Lord of the Rings: Conquest on DS is basically a stripped-down version of the console game, but hey—it still lets you hack through orcs as Aragorn or Legolas, which is all I really wanted. The controls take some getting used to (good luck nailing those perfect counters at first), but once you get the hang of it, there’s something satisfying about mowing down Uruk-hai in bite-sized battles between bus rides.

You’ll jump between good and evil campaigns, which is a nice touch—playing as a Balrog in Moria feels as ridiculous and fun as it sounds. The maps are small, obviously, but they cram in enough iconic locations like Helm’s Deep to keep it feeling like Middle-earth. Just don’t expect deep strategy; this is more of a "swing first, ask questions later" kind of game.

It’s janky in places, but if you’re a LOTR fan with a DS and 20 minutes to kill, it’s a decent way to pretend you’re in the movies.