It’s no secret that the Nintendo DSi has the deepest gaming library among the current generation of video game systems, portable and otherwise. With more than 50 titles released per month for the Nintendo DSi, the system has amassed a list of gaming options that will enthrall even the most veteran of gamers.

It’s also no secret that Nintendo has the deepest library of first party properties, all of which are certified hits. Can you name a Nintendo-produced game that wasn’t critically acclaimed and was a commercial failure?

It comes as a big surprise, then, that there are only a few first party DSi Nintendo games planned for the remainder of the year and for 2010. Most of the first party DSi Nintendo games are even sequels of existing – and established – franchises that have already appeared on older Nintendo DS units.

It seems that Nintendo’s new policy is about providing less competition to the third party developers that have supported the system since its inception.

First party DSi Nintendo games may be few, but each of them is sure to turn the software sales charts upside down when they are released.

What are the first party DSi Nintendo games we should look forward to in 2009 and 2010?

1. Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks. A direct sequel to the Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass, this first party DSi Nintendo game will be using the same graphic engine as well as the same control scheme that has made its predecessor a genre-defining title. The first Legend of Zelda for the DS was hailed as the game that perfectly utilized all that the system can offer: full stylus control, dual screen optimization, and even microphone support. Spirit Tracks is expected to continue with such innovations. In Spirit Tracks, however, Link will be navigating trains instead of ships. Considering that a sea adventure has been the motif of the past 2 Zelda games, including Windwaker, the new mechanics would be a welcome respite indeed.

2. Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story. This first party DSi Nintendo game has a long and storied history. The Mario RPG series started with the Nintendo and Square collaboration for SNES. Square left and Nintendo continued the franchise with critically acclaimed installments like Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door for the Gamecube, Super Paper Mario for the Wii, Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga for the GBA, and Mario & Luigi: Partners In Time for Nintendo DS. And the latest game, Bowser’s Inside Story, is expected to be the most memorable of them all as the brothers are set to go back to their plumbing profession… inside Bowser’s body.

3. Pokemon HeartGold and SoulSilver. Of all the first party DSi Nintendo games, none experienced as much commercial success as the Pokemon series. With a long running anime series, manga series, and toy line based on the franchise, Pokemon has transcended being a Nintendo property and has become a cultural icon. With the handheld games almost always being released in 2 versions, the next pair is scheduled to come our way very, very soon.

Why buy a Nintendo DS Lite bundle?

Well, for starters, it will come out cheaper compared to buying the system THEN buying a game you can play. Savings can amount to as much as 23% for certain deals, which is a lot considering the fact that buying the system and the game separately can cost almost $170.

Also, many Nintendo DS Lite bundles offer exclusive colors that one cannot find on systems that are sold separately. Remember the blazing red DS with decal stickers that came with the Mario Kart DS bundle? How about the light pink DS that came with the Nintendogs bundle? These are amazing colors that collectors desire, and they only come with Nintendo DS Lite bundles.

What is the best Nintendo DS Lite bundle available today?

The answer, of course, will depend on your gaming preference. Nevertheless, let us review the most popular of the currently available Nintendo DS Lite bundles to help you determine the best investment for your money:

1. Nintendo DS Lite Limited Edition Red Mario with New Super Mario Bros. It’s a rare red Nintendo DS Lite and a Super Mario game, how can you go wrong? This is a great purchase, especially if you’re eyeing a Nintendo DS Lite bundle as a gift for someone. There is only one thing that is universal in video gaming: everybody loves Mario. This is a sure bet. The only problem is that finding such a bundle may be difficult at this point as stocks were extremely limited.

2. Nintendo DS Lite Green Spring Bundle includes Personal Trainer: Cooking. Are you looking for a software title that is more than just a game? Then this Nintendo DS Lite bundle is for you! Personal Trainer: Cooking is exactly what its name implies: a cooking tutor that is meant to accompany you in the kitchen. For this purpose, the DS Lite acts like a book/tutorial video, demonstrating the different processes that are implemented in the kitchen. As a bonus, this bundle comes with a carrying case that will serve as an excellent protection for your DS Lite unit.

3. Nintendo DS Lite Guitar Hero: On Tour Bundle – Black/Silver. Guitar Hero is the hottest video game title today, and this Nintendo DS Lite bundle will attempt to replicate the experience provided by the series. The bundle comes with the guitar peripheral that is inserted on the Game Boy cartridge slot of the DS Lite.

4. Nintendo DS Lite Cobalt Blue Value Bundle. Don’t let the word “value” in the title fool you. This Nintendo DS Lite bundle is the most expensive among your choices, mainly because it comes with two amazing games that kids will surely love: Legend of Spyro and Bomberman. The same bundle also comes in metallic rose.

5. Nintendo DS Lite Limited Edition Ice Blue with Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day. Are you a casual gamer? Then this is the perfect Nintendo DS Lite bundle for you, as it comes with the first Brain Age game in what has become a very popular series of puzzle games. You’ll be fascinated with the challenges that the title will throw your way. Just like the Personal Trainer: Cooking bundle, this package also comes with a carrying case.

For the remainder of the year, there will be a lot of Nintendo DSi commercial releases that will vie for your attention as well as your gaming dollars. However, no Nintendo DSi commercial release for 2009 will be bigger than one game. It’s title?

Scribblenauts.

As early as 2008, Scribblenauts has been hailed as a software title that will revolutionize the video game industry. It is a game that will define a genre of its own.

Scribblenauts is a very original game. You will play a character that is placed in a variety of predicaments. To solve the puzzles, you will have to spell – yes, SPELL – any word that comes to mind which you think would help. That word will come to life. For example, you’re being chased by a lion. Spell “dinosaur” and a dinosaur will appear. The dino may eat the lion, but afterwards, it may eat you as well. This Nintendo DSi commercial game is about trial and error as well, but never has trial and error been this much fun.

This upcoming Nintendo DSi commercial release is poised to be the bestselling portable title for 2009. Here are 10 reasons why avid gamers and critics alike are high on Scribblenauts.

1. Non-linear game play taken to an entirely new level. There are no set solutions for the puzzles. Finding a way is entirely dependent on your imagination and creativity. We’re used to sandbox games like the Grand Theft Auto series. This Nintendo DSi commercial title is a sandbox game of a different kind. Instead of going anywhere you want, you can actually create anything you please.

2. 10,000 possible concoctions. You can spell any word that comes to mind, and 10,000 of them will correspond to in-game objects. 10,000 is a very big number that comprises 1/17 of the total number of words in the dictionary.

3. Puzzles galore. There are many, many challenges that await you. And the challenges are varied. They won’t require the same solution. You will have to think your way through.

4. The height of originality. Honestly, is there another Nintendo DSi commercial release that’s remotely similar to Scribblenauts? There is none. Scribblenauts is the most original game since video games were invented.

5. A game that’s truly for “all ages.” Anyone who can spell, and even people who are just learning to spell, can play this game.

6. Entertainingly educational. For younger kids, this Nintendo DSi commercial release is an excellent way to teach them how to spell – and more importantly, how to spell correctly. The game will not allow misspellings of any type.

7. Fantastic party game. Show this to your friends and, soon enough, you’ll have an unmanageable group of people crowding around you, begging for a chance to play the game.

8. Magnificent casual game. This Nintendo DSi commercial release is for hardcore and casual gamers alike. It doesn’t require you to invest a lot of time. You can pick it up and play it any time you please.

9. Highly accessible for anyone. This game is for everyone. No complicated directions to learn. No confusing rules to follow. Just study the puzzle, and spell the solution you think is appropriate.

10. Truly magical. This is a Nintendo DSi commercial release that you will fondly remember 10, 15 and even 20 years from now.

 The Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) has just concluded, and Nintendo made a great showing during its time on the stage. Not only did the company release new information on what’s in store for the Nintendo Wii, it also released an impressive list of Nintendo DSi 2009 games. That’s right! Nintendo DSi 2009 games – games which are actually going to be released this year!

 Here is a list of these Nintendo DSi 2009 games to die for:

1. WarioWare DIY. Ever wanted to be a game designer/developer? Well, this latest installment in the WarioWare franchise – starring Mario’s evil twin who instantly became a fan favorite – will allow you do design your own levels and your own game play. Fantastic, isn’t it? WarioWare DIY contains all the classic, quirky humor that the series has been known for – only this time, you’ll be able to make your own humorous levels and your own humorous game if you want to. Truly, this is one of the biggest Nintendo DSi games to look out for.

2. Mario Vs. Donkey Kong: Minis March Again. The first one was met with a so-so response from the public. This sequel, however, adds something more to the addictive, pseudo-puzzle game play that the first one provided. In Mario Vs. Donkey Kong: Minis March Again, you will actually be able to design your own levels! Granted that that game play will stay the same and cannot be manipulated, unlike the aforementioned WarioWare DIY, it should still make a tried and proven game mechanic even more enjoyable.

3. Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story. The definitive Mario Bros. RPG for the handhelds and the spiritual successor of the Square-Enix produced Super Mario RPG for the SNES, Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story is the next installment in the storied and highly acclaimed franchise. This time, the brothers enter Bowser’s body for a grand adventure. For many folks, a Mario game is a cause for celebration, and this is one of the most eagerly anticipated Nintendo DSi 2009 games announced at E3.

4. Golden Sun DS. The first one that appeared on the Gameboy Advance is a classic. It was the first real, original JRPG that graced that popular system, and thousands of people immediately fell in love with the likable cast of characters and the amazing story that the game presented. And now, the sequel is poised to become one of the best Nintendo DSi 2009 games, as it is an installment that fans have demanded for almost 7 years.

5. Cop: The Recruit. Think of the original Grand Theft Auto and its sequel, Grand Theft Auto II, only this time, cops are the main characters. Cop: The Recruit aims to capture the feel that made the GTA series a blockbuster franchise by making the good guys the heroes – for a change, quite surprisingly.

Nintendo DS Lite games like Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass, New Super Mario Bros., the Phoenix Wright series, and the likes are highly enjoyable experiences, but they are meant for veteran gamers who are familiar with the earlier incarnations of the said games from earlier consoles in the days of yore.

But what about entry-level gamers?  Are there Nintendo DS Lite games for casual folks who just want an easy-to-pick-up title for a few minutes, if not a few hours, of fun and excitement?

Indeed, there are!  Here are 5 such Nintendo DS Lite games:

1. Rhythm Heaven.  Rhythm Heaven is one of the biggest Nintendo DS Lite games for 2009, and this is saying much for a game built for casual play.  Rhythm Heaven is actually a collection of mini-games that use a rhythm and beat mechanic which is easy to pick up and play.  Using the stylus, you can tap or flick on the screen to match the music that the game will play.  It is highly addictive and is a “must have” game for your collection – regardless of whether you’re a casual gamer or a hardcore player.

2. Professor Layton and the Curious Village.  Even casual gamers will find Nintendo DS Lite games that present straightforward puzzles boring.  Professor Layton and the Curious Village is an exception.  The title presents a series of story-driven puzzles.  These puzzles are always within the context of the story and are needed to be solved to advance the same.  The result is a highly engaging game that is very, very exciting – something which you can rarely say for a puzzler.

3. New York Times Crosswords.  Admittedly, this is one of the few Nintendo DS Lite games which are not for everyone.  But if you just can’t dig saving princesses or shooting at invading aliens, and if you just want a game that presents simple layouts of challenges that you can solve, then the New York Times Crosswords is the perfect title for you.  The New York Times is known for 2 things: well written content and highly challenging crossword puzzles.  You won’t be receiving the content, but you will have access to hundreds of crosswords that will keep you busy for hours.

4. Brain Age 1 and 2.  Two games that actually make you smarter.  The Brain Age titles are meant to improve your cognitive functions through a series of mental challenges that stimulate and sharpen your faculties.  These mini-games can be played anywhere and everywhere, as solving them can be as easy and as quick as a few seconds of your time – unless of course you’re stumped because you’re applying the wrong logic or you’re viewing things the wrong way.

5. Diner Dash.  Diner Dash is one of the Nintendo DS Lite games that have created an entirely new genre of video gaming: the time management gaming niche.  In Diner Dash, you play the role of Flo, an entrepreneur who just started her own restaurant.  Strapped for cash, Flo serves as a waitress for her restaurant, and the player is supposed to balance her various duties so that restaurant patrons won’t get impatient.  Sounds simple, but the game play is a stroke of pure genius.  Without a doubt, Diner Dash is one of the most addictive Nintendo DS Lite games available today.

The Nintendo DSi – the logical evolution to the DS and the DS Lite – is finally here.  This means brighter screens, a lighter and sleeker design, dual cam, better audio playback, an external storage space and faster processing courtesy of a bigger RAM for Nintendo’s flagship handheld.  But do these features matter if the company cannot publish Nintendo DSi games that people will love to get their hands on?

2009 is a pivotal year for video game consoles – handhelds or otherwise.  It’s the chance for that last giant push to be associated with dominance over this decade and for that great head start going to the next.  Hence, there are some big Nintendo DSi games lined up towards the latter part of this year, Nintendo DSi games which the company hopes will capture people’s imagination and gaming dollars.

Here are the 5 Nintendo DSi games that will help define the legacy of the handheld for the decade that’s about to end:

1. Legend of Zelda: Spirit Links.  Indeed, a new Legend of Zelda game is coming to the Nintendo DSi.  Announced during the Game Developers Conference (GDC) 2009, the new Zelda is a direct sequel to the highly acclaimed Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass.  This time, however, Link will be riding trains instead of ships.

2. Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days.  Dubbed as a “midquel” to the Kingdom Hearts games, this Nintendo DSi entry promises to connect the first PS2 Kingdom Hearts title with its sequel on the same platform and Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories for the Gameboy Advance.  It’s Disney characters plus Square-Enix characters.  This is one of the few Nintendo DSi games that are sure to be guaranteed hits even before they are released.

3. Front Mission 2089: Border of Madness.  Liked Advance Wars?  It’s time to embrace the newest incarnation of the game’s inspiration.  Front Mission is the pioneer of the sci-fi/military-themed turn-based strategy games this side of Final Fantasy Tactics.  And it’s making a comeback – a big one at that!  The new Front Mission is one of the most eagerly anticipated Nintendo DSi games for this year (or early 2010, if translation takes a little bit longer).  If it’s as good as the SNES entries, then this game is going to be one for the ages!

4. Dragon Quest IX.   The release of Final Fantasy XIII for the Sony PS3 and the Microsoft Xbox 360 is being delayed pending the release of the 9th installment of the game that introduced console RPGs to the world.  Indeed, the newest installment of Dragon Quest is coming to – of all places – the Nintendo DSi!  Such is a testament to how much Square-Enix believes in the Nintendo DSi as a viable and trustworthy gaming platform.  Dragon Quest IX is truly one of the Nintendo DSi games that will define the handheld for many years to come.

5. Guitar Hero 2: Modern Hits.  The first Guitar Hero Mobile has been made incompatible with the new Nintendo DSi, because the upgraded system has done away with the Gamboy cartridge slow which is where the game’s peripheral is inserted.  The sequel promises absolute compatibility with the Nintendo DSi, with the guitar-like add-on to be plugged “somewhere else” on the DSi unit.

Excited about these Nintendo DSi games?  We know we are!