Tomb Raider: Underworld is an interesting game that is designed expertly with fantastic lighting effects and detailed, attractive environments. Puzzles in the game which can be played on the touch screen are addictive and the story interludes are interesting. The limited moves Lara Croft the lead character is equipped with, simple storyline and easy puzzles may be a little disappointing for those looking for a challenging game.

This side scrolling platformer makes up for all this with interesting environment depiction and attractive visual display. This DS version of the game from publisher Eidos has the same storyline as the other versions. Lara is the main character and as the game starts, you find her racing away from a burning mansion. After two weeks of investigation into her father’s past affairs, where Lara discovers a lot of interesting secrets about previous game characters including her mother.

One refreshing aspect in this version is there is not much of tedious back tracking as with the other versions. An interesting aspect here is as you try to negotiate around obstacles, the game slows down time. Brief levels in the Tomb Raider: Underworld is another improvement from the previous versions.

Touch screen controlled puzzles are exciting and comes as a relief in between jumping platforms. For instance, there is the puzzle that is styled like the Tetris. Here you can move around the pieces with the help of the stylus. The Tomb Raider - Underworld DS game is extremely pleasing to the eye with excellent lighting and varied environments. Sound effects are generic with music occasionally quickening the pace of the game. On the whole, if you love platforming games which is interspersed with interesting and fun puzzles, then the Tomb Raider: Underworld is just the right game for you to enjoy playing on your favourite Nintendo DS.

The Bleach - Dark Souls (DS) is a game that has been developed for the Nintendo DS and is also being said to be a sequel to Bleach: The Blade of Fate. The game has all sorts of features packed into it. The concept of the fighting engine has been retained and so has been the graphical interface that was used in the previous edition. The combat scenes have a lot of innovation going into them and there are a lot of improvements that have been carried out to make the game look and feel better while playing it. The storyline of the game has been presented somewhere in between the anime series, the first couple of seasons to be precise. There are a lot of mechanics in the game which will be easily mastered by the gamer as the game progresses courtesy the simple controls of the Nintendo DS.

When the gamer keeps progressing through the game, he/she tends to earn certain Unlockables or capital through which art, character colours and other paraphernalia can be bought from the shop. Once the plot starts, the Bleach - Dark Souls DS game gets so engrossing that the gamer would feel like running through all the sessions at blitz speed. The chaos is great and there are around 40 characters to play with. All these characters have distinct powers and abilities and the gamer will keep double jumping, dashing in the air and dodging all the time. The gamer will have the independence to used special moves which will make the player hit deadly combos. They might be a little challenging to learn but after learning will be quite overwhelming for the foe to avoid. The game from developer Sega is superb and reasonably priced. You will have many reasons to buy it.

A fusion of the best elements around that are incorporated in a visually dramatic style that reeks of originality, this frenzied game employs varied methods and mediums to completely change your entire perception about role playing games. Encompassed between the worlds of real time tactical strategising, shooter elements and RPG, Knights in the Nightmare is bound to change your gaming experience altogether.

The story is encapsulated in a beautiful fantasy that is presented by means of an enchantingly haunting narrative. The backdrop of the game is the tale of destruction of an ancient castle Aventheim by the dwellers of the netherworld. These inhabitants emerged from the fiery mountains of hell one night and slaughtered the entire kingdom. Within the long forgotten church that lay deep in the woods survives a single soul that is devoid of any memory about the horrendous incident. This soul is drawn to the abandoned castle where deep within the shadows the monsters still lurk. It awakens the souls of the vanquished knights to and leads them on to combat the evil that lay ruin to the castle, ravaged the lands and slaughtered the people. You play as the wisp that is entirely controlled by the stylus. There are about a 100 different characters and the plot unfolds by means of putting the past and present together. On completing the game an entirely new version to the game appears with a different plot twist allowing you to play as the antagonist. Though technically an RPG, it is not at all your classically flavoured RPG like Lunar Knights. Instead, in the beginning of Knights in the Nightmare it can seem extremely overwhelming and with a plethora of controls to go about it could be difficult to understand. The battle sequences need mastering and getting used to. However the comprehensive tutorials it features allow you to master the controls. Do not be put off by the overpowering amount of action that keeps going on once you get a hold of the reins you might enjoy riding this beast.

Be on the look out for the Knights in the Nightmare, which captivates you with its stunning visuals and mesmerising music. Releasing on the 9th of June this dramatic Nintendo DS game is bound to alter all you know about RPG.

The first game of this series Boom Blox didn’t make that big of an impression, but it wasn’t really what the team who made it had in mind. It was more like a rough draft of what was really to come. With the release of Boom Blox Bash Party, we’re expecting to see what the team really had in mind. With the introduction of new physics and environments, and the added element of proper level design tools, the game should catch a majority of the handheld gamers’ attention.

Boom Blox has super simple mechanics and controls which anyone can grasp easily and enjoy, and thought it was a game designed to appeal more to the masses than to the hardcore gamers, it seems to have won over fans from all sides. Boom Blox Wii has also been quite a hit, and fortunately this Nintendo DS version retains many of the aspects that make the game so fun on the Nintendo Wii.

Some of the new additions to the Boom Blox Bash Party are the inclusion of new multiplayer modes such as teamwork multiplayer, new themed environments, 400 new levels, a whole new cast of characters and new shapes for the blox. The game will also feature a new reward system to help the player unlock the true capabilities of the game.

Players will come across new types of blox such as radioactive ones, bomb blox and penalty blox, and lets not forget the virus ball. With all these new features, boom blox bash party is all set to sweep the old boom blox fans off their feet, and will definitely attract new fans as well. It is due for release on the Nintendo DS soon, so hold on tight and grab your share of blox action quickly.

The Overlord series is back, and this time, it’s thrice as thrilling. That’s right folks. There are three new Overlord games in the works and almost set for release. First of the three games is, that’s right, Overlord II. This game is an immediate sequel to the Overlord I expansion, Raising Hell. In Overlord II, a new, bigger, bad overlord tries to take over the Glorious Empire with better, smarter minions. He has a lot more spells at his disposal, and isn’t as robotic as his predecessor.

A new ‘Corruption System’ has been introduced into the game, where you can choose Domination and make the villagers obey your every command, or you can choose Destruction and just blow up everything in your path. The game is, however, completely about how your minions go about doing things. You still control the Brown, Red, Green and Blue minions, as in Overlord I. This time, however, your Minions are a little brainier, and can ride any magical creature they find, and can bring them into battle as well. The next game in development is Overlord - Dark Legend, which isn’t a port, but a completely new game for the Wii, built with the Wii controls in mind. It is a prequel to Overlord I, and it introduces a new system where you can blow up your minions in the face of the enemies.

Overlord: Minions will be out for the Nintendo DS soon, which will be a puzzle- action game exclusive to the DS. Instead of a horde, you control a minion squad, with one of each type of minion. The game will be entirely touch screen- stylus controlled.

The shooting genre on the portable Nintendo DS has never been dull, with the likes of Dementium, Call of Duty 4, and Moon making for a real bonanza. Likewise there have been many attempts by the manufacturers to bring back the unique and high-adrenaline moments that usually take place during a World War, in order to exploit the budding market. A similar attempt to cater to this market comes in the form of Call of Duty: World at War, a thrilling and enthralling encounter that takes inspiration from the World War II.

The game for its part can be manipulated via a combination of the D-Pad for movement and the touch screen for turning and aiming. The arrangement functions in a flawless manner, which is a real bonus considering this element has been clearly lacking in the games that were launched post- Metroid Prime Hunters, which for its part mesmerized gamers with its expertise in the concerned area. However, the similarities end there, as they are poles apart when it comes to other specifications of the game.

Without doubt the standout aspect of the game is its ability to almost seamlessly bring the console/PC Call of Duty experience to the DS. The game is follows a linear trajectory, and have arcade-style shooters engaging in battles in a realistic environment thereby increasing the excitement as well as your involvement. The story of the game is another of its strengths and it spans both European and Asian fronts, and what gives you a real kick is the narration that follows each level so that you that you are not left high and dry in trying situations. Moreover, the narration is great as well done in a deep clear voice.

The various levels of the game are designed with a lot of care, and are replete with many a dramatic and unexpected moments. The nature of the gameplay may also force you on a number of occasions to take a trial-and-error, which thankfully though is pretty rewarding.

The recently launched Avatar - The Last Airbender: Into the Inferno for the DS is a follow up to Nickelodeon’s award-winning Avatar series and the transformation is all thanks to THQ and Halfbrick Studios. The game is actually the third instalment of the game on the DS, but it will be a little too much on your part to expect any fireworks from this game. In fact the gameplay of this latest instalment is conspicuously different from the earlier ones.

The story of the game starts in a typical fashion, and resembles to an extent the third and final season of the absurdly popular animated series. The theme of the story basically revolves upon Aang, the 12 year old protagonist, who takes on the incarnation of the Avatar in the Avatar: The Legend of Aang - Into the Inferno instalment. The Avatar is believed to be the Earth’s spirit in human form, and interestingly is bestowed with the capability o blend the four basic elements to his will so as to maintain equilibrium in the four Earth Nations. Aang, for his part has already mastered the powered of Wind, Water, and Earth with the assistance of his friends, and the only remaining hurdle in his endeavour to bring peace to the Earth is ‘Fire’. You have an important role in helping Aang and his friends to travel successfully to the hostile land of Fire that will bring an end to war that is ravaging the four Nations.

The peculiar thing is that you will remain oblivious of all these as there is little effort shown by the manufactures to explain you the game. To get the thrill and excitement it is pertinent that you are familiar with the story beforehand, and in case you are a newbie there is every possibility that you will be repelled by the impersonal and abrupt nature of the game.

The Prince of Persia: The Fallen King is the latest edition of the award winning Prince of Persia franchise and is now for excited Nintendo DS gamers. The game provides you the chance to become the most revered warrior of all time by mastering the acrobatics, strategy, and fighting tactics using the DS stylus. It’s too alluring a proposition to pass over, isn’t it?

Your excitement levels will take flight, while your dexterity will be put to a severe test as the game comes packaged with a new adventure to boot wherein you can really immerse yourselves. The franchise series has always been known for pushing the envelope and helping to redefine action adventure games. The story of the game is an original and independent one and explores the labyrinth of deserted cities, forbidding jungles; et al. Gamers will especially love the fact that the game has that realistic and dramatic feel encompassing it, which is an indispensable part of a games success story. The art design game, in particular, is a real treat and is the one which holds the gameplay together.

The game starts with the Prince who flees the kingdom facing imminent danger, and lends up in a deserted kingdom that looks serine, but is in fact gripped with evil and dark forces. The Prince finds himself in a real quagmire, and is also confounded by many creatures that he meets along the way to salvation as he fails to identify if they are his friends or are enemy in disguise. It is a really intriguing game that you would like to explore and find out what happens to the poor little prince.

As an action protagonist, Lara Croft is one people’s favourite gaming characters. Lara is soon coming to DS Lite screens in her latest adventure: Tomb Raider Underworld. Set to be released in November, this game developed by Crystal dynamics and published by Eidos Interactive will feature Lara as an innovator. Dressed in a fitted wetsuit, Lara will use her powers to revel the secret of the Thorn’s Hammer.

Lara’s journey begins on the Mediterranean Sea floor, where she learns about the legendary Thorn’s Hammer. Once familiar with the truth that the enchanted weapon is not a myth, Lara begins her adventure. In order to succeed in Tomb Raider: Underworld, our dear Lara will have to face the tentacles of a kraken. This sea monster is there to shield the secret of the hammer and acts as the greatest obstruction in Lara’s cause. The players have huge spikes as a means to fight the demon. These big chunks of spikes can be dropped on the kraken’s head to drive him away.

Moving onto technicalities, the first thing to be mentioned is the ultimate graphical approach. Lara and other characters look very realistic. This improved vision is a result of the vertex shading and the contextual animation. Background and some new gadgets make the game even more likeable. The sonar map and the speedy motorcycle especially enhance the game’s appeal and assist Lara in her adventure

Here is something that is sure to test your patience and that might even drive you insane. We are talking about a game called ‘Commando: Steel Disaster’, which, despite the name similarity, bears no acquaintance to Capcom’s long-running series of Commando games.

In this action-packed game, you play as the heroic Storm and are pitted against an evil mastermind Rattlesnake and his minions, who are hell bent on dominating the world. Storm is a very vibrant figure in Commando and has many interesting moves at his disposal for fending off the enemy. He can run, jump, duck, and also roll to dodge enemy fire. He starts off with a simple gun, but as the game progresses he can equip himself with more sophisticated ones. It is important to have at least one powerful weapon to outmanoeuvre the massive boss who appears at the end of each level.

The nonstop drama certainly keeps you on your toes, but there are a few very memorable moments. The enemy appears faceless and the levels are unbelievably difficult. You are also made to face the same opponents for a very long time, who seem to appear from just about everywhere. Even successfully getting through the first few levels is brutally hard. You need to have extremely fast reflexes to stand any chance. The fact that you have only one life and have to restart from the very first level if you lose is simply demoralizing. Every other game has its own way of rewarding you and also gives you multiple lives. The graphics of the game, however, are lively and vibrant and complements the characters and surrounding nicely. Still, unless you enjoy inflicting yourself with pain, it might be best to steer clear of this title.