The DS will cover many genres in 2008, but the RPG genre will be seeing some of the most anticipated titles of the year, with the likes of Level-5's Dragon Quest IX and Sonic RPG from BioWare...

With over 6 million hardware units sold in the US in 2007 alone and a life-to-date installed base in the Americas of over 16 million, we’d venture to make the stunning conclusion that the DS is a bona fide success. As for DS software, getting a grasp on what will be a big seller is a challenge. When games like High School Musical: Makin’ the Cut, Spectrobes, Drawn to Life and Paws & Claws Pet Vet can hang with the "big boys" on the sales charts, you know you’re working with a considerably different animal than your typical home console.

While there is a solid lineup of DS games for this year, it’s unlikely that even with the increased installed base we’ll see a game achieve the astronomical sales of Pokemon Diamond and Pearl. But there are still plenty of titles that have garnered our anticipation from both creative and commercial perspectives.

As all of the games are works in progress, release dates and some details are subject to change. Sales estimates are for the first three months of US sales and only take into consideration the DS version of the games. Estimates were calculated by reviewing the sales of a 2008 game's previous franchise installment (or a similar game, if it's a new IP) and increasing that amount by the expected percentage of growth of the console's installed base. Other factors such as consumer buzz, release dates, price point and expected marketing push were also taken into consideration in our estimates.

Also check out Next-Gen's Xbox 360 Games of 2008, PS3 Games of 2008, Wii Games of 2008 and PSP Games of 2008. We'll conclude or 2008 roundups with a list of killer PC games on 1/11.

Advance Wars: Days of Ruin
Nintendo
Intelligent Systems
January 21, 2008
Est. 3-mo. Sales: 200K-500K

The portable Advance Wars games have proven to be some of the best turn-based strategy available, and Advance Wars: Days of Ruin will in all likelihood build upon an already rock-solid foundation. A darker storyline, improved balance, deadlier units and better graphics should live up to the expectations of loyal fans. While the Advance Wars series is accessible for a strategy game, the genre may still limit sales to an extent.

Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games
Sega
Sega
January 22, 2008
Est. 3-mo. Sales: 300K-600K

Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games for Wii has shown that the marrying of former mascot rivals can draw big appeal with the mainstream. As always, the challenge with the DS will be making the controls for the various Olympic events fun and intuitive. The recent success of Mario Party and the console version of M&S at the Olympics lead us to believe that sales could be strong out of the gate.

Professor Layton and the Curious Village
Nintendo
Level-5
February 10, 2008
Est. 3-mo. Sales: 300K-700K

With its knockout presentation, head-scratching puzzles and embracement of outright nerdiness, Professor Layton and the Curious Village has been making waves with importers for months now. Puzzles are plentiful—130 in all, with more promised for download via Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. Developers take note: You don’t need to create another Brain Age clone to appeal to consumers’ intellectual sides.

Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney (Phoenix Wright 4)
Capcom
Capcom
February 19, 2008
Est. 3-mo. Sales: 100K-300K

Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney continues the quirky saga of the first three Phoenix Wright courtroom adventure games. There’s not much new here in terms of presentation or gameplay, rather this latest installment seems to be yet another episode in the drama. With 2.5 million units sold in the Ace Attorney series worldwide, we think loyal fans won’t mind that Apollo will be sticking to its roots.

Assassin’s Creed (Working Title)
Ubisoft
Ubisoft Montreal
February 2008
Est. 3-mo. Sales: 200K-500K

It’s hard to tell exactly how Assassin’s Creed will translate to DS. The console versions are technical juggernauts that boast sprawling 3D worlds and towns bustling with people. What we do know is that the console versions sold 2.5 million copies total in four weeks, affirming Assassin’s franchise prospects and garnering mind share among consumers. We’ll see if the DS version can also find success.

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Ring of Fates
Nintendo
Square Enix
March 11, 2008
Est. 3-mo. Sales: 400K-700K

Remember 2004’s Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles for GameCube? The game whose multiplayer required everyone to use a Game Boy Advance as a controller? That interesting yet flawed concept is gone with the handheld follow-up Final Fantasy Chronicles: Ring of Fates. The action RPG will implement dungeon-centric gameplay in a solo mode and in an entertaining four-player multiplayer wireless mode. So far, this promising game appears fit to exploit the DS’s features, and attract fans of the seminal Final Fantasy franchise.