Based on the anime series, Dragon Booster for the DS is, in essence, an action adventure game with racing elements. The goal is to reunite dragons and humans. They used to live peacefully together in Dragon City, but evil forces are now threatening to destroy that relationship. Fortunately, this story has a hero. He’s a teenager named Artha Penn, and he’s chosen by the legendary dragon Beaucephalis to slay a bunch of bad guys, which will in turn prevent the dragon/human war from erupting.

This is done in the mission-based Adventure Mode. Basically, your job is to capture and nurture dragons so they become better at winning races. Up to twelve dragons can be collected, but they won’t do much good without proper dragon gear. Fortunately, you can build, buy, or win different dragon gear, or even trade with a friend over a wireless connection. In this way, you can increase your dragon’s energy and defense levels.

The racing itself takes place on 3D tracks located high above the surface. Think F-Zero, and you get the picture. One of the tracks is situated over a sea of lava. It has numerous slopes and sharp turns and narrowing paths, which obviously makes it harder to stay on course. There are also boost pads that temporarily increase your speed.

The game offers a Challenge Mode as well. It doesn’t present you with missions. Instead, you’re free to explore Dragon City and collect, train, and breed dragons. You also get the chance to challenge various Dragon City crews, as well as race against a friend wirelessly.

The developer, Konami, promises a unique use of the dual screens as well, but specific details are yet to be revealed.