours of fun and excitement on your favourite Nintendo DS.

‘Bionicle Heroes’ is a game from the developer Traveller’s Tales that comes with a rich back up story. The story is all about the antagonism and fight between Makuta and Toa. The game revolves around you as the player taking on the entire bad guys single handed proceeding from level to level and stage to stage. As a player, you can build your own characters and artifacts with the LEGO blocks.

There are a total of six levels through which you are required to move on conquering the evil in a shoot-em-up style. Bionicle Heroes DS is challenging enough offering you extra power and weapons as you collect a variety of masks. Levels are designed with precision and the graphics and excellent. Pleasing sound track adds to the enjoyment of the game.

Gameplay is solid and offers hours of quality gaming for the shoot-em-up enthusiasts. Every world has a boss you have to defeat. You also have the option of returning to the previous levels to explore hitherto unexplored areas in your bid to collect extra weapons and power. This adds to the hours of play as you can keep gaining power by going back to previous levels and discovering new areas.

The controls are quite user friendly. Movements are effective and fluid with the help of the stylus and D-Pad. It is fun and entertaining using the LEGO blocks to build characters and artifacts. Sound, gameplay and design of this game speaks of quality and the game is sure to offer fans endless hours of exciting action and thrilling fun on their Nintendo DS.

Sonic the Hedgehog with his unnatural addiction for speed is a favourite of many. The thrill of running around with the adorable hedgehog at blinding speed cannot be described in words. Sonic the Hedgehog Genesis symbolises nothing but speed. The game on DS Lite however is hugely limited by lack of speed.

This aspect is balanced to a certain extent by passable graphics. Levels are also short and interesting. But nothing can actually compensate for the lack of speed in a character that is loved by millions only for this aspect.

As you play you find various platforms and environments popping up and this is another problem with the game. Certain times, you are lost as to where you are supposed to jump as platforms just disappear and the console is unable to draw it in the background. The music too is not as effective as the original version. Indeed, like nearly every remake of the Sega classic, including even recent games like Sonic Unleashed Wii, something seems to fall short from the original. One saving grace, however, comes in the form of Sonic’s ability to spin dash. Spin Dash enables Sonic to roll into a ball and from the stop position, rev up a spin attack in no time. With a little more effort by the developers, this game could have been offered better on the hand held Nintendo DS.

Sonic the Hedgehog is still a favourite with gamers after fifteen years. It is quite sad to see a wonderful possibility turned to a fiasco due to unimpressive mechanics and lack of features. Sonic on the DS Lite is not the loveable Sonic we know so well. With no speed, Sonic is in fact a character with no essence.

It you are a fan of the Simpsons TV show, then this game is a positive treat for you. The Simpson’s Game comes with voice samples from original voice artistes. Voice samples are usually plot content and one liners which makes the Nintendo DS game highly exciting and thrilling. There are different straightforward levels. Here you use the powers of each of the four family members to achieve the objective of the levels by defeating the cartoon baddies.

For example, all of them can throw punches, Marge can talk, as Bart you can climb and as Homer Simpson, you can get fat and roll. If you are new to the Simpson’s family, you will realize as you play this game that it is a straight game without any exciting multi levels or side scrolling.

Mini games are exciting and fun. They can be unlocked by advancing in different levels. You can advance in the levels by collecting things such as food. All these scenes are linked together with cartoon cut scenes. One of the most exciting and entertaining mini game is a spoof of Nintendogs, the pet-Homer.

The Simpsons Game provides hours of platform gaming that is smooth flowing. The non stop chatter by the Simpsons family adds to the fun for all those Simpson’s fans. Complemented with appropriate digital music, the atmosphere is just fantastic. If you are a Simpsons fan, then just pick up the Simpsons Game DS version and enjoy hours of fun on your favourite Nintendo DS. Even if you are new to this unique and entertaining family and not a real hardcore Simpsons fan, you will find this game with its voice samples amazingly simple and fun.

A fun flight simulator game which provides fans with a whole lot of exciting and interesting features is how Freedoms Wings can be described as. Due to the fact that this game is offered on the Nintendo DS and not on the PC, the action is more set around following a story and waiting for the right time to tap the screen.

This aspect makes the game quite easy to play which may be a blessing for some. However, the flight simulator enthusiasts may find this frustrating as they will surely be looking for some action. For example, almost everything that is supposed to be exciting and thrilling is automatic such as the landings and take offs, spotting and targeting opponent pirate aircraft, even the dog fighting. All you have to do is to tap the screen, sit back and relax.

Saving grace comes in the form of the manual mode with which you can fly your own aircraft. On the downside, the flight models are not very realistic. They go around chaotically and your plane is erratically thrown around in the sky. Freedom Wings DS, however, is not too bad though. The gameplay though simplistic is quite solid and comes with a good frame rate, realistic explosions and ground detail.

The game from developer Natsume also makes use of the DS Lite’s dual screen effectively throwing a lot of action and colour at the user. As a player you have to collect cash and points to upgrade your plane and this can be done by winning dogfights. You can also play this game with friends using the multi player single cartridge mode.

Zubo is a wonderful and fun game for kids that offer exciting visuals and unique combat. The combat is well laid out and deep and the game features a variety of interesting characters from different cultures. Environments are attractive and good looking enhanced by the great visuals. Though there is not much of a story here, Zubo is an excellent attempt from EA Bright Light to bring to the younger kids a role playing game on a grand scale.

The adventure itself is highly satisfying with fantastic visuals and colourful characters. Combats are action packed and spur the players on to see what environments lie ahead.

You are on your quest to save Zubalon the planet from Zubos the angry creatures as a generic girl or a boy. As nothing much is revealed as the background of this world, the only thing the story does is to set the stage for combats. Combats are action packed and keep up the pace of the game in spite of the lack of depth in the story. Zubo Nintendo DS gives players direct control of attacks which are handled rhythmically. You tap along excitedly on the touch screen even as characters perform flying leaps and pirouettes. Players are guided to the right moment when they can tap the screen with the help of the concentric circles that slowly closes around characters.

Lands are also fantastic and enticing. Five worlds each with a unique environment adds to the fun. There are interesting puzzles offered for players to solve along the way. This is definitely an exciting game you can play on your Nintendo DS.

Hamsterz is a virtual pet game which is actually entertaining and fun. This game is surprisingly not slapstick like many other pet games and offers realistic enjoyment. Game involves choosing from a range of five hamster breeds, training and caring for him. You skill depends on the way you care for them as that will determine their size. The bigger and stronger you build your hamster, the more energy he will have to construct the mega cage. The cage itself is realistic and engaging with a bookstore, a school, a bakery and so on.

Game comes in a 3D version. However, the effect is not as good as it was in the Nintendogs game. Hamsterz proceeds in a logical manner and is ideal and enjoyable for children above five years of age. It is surprisingly fun looking after and tending to your own virtual hamster. Interaction is through the microphone just like in Nintendogs but is erratic and not very responsive.

The enjoyable and thrilling main game is complemented effectively with a host of mini games. The mini games are skillfully interspersed offering a variety of entertaining puzzles, bowling and breakout. Every game in Hamsterz DS is set in a hamster theme and prizes like delicious hamster food are offered. Mini games are offered in a retro 2D style. Every single game is solid and well played repeated with hamster bears periodically. Hamsterz is definitely one of the most enjoyable pet games which offer a load of fun and entertainment on your Nintendo DS.

If you love the bizarre then Bleach – the dark souls is for you. This game from Sega takes you through a world of Soul Reapers. Dialogues are ridiculously random and the story is pretty much disjointed. However, this game is sure to appeal to the hard core fighting game fans that are sure to love the versatile combat and an extensive range of characters.

There is no clear introduction to the story or the characters and as you start the game, you feel that you are just thrown into the haphazard scenes. Reapers pop up out of nowhere to fight you just because you abuse someone or they are drunk. Lack of depth in the story is adequately made up for with the excellent graphics in Bleach - Dark Souls DS. The effects for supercharged attacks are awesome and the animations are fantastic. A wide view of the action is provided with the help of a strategic scaling when the camera zooms out.

Settings are impressive with excellent back drops which create the right ambience. Fast beating tunes and great sound effects are combined together to make up for any other flaws. Controls are user friendly. There are three buttons with which you can attack namely the heavy, medium and light. With the help of the D Pad it is possible to dash along with the double tap, double jump and crouch. Guarding and line jumping is possible with the help of the bumpers. It is not necessary for players to remember the combos for special and super moves as it is possible to use the touch screen control too.

Training mode teaches you how to use different skills for battling. For those fans of fighter games, this should be quite an interesting game on your Nintendo DS.