Nintendo DS Games: Dec 19, 2009

DSi Nerf Armor - Red/Black

By Autism Mom (Florida) - reviews

This is the most protective case that you can currently buy for the DSi and I checked them all out. Your DSi snaps into place and is well secured. The armor is thick and spongy. It is a little bulky but the protection it offers is well worth the trade-off. I highly recommend this particularly if you have hard floors (tile, wood, laminate) throughout your house.

Saturday, December 19, 2009

Nintendo DS Titanium

By Coding Genius "CG" (Wisconsin) - reviews

This review is from: Nintendo DS Electric Blue (Video Game)

I just bought one for myself over the weekend (thanks to a tip from a friend who works at a store that one would not think of shopping for games at, and they just happened to have a few left!)

This unit is great! I already own a GBA SP, but wanted to buy a DS for the following reasons:

* Advanced graphics: The 3D capabilities of this machine are AMAZING. Mario64 DS looks better on a handheld than Mario 64 looked on the Nintendo 64 and a TV!

* Great sound: You can choose between surround sound, stereo, or headphones optimized. It also includes a built-in headphone jack, something that was noticeably absent from the SP.

* Backwards compatibility: It will play all GameBoy Advance games (though not original GB or GB Color), and can hold a DS game and a GameBoy Advance game at the same time.

* Touch screen: Gimmick or revolution? I like how touch was integrated into Mario64 and the Metroid Prime:Hunters demo that is included with the DS. I think future games will bear out whether it will be a true success or just a niche idea.

As it states in the product description, it comes with two screens, the bottom one being touch-sensitive. To touch the bottom screen you can use one of the 2 styluses that comes with the product, or a thumb strap that has a plastic piece that can be used for certain types of games.

Currently, the DS library is fairly limited (fewer than 20 games at present), but there are many games announced for the future. There are literally dozens of great GBA games, so if you're buying this as a present, don't be afraid to buy a GBA game if you can't decide on a DS one.

Imagine Fashion Designer New York

By Gibson (Michigan) - reviews

Shame on the UBISoft for failing to describe ALL of the features of this game! And, for recommending it for ages as young as 5 years old. My 8-year old daughter LOVES this game. I thought "Great! She has another outlet for her creativity." Then, she invited me to watch the action as she completed tasks . . . The tasks ARE fun. I was enjoying watching until "Mark" started telling my daughter's character - "Emma" - that he was in love with her and wanted to be her boyfriend. "Emma" then had to decide whether to take on a boyfried at this time in her career, or stay focused. Next, a male "Director of Development" asked "Emma" if she was having "any problems" implying that she could confide in him and he would help. (I have to admit this creeped me out!) In my opinion, these scenarios/decisions are WAY TOO GROWN-UP for those under dating age! My daughter is very perceptive and I found myself having to explain office politics/pitfalls that she shouldn't have to think about for a long time.

Bottom line: The manufacturer's description and rating imply one type of game. The actual game is far more "mature". Parents, think carefully about whether these scenarios are appropriate for your child if they're not dating yet. Try to preview the game if you can.

Hannah Montana: Music Jam

By T. Adams "redzing" (V.T U.S.A) - reviews

my 7 yr old daughter absolutely loves this game, she's spent hours playing it already. She says it's a lot more fun than the first Hannah Montana DS game, she found that game very frustrating and couldn't get past a certain point in the game so gave up. As far as my daughter's enjoyment with this game, I would say I've gotten my money's worth already on this one.

DSi 22-In-1 Deluxe Starter Kit - Black

By Micki Free is Not a Girl (Reno, NV) - reviews

I just purchased this, to go along with the DSi. While there is a little bit of filler, it gives you the essentials you need to get started with your DSi. Looking at all of the pieces, I would say:

*Screen Protectors: You get 2 sets of screen protectors for the top, bottom, and outside camera lens. I have used one set, and it is working great. Always good to have another set also.

*Stylus and Finger Stylus: Surprisingly, the finger tip stylus is kinda nice. You get 3, which adds to the filler, but you can actual use this. Not useless like I thought it would be. The other stylus are just filler, as you get a extra already when you get the DSi.

*Headphones: Nothing special. Nice to have if you want to use them just for the DSi.

*Splitter: Nice to have to this, or anything else. With the ability to play music back from an SD card, this can come in handy.

*Car Adapter: Nice to have, especially for playing on long road trips.

*Docking Station: I don't really use this, as I just plug it in to recharge. Not very useful in my opinion.

*Cleaning Cloth: Not that bad. Used it before putting on the screen protector.

*Wrist Strap: Not very useful.

*Case: Best part of the package. Can fit your DSi, extra stylus, and 4+ games at a time.

*4 Game Holders: I just keep my games in the case, so I don't use these.

Overall, a good buy at a good value to get started with your DSi, especially considering the other options that are out there.

Professor Layton and the Curious Village

By N. Durham "Big Evil" (Philadelphia, PA) - reviews

No matter how the game's cover may look to you, make no mistake that Professor Layton and the Curious Village is one of the best original puzzle games you'll play on the DS yet. A combination of adventure storytelling and traditional puzzle gaming, Professor Layton never fails to entertain while providing some challenging puzzles. The game revolves around said Professor Layton traveling to a small village with his young assistant Luke. Both of whom are on a search for something called The Golden Apple. To search the town, you move from one area to another by tapping the touch screen, and along the way, you can discover hidden puzzles, hint coins, and secrets, as well as interacting with the townspeople and solving more puzzles. The game's graphics are incredibly charming, and the FMV sequences are very well done to boot. The best part about Professor Layton and the Curious Village is that once you do beat the game and unlock the game's 120 plus puzzles, you can download weekly puzzles for absolutely free! The only real flaw of Professor Layton and the Curious Village is that the game's music is repetitive and even kind of annoying, but you can always turn the volume of the DS down, which you might want to do. That aside, don't let the box art fool you into thinking that this is a game just for kids. Professor Layton and the Curious Village is an absolute must own for every puzzle loving DS owner.

Cooking Mama

By C. Offen (Ithaca, NY) - reviews

This is a very cute game for the DS. A good one if you've just purchased a DS and want a game that really shows you what a stylus can do. ;) Some recipes are kinda easy, while others proove more challenging. I'm still working on peeling potatoes fast enough. The graphics are very amuzing. I laughed out loud as I spilled water all over the place while trying to drain some pasta. The meals are japanese based...and make you want to go out and make your own gyoza! This is very fun for an adult who likes DS mini games, and it doesn't seem too 'kiddish' as I had feared. I'm so glad this unique japanese game made it to the states. Two thumbs up for Cooking Mama!

Nintendo DSi - White

The Nintendo DSi is a high-powered handheld video game system in a sleek, folding design—loaded with features like touch screen control for a unique gaming experience. Snap photos with the built-in camera, edit and send them to friends, play back your music with Nintendo DSi Sound, or browse the Internet with the Nintendo DSi Browser. From playing games to just playing around, the Nintendo DSi does it all.

Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day!

By Sky (New York) - reviews

Thinking. Analyzing. Solving Problems. Reading. Logic. These are just some of the skills that Brain Age will help you develop (or re-develop).

No, it's not Resident Evil or Splinter Cell. But it is as fun and addictive; it's certainly as challenging if not more challenging, and it's a nice pallet cleanser from the plethora of pure entertainment value games that my kids and I play.

Brain Age is a bit advanced at times for my grade schoolers, but the parts that they do get really help them develop the skills that they are concurrently working on in school. Big Brain Academy is a much easier (not better) alternative for younger children.

There's a daily training area that gives your skills a workout. And there's a test area that challenges you to quickly and accurately work through various tasks, then provides you with a calculation of your Brain Age based on how well you did on the test. Sudoku has it's own area to train the brain on number logic.

Kids reading this will NO vote me to death for saying this, but this is a great game for parents to get for their kids. It's one of the only ones (Big Brain Academy is the other) that I never take away from my own kids when they've misbehaved or simply just had too much video gaming. They never complain.

One word of advice: Brain Age has a hard time recognizing an "8" if you write it the way you'd skate a figure 8; it likes it better when you draw an 8 as two circles on top of each other.

Addictive fun. Buy it.

17-in-1 Bundle Pack for Nintendo DS Lite - Pink

By Pryncess Kat (University Place, WA USA) - reviews

I have this bundle pack in silver...when I received it I was wondering if I had just wasted my money on crap. Almost a year later and everything is still working! The docking port has been dropped numerous times & it still works great! My only complaint is that the case is not large enough to hold the unit & a game w/case...the game gets tucked into the cellphone pocket in my handbag. I wish they had it in pink when I got mine! I may have to order the pink Bundle and sell the one I've got....

Disney Princess: Magical Jewels

By Brooke Nielsen "geek girl mom" (Saint Paul, MN USA) - reviews

This is the favorite DS game of my 4 yr old daughter and has been for over 2 months now.

She was able to quickly learn how to control the characters with the stylus. There are only a few things that need to be read, and after I read to her the first time she was able to understand what it was instructing the following times.

It can also help the child begin to read. At various points in the game you run into people who lost things. Words appear that say "Please help me find my [...]" and shows a picture of what your suppose to help find.

This is a great game for a young (pre-reading) princess fan.

Scribblenauts

Scribblenauts is a completely original gameplay experience that anyone can play, offering fun for all ages with two styles of gameplay and more than 200 levels. In Scribblenauts, players use the Nintendo DS touch-screen to help their character Maxwell acquire the Starite in each level by solving a series of puzzles armed with their stylus, notepad and imagination. Players jot down the word for any object that comes to mind in order to reach the goal. Every object behaves as it would in the real world, and players can combine countless objects to create completely new scenarios. Every level has more than one written object to use as a solution, opening up the game to endless replay. In Scribblenauts, players advance through ten worlds, each with eleven puzzle and eleven action levels for a total of 220 challenges to complete. Each level has a “par” for the number of objects suggested to finish the level. Beating a level with under par, earns “Ollars”, the in-game currency, which players can use to purchase new levels and music.

Mario Kart DS

By N. Durham "Big Evil" (Philadelphia, PA) - reviews

As of this writing, Mario Kart DS is hands down the absolute best game available for the DS. As one would expect from the long running series, Mario Kart DS allows you to play as Mario and co. in a series of go-kart races. The gameplay mechanics will feel like putting on an old glove for longtime fans of the series, while newcomers will have no trouble getting into the game. As you progress through the various circuits, you'll find bonus tracks, karts, and characters to unlock as well, which adds a nice amount of replayability to the single player mode. Along with the new tracks, there are some retro tracks available as well taken from the past incarnations of the series. The real main attraction of Mario Kart DS however, is the fantastic Wi-Fi multiplayer mode. There are only a handful of DS games which support Wi-Fi capability, and none is better at it than Mario Kart. This is where the real meat and potatoes of the game lies, and you'll have a hard time putting down your DS after getting a taste of it. The game looks, sounds, and plays phenominally, and all in all, Mario Kart DS is yet another excellent, must own, first party title for the DS, and the Wi-Fi options make it even more of a smash.

New Super Mario Bros.

By Michael D. Cooper - reviews

I grew up on Super Mario Bros... Super Mario Bros 2... Super Mario Bros 3... Super Mario World... Super Mario 64... and then for a while I quit playing Nintendo. It was the time of PS2 and XBox, and I have not played a Nintendo game in several years now.

I bought my youngest son a Nintendo DS not long ago - and this was one of the games I got him for it.

Unlike most nostalgic feelings - this has been a real treat to revisit this part of my childhood. My son was playing it, and asked me to get him past a certain part. I was immediately hooked and continued playing until I had beat several more levels. Since then I have been grabbing his DS at every opportunity and playing further along - and am about halfway through the game so far.

It is classic Mario - if you ever played any of the original games you'll know the score - however new music, some new moves (downward slams, wall jumping, etc.) as well as delightful moments such as getting the super big mushroom which makes Mario as tall as the screen - while you laugh like crazy and burst through everything - walls, blocks, enemies, etc. like King Kong on crack add a whole new depth to the game - and keep the 80's classic fresh in its newest form. If you grew up on the old games like I did - you will squeal with delight when you see a new enemy that was only in a select level or two from one of the older games - that brings the memories back fresh.

I am extremely pleased at how such a classic character can be brought back in a fresh new way - and invigorate this franchise which is still going strong after two, nearly three decades.

I had absolutely no interest in the Nintendo DS and only bought my son one because he had been really good this year. Now that I've tried out this game - I find myself browsing through Amazon for new DS games to try.

I wholeheartedly recommend this game for the DS... although I will warn you that you will find yourself wanting to feed your new addiction with more games for the system.

Nintendo DSi Bundle - White

By Raven (California) - reviews

I just "upgraded" from the DS Lite. I was hesitant on the DSi because it did not seem worth it and I did not like the colors that were out.

When I saw this bundle I jumped on it. I like the color and the Mario games were ok not what I expected tho. And if I did buy them I would have not been happy, but they were free so no complaints.

The color and texture was not what I expected it was better. I had the Onyx DS Lite and the Crimson/onyx one and preferred the crimson one because the bottom part was like a matte texture and felt more comfortable while playing games. One thing I liked about the DSi was they were all matte texture but I was afraid Metallic Blue would have a metallic texture but it doesnt its matte like the others. It is kinda shiny look to the color tho.

I like the bigger screen but have to get used to the button placement.

Camera I have not played with too much yet but it seems fun and you can mess around with the pictures and you can upload your pics to facebook or whatever so thats cool.

the amazing thing tho about Amazon was I was shopping the Black Friday sales after midnight and ordered this 12:50am on the 27th (yesterday) it was immediately processed and then shipped out around 5am and I got it in the mail this morning.

*Edit*

Wow I am so happy I ordered this when I did on Black Friday (staying awake to wait for gamestop to open actually) I got this for a sale price(under 160) and received it the next day.

Nintendo DSi Matte - Black

Nintendo DSi is a new hand held portable game system for anytime, anywhere fun and more. Enjoy the largest screen size, best audio quality and thinnest design of any system in the Nintendo DS family. Download exclusive games, clocks and calendars via the Nintendo DSi Shop. Take pictures using either an inward or outward facing camera and chose from 11 different lenses to customize your shots. Connect wirelessly to browse the internet, share photos and play with others. Access your music in the AAC format off any standard SD Card. The DSi cannot play GameBoy Advance titles.

Nintendo DS Lite Cobalt / Black

By Nite - reviews

This review is from: Nintendo DS Lite Coral Pink (Accessory)

People will no doubt find the Nintendo DS Lite to be a way for Nintendo to sucker people out of their money. It can be that way, if you think of yourself as a sucker, but for me the DS lite is a little better. Simply put, if you're content with your original DS, then don't even waste time to buy this one. If you don't have a DS period, the DS Lite is a much better investment than the original bulky one.

With the DS Lite, gameplay is made a little simplar. The button placement and brighter screen make the gameplay a little better. For one, the start and select buttons have been moved to resemble where they were on the original Gameboy Advance. This makes handling some of the functions (especially for GBA games) a lot easier. The buttons, sadly, are a still a little small for guys with big hands like myself.

The DS Lite also comes with a phony GBA cartridge (called a "cap"). If you don't have a GBA game plugged into the system, you can put in the phony cartridge to keep it from collecting dust in there. However, when you do stick in a GBA game, it sticks out by about a centimeter. It just looks weird. The cap does, at least, keep the system looking good.

Perhaps the most welcome change to the DS Lite is the screen. The original DS screen was not exactly bright. In fact, it was, in comparison the DS Lite, rather dark. Games like Metroid Prime Hunters were darker than they had to be. On this new screen, the difference in how bright the games appear really shows. Not only that but, you can adjust the brightness if need be. It doesn't really affect the battery life, either. You can play the DS Lite for as long as you played the original. And also like the original, it charges while you play.

Another welcome difference is the touch screen itself. These screens last a lot longer than the original DS. Those who have an original DS no doubt experienced a lot of scratches on their screen from their stylus. To the point where it was noticeable. You could still see the screen, but it was apparent that the stylus was doing a number on it. The screen is more protected here. The stylus doesn't scratch the screen quite as easily. In other words, the touch screen lasts a lot longer.

The DS Lite also looks better, and fits in your pocket better. It also performs all the tasks of a regular DS. For example, if you're playing a game and you suddenly have to go, just flip it closed and it sleeps. There's also a place to store the stylus, and the stylus is better too. It's a little bigger and thicker, so it's not quite as easy to lose.

Some problems with the original DS still plague the DS Lite however. You still can't play Gameboy Color or regular Gameboy games on the DS Lite. Also, you still can't configure the controls to play a GBA game much easier. In other words you can't configure "X" and "Y" when you play a GBA game. This probably won't bother you in the long run, however. Also, the touch screen still has its sensitivity. Touching the touch screen with your bare hands is more dangerous than the stylus scratching the screen. The oils from your fingers might damage the screen and therefore, it won't respond to the touch of even your stylus.

When the original DS launched, owners will note that there were not very many good games availible. About the only good game during its launch in 2004 was Super Mario 64 DS. Now there are plenty of games out there (and not all of them are ports), so if you do want a DS, this is a great time to get one, and the DS Lite is a better investment than the original one by far.

The DS may not play movies, or MP3 players, but to be honest, that almost defeats the purpose of a gaming system. Am I looking to buy a portable entertainment center? Of course not, I'm looking to find a system to play some of my games on, and the Nintendo DS delivers. Real gamers know it's about the games, not about the bells and whistles of a system. For the casual gamer, the Nintendo DS delivers, and the DS Lite is a fine improvement.

The Good

+Vastly superior to the original DS

+It fits in your pocket easier

+The Screen is much brighter

+Touch screen is more durable

+The placement of the Start and Select buttons is easier

+A better stylus

+The battery life is unchanged

The Bad

-Those with an original DS, who want a DS Lite will have to spend more money for yet another DS

-Some of the cons of the original DS are still here

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