Nintendo DS Lite is just right.

• Position: WHAT'S NEW? Holiday Gift Guide - Product/service evaluation

When you ask kids what's at the top of their holiday wish list, you inevitably get the same answer: video games. Funny thing is, since Nintendo of America, Redmond, Wash., introduced its DS Lite, just as often we'll hear that very response from adults as well.

The Nintendo DS Lite has changed the way we play portable video games. It has two ultra-bright LCD screens that deliver impressive 3D rendered graphics, with the lower one offering touch-screen capabilities so players can navigate the games or access menus with a stylus or fingertip. There also is a microphone port which allows the user to speak to the games. With rich stereo sound, DS greatly has expanded the use of voices and music.

You can connect with a local wireless network of up to 16 players. It also has PictoChat, a built-in chat room that allows you to send and receive wireless messages and pictures to other DS users within your range. With Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection--a free service--you can play games over the Internet using your DS and a WFC compatible game.

Of course, the best thing about the DS is the whole new level of games developed for this advanced technology. One of our favorites is Big Brain Academy. After testing your ability to Think, Analyze, Memorize, Compute, and Identify, the Professor then calculates the weight of your brain in grams, gives you a letter grade (suffice it to say we were humbled on our first few attempts), and finally determines your brain type. It lets you know where you performed best and suggests areas to take practice drills. After many such drills, we were able to improve our scores considerably. Similarly, Brain Age is another game...