On November 21st, 2004, Nintendo released what was perhaps their strangest portable to date. It boasted two screens, N64-level graphics, a microphone, and wireless capabilities. But its biggest innovation was undoubtedly its touch screen.
For many of us, it was our first foray into touch screen gaming. At this point, the iPhone was merely a twinkle in Steve Jobs’ eye, but the DS’s stylus was already taking us into new and exciting territory. Over the course of the last five years we’ve seen familiar franchises evolve with new control schemes. We’ve run the gamut from the most casual puzzle games to the most hardcore RPGs. We’ve seen four evolutions of the system itself. We’ve killed vampires, saved princesses, cooked dinner, played with puppies, and touched witches inappropriately.
In a scant five years, the DS has already established itself as one of the greatest gaming systems of all time. And although it won’t be easy, we here at NGal have decided to try and compile a list of the ten best DS games so far in honor of its fifth birthday. Congratulations little buddy, and here’s to five more!
When Phantom Hourglass was first announced, reactions were mixed. Some fans were pleased to see the return of the Wind Waker-style graphics, while others worried about how the touch screen would affect the controls. But once the game was released, no one could dispute the fact that Phantom Hourglass was managed to live up to the Zelda name. The new touch screen controls were almost universally heralded as innovation the series sorely needed, with some reviewers calling them "perfect." Sailing was no longer the chore it was in Wind Waker, and the game’s many puzzles impressed. And although some thought that returning to the Temple of the Ocean King time after time was a pain, the game is still largely considered to be one of the finest adventures available on the DS. Love it or hate it, Phantom Hourglass has sold millions of copies, and its sequel, Spirit Tracks, is due out in a mere matter of weeks. Whether or not it lives up to the lofty ranks of its predecessor, we shall soon see.
Trauma Center: Under the Knife came out within a year of the DS’s launch, and it was immediately heralded as one of its most unique games. The game puts you in the shoes of a surgeon, utilizing the DS’s touch screen to perform several operations throughout a soap opera-like narrative. Although it wasn’t exactly realistic, Trauma Center featured frantic, tense gameplay that required a steady hand to pull off. The response to the game was so positive that it has so far spawned three sequels, with a fourth on the way. Two have already been released on the Wii with another coming next Spring, while Under the Knife 2 was released for the DS in 2008.
A demo copy of Metroid Prime Hunters came with every copy of the original DS, and immediately impressed the system’s new owners with its superb 3D graphics and exciting gameplay. It therefore became one of the most anticipated games for the handheld, and on most levels, did not disappoint. Hunters took a page from its console brethren by placing the player behind the mask of Samus Aran, going into a third person view only for morph ball segments. However, Hunters significantly ramped up the action from the comparatively slow-paced, console Prime games. It also included a wifi multiplayer mode, which featured voice chat for the first time on the DS.
As Nintendo fanboys’ rabid distaste of anything labeled "casual" grew, nothing brought both casual and hardcore players together like Professor Layton and the Curious Village and Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box. Both games blur the line between the two parties by offering universally loved characters, fantastic artwork, compelling stories, and puzzles ranging from the clever to the downright devious. Anyone can pick up and play a Professor Layton game, but only the most dedicated will master every single puzzle, including the new one offered every week as a downloadable bonus. At least four more games are planned in the series, and its popularity as spawned an animated feature film in Japan as well. Cheers to you, Professor.
Three games in the Castlevania series have already been released for the Nintendo DS – and every one of them is fantastic in its own right. The track record for 2D Castlevania adventures since Symphony of the Night has been stellar, but most critics agree that the DS installments are some of the best in the entire franchise. Dawn of Sorrow, Portrait of Ruin, and Order of Ecclesia all innovate and expand on the classic formula in their own ways, but all three feature the same fantastic tone, music, and difficult gameplay that keeps their fans begging for more.
After sitting through nothing but remakes on the GBA, most Nintendo fans had all but given up hope on ever seeing a return to the classic, side-scrolling Mario gameplay that defined an industry and created an icon. Even the first Mario game for the DS was a remake of the admittedly genre-defining Mario 64. But then came the announcement of a new Mario side-scroller for the DS, simply titled, New Super Mario Bros. Selling a staggering 18.45 million copies so far, critics and fans alike have hailed its nostalgia-inducing gameplay. And with eight worlds to explore and numerous minigames to master, New Super Mario Bros finally sated the thirst fans of the series had felt for years. The best part is, fans won’t have to wait another decade for a new game in the series. Nintendo’s already released a sequel on the Wii.
Mario Kart DS is still considered by some to be the best game in the long-running Mario Kart series. Not only did it introduce 16 of the best tracks the series has had to date alongside 16 other classics, but it was also the first game in the series to take its particular brand of frantic, multiplayer madness online. Mario Kart DS arguably offered the most compelling reason to take the DS online since the introduction of the WiFi service, and countless players still snake their way down the courses online today. Its also the first game in the series to feature a mission mode, which ensured the game card would never leave your DS slot.
The World Ends With You is not only one of the best DS games ever made, it’s also one of the biggest. It features an epic quest, a deep storyline, incredible music… and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Four years into the DS’s lifespan, you would think it would be hard to produce a game as innovative as WEWY. It uses every single feature of the DS creatively, whether you’re using the wireless capabilities to battle a friend in Tin Pin, or using the touch screen to fool people with a ouija board. Its gameplay is truly one of a kind, forcing you to control separate battles on both the top and bottom screens of the handheld at once (you get used to it), while using both traditional button and touch screen input to battle your foes. We could go on and on for pages on its creative leveling system, its 300+ pins to collect, its wealth of bonus content after the main game is beaten… but instead, why don’t you just go buy it right now? You won’t regret it.
One of the wackiest games on the DS is also one of its best. In this game you will do everything from babysitting, to fighting off an infection inside someone’s body, to comforting a little girl whose father has passed away… all while tapping to the best of songs from the likes of Michael Jackson and David Bowie. Yes, Elite Beat Agents is WEIRD. But it is also undeniably fun and maddeningly addictive. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll sing along.
Pokemon games are always good, but the franchise’s DS iterations are simply sublime. Not only do they provide an enormous world to get lost in and almost 400 Pokemon to collect, but for the first time they took the series online, allowing you to trade, battle, and socialize with Pokemaniacs around the entire globe.
To further explain the impact these games had on the DS playing population, one of the members of our staff has written a separate article that can be read here.
Honorable Mentions
Although we feel that the previous ten games really represent the best of what the handheld has to offer, the DS undeniably has one of the best libraries in all of gaming. Therefore, it would be impossible to end this list without mentioning some of the best games that just didn’t quite make the cut.
Picross DS – One of the best puzzle games for the DS, Picross DS includes hundreds of brain-bending puzzles to keep you occupied.
Tetris DS – While we’re on the subject of puzzle games, Tetris DS is probably the best version of the classic game ever released.
The Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney series – Who knew pretending to be a lawyer could be this exciting? This series has a loyal fanbase and even has a live musical based on it in Japan.
Electroplankton – Part game, part music simulator, Electroplankton is yet another impressively unique title in the DS’s library.
Kingdom Hearts: 358/2 Days – The Kingdom Hearts series has a massive following, and for good reason. Every game in the franchise boasts impressive levels of gameplay and high production values. The DS iteration is no different.
Mario and Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story – Possibly the best Mario and Luigi title yet, this game will have you in stitches when you’re not marveling at its range of gameplay.
Contra 4 – Much like New Super Mario Bros, Contra 4 reinvents a classic with shockingly good (and difficult) results.
We hope you enjoyed our top ten. Let us know in the comments section if you agree, disagree, or felt like we slighted one of your favorites.
