Best Nintendo DS Games? (Need Recommendations)

[GoldenGengle64]

Hey all,

With the 3DS being out for some time now, I've noticed that many of the regular DS games have been marked down by $10+ dollars. I want to expand my DS library since it's rather small (and bleak)... and I need recommendations. In your opinion, what are the best/essential DS games?

The games I currently own are:
Dragon Quest IX
Nintendogs
Animal Crossing Wild World
Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon
Yoshi's Island DS
The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks

Yes, yes, I know Phantom Hourglass isn't on the list. I got Spirit Tracks first because I heard it was the better of the two... but to be honest, I hated the controls (touch screen only). Since PH is the same way, I've held off on buying... BUT I'LL PROBABLY GET IT EVENTUALLY so please don't tell me I have to buy it now.

Also... I was considering buying 9 Hours, 9 Persons, 9 Doors, since its $20 and supposedly free shipping on the AKSYS website. However, I am kinda sensitive to violence. I've heard that the text gives pretty gory descriptions, but the visuals aren't as bad. If you're reading this and you've played the game, how bad is the violence in 999 in comparison to other games? Examples would be helpful too... I don't want to spend money on a game thats going to freak me out.

Anyway, I need recommendations for DS games... I'll play just about anything, as long as it's not shovelware

Thank you!
GoldenGengle64

 

[Justac00lguy]

Pretty much the games you mentioned you currently own I was going to recommend haha

I haven't played a whole lot of DS games but I would recommend the Mario Kart games! There great to pass the time and perfect for online also if you like you're life to be dominated by one game how about you choose a pokemon game! There awesome and even though I dont play them any more I would certainly recommend them to anyone

 

[Cfrock]

Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney: Trials and Tribulations. That is the best Nintendo DS game in my opinion. It would probably help to get the first two beforehand, like, but it's cool because they are also both excellent games.

If you do get those and like them you could do worse than giving Prof. Layton's games a look in. Excellent puzzle-based series with some great characters in them.

Mario Kart DS, New Super Mario Bros. and Advance Wars: Dual Strike are three more DS games that I had an absolute blast with.

 

[Draymorath]

The World Ends With You. It's an absolute masterpiece.

 

[Spirit]

Golden Sun Dark Dawn, Metroid Hunters, New Super Mario Bros are all decent enough.

 

[Ⓡⓔⓖⓘⓝⓛⓔⓘⓕ]

Valkyrie Profile: Covenant of the Plume is a great game.

 

[Trio the Punch]

Hrmm... I'd say Phantom Hourglass is my favorite game released for the DS. Honestly, if you heard Spirit Tracks was better, you heard wrong in my nion:. Phantom Hourglass is way better. At any rate, Mario Kart DS is also pretty great, and you gotta love Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days. Re: Coded is okay I guess too. Worth playing, anyway. Uhm, what else? Wario Ware Touched is pretty effing awesome. Kirby for the DS was pretty great too, as I recall. Yup, that's all I can think of at the moment. Oh, and I've heard The World Ends With You is also incredible, but I haven't actually played it.

 

[Terminus]

I'd suggest the Trauma Center games, specifically the higher-def second one for DS.

Be warned there is blood.

 

[Ventus]

I recommend the following games:
Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days (it's 358 Days over 2 lol)
Kingdom Hearts Re:coded
Super Mario 64 DS
Kirby Mass Attack
Kirby Squeak Squad
The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks'

And that is all.

 

[A Link In Time]

The Chrono Trigger DS remake and The World Ends With You are two stellar Square Enix RPGs no DS should be without. For a more quirky RPG experience I suggest the two Mario & Luigi DS games: Partners in Time and Bowser's Inside Story.

Both Advance Wars DS games are great too and Mario Kart DS never ceases to amaze although its physics will be somewhat difficult to accustom yourself to if you've played the Wii or 3DS iterations.

Kirby Mass Attack is the best hardware centered game I've played in awhile. The multiple Kirby's idea is certainly a gimmick but a good one.

 

[Terminus]

Also, Magical Starsign is a good one. Yeah, silly name, with everything named for a food, but a good game.

 

[GoldenGengle64]

Heard Phoenix Wright was really good, might have to check that one out! Also heard of The World Ends With You... how are the controls for that? From what I've read you're controlling characters on each screen? I thought about getting Golden Sun, but many of the review I read said it was mediocre, still considering it though. I've only played the 2D Metroid games (Metroid, Super, Return of Samus, Fusion). Is Metroid Prime Hunters like the other Prime games, or like the side-scrollers?

The input is really helpful. I've got lots of knowledge/exp. with most other Nintendo consoles and games, but when it comes to the DS, I'm a complete newbie! When I got Spirit Tracks for Christmas 2011, it had been somewhere around 3-5 years since I got a new DS game...!! Guess I was too preoccupied with the Wii/Virtual Console

I have Chrono Trigger on Virtual Console. Now THAT is an incredible game. Really wish Earthbound were on the VC, and then I could die happy

Never heard of Magical Starsign... what is it?

@Terminus I can tolerate violence to a degree (gunshot, stabbing (if quick), blood, etc.), its the more extreme stuff like people being hacked to pieces in the most gruesome ways possible that disturb me. Also... your avatar is cool. Bowties are cool.

 

[TheRizardon]

I recommend getting Final Fantasy III, Golden Sun: Dark Dawn, Kingdom Hearts Re:Coded, Dragon Quest V: Hand of the Heavenly Bride, and Dragon Quest IV.

 

[Skunk]

I recommend the Pokemon games(save Black and White, skip to their sequels), Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Echoes of Time(the DS one is better than the Wii one), both Kingdom Hearts games(358 days/2 and Re:Coded), Final Fantasy: Four Heroes of Light(great game, I never beat it, but it's great if you want a fun yet challenging RPG), of course Spirit Tracks and Phantom Hourglass. For Puzzle/point and click, go for Professor Layton's games, Time Hollow(great game with an interesting end(s) and TIME TRAVEL). Kirby Superstar Ultra is pretty good, New Super Mario was very nice, Sim City DS was cool if you're into that sort of thing, and that's about it.

 

[tysonrss]

The good folks here have already mentioned what I was going to say, so just take their advice. The game listed in this thread are practically all the good ones on DS.