Gardening Mama DS is played in the style of the popular “Cooking Mama” series, in which players perform mini-games which represent each step of process in completing an overall task.

For example, to plant a flower, players will need to dig the holes in one mini-game, spread the seed around in another, and then make sure to provide the appropriate amount of water.  Each min-game in itself is a fun and challenging activity, and no matter how you perform on each one, you’ll still move on to the next step in the process, which is nice so you don’t get hung up on something that may give you difficulty.

Each mini-game is timed providing a pressure to perform quickly and accurately, which can hinder younger players, but provides a nice challenge for older players to perform better.

The “Mama” series of cooking games is popular for a reason, and Gardening Mama is a great addition.  We recommend this one for kids, tweens and even teens, who will enjoy the fun and competitive mini-games, as well as the satisfaction of planting something and watching it grow (albeit virtually).