3 Must-Have Games for the Nintendo DS and 3DS

Thank you to Ubisoft for sponsoring this post. Please click here to learn more about Ubisoft. I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective. #UbiChamps

Do you have a Nintendo 3DS or DS fan in your family? If your kids are anything like mine (especially my boys) they would be playing video games from sun up to sun down. Granted, as the mom I tend to discourage 24-hour-a-day video game playing, but even I have to admit that our Nintendo 3DS is a lot of fun.

Today, I spent all morning sick in bed with the 3DS to keep me company…battling Rabbids, exploring the islands of Poptropica, and laughing with Rayman and his friends.

It always amazes me how fast my kids pick up on video games. They seem to be born with an innate ability to pick up an electronic device and know exactly how to use it, and when it comes to new games, they know how to find all of the hidden tricks long before I discover them.

My kids got a special pre-Christmas treat when we received Poptropica for the DS, and Rabbids Rumble and Rayman Origins for the 3DS a few weeks ago. They have had a blast testing them out for me.

Poptropica Adventures

My kids are huge Poptropica fans on the PC (to the point that we have a Poptropica map and “tips” book at home) so when I heard that Poptropica was coming out on the Nintendo DS, I was already planning on buying it for Christmas.

Poptropica Adventures translates perfectly to hand-held gaming. While the world of Poptropica is familiar to my kids, the DS game is different enough that it feels like a fun challenge (my 11 year old, who is a Poptropica online expert, mentioned that it all felt new). I love that Poptropica is a kid-friendly, violence-free play environment for my kids.

The story behind Poptropica: The curator at the Poptropica museum needs your help to revitalize the run-down building. You must explore the islands of Poptropica (Museum Island, Mythology Island, SuperPower Island, and AstroKnights Island) to collect artifacts for the museum, avoiding evil Potropicans and monsters along the way.

Rabbids Rumble:

I remember when I was introduced to Rabbids (crazy large rabbits who like to cause havoc and mischief) by my friend on the Wii, but this is the first time I’ve really been able to get into them. The Rabbids are hilarious. Hilariously addictive.

In the new game, Rabbids Rumble for the 3DS, you can collect over 100 deranged Rabbids (like a Rabbid dressed as a giraffe named Geoffrey), each with wacky combat abilities (like dropping your opponent with a toxic burp).

We love the Augmented “Ribbidity” where the kids interact with the Rabbids right in our house. The Rabbids fly around the 3DS or fight on the living room floor. My kids love it.

Rayman Origins

As new fans of the Rayman story (what can I say…we were late to the gaming thing!) we were able to experience Rayman with a fresh perspective. The first thing I noticed on Rayman Origins was the amazing graphics and 3D display. I loved exploring the extensive world, with a ton of interesting characters and a fun story line to go with them.

Another thing I appreciated about Rayman Origins is that there are more than 60 levels, over 100 characters, 6 “worlds,” and playing options for kids of all ages.

My 11 year old (my best video game critic) said, “It’s pretty easy to figure out how to play and kids will definitely have fun playing it. The graphics are pretty good, too.”

Where to buy:

You can find any of these Ubisoft games, and many others, for the Nintendo DS or Nintendo 3DS on Amazon or at toy stores like Toys R Us for $19.99 to $29.99.

• Poptropica Adventures for Nintendo DS #UbiPoptropica
• Rabbids Rumble for Nintendo 3DS or DS #RabbidsR
• Rayman Origins for Nintendo 3DS and DS #UbiRaymanO

Disclosure: I received these three games to review, but all thoughts and opinions are my own. Amazon affiliate links are used within this post.

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