The Best Nintendo DS Game For Every Year Of The Console’s Life

Key Takeaways

The Nintendo DS first launched in North America on November 21, 2004, before arriving in other regions like Japan and Europe. The console was a massive leap forward from its predecessor (the Game Boy Advance) and introduced new concepts like dual-screen gaming and touch controls.

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The DS went through multiple iterations (from the DS Life to the Nintendo DSi XL) during its lifespan before it was eventually replaced by the 3DS in 2011. The DS had a fantastic library of titles, from action-adventures to RPGs and everything in between, and these are the best games from every year of its life cycle.

11 Super Mario 64 DS (2004)

Super Mario 64 DS

Platformer Systems

Franchise Super Mario Platform(s) Nintendo DS , Nintendo Wii U Released November 21, 2004 Developer(s) Nintendo , Nintendo EAD Publisher(s) Nintendo ESRB e How Long To Beat 28 hours Expand

It didn't take long for the DS to become a handheld sensation, but because it launched toward the end of 2004, there weren't a bunch of games to play on it right away. The standout is easily Super Mario 64 DS, a port of a classic game with new bells and whistles to make it feel fresh.

Even if you've played the original game a few times, you might be surprised by what Super Mario 64 DS has to offer. Featuring new visuals and a multiplayer mode, the biggest change comes from the number of playable characters you can choose from. You begin this adventure as Yoshi and unlock Mario, Luigi, and Wario as you progress through the game.

10 Animal Crossing: Wild World (2005)

Animal Crossing: Wild World

Systems

Franchise Animal Crossing Platform(s) Nintendo DS , Nintendo Wii U Released November 23, 2005 Developer(s) Nintendo Publisher(s) Nintendo

Despite a slow start at the end of 2004, 2005 was full of incredible and iconic DS games like Nintendogs and Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow, but Animal Crossing: Wild World still feels like the most important game from that year. It was the first portable entry in the series, which feels essential now, and was also the first game with online features that allowed you to visit your friends' villages.

Animal Crossing’s transition from being a home console game to something you could play whenever or wherever you like was essential for the series' success. It was always a shame when you missed your birthday or another event in the GameCube version, but on the DS, your village could fit in your pocket, so you could pick weeds or annoy your neighbors whenever you wanted to.

9 Elite Beat Agents (2006)

Elite Beat Agents is still a hidden gem in the DS library, and despite coming out over fifteen years ago, it's still just as fun to play today as it was back then. Designed as a sequel to the Japan-only Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan, you play as secret agents who help ordinary citizens by tapping and sliding your stylus across the bottom screen to covers of popular songs.

From the hilarious scenarios to the satisfying gameplay of a rhythm game, Elite Beat Agents is a DS game that's worth revisiting every couple of years because there is still nothing else quite like it. Featuring songs such as Jamiroquai’s “Canned Heat” to David Bowie’s “Let's Dance”, the soundtrack is full of fun covers that you can listen to over and over again.

8 The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass (2007)

The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass

ActionAdventure Franchise The Legend of Zelda Platform(s) Nintendo DS , 3DS , Nintendo Wii U Released October 1, 2007 Developer(s) Nintendo EAD Publisher(s) Nintendo ESRB E For Everyone Due To Fantasy Violence How Long To Beat 17 Hours Expand

Though there have been many handheld Zelda games (From Link's Awakening to The Minish Cap), Phantom Hourglass is the first to act as a sequel to another popular title, The Wind Waker. Set in the same universe with familiar faces and a similar aesthetic, this epic adventure takes Toon Link to new locations as he tries to save Tetra from a new threat.

The DS Zelda games often get criticized for their reliance on touch-controls and annoying mechanics that include blowing into the console's built-in microphone, but if you can look past those issues, then you're bound for an epic voyage full of charm, clever puzzles, and challenging dungeons. If you enjoy sailing across the open sea or just need a new Zelda game to play, it's worth seeking out Phantom Hourglass to discover a treasure chest full of joy.

7 The World Ends With You (2008)

The World Ends With You

Action RPG Systems

Platform(s) Nintendo DS , Switch , Android , iOS Released July 27, 2007 Developer(s) Square Enix Publisher(s) Square Enix Multiplayer Local Co-Op Engine Unity ESRB T for Teen: Fantasy Violence, Mild Language, Mild Suggestive Themes How Long To Beat 25 Hours Expand

The World Ends With You is easily one of the most unique and fascinating games on the DS. It uses the console's touchscreen to implement fresh gameplay mechanics, and the game's visual style, soundtrack, and story are irresistibly charming and stylish.

Set in Shibuya, The World Ends With You follows a group of adolescents participating in the Reapers' Game, a dangerous game that can reward the winner with a second chance at life. The game might be a bit more challenging than other DS titles, but once you have a handle on it, you can look forward to one of the best experiences on the console.

6 Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story (2009)

Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story

RPG Systems

Franchise Super Mario Platform(s) Nintendo DS , 3DS Released September 15, 2009 Developer(s) AlphaDream Publisher(s) Nintendo ESRB E For Everyone due to Comic Mischief, Mild Cartoon Violence How Long To Beat 22 Hours Expand

Bowser’s Inside Story is the third entry in the Mario & Luigi series and is often praised as being the best one by a landslide. Fusing satisfying RPG mechanics with hilarious writing and fun exploration is a difficult task for any game to pull off, but this game goes above and beyond to create an unforgettable journey starring popular characters from the Mushroom Kingdom.

Building from its predecessors, this quirky adventure puts the Mario Bros. in deep trouble as they find themselves stuck inside Bowser’s body as the King Koopa faces off against another antagonist, Fawful. You'll control Mario, Luigi, and Bowser as they work together to save the day and bring peace back to the Kingdom in this funny and unforgettable adventure.

5 999 (2010)

999: Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors

Visual NovelAdventure Systems

Franchise Zero Escape Platform(s) iOS , Nintendo DS , PC , PlayStation 4 , PS Vita , Xbox One Released November 16, 2010 Developer(s) Chunsoft Publisher(s) Spike Chunsoft , Aksys Games ESRB M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood, Drug Reference, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Violence How Long To Beat 10 Hours How Long To Beat (Completionist Runs) 20 Hours Expand

The Nintendo DS was essential for visual novels to become more popular in regions like North America and Europe. Between the Ace Attorney games and smaller titles like Trace Memory, the handheld was the perfect device for games that focus more on narrative than action or gameplay.

999 is the first entry in the Zero Escape series and is one of the handful of DS games to be rated M for Mature Audiences. This interactive story follows nine strangers who wake up on a ship and are forced to play a deadly game that can end in multiple ways. The sense of dread and mystery is palpable, but the story is so well-written that you won't want to stop playing until you've unlocked every ending.

4 Pokemon Black and White (2011)

Pokemon Black and White

JRPG Systems

Franchise Pokemon Platform(s) Nintendo DS Released March 6, 2011 Developer(s) Game Freak Publisher(s) Nintendo Multiplayer Online Multiplayer ESRB e How Long To Beat 32 Hours Metascore 87 Expand

It's hard to pinpoint when Pokemon was truly at the height of its popularity, but after the launch of Diamond and Pearl in 2007, you could tell there wasn't much enthusiasm left for the series by hardcore fans. Pokemon Black and White was able to renew interest by creating a fascinating new world to explore that felt exciting to both returning and new players.

The biggest criticisms against Black and White are often focused on the creature designs, which took inspiration from more common items like trash bags and ice cream. Beyond that, Black and White are still the highest-rated Pokemon games, somehow surpassing classic titles like Red, Blue, Gold, and Silver.

3 Pokemon Conquest (2012)

Pokemon Conquest

TacticalRPG Systems

Franchise Pokemon Platform(s) Nintendo DS Released June 18, 2012 Developer(s) Koei Tecmo Publisher(s) Nintendo , The Pokemon Company Multiplayer Local Multiplayer , Online Multiplayer ESRB E For Everyone due to Mild Cartoon Violence, Mild Suggestive Themes How Long To Beat 14 Hours Metascore 80 Expand

By the time 2012 rolled around, Nintendo had mostly turned its back to the DS so it could focus on creating software for the 3DS, which launched in March 2011. While third-party companies were still publishing games on both the old and new hardware, most of them were licensed titles that failed to make an impact.

Fortunately, Nintendo still had a few aces up its sleeve, including the criminally underrated Pokemon Conquest. This turn-based, tactical RPG combines the world of Pokemon with Nobunaga’s Ambition and requires you to take over kingdoms to save the world from calamity. Conquest is worth checking out if you like games like Fire Emblem and Final Fantasy Tactics.

2 Scribblenauts Collection (2013)

Nintendo stopped publishing its games on the DS in 2012, so for the last two years of the console's life, it was mostly the home to downgraded ports of 3DS games. Of the 18 games that came out on the DS that year, Scribblenauts Collection is the best by a landslide.

The Scribblenauts series doesn't hold much weight these days, but over a decade ago, these games were praised for giving the player room to be creative and silly. The collection includes the first two games in the series, Scribblenauts and Super Scribblenauts.

1 Big Hero Six: Battle in the Bay (2014)

2014 was the last year the Nintendo DS had any new games for it, and most of them are incredibly forgettable or not worth your time. Out of the four games that launched on the handheld during its last year, Big Hero Six: Battle in the Bay is probably the best, but it's a shallow bar.

It should be noted that there was one more physical release on the DS in 2015, but it was a combo pack of two older games, Big Hero Six: Battle in the Bay and Frozen: Olaf's Quest. Both titles also came out on the 3DS, but video game versions of Disney movies were essentially the only thing available on the DS before its last breath.