They say that honesty is the best policy, so, since I’m not one to shy away from the advice of wise words, I’ll make a confession: When Nintendo first unveiled the DS, I was most definitely not a believer. Some would even go as far as to label me a “hater.” Dual screens? Gimmick! Touchscreen? Who needs it?! I lacked the foresight to see how a radical change to mobile gaming would encourage radical software to be built, which would in turn encourage radical gameplay. Totally radical gameplay.

So when THQ announced a Fall release of  Drawn to Life: The Next Chapter, the sequel to Drawn to Life, I smiled a bit inside knowing that companies are out there dead set on proving the ol’ Jeff Wilson wrong. Using the DS’ stylus, players draw their own protagonists for use in the in-game adventure to defeat the evil Wilfre and restore color to the Raposa civilization. The game’s Action Drawing Tool gives each color special properties when scribbling objects into the environment. Coin collecting, puzzle solving, multi-player modes, and other action staples also are part of the gameplay.

Drawn to Life: The Next Chapter is also in development for the Nintendo Wii, which will allow players to use the Wii Remote to draw more than 100 unique items (vehicles, weapons, tools, and more) to conquer their enemies. The Action Drawing tool allows for objects to be drawn directly into the game to help navigate through several environments, including a sky world, jungle and shadow city. Plus, the game’s multi-player feature will allow players to draw their team members and equipment to compete against others in a variety of mini-games, such as soccer, hockey and basketball.

Kinda makes you wish you still had those doodles drawn in Trapper Keepers on hand, doesn’t it?