While a huge war is being waged between the Xbox 360, Wii and PlayStation 3, the Nintendo DS has quietly been taking the world by storm. Younger gamers and people who like to take their games on the go have helped the handheld market grow immensely since the days of the Game Boy. Between the Nintendo DS and the newly redesigned Sony PSP, there are plenty of options for gamers to choose from when it comes to full-fledged gaming experiences that fit in the comfy confines of your pocket. Our Handheld Fall Preview is a look at the portable games you should be keeping an eye on in the coming months.



Prince of Persia: The Fallen King

Getting back to its platform-hopping, 2D roots, Prince of Persia: The Fallen King looks like a slightly cartoony approach to this classic adventure franchise. Battling against a corruption that threatens to engulf the entire world, the Prince must journey to faraway lands in search of a cure for the all-consuming evil.


Along the way, he'll meet a partially-infected individual who seems to offer salvation, but is this person really the answer to the world's woes or merely another agent of destruction? Prince of Persia: The Fallen King ships to retailers in mid-November.

Exit DS

Harry Houdini's got nothing on Mr. ESC. Gaming's premiere escape artist is coming to the Nintendo DS in a new version of the ingenious puzzle game, Exit. Players will have to maneuver safely through burning, crumbling, or even electrified buildings in order to rescue those trapped inside. Drawing from the gameplay mechanics introduced in games like Lemmings and The Lost Vikings, you'll have to make clever use of the victims' abilities to open doors, crawl through tight spaces, and otherwise work towards a safe exit.


The DS's dual screens are used to their fullest in this version, as you'll be able to use the touch screen to quickly select actions for Mr. ESC and his helpers, even linking moves together to be completed in unison. Meanwhile, a map up top keeps you appraised of what's happening where. Brainy gamers will be all over this unique and stylish take on your typical puzzle game.

Gauntlet

The original arcade dungeon-crawler returns with updated graphics and a host of additional features this December. Using the classic top-down perspective, Gauntlet brings its trademark brand of hack 'n slash gameplay with a few bonuses in the form of boss battles against huge screen-spanning monsters (made possible by the DS's dual screens) and four-player co-operative combat and multi-mode competitive multiplayer via the DS's Wi-Fi connection.


Fans of the series will notice that this new iteration of Gauntlet also sports newly retooled 3D environments with multiple levels. Dropping to retailers this December, Gauntlet just might make the perfect stocking stuffer for a classic gaming enthusiast.