Picross picking its way on to DS

Honestly, brain training is the new black. Or is it brown these days? We don't know and, frankly, we don't much care – we're too busy keeping up with mind-enhancing software releases to attend international fashion shows.

In fairness, Picross DS isn't strictly a brain training title. But it is the latest in Nintendo's Touch! Generations Series (software designed for broad appeal and which includes the likes of Dr Kawashima's Brain Training: How Old Is Your Brain? and Nintendogs) and its remit is firmly focused on light puzzling entertainment.

As such, in the main Picross mode players are expected to reveal a hidden image beneath the puzzle by filling in a grid with squares and crosses in order to complete patterns.

The 300 grids on offer ensure serious longevity but also variety, not least because they range from five-by-five versions, all the way up to daunting 20-by-20 alternatives (those with tiny minds may find comfort in the revelation that clues may be obtained to help finish puzzles, as well as the option to get a head start with a roulette-style hint function that reveals a line of the puzzle).

Creative types, meanwhile, will no doubt cherish the option to create their own puzzles to test their acquaintances' mental capacity (and select their friends accordingly). Stylus in hand, puzzles of all sizes can apparently be designed, including the image hiding beneath the challenge, and once completed are then shared wirelessly or via the Wi-Fi Connection service.

And as the brightest amongst you may have already pre-empted, this also paves the way for the download of both unofficial and Nintendo-created puzzles, meaning a potentially limitless supply of fresh challenges – this is precisely what My Picross mode is for.

There's more, though. Daily Picross is perfectly suited to those looking for quick distraction-type play, providing a selection of five small-grid puzzles designed to be solved as fast as possible. Daily results are then plotted on a chart to get an idea of progress over time.

Furthermore, regular play is rewarded by new unlockable modes such as the descriptively named No Xs, Error Search and Memory. (Though not related to this mode, further unlockable items include touchscreen reaction-based mini-games and skins to enable players to customise their game environment.)

Finally, if you're brain can take it, why not engage in multiplayer competition? Multi-Picross caters for five individuals trying to beat each other and the clock to be the first to finish puzzles, while the Online Battle mode, as its name suggests, enables infrastructure play.

Glu shuffles up with Poker Pop for mobile

This week, the great and good of the mobile industry are gathering in Orlando for the CTIA trade show, which can loosely be described as the North American equivalent of Europe's 3GSM – in that companies show off their wares, announce new mobile stuff, and do a lot of schmoozing.

Glu Mobile took the opportunity to announce its spring games line-up at the show. It was aimed at the US audience, and we've seen some of the games here already: Brain Genius, Project Gotham Mobile Racing and Lemmings Return, for example.

But there was one newie, Poker Pop. Based on a casual web game, it's part poker and part puzzle, taking the basic idea of poker hands and throwing a tile-based twist on top of it. It's similar thinking to that behind I-play's Jewel Quest Solitaire, or Digital Chocolate's WordKing Poker.

Scalextric gets a new mobile game

We have to admit, we're a bit confused. Last year, mobile publisher Player X signed a deal with Hornby to release a Scalextric mobile game. Look, you can read our story about it for proof. But now Spanish publisher LemonQuest has announced that it's releasing a new mobile game based on... Scalextric. Except it's through a licensing deal with Spanish firm Tecnitoys, not Hornby, and the game is going to be called SCX in some countries, and Scalextric in others. Ah well, despite the confusion, the game itself looks like a corker. Boasting nifty isometric graphics, it'll let up to six players race against each other, although it's unclear whether that's on one handset, via Bluetooth or even over the network. You'll be able to tweak your brake tension and fuel load, and alter your pit-stop strategy to get the best out of your car. And, brilliantly, you'll also be able to build your own tracks with the game's built-in editor.

RPG meets RTS in DS' Heroes of Mana

When it comes to national gaming stereotypes, we all know the Japanese typically do role-playing games, while Western developers do strategy games. Psychologists could write learned papers about why, but being journalists we'll just say it probably has something to do with Japan's rigid social structures and the colonial baggage of the Europeans and North Americans. At the end of the day, we all tend to do best what we know best. So where does that place Heroes of Mana? According to our demarcation of roles, this real-time strategy, role-playing hybrid should be being developed halfway between the US and Japan – maybe Hawaii? But, of course, it's not. Instead Tokyo-based Brownie Brown is doing the business. As the title suggests, the game's set in the World of Mana, a place we last visited in the thoroughly enjoyable dungeon-battler Children of Mana. This time, however, you've moved up the chain of command, so now you're ordering around groups of heroes, warriors, bizarre creatures with trumpets for noses, and the Mana's series special icon, those ferocious little yellow rabites. Viewed from a top-down position, control over your troops will be maintained with your stylus. It will be interesting to see how tightly you can move them around though, as it appears there will be up to 20 units onscreen at any time. There's a neat icon system enabling you to quickly select any unit, which hopefully should maintain some order in the ranks. Another feature will be the game's limited use of the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. Sadly, no multiplayer gaming is supported, but you will be able to upload scores, as well as download new missions and maps.

Brick it with Ark-Annoyed

Enough already with the Breakout clones. Gameloft's Block Breaker Deluxe might have sold like the clappers on mobile, but there's 768 other variants of the classic bat-ball'n'bricks arcade game that have sunk without trace. We don't need any more! Do we?

Under Siege Studio thinks we do, and it's putting its money where its mouth is, in the shape of Ark-Annoyed (like Arkanoid, see?). And to be fair, the design does put a novel twist on the formula.

You still have to hit a ball with a bat, but this time there's only ever one brick on screen at once, with a points counter that ticks down � so the quicker you hit the brick, the more points you score. And then carry on in this vein.

There's a Warp feature to get you out of tight spots where you don't think you're going to hit the brick, and a four-player competition mode to see if you can beat your friends.

Meanwhile, the game works with the RumbleX high-scores community, so you can test your brick-busting abilities against the world.

First DS screens for Shrek the Third

One of our happiest surprises about DS gaming in 2006 was the fact many titles based on the big movie blockbusters tried to do something a bit different. We really enjoyed Monster House and Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, while even Cars had the occasional mini-game moments. And Eragon the DS game was much better than Eragon the film.

So where does that leave Shrek the Third?

Well, the first thing to note from the two released screenshots is that the game maker (Vicarious Visions, who was also behind Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam) seems to have gone for an impressive-looking 3D graphics approach. The environments look great.

In terms of the action, the screens show a melee battler, with Shrek and Puss-in-Boots wielding fists and sharp objects to defeat Prince Charming's henchmen � he's trying to take over the kingdom of Far, Far Away, of course. Apparently, each of the playable characters, Shrek, Donkey, Puss-in-Boots, Fiona, Fiona's rebellious cousin Arthur, and Sleeping Beauty have their own special attacks.

Less violent parts of the game will be the so-called Princess puzzle and platform levels, where you get to play as Fiona and Sleeping Beauty and brains not brawn to get out of difficult situations.

In terms of the plot, the game appears to follow some of what goes on in the film but new characters and areas will also be introduced. For example, you'll fight through the game-exclusive Evil Queen's Castle location.

Six multiplayer mini-games (Castle Attack, Shrekleboard, Frog Herder, Shooting Gallery, Catacombs Leap and Ships Ahoy) are also promised.

Shrek the Third is released in conjunction with the film in May.

Ghost Recon 2 blasts onto mobile

It sounds like a sequel, but Ghost Recon 2 is actually the first time Ghost Recon has been turned into a mobile game. Gameloft has done the honours, and the result looks like a blastfest of significant proportions.

You play Captain Mitchell, who's the boss of an elite US special forces ghost unit (sadly, this doesn't involve driving enemies from the battlefield by putting sheets over your head and shouting "BOO!").

It's 2014, and your job is to protect the US border against a bunch of Mexican rebels wielding burritos big guns. To help you, you've got all manner of high-tech weaponry, a souped-up jeep, and a crack team of special forces soldiers.

The game will also feature interactive scenery, presumably so you can blast it out of the way to feel even more manly while carrying out your duties.

Ghost Recon 2 is out this month, so get set for a suitably explosive review in the near future.

Smash Court Tennis 3 to be served on PSP

This could be the Borg vs McEnroe (or, potentially, Federer and Nadal, for younger readers) clash of the video game world, as Namco Bandai's Smash Court Tennis 3 takes on the imminent Virtua Tennis 3 from Sega.

The former isn't expected to make its appearance until the summer, but the nature of game development doesn't automatically mean it has months left to get itself in shape � all of its features and play dynamics will probably have been locked down by now.

So far, we know that players are able to compete as or against 16 pro tennis players, including all conquering Roger Federer and 2006 French Open champions Rafael Nadal and Justine Henin.

As you'd expect from any sports title these days, customisable items such as racquets and sportswear feature prominently (there are twice as many items as the game's previous version), while the characters based on real-life stars have been modelled to perform in convincing fashion.

That doesn't mean you can't teach them a trick or three. Developing and acquiring skills � such as hit speed, serve accuracy or footwork play � make up an important part of the Pro Tour, which sees you entering the globe's various competitions (the courts appear modelled on real venues, although they are not officially licensed) in order to rise to become the world's number one player.

Other modes include quick-thrill Arcade and Exhibition options, as well as a Tutorial mode to get you acquainted with the franchise's traditionally responsive and intuitive game dynamic.

In addition, Namco Bandai is promising a selection of imaginative mini-games, gamesharing for head-to-head fun, and ad hoc support for full-on competitive play.

On paper, everything looks promising, then. But on paper Borg should have eased to his fifth Wimbledon victory when he met a young McEnroe for that classic confrontation back in 1980 � and things didn't quite go according to plan.

Smash Court Tennis 3 will inevitably have to face up to Virtua Tennis 3 (and its predecessor, too: 2005's highly regarded Virtua Tennis World Tour), and we'll know how difficult that match is likely to prove when we get our hands on Sega's contender later this month. Smash Court Tennis 3 may yet need all the preparation it can manage between now and release.

PSP's Test Drive Unlimited gets a new trailer

Our resident driving expert is away – probably doing donuts in a deserted multi-storey carpark – but we know he's looking forward to Test Drive Unlimited.

And with the release date almost visible in the distance, it's time for the obligatory promo video download. Cue the funky electronica...

All the features that got us excited seem to be in place. The graphics are crisp, and the sense of speed palpable, with no pop-up in evidence. There are also plenty of shiny-looking cars: 30 manufacturers, such as Lamborghini, Aston Martin, Mercedes, Saleen, Shelby, and Jaguar are included.

It's harder to tell how the game handles from a video, but the 'slipstream' and 'drift' cues are present and correct. The 'if it moves, challenge it to a race' gameplay is highlighted too, as is the four-way head-to-head wi-fi racing mode.

Check it out for yourself by hitting the 'Watch It!' button to get your hands on the 38MB QuickTime movie.

Test Drive Unlimited is due to hit the streets on the 23rd March.

Exclusive: I-play set to unleash Pillowfight

How do you buck the trend of entirely original mobile games not selling as many downloads as they ought to? If you're I-play, the answer apparently lies in scantily-clad ladies thumping one another with bedding. Pillowfight is that game, and we won't argue with the publisher's claim that it's "the only game to feature gorgeous gals battling each other with pillows". You get to play a French maid or cheerleader, and the controls are resolutely one-thumb. The game will also be the first to feature I-play's new 'I-play lounge' technology, enabling you to upload high scores and download wallpapers of the contestants as you progress through the game. Pillowfight should be out in May, and when we talked to I-play boss David Gosen at 3GSM for an interview we'll publish later this week, he hinted that it may also become an online casual game, or even transfer to Xbox Live Arcade in the future. Exciting stuff. For now, here's hoping it kicks off a new genre of casual games based on popular boarding-school activities. Gameloft could do Midnight Chinese Burns, for example. Glu could do Super KO Bogwash. And... okay, maybe not.