Game Deals at Amazon

The only problem I'm having with Amazon's new Kindle Deal of the Day is that I'm spending a lot of time looking at samples, to see which ones I want to buy (I do wish, however, that they would not have so many Topaz formatted books, as they often have problems later on in the text that you can't tell from the samples). I definitely picked up yesterday and today's cookbooks (they look great on the iPad and would be fine on any PC and, someday, a color Kindle, I hope). I almost missed, though, some deals today on DS games to start off the new year. We got one new DSi in the family this year (so we can battle each other) and might have to pick up another (perhaps that Maroon DSi XL with the larger screen); right now they have a special deal with "qualifying Nintendo DSi or DSi XL Consoles" -- you receive a $20 promotional credit toward the purchase of items shipped and sold by Amazon.com (certain exclusions apply, including Kindle books, MP3s, and video rentals and downloads).

Amazon is still running their Buy One Game, Get One 50% Off and has Up to 75% Off Select Game Downloads and I just saw their Year-End Casual Game Downloads For Only $1.99 (which I need to look thru, as I see at least a Mahjongg game is on the list that might be interesting), but the ones below all work with the DSi and are designed to help us either get back in shape or find something good to eat!

America's Test Kitchen: Let's Get Cooking ($5.99), by Nintendo

Book Description
America's Test Kitchen: Let's Get Cooking helps you prepare a variety of recipes that are sure to please. The search function allows you to find recipes based on ingredients, difficulty, cooking time or calorie count and rate favorite recipes for easy retrieval at a later time. Several Nintendo DS users can access select recipes at once, even without the game card, to allow the whole family to help in the fun of meal preparation.

• Features 300 recipes created by editors, food scientists, tasters and cookware specialists in America's Test Kitchen and tested and perfected by three dozen cooks
• Rate favorite recipes and browse recipes by ingredients, difficulty, cooking time or calorie count
• Prompts appear on-screen to help you learn various cooking terms
• Helpful how-to videos provide additional assistance
• Age-appropriate kitchen tasks allow younger helpers to get in on the fun
• Transmit select recipes wirelessly to other Nintendo DS users
• Handwriting-recognition software allows you to take notes to add to your recipe

What's Cooking? With Jamie Oliver ($4.48 +S&H), by Atari, may not get good reviews as a game, but does get kudos as a cookbook. Note that the best price right now is inetvideo, who I've bought from in the past, but who does not offer free shipping.

Book Description
What's Cooking? with Jamie Oliver walks players through virtual and real-life cooking situations, from shopping to chopping, dressing the dish to serving up meals. The portability of Nintendo DS means Jamie Oliver is with you every step of the way to offer help and inspiration at the supermarket, in the kitchen, on the barbecue or wherever you feel like cooking up a storm. Try your hand at some delicious real cooking with the interactive cookbook, stuffed with 100 original Jamie Oliver recipes, mouth-watering photography by David Loftus of the quality we’ve come to expect from Jamie’s books, and featuring voice recognition leaving hands free to concentrate on the cooking. The interactive shopping list automatically saves ingredients from chosen recipes (either Jamie Oliver’s or your own creations) and organizes them by food type making trips to the supermarket a breeze. You can add any other items you want to the list using the keypad or text recognition.

Ener-G Dance Squad ($5.99), by UBI Soft

Book Description
Embody an athletic and passionate girl who is ready to work as hard as it takes to become a world champion of modern dance. With the help of an eccentric coach and his charming son, learn new skills and reveal your full potential as a dancer. However, the road to victory will be full of surprises. You will meet and challenge a lot of different dancers on a huge of variety of music and styles.

• Two game modes: Story or Challenge mode. Access the different activities once they are unlocked. Unlock exclusive pictures and exchange them with your friends using wireless communications.
• Express your creativity: Create your own choreography, combining the moves you want to perform. Follow the rhythm of the music to achieve a great performance. Learn new moves as you progress through the adventure.
• Choose your outfit and the accessories you will use during your performances.
• Choose the music you want to dance to and the dance floor. Choose from R&B/Soul, Elektro Dance, Funk/Disco, Pop/Rock, Classic, and Tribal.
• Compete against 12 different opponents, each with their own specific strong points and personalities.

My Weight Loss Coach ($8.74), by UBI Soft, includes a pedometer that you plug into your DS to take off the readings.

Book Description
If you take healthy steps, how far will you go? My Weight Loss Coach for Nintendo DS is a game for every adult, male and female, who considers reaching and maintaining their target weight a challenge. A program that fits your own objectives and respects your daily life constraints, My Weight Loss Coach supports you and tracks your progress and achievements by improving your energy balance. Developed in conjunction with a nutritionist, it helps you take control of your weight efficiently and feel better. Via an exclusive pedometer (included free with the game), you will be able to measure your real physical activity level and balance it, following the advice of a fitness coach. Your motivation will increase with coaching sessions, daily challenges, mini-games and quizzes – play for only 10 to 15 minutes per day and you will feel the difference!

• Create your personal profile and evaluate your improvement potential; then set up your objectives following the recommendations based on your personal profile
• Input reward system on a daily or weekly basis, overall, per input category via a pedometer, physical activity and nutrition
• The pedometer - free with the game and easily updated through your DS, it’s the best way to control your daily physical effort, challenge yourself and balance your food intake
• All physical activities you achieve and good nutrition habits you acquire are converted into distance
• Developed in collaboration with a fitness coach and a nutritionist

Personal Trainer: Walking ($14.13), by Nintendo, is designed to let you keep track of two people's activity levels and includes two wireless monitors that will sync up with your DS.

Book Description
Take your personal fitness firmly in hand--and on foot--with the convenience of Personal Trainer: Walking. This fitness training game helps you make the most of your routine and improve your life rhythm. Using the handy Activity Meter, you can more accurately track your daily activity level to help you achieve improved fitness and overall well-being.

Personal Trainer: Walking helps to make exercise even more fun and productive. The game comes with two Activity Meters, which you, a family member, a friend or even a pet can carry around to track the steps you take minute by minute. Use the data within the game to monitor your daily activity level and help you hone your fitness routine. For even more fitness fun, you can use the game to create Mii characters or import them from your Wii console.

• Fun and helpful way to exercise
• Graph your activity by day and week
• Includes two Activity Meters
• Players: 1-4 (not simultaneous)

My Stop Smoking Coach with Allen Carr ($3.59), by UBI Soft, might not be an exciting game, but can be a useful tool for keeping one of your New Year's resolutions.

Book Description
"Do you want to quit smoking but worry that you lack the willpower? Discover a game that brings the successful Allen Carr’s Easyway to Stop Smoking method to an exciting interactive platform: Nintendo DS. Now smokers striving to break their nicotine addiction have instant access to an expert they can put in their pocket. Developed in conjunction with Allen Carr’s experts, My Stop Smoking Coach with Allen Carr uses eye-opening lessons alongside fun and interactive games to uncover the many illusions preventing smokers from quitting."

• Create your personal profile: Choose your personal coach from six of Allen Carr’s experts, and your coach will give you personalized advice and tips based on your smoking habits and history
• 15 innovative mini-games: A fun way to help you dispel the illusions about nicotine addiction.
• Reward system: Using the Path to Freedom meter, track your progress as you move from dependence to freedom.
• Special calendar of benefits: Once you’ve quit, you can still play the game and measure the daily benefits you get from your new life without cigarettes.
• Takes Allen Carr's method takes the method to a new level by simultaneously entertaining and challenging the player – a truly interactive approach and more efficient learning process that enables the player to quit smoking more easily.