The Pocket Gamer Christmas 2008 Buyer's Guide: Nintendo DS

This might sound like stating the obvious but Christmas is getting pretty damn close now. Those terrible Coca-Cola adverts are on telly, people are starting to contemplate the laborious task of extracting their dog-eared trees from the loft and we've even had a smattering of snow in some parts of our green and pleasant land. Only Scrooge himself could remain unfazed by such festive omens.

While everyone is aware that Christmas is about revelling in the joy of giving, let's not forget that it's also about receiving and like every good boy and girl out there you're likely to have compiled a list of wondrous items that you'd dearly like Little Saint Nick.

Let's say that on that list, alongside a James Bond jet-pack and the DeLorean from the Back to the Future movies, there's a Nintendo DS. Providing you've been really good over the past year, you may well find your wish coming true but as brilliant as Nintendo's dual-screen wonder might be, you'll need some vital extras to get maximum enjoyment.

With this in mind, we've done some in-depth investigation and compiled a list of the kind of things you'll want to find under the tree alongside your new Nintendo handheld on Christmas Day.

I Rest My Case
Any true gadget-fiend will know that technology is something to be cherished and protected, so it's unsurprising that there's a massive range of cases available for the Nintendo DS. A decent carry case is an almost essential purchase if you're serious about portable gaming - not only does it offer security for your beloved machine, but many examples available on the market also offer storage for games and other accessories. Our personal favourite is the officially licensed version, which comes in a range of colours and boasts a luxuriously soft interior that means your DS is sure to travel in comfort.

Stylish Styli
The stylus supplied with the DS is perfectly decent but we've found that it's a little on the short side for our liking. Maybe we all have freakishly big hands. Anyway, with this in mind, it's worth checking out the wide range of alternatives available on the market. They range from the practical (an extendable stylus, for example) to the outlandish (the officially licensed Star Wars lightsaber variant springs to mind) but one thing is for sure - if you're looking for a way to personalise your DS experience, this is a good place to start.

More Power to You
Being the consummate industry professionals that we are here at Pocket Gamer, we've naturally seen lots of essential (and not so essential) DS accessories in our time, and by far and away the most vital piece of equipment we carry around with us is our USB DS charging cable. Small, lightweight and immensely useful, this diminutive coil of wire effectively does what it says on the tin. If you're in close proximity to a device with a USB slot (PC, X360, Wii, etc) then you can ingeniously top up your DS's juice. Considering the unenviable bulk of the DS wall-charger, this is something of a Godsend.

Superlative Software
Unless you're planning to sit doodling on PictoChat all Christmas morning, you'll obviously need some games to play on your shiny new machine. Taking into account its position as the best-selling handheld currently available, it's no surprise that the DS is home to some truly mesmerising pieces of interactive entertainment, but you should be aware that there's also a staggering amount of unplayable tripe clogging up the shelves of your local video game store.

As a very rough rule, anything produced by Nintendo is usually worthy of your time, but we've obviously also seen some amazing DS games from other developers. When putting together a list of games you'd like to be playing on the 25th, be sure to check out our indispensable DS Buyer's Guide. It uses a combination of black magic and technology to effortlessly compile a selection of what we believe are the best games currently available on the machine.

Bundle of Love
Of course, you don't have to force relatives to traipse around shops on Christmas Eve cherry-picking the best DS-related paraphernalia; the other option is to plump for one of the many 'bundle' packages that are offered by retailers these days. These usually consist of a DS console, a couple of games and perhaps a smattering of peripheral items. This route is excellent if you're keen to get value for money, but you're rarely able to select the contents of the bundle and therefore have to sacrifice the freedom of choice in order to get the good deal.

Our good friends over at GAME have a selection of money-saving DS packages on offer, all of which include at least two games and a pack of accessories. The potential savings on offer are impressive, with the most fully-featured pack lopping a huge £49.09 off the combined recommended retail price.

Gamestation's selection of hardware bundles is even more robust, which means there's more chance of you getting the games you want, although it should be noted that some of the games included in the available bundles are a bit on the whiffy side.

HMV has a more modest portfolio of DS hardware offers but it has one key advantage over the likes of GAME and Gamestation - you're actually able to purchase the console on its own. The other two stores only offer bundles, and while this results in money being saved when compared to the standard RRP, it means you're ultimately paying out more to begin with.

And that just about concludes our guide. Whatever you choose (or get given), have a DS-tastic Christmas.