There is no denying that upon the announcement of the DS way back in 2003, people thought that Nintendo had actually lost the plot.

The Nintendo DS was a drastic departure, a new handset that was meant to compliment rather than replace their hugely successful GameBoy brand, a stylus and sound driven machine with two screens evoking the design of the original Game and Watch…

Nintendo had definitely lost it…or had they?

The history speaks for itself, and with 97.5 million DSes sold worldwide by the end of 2008, it showed introducing a device with innovative yet familiar input methods for non-gamers would have a far greater appeal, a tactic they have repeated with great success in the Nintendo Wii.

So, with over 3 million sold last month in the US alone, it means lots of new owners finding Nintendo’s handheld in their stocking this Christmas. Which games should they be playing into 2009?

So we at Invisible Hand have gone through many titles to pick out some of the latest, and greatest games to hit the little handheld that could….

1. Cooking Mama - £12.96 from Amazon.co.uk

As the name suggests, it is indeed a cooking simulator. The touch screen allows you to cut, chop, sautee and mash like a animated Jamie Oliver in this unique title. Cook over 70 dishes, and be ranked on your culinary expertise by the legendary Cooking Mama!

Winner of the “Most Innovative DS Design of E3″ award in 2006, Cooking Mama is both easy to get into but challenging enough to create a new generation of budding Blumenthals!

2. Nintendogs - £14.99 from Amazon.co.uk

Forget Tamagotchi (oh, you have?), the greatest virtual pet simulation of all time is for the DS! Nintendogs allows you to care for man’s best friend in every way possible! Pet them, bathe them, purchase toys and supplies to keep them looking their best, even teach them tricks and commands by speaking into the DS microphone. They seem a bit stubborn at first, but persevere and you can even win medals at local dog shows!

Choose from a variety of breeds from Labrador to Schnauzer, even set your DS to ‘bark’ mode to let your pet socialise with other Nintendogs (and their owners) if you bump into them in the real world!

3. New Super Mario Brothers - £24.96 from Amazon.co.uk

A…re-imagining rather than a sequel to the classic platforming adventures, New Super Mario Bros. brings back all of the classic enemies, levels and power-ups with a next-generation twist! New mushrooms allow Mario to balloon to the size of entire screen, whilst previously familiar foes may have a few new tricks up their sleeve! Great fun to play whilst a huge challenge to master, New Super Mario Bros. shows that sometimes they do make them like they used to…

4. Dr. Kawashina’s Brain Training : How Old Is Your Brain? - £16.99 from Play.com

The ‘game’ that started it all… This unassuming combination of mental puzzles, challenges and a strange self help guide catapulted the Nintendo DS into the public eye. Holding the DS vertically as though it were a book, you play through a set of brain teasers and at the end of each session the “age” of your brain is calculated. It’s all terribly scientific, and you can improve with frequent practice every day.

With the endorsement of famed neuro-scientist Dr. Kawashima and using a combination of the stylus for writing and the microphone for speech recognition tests, this title took the world by storm! Finally a game that could be enjoyed by the young and old alike and made you feel better, and smarter, for playing it!

5. 42 All-Time Classic Games - £14.96 on Amazon.com

Simple premise, really. 42 all-time classic games, 1 package, fun for all the family!

All of the ones you want are here including Chess, Texas Hold ‘Em Poker, Solitaire, Bowling and Dominoes! Makes those family trips abroad a ton more fun when you have some board games…now they are all inside the tiny package of the Nintendo DS!

The latest title in the Grand Theft Auto Series is Grand Theft Auto China Town Wars. The DS is technically weaker than the PSP so there are definitely compromises in terms of game play and graphics. Gone are the 3D animated cut scenes and the 3D rendered environments. The DS’ GTA offering is much closer to the original with the action seen from above. However the camera is slightly tipped and angled which gives some perspective and allows players to see further down the screen. As well as the perspective, the camera is not fixed and rotates dynamically to stay over the shoulder of the character or the vehicle as he’s driving.

And unlike the older games in the series where the view never really rotated out of its fixed overhead view, the camera in the Nintendo DS Version is much more dynamic and stays “over the shoulder” of you character or the vehicle he’s driving.

Like the PS3, Xbox and PC versions the city is still massive and sprawling. The limitations of the DS do not stop you from fully exploring the city. You can walk through buildings and get on higher ground through steps and fire escapes. Like the previous versions you can jack any vehicles you want from cars, trucks, lorries and motorbikes. Each vehicle has their own special characteristics as in the previous versions of the game.

There is a slight innovation when it comes to game play. As in previous versions of the game, the more stars you earn the more aggressively the cops will pursue you. In order to lose a star instead of hiding you have to take out a cop car. The amount of cops you have to dispatch is displayed in a car symbol underneath the star rating. This switches the ethos of the game making it much more frenetic and offensive. Other innovations include a speed-boost which is a reward for performing donuts. In combat mode there is a lock on system for your firearms, making it easier to dispatch your enemies .

The most exciting thing about the DS offering is that it explores a whole new aspect of the GTA world. By choosing China Town as the main focus of the action they can bring a whole new element to the game with new characters and fresh new plots.

IGN’s feedback on some of the missions is really positive. In one mission, One Shot One Kill you have to assemble a sniper rifle with your stylus then seek out your target in a crowd. You have one chance to take down your mark, if you miss, you fail the mission.

Although it is developed by Rock Star Games a Scottish games publisher it is unlikely it will be released in the UK on March 17th, the US release date. Whenever it is finally released it is sure to be a best seller.

IGN GTA China Town Wars Review

Everyone loves the DS, just ask Invisible Hand users. The Nintendo DS stock list is really popular. The reason for the DS’ popularity? Well for one it’s great fun what with its dual screen and stylus. Plus it’s got some great games and they’re keeping up the tradition with the release of Moto Racer DS in April 2009. Here’s an exclusive trailer from Gametrailers.com.

Moto Racer is the definitive motocycle racing game made famous on the PC, Gameboy, Playstation and finally the Nintendo DS. Single or multiplayer, you race in a variety of environments utilising the Nintendo DS stylus to control your rider. Experience four separate disciplines: Grand Prix (hairpin ends), Traffic (urban city scapes), Supercross (indoor circuits) and Freestyle (stunts).

Moto Racer DS utilises the DS’ internet capability, allowing you to challlnge your friends in multi-player contests and compare your score with the Online Worldwide Ranking system on the Moto Racer DS website.

Don’t worry guys it’s not a scam this time. Gaming site Buyitplayit.com are offering 50 Nintendo DS as part of their Freaky Friday offer. The first 50 customers to purchse the DS after it hits 12 will get the DS at this remarkable price. Register now if you want to be in the running. Good luck!

It’s not just kids that are fixated on the Nintendo DS this Christmas, so are criminals.  HM Revenue and customs have warned about fake Nintendo DS consoles being imported into the UK. These fake consoles are also potentially dangerous, as their power adaptors have not been properly tested. People are tricked into buying these DS from Asian websites that offer huge discounts. When the fake DS arrives, customers will not only be disappointed but also likely to receive an electric shock.

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