With a system so perfectly suited for quick-burst play sessions and simple graphics, it's no wonder that Nintendo has seen many third parties release retro game collections for it's popular handheld. Namco-Bandai enters the fray this fall with Namco Museum DS. It features seven classics from the early days of gaming, as well as a present-day remake getting a much-deserved re-release.

Pac-Man: Everybody knows how this classic plays. Guide the yellow guy through the maze, eat the power pellets, avoid the ghosts.

Xevious: The first top-down, vertically scrolling shooter to feature attacks against both air and the land below. Players advance over varying terrain and destroy everything in their path.

Dig Dug II: This arcade sequel moves the action to an island and expands on the mechanics of the first game with more tools and enemies. The goal is to vanquish all foes by digging fault lines that cause huge chunks of the island to fall into the sea. The more enemies that perish, the more points earned.

Galaxian: A Space Invaders clone, Galaxian refines the top-down shooting experience by adding more color and having the alien/insect ships dive-bomb the player, kamikazi-style.

Galaga: The sequel to Galaxian that is still found in bars and restaurants around the world. More alien dive-bombing, new bonus stages, and the power of two ships combined!

Mappy: A cat-and-mouse platformer originally released in 1983, the game pits players in the role as Mappy the police mouse. The goal is to move through a mansion full of cats and retrieve stolen goods without being eaten. Trampolines, trap doors, and a timer on each stage aim to keep things tense.

The Tower of Druaga: A notoriously difficult action game that was in many ways a precursor to Gauntlet. From a top-down perspective, players conquer a series of mazes, killing monsters, collecting treasure, and locating the necessary key to open the next 'floor' as they ascend the titular tower.

Pac-Man Vs.: A collaboration between famed Nintendo game designer Shigeru Miyamoto and Pac-Man creator Toru Iwatani, Pac-Man Vs. allows up to four players to experience the classic game in a totally new way: one player controls Pac-Man in the traditional method, while the other three players are on the hunt as ghosts in a limited 3-D view. Players progress through a variety of mazes and take turns being the title character. Originally developed for the GameCube and requiring a GameBoy Advance and Game-Link cable, this release marks the first time the game will be available with wireless multiplayer.

Namco Museum DS is authentic with the options as well. Players have the ability to tweak game settings just like in the old arcade machines, adjusting the parameters or difficulty to their liking. Namco-Bandai are also utilizing the unique screen layout of the DS to give the player different viewing options (using the traditional one-screen vertical view or having the action stretched across both screens). The game also supports single-cartridge multiplayer, so players only need one copy to get their four-player Pac-Man Vs. on.

Recently on display at E3, Namco Museum DS is currently on track for a September 18 release at the budget price of $19.99. Keep checking NWR for a full review as the release date nears.