Doing the DS

One of the things we love about the Nintendo DS system is that many of the games designed exclusively for this platform are intended to exercise your brain, thereby sharpening your mind, memory, computational skills, and, now, your vision.

Flash Focus: Vision Training in Minutes a Day features a combination of easy-to-play exercises intended to sharpen your focus power through fast, fun activities and quick-play sports challenges. Games include Symbol Order, where three symbols appear for a split second in any of 12 boxes, with the challenge being to remember each symbol and the order in which it was first viewed; Box Tap, where series of moving red boxes must be tapped before they disappear; and Number Flash, in which players must recall digits that briefly flash on the screen as the sequences get progressively longer. Sports action includes taking a swing at a speeding pitch and sending a soccer ball into a goal. Rated E for Everyone.

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Brain Age 2: MoreTraining in Minutes a Day invites you to challenge your mind and lower your brain age score with 15 new invigorating activities. Fresh music-, memory-, math-, and picture-based exercises are designed to give your brain a workout. The title includes word scrambles, serial subtraction challenges, symbol matching, 100 Sudoku puzzles, and a twist on the classic Rock, Paper, Scissors game. Rated E.

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When Donkey Kong and his friends are vacationing on a tropical island, you know there has to be something to stir up trouble. In DK Jungle Climber, we're drawn into King K. Rool's sinister plot to steal the Crystal Bananas from a visiting alien and use them to take over the universe. Team up with Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong as they fight off King K. Root and the Kremlin Krew. Rate E with comic mischief.

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For more information about these games, visit www.nintendo.com.

The number-one hockey video game series for kids brings Backyard Hockey ($29.99) to the [)S. Featuring 3-on-3 act on with realistic plays and strategies, the game stars NHL pros--including Nicklas Lidstrom, Ryan Miller, and Eric Stahl--as kids. The stylus gives players the option of moving intuitively through touch, while learning the intricacies of the game and having fun. Multiple levels make it easy enough for rookies and challenging for die-hard hockey fans. Meanwhile, Backyard Basketball ($29.99) brings its own A nonstop action to the DS. Featuring realistic arenas and environments as well as pint-sized basketball heroes like LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, the title offers full-season mode as well as minigames. Both titles are rated E. For more information, visit www.backyardsports.com.

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Our favorite teen sleuth makes her debut on the DS in Majesco's Nancy Drew: The Deadly Secret of

Olde World Park ($29.99) Using a unique graphic novel format, players assume the role of Nancy and unravel the mystery of the mission billionaire, gaining access to clues, tasks, maps, and inventory information with the stylus. Users move through 13 chapters as Nancy completes progressively difficult feats, while solving an array of logic and action puzzles. Rated E. For more information, visit www.majesco.com.

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Based on the popular Nickelodeon series, Drake & Josh Talent Showdown ($29.99) gives fans a chance to play as their favorite characters as they try to help them prepare for the try-outs for the new season of "Teen American Talent." Players can help Drake perfect his musical act by using the stylus to strum guitar strings, and assist Josh with his magic skills by performing dazzling magic tricks. The competition is tough at Belleview High and players must avoid sabotages from other contestants. From THQ. Rated E with some mild cartoon violence.

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In THQ's Zoey 101: Field Trip Fiasco ($29.99), fans of this Nickelodeon hit can play the Jamie Lynn Spears role as the students embark on a grand field trip to Painted Rock National Park. When the kids get separated from their guide, players help the stranded team get rescued and make their way back to the Pacific Coast Academy. Minigames require users to blow into the DS microphone to start a campfire and use the stylus as a paddle to raft through a raging river. Rated E.

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A shadow-like evil has covered the world in darkness and taken the sun, moon, sky, and much more. You can save the dying town but first you must create your own hero in THQ's Drawn to Life ($29.99). Through the use of the DS stylus, players have access to numerous colors, palettes, brush types, and stamps to customize characters and environmental elements. Users can draw H, the hero down to the last detail, create quick simple figures, or alter a preprogrammed character. Draw thoughtfully, though, because actions are determined by the drawing. Minigames in the interactive village include snowball fights, a festival, and wishing wells. Heroes can be traded with friends via the Wi-Fi function. Rated E.