Today's game on display from our physical collection is Lost in Blue 3 for the Nintendo DS!
Back in the mid-2000s, I was a new subscriber to Nintendo's official gaming magazine, Nintendo Power, and the topic that was all the rage was none other than the Nintendo DS. It was an advanced new handheld capable of 3D graphics, featuring a built-in microphone and a second display that functioned as a touchscreen! As insane as it might sound nowadays, touchscreen technology was still mind-blowing at the time, and being able to use it with video games was on a whole other level. With these new capabilities, developers began creating titles that utilized them in creative ways. One game showcased in Nintendo Power that did just that was the original Lost in Blue—which was actually the third entry in the overall franchise.
Survival on a Handheld
Although I never personally played the previous titles, I was always very intrigued by the concept. It was a survival game where you had to endure after crashing on a deserted island, which meant using all of the resources available to you. Crafting tools was key, finding food and running water was vital, and the most unique feature of all was that players had to use the touchscreen to do nearly all of it. It added a touch of realism never really seen in the genre before, and it was on a handheld to boot! Of course, I wouldn't get to experience this myself until a few years later when I purchased Lost in Blue 3 during a random shopping trip with my mom and grandmother. It was in a town we didn't visit often, so I didn't want to pass up the opportunity—and I'm glad I didn't!
Similar to the other entries in the series, Lost in Blue 3 is also a survival game, but it features four protagonists who can help out around the camp. Of course, this means you need more resources to survive, but it also allows you to accomplish much more. It builds upon the foundation set by the original while offering a fresh experience for longtime fans.
The Legacy of the Series
Following the release of the third title, Lost in Blue: Shipwrecked launched in 2008 for the Wii, and a series reboot simply titled Survival Kids—the franchise's Japanese name—launched in 2025 for the Nintendo Switch 2. Western fans might not realize Survival Kids is part of the Lost in Blue lineage, but from a gameplay standpoint, there is no mistaking it.
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