With all the adoration poured liberally on the market-storming this past year or so, it's not unforgivable to have perhaps forgotten about another piece of successful handheld from the Nintendo stable: the sturdy and ever faithful Game Boy Advance. You recall it now, don't you? Cracking little piece of mobile kit that never failed to deliver - Tactics anyone?

Well, Sheffield-based computer games publisher ZOO Digital certainly hasn't been neglecting the GBA in light of the unstoppable march of its more glamorous dual-screened big brother. In fact, ZOO and US-based developer Destination Software have been positively pro-active in creating GBA titles aimed at tapping into the handheld's younger demographic. And this will mark the culmination of that joint effort.

"The GBA is still a massive market for us both in the and further afield," commented Andy Gray (not the Sky Sports pundit), PR & Marketing, ZOO Digital Publishing. "Titles such as Polly Pocket: Super Splash Island are proving to be extremely popular with young gamers and of course are also attractive to girls, which is an ever growing market."

So, expectant knee-high GBA owners of both sexes can look forward to snaffling the following titles between now and when Daddy dresses up like Father Christmas and vainly attempts to weave festive magic:

  • Matchbox Missions - out now
  • Hot Wheels Stunt Track Challenge & Hot Wheels World Race - out now
  • Polly Pocket Super Splash Island - out now
  • Harlem Globetrotters - November 06
  • Princess Natasha - December 06
  • Uno/Uno Skipbo Compilation - December 06
  • Rock'Em Sock'Em Robots - December 06
  • Monster Trucks Mayhem - December 06
  • ATV 'Thunder Ridge Riders' - December 06
Who needs the DS, eh? Well, we do actually, because it's a bit ace. Always time for the GBA though. Visit www.zoodigitalpublishing.com to learn more.

By Stevie Mostyn