Dora's Big Birthday Adventure for Nintendo DS is based directly on the special prime-time television episode of the same title, which concludes the cartoon series' "Magic Storybook Trilogy" and follows Dora and Boots on their adventure back home from Wizzle World. Players use the touch screen to guide the brave young explorer and her red rubber-shod monkey companion through simple running and jumping platform challenges, and direct the action by tapping and scribbling on the screen, and shouting into the microphone in other mini-game sequences along the way. The game is designed for play by preschool fans of the television show, to offer an engaging challenge but avoid frustrating young gamers.