DS Holiday Games

Handheld Holiday

The Nintendo DS--easily the most kid-friendly system out there (aside from the Wii, maybe) with plenty of safe games to choose from. Here's a list of DS titles, old and new, the whole family can enjoy for the holidays.

+Nintendogs
You may have finally found an answer to, "Mommmmm/daaaaad, can we please get a puppy?" This game has all the responsibility and fun of owning a dog with none of the mess. The DS's microphone allows you to give voice commands to your puppy.

+Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass
The latest installment in the Zelda series that gaming publications have been raving about. Zelda games are always a good ride--I've been playing them since I was eight or nine. This continues the story established in Zelda: Wind Waker, as Link sets out to sail the ocean again guided by your touch screen and stylus.

+PokeMon Pearl/Diamond
Another safe bet, especially if your kid loves PokeMon. This is the most expansive handheld version of the game yet, and with wireless/online capabilities you can battle or trade PokeMon your neighbor or someone across the globe.

+Zoo Hospital
It's Trauma Center for the little ones. Kids get to play veterinarian for zoo animals. Where was this game when I was six years old?

+LEGO Star Wars the Complete Saga - $29.99
Good, fun Star Wars adventure. It has cooperative modes, so 2 people who have DSs and copies of LEGO Star Wars CS can play together.

+Animal Crossing: Wild World
It was released two years ago, but it doesn't change the fact that it's a great gift. ACWW is addictive, fun and has wireless/online capabilities so you can play with friends near and far. Think of it as a mini-MMO for kids (well, ACWW can appeal to anyone, but it's kid-friendly for sure).

+Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney
This might be too much for younger kids, but it's way too fun of a game to not put on here. You play rookie attorney Phoenix Wright as you defend various clients through five different court cases (FYI: All cases in this game are murder cases). You sleuth around crime scenes to gather evidence and then use your gathered information to pick out lies and contradictions in witness testimonies. The game is heavily text-based (the whole story is progressed by character dialogue), so it's a fun way to trick people into reading.

+Draglade
A fighting/action game hybrid from Atlus (who I know for their hit-or-miss quirky games). Previews look interesting, but wait until the game's release on 12/4 for more info before you buy.

+Ontamarama - $29.99

+Elite Beat Agents

These are all of the suggestions for now; check back later for more!