Like its older brother, Carnival Games on the DS has a variety of mini-games to participate in; with over 20 or so that are more or less distinct from each other, including a few brand new ones strictly for the DS. However, while there were a couple of gems on the Wii version, the gameplay doesn't translate as well to the small screen, mostly due to the fact that controlling things with the stylus obviously doesn't compare to the various motions and movements that could be performed on the Wii.

The majority of the games are incredibly simple, and they won't keep most adults entertained for very long at all. It would appear that the game could appeal to a younger fan base more, but while most of the games are easy there are a few scattered about that end up being incredibly frustrating, not so much because of difficulty but because of the control set up. A lot of times the touch screen seems far too sensitive to properly maneuver whatever you're trying to control on screen, like the RC Cars in the racing mini-game. The controls feel far too inconsistent between the various games, with some of the actions feeling spot on with whatever is occurring on screen, while other motions are so sensitive that you'll be constantly off your mark.

Carnival Games features a pretty full Avatar system, that allows you to design your own character, and thru playing the games over and over again you can unlock various items and clothing to deck out your character with. The problem obviously comes from having to play the games again, since the majority of them are far too easy and boring, or completely off kilter when it comes to the controls. The other issue comes from the lack of a multiplayer mode, so it's not like you can effectively show off your characters to other players or compare unlockables with anyone else. It's a system that would work a bit better in a multiplayer setting, but as it is you'll only gain limited satisfaction when it comes to decking your avatar out in whatever you unlock. There is a limited ability to share a few games with another player, but it's more of a demo mode than anything.

As you play each game, you can opt to move around the fairgrounds a bit, which are populated with other characters that you can't interact with at all. There is a few other carnival inspired things you can do, but for the most part you'll be sticking with the mini-game activities for the majority of the game.

The models and visuals themselves are represented well enough on the small screen, and the character design of the original title is intact here, but obviously the visuals are going to be less detailed than the Wii game, and for the most part everything looks really basic. It definitely adheres to the carnival theme of the game, but there's nothing that'll wow anyone that picks this up.

For the most part, Carnival Games isn't a great port of the original title, and since I never felt that the original was all that great to begin with, then this one really falls short. There are far better mini-game compilations on the DS at the moment, with a lot more substance, style, and fun than this simple cash in on a successful party game. Avoid this, especially at the price of $30, which is far too much to pay for something that feels like a budget game at best.