Virtual Villagers washed up onto DS

It's always good to see a mobile franchise (even one that was originally a popular web game) bouncing its way to larger platforms.

Last Day of Work and Big Fish Games's Virtual Villagers is on the way up with a DS version - Virtual Villagers: A New Home - following on from 2008's announcement of the almost de rigueur iPhone and iPod touch incarnation.

So, mixing the strategy gameplay of titles such as Townsmen and The Settlers with a more casual edge, you'll find yourself looking after a tribe of little people eking out a living on a desert island.

Life isn’t too hard, however, as the villagers are able to find berries, fish are plentiful, and building materials are available to construct huts. Your rule as the king/fuhrer/god (delete as your arrogance allows) is to keep them organised and active, otherwise they'll just wander around being useless.

And bringing some Simisms or Tamagotchi elements into play, the game lets you customise your charges, giving them names, clothes, and accessories to keep them happy and productive.

The hardworking chaps at Keen Games - who have previously worked on the ANNO and Secret Files DS series - are developing the game, while German publisher dtp entertainment will ensure everything is shipshape in time for the planned autumn release.