Summary
It’s been a long time since theNintendo DSchanged the game for handhelds, but all these years later, the dual-screen device still holds up where it counts. While it might be graphically lacking compared to more modern options, the DS packed a lot of great games into a compelling form factor. Many of the best games also made great use of its unique features like touchscreen capabilities, delivering experiences that couldn’t be found anywhere else.
As is to be expected for a Nintendo system,the roster of DS greats includes a sampling of first-party Nintendo games, but they’re not the only titles to show the system at its best. From complex RPGs to exciting action games, the Nintendo DS library boasts an extraordinary lineup that’s still well-worth playing today.
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10Professor Layton And The Unwound Future (2008)
TheProfessor Laytonseries is one of the bestthings to come out of the Nintendo DS, andProfessor Layton and the Unwound Futuremight represent the franchise at its peak. At its core,Unwound Futureis a puzzle game, but it’s not one that’s ever content to stick with one idea for too long. With 168 puzzles that follow their own unique rules, there’s a lot of delightful brain-teasing to be found here.
Puzzles aren’t all thatProfessor Layton and the Unwound Futurehas to offer, however, and charming locations, gorgeous art, memorable characters, and a story that swings for the fences all help to make the experience something special.Professor Layton and the Curious Village, the game that started the series, is also a fantastic Nintendo DS pick, and it’s hard to go wrong with any DS game that bears theLaytonname.
9Animal Crossing: Wild World (2005)
Animal Crossingis a bigger franchise than ever thanks to the success ofNew Horizons, but the series has been great for a long time. Even if it doesn’t pack in as many features as later entries,Animal Crossing:Wild Worldis still a genuine contender for the best in the series. Packing an experience this robust into a handheld system was impressive at the time, but it does a lot more than just deliver the essentials.
Animal Crossing: Wild Worldexcelsthanks to its compelling atmosphere and fantastic villagers, elements that aren’t quite as beholden to a focus on being cute as they are inNew Horizons.Fishing, decorating, and filling out the museum all have their charms, butengaging in heated arguments with villagers and slowly befriending characters like Brewster and Sable are what make the experience special.
8Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels Of The Starry Skies (2010)
Dragon Quest 9: Sentinels of the Starry Skiesreleased in North America less than a year before the launch of the 3DS, but this expansive RPG helped to prove that the Nintendo DS still had a lot to offer. Telling the story of a protagonist from an angelic race venturing on a journey through the mortal world,Dragon Quest 9met the standards of quality storytelling and engaging gameplay that the time-honored RPG series is known for.
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The core elements ofDragon Quest 9’s design are more traditional than they are deeply innovative, but the game made a big leap forward with its focus on multiplayer. Some unique features thatDragon Quest 9included even helped set the stage for the 3DS StreetPass functionality, showing its ability to be forward-thinking where it counts.
7Pokémon Black & White (2011)
When it comes to late-stage Nintendo DS hits, nothing outdoes the 2011 release ofPokémon Black and White, except for perhaps the sequel release ofPokémon Black 2 and White 2.In a modern era where a number of majorPokémonreleases have been fairly disappointing, the DS titles look more attractive than ever, presenting polished experiences and interesting stories that definitely hold up.
Despite the strength of earlierPokémonDS games likeDiamond and PearlandHeartGold and SoulSilver,Pokémon Black and Whiteweren’t content to let the series rest on its laurels. New concepts like seasons and the largest number of new Pokémon introduced in any generation helpedBlack and Whitestand out, and some of the games' best qualities haven’t been topped today.
6New Super Mario Bros. (2006)
By the time thatSuper Mario Bros. Wondercame around for the Nintendo Switch, it felt like arefreshing return to formafter how stale theNew Super Mario Bros.games had gotten. On the Nintendo DS, however, the originalNew Super Mario Bros.also felt like a fresh innovation. Tight level design and gameplay that’s perfect to take on the go still elevate it above its successors, especially compared to the relative misfire that wasNew Super Mario Bros. 2.
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New Super Mario Bros.takes things back to the 2D platforming basics, but it adds in plenty of memorable touches, like enemies that dance along to the beat of its bouncy music. A generous save system makes it a lot more approachable than classicSuper Mario Bros.games, but some smart platforming challenges still make beating Bowser rewarding.
5Castlevania: Dawn Of Sorrow (2005)
The gorgeousCastlevaniatitleSymphony of the Nightremains an iconic staple of the Metroidvania genre today, but its successors on the Game Boy Advance and Nintendo DS are no less worthy of attention. It’s especially hard to go wrong with the first DS entry,Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow, which delivers all the franchise’s best elements at a difficulty level that’s more manageable than the hardest titles.
Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrowiterated on the gameplay of its predecessors to make the best use of what the DS hardware had to offer, and its boss fights remain standouts. The art style and story can be divisive compared to some other entries, but it still blows plenty of other DS games out of the water in both regards.
4The Legend Of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass (2007)
TheLegend of Zeldaseries has had a lot of great handheld adventures, andThe Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglassis no exception. Following up on the cartoon style and sailing spirit ofThe Wind Waker,Phantom Hourglassfeatures plenty of charming characters and memorable dungeons to enjoy.
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The Legend of Zelda:Phantom Hourglassis also a must for anyone wanting to see some creative uses of Nintendo DS capabilities, as it makes use of every feature from blowing into the mic to closing the system. Not every gimmick feels great, and controlling Link with the stylus can take some getting used to, but even that helped open up the more fluid style of top-down movement that defines 2DThe Legend ofZeldagames today.
3Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story (2009)
Every game in theMario & Luigiseries has its charms, andBowser’s Inside Storyrepresents just how creative they can be. The title is more literal than it might seem, as Mario and Luigi end up inside of Bowser in an unusual adventure that faces everyone off against the interesting villain Fawful.
The writing inMario & Luigi:Bowser’s Inside Storyconsistently lives up to the potential of its premise, with a memorable story and plenty of fun comedy that never undermines its strongest moments. A fun take on turn-based combat that injects a greater sense of action keeps things moving even for fans who aren’t as accustomed to RPGs, and unlike the laterMario & LuigientryDream Team, the game never loses its inherent momentum.
2Mario Kart DS (2005)
It might seem odd that one of the bestMario Kartgames of all time came out on a handheld with relatively limited hardware capabilities, butMario Kart DSis easily capable of shattering expectations. Tight mechanics, well-balanced item distribution, and a fantastic selection of tracks make the moment-to-moment gameplay consistently thrilling, and a fun lineup of characters and karts provides something for every playstyle.
Mario Kart DSalso fully delivers as both a single-player and multiplayer experience, going above and beyond in both regards. A selection of single-player missions incentivize mastery of various skills, while multiplayer gets a boost thanks to fun mini-games and a DS Download play feature that requires only one copy to have fun with friends.
1Chrono Trigger (2008)
The original Super Nintendo release ofChrono Triggeris a contender for the best RPG of all time, and the Nintendo DS port did the impossible by making it even better. The dual-screen setup makes it possible to keep the beautiful artwork free of menu clutter, and some extra content offers more to players that have already seen it all.
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Created by a dream team of industry legends at Square Enix,Chrono Triggerdelivers essentially everything that an RPG can, with a creative story, compelling characters, and thoughtful encounter placement that doesn’t simply throw random battles at the player. It might seem odd for an SNES title to claim the throne as the bestNintendo DSgame, but playing throughChrono Triggeron the DS makes it clear just how thoroughly it deserves that honor.
