Pocket Gamer's Nintendo 3DS Christmas gift guide

Christmas, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, and Natalis Invicti are on the horizon. And with the Nintendo 3DS as the top gift of the season, chances are it's going to be a very three-dimensional winter in many households across the globe.

The Nintendo 3DS has had a rocky debut - a lacklustre collection of launch games and a massive price drop mere months later will do that to a system - but now the device has more games and must-play exclusives, it's become the number one gift among gamers.

If you want to buy a 3DS for a loved one, or the console is atop your intentionally misplaced wish list, what should be under the festive tree come December 25th? Which system or bundle, which games, and which accessories? Here's our expert opinion.

There are no 3DS Lite or 3DS XL models to worry about at this point. Right now, there's only one version of the hardware you can buy.

It does come in various colours, though, with the imaginatively named Metallic Red, Aqua Blue, and Cosmic Black all available. Amazon has the best price on all of these, offering each device for a paltry £119.99.

There are also special colours that only come with a game bundled in the box. The Coral Pink unit comes packed in with fluffy pet sim Nintendogs + Cats Golden Retriever, while the chilly Ice White version comes with bouncy platformer Super Mario 3D Land.

Oh, and the Limited Edition Legend of Zelda version. It's black and has spiffy visuals from the Zelda universe on it. Plus, Ocarina of Time 3D is in the box. All of these will cost about £169.99 from GAME.

If you're on a stricter budget, the original Nintendo DS would be a much-appreciated gift. The DS Lite is £54.99 at Play.com, and the DSi, which packs a camera and can play downloadable DSiWare games, is £109.99 at GAME. The chunky supersized DSi XL is £124.99 at Play.com.

A games console is nothing without games. While the Nintendo 3DS's library isn't exactly bursting at the seams with titles, it does have a small collection of must-have games that any new console owner will want to see alongside the handheld this winter...

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D

It's often called the greatest game of all time, labelled the best of the Zelda series, and regarded as a seminal moment in gaming history. All we know for certain is that this epoch-making N64 classic has been squished down to fit inside the poky screen of the 3DS.

The 3D effect helps bring the kingdom of Hyrule to life as its endless fields and deserts seem to stretch into the distance forever. Plus, moving your console about lets you aim catapults and bows. This massive adventure will certainly wear down your 3DS battery more than once.

Super Mario 3D Land

Springy plumber hero Mario can't catch a break. It's been more than 25 years since he entered the scene, yet he's still chasing down Bowser and rescuing Princess Peach. It's the same story in 3D Land, as Mario bounces and springs through eight worlds.

You'll see some of the best level design about, as every new stage you set foot in is drenched in imagination and creativity. 3D Land is a wondrous adventure, and the pop-out effect adds to the experience without getting in the way.

A monster racing game with a huge host of tracks and an enormous cast of characters. You'll fling tiny go-karts around the Mushroom Kingdom's best locations (plus a "best of" handful of classic tracks from Mario Kart's past), while swapping weapons and collecting coins.

Best yet, the game has online play and it's easier than ever to get together with friends for a quick 50cc race. Communities let you set up a lobby (tailored to your favourite options), and then you can give out the code (to friends or on Twitter) and anyone with the code can join in.

The 3DS comes default with an eShop. Stumble into this virtual boutique and you'll find a collection of downloadable games that you can buy for a few quid and download onto an SD card.

If you're looking for an inaugural purchase or three, we suggest...

The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening DX

If you enjoyed Ocarina of Time in 3D, you could always trace the legend's root back a bit to the original Game Boy release in Link's Awakening DX. This classic adventure is one of the most beloved games in the franchise.

This offshoot sub-story puts Link on Koholint Island, where he must trudge through eight dungeon, beat up eight bosses, and collect eight magical instruments, which he can use to wake up the guardian Windfish and get off the floating rock.

Zen Pinball 3D

Zen Studio's Zen Pinball has appeared on everything from iPad to Android. On the 3DS, the game's tables might be a tad cramped on the tiny screen, but they come alive thanks to the stereoscopic effect.

For the price, you nab four tables - Earth Defense, Shaman, Excalibur, and Eldorado - leaderboards, some unlockable goodies, and hotseat multiplayer. Perfect for passing around the Christmas dinner table.

Freakyforms: Your Creations, Alive!

Perhaps, this one's more for kids than a discerning gamer, but the unbridled creativity that Freakyforms fosters doesn't go unnoticed in any age category. This barmy monster-builder lets you make terrifying creatures from all manner of shapes and objects.

It's a bit like Fuzzy Felt, only your toybox of circles, squares, and vaguely eyebrow-shaped blobs come from StreetPass encounters. Oh, and your alien weirdies come alive as big lumbering nightmares. Maybe not for kids, then.

Don't forget that the 3DS can still play all Nintendo DS games. They might only have a sickening two dimensions, and throw up a pair of borders when played on the 3DS's widescreen display, but if you missed out on Nintendo's last handheld you've got a monster selection of goodies to catch up with.

Like...

Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story

The brothers Mario have teamed up for a number of colourful, funny, and epic RPGs in the past, but this latest outing - which focuses squarely on the scaly King of the Koopas himself - might be the best yet.

Not only do you control the plump über-baddy of the Mario series in his adventures around town, but you also play as Luigi and his plumper plumber bro, who have been shrunk down to microscopic size and got themselves lodged in Bowser's bowel. Madcap exploits ensue.

Professor Layton and the Lost Future

Puzzle-obsessed Professor Layton has one thing on his mind: riddles. This guy loves head-scratchers and brainteasers, and is constantly chucking little quizzes and problems at you to solve.

If you're turned on by maths, logic, and visual teasers, though, the Lost Future will be right up your alley. As you unravel this time-travelling mystery story and leap a decade into London's future, you'll have 165 or so puzzles to crack.

Pokemon Black and White

We've been capturing, collecting, and battling little elemental critters for so long that Nintendo has finally run out of colours. But it hasn't run out of ideas, so once again it infuses the long-lived series with a fresh batch of monsters and some new features.

Like the seasonal cycle where certain Pokemon only appear during the summer months, or triple battles where three trainers go head-to-head. To-head. Black and White introduces just enough features to win over Pokemon vets, and level the playing field for newcomers, too.

If you want some stocking fillers to go with the 3DS, there are a number of cheap accessories to stash beneath the tree.

How about...

A case

You don't want that shiny new console to get scratched or smashed, do you? Slip the 3DS into a case to give it a little extra protection. There are loads to choose from (and seeing as the console has similar dimensions to the DSi, those will fit, too).

But, we couldn't say no to this officially licensed Super Mario case. Any (non XL) DS will slip in nicely, and it's only £9.99 at Play.com.

Extra stylus

The 3DS stylus gets lost easily. It's bound to get hoovered up, or dropped between the floorboards, or left on the bus, or eaten by the cat. That little plastic pen is just too easy to misplace.

There are lots of replacement styli to choose from, but we're going to go for this geeky little number. A pack of three Star Wars-style pens that are modelled on the lightsabers carried by Yoda, Darth Vader, and Obi Wan Kenobi. Yes, we're nerds.

4GB SD card

If you're into DSiWare or Virtual Console games, the 2GB SD card that comes with every 3DS just isn't going to cut it. That thing will fill up quicker than a scooter at a petrol pump.

Luckily, doubling your memory is cheap and easy. Practically any brand of normal-sized SD card will work, and you can get a 4GB card for about £4 from Amazon.