Coming from the same guys behind the frightfully addictive Henry Hatsworth, Majesco is ready to launch Monster Tale on Nintendo DS.

This side-scroller follows a girl named Ellie who arrives on Monster World to discover that a group of brats named the Kid Kings have taken control of the world and the monsters that inhabit it.

Eager to save the monsters from their tormentors, Ellie stumbles across one monster that hasn't yet be enslaved, a red dragon-y thing named Chomp. Together, they team up to free his monster friends and to teach the bullies from Earth a lesson or two about kindness and tolerance, etc, etc.

This game is unique in that it blends a few different styles of game play with a few different gaming ideas. The top screen of the DS is the side-scroller where Ellie walks, runs, jumps and shoots. The bottom screen is where Chomp hangs out, gaining experience and generally just chilling. When Ellie runs into trouble, however, the user can call on Chomp to come join the battle, giving the player an extra edge in a tougher battle.

During the battle, Chomp can also use special moves, which he learns throughout the game. The developers were kind enough to allow the player to assign the various moves to different buttons, a courteous nod to the more customizable games on the market, and an advantage for younger gamers who might find it less complicated to stick to two or three moves.

Chomp was described as a cross between a Tamagotchi and a Pokemon. He has moods like a Tamagotchi, and evolves into larger forms like a Pokemon. Players can check his stats, his moods, and even feed him or give him items on the touch screen. Chomp has approximately 30 different forms that he can evolve to and Ellie has five different worlds to defeat, each one guarded by a Kid King and an enslaved monster.

Visually, the game is colourful and bright, perfect for the younger gamer. The controls seem easy enough that someone ten years old could enjoy it, while someone 20 years older could still have fun. There is no blood or gore (as with all of Majesco's E3 line-up) so parents will be satisfied at the kid-friendly rating.

The game is slated for release this December on the Nintendo DS.