Rayman DS

Just as Rayman Advance was one of the first new games for the GBA, so too the limbless French wonder has booked a place on the first wave of games on the Nintendo DS. The game is similar in many ways to Mario 64 DS , in that it's a fully 3D adventure played using a faux analogue control system with the stylus.

Unlike the Mario game though, Rayman DS is an entirely new game, with 45 different levels which although reminiscent of Rayman 2 on the Nintendo 64 have been specifically designed for the DS. As such you get a pleasingly variety of deep sea caves, pirate hideouts and verdant waterfall-filled coves to explore.

Rayman himself has his usual suite of abilities as he runs, jumps, skis, swims and turns his rather strange coiffure into helicopter blades. He can also fly on rockets, ride in whirlwinds and surf lava flows, which is pretty good for someone who hasn’t got any knees.

The use made of the DS’s various unique features is relatively limited but as mentioned you do get the option to use the touch screen and stylus as a simulated analogue joystick--much as you do in Mario 64 DS. The bottom touch screen also doubles as an interactive options screen, detailing your progress, keeping track of how many lums (yellow lights) you've collected and by default displaying Rayman’s health--all of which helps to keep the top screen completely free of clutter.

As a launch game this is impressive stuff and means that Mario isn’t the only one with a decent 3D adventure on the DS.