Thanks for the recommendation guys, definitely will look into getting advance wars then with all the recommendations.

Just two points:

* Hotel Dusk - when someone posted recommending this it made me realise I'd forgotten it off my list stupid me, it's the most recent DS title I bought!

* Elite beat agents - that's already on my 'to get list', don't worry, but it's not out here in the UK till June. :)

Resident Evil 4 is one amazing title, probably one of the best of the last generation, and definitely one of my favourites. However, I own it on both Gamecube and PS2 (don't ask - it was the ada seperate ways that sold it for me!) so I voted for Umbrella Chronicles.

I'm a Resi freak, so I wouldn't past it me buying RE4 on the wii as well, but if I had to choose, I'd definitely choose Umbrella Chronicles, which looks like it's going to be brilliant! Particularly if I finally get to see what the RPD and RE3 locations would have looked like with a remake the quality of the gamecube resi 1 remake!

Firstly I never thought 'next gen' would automatically equal an immediate high score. Better graphics, sound, precision, and more content as you quoted does not necessarily a good game make. Gameplay, and gameplay innovations, above all, are what make a game. No matter HOW advanced technology is, there will ALWAYS be titles which fall below standards. Gamespot, like all the other game reviewers, take the platform into consideration and judge accordingly. There's always going to be games which will just go with good graphics and the very fact that they are 'next gen' to sell themselves (genji: days of the blade for example!).

The next gen is still in its infancy, and the ps3 and wii still have the potential to be tapped into, and more importantly, more time for the game developers to tinker about with the systems and get the best out of it.

As for the wii going backwards, I hardly think that's fair at all, of the three systems it's the most innovative - if you're referring to the virtual console then that is merely a neat retro addition which is provely very popular - not the main selling point and purpose of the console. I'm fairly confident that given a bit of time eventually the wii will have a really amazing and innovative catalogue of games. Titles such as warioware smooth moves and wii sports merely touch upon the massive potential the console has - once developers have had their chance to fully get into the system I'm confident we'll be in store for something amazing. Same goes for ps3.

Xbox 360 may suffer from kind of being an 'in-between' generation console to some extent, but still you won't find me underestimating it's potential - take a look at Gears of War and Oblivion for example.

The PS2 didn't exactly have the most amazing launch year games-wise, but look at it now - the largest and most expansive catalogue of games in the history of videogaming.

Leave a little bit of time, wait for the cost of developing to go down a little, and let the developers really sink their teeths into the wii and ps3 in particular, and I'm fairly confident this current generation of consoles will have it's fair share of the mind-blowing.

Closing up by going back to my original point - no matter how advanced the technology - there will always be crap, non-original, generic tripe pushed out there to make a bit of money with minimal effort. It happens in the movies all the time, and they cost waaaay more to make than games, and it's a trend that won't be coming to an end in either medium any time soon.

If you liked FF7 and 8 then Final Fantasy X is probably the best game for you. The jump from say Final Fantasy 8 and then to 12 would probably be too much - the graphics and gameplay are considerably different and evolved that it probably wouldn't feel like a final fantasy game to you if you're looking for more like 7 and 8.

If you don't mind a good number of changes, then you might do well investing in 12. In summary, Final Fantasy X is far more traditional and beats 12 considerably in terms of story and character and general final fantasy 'ness'. 12, however, features much improved gameplay which makes the battles in X seem plodding and at times, dare I say, dull.

So it's up to you, if you want to be daring, go for 12 and you might be pleasantly surprised, or you'll just feel like it isn't anything like 8 at all (which it isn't really). What I'd recommend though, is go into X, complete it, maybe divulge in X-2, then give 12 a try.

Well seeing as its your foray into the DS world, I'd recommend getting two titles which are solid games that also put the ds itself to good use.

Phoenix Wright I love to bits, its a bit heavy on the text, but the stories are involving and interesting, and you do get to use the touch screen and microphone a fair bit throughout.

That said, I also can't help but really recommend New Super Mario Bros. a thoroughly enjoyable title.

Still, I'm being a bit of a hypocrit as neither of these really show off the DS.

Nintendogs puts the DS' various features to good use, but I'm not sure whether the game appeals?

With all my rambling aside, I'm going to stick to my guns and recommend PHOENIX WRIGHT: ACE ATTORNEY and NEW SUPER MARIO BROS.

Still, go out there and have a look at what intrigues you - there is soooo much on offer!

Hhhmmm well there's no denying there's a huge difference between the top graphics on the system and the worse, but as long as the game is involving and enjoyable to play graphics will, as always, come in somewhere else down the line of priorities to me.

Besides, the DS was never intended to be a portable graphical powerhouse - Nintendo wanted a unique and versatile little beast to attract vibrant and original games, which is exactly what's happened!

Heya all, just thought I would post my collection and see if you could recommend any titles I may have overlooked buying:

* Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney

* Phoenix Wright: Justice for All

* Final Fantasy III (will be getting it when it's released in the UK next month)

* New Super Mario Bros.

* Resident Evil Deadly Silence

* Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow

* Animal Crossing: Wild Word

* Metroid Prime: Hunters

* Sonic Rush

* Brain Training

* Super Mario 64 DS

* Mario Kart DS

* Nintendogs: Labrador and Friends

* Hotel Dusk: Room 215

Well when I upgraded my DS to a DS lite there really was only one choice for me - white all the way!

Like you say, scratches, fingerprints etc. don't show up as much on the white ds, and personally I just think it looks a lot more slick and smart than the black version (plus I would be overdoing black with my ps2, xbox and ipod). This isn't biased - my cousin has a black one so I've been able to make direct comparisons.

Also, if you have a wii like I do then the white DS lite just goes with it so much better!

Final Fantasy III isn't out yet in the UK (next month, woot!) but I can definitely imagine that being a game I'm going to find hard putting down!

So far, New Super Mario Bros. was super addictive - the gameplay just seemed to hone the original mario games to absolute perfection and I loved every minute of it, so much that I started completing again as soon as I finished it.

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney was also another title which I couldn't stop playing, but I think that's because of my love for murder mysteries and court-room dramas. I just think the stories were so well crafted and the characters so wittily written and developed that I found it hard to put it down and not go on to solve the case! Thank the lord I've ordered the sequel, and the third title is in production woot woot!