Well, for my time killing I usually go with puzzle games on the DS. Professor Layton series, Brain Age series, Sudoku. I have Populous DS but it just doesn't feel like the original enough to me I guess, but YMMV on that one. (I played on Amiga, so I have a real hurdle on that one!) :)

I also grabbed some I Spy games, a bit tough on the smaller screen but do-able. The only other game I have seen loved were my kids, Final Fantasy Tactics series and Pokemon were their big ones.

Good luck!

Hey, I forgot there was a Final Fantasy Tactics for the DS! Do they like it as well as the GBA FFT?
I swear, if they had made it a traditional sidescroller Metroid with 2.5D graphics I would have bought a Wii to play it.

What do you mean your hands shake involuntarily?

At one point I had over forty DS games, some hard to find ones.

But bad cigarrette habit and no work makes Carnival a pawn shop boy.

Out of the lot, the three that were the most important to me that I kept were:

Marvel Trading Card Game
Final Fantasy Tactics A2
Zelda Spirit Tracks

Well, you two, that's a bit of a personal question, heh. It's actually called an "essential tremor," I think. My doctor said it's probably neurological damage from childhood, although he couldn't vouch for whether it was due to medication or injury. When I get at all excited, stressed, or tired, my hands tremble and the more fine motor control I try to exercise the harder they twitch.
How is the Zelda game, Carnival? I'm particularly interested in comparison with Link to the Past, which is one of my favorite games. I had heard their GBA and DS Zelda franchise offerings were a bit weak overall.

I didnt mean to pry, sorry.

Not at all - no harm done. For some reason that comment Alfred makes in Batman and Robin always stuck - "A gentleman does not discuss his illness."

It's nothing like the SNES Zeldas, a lot of the game involves getting places by train and unlocking tracks to further places.

What tickled me pink about it is that as this story goes, Zelda, herself, is mostly the hero this time and I thought it was kind of funny that she has lost her sweet, patient mother-nature-like attitude and is bugging out on Link.

Huh, that does sound interesting! I never could get the people that said Zelda and Link would hit it off because Zelda was always such a...non person. I might have to check it out, though - I assume basic gameplay kinda remains the same.

============

I was also looking at Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles Echoes of Time - despite the ludicrous title, I've played it a bit, heard great things about the gameplay and puzzle elements, and it supposedly has a fairly open nature with astounding amounts of replayability. Anyone able to vouch for that?

I realise the question is directed at Carnival but I typing things so here we are. The two DS ones are maybe my least favourite Zelda games (apart from Zelda II). They are stylus controlled only, with Link running towards where you press on the screen. It's supposed to be more intuitive, but to me it feels like you're towing him using bungie cord. The fact they're so reliant on the stylus means you should probably avoid them...
Sadly not, see above. Also, they made them super easy. =(

Her human side shows through in this game because it's all left up to her and she's a real nagging bitch. lol!

I should have added "if you donot mind me asking" Sorry for asking

I sold my DS more than a year ago so I'm not exactly in the loop for DS games, but anyways:

I will also agree with Phoenix Wright games.

What about the DS version of Disgaea? Have you played that? (I've never played the DS version but I've heard it's good, and the Disgaea series is awesome anyway)

The first picross game sounds a little boring in concept, but it's actually a lot of fun

I think they actually played the GBA version on their DS, iirc. A2 did get good reviews, however, and it was a continuationf of the same storyline, so if you liked the GBA version I'd think FFT A2 would be a safe bet for you.