Kids love gaming. Parents are often in a fix over which games are right for their children. We have given here a brief description of the top five DS games for children.

New Super Mario Bros

Kids as well as adults like this game. The plot is same as original Super Mario. Mario crosses several hurdles to save Princess Peach, who has been kidnapped by the Koppas. During this journey, Mario gets an opportunity to collect powers like a mini mushroom reduces the size of Mario, Mega mushroom makes Mario too big, Super mushroom enlarges the size of Mario, Fire flower allows Mario to shoot fireballs, and Starman makes Mario unconquerable for a limited duration. This game has 80 levels and can be played alone or with a friend or sibling.

Mario and Luigi – Browser’s Inside Story

This is an interesting role playing game in which the Mushroom Kingdom has been infected by a virus called Blorbs. Fawful, the villain offers Browser the Magic Mushroom.  After eating this mushroom, Browser gulps the entire Mushroom Kingdom. Mario, Luigi and Princess Peach also enter the body of the Browser. The players get to control Mario, Luigi and Browser too. All the three try to save the kingdom from Fawful. During this adventure, Mario Bros and Browser can increase their rankings which allow them to buy new and better fighting equipment.

Pokemon Platinum

This is the newest game in the Diamond and Pearl series. The game was released in March, this year. This series features Giritina in the Distortion World in Sinnoh region. You can also play mini games with other players on Wi-Fi plaza.

Club Penguin Elite Penguin Force

For kids interested in some adventure, this game is perfect. The player assumes the role of the secret agent in the Elite Penguin Force. He gets to take up the responsibilities of secret missions. Different equipment, gadgets, and vehicles help the agent complete the different missions.

Mario Kart

If your child loves racing, then he will love Mario Kart. There are various tracks on which the player can race with Luigi, Princess Peach, and Browser. As in every Mario game, the player gets a chance to collect coins and other powers. This game is good for kids yearning for speed, adventure, and action.

The games mentioned above are great for kids. What is more, adults also enjoy them. While buying video games for your kids, you should check the rating given to the game by Entertainment Software Rating Board. This will inform you about the suitability of the game. Like, EC means early childhood; E means for everyone, E 10+ is meant for children above the age of 10 years, T means teen above 13 years, M for mature above 17 years and A is for people that are 18 years or above. This rating will help you choose the right game for your kid. Also, pay attention to the child likes and dislikes, like some kid’s love adventure and action, others like racing, and so on. If you keep these things in mind, you will get the right game for your kid.

Timeshare takes off as Hotel occupancy drops

A recent Reuters news article reports that hotel occupancy in the USA is down in some top holiday spots – not for lack of visitors, but because more people are choosing to invest in permanent holiday accommodation like property and timeshares in their favourite destinations.

According to Peter Yesawich, chief executive of travel advertising agency Yatters, it’s easy to see why: ‘The pattern goes like this: visit destination, fall in love, buy the real estate.’

The shift is so significant that the big hotel chains are jumping on the timeshare trend, expanding their vacation ownership accommodation to capitalise on the boom. ‘These hotel guests are natural timeshare buyers,’ commented Scott Berman, head of PriceWaterhouseCoopers’ hospitality and leisure consulting practice.

Sales of timeshare property alone rose to $10 billion in 2006, up 16 per cent from 2005, according to ARDA (the timeshare trade group American Resort Developers Association). Today, over 4.4 million people own timeshare in the States.

A similar trend is emerging in Europe. Sales of holiday homes and timeshare approach record levels this year, as timeshare products are gaining popularity on this side of the pond. Value for money, generous accommodation space, self-catering facilities and a host of on-site leisure amenities are among the reasons why more families are opting for timeshare.

As thousands of people return from holiday having found their dream place in the sun, the number of Britons buying second homes and timeshare property abroad is set to soar this autumn, fuelled by an unusually wet British summer this year. New research just out from Moneycorp, the UK’s leading foreign exchange specialist, reveals that the number of people buying abroad rises by as much as 26 per cent in the autumn months.

European resort developers Club La Costa Resorts & Hotels recently reported a record summer season for their timeshare division, with occupancy rates at their Spanish resorts outperforming average hotel occupancy on the Costa del Sol. And their new Club La Costa Yacht Club, about to complete its first season in Mallorca, has been an unprecedented success.

Club La Costa Chairman Roy Peires commented, ‘The Yacht Club has been exceptionally popular with our members, I’m absolutely delighted. We’ve just announced our new winter sailing season in the Red Sea and will be back in Palma again next year. With ‘lifestyle’ holidays becoming more and more popular, our philosophy remains clear and simple: Club La Costa is dedicated to providing wonderful holiday experiences for our members.’

While Europe’s top three timeshare destinations continue to be mainland Spain, the Canary Islands and France, Turkey and Morocco are two new rising stars on the tourist map. Americans on the other hand (when they’re not holidaying in Hawaii, Florida or California) love Britain. A quarter of all Americans come to our shores for a change of scenery; those put off by the British weather head for Italy.

No matter what stage in life you’re at, it isn’t always easy to make new friends. Whilst at school, college or university, making friends is relatively easy, even for shy people, as people are of a similar age, with fairly similar interests, in the same location. However, making friends later on in life can be much more difficult. There may be colleagues at work, people you know at the gym, somebody you walk past every day, acquaintances in the pub, but how many of these are your real friends? How many would you trust with a secret, or a problem? For people who have moved away to a new town, or whose relationship circumstances have changed, having to make new friends can be a daunting prospect. Following these suggestions can help make finding new friends a bit easier.

1) Do something! Don’t stay in waiting for new friends to suddenly appear. They won’t. Sign up for an evening course and you could learn a new language, become a wine expert, improve your cooking skills, or make better use of your computer in just a few weeks. Find a gym, play sports at a sports centre or at a local pitch, join a film club, learn to dance, take up a martial art, or do voluntary work. Go on the works night out, anything rather than spend another night in front of the TV.

2) If you can’t find a hobby or a social activity that interests you, why not see if there’s a Friendly Society or Friendship Club nearby. These are a great way of meeting people, and can be invaluable if you have moved to a new town, and don’t know anybody. As well as like minded people, these clubs offer many social activities and social group events which can range from quiz nights at a local pub, to foreign travel, and may include special offers on such products as medical insurance.

3) Although easier said than done, try not to be shy when meeting people for the first time, even though you may feel you lack confidence. When you are in a social situation, aim to make the first move, and other shy people will be glad you broke the ice. Remember to listen more than you talk as people usually like to talk about themselves, so give them the opportunity, but don’t talk about yourself unless asked. Ask plenty of questions but nothing too personal or controversial. You can ask them how they got to be invited, or how they know the host, about their job, about their hobbies, music, film and TV tastes and more. Be yourself, and try not to change just to fit in. Accept that you won’t like everyone you talk to, and not everyone will like you.

4) You may be able to tell a little about a person from the way they dress, or from what they are carrying. If somebody is carrying a camera, listening to a portable music player, reading a book or magazine, walking a dog, or pushing a pram, you might have something else to talk about.

5) Try to ask open questions such as “What do you think of ….?” rather than “Do you like …..?” as they require a more detailed answer, and encourage conversation. Questions that require a Yes or No answer don’t make for an easy conversation.

6) Like minded people can often become friends. If you’ve always wanted to do something different, or take up a new activity, this could be the ideal time. From abseiling to zoology, there’s bound to be a local club or society that you can join. For example, if you play a musical instrument, why not visit a local music shop and see if you can find a band to join, or musicians to play with. If you’re an avid reader, why not join a book club. Volunteer work can be very rewarding if you have the free time. If you’re an animal lover, there may be an animal rescue centre that you could help out. Cycle shops will often have information about local routes and the local cycling club. Getting to know your neighbours can also be an easy way to make friends.

7) You can also make friends online using social media sites or chat rooms. However, these types of friendships are not usually the same as real life friendships. You might have a great time talking to someone in a foreign country who likes the same music and films as you do, but this friend probably won’t be able to give you a lift if your car won’t start.

Once you’ve made friends, don’t forget to get a phone number or email address, and be positive! Contact your new friend, but don’t be put out if they are too busy or unable to meet you for a while. Remember not to seem clingy or desperate. If you have the opportunity to make more friends, then do so, don’t feel like you have to rely on just one person.

9) Being an honest, dependable and trustworthy person and not divulging too much about yourself or other people is important. People value loyalty and punctuality too, so treat other people as you would like to be treated. If you turn up late, and start divulging secrets, repeating rumours or spreading gossip, people will be less likely to be friendly towards you, and may not trust you again.

10) As well as the good times like going out for a drink, or to a gig, you should be prepared to help out when a friend really needs your help. Whether a shoulder to cry on, a late night lift home, or advice, friends should be reliable and there might be a time when you have to be a real friend to someone who needs you.

Finding a good friend won’t happen overnight, and you will probably need to work at maintaining friendships. Sometimes a friend won’t be able to see you for a while, and sometimes that friend will want to see you daily. Some people need time to themselves, and others don’t.

Remember your old friends can still be contacted by phone or email even if you no longer live near them. As well as phone calls and emails, why not make a special effort to see them once in a while and make a weekend or a holiday out of it.

Friendships can last a lifetime, and there are plenty of people who still keep in touch with people who are thousands of miles away. Get out there, find yourself some new friends and have a hectic social life!