Top 42 Best Nintendo DS Games
Nintendo DS (NDS) is a handheld video game console released by Nintendo on November 21, 2004.
The Nintendo DS series (Nintendo DS, Nintendo DS Lite, Nintendo DSi, and Nintendo DSi LL) sold a total of 154.02 million units worldwide.
There are a total of 2,354 Nintendo DS game titles released in Japan. In this Story, I will introduce 42 recommended games from among them.
· My Best Nintendo DS Games
∘ 1. Animal Crossing: Wild World
∘ 2. New Super Mario Bros.
∘ 3. Pokémon Black and White
∘ 4. Dragon Quest IX
∘ 5. Mario Kart DS
∘ 6. Tomodachi Collection
∘ 7. Rhythm Heaven
∘ 8. Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day!
∘ 9. Nintendogs
∘ 10. Professor Layton and the Curious Village
∘ 11. Super Mario 64 DS
∘ 12. Final Fantasy III
∘ 13. Daigasso! Band Brothers
∘ 14. Pokémon Black 2 and White 2
∘ 15. Dragon Quest VI
∘ 16. Ni no Kuni: Dominion of the Dark Djinn
∘ 17. Brain Age 2: More Training in Minutes a Day!
∘ 18. Kirby Super Star Ultra
∘ 19. Pokémon Diamond, Pearl and Platinum
∘ 20. The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass
∘ 21. Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver
∘ 22. Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky
∘ 23. Diddy Kong Racing
∘ 24. Dragon Quest V
∘ 25. The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks
∘ 26. Tetris DS
∘ 27. Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story
∘ 28. LovePlus
∘ 29. The World Ends with You
∘ 30. Mario Party DS
∘ 31. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney
∘ 32. Yoshi’s Island DS
∘ 33. Jump Ultimate Stars
∘ 34. Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker 2
∘ 35. Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey
∘ 36. Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars
∘ 37. Professor Layton and the Unwound Future
∘ 38. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
∘ 39. WarioWare: Touched!
∘ 40. Kirby Mass Attack
∘ 41. Style Savvy
∘ 42. Clubhouse Games
· Summary
My Best Nintendo DS Games
I’d like to introduce 42 recommended game titles from the Nintendo DS softwares that I own.
- The release dates are based on Japan.
- The purchase price is the successful bid price at the Japanese net auction.
- The exchange rate is 1 dollar = 147.86 yen.
Below is a list of the top 42 NDS games:
1. Animal Crossing: Wild World
This is the fourth title in the Animal Crossing series and the first in the series to be released on a handheld device.
The Nintendo DS does not have an analog stick, but it can be operated with a stylus, allowing the player to move freely in 360 degrees.
- Publisher: Nintendo
- Release: November 23, 2005
- Genre: Life Simulation
- Purchase Price: ¥400/$2.71
Starting with this title, the Wi-Fi function allows players to play with friends who are far away.
Four players can gather in a village at the same time.
2. New Super Mario Bros.
This is the first completely new 2D scrolling action game in the Mario series since “Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins” released in 1992.
The storyline is the standard “Mario goes on an adventure to save Princess Peach, who has been kidnapped by Bowser Jr.
- Publisher: Nintendo
- Release: May 15, 2006 NA
- Genre: Platform
- Purchase Price: ¥500/$3.38
There are 8 worlds in total, and a total of 27 different mini-games can also be played.
3. Pokémon Black and White
A new adventure begins in the Unova region, which is based on the motif of New York City.
- Publisher: Nintendo, The Pokémon Company
- Release: September 18, 2010
- Genre: Role-playing
- Purchase Price: ¥1000/$6.76
The number of new Pokémon is 156, and four of them are phantom Pokémon.
Four seasons are introduced in this game, and the seasons change every month according to the time on the Nintendo DS.
4. Dragon Quest IX
This is the first numbered title in the series to feature communication with other players.
The battle system is based on symbol encounters rather than random encounters (random encounters only at sea).
- Publisher: Square Enix
- Release: July 11, 2009
- Genre: Role-playing
- Purchase Price: ¥1000/$6.76
The main character and his companions can be created to his liking by combining 5 types of body shapes, 10 types of faces, and 10 types of eye color, skin color, and hair color.
There are a total of 12 different classes that can be changed, and each class has its own level and status.
5. Mario Kart DS
This is the fifth title in the Mario Kart series, and players can compete against other players around the world via the Internet.
A new mode, “Mission Run,” is introduced in which players complete tasks given to them within a time limit.
- Publisher: Nintendo
- Release: November 14, 2005 NA
- Genre: Kart Racing
- Purchase Price: ¥600/$4.06
There are a total of 32 courses in this title, 16 of which are remakes of courses from the past series.
The number of characters that can be controlled is 12, and each character can choose 3 different karts.
6. Tomodachi Collection
Players register their own Mii and those of their friends to live in a 13-story apartment building.
- Publisher: Nintendo
- Release: June 18, 2009
- Genre: Social Simulation
- Purchase Price: ¥350/$2.37
The Mii created can be transferred via wireless communication between Nintendo DS and Wii.
There are seven different mini-games, and players can win treasures by winning the games.
7. Rhythm Heaven
This is a sequel to “Rhythm Tengoku,” which was released by Nintendo on August 3, 2006.
In this game, the Nintendo DS is held vertically and played using the stylus.
- Publisher: Nintendo
- Release: July 31, 2008
- Genre: Rhythm
- Purchase Price: ¥900/$6.09
This is a rhythm action game in which players press buttons in time with the rhythm of the music playing in the game. A game like “WarioWare.
A total of 10 stages x 4 types each, for a total of 40 types of rhythm games.
8. Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day!
This game is played by holding the Nintendo DS vertically and activates the brain through simple calculation problems and memory quizzes.
- Publisher: Nintendo
- Release: May 19, 2005
- Genre: Puzzle, Edutainment
- Purchase Price: ¥400/$2.71
The list price in Japan is 2,667 yen (excluding tax). Due in part to the low price of the game software, 3.8 million units were sold in Japan.
9. Nintendogs
A communication game that allows players to interact with realistic puppies.
- Publisher: Nintendo
- Release: April 21, 2005
- Genre: Pet-raising Simulation
- Purchase Price: ¥300/$2.03
You start out by raising a limited version of dogs (Chihuahua, Shiba, and Dachshund).
You can raise other dogs if you save up enough money, and you can have up to three dogs in your room.
10. Professor Layton and the Curious Village
This is the first adventure game released by game developer “Level-5” as a publisher.
- Publisher: Level-5
- Release: February 15, 2007
- Genre: Puzzle, Adventure
- Purchase Price: ¥600/$4.06
You can ask for hints up to three times per quiz, and the story progresses by solving riddles and puzzles.
There are 120 quizzes in the game, and 15 more quizzes are added when certain conditions are met.
11. Super Mario 64 DS
This game is an adaptation of “Super Mario 64” for the Nintendo 64 for the Nintendo DS. It was a launch title released at the same time as the Nintendo DS.
- Publisher: Nintendo
- Release: November 21, 2004
- Genre: Platform
- Purchase Price: ¥700/$4.73
In addition to Mario, Luigi, Wario, and Yoshi were added as controllable characters.
12. Final Fantasy III
A remake of “Final Fantasy III” released on the Famicom (NES) in 1990.
There are more than 20 jobs in total, and the hidden job is “Onion Knight.
If you change to another job, your ability value will be reduced by 10%, and you will have to battle several times to get back to your original status.
- Publisher: Square Enix
- Release: August 24, 2006
- Genre: Role-playing
- Purchase Price: ¥450/$3.04
Currently, the remake of “Final Fantasy III” can be played on smartphones (iPhone and Android).
13. Daigasso! Band Brothers
A handheld musical instrument software that uses the Nintendo DS as a musical instrument to play songs.
There are a total of 58 instruments that can be played, and four difficulty levels: “Beginner,” “Amateur,” “Pro,” and “Master.
- Publisher: Nintendo
- Release: December 2, 2004
- Genre: Music
- Purchase Price: ¥300/$2.03
The initial collection is 31 songs, and there are 6 hidden songs.
The composition mode allows users to post their compositions via the Internet (up to 100 songs can be saved).
14. Pokémon Black 2 and White 2
The story takes place two years after the previous game, and the players set out on a journey from Aspertia City to the Unova region.
- Publisher: Nintendo, The Pokémon Company
- Release: June 23, 2012
- Genre: Role-playing
- Purchase Price: ¥2400/$16.23
The main character in this work is a completely different new protagonist, and his rivals have also been changed.
The Pokedex has been powered up, with 301 different Pokémon.
15. Dragon Quest VI
This is a remake of the Super Famicom (SNES) version of “Dragon Quest VI” released in 1995.
- Publisher: Square Enix
- Release: January 28, 2010
- Genre: Role-playing
- Purchase Price: ¥2200/$14.88
A smartphone (iOS and Android) version was released on June 11, 2015 and is based on the Nintendo DS version.
16. Ni no Kuni: Dominion of the Dark Djinn
A fantastical RPG from Studio Ghibli and Level-5.
Magic is activated by drawing the “runes” in the book included with the software with the Nintendo DS stylus.
- Publisher: Level-5
- Release: December 9, 2010
- Genre: Role-playing
- Purchase Price: ¥1200/$8.12
The battle system is turn-based, and up to three characters can be put into battle.
17. Brain Age 2: More Training in Minutes a Day!
This sequel was released about seven months after the previous title, and added such features as playing famous songs.
It also included a Dr. Mario-like puzzle game, which could be controlled with a stylus.
- Publisher: Nintendo
- Release: December 29, 2005
- Genre: Puzzle, Edutainment
- Purchase Price: ¥300/$2.03
Due in part to its low selling price, 2 million copies were sold in Japan in six months.
18. Kirby Super Star Ultra
A remake of the Super Famicom’s “Kirby Super Deluxe” released in 1996.
- Publisher: Nintendo
- Release: September 22, 2008 NA
- Genre: Platform
- Purchase Price: ¥800/$5.41
This title adds four new game modes and three new sub-games that can be played on the touch screen. It contains a total of 11 game modes and 5 sub-games.
The DS downloadable play allows multiple players to play at the same time. The story can be played by two players at the same time, and the sub-games can be played by four players at the same time.
19. Pokémon Diamond, Pearl and Platinum
The Pokémon in the package is Dialga in the Diamond version and Palkia in the Pear” version.
The storyline is the same as in the previous versions, with players collecting gym badges and challenging the Four Heavenly Kings and Champions.
- Publisher: Nintendo, The Pokémon Company
- Release: September 28, 2006
- Genre: Role-playing
- Purchase Price: ¥2000/$13.53
The fourth generation of Pokémon has been introduced, and 107 new Pokémon have appeared. The total number of Pokémon is 493.
20. The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass
Sequel to “The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker” on the Nintendo GameCube.
Character designs are toon-rendered and animated.
- Publisher: Nintendo
- Release: June 23, 2007
- Genre: Action-adventure
- Purchase Price: ¥800/$5.41
In this work, the stylus is used for movement and attacks, and cannot be operated with buttons. The ship follows the path drawn with the stylus.
There are eight dungeons in total, and there are many riddles to solve using the stylus and microphone.
21. Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver
This is a remake of “Pokémon Gold and Silver” released on the Game Boy.
A pedometer-like portable game device called “Pokéwalker” is included in the package.
- Publisher: Nintendo, The Pokémon Company
- Release: September 12, 2009
- Genre: Role-playing
- Purchase Price: ¥3000/$20.29
Collect 16 badges, and you will be able to fight again with the strengthened Gym Leader and the Four Heavenly Kings.
22. Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky
The main story is the same as in Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time/Explorers of Darkness, but it includes additional episodes and other new elements.
- Publisher: Nintendo, The Pokémon Company
- Release: April 18, 2009
- Genre: Roguelike
- Purchase Price: ¥4200/$28.41
491 Pokémon species up to the 4th generation “Pokémon Diamond and Pearl” appear in this game.
23. Diddy Kong Racing
This is a remake of “Diddy Kong Racing” released on the Nintendo 64 in 1997.
- Publisher: Nintendo
- Release: February 5, 2007
- Genre: Kart Racing
- Purchase Price: ¥5000/$33.82
There are 12 characters that can be controlled, with a choice of eight to start with.
In this title, vehicles can be modified, and two new characters have been added.
24. Dragon Quest V
This is a remake of “Dragon Quest V” which was released on the Super Famicom (SNES) in 1992. It is based on the “PS2 version” that was remade earlier.
- Publisher: Square Enix
- Release: July 17, 2008
- Genre: Role-playing
- Purchase Price: ¥2500/$16.91
A smartphone version (iPhone and Android) was released on December 12, 2014.
The smartphone version features an equipment item, the “Monster Brooch,” which doubles or quadruples the chance of a monster becoming a friend.
25. The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks
This is the second Legend of Zelda game for the Nintendo DS and a sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass.
The story takes place approximately 100 years after the previous game, and many of the characters from the previous game appear in the game.
- Publisher: Nintendo
- Release: December 7, 2009 NA
- Genre: Action-adventure
- Purchase Price: ¥700/$4.73
All movement and attacks are done with the stylus, and the microphone on the Nintendo DS can be used to control the whistle.
26. Tetris DS
Tetris can be enjoyed in six different modes.
In each mode, a Nintendo game screen is displayed. Such as Super Mario Bros. and Excitebike on the Famicom.
- Publisher: Nintendo
- Release: March 20, 2006 NA
- Genre: Puzzle
- Purchase Price: ¥450/$3.04
Multiplayer play is available for 2 to 10 players at the same time; if even one player has the “Tetris DS” software, they can all play together.
Also, using the Wi-Fi Connection, players can play against other players who are far away from them.
27. Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story
This is the third title in the Mario & Luigi RPG series, and in this title, Mario’s rival Bowser can also be controlled.
The A button controls Mario, the B button controls Luigi, and the X and Y buttons control Bowser.
- Publisher: Nintendo
- Release: February 11, 2009
- Genre: Role-playing
- Purchase Price: ¥500/$3.38
In 2018, Mario & Luigi RPG 3 was released on the Nintendo 3DS. (a remake of the Nintendo DS version).
28. LovePlus
A romance simulation game in which players can become lovers with any one of the three heroines in the game.
The game links reality and game time, and events such as Valentine’s Day and Christmas occur.
- Publisher: Konami
- Release: September 3, 2009
- Genre: Dating sim
- Purchase Price: ¥400/$2.71
Many events and outfits have been added to “Love Plus+,” which was released on June 24, 2010.
29. The World Ends with You
An action role-playing game developed by the production staff of “Kingdom Hearts” and “Final Fantasy” series.
The character on the upper screen is controlled with buttons, while the character on the lower screen is controlled with a stylus or microphone.
- Publisher: Square Enix
- Release: July 27, 2007
- Genre: Action Role-playing
- Purchase Price: ¥400/$2.71
A sequel to this title, “NEO: The World Ends with You,” was released in 2021 on PS4 and Nintendo Switch.
30. Mario Party DS
It is the 10th title in the Mario Party series and the second handheld game since “Mario Party Advance”.
This title includes a number of mini-games with new control methods using the Nintendo DS touch screen and microphone.
- Publisher: Nintendo
- Release: November 8, 2007
- Genre: Party
- Purchase Price: ¥400/$2.71
Up to four players can play all of the competitive modes at the same time, as long as they have a copy of “Mario Party DS” and enough Nintendo DS consoles for the number of players.
31. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney
This is a Nintendo DS port of “Ace Attorney,” which was originally released on the GBA.
- Publisher: Capcom
- Release: September 15, 2005
- Genre: Adventure, Visual Novel
- Purchase Price: ¥300/$2.03
One new episode is added, and the volume is 1.5 to 2 times larger than other episodes.
32. Yoshi’s Island DS
This is a sequel to “Super Mario: Yoshi’s Island,” which was released on the Super Famicom in 1995.
In this episode, Yoshi carries Baby Mario, Baby DK, Baby Peach, Baby Wario, and Baby Bowser on an adventure through Yoshi Island.
- Publisher: Nintendo
- Release: November 13, 2006 NA
- Genre: Platform
- Purchase Price: ¥500/$3.38
There are 5 worlds, each with 8 normal stages. In addition, a secret stage appears in each world after the ending, so there are 50 stages in total.
33. Jump Ultimate Stars
This is a competitive action game in which more than 300 characters from 41 successive Weekly Shonen Jump titles appear.
However, players can control only 65 characters in total, and most of them appear as support or help characters.
- Publisher: Nintendo
- Release: November 23, 2006
- Genre: Fighting
- Purchase Price: ¥700/$4.73
There is a quiz mode in which you can challenge quizzes about Jump works, with a total of 3,000 questions included.
34. Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker 2
The fifth in the Dragon Quest Monsters (DQM) series, the story is a sequel to the previous game.
- Publisher: Square Enix
- Release: April 28, 2010
- Genre: Role-playing
- Purchase Price: ¥500/$3.38
This title added 101 new monster types, bringing the total number of monsters in the series to 311.
The Professional Edition, released a year later, added an additional 124 monster types.
35. Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey
The story is not related to the other Megami Tensei series and is completely independent.
Therefore, this game is recommended for those who have not yet played the Megami Tensei series.
- Publisher: Atlus
- Release: October 8, 2009
- Genre: Role-playing
- Purchase Price: ¥800/$5.41
A remake of this title was released on the Nintendo 3DS on October 26, 2017.
36. Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars
A spin-off of the Grand Theft Auto series, the game takes place in Liberty City in 2010.
It is the only CERO:Z (For ages 18 and up only) software for the Nintendo DS in Japan.
- Publisher: Rockstar Games
- Release: March 17, 2009 NA
- Genre: Action-adventure
- Purchase Price: ¥2500/$16.91
The game’s event scenes have an American comic book style, and the game screen is rendered in toonshades.
Many actions are performed using the stylus and microphone. For example, the microphone can be used to call a cab.
37. Professor Layton and the Unwound Future
This is the third title in the Professor Layton series, and the story takes us back in time to London 10 years later.
- Publisher: Level-5
- Release: November 27, 2008
- Genre: Puzzle, Adventure
- Purchase Price: ¥500/$3.38
The number of hints is limited to three in the previous titles, but in this one, you can get up to four hints.
38. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare is a first-person shooter game released on the Nintendo DS.
In the United States, the PS3, Xbox 360, and Nintendo DS versions were sold simultaneously.
- Publisher: Activision
- Release: November 5, 2007 NA
- Genre: First-person shooter
- Purchase Price: ¥1800/$12.17
The Nintendo DS version is completely different in terms of controls, single-player storyline, and stage structure.
The map can be constantly displayed on the lower screen of the DS, and the game can be controlled using the touch panel.
39. WarioWare: Touched!
A launch title for the Nintendo DS, it is the only one in the series to sell more than 1 million units in Japan.
The basic rules are the same as the previous game, but almost all operations are performed on the touch panel. Some stages use microphones.
- Publisher: Nintendo
- Release: December 2, 2004
- Genre: Action, Rhythm
- Purchase Price: ¥500/$3.38
There are a total of 181 petit games in this title, plus 9 boss games.
40. Kirby Mass Attack
This game is like “Pikmin” and does not allow for sucking or copy ability actions.
Battles are semi-automatic and start when Kirby comes in contact with an enemy.
- Release: August 4, 2011
- Genre: Platform
- Purchase Price: ¥650/$4.40
There are five areas in this title, and each area has 11 to 12 stages.Publisher: Nintendo
41. Style Savvy
In this game, you become the manager of a women’s fashion store and think of coordinating outfits according to customers’ requests.
- Publisher: Nintendo
- Release: October 23, 2008
- Genre: Simulation
- Purchase Price: ¥500/$3.38
There are more than 10,000 items available for fashion, including innerwear, tops, skirts, pants, hats, and shoes.
42. Clubhouse Games
There are 40 games in total, including classic board games, playing cards, and original games.
- Publisher: Nintendo
- Release: November 3, 2005
- Genre: Tabletop Game
- Purchase Price: ¥500/$3.38
It also supports download play, which can be played with only one piece of software, as long as there are enough Nintendo DS consoles for the number of people.
Although it is no longer available, it was possible to play against players from all over the world via Wi-Fi connection.
Summary
Here are my personal top 10 Nintendo DS games:
- Animal Crossing: Wild World
- New Super Mario Bros.
- Pokémon Black and White
- Dragon Quest IX
- Mario Kart DS
- Tomodachi Collection
- Rhythm Heaven
- Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day!
- Nintendogs
- Professor Layton and the Curious Village
I hope you find your perfect game in these NDS titles.
