Review: Yoshi's Island DS

I decided that there was no more appropriate, fitting way to celebrate this marvelous President's Day than to sit down on my couch all day and - here's where the change comes in - play video games. That's right, the first show I watched all day is the currently airing I Love NY, but since that's must see TV (as is the White Rapper Show), it really doesn't count.

Anyway, for Christmas, my brother gave me three games: Super Princess Peach (meh), Yoshi's Island DS, and Kirby Squeak Squad DS (?). Today, aside from playing some Voodoo Vince (best game you never played for the XBox) and Elebits(best on the Wii, until Sadness comes out in a year), I opened up the Yoshi's Island DS box for the first time and I am impressed.

Based on Super Mario 3: Yoshi's Island, but NOT a direct port of the original game, Yoshi's Island has the whole crew of Yoshis once again shooting eggs and kicking in mid air through colorful kingdoms with an interchangeable selection of adorable baby Nintendo characters on their backs. Mario is your standard, go to baby. Peach, also really cute, allows you to float on the breeze. Donkey Kong, again - so damn cute, lets you climb vines. The game is another strong platformer on Nintendo's latest handheld, the DS, and really, what else can you expect? The company has yet to screw up a platformer on their new handheld, and is constantly trying to innovate the genre that truly made their company.

One complaint: no real use for the stylus. You can move around the menu screens easier with the stylus, but it can be done with the buttons as well. However, this game had to be released for the DS because it makes excellent use of the dual screen action, with many important gaming elements happening in the upper screen.

Really, if you own the DS and love platformers, get this game. It's totally worth your thirty dollars.