Role-playing games seem a perfect fit for portable systems, as they let gamers while away time spent on planes, trains, and automobiles by leveling up their characters and trudging through lengthy quests. Oddly enough, the Nintendo DS hasn't played host to a traditional role-playing game yet. That changes today, as Ubisoft's Lunar: Dragon Song has shipped to North American retailers.

　　Dragon Song is the first original game in the long-running Lunar series in more than a decade, and it acts as a prequel to the series' first game, Lunar: The Silver Star. While the world is at peace, a demon invasion lurks in the future, and it's up to a young boy named Jian and his friends to discover the extent of the demonic doings and then save the world of Lunar from the forces of evil.

　　Gameplay-wise, Dragon Song implements a new battle card system that lets players change their characters' abilities, new items and weapons, and wireless LAN connectivity so that players can swap rare items.

　　Lunar: Dragon Song was developed by Japan Art Media and longtime Lunar developer Game Arts. It is rated E10+ for Everybody 10 and Older and carries a retail price of $29.99. Check back later for GameSpot's full review.