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The 25 best DS games of all-time

(Image credit: Future)

The best DS games reverberate only how unstoppable Nintendo's dual-screen system was. The handheld console launched in 2004 and was supposed to sit between the GameCube and Game Boy Advance, although information technology didn't have long for the DS to eclipse both. As it stands, the Nintendo DS has shifted over 154 million units, making information technology the most successful handheld console of all-time. Perhaps that has something to do with its fantastic and various library – honestly, this list of the 25 best Nintendo DS games but scratches the surface of what'southward available.

Many of the best games on DS were built around that distinctive stylus – a method of play that made the console more accessible and approachable – and made smart use of both screens. Nintendo wanted the system to be appealing to players outside of traditional circles, and as a result the library spans over 2000 games. Given the breadth of options, it fabricated putting together a ranking of the 25 all-time DS games of all-fourth dimension somewhat hard... but non impossible. Let's go into information technology.

For more than definitive rankings of Nintendo games throughout the years:

Best Nintendo DS games

25. Hotel Dusk: Room 215

Best DS games — (Image credit: Nintendo)

Developer: Cing
Released: 2007

Programmer Cing may have long since disbanded but its legacy lives on thanks to titles like Hotel Dusk and its equally enjoyable follow-upwardly, Last Window: The Surreptitious Of Cape West. Played with the DS held vertically, Hotel Sunset feels similar a virtual book where you read engaging dialogue simply can utilise your stylus to traverse the titular hotel and solve numerous clever puzzles. The mystery behind the hotel unfolds beautifully thanks to engaging characters, a stiff narrative, and groovy pacing, while the distinctive art style besides helps it stand apart from similar games on Nintendo's arrangement. Cing'south Some other Code: Ii Memories, is equally worthy of your fourth dimension.

24. Viva Pinata: Pocket Paradise

Developer: Rare
Released: 2008

The original Viva Pinata was planned for Pocket PCs, and then it's nice that Tim Stamper's original idea has come total circle and is at present playable in your hand. One of the most impressive aspects of Pocket Paradise is not only its distinctive isometric visuals but just how similar it is to the original Xbox 360 release. Granted, it lacks its spectacular aesthetics and certain elements have been cut, just the cadre game is all here, allowing yous to tend your garden and breed new Pinatas to your heart's content, while the clever stylus controls and context-sensitive acme screen makes it easy to tend the needs of your many cute critters.

23. Pokemon Conquest

Programmer: Tecmo Koei
Released: 2012

Nintendo'south decision to pair its popular Pokémon series with Tecmo Koei'south Nobunaga'southward Ambition franchise makes a lot more sense when y'all realize only how popular Koei's strategy game is in Japan. While some will be disappointed that only 649 Pokémon are included and that many of their special moves are missing, you can't fault how solid the game's many battles are or the balanced gainsay mechanics at its core. Similar the all-time crossovers, it pulls central elements from both games only isn't afraid to forge its own identity as y'all explore the gorgeous Ransei Region with your loyal Eevee.

22. Trauma Center: Under The Knife 2

Developer: Vanguard
Released: 2008

Turn your humble stylus into a scalpel, laser, or even a defibrillator as you attempt to patch up patients in Vanguard'south enjoyable sequel. Set three years later the events of the DS original, the plot is delightfully cool and focuses on returning Doctor Derek Stiles, who is struggling to utilize his famed Healing Touch (which allows y'all to slow down fourth dimension during play). Each patient you come across requires various techniques, from blitzing viruses and suturing up wounds, to performing delicate peel grafts and fifty-fifty fixing broken bones. Information technology makes for a ridiculous alloy of pressure and fun as your trembling fingers and sweating forehead would happily trade it all in for a simple game of Performance.

21. The Legend Of Zelda: The Phantom Hourglass

Developer: Nintendo
Released: 2007

Interestingly, Zelda's DS adventures didn't quite match the majesty of the earlier Game Boy games, although they remain compelling releases in their own rights. We've opted for The Phantom Hourglass over Spirit Tracks because nosotros feel it makes far better use of the touchscreen and nosotros like the way you continually have to render to and explore a gigantic dungeon rather than tackling smaller ones like in other Zelda titles. It looks lovely too, retaining the distinctive cel-shaded wait of The Wind Waker and its mechanically rich, offering new items to utilise, while the Phantom Hourglass of the title gives you a unique way to explore the vibrant game earth.

20. Planet Puzzle League

Developer: Intelligent Systems
Released: 2007

Nintendo's dual-screen console is brimful with swell puzzle games, but this is the conundrum that rarely leaves our console's cartridge slot. Known every bit Panel De Pon in Nihon this gem of a title from Intelligent Systems requires you to match colored tiles into groups of three or more than before your bin fills up. Blocks can be moved with a elementary swipe of the stylus and there are a number of different gameplay modes to savour besides that range from clearing all the blocks to a higher place a Clear line to scoring as many points as possible in a fix fourth dimension limit. Throw in some fantastic multiplayer modes and a fun pick of Daily Challenges and Planet Puzzle League becomes incredibly difficult to put downwards.

19. Ix Hours, Ix Persons, 9 Doors

Developer: Chunsoft
Released: 2009

Chunsoft's get-go entry in its Zero Escape series is a cracking adventure and a brilliant entry point to the visual novel genre. The strength of 999 is hands its expertly crafted story, which focuses on Junpei, who wakes up in a cabin on a cruise liner and discovers he's trapped with eight other victims. The writing throughout is excellent, just it'southward complemented past some truly masterful puzzles in the form of Escape sections which will truly test your grey affair. Filled with twists and turns and requiring multiple playthroughs in social club to reach its truthful catastrophe, 999 is a slice of brilliance that shockingly never received a European release.

xviii. The Earth Ends With You

Developer: Foursquare Enix / Jupiter
Released: 2007

Granted this collaboration from Square Enix and Jupiter is available on iOS and Nintendo Switch now, but neither can fully replicate the uniqueness of playing it on DS. Bated from its modern-day setting, highly stylized characters, and energetic soundtrack, the thing that actually sets TWEWY apart from its peers is the utterly unique combat arrangement it uses. Gainsay takes identify across the DS's two screens and you need to manage both at once using face buttons and the stylus. Information technology'due south maddingly frustrating at first, alike to rubbing your belly and patting your head at the same time, but when it finally comes together information technology delivers an feel that's every bit as special as its unique-looking characters.

17. Animate being Crossing: Wild World

Developer: Nintendo
Released: 2005

Who would have thought Nintendo's world of cute anthropomorphic critters would work so well on a handheld? Wild Earth took everything that was cracking virtually the GameCube game and introduced online aspects to make visiting the villages of friends and family even easier. While the loss of classic NES games was a biting pill to swallow, its solid online aspects and high level of customization meant you still had enough to go along you lot busy. It also highlights just how suitable the franchise is for gaming on the movement, as the ability to go for a quick fishing session or dig upwardly some fossils ensures none of your spare time is ever wasted.

16. WarioWare Touched!

Developer: Nintendo
Released: 2005

While Project Rub is another great selection of stylus-based mini-games, WarioWare pulls off the same concept with much greater manner. Information technology largely follows the same template as earlier games in the series, giving you lot a few seconds to complete a specific task, but every bit you'd await, the zany games on offering here make excellent use of the DS'southward unique abilities. One infinitesimal yous are prodding cats and swatting flies, the side by side you lot're covering food in ketchup or decision-making a remote command car as you lot endeavour to escape an infant. Information technology'south ridiculously dizzy and while information technology lacks the inventiveness of Projection Rub, its sheer diversity and range of games more than than compensates.

xv. Pokemon Blackness & White

Developer: Game Freak
Released: 2010

Radical overhaul and Pokémon aren't typically words that go together, merely Game Freak did at to the lowest degree effort to inject numerous new ideas into its hugely successful series. The near obvious is the new battle mechanics that accept been introduced and it'due south now possible to throw out three Pokémon at once for scraps to create a formidable line-up. Rotation battles are similar, but allow you to rotate your beautiful critters at volition, to give you lot a better chance in battle. Aesthetically the games are a big improvement over Diamond and Pearl and there are numerous new sidequests and cool new mini-games. Pokémon games have always been ambitious in their telescopic and Blackness & White set up new standards for Junichi Masuda and his squad to improve upon.

xiv. Chrono Trigger

Developer: Foursquare
Released: 2008

While we don't typically like to feature remasters in lists such as this, every gamer needs to experience Chrono Trigger every bit it's one of the all-time JRPGs of all time. While the DS version is quickly ascent in price, it's still a far cheaper alternative to the The states SNES release and features numerous enhancements, as well. It features all the extras from the afterwards PlayStation port, makes great utilize of the DS's touch on screen controls, boasts a default run option, and numerous other quality of life tweaks. It's the perfect mode to savor Square'due south impressive time-spanning run a risk and is ane of the best RPGs to be plant on the system.

xiii. Tetris DS

Developer: Nintendo
Released: 2006

Aside from its simplistic and evergreen game mechanics, one of the greatest strengths of Tetris is just how versatile it is. This 2006 release from Nintendo SPD marries the popular tile-rotating game to some of Nintendo'due south most dear franchises and the end result is one of the system's best puzzlers. At that place are vi distinct modes that range from the standard version of Tetris to fun offerings like Mission, which requires you lot to complete specific challenges in a certain amount of time, and Catch, which has y'all blasting Metroids while manipulating a key tile. It's all augmented by an fantabulous multiplayer mode, meaning Tetris DS is a game that will last you for ages.

12. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney

Programmer: Capcom
Released: 2005

Capcom'southward series remained consistently solid on DS and the kickoff five made it to the westward (merely Ace Attorney Investigations two was a Japanese exclusive). Nosotros've chosen the original game not just because it introduces many of the characters who volition constantly crop up in the later games, simply also because information technology'southward a solid comeback over the GBA original (which was also a Japanese exclusive) and has some excellent cases. The court battles have ever been a highlight of the serial and you'll feel tremendously smug when you're able to trip your opponent up and evidence that they're telling you lot a pack of porkies. Best of all however is the final example which fully utilizes the capabilities of the DS to make y'all feel like an actual detective as you investigate criminal offence scenes.

11. Kirby: Canvass Curse

Developer: HAL Laboratory
Released: 2005

Some of the greatest DS games are those that treat popular franchises in new and interesting ways and Kirby'due south commencement gamble on the system is a perfect case. Rather than straight control the lovable pink blob, you instead use your stylus to create rainbow paths to guide him through each stage. You just take a limited corporeality of ink to create paths, so yous need to ensure your reserves stay full past managing Kirby as effectively as possible. Enemies are too dealt with via stylus abuse and you'll soon find yourself frantically rubbing and poking the screen so you can accomplish the next stage. The stop effect is one of the almost inventive games in the series.

10. Professor Layton and the Unwound Future

Developer: Level-five
Released: 2008

The tertiary game in Level-five's popular puzzle series remains the best ane to engagement. Professor Layton and Luke's new adventure doesn't but impress thanks to the cleverness of its puzzles, just also in their sheer diversity. There are over 160 dissimilar puzzles hither for the pair to solve, which will take you lot tackling everything from number-based conundrums and visual-based headscratchers, to unproblematic sliding puzzles and cerebral logic ticklers. Fifty-fifty if you do discover certain puzzles too tricky to manage at that place's a generous hint system in place which ways you're never too far away from enjoying the excellent unfolding story at the center of the game.

nine. Castlevania: Dawn Of Sorrow

Developer: Konami
Released: 2005

All three Castlevania DS games are worthy of your collection, simply Dawn Of Sorrow is the one nosotros continually return to the most. While its touchscreen uses are poorly implemented (yous draw seals to finish off bosses) everything else is pure Metroidvania and it's a worthy follow-up to the GBA hitting, Aria Of Sorrow. Protagonist Soma Cruz returns and then also does the Tactical Soul system, which has been enhanced in numerous ways so souls tin can exist also traded in to upgrade and create new weapons. Graphically it's a staggering update over its GBA predecessor thanks to atmospheric locations and some gargantuan and loathsome-looking bosses.

eight. Ghost Pull a fast one on: Phantom Detective

Developer: Capcom
Released: 2010

In addition to creating the Phoenix Wright games, Shu Takumi also conned gamers with this fantabulous gamble. Protagonist Sissel is an amnesia-stricken spirit and it'south your task to discover what happened to him every bit you traverse both the Ghost World and the real earth. Being a spirit Sissel has to rely on inanimate objects to move around in the Ghost World, but he tin also possess corpses and even question them to learn clues about their deaths. One time armed, he has four minutes to go dorsum and potentially foreclose them from dying. It's a neat mechanic and Sissel can perform similar feats in the real globe where he can utilise his tricks to manipulate events that volition help progress the excellent story.

7. Bangai-O Spirits

Developer: Treasure
Released: 2008

The DS is very underserved when it comes to shoot-'em-ups simply it does have this wonderfully chaotic offering from Treasure to even things out. Everything about Treasure's game is absolutely crazy, from its absurd plot to the insane amount of missiles that tin can fill up the play area when things get heated up. It effortlessly blends hardcore shooting with clever puzzles and constantly keeps you on your toes with inventive curveballs that ensure no 2 levels ever feel the same. And when yous exercise become bored of the 160-odd stages that Bangai-O Spirits throws at you at that place's the option to create your own, cleverly encode them as sound files and then share them with others.

6. New Super Mario Bros.

Developer: Nintendo
Released: 2006

As Nintendo connected to push Mario'south 3D games to outrageous new heights, his traditional side-on adventures fell by the wayside. When New Super Mario Bros made its debut in 2006 there hadn't been a mainline side-on game since Super Mario Globe in 1990. You soon forget that lengthy gap once y'all dive into the game'due south cleverly synthetic levels and discover delightful new power-ups like the mega mushroom that causes Mario to increase in size, destroying anything he comes into contact with or the Mini Mushroom that shrinks him downward and is essential for reaching certain levels. Information technology's a brilliant return to form for the popular plumber and 30 million copies were sold as a issue.

5. Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story

Programmer: AlphaDream
Released: 2009

The DS has a huge number of peachy RPGs, just none of them can compete with the brilliance of Nintendo's dynamic duo. Alpha Dream's achingly funny adventure continues to build on the combat mechanics introduced in the earlier games but mixes things up past introducing Bowser as a playable character, who doesn't realize that Mario and Luigi are carrying out their own run a risk inside his body via the bottom screen. It'south a superb prepare-up for a game and the action routinely switches between the ii screens as the trio endeavour to take down Fawful. Filled with inventive touches - enemies Bowser inhales are and then sent to the Mario brothers to fight - and blessed by a razor-sharp script, Bowser's Inside Story is the about fun you can have on Nintendo's dual-screen console.

4. Advance Wars: Dual Strike

Developer: Intelligent Systems
Released: 2005

Dual Strike gets its moniker because information technology's the offset game in the serial to allow you have 2 Commanding Officers (or COs) into battle. It also introduces a wide range of new units, including the powerful Megatank, adds a number of new COs to the roster, and even lets you lot wage war across both screens during certain battles, which makes them even more strategic every bit a result. All the original game modes render, including the continuation of the story introduced in the GBA games, every bit well as two new modes: Survival and Combat. A sequel, Advance Wars: Nighttime Conflict arrived in 2008, with a make-new story and stark aesthetic style that divided gamers equally it wasn't in line with the cheery look of earlier games. Both games are tremendous strategy releases.

3. Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan

Developer: iNiS Corporation
Released: 2005

We've seen the DS stylus used in a number of unique ways, simply using information technology to power the skills of a cheerleading squad is easily one of the almost entertaining. While many rhythm action games are content to simply let you bash buttons in fourth dimension to the rhythm of a vocal, Ouendan's design goes a stride further as you utilise your stylus to follow patterns and tap different areas of the screen. It's mechanically perfect and bolstered by some incredible tunes that complement the on-screen activity and the often engaging stories that take identify on the summit screen. The English culling, Elite Beat out Agents is as well fun to play, but the tracklisting is nowhere most every bit strong. And don't worry nigh the Japanese barrier, it'due south easy to pause through for both Ouendan and its 2007 sequel.

ii. Thousand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars

Developer: Rockstar
Released: 2009

Only Rockstar would have the stones to ship a drug bargain simulator on a Nintendo console. Even more impressive is the fact that Chinatown Wars' sideline in drug peddling is simply that, as the principal drive of Rockstar'due south game is a polished revenge story focusing on Triad fellow member Huang Lee who is left for dead in the game's explosive opening and must retrieve the family heirloom that was stolen from him. Chinatown Wars not only features some truly memorable missions, simply information technology also makes first-class use of the DS, from using the stylus to break into vehicles, to whistling into the DS's mic to hail a cab. Graphically impressive and steeped in Rockstar's typical polish and swagger, it proved once and for all that a Nintendo console was more than capable of containing the impressive worlds that Rockstar tin can so effortlessly create.

one. Mario Kart DS

Developer: Nintendo
Released: 2005

Nintendo's 5th primary game in its popular serial introduced a number of firsts that helped it stay ahead of the contest. It was the first game in the franchise to allow players from around the globe to battle each other (although information technology wasn't always the smoothest of experiences), new items like the Bullet Beak and Blooper brand their debut and at that place's a fun new battle mode called Shine Runners, which volition atomic number 82 to enough of arguments with your mates. 16 brand-new tracks are spread across four cups and there's an additional sixteen retro tracks featuring archetype courses from the before SNES, N64, GBA, and GameCube releases. Mario Kart DS is absolutely drowning in content and we've not fifty-fifty mentioned the infrequent and exclusive Mission Style that stretches the game's longevity even further. Add in the tight racing mechanics that have remained a mainstay of the series since its inception and you have the best DS experience money can buy.

If you're passionate about retro gaming or just want to learn more than about it, then you should cheque out Retro Gamer . Retro Gamer is the world'south longest-running magazine dedicated to classic games, and you can notice out more than about it at at Magazines Direct (opens in new tab) .

Darran is so old that he used to play retro games when they were just called games. A relic from the Seventies, he'south been professionally writing well-nigh retro gaming since 2003 and has been helming Retro Gamer since its resurrection in 2005, making him one of the UK'south longest-running editors of a games mag. A groovy board gamer, nature photographer and lover of movies, Darran's writing credits include GamesTM, Play, SciFi-Now, Official Xbox Magazine, SFX, XBM, Cube, Full DVD, World Of Animals and numerous others. You'll find him online discussing everything from bird photography to the latest 4K Arrow releases, as well as the ever-increasing prices of retro games.