The Nintendo DS with it’s innovative stylus control and touch screen technology has resulted in many different types of games and even new genres being developed over the course of the past 3 years. Many of the best games on the DS make full use of it’s many features.  There is one game that doesn’t, but happens to be the one of the best on the diminutive system.

New Super Mario Bros. (NSMB) was released in June 2006 and has been one of the biggest selling titles to this day. Going back to a two dimensional format, the game saw Mario again trying to save the princess, this time from Baby Bowser, using a host of old and new powers. The game stands out because of it’s use of two dimensional backgrounds with three dimensional characters, creating a unique visual style. Like many of the other Mario games, 2D and 3D alike, your charged with traveling through different themed worlds, from snow to desert and forest to lava, defeating boss characters and destroying their castles. One thing which has changed from Mario’s newer games is that NSMB didn’t request that you collect specific numbers of stars, instead harking back to the original Mario Bros. game on the NES with Mario having to jump to a flag and hopefully set off fireworks at the end of the level.

It is this mixture of old and new which makes NSMB such a special game and even though it can be completed in a few sittings, you’ll be tempted to go back and enjoy it again and again, such is the unabashed fun of the game. Featuring the normal bright colors and signature sound effects, this game (developed by Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto) is perhaps one of the purest and best Mario and indeed platforming experiences on any system out today.

One of the most important games on the Nintendo DS since launch, and helping it become the global phenomenon that it has become is Dr. Kawashima’s Brain Training. A simple yet incredibly compelling titles which shows that it doesn’t take the millions of pounds like some console games to create something truly unique and special. The “game” revolves around you beginning with a test to check your “brain age”. Basically the answers you give to the test and how quickly you do it determins how close the software believes your brain to be to the ideal brain age of 20. On most first plays, brain ages reach into the upper 40s and 50s, even higher if your not used to the interface but the game doesn’t let you get discouraged, in fact, it actively prompts you to start training your brain!

Each day you’ll be welcomed by the friendly tron-like face of Dr. Kawashima and invited to do various exercises to train up your brain. These range from word games like reading aloud and maths test training your quick thinking numerical skills. Each exercise is quick and fun, and odd as it sounds, it does feel like it is working. On completing your tests you get to put a stamp on your virtual diary and have the chance to take another brain age test hoping to better your score each time. Aside from the tests there is also a fully functioning sudoku game too with hundreds of different puzzles at different levels of difficulty, good for a change of pace and they can be saved, making it perfect for quick train or bus journeys.

Brain Training has been the biggest success story from a whole heap of Nintendo DS success stories and is the premier game used in the huge amount of celebrity advertising. If you haven’t played this game and don’t believe the hype, please don’t be discouraged, Brain Training is one of the greatest pieces of software you can get. It may not be a game in the normal sense but it far surpasses in pure enjoyment and interest than many other regular games out there.

For all that the DS has going for it, one of the main thing is the amazingly different games on offer, one of the best of these games is the film noir inspired Hotel Dusk: Room 215. The story features an ex-police officer, now traveling salesman on the hunt for his ex partner who betrayed him. His work and indeed his search leads him to a small hotel in the middle of nowhere called Hotel Dusk, and it is here that the story takes place.

Featuring an art style not seen since A-ha’s “Take On Me” music video, the wonderful animation and style captures the feel of the whole piece. Lots of text does make it a task sometimes getting through some of the conversations but it’s well worth it, as the plot is top notch and some of the puzzle’s within the game are the most ingenious seen in a video game in quite some time. The game may be simple, and a little difficult to get into but once you do it turns out to be a very rewarding experience, with well thought out and developed characters and near mouse like controls.

With huge amount of games coming out these days there are always going to be some that you miss. Now, some of these are probably best missed but in the heap there are always a few gems.

First among these may be considered an odd choice as it’s more of an anthology of a series, but Metal Slug Anthology on Wii should not be missed by any action fans. Featuring 8 different games, the whole of the Metal Slug arcade and console series is here to play either by yourself, or the much more enjoyable way – with friends, as each game does feature a full co-op mode.

The basic premise of the game is simple, a two dimensional scrolling shoot em up featuring over the top weaponry and brilliant cartoon animation. You play one of four soldiers, who with the help of the occasional tank, the aptly named Metal Slugs of the game, fighting your way through different levels and locales taking on ridiculous amounts of enemy troops along the way.

The game has it’s tongue firmly in it’s cheek all the way through. Nothing is serious, with numerous comical set pieces throughout each level, and to keep the ride flowing smoothly there is of course the inevitable arrow telling you to move on to the next section, just like all good side scrollers.

If your a Xbox 360, one game you probably missed at the time was Just Cause. The game is set on a lush Caribbean island where you are special agent Luis Rodrigez, sent to stop the corrupt government. Now it doesn’t sound that great from that brief synopsis, but the game is so much more than that. The game follows the ideas behind Grand Theft Auto and runs with them. The island you call home is basically a huge sandbox of sun, sea and sand and the 360′s graphical power is used well to show it off. With an incredible draw distance and the ability to take a helicopter far into the sky, the game definitely looks impressive.

The game does have some significant flaws such as a repetitive mission structure and less than brilliant AI from your enemies, but the main reason to play this game is for the sheer fun of it. The first time you tak that helicopter up in the air and skydive from it’s highest points is one of the most satisfying game experiences you can have. That’s right, you can skydive. Anytime. Also you are automatically equipped with a grappling which can be used to latch of to other vehicles including planes and helicopters and this results in some of the most over the top stunts you can imagine.

A very fun game, if you ignore the main story for the most part.

The PS3 hasn’t got one of the most extensive libraries out there but that hasn’t stopped some games being lost in the pile. One game that you really should play, whether your a fan of the genre of not, is Skate. At first glance it looks like a Tony Hawk clone, but the game is so much more than that. The game features a unique control system for a skateboarding game: all main controls are mapped the the right analog stick. This mechanic makes sure that the game is a lot more realistic to real life skateboarding and in some of it’s challenges, nearly as tough.

In the game you create your own character and start off as a street punk trying to get themselves noticed and become a pro-skater. Through various challenges you’ll meet new people, earn respect and get yourself in magazines and videos, eventually leading to your invite to X Games: the skateboarding olympics.

A whole city is mapped out in glorious HD graphics and the attention to details i if you will s fantastic, with even the cracks in the road being visible. Also that unusual control scheme works wonders and really sets this game apart from the rest. If you haven’t played it, you should.

The Nintendo DS, launched in 2005, revised in 2007 to the Nintendo DS Lite has fast become one of the most successful handheld system in history. Following on from Nintendo’s success with the Game Boy Series, the DS ushered in a new era of dominance for Nintendo in the handheld market.

The main feature of the DS is the it’s Dual Screen technology. The top screen acts as normal, showing off the fast paced and unique action of the many different titles on offer, while the bottom touch screen is where the DS makes it’s money.

Packed with the DS is a neat stylus pen, used to control the action of the touch screen. It opens up many different avenues for original game design and still manages to provide the same vibrant colors and slick gameplay as it’s top-bound brother.

Along with the dual screens you get a decent set of speakers built in, normal button controls, a microphone, the ability to play old game boy advanced games and built in wifi capabilities.

One of the biggest titles that took advantage of the DS’s capabilities was unsurprisingly Nintendo’s own Nintendogs. The basic premise of the game is like the good old Tamagochi, except this time the object of your affection is puppy. Using the stylus on the touch screen you can feed, train and play with your dog and also use the microphone to give voice commands. Nintendogs is part of Nintendo’s range of Touch Generations games.

However, if training small dogs isn’t you thing there are many other titles on the DS which will appeal such as Trauma Center and 2 – a game involving touch screen based surgery – Hotel Dusk – a film noir styled detective drama and even a music creation game involving small underwater animals called Electroplankton.

One of the best things with the range of games of the DS is that even with it’s touch screen capabilities many game designers have still produced fantastic games using the standard controls such as Mario Kart DS and Contra.

Even though the DS does have many good points, it does have it’s drawbacks. The relatively low technical specification of the DS does mean that it doesn’t have much graphical oomph to it. Also there have been many unsuccessful add ons such as an underperforming web browser to take advantage of the built in wifi receiver and an MP3 player. Neither of these additions or the many like them have shown that the DS is only really good at one thing – playing games.

It is here that the DS excels with its huge range of titles from every conceivable genre and so many unique and exciting ways to play. No matter what type of game you want to play there should be something on the Nintendo DS to satisfy.

It turns out that Nintendo has seen the problems with the DS and will be bringing out a 3rd generation model named the Dsi. It’s main feature will be two cameras, one on the outside and one on the inside, just like some phones. How the Dsi’s cameras will be used in any games is still to be announced, but it is set for worldwide release in summer 2009.