My sons both have Nintendo DS handhelds and I occasionally borrow them to play a game – like Brain Age 2 — but until now, I haven’t really wanted one for myself. The fairly new Personal Trainer series of titles take the handhelds to a new level, by offering expert instruction on a variety of topics. My favorite: Personal Trainer: Cooking.

Using video, photos and text, Personal Trainer: Cooking guides would-be chefs through a series of detailed instructions to prepare hundreds of items…from basics to gourmet.

I decided to make California Sushi Rolls. An animated chef helped me pick all the items I’d need, make perfect sushi rice, prep the crab filling and roll it all into a yummy final product…with useful tips along the way that I wouldn’t have thought about. A great feature is voice prompts, so you can guide to the “next” step verbally while keeping your hands cooking.

I also love the training videos that teach users everything from how to properly chop and onion to how to boil an octopus!

Nintendo Personal Trainer: Cooking – $19.99 at Amazon.com