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1Professor Layton and the Curious Village - Best Games for the
Nintendo DS
Professor
 Layton
and his sidekick, Luke, guide players through a Victorian
village, and kids need to solve a variety of brain-bending
puzzles in order to advance. Riddles, slide puzzles, optical
illusions, geometry, wordplay, mazes, and
brainteasers are featured.
Product Description
"In Professor Layton and the
Curious Village, you'll tackle over 130 puzzles as you unravel
the mysteries of the village. Puzzles range from mazes and
riddles to logic and sliding puzzles. Touch Screen controls make
working through puzzles fun for players of all skill levels, and
new puzzles are available weekly for download via the Nintendo
Wi-Fi Connection. Fully voiced animated scenes bring the story
to life,
while the eccentric villagers and the hand-drawn art
provide a charm that appeals to gamers and non-gamers alike."
Recommended for: Children who enjoy solving puzzles,
ages 7+.
Why do we recommend this game? This is a "smart" game
that draws children in with an intriguing adventure story line--it's not
just a collection of puzzles. The puzzles are untimed, so that
kids can work at their own pace. As well, they're challenging
but doable. To extend the life of the product, additional
content can be downloaded using the Nintendo Wi-Fi connection.
[For more information, or to buy:
Professor Layton and the Curious Village
for the DS at Amazon.com]
2Animal Crossing Wild World - Best Games for the
Nintendo DS
Tired of video games that run out of steam far too quickly? Animal
Crossing Wild World for DS features a "virtual village"
populated with human-like animals. Players live in their
village, tend to everyday routines, and communicate with other
villages. There is a 24-hour "real time" clock in the game,
which means that the sun will set when the "real" sun sets. The
game's clock also coordinates with real time dates, so that
seasons change accordingly. Kids can fish and garden,
interact with neighbors, collect furnishings for their homes, and so
forth. The village life unfolds day by day.
Product Description
"Animal Crossing: Wild World takes you into a real-time
virtual world where an entire village is waiting to be
explored. Whether you want to decorate your home, catch bugs
or fish, or just chat with the characters in your village,
there's always something to do. Days and seasons pass in
real time, and you can visit the vilages of online players
-- even if they're a thousand miles away."
Recommended for: Children ages 6+. Note that children
should have some reading and spelling skills, or they will need
help from older siblings or adults.
Why do we recommend this game? The real-time clock
in the game is a dynamic feature that is truly enjoyable. The only caution that we have so far is
that Animal Crossing is very addictive! The real-time
clock feature of the game might make some children anxious
to play every single day. Replay value is
exceptionally high: village life unfolds day by day,
with new surprises over time.
[For more information, or to buy: Animal Crossing: Wild World
Amazon.com]
3New Super Mario Bros. - Best Games for Children on the
Nintendo DS
 
This
Super Mario Bros. title is especially good for younger kids
because it's slightly easier than most games in the series and
genre, yet fun and satisfying.
Product Description
"New Super Mario Bros. for the DS lets you play an updated
version of the classic Super Mario Bros. world, with all-new
moves taken from other hit Mario games. When Mario and Princess
Peach are taking a walk, a bolt of lightning hits Mushroom
Castle. Mario goes off to investigate, but he returns Bowser has
kidnapped Peach! He'll track down Bowser on the classic,
original Super Mario Bros. map with all the moves he's picked up
in the other games. Throw turtle shells, butt-stomp to crack
open floors -- you can even use the tanooki suit from Super
Mario Bros. 3. Use the DS dual screen to see where you are on a
map & play fun minigames. Also includes a two-player mode where
Mario and Luigi race and compete for coins."
Recommended for: Young fans of the Super Mario Bros.
series and newcomers alike; ages
6-up.
Why do we recommend this game? Although it's (almost)
mindless entertainment, it's great fun.
[For more information, or to buy:
New Super Mario Bros.
at Amazon.com]
4
Pokemon Diamond/Pokemon Pearl
Information coming soon!
Product Description
"Pokémon Diamond takes you into the new Sinnoh region, where two
unique Pokemon are symbols. The Dialga and Palkia appear in
myths and old folklore; legends say they can control space and
time. The sinister organization called Team Galaxy is trying to
rule the region by capturing and training thes Pokemon. During
your adventure to complete your Pokedex and become Champion,
these Pokemon & Team Galaxy will intertwine into the story and
lead you on a fantastic journey across the Sinnoh region."
[For more information, or to buy:
Pokemon Diamond or Pokemon Pearl for the DS at Amazon.com]
5Nintendogs
 
It's puppy love for our kid testers--they can't seem to put Nintendogs down.
Nintendogs for the DS comes in three different versions which
essentially define the breeds of virtual puppies kids can care for
and play with: Chihuahua, Labrador Retriever, and Dachshund.
Nintendogs is truly unique. Kids use the built-in microphone
on the DS to speak to
their puppy, and the touch screen to pet and give commands to their
dog. The graphics are adorable with photo-realistic puppies--and
they remain puppies indefinitely (they don't grow up).
Using voice commands, kids train their puppy to do tricks, such as
shake, lie down, sit, and roll over. They use the stylus to stroke
the dog, who wags his/her tail, trots about, and even moves up to
the screen and greets his/her "master". Contests, such as the
agility and obedience trials, require kids to first train their
puppies, and earn them money to buy more supplies. As children
progress, they are able to earn enough money to purchase more
puppies to keep the first one company. Kids take their pup for
walks, meet neighborhood dogs, find dog toys, throw discs for their
pup, and so forth.
Product Description
"In Nintendogs 3: Labrador & Friends you'll get to train and
care for a a puppy, without having to clean up all those soiled
newspapers. As you teach your puppy to obey, it'll start
competing in dog shows. See if your dog can earn money you can
use to buy new breeds!"
Recommended for: Kids ages 6-11. It should be
noted that some kids will tire of the game once the novelty has worn
off. However, for some children (especially those who love pets and
virtual pets), this game is just right. It can be, and is probably
best when, played a little at a time.
Why do we recommend this game? Nintendogs doesn't play like a traditional video game, and it
"shows off" the snazzy features of the Nintendo DS. It's
refreshingly fun, appealing to many little video game "veterans" and
a whole new group of dog-loving, virtual pet fans as well.
[For more information, or to buy: Nintendogs Labrador Retriever & Friends
for the DS at Amazon.com]
6Mario Kart DS
Information coming soon!
Why do we recommend this game?
[For more information, or to buy: for the DS at Amazon.com]
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A new feature at EdutainingKids.com, our Buyer's Guides help make buying
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products and strive to keep up to date on the latest releases. Of
course, every family is unique. We can't please everyone. However,
we are able to select some special titles that are at the top of
our "edutainment" list--those that have that extra edge
in the categories of design, entertainment, education, and play
value.
Information coming soon!
for the DS
at Amazon.com]
Information coming soon!
at Amazon.com]
Information coming soon!
for the DS at Amazon.com]
Information coming soon! 
for the DS at Amazon.com]
at Amazon.com]