100 Games to be released on Nintendo DS

Nintendo says more than 100 new games will be available for the DS between now and the end of the year.

While Nintendo's pre E3-press conference focused mainly on the Wii, there was some time devoted to hyping the Japanese giant's handheld unit. Nintendo America's senior vice president for marketing and corporate communications, George Harrison, outlined some of the major releases expected for the handheld console for the rest of 2006.

Harrison flagged more Brain Age-type of games, which have been a hit in Japan and the US but are yet to be released here. These games would mimic the successful Brain Age formula of targeting older audiences with puzzle and brain teaser-type gameplay meant to stimulate the mind.

He also hyped the upcoming release of the Nintendo DS Lite, the smaller and lighter upgrade to the original DS. The DS Lite will be on sale in Australia from 1 June and will retail at AU$199.95.

Major titles for the DS expected this year include:

• New Super Mario Bros -- a new 2D-side scroller featuring Mario and Luigi
• The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass -- a sequel of sorts to The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker which shares that game's quirky visual style
• Pokemon: Mystery Dungeon -- the latest Pokemon game which allows players to take the part of one of the pokemon themselves
• Chibi-Robo: Park Patrol -- a new game which sends Chibi on a new mission outdoors
• DK: King of Swing -- featuring Donkey Kong in a new adventure
• Hotel Dusk: Room 215 -- a DS film noir mystery

Harrison said more than 16 million DSs have been sold worldwide so far.

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