Gamesmaster has been spending a lot of time traveling in planes, trains and automobiles lately, ensuring that I've spent lots of time with my iPhone, PSP and Nintendo DS.
It has given me the chance to try and bolster my Pokemon troupe so I can catch up to the rampant progress my eldest son is making in Pokemon Platinum, but I've also found a few other DS cartridges have become essential travel companions.
First in the bag with the DS is always Clubhouse Games, a title which never got the attention it deserved when released a couple of years ago. I've since seen the game pop up occasionally on retail catalogues for less than half price and can highly recommend it as a evergreen favourite, great fun whether you've got just a couple of minutes spare or a few hours to kill.
Other DS games that have proved faithful friends on the road or in the air include Animal Crossing Wide World, Advance Wars Dual Strike, Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars, New Super Mario Bros. and Elite Beat Agents.
My PSP only tends to come on longer trips (complete with two spare batteries and the essential charger) and is usually accompanied by some movies, Lumines, Puzzle Quest, Patapon and God of War: Chains of Olympus.
Games on the iPhone aren't typically as deep or complex than titles for the DS and PSP, but they still can be great fun. The games most likely to help me survive an otherwise boring commute include Peggle, Flight Control, Bookworm and sometimes even the delightfully simple Paper Toss.
Today I thought The Vine readers might like to list their essential travel companions.
My prerequisites for the perfect portable game are that it must have endless replay appeal, be quick to get into and accommodate even the briefest of play sessions.
It's not that the likes of Phoenix Wright and Hotel Dust for the DS aren't highly recommended, just that they are better suited to a lazy afternoon curled up on the couch.
So, what games are your favourites for traveling and commuting?