ANIMAL CROSSING - Wild World

And to gear down a touch with some innocent fun, this DS title is perfect for the under-10 gamers.

This is very much a scaled down kids' version of The Sims.  Your character arrives at a new town where you're provided with a house (which you have to pay off, like all the other modern trappings you get to access, including a choice of clothing from the tailor).  There are friends, traders and store staff to meet and interact with as you explore this virtual world with a town hall, museum, observatory, stores and more.  You can shake trees and collect the dropped fruit, eat, sell or trade it, or carry it in your pockets.  Your pockets can store about a dozen items of varied shapes and sizes (without making your pants bulge!). 
Getting a job is essential, and besides working and exploring, you perform tasks like planting flowers, going to sleep, read & leave messages on notice boards, and basically live a weird little life in this surreal little microcosm. 
With no real dangers or peril, this will also encourage the younger players to read as all instructions and dialogue is in text.  

With the Wi-Fi capability, if Contact Mode is activated, your console will automatically connect with someone else nearby with theirs enabled, allowing communication - be sure to keep an eye on the young'uns as this interactive link-up option can have anyone use this technology with assumed identities (and there are far too many bad intension floating about out there)... But each player needs a game card for up to 4 multi-players to participate, and will more than likely be amoung friends who know one another.  You cannot however be too careful... (and remember never to pass on personal info of any kind).

3 / C
- Paul Blom