If there’s one thing that can be said about the games inspired by author Tom Clancy it’s that the scenarios seen in the games are not only plausible but also downright frightening. On major consoles, we’ve breached terrorist cells capable of unleashing deadly biological or nuclear bombs and taken out threats to National Security before an international incident turns things really ugly. These are scenarios that are possible in the real world. Tom Clancy’s EndWar for the Nintendo DS touches upon another possible threat in its turn-based strategy game … World War III.

EndWar paints a bleak picture of a possible future where Europe - no longer able to secure themselves financially - becomes a unified continent and is renamed the United States of Europe. Of course, Russia is the only country that is not in agreement and the Motherland’s President sees this as an opportunity to defy the United States and the friendly nations of Europe by going against the United States. Destroying a U.S. satellite, the world is tossed into turmoil. Broken up into three main factions, the American, European and Russian forces take to the battlefield in the third World War.

The single-player campaign offers up three tutorial modes that take you by the hand to learn all of the game’s rules and gameplay elements. You are then asked to pick from the three available factions that include the American’s Joint Task Force, Russia’s Spetsnaz Brigade and the European Federation Enforces Corps. The war will take you from the frontlines in Northern Europe as well as locales in North America and even the Middle East. Armed with your quick wits, tactical battle sense and your DS Stylus, you are the Commander in charge of planning and executing your faction’s movements and attacks.

The battle takes place on a map with an octagonal grid that represents the places your unit can move to once you start the game’s Movement Phase. It is here that you can point the unit you would like to move on a space that you feel would make the most tactical sense. The units consist of ground troops, ground vehicles of the armored and non-armored type as well as air support and watercrafts such as battleships and submarines. There are 20 unit types you can use throughout the game and each moves differently and attacks in different ways.

Like a challenging game of chess, you’ll have to decide the strongest units should be positioned and how to mobilize them in areas that would give you the advantage on the battlefield. Interesting tactical positioning such as Blocking and Jamming (where you surround the enemies on both sides and strike them down together so there’s no possible way they can escape) make the tactical end of the Movement Phase akin to deciding whether you would like to move your Rook so early in a chess game. The good news, to newbies, is the fact that no movement is permanent until you press the “End Phase” option so you can make changes right away.

The final phase is called the Action Phase where you will launch your attack against the enemy. After having placed your unit around the enemy forces scattered throughout the map, now is the time to launch your attack. EndWar’s battles are simple, automatic affairs but that doesn’t mean your ground troops are able to take down enemy tanks or airplanes just by selecting them. The Map Information will let you know if you’re greatly outnumber or if your fighter jet unit stands a chance against ground artillery. Once you execute the orders, then it’s your enemy’s turn to move and respond to your tactical decisions.

As far as the levels are concerned, EndWar contains a little over 90 of them and each level comes up with interesting battle scenarios. On top of your main objective, you are also asked to complete secondary objectives that will have you performing a number of different tasks or setting conditions such as not losing half of your ground troops. Aside from the great mission scenarios, the opponent AI is wonderfully challenging and will give veterans and newcomers a good mental workout.

On the Nintendo DS, the game plays a lot like the PSP version of the game with the only advantage being the ability to use the Stylus to tap on the units and area within the map that you’d like to move said unit. There’s very little else in this game that takes advantage of the DS’ technology. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, of course, but it’s slightly disappointing seeing as the console game supports voice command options and the DS does have a microphone.

Still, it’s hard to complain when the game contains a multiplayer mode that runs smoothly and the extra option of creating your own battlefields with the Map Editor. The Map Editor contains just enough goodies to come up with some original scenarios and you can store up to 32 custom maps on the DS to share with friends via multiplayer or simply use it in the single-player Battle mode. Battle Mode basically just jumps straight to the action without a story or other mission objectives.

On the graphics front, EndWar looks decent for a strategy game. It doesn’t show off any flashy visual effects and the battles don’t sport any real cool special effects aside from some OK explosions. The maps are nicely detailed, though, and famous landmarks are recognizable immediately. There’s very little in terms of a sound as well with the exception of a short music clips and a few voices. The sound effects are not bad but not great either.

Tom Clancy’s EndWar for the Nintendo DS is a smart, challenging and satisfying strategy game that fits right at home on Nintendo’s handheld. While it’s far from the perfect strategy game, there’s more than enough to like about a game that offers enough to do. On top of the great battle scenarios and the solid opponent AI, the Map Editor is a major plus and the smooth multiplayer make this a package well worth the purchase price for anyone looking for a good portable strategy game.

Gameplay: 8.0
The touch-screen controls are simply used as a gimmick in the version of the game but then again this isn’t a complaint seeing as the game is very user-friendly for both strategy game veterans and those new to the genre. There are also more than enough missions to tackle that are challenging and loads of fun. You can always design your own map to use in the single-player or multiplayer game.

Graphics: 7.5
EndWar sports some colorful and nicely detailed maps and the visual effects don’t look so bad even on the Nintendo DS. Too bad the battles screens get repetitive and less interesting the more you play but the game’s overall presentation is very nice.

Sound: 7.5
The sound effects aren’t deep but it’s good to hear sound effects for each vehicles and during battles. There’s no voice acting in the game, unless you count the “Yes, sir!” voice clips. The music is appropriate for a Tom Clancy-themed game.

Difficulty: Medium/Hard
The opponent AI is smart enough to make some impressive tactical decisions on the battlefield in the game’s single-player campaign. Believe me when I say that you’ll be really thinking over every decision you make in the game.

Concept: 8.0
The touch-screen controls are used throughout the game but not in the most inventive way, though. It would have been cool issuing at least one order with the DS’ microphone. Still the Map Editor allows you to be as inventive as you want. There’s multi-card multiplayer fun to be had here as well.

Multiplayer: 8.2
The two-player multiplayer game runs at a very steady framerate and that’s a very good thing but the real highlight is being able to share you created battlefield with a friend. This is a great game to share with a fellow strategy gamer.

Overall: 8.0
There’s certainly a lot to like about Tom Clancy’s EndWar and even more so on the Nintendo DS that makes this a thoroughly engaging portable strategy game fans can certainly appreciate. Aside from the plentiful missions, deep Map Editor and challenging opponent AI, the gameplay makes for some fun moments with your Stylus.