Natsume has now announced that the company has officially launched Hi! Hamtaro: Ham-Ham Challenge for the Nintendo DS, a brain-training DS game geared at elementary-aged children.

Despite Nintendo ditching the poor little cute hamster, Hamtaro is back with his friends to make learning fun in Hi! Hamtaro: Ham-Ham Challenge. Children will not only be entertained by the beloved hamster Hamtaro and his adorable cast of friends, they will also develop their memory, word comprehension, math skills, and many other abilities as they play through the twelve engaging interactive games. The game’s easy-to-learn touch-screen controls make the game fun and accessible for children of all ages. Parents can take an active role in their child’s playing and learning with features that let them monitor their child’s progress in each game, adjust the difficulty level to match their child’s skills, monitor and control play time, and even reward their child with special items.

“Hamtaro is a classic, lovable character who not only entertains kids, but also helps them to grow and learn. Parents will love the developmental and educational aspects of the game, as well as the ability to monitor and reward their child’s progress. Hi! Hamtaro: Ham-Ham Challenge is sure to be a hit with parents and kids alike!”
- Hiro Maekawa, President and CEO of Natsume.

The game is now available for US$29.99 and will likely be picked up by a company such as 505 Games for Europe.