Bratz Ponyz rides towards DS

The voting is over, the short straws have been evaluated, and it has fallen to me to write up the news that Bratz Ponyz is coming to DS.

Let's face it, Pocket Gamer is one of the most inclusive games websites on the Internet, but even we're not sure how many of our readers will be pre-ordering a game based on taking a blinged-up quadraped to a beauty parade. It's one thing to throw a Nintendog a bone, another thing to give a pony – sorry, a 'ponyzey' – a makeover.

Aimed, we're told, at female gamers 'of all ages' but specifically targeting the 'expanding girls' market (what's that, the fat female demographic?) Bratz Ponyz sees you – yes YOU! – arrive on the Ponyz archipelago to participate in the prestigious Ponyz Town beauty pageant.

Billed as the 'Passion for Fashion', this takes place over a whole year and promises to give you the chance to develop your artistic talent through a series of challenges based around fashion and beauty.

According to the press release, you'll be able to 'incarnate one of the eight Bratz Ponyz', which sounds sort of D&D-ish but we suspect is a fancy word for 'be'.

You can also explore the Ponyz tropical island, meet and befriend the inhabitants, and participate in a variety of activities via various mini-games.

Take care of your Ponyz' hairstyle, make-up, jewellery and accessories! Shop in Ponyz Town! Horse trade over wi-fi! Visit a tattoo workshop! (Don't ask us, we're as intrigued as you are, which we realise might not be 'very').

Okay, enough already. Nintendogs proved the potential, fast-growing market, yada yada. Maybe you've got a DS-owning little sister? With a birthday in summer 2007? Then you could be in luck.

To all Pocket Gamer's female readers, please stick around. And do tell us if Bratz Ponyz has any interest to anyone old enough to find a website. We've been wrong before…