I decided to break these up into smaller chunks because I can't seem to prevent myself from rambling about these great games. I'm going to wrap up today's sneak peeks and hands-on with the spectacular Killer 7 and Donkey Konga 2. Make sure you check back tomorrow to read about my time playing Nintendogs, Pac-Pix, Polarium, Castlevania and a game that will change the face of portable shooters: Goldeneye DS.

Killer 7

By far one of the best, most innovative games I've seen in quite a long time, Killer 7 is a strange hybrid of third-person and first-person shooter mixed with strong adventure and survival elements. And the whole thing is done in a sorta dreamy manga, cel-shade art that is just captivating. The music and ambient sounds that seem to follow you through the game help add to the surreal feel that is the heart of this title.
I asked one of the Nintendo reps what the game was about and he said he had been playing for awhile now but he wasn't really sure. And he meant it in the best of ways.
What you do know when you start the game is that you are playing as a man bound in a wheel chair and possessed by seven distinct personalities. Each personality has its own weapons and special skills. You can shift between the personalities at will to try and solve problems and deal with enemies.
The mechanics of the game are as distinctly unique as the plot. To move you sort of choose a path and hold in the A button. You can stop at any point down your path to deal with problems and try and look for clues. The game is full of clues, birds alighting on your shoulder, strange men in leather and chains talking to you, people crawling up walls. It's a very interesting game.
The shooting element comes in to play often in the game. You hear maniacl laughter and have to switch to first-person mode and then scan the area. If there's something around it will appear shambling toward you with a bomb strapped to its body. To kill it you can shoot away or target the bomb. The more blood you cause to be spilled the better, because you can collect it for use down the line.
This is one of the most stylistic and bloody games I've ever seen. For instance, one of you personalities can summon spirits, but to do that she slashes her wrists and splashes the air with gouts of blood.
I think this could be one of the best games to hit the console market this year, so put it on your list.

Donkey Konga 2

The Nintendo reps were too embarrassed to point out that I had my bongos backwards when I was playing DK2. It's sort of sad. It was definitely a "dad moment." You know, those moments when you suddenly feel like your helplessly clueless dad? What's that new fangled Bongo you got there sonny? It was a lot of fun to play, but basically more of the same from the original. The only thing that has changed is that this version features a much hipper sound track of 30 songs and there are some new names the game calls you when you do well or suck. I become very aquatinted with the suck names.