droolicious : ds lite

Babble Giveaway: Win a LeapFrog Didj + Hannah Montana Game! (Ends 12/1)

Aaron Burgess — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 19:04:00 GMT

When we first got some hands-on time with Didj, LeapFrog's new learning-game system designed to knock that learning-averse DS Lite out of your kids' hands, we went gaga: Not only does Didj play like a typical high-quality handheld -- which is to say, it blows away the simplistic graphics and gameplay usually associated with learning games -- but it also packs enough character-based kid allure to keep little ones returning to it.

This week, in fact, LeapFrog announced the latest in its series of licensed games, a Hannah Montana title aimed at girls in 3rd through 5th grade, and we've got a copy of the game and a Didj to play it on ready to give away to one lucky Droolicious visitor!

To enter the contest, just email your name, address and daytime phone number to us at babblecontest@gmail.com. On Dec. 1, we'll draw one winner from the pool of entries to receive a brand-new Didj ($89.99 value) and Hannah Montana game ($29.99 value).

Here's the skinny on the game -- which helps to teach multiplication, division, vocabulary, and time management skills -- straight from LeapFrog:

Help Miley study so Hannah Montana can take the stage! Miley is scheduled to perform as Hannah Montana this weekend, but only if she passes her big test at school on Friday. With four days to go, can you help Miley make the grade? Use your skills to fly through quizzes and puzzles so the show can go on! Earn points as you play to customize the game with outfits, dance moves and special effects for Miley's concert, and choose the skills you need to study for school!

For the full specs on Didj and the LeapFrog Learning Path online tool exclusive to all three of the company's "LeapFrog Connected" systems, visit the LeapFrog shop.

Very Big Toys: $180 Nintendo DSi Coming Nov. 1

Aaron Burgess — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 22:10:00 GMT

...If you live in Japan, that is. The rest of us will have to wait until sometime next year, according to Nintendo's recent press announcement, to get our hands on the next-gen handheld gizmo.

For those asking the inevitable "Is this going to merit a DS Lite trade-in at GameStop?" there are definitely some nice improvements to consider: the slightly slimmer design, the slightly larger (17% bigger than those on the DS Lite) dual 3.25" screens, the built-in web browser, the music playback, and the 640x480 digital cameras -- one on the outer shell and another inside on the DSi's hinge -- as well as the SD memory-card slot and the ability to buy and download games via Wi-Fi at Nintendo's upcoming "DSi Shop."

The DSi (official Japanese website here) is only launching in white or black, but given the colorful precedents set by the DS Lite, we'd imagine that won't be the case once it's had some time to age. [Image via DS Fanboy]

Weird Name, Great Game: Hi! Hamtaro: Ham-Ham Challenge for DS

Aaron Burgess — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 15:04:00 GMT

We reported not too long ago about the ways LeapFrog's been grabbing some of Nintendo DS' territory as a hand-held learning tool for the littlest gamers, but if we start seeing more DS titles like Natsume's new Hi! Hamtaro: Ham-Ham Challenge (say that three times fast), the mighty 'frog could be kept at bay a little longer.

Aimed at those kiddoes for whom Brain Age is too advanced but big brother or sister's DS is just too alluring, the game does require some rudimentary reading skills, so don't expect to be able to slide it into Junior's DS Lite and just walk away. In fact, it seems Ham-Ham Challenge's developers already had that possibility in mind, as they've thrown in a bunch of features that enable Mom and Dad to monitor children's progress, adjust the game's difficulty level, control play time, and even grant rewards via special in-game goodies.

As for gameplay, nothing too taxing here, which is just the point: The characters, all pulled from our favorite hamster-starring Japanese cartoon, are there to entertain, while the 12 minigames are meant to give kids' brains a workout, specifically through focusing on memory, math, word-comprehension and fine-motor skills, among other kindergarten-age necessities.

Rated "E" for Everyone, Hi! Hamtaro: Ham-Ham Challenge is $29.99 from Amazon.

Get Your Kids To Study For The SAT On Their Nintendo DS

Chris Ford — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 22:02:00 GMT

My SAT Coach is not a video game, and you can be sure your kids will never mistake it for a video game. But you might be able to get them to use their Nintendo DS (or DS Lite) to study for the SAT. Today UbiSoft released My SAT Coach - a "game" that uses questions and study techniques from the Princeton Review to help your kids prepare for one of the most important tests they'll ever take.

Everything is covered in My SAT Coach, from math to verbal. There are timed drills and mini games with over 2,000 questions and two "diagnostic" exams. The scores are tracked and recommendations are even given to students about where they should concentrate their studies. I'm guessing it won't cover 100% of their SAT preparation, but as a supplemental tool it sounds pretty cool.

My SAT Coach, $29.99 from Amazon.com.

First Look: Shaun the Sheep for Nintendo DS

Aaron Burgess — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 14:04:00 GMT

Your kids may already be hooked on Shaun the Sheep, the Disney Channel's stop-motion animated series from Wallace and Gromit/Chicken Run creator Aardman Animations (and if not, here are some clips to get you started). Assuming you let them access video games as well as TV screens, you'll want to leave some room in the budget this fall, when Aardman and D3Publisher team up to bring Shaun and his world to the Nintendo DS.

Shaun the Sheep encounters his naughty nemesis, Pidsley the farm cat.

The game finds our hero working to round up his escaped sheep brethren before the Farmer comes home, and in addition to playing as Shaun and interacting with familiar characters from the series (including Pidsley the feisty farm cat and Bitzer the slacker sheepdog), you'll make your way around new obstacles, access hidden areas, and take a whack at eight unlockable minigames and eight collectible slide puzzles. If mini isn't enough, the game also packs five "micro" games that put you smack in the middle of some of the show's more memorable moments.

Above: a shot from the "Flock 'n Roll" minigame. Below, "Tap a Mole."

Whereas many kid-oriented DS games seem aimed at the youngest players but upon opening require either extensive reading or a steep learning curve just to understand the logic behind their controls, Shaun the Sheep promises an intuitive, "pick up and play" experience, as well as sound, graphics, and character animation that stay true to the show's idiosyncratic style. The jury's still out on both of those claims, but what we've seen so far has us ready to hit the farm for some quality game time with Shaun and friends. At least that's how my 5-year-old seems to be interpreting the buzz...

Rated "E" for Everyone, Shaun the Sheep will retail for $29.95 when it hits stores this fall. For all the latest, keep your eye on D3's website.

Toys"R"Us Previewing Guitar Hero On Tour in Stores This Saturday

Aaron Burgess — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 15:04:00 GMT

We tipped you off to Guitar Hero On Tour, the upcoming portable Guitar Hero entry for Nintendo DS, a few months back, but if the kids are feeling restless this Saturday and you're looking for a way to kill some time, head to your local Toys"R"Us for a free, hands-on sneak preview of the game.

From noon to 4 p.m. local time on June 14, gamers will get to rock out with the new Guitar Hero On Tour a week in advance of the game's June 22 ship date. A refresher, for those who missed our earlier post: Unlike the console versions of the game, the fully portable, all-in-one On Tour features a unique grip controller that plugs into your DS to allow you to fret virtually, as well as a pick-style stylus for your strumming (because after all, outside of Sonic Youth, who strums a guitar with a pen?).

Besides a jones for the new controller, gamers who try out Guitar Hero On Tour during the preview will walk away with some freebies (a Guitar Hero sticker, dog tag and temporary tattoo, while supplies last), while those who preorder the game during the event will also get a limited-edition Guitar Hero pick-stylus. If you can't make it out to Toys"R"Us, no need to worry: Just hit up the preorder link to secure your own (regular-edition-stylus) copy of the game.