Soul Bubbles - DS

Without much in the way of publicity or any sort of marketing drive, Soul Bubbles arrived in the UK about a month ago, and if you have a DS, it's well worth checking out. Created by Eidos and Mekensleep, Soul Bubbles takes elements from Loco Roco, Lost Winds and Kuru Kuru Kururin and blends them together to create a beautiful and charming game.

The basic aim of the game is to herd spirits into bubbles and 'blow' them safely through dozens of labyrinth-like levels, which are full of traps, obstacles and enemies, to a collection point at the end.

As Soul Bubbles is on the DS, the stylus has been used to great effect - drawing a circle creates new bubbles to capture spirits and collectables, and it's also possible to split bubbles with a simple stroke. This enables you to access smaller gaps in the levels and get to previously unreachable locations. Bubbles can also be deflated and care must be taken as you blow your bubbles through the levels - with the stylus, not with the microphone, thankfully - as they can be easily popped.

The graphics have a wonderful hand-drawn look to them, and although they are simple, they are lovely and bright. The soundtrack is also something special. Wind chimes, pan pipes and string arrangements are mixed together with mournful bird song and tribal drums to create a spellbinding atmosphere. Played through headphones it's quite an experience. In fact, with its evocative sounds and chilled-out gameplay, it's the perfect late night game.

So if you're looking for something different to play on your DS, check out Soul Bubbles, it's a little slice of magic.