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As a result of a handheld that offered 150 million models deserves greater than only a high 10 Over the far-too-many years I’ve been with Destructoid, I don’t assume there may be an article I’ve written that’s prompted me as a lot bother as this one. Regardless of the very fact you’re seeing extra of those on this web site, listicles are onerous. Whether or not it’s one thing easy like rating household video games or making an attempt to sum up a complete console catalog in simply ten spots, writing articles like this could trigger a sort of anguish no evaluation or impressions piece ever might. I’d a lot reasonably attempt to clarify the gameplay of the newest Nobunaga’s Ambition to an octogenarian than attempt to whittle down a listing of one of the best Nintendo DS video games. However I do it as a result of I really like the Nintendo DS. In my view, it’s the best gaming system the corporate has created. With its mixture of contact and traditional controls, the Nintendo DS supplied builders with a possibility to alter how we envision the video games we play and the way we work together with them. The system was an ideal marriage of the business’s previous and its future. There have been gaming experiences on the DS that you just couldn’t get anyplace else. Video games like Really feel the Magic: XX/XY or Cooking Mama or Scribblenauts wouldn’t have resonated the way in which they did if these experiences had been tied to traditional controls. And that’s what makes making a rating of one of the best Nintendo DS video games so troublesome. As a result of it will be straightforward to checklist 10 glorious conventional video games and name it a day. Chrono Set off DS would most likely high that checklist. However the Nintendo DS was not a standard system, and to disregard its biggest experimental or “blue ocean” titles would do the system an injustice. That’s why I expanded this checklist to fifteen. I wanted that further area to make sure it will be as extensively consultant as doable. And I ran this by the Destructoid full-time employees, so this isn’t simply my private high 15—clearly as a result of Dragon Quest Monsters: Rocket Slime is nowhere to be seen—however a listing I imagine ranks one of the best video games of the Nintendo DS catalog for this web site as a complete. Which is to say, please don’t be a hater in case your favourite sport ain’t right here. Screenshot through MobyGames 15. WarioWare D.I.Y. Take into account WarioWare D.I.Y.‘s placement on this checklist as representing each inventive or creativity app created for the Nintendo DS. We had the Artwork Academy video games, KORG DS-10, and the fantastic Electroplankton, which might could be on this checklist if allow you to save and export the music from it. The Nintendo DS was an impressive system for individuals who wished to flex their inventive muscle tissue. Keep in mind Flipnote Studio?! Numerous builders noticed the Nintendo DS stylus as a device reasonably than simply one other strategy to play a gam. These groups set about creating a collection of edutainment titles that had individuals believing they had been artists, animators, or musicians. Or, within the case of WarioWare D.I.Y., sport builders. Years earlier than Nintendo had individuals making their very own Mario ranges or recreating Crimson Gentle, Inexperienced Gentle in Recreation Builder Storage, Clever Programs gave gamers the chance to make and share their very own microgames. WarioWare D.I.Y. featured an intuitive and in depth sport creation suite that coated artwork, animation, music, and design. Every little thing budding sport builders would wish to make their very own WarioWare masterpieces. WarioWare D.I.Y. felt just like the fruits of all of the inventive apps that had come earlier than it, and that’s the reason it’s top-of-the-line video games on the Nintendo DS. Screenshot through MobyGames 14. Henry Hatsworth within the Puzzling Journey Henry Hatsworth in The Puzzling Journey is without doubt one of the finest examples of how the dual-screen handheld created new gaming experiences. Developed by present Madden developer EA Tiburon, Henry Hatsworth is an element platformer/half match-3 puzzler. On the highest display, gamers management Henry as he runs and jumps his manner via 5 totally different worlds, seeking to reassemble the Gentleman’s Go well with. Enemies Henry defeats on the highest display are despatched to the puzzle realm on the underside display. There, gamers should clear the enemy blocks earlier than they attain the highest of the display and are revived in Henry’s world. Whereas seemingly developed for the informal gamers who flocked to the Nintendo DS Lite, Henry Hatsworth is an authorized hardcore banger of a sport. It’s a disgrace this sport by no means obtained the widespread recognition it deserved. However I assume that’s what occurs whenever you launch your sport 5 days earlier than Pokémon Platinum and the identical day as #5 on the checklist. Screenshot through MobyGames 13. Shin Megami Tensei: Satan Survivor Atlus was probably the most reliable builders of the Nintendo DS period. This technique launched me to the corporate via such video games as Etrian Odyssey and Trauma Middle: Beneath the Knife. Each are glorious candidates for this checklist, however Shin Megami Tensei: Satan Survivor is a minimize above even these glorious titles for the hand held. A tactical spin-off of the long-running Shin Megami Tensei sequence, Satan Survivor is the product of Profession Delicate. Atlus acquired this studio in 2001, they usually’re finest recognized for the Langrisser and Growlanser sequence. That pedigree paid off nicely, as Satan Survivor stands out as one of the best TRPG launched on the Nintendo DS. It has glorious map design, nice customization choices, and unimaginable replay worth with its six alternate endings. I had dabbled with tactical RPGs earlier than Satan Survivor, however that is the primary within the style I really noticed via to the top. Screenshot through MobyGames 12. Phoenix Wright: Ace Lawyer – Trials and Tribulations Shu Takumi’s Ace Lawyer franchise began its life on the Recreation Boy Advance, but it surely grew to become a worldwide hit when Capcom ported the sequence to the Nintendo DS. The unique trilogy has among the finest online game writing of its period, with the ultimate entry of the unique trilogy, Trials and Tribulations, standing on the head of the category with one of the best instances and characters of the sequence as much as that time. That is the sport that launched gamers to Godot, a cocky, coffee-swilling DA with a critical bone to choose in opposition to Phoenix Wright. Whereas Miles Edgeworth could also be the preferred district lawyer to emerge from the sequence, I’ll at all times be ready for Godot to make his grand return. Screenshot through MobyGames 11. Pokémon HeartGold & SoulSilver Pokémon Gold and Pokémon Silver are sometimes considered one of the best online game sequels, and with good cause. The titles launched a large number of options to the franchise and 100 new sorts of pocket monsters to catch. When it got here to remaking the video games for the Nintendo DS, the builders at Recreation Freak threaded the needle between providing one thing new and respecting the legacy of the originals. The tip end result was Pokémon HeartGold and Pokémon SoulSilver, two video games that also stand as one of the best remakes Recreation Freak and the Pokemon Firm have ever produced. Not solely had been the video games themselves the head of the traditional Pokémon expertise, however one of many new options launched within the video games, the Pokewalker, proved to be a robust little accent. In response to a examine at Iowa State College, the Pokewalker was essentially the most correct step-tracking system when in comparison with different pedometers utilizing a treadmill. Not dangerous for a one-and-done gimmick developed to faucet into the online game health craze of the period. Screenshot through MobyGames 10. Nintendogs Lots of the Nintendo DS’ defining video games might be thought of “lightning in a bottle”. Nintendo was actually onto one thing with its blue ocean technique, creating new gaming experiences that rope in individuals who didn’t take into account themselves to be avid gamers. Mind Age was an early instance of this technique, however Nintendogs was one of the best. As someone who grew up failing to correctly increase Tamagotchi pets, I leaped on the alternative for pretend pet possession. Having needed to half methods with my IRL canine earlier than I went to varsity, I used to be curious if the digital expertise might ever examine to the true factor. It finally didn’t, however I nonetheless put hours into Nintendogs. I raised and washed my pups, took them for walks, and confused my roommates by telling my handheld it was being an excellent woman. Nintendogs received a bunch of awards and ended up because the second-best-selling sport on the DS. Sadly, Nintendo couldn’t catch that lighting a second time when it launched the Nintendo 3DS with the sequel Nintendogs + Cats. However even when it didn’t grow to be one other storied Nintendo franchise, Nintendogs stays one of the best non-gaming expertise on the DS. Screenshot through MobyGames 9. Meteos Masahiro Sakurai is mostly related to two legendary gaming franchises: Kirby and Tremendous Smash Bros. Nevertheless, on the Nintendo DS, there is only one sport that carries his identify: Meteos. Launched throughout the handheld’s first 12 months in the marketplace, Meteos is a frantic, combative match-3 puzzler. It duties gamers with saving the universe from the planet Meteo and its planet-annihilating meteos. As with related puzzle video games, the objective is to maintain the display from filling up with tiles. However making a match doesn’t clear the tiles from the grid. As a substitute, these tiles are launched from the underside display into outer area the place they’ll now not hurt the planets they’re invading. With the intuitive touch-screen controls and velocity choices that gave gamers some wiggle room by way of problem, Meteos reveals how touch-screen gaming can create dynamic experiences that traditional controls can’t simply reproduce. That’s why Meteos is a legendary puzzler and top-of-the-line Nintendo DS puzzle video games. Screenshot through MobyGames 8. Castlevania: Daybreak of Sorrow Choosing simply one of many glorious Castlevania video games that graced the Nintendo DS was no small activity. Between Daybreak of Sorrow, Portrait of Break, and Order of Ecclesia, the franchise had a terrific run on the system. I lapped up each one in every of these video games, but it surely’s Daybreak of Sorrow that stands out because the system’s biggest Castlevania. Like quite a lot of early Nintendo DS video games, it didn’t make a lot use of the 2 screens or its contact controls. It as a substitute used the “Magic Seal” system that made gamers get away the stylus to complete bosses and open doorways. However it didn’t want any gimmicks the Nintendo DS supplied. It simply wanted to proceed Konami’s excellent streak of wonderful Metroidvanias. Regardless of not likely using the distinctive {hardware}, Daybreak of Sorrow‘s story, gameplay, and customization choices simply make it one in every of Konami’s Finest. Screenshot through MobyGames 7. Professor Layton and the Unwound Future On the very first draft of this checklist, again when it was initially going to be simply 10 video games, it needed to be identified to me there wasn’t a single Professor Layton title to be seen. A silly error on my half, as a result of there is no such thing as a different franchise that’s as intently related to dual-screen gaming as this gem from Degree-5. The Professor Layton sequence’ mixture of beautiful artwork route, storytelling, and brainteasers made for an inviting expertise. It reached past the traditional gaming neighborhood to those that hadn’t picked up a controller in years. I’ve written about this earlier than, however Professor Layton and the Curious Village is without doubt one of the few healthful gaming reminiscences I’ve with my mother. I treasure this franchise, which is why it was so silly for me to go away it off a listing of one of the best Nintendo DS video games. As you’ll be able to see, I mounted that error in subsequent drafts. And whereas I’ve these heat reminiscences enjoying via the unique with my mother, it’s the third entry within the sequence, Professor Layton and the Unwound Future, that stands as one of the best of the bunch to hit the DS. With 168 puzzles to resolve, Unwound Future incorporates a few of Puzzle Grasp Akira Tago’s finest work for the franchise. From the brainteasers to the animation to the top-tier story, all the pieces is a step up from the earlier entries. As the top of the unique Layton and Luke trilogy, Degree-5 made certain Unwound Future went out with a bang. Screenshot through MobyGames 6. Elite Beat Brokers I used to be by no means that good at rhythm video games. With Guitar Hero and Rock Band, I’d by no means transfer past essentially the most primary problem stage. I didn’t assume I’d have the coordination to drag it off with out getting booed offstage. When Elite Beat Brokers was introduced, I used to be definitely within the thought, however I didn’t know the way nicely I’d gel with a touch-screen-driven rhythm sport. “Absolutely,” I believed, “I lack the rhythm to get that proper.” I finally selected to skip the sport, as I used to be saving all my cash for a Nintendo Wii. However after I couldn’t get a kind of at launch, I made a decision to present it a go. That was top-of-the-line choices of my gaming profession. Elite Beat Brokers is a healthful rhythm sport that oozes appeal and character. The premise is unforgettable. Controlling a trio of cheerleaders as they assist individuals get via troublesome and often comedic conditions was not one thing I’d ever image because the plot of a online game. However that was the fantastic thing about the DS. If there was ever a gaming system to strive one thing new with, it was that one. As for the touch-screen gameplay, it labored higher than I ever might have imagined. I nonetheless wasn’t good on the style and by no means went above the “Cruisin’” problem. However the builders at iNiS, finest recognized for the Gitaroo Man sequence, managed to make Elite Beat Brokers right into a touch-screen musical masterpiece. Screenshot through MobyGames 5. Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars It was a really massive deal when Rockstar introduced it was making a Grand Theft Auto for the Nintendo DS. Arguably, the corporate needed to do it. The DS offered far too many models to not give it a go. In 2009, Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars dropped to one of the best opinions on the Nintendo DS. The sport captured all the pieces nice about modern-era GTA video games and translated it to a hen’s eye perspective harking back to the unique video games within the sequence. The final time Rockstar tried that on a Nintendo handheld, it didn’t go nicely. However Chinatown Wars fires on all pistons with an impressive story, nice new characters, unimaginable gameplay, and a drug-dealing minigame that I nonetheless take into consideration 14 years later. Getting GTA on the DS was a win in itself. However getting Rockstar to ship one in every of its finest video games ever for the platform is one thing I’ll rejoice till the battery on my Nintendo DSi XL lastly dies and I can now not corrupt the individuals of Liberty Metropolis with my drug-dealing empire. Screenshot through MobyGames 4. The World Ends with You It’s troublesome to write down about my adoration for The World Ends with You with out sounding like a damaged document. I’ve talked about this sport loads, and with good cause. TWEWY is solely one of many most interesting gaming experiences to ever emerge from Sq. Enix. Whereas quite a lot of different video games on the Nintendo DS had been making an attempt to attraction to a broader viewers, The World Ends with You went in the other way. That is an extremely area of interest sport, a hardcore expertise designed as one thing you might solely play on the DS (even when that’s now not true). What’s most hanging about The World Ends with You is how the sophisticated fight effortlessly performs into the story and the connections gamers should make between Neku and his companions within the Reapers’ Recreation. Neku’s acceptance of his companions was one thing that grew as gamers familiarized themselves with the totally different management ideas that got here with every new character. That’s a stage of ludonarrative consistency you simply don’t get in most video games. I do know lots of people had been turned off by the issue of the Stride Cross Battle System. However it, like most all the pieces else in The World Ends with You, was a one-of-a-kind triumph of design. I’ll always remember how good it felt to beat this sport. Screenshot through MobyGames 3. Tetris DS The unique Tetris, whether or not you take into account that to be the one which was launched on the Electronika 60 again in 1985 or the one which got here packed in with the Recreation Boy, is an ideal online game. Design, perform, problem, simplicity; it scores 10s throughout the board. So how do you enhance on one thing that’s already excellent? You make it perfecter. Tetris DS takes all the pieces nice concerning the traditional puzzler and infuses it with new concepts and Nintendo appeal. The traditional gameplay that captivated hundreds of thousands continues to be there, however there are additionally new takes on the idea. This features a puzzle mode, a mission mode, a aggressive push mode, and a touch-screen mode that challenged gamers to rearrange preset items to clear strains. Every of these modes got here full with a traditional NES backdrop that includes Metroid, The Legend of Zelda, Yoshi’s Cookie, Balloon Struggle, Tremendous Mario Bros., and extra. On high of all of that, Tetris DS got here geared up with a no-holds-barred on-line mode for as much as 4 gamers and a 10-player native on-line mode. Tetris was already a sport that might eat hours of your life. Tetris DS devoured weeks of mine. Whereas there could also be arguments over which model of Tetris is the best, it’s onerous to disclaim this spectacular bundle is the best puzzle sport on the Nintendo DS. In actual fact, it’s one of the best cellular model of Tetris thus far. Screenshot through MobyGames 2. Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Sky Through the Nintendo DS and Nintendo Wii period, it was a good time to be a Dragon Quest fan. Practically each sport within the sequence that was launched in Japan made its manner over right here. On the DS, long-time followers and first-time gamers like myself had been handled to a smorgasbord of wonderful RPGs, culminating within the launch of Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Sky. As the primary mainline Dragon Quest sport to launch completely to handhelds, it loads to show for longtime followers. Growth of the sport took years, and Sq. Enix toyed round with the thought of creating it an motion sport reasonably than a standard turn-based RPG. Cooler heads received out, and the groups at Sq. Enix and Degree-5 went on to create an astonishingly deep RPG that continued to develop the franchise’s burgeoning reputation outdoors of Japan. Regardless of the rudimentary multiplayer mode, it was the Tag Mode that made it essentially the most social Dragon Quest sport but. Tag Mode allowed gamers to change treasure maps, objects, and items with different gamers whereas their DS was in sleep mode. Its use was so common that Nintendo borrowed the idea when creating its SpotPass and StreetPass options on the Nintendo 3DS. When was the final time one sport influenced the design and performance of online game {hardware}? The promise of extra treasure maps with dungeons to discover meant I saved my copy of Dragon Quest IX in my DSi XL till Nintendo lastly killed the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. I nonetheless revisit this sport sometimes, breaking out the large participant’s information I purchased at a thrift retailer to search for any final goodies I could have missed. It’s the solely Nintendo DS sport I nonetheless find time for at present, and that’s simply one of many causes it deserves to be ranked so excessive on this checklist. Screenshot through MobyGames 1. 999: 9 Hours, 9 Individuals, 9 Doorways 9 Hours, 9 Individuals, 9 Doorways is a pivotal sport for me and my relationship with Destructoid. I’d checked out the positioning just a few occasions however didn’t decide to contemplating it my gaming web site. Regardless of the a whole lot I’d put into my DS and Wii library on the time, my hesitancy to hitch any on-line neighborhood saved me at an arm’s size. That modified after I learn Tony Ponce’s evaluation of 9 Hours, 9 Individuals, 9 Doorways. I used to be so captivated by what he described that I drove to my native GameStop the subsequent day to choose up the one copy it had left within the authentic shrink wrap. Over the subsequent 5 days, I grew to become enthralled by this story of survival, digital roots, frozen Egyptians, and horrendous gore. When writing the narrative for 999, Kotaro Uchikoshi sought to reply the query, “The place do mankind’s inspirations come from?” His search led him to the works of Rupert Sheldrake and his idea of Morphogenetic Fields. This is able to turn out to be the central theme of the sophisticated and squeamish story. For the gameplay, he turned to the escape room style, which was large on-line round 2009. His tackle the components minimize out the nonsense you’d typically discover in these video games, streamlining the idea whereas tying these segments into the general narrative. In response to an interview with Anime Information Community, Uchikoshi wrote the story backward, beginning with the ending and dealing his strategy to the start. It’s an uncommon method, but it surely’s one which labored nicely. Many routinely cite 999 as having the best—and queasiest—narrative on the Nintendo DS. Some go as far as to say it is without doubt one of the best-written tales the medium has seen. In case you haven’t performed it, this may look like an odd alternative for the highest spot on this checklist. When you have performed it, you’ll be able to most likely perceive why it’s right here at #1. 999: 9 Hours, 9 Individuals, 9 Doorways is a masterpiece that deserves each single little bit of recognition it could possibly get.
CJ Andriessen
Editor-at-Giant – CJ has been a contributor to Destructoid since 2015, initially writing satirical information items earlier than transitioning into common information, options, and different protection that was much less more likely to get this web site sued.
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