Lets start this off on the wrong foot: I am a dirty pirate.  One of my most treasured acquisitions was the DS M3 cart I got for Christmas, which lets me play *ahem* DS game backups.  Because of that I’ve been exposed to a great number of DS games and have even gone and subsequently purchased one (Soul Bubbles, which everyone should own).

As part of being a dirty pirate, I went for the volume strategy and downloaded a truckload of DS games and have been playing my way through them while on holiday or away for long weekends.  The latest Castlevania, Soul Bubbles, all the action platformers and new release games, I’ve played them all.  However I’m quite bemused by the game I’ve spent the most time on.  The original DS Phoenix Wright.

For those who haven’t played it, it’s the DS equivalent to a choose your own adventure book.  Choose the right question to ask, choose the right time to interject, keep a save game where you’re going to make a choice that may have bad consequences (the new-wave equivalent to not losing track of the page you originally came from).

So, on paper not all that entralling.  Then why is it that with all the other DS games I have, why have I spent by far the most time on that in recent time?

In essence, I think it’s because the simplicity allows me to actually relax while playing the game.  The characterisations are quite  good (albeit cliched in a fun way), the interface is simple, there is no real way to actually lose but it can provide a few challenges in lateral thinking.

Oh, and I can also stop playing it and watch the TV for half an hour and step back into it quite easily.

In summary, it’s gaming without the huge investment of time and effort that is required for most games nowadays.  A perfect choice for a handheld, I would say.