Nintendo DS 2008 Gift Guide

Touchmaster 2 (Nov. 3) looks to features the console’s stylus touching capabilities while students can take their learning on the go with FutureU: The Prep Game for SAT (Oct. 20). Comedy and war combine in the real time strategy game Robocalypse (Oct. 28), which offers up to four player battles over Wi-Fi as well as a single player mode. Sim City Creator provides extensive building/simulation fun while Bella Sara offers card based fun on October 28.

Nintendo DS exclusive Shaun the Sheep utilizes Aardman animation (Chicken Run, Wallace & Gromit) while Ninjatown (Oct. 28) has the appealing title plus lots of strategy based action. Take a crack at real estate with Build-A-Lot on December 2 while the MySims series expands with MySims Kingdom featuring nine new mini-games. National Geographic Panda (Nov. 11) has extensive simulation/nurturing game play. Players can compete in several modes in Guinness World Records: The Video Game (Nov. 11).

Spectrobes: Beyond the Portals (Oct. 7) offers sci-fi role playing filled with creatures while Rune Factory 2: A Fantasy Harvest Moon (Oct. 21) continues fun on the farm. On November 3, players can get a taste of Europe by sharing Emma’s Adventures at the farm or the mountains.

Unique coaching titles include Caesar Millan’s The Dog Whisperer (Oct. 14), My Japanese Coach (Oct. 14), My Fun Facts Coach (Nov. 18) and My Stop Smoking Coach with Allen Carr (Nov. 11).

Platform titles include role playing Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood, Spider-Man Web of Shadows (Oct. 21), Tomb Raider Underworld (Nov. 18), Crash Bandicoot: Mind Over Mutant (Oct. 7), and Legend of Spyro: Dawn of the Dragon (Oct. 28).

Multi-console games to check out on the DS include LEGO Batman: The Videogame, Martial Arts: Capoeira Fighters (Oct. 27), Tom Clancy’s EndWar (Nov. 4) and Lord of the Rings: Conquest (Nov. 24).

Adventure titles include Time Hollow, a mystery where a young character investigate his family’s disappearance where players are allowed to explore the past and present simultaneously. Moon (Nov. 18) takes to space with some creepy mystery elements while Syberia (Oct. 13) adapts the popular PC title of the same name. Other adventures include the time themed Theresia (Oct. 21 – currently rated M on esrb.org), classic Gauntlet (Dec. 8) and Jake Power: Fire-Fighter (Oct. 28) and Policeman (Nov. 18).

Movie adaptations include James Bond 007 in Quantum of Solace and Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa (both release on Nov. 4) plus The Tale of Despereaux (Dec. 2). Kung Fu Panda: Legendary Warriors (Nov. 18), Bolt (Nov. 18), Shrek’s Carnival Craze (Oct. 28) and Star Wars: The Clone Wars – Jedi Alliance (Nov. 11) also make the jump to the game screen.

Tony Hawk’s Motion (Nov. 18) is an Nintendo DS exclusive, motion control title that also includes the similarly controlled Hue Pixel Painter. Wrestling fans get athletic action and even a story mode with WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2009 (Nov. 9) while retro fans will give notice to the football classic Tecmo Bowl: Kickoff (Nov. 11) featuring Wi-Fi and wireless multiplayer modes.

Shaun White Snowboarding offers lots of winter sports fun on November 16. Soccer fans can find FIFA Soccer 09 on October 14 or Real Soccer 2009 (Nov. 11). All-Star Cheer Squad makes some noise on October 27. Racing fans can enjoy Need for Speed Undercover on November 17 or Chrysler Classic Racing on November 4.

Ben 10 Alien Force (Oct. 28) features eight playable characters among an action filled format while Bleach: Dark Souls (Oct. 7) provides battles with 44 characters. Retro action titles include Commando: Steel Disaster, Bangai-O Spirits and Metal Slug 7 (Nov. 18). Pokemon still continues to be a force with Pokemon Ranger: Shadows of Almia (Nov. 10) while Jagged Alliance (Oct. 28) has turn-based RPG action.

Call of Duty: World at War (Nov. 11) puts first person shooter action in a player’s hands while Avatar: The Last Airbender – Into the Inferno continues the series on October 13. Players can manipulate and battle with several prehistoric titans in Combat of Giants: Dinosaurs (Oct. 14). The sequel Legend of Kage 2 lands on October 7.

Guitar Hero: On Tour 2: Decades (Nov. 17) features a new song set. Other numerous music games in the mix include Guitar Rock Tour (Nov. 4), Rock Revolution (Oct. 14) and High School Musical 3: Senior Year (Oct. 21), Dancing With the Stars: Get Your Dance On (Oct. 21), Monster Band (Nov. 18) and Ultimate Band (Nov. 4).

Food fanatics will get Cooking Guide: Can’t Decide What to Eat? (Nov. 24), a convenient personal interactive cookbook. Burger Island (Nov. 7) features 30 recipes as well as 60 levels in five tropical locations while Candy Factory (Oct. 21) mixes sweets making with puzzles. What’s Cooking? With Jamie Oliver and Iron Chef America: Supreme Cuisine (both on Oct. 21) continuing the cooking craze.

Puzzle titles include Neopets Puzzle Adventure (Nov. 25), Prey the Stars (Oct. 7), Cradle of Rome (Nov. 11) and the escapist Exit (Oct. 7). Players looking for familiar puzzles with some new flair can try Merv Griffin’s Xwords (Dec. 2), Matchstick Puzzle by DS (Nov. 11) or USA Today Puzzle Craze (Dec. 4). Mystery Case Files: MillionHeir and Cate West: The Vanishing Files (Nov. 4) offer great seek-and-find titles. Travel Games For Dummies (Nov. 11) includes Solitaire, Sudoku and crossword puzzles.

Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia (Oct. 21) arrives just in time for Halloween with an all new Glyph system. Monster Lab (Nov. 5) allows players massive options in creature creation, battle and exploration. Goosebumps Horrorland (Oct. 14) features scary rides and attractions in a theme park setting while Six Flags Fun Park (Oct. 28) tries to remediate the real deal. The new Ener-G game series includes Dance Squad, Gym Rockets and Horse Riders (all releasing Oct. 21).

A large cache of simulation games for the youngsters include My Secret Diary, My Dress-Up, My Make-Up (all on Oct. 14) and Lovely Lisa (Oct. 14). Go, Diego, Go! Great Dinosaur Rescue (Oct. 27) and Hello Kitty Daily (Oct. 27) offer more family friendly fun. Winter games for the kids include Dora the Explorer: Dora Saves the Snow Princess (Oct. 27) and Princess on Ice (Nov. 4) plus Smart Boy/Girl Winter Wonderland (Oct. 21).

The Imagine game series continues with Babysitters (Oct. 17), Ballet Star (Dec. 2) plus Movie Star, Interior Designer and Wedding Designer all releasing on November 4. The new Dreamer game series will feature Horse Trainer, Pop Star and Puppy Trainer on November 25. Other series games include My Baby Boy/Girl (Oct. 28), three Petz Rescue titles (Oct. 28), three more Petz (Nov. 4/18) titles and three Littlest Pet Shop games (Oct. 14). Smart Boy’s Toy Club (Oct. 14), Smart Girl’s Party Game (Oct. 14) and Smart Kid’s Party Fun (Oct. 15) entertain while building important skills at an affordable price.

Role playing titles have a strong showing with Chrono Trigger DS (Nov. 24), which features 13 endings, Master of the Monster Lair (Oct. 21), and Luminous Arc 2 (Nov. 18), which also includes a deluxe set. Other RPG titles include Naruto: Path of the Ninja 2 (Oct. 14), Black Sigil: Blade of the Exiled (Oct. 15) and Away: Shuffle Dungeon (Oct. 21). Populous DS (Oct. 14) remediates the classic PC game with multiplayer options.

Be sure to save those gift cards for hot titles coming in early 2009 like SimAnimals and Elebits: The Adventures of Kai and Zero jumping into your hands from the Wii, which revolves around creature capture then using their energy.