Holiday Buying Guide 2005 Continued..

DS

In all honesty, the DS simply blew me away this year. I have never in my life had my opinion about a console change so drastically and so quickly. The machine had a strong launch in terms of sales but a very lackluster game selection, and though I expected it to do okay due to Nintendo's hold on the portable market I didn't actually see it doing great, and I certainly didn't care about it whatsoever. The whole dual screen thing didn't do much for me. Well, fast forward to E3. I spent literally an entire day at Nintendo's booth playing great DS games and eating quite a few words/hats. The system was purchased the next day, and since then it's been nothing but a stream of quality games that's only been getting better. I've long since got over the shock of the system not sucking, now I'm busy being shocked that the great releases keep coming. Here are a few of what I see as the most worthwhile releases of the year for DS.

Mario Kart DS
Developer: Nintendo
Publisher: Nintendo
Mario Kart series director Hedeki Konno took back the reigns of his favorite franchise with Mario Kart DS after skipping out on the rather disappointing Mario Kart: Double Dash!! (GCN), and it shows. Mario Kart DS is a fine return to form, offering what is probably the best Mario Kart game to date, and I don't say that lightly. The game features some of the best tracks from every prior game, and matches them with an equal number of entirely new tracks, some of which are among the most impressive yet. The game actually has a huge amount of stuff to do in the single player mode, which is unusual for Mario Kart. Most importantly, however, it marks the series' entry into the online world, as one of the "launch" titles for Nintendo's online service. Online play is limited to racing (no battle mode) but the actual playing experience is as tight as can be, with great netcode and a 60FPS framerate that never dips. Get this game.

Advance Wars: Dual Strike
Developer: Intelligent Systems
Publisher: Nintendo
If you've played either of the Advance Wars games for Game Boy Advance, you basically know what to expect here. It's turn based strategy that's easy to grasp yet with a well crafted difficulty curve that ramps up just enough over the course of the campaign to keep the game challenging and fun throughout. Though it doesn't reinvent the series, this entry offer by far the most value for your dollar, with absolutely tons of options for both the various single player modes as well as for local wi-fi multiplayer, including many new to the franchise. Strategy fans should give this one a look.

Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow
Developer: Konami
Publisher: Konami
Dawn of Sorrow continues in the gameplay tradition some have described as "Metroidvania," referring to the tendency of modern Castlevania games to take a Metroid-like approach in structure--most notably, this takes the form of the game having one huge interconnected map littered with sub-bosses and ways to improve your character, rather than individual "levels." It's a formula that has served the series well since the acclaimed Symphony of the Night on PlayStation, and many feel that Dawn of Sorrow approaches (or even rivals) that title for the role of best entry in the series. Oh, and it's impossible to overstate how invaluable that second screen is for an always-on map in a game like this.

Meteos
Developer: Q Entertainment
Publisher: Nintendo
Following up on the excellent Lumines for PSP, Q Entertainment released another falling-blocks puzzle game in the form of Meteos. The two games draw many comparisons but while Lumines benefits most from its wonderful presentation, Meteos is all about the ridiculously hardcore gameplay. It was designed by Kirby and Smash Bros. creator Masahiro Sakurai in a one-off collaboration with Q Entertainment, where studio head Tetsuya Mizuguchi produced the game. It even has a bit of the trademark Mizuguchi gameplay/music interactivity. I've said it already but I'll say it again: this game is hardcore. It is not for the weak. I don't mean that disparagingly, but if you don't like to be consumed and/or destroyed by your puzzle games, just leave this on the shelf. It seriously destroyed about two months of my life. And I loved every minute of it.

Kirby Canvas Curse
Developer: HAL Laboratories
Publisher: Nintendo
So, you're not so sure about the whole stylus and touch screen thing? Just a gimmick, eh? Kirby Canvas Curse takes the touch screen and uses it as a totally essential gameplay mechanic in a game that wouldn't be possible (or at least fun) any other way. You control Kirby throughout various levels of platforming by drawing paths with the stylus which he will follow. Like most great platformers, it features a simplistic mechanic with depth that emerges as you become accustomed to the game. Portables tend to be home to dozens of palette-shifted 2D side scrollers, but this is one that does something different and is entertaining the whole way through.

Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time
Developer: Alphadream
Publisher: Nintendo
Partners in Time is the followup to Alphadream's acclaimed 2003 RPG for the GBA, Mario and Luigi: Superstar Saga, a game renowned for its interesting gameplay mechanics and a pleasantly affecting and humorous script. The sequel literally delves into the past of Nintendo's plumber duo, introducing the pair to the baby versions of themselves from the past. This odd team of four traipses around the past and present of the Mushroom Kingdom. The game maintains the unique interactive nature of the turn-based battles common to other Mario RPG outings, and the whole package should satisfy those looking for more after Superstar Saga.

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney
Developer: Capcom
Publisher: Capcom
Capcom brings its long running series of courtroom adventures to non-Japanese territories for the first time with Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney. You play defense attorney Phoenix Wright, a rookie lawyer out to make a name for himself. You basically act as a detective too, scouting crime scenes for evidence yourself before you head to trial. In court, the goal is to expose the lies of the prosecution's witnesses by pointing out contradictory testimony and presenting evidence. It's not the most challenging thing you'll ever play but it succeeds through surprisingly well-written dialogue and memorable characters. It's also quite lengthy, which makes up for the obvious lack of any kind of multiplayer.

Nintendogs
Developer: Nintendo
Publisher: Nintendo
This adorable interactive puppy simulator is one of the flagship games for Nintendo's new portable, and was responsible for huge spikes in system sales in Japan. It reached similar success upon its arrival in North America and Europe, though in the face of so many other great DS games (see: this list) it hasn't made huge waves with hardcore gamers. Where it has found its audience is with, well, just about everybody else. Loads of anecdotal evidence suggests that if you have a significant other who has so far resisted your repeated attempts to bring the gift of gaming, this might be the Trojan horse you need. It's also a great way to show off the capabilities of the DS; you can pet your dog with the stylus, call it by name and order it to do tricks with the microphone, and interact with other "dog owners" by way of the system's local wi-fi capabilities.

Animal Crossing: Wild World
Developer: Nintendo
Publisher: Nintendo
The third game to take advantage of the DS' internet capabilities, Animal Crossing: Wild World brings the oddly appealing family-friendly town simulator over from the GameCube. The gameplay stays pretty much intact: there's still no "goal" other than to simply enjoy living in your custom village, collecting and selling things, interacting with your neighbors, adding to your home. With the ability to visit friends' towns over the internet, however, the game achieves a much broader and more obvious appeal. Who doesn't want to go over to his buddy's place and be a jerk by chopping down all the trees?

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