Ten mobile games we would love to see on DS

The DS is the console with loose-fitting chinos, comfortable flat shoes, pastel polo neck t-shirt with the collar pulled outwards and winning shades. In other words, it's casual. That's why its natural sibling in handheld gaming isn't the PSP at all but rather mobiles, which also sport a weighted quantity of casual and offbeat titles.

Which got us thinking that although the DS and mobiles have already seen a reasonable amount of crossover with titles like Orcs & Elves and Zoo Keeper, there's lots of potential for some of mobile gaming's finest to really shine on Nintendo's touchscreen dream machine.

So, as we are often compelled to do, we composed a list of the best mobile gaming candidates that we'd like to get stylus crazy with.

Ten mobiles games we demand on DS

Urban Attack The touchscreen would be perfect for Urban Attack's grid-based shooting gallery action, which would also help to temper the game's steep difficulty curve. With the DS's extra graphical grunt, the already gorgeous visuals could be realised with a super smooth frame-rate. A DS version with wi-fi co-op multiplayer, some extra levels, touchscreen controls and a bit of polish is just dying to be made. Go on Vivendi, you know it makes sense.
Darkest Fear series Released as three separate titles on mobiles, Rovio's expansive Darkest Fear game would make a great bumper cart DS offering. A survival horror effort with film noir stylings, Darkest Fear is based upon the idea that you need to keep your path well lit in order to avoid the monsters that inhabit the dark corners of the game, a concept that'd translate well to the DS's stylus control. Not only that but Nintendo's handheld could do with a few more survival horror titles and this would make a a far more preferable alternative to another hastily hashed together Resident Evil clone.
SolaRola There isn't much the PSP has games-wise that the DS can't match, but one obvious candidate is the fantastic LocoRoco. So considering that it is both one of our favourite mobile games ever and a perfect remedy for one of the DS's few deficits, we think the unabashed LocoRoco impersonator, SolaRola, would be a triumph on DS. It might be a bit of stretch to have such an obvious doppelganger of LocoRoco on the PSP's lead commercial competitor. We can dream can't we?
Etch A Sketch Drawing titles are just starting to appear for the DS with Drawn to Life but we think that they could be 2008's answer to the DS's pet sim/brain training games. Where better to start then than with Etch A Sketch, a mobile game based on the popular toy, combining two drawing applications and two mini-games to form a thoroughly entertaining package? Throw in some more mini-games and the ability to swap creations over wi-fi and you could have the makings of a DS classic. Stylus control is a no-brainer and the quirky retro image would also be a smart match.
Blades and Magic Sprung from the code workshops of the fantastic Fishlabs, Blades and Magic is as deep and engrossing an RPG as you could hope for, even if your best mates are orcs and you work a day job as an ultramarine slayer. The DS isn't exactly short on RPGs these days, what with Square Enix looking to remake pretty much every game it's ever created in DS form, but that wouldn't stop this from being a touchscreen masterpiece. The blend of 2D and 3D action befits the DS's graphical palette perfectly and with the scope to considerably improve the mobile controls this could be a great straight-up quest fest.
Silent Hill Another crossover that's unlikely to happen but Silent Hill Mobile would be great on DS for loads of reasons. For a start it is a point-and-click adventure, something the DS is perfectly suited for but somewhat lacking in. This genuinely creepy title is not only an excellent game but also a fantastic direction for the Silent Hill series and with a thoughtful port could have all those stylus swishers out there sleeping with the light on.
Playman Extreme Running A fantastically fluid game offering tremendous fun, Playman Extreme Running is already a joy on mobile but has the scope to grow into a fully-fledged DS game. How about a level editor and wi-fi multiplayer for starters? Stylus play would be less important here but the casual offbeat nature of the action would be a great fit for the console. And imagine the cool TV adverts!
Chuzzle We have purposefully tried to avoid puzzle games in this list, seeing as both the DS and mobiles are flooded with them, but Chuzzle is a hard game to deny. There's little about it that could be improved on DS, apart from perhaps a bigger, clearer view of the action and wi-fi multiplayer. Frankly, if the transition is good enough for Zoo Keeper, then there's no reason for this insanely addictive gem to be left out in the cold. And just imagine how it would appeal to the sub-12-year-old female audience.
Townsmen An already great mobile build-'em-up game, Townsmen would benefit from a slightly more elegant control scheme and the presence of a second screen to soak up some of the menu duties. Also, as the series is on its fourth iteration on mobile, a deluxe DS collection, complete with tarted up visuals, would be a great alternative for those who are already fed up with the SimCity franchise.
Digital Chocolate's Cafe games Truly an innovative mobile concept, Digital Chocolate's connected casual gaming network would definitely benefit from DS's more solid online gaming infrastructure. Of course, the DS cart would have to be a bumper edition, but with poker, sudoko and solitaire all collected in the one package, this could be the natural step forward for DS games on the more casual side of casual.