MySims (Nintendo DS) (Get Spore Creature Creator for free when you buy it with any one of the MySims titles sold by Amazon.co.uk)

• Platform:   Nintendo DS
• Media: Video Game

The Sims 2: Pets has already appeared on the Wii, but it was just a simple port of the PlayStation 2 version with little real use made of the Wii remote. This though is a complete reimagining of the whole The Sims concept made exclusively for Nintendo’s consoles. The concept is largely the same as always as you take control of the lives of your own fictional family in what’s a cross between a video game and an interactive version of Big Brother. The graphics have been completely revamped, moving away from the pseudo realism of the older games and using a much cuter, cartoon style that’s somewhere between Playmobil and Animal Crossing (they’re actually modelled after a Japanese toy line called Pinky Street).

Naturally the game makes full use of the Wii’s controls with the remote used to pick up, rotate and drop objects and buildings with refreshing ease, while the nunchuck is used simply to move around. This is all in the aid of making the game as customisable as possible, from the characters themselves to their homes and furniture. Previously The Sims games let you build your own house or swimming pool but here you can design your own fridge if you want or bed, sofa or any other item of furniture. This feeds into the concept of having to do up your house and turn your virtual ghost town into a thriving village full of oddball characters. With Animal Crossing still some way off this could be the next big casual game on the Wii.

Transforming the traditional Sims gameplay for the Wii and Nintendo DS platforms, MySims moves the player to a delightful but disorganized town where â€" thanks to the easy and unique controls â€" they can re-shape everything and make it their own. The town is rundown, but the player can make it much more dynamic. Using a selection of building blocks, unique patterns and engaging creativity tools, players can design furniture and appliances, architect new homes and businesses, and re-define the entire MySims landscape.

As players explore and build up the town, they will get to know dedicated, long-time residents like the always-busy Mayor Rosalyn P. Marshall and Buddy â€" the mostly-lazy hotel Bellhop. Once things start to look up, they’ll meet and choose from a variety of colorful, would-be residents. Will they build a restaurant for Gino Delicioso the Italian Chef, or will they help Ocean Breeze set up his Yoga studio instead?

Design is everyone’s domain in MySims. From building a new Pizza Oven for Gino to putting the finishing touches on a new roof for Buddy’s busy hotel, each completed task will help the town grow. As it expands to new areas, players will receive special building blocks, decorations and patterns which help customize their unique creations. From furniture and buildings to the town as a whole, every choice informs how residents and visitors feel and behave.

• PC & Video Games > Games > Simulation > Life