Archaic Sealed Heat, or ASH, is an RPG for the Nintendo DS. Developed by Mistwalker, the same developers of other RPGs like Lost Odyssey for the Xbox 360. This game Archaic Sealed Heat, on the other hand, is actually a creative mix of strategy and role playing, rather than your usual RPGs. In the game from Mistwalker, you play as a party of three, and you have various methods of controlling your three characters. You can choose to take one character at a time, or just rush in with all three at the same time.

The Nintendo DS game is largely contolled with the stylus, which enables you to move your player, by drawing the movement path on the grid. The main character is Aisya, the princess of millinear. The story begins when the princess is being instated to the throne, but the ceremony is disrupted by a flaming snake that appears and burns everything to the ground.

She looks at her kingdom burned to ashes, but from those ashes arise soldiers who are willing to help her figure out what’s going on. The ash warriors each have a special skill based on their occupation.

Your character evolves using the engage system, which is seemingly the most interesting part of the game. With the engage system, Aisya can absorb the abilities of her ash warriors, but doing so will make them disappear. More details about the engage system aren’t available yet, but it would only make sense to give the player a choice to make the sacrifice or not. Archaic Sealed Heat seems promising, especially if they can intertwine the engage system with the gameplay or the story. Well, keep your eyes peeled for this game.

Super Monkey Ball is a game that can be both frustrating and addictive. On the Nintendo DS, this game is quite faithful to the original Super Monkey Ball Gamecube version, but may yet be a little disappointing for diehard fans.

The Touch and Roll comes with quite a difficult learning curve. You do expect the game to be infuriating and tricky, but not quite so harsh and difficult. For beginners to Super Monkey Ball: Touch & Roll DS, it is recommended to stay away from using the touchpad. It is much easier playing with the directional pad. The music though good is quite repetitive but is amply compensated by the excellent graphics.

The camera is a little annoying. With sufficient grip over controls this game can get quite addictive though. This game has a lot of two to four player options which can be played with the help of the wireless multiplayer mode. Apart from the main game, there are a host of mini games which can be played only with the help of the stylus.

The mini party game Golf and the Monkey Bowling are quite impressive. The Maze and the Hockey game are better played with two or more players on the multiplayer mode rather than just competing against the computer.

The main game itself is quite difficult right from the first stage. That is why this game is both infuriating as well as fun and with practice can be quite addictive on your favourite DS Lite.

This is an interesting game which requires players to hit buttons in tune with the music in order to move forward in the game. This Japanese title, not to be confused with the similar sounding war series “Band of Brothers”, is a first of its kind game on the DS. Band Brothers though predominantly Japanese is scattered with a few English instructions on the screen.

This is a disadvantage as instructions in English could make it easier for players to grasp the full context of Band Brothers. There are a variety of both familiar and unfamiliar tunes with different settings of difficulty levels. As you advance in the game, moves become harder to pull off.

As a player, your aim is to become a rockstar in order to find a place in the band. Although the PSP already has popular rhythm based games like Patapon 2, such quality musical games are decidingly scarce on the DS; which is why Band Brothers is such a welcome development. There are different modes in Band Brothers, such as the single and wireless multiplayer mode, band play, etc. The interesting ‘special event’ option requires you to be nifty with your fingers as you stop a bomb from going off.

Graphics are vibrant and fresh. The band brothers bats are the main characters and they light up the screen with their presence. The female bat is the prominent character who is very cool. They are bright coloured and amusing. Further challenge is offered with the option of choosing from different songs and variations. The tempo of the songs can also be altered. It is exciting as you tap along for Super Mario theme one minute and lilting with the Classical Music the next.

On the whole, the Band Brothers is a game that is absolutely different from the usual battle, action and adventure games. It offers some wonderful moments on your favourite Nintendo DS.

Nintendogs is an amazingly cute and animated puppy’s game on your Nintendo DS. Imagine spending time with cute little virtual pets on your console. This game comes in different versions and basically in two different levels. You can spend time enjoying with your pet taking them for walks, teaching them various skills and tricks, etc. Spend a lot of time training them as they prance about on your screen.

The game is designed to be very realistic and offers a realistic sense of interaction. Though the game sounds simple enough, you will realize as you play that you need real good training to play the game. As you own a pet and start playing Nintendogs - Labrador and Friends, there is a feeling that more than a virtual pet game, this game is a simulation game. There are a variety of tips and instructions provided to the player screen after screen.

This ensures a lot of fun even for adults who love pets and who also love simulation games. You need to work at vocal training which enables you to make more money. With more money, you can purchase more cute puppies and go through the training process all over again. Dogs are created with precision and look very impressive. Their artificial intelligence is above the typical virtual pets. There are different breeds to choose from and you can have hours of fun spending time with your virtual puppies on your favourite DS Lite. This is clearly a game that should be of interest both for small children and adults.

When you think of this RPG game the only thing that comes to the mind is the juggles and jiggles. On the screen, our characters stand on to the right and the enemies on the left. They using various attacking skills, consume potions, etc in order fight with each other in this combat style Nintendo DS game.

Every character’s meter, or COM, in Super Robot Taisen OG starts at hundred percent. After every attack, the meter depletes. A character can continue stringing combos in order to deplete the meter completely. Attacks involve various hits that are elaborate. These include using missiles, kicking or punching. All three can also be combined for effect. While a single tap on the button is sufficient for one attack, good timing is essential for a series of taps to provide effective follow up attacks.

Every time you attack, the enemy is sent flying in the air. You will have to juggle quite continuously in order to hit the character before he hits the ground again. You also have the option of cancelling your combo so there is less damage. Your Super move meter moves up faster this way. This move is used by the whole party so you need to be choosy in using it on the right character.

A lot of female characters prance around the screen. The combos are quite lengthy and repetitive which may be a disadvantage. As you unlock new moves, you find a lot of strategy is involved in the combos. There are not many random battles and this is good.

A lot of different parallel dimensions co exist all drawn together. It is possible for players to shift quickly from one culture to another and one environment to another. The animation is similar to that of other games from Atlus, like Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4, for example. Overall this is an interesting enough game to be play on your favourite DS Lite, although it definitely does not fall into the unforgetable category.

Hotel for Dogs on Nintendo DS is an average game based on a family friendly film. In this game Andi, Bruce and their friends are helped by players in their bid to transform a dilapidated and abandoned hotel into a comfortable place for stray dogs. As a player, you will be performing various tasks such as rescuing stray dogs, taking care of their various requirements and building gadgets for them. There is nothing exciting or challenging.

While the Wii version of this game comes with clippings from the film, the DS version has no scenes and it just moves on with a quick pace from chapter to chapter. Transition from one chapter to another is quite confusing with new characters and dogs added in just like that.

Gameplay is quite dull with playing, feeding and cleaning dogs involves only a click of the mouse. There is no actual substance and depth to it. Unlike simulation games, here there is no long term monitoring of your pets.

Most part of the game you are seeking and finding. You go around doing Andi’s and Bruce’s bidding, including finding parts for the gadgets. Controls are quite cumbersome and imprecise adding to the woes of players. The chapters in Hotels for Dogs DS are too easy to complete eliminating any motivating factor. All you do is keep completing tasks without an aim. The element of fun is completely missing.

Lack of rewards, mediocre visuals and sub standard controls make the Hotel for Dogs game really nothing much to talk about and you are better off sticking only to the Hotel for Dogs movie.

On the lines of the original Broken Sword series, the Broken Sword – shadow of the templars starts low key. The storyline starts with a Parisian Café explosion, multiple homicides and a killer clown. Journalist Nico Collard and the tourist from America George Stobbart are taken through a conspiracy that has a global reach involving murder, ancient and forgotten tombs, relics and secret societies.

This fantastic adventure is as good as an epic. The game combines real world mystery with exciting fantasy to provide an interesting experience to players. Exploration in Broken Sword: Shadows of the Templar is based on cursor movement. Lateral thinking with puzzle solving and interaction with various objects makes this game very intriguing. There is no frantic action as with most of the modern games. Action is methodical and orderly. Focus is based on a lot of trial and errors and conversation is quite heavy. These aspects may not be appealing to many. However, this is one of the best games in this genre which comes with a lot of other exciting and interesting features.

The environment is crafted beautifully. The backdrops are exotic and the puzzle games are integrated with the gameplay beautifully. Added value comes in the form of additional and expanded storyline making this game ideal and suited to modern games. With great visuals and graphics, the Director’s cut provides players with an exciting and entertaining experience on their favourite Nintendo DS. This is definitely a game worth trying out as it shines through in spite of the limitations of the Nintendo hand held.

Lux Pain on the DS is clearly a game that is confusing and baffling. This game originally from Japan is a graphic adventure game where as a player you have to wade through a host of inconspicuous dialogues, clumsily poking at static scenes.

Here you are a part of FORT, the task force appointed to locate the brain worms with the help of the stylus. During the course of your mission, you have to pose as a school kid and go back to the local high school. Lux Pain is thus a combination of a teenage drama and a science fiction.

As you play the Nintendo DS game, you are shuffled from place to place randomly without even knowing why. You also talk with various people and you are at a loss as to what they have to do with the game. There are certain times when a discussion can lead to removing a worm from an individual. Worm removal itself is a process carried out by scratching the picture of the individual to reveal the worm and using the stylus to remove it.

Insipid gameplay involves converting the worm into a display of text by tapping on it. Good and effective voice acting is a saving grace. However, here too you find the text onscreen and the voice does not often match. A lot of typos in the script and no alignment with the voice acting, the whole set up come across as something substandard. If you want to enjoy a less painful, but still quirky Japanese game, then Boing! Docomodake DS, from the developer Ignition might be more to your liking. As far as Lux-Pain is concerned,  Ignition Entertainment would have done better fine tuning a lot of areas in it before release.

Mystery Case Files series have enjoyed huge popularity on the Mac and PC. On the DS Lite it starts well with a lot of intriguing promise. The story is all about Phil T. Rich, the millionaire who disappears. As a player and police detective, you have to track him down. During the course, you have to investigate at least twelve witnesses.

A funny aspect is investigation involves searching for objects and completing certain mini games. There is no standard investigation procedure like talking to the suspects or searching their homes.

Game itself is pretty easy to play with numerous opportunities given for tapping on the screen with the stylus to find random objects. This is true even on the levels that are difficult.

One interesting aspect is the four detective tools you will be able to unlock as you play. Tools include a torch which helps you look for items in dark corners, a goggles with the help of which you can locate objects under the water, a super straw with which it is possible to blow things away and an X-ray with which you can see what is on the other side of the objects.

The multiplayer head to head hunting game offers some challenge. Items that have to be rotated also add a little spice. Certain objects in Mystery Case Files - Million Heir DS provide interesting variations, such as locating a chicken and an egg and drawing a line between them. With slick presentation and exciting mini games this game is ideal for those who want to enjoy some relaxed fun on their favourite Nintendo DS.

Away Shuffle Dungeon is an interesting game with superb mechanics, though a little finicky in its gameplay. This project is an interesting collaboration between Artoon and Mistwalker and it beautifully blends the skills of Naoto Oshima, the designer of Sonic and Hironobu Sakaguchi, the Final Fantasy creator.

Presentation is very unique in this game that focuses on a fast paced crawling in the dungeons. Challenge and depth could have been a little enhanced to add to the excitement. Storyline is also mediocre. Away is a mysterious happening that takes away villagers from the pretty seaside village of Webb. When it is the turn of our hero Sword to be taken away, a village girl takes his place instead triggering a series of events that results in the disappearance of the entire village. There are various caves filled with monsters from where Sword has to rescue villagers. Story though lacking in depth comes with interesting twists at times.

Village environment itself is set in 3D in this simple and player friendly game. The shuffle mechanics offered in Away Shuffle Dungeon are unique and interesting, though the other features are quite similar to dungeon crawling games of the past. Tedious boss fights, cumbersome magic system and a boring combat system takes away any challenge or depth from this game.

Graphics are good with spell effects, colourful sprites and detailed 2D dungeons. Ambient noises add to the environment and this is a good enough game for those looking to enjoy a few hours of interesting gameplay on their Nintendo DS.