DS

At the time of writing, the has just passed 10 million in the making it the best ever selling console in UK history. When you consider that means one in six people in the country own a DS and the console has only been available for just under five years, it's astonishingly impressive. There's good reason behind this though, the DS continues to innovate with its games. Just looking at the selection of games below shows just what a wide variety of titles are available for the system. 2009 was also the year which the Nintendo was released offering various upgrades and most notably the DSi store where gamers can buy DSi exclusive games and applications.

Legend of Zelda: Spirit TracksIt was about time that a new great game came out and Spirit Tracks has done a fantastic job of proving just how great Nintendo really can still be. At first glance it looks like it's just Hourglass all over again, which it is in a way, but that's really no bad thing at all. The storyline is neatly woven into one of the best Zelda related stories in years. The puzzles are sublime and the ability to toggle between Zelda and Link is extremely welcome with dialogue between the two frequently humorous. Boss battles truly push the DS' graphical capabilities to the limit and are superb, showing that there is still some more left to the hardware. It might not technically be a true evolution from Phantom Hourglass but it is terrific fun, which is surely all that really matters.

Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story

A true triumph of action/RPG cross over gaming, Bowser's Inside Story is fantastic and an unmissable title for DS owners even if it does involve spending time in Bowser's digestive system. The real hook to this game is that you don't just play and Luigi; you also play Bowser as he tries to save his castle from the evil Lord Fawful. It actually feels like two games in one and it works great. The turn based combat system never gets dull thanks to well-timed button presses being frequently useful. Much like for the PSP, Bowser's Inside Story brings ridiculous levels of fun to the DS, and surely there's no better recommendation than that?Mario & at the Winter Olympics

It's not often that the DS version of a game is better than the version but in the case of Mario & Sonic at the Winter Olympics, it couldn't be more true. Avoiding my initial hesitation at seeing Mario and Sonic in the same game, this really is excellent fun, plus it feels 'Christmassy'. The real joy of the game is in the Tours mode, unseen in the Wii version, which offers a full plotline and character interaction as well as all the events of the Winter Olympics. Along the way are various challenges which once completed unlock other characters from the game each with their own ability to help complete the Tour. Sure Mario & Sonic at the Winter Olympics might not be ideal for those after but for single player fun, this really is worth checking out.

Professor Layton and Pandora's Box

Professor Layton and the Curious Village was a huge hit last with both and hardcore gamers, and for good reason. No one can resist a brainteaser. We might not care too much about the plotline of the games but the various puzzles on offer are more than enough reason to keep you hooked. Some of them may be straight forward but the memorable ones are the ones that trick you into thinking they're more complicated than they actually are. You may feel annoyed at times but you'll always go back, determined not to be beaten by the game. Perhaps the best part though is the fact that the can gather around the small screen at Christmas and try to determine just what needs to be done together, making it a surprisingly social game.

Scribblenauts

Hugely ambitious and innovative, Scribblenauts is a huge breath of fresh air. It looks fairly innocuous, a simple looking side scrolling adventure game with an array of puzzles in your path. The key to the magic however is Scribblenauts' comprehensive dictionary. You see, you can draw anything to solve the puzzle. Anything. Let that sink in for a little while then you'll realise the true potential here. You can add zombies to the game, dinosaurs, random three legged dogs, anything. All in the name of trying to figure out a puzzle. The real trick to enjoying this game is to try to think outside the box. Sure you could just draw a ladder to climb up something but that's far too easy, think a bit longer. Draw a dinosaur. You know you want to. Perfect fun for all the family.

By Jennifer Allen