The 20 best Nintendo DS games 5q6e3f

The third best-selling video game of all time and home to one of the largest game libraries, Nintendo DS revolutionized the gaming industry and brought extremely creative titles for all types of players. Now, we present a list of best nintendo ds games that were most successful. See: 5x5h53

Playing is cool! 2o1n50

Initially announced on the market as a third line of video games from Nintendo, and not as a replacement for the line GameBoy — which, at the time, was in its version Advance (GBA) — as many might think, the Nintendo DS arrived on the market with great success, strong advertising and a catalog that attracted both veteran and casual players. The Nintendo entered an era with three video games in the catalog: the Game Boy Advance, for portable games, and the Nintendo DS, for more advanced portable games, using two screens.

under the codename DS, from Dual Screen, Nintendo rescued the layout of its first portable video games, the Game & Watch, while at the same time innovating by ensuring in its games a gameplay based on the duality of screens and access to the touch screen through the Stylus, pen suitable for use in conjunction with the laptop. All this well before the appearance of the first iPhone and the popularization of smartphones as we know them today.

After its launch in 2004, the Nintendo DS had several versions: first, the Nintendo DS (the DS Fat) being followed by the restructured and more elegant Nintendo DS Lite, and, soon after, the versions released with improvements: Nintendo DSi e Nintendo DSi XL. 

The most amazing DS games 5k111w

For our selection of best nintendo ds games, we base ourselves on some criteria:

• Best known and most emblematic titles: We consider highlighting those games that made history on the handheld and are still ed today due to their exclusive release for the console.
• Use of grade aggregator sites: Here we will use three of them, the IMDB, Metacritic and the website Nintendo Life, exemplifying the evaluations of DS games from the perspective of two important game evaluation sites and a respected portal on the subject Nintendo.
• Personal experience and subjective sense: As expected in lists of the best games, the author's personal experience and a bit of subjective sense are also present.

With over 2000 games in its catalog — cementing its success as the best-selling handheld game console of all time and the third best-selling game console of all time —, the Nintendo DS bet on a varied and almost infinite collection, bringing together many successful titles, but also other very dubious ones that followed a certain theme of the moment.

For this list, we decided to discard the compilations, the remakes and the remasters (with one exception, which we explain below), in order to maintain this list of 20 best DS games as complete and concise as possible. Therefore, titles such as Chrono Trigger, Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon, Final Fantasy III, IV, Kirby Super Star Ultra, Pokémon HeartGold / SoulSilver, Super Mario 64 DS, Among others.

The rules have been set, now let's take a look at the 20 best games for nintendo ds, arranged alphabetically and with American release dates:

Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day! 616c3t

IMDB: 6,6 | Metacritic: 77 | Nintendo Life: -

Inspired by the mental exercises written by Ryuta Kawashima in your book Train your brain, the game Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day! compiles a series of reasoning minigames into a gamified title for all ages. Just turn the Nintendo DS, withdraw the Stylus and have fun with memory, calculation, counting activities, among others, and you can even take a test to find out your brain age.

The game is the first in the series Brain Age and was very successful with activities that use the prefrontal cortex area of ​​the brain, becoming an object of recommendation even by doctors in certain cases aiming at the prevention of mental illnesses.

Launch: 17 of April of 2006

Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow 1m1yq

IMDB: 7,7 | Metacritic: 89 | Nintendo Life: 8.6

sequence of Aria of Sorrow (GBA), Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow is considered one of the best games in the most beloved vampire franchise in the gaming world. With great visuals and soundtrack, as well as mechanics that bring back the system Soul from the previous game — and adds interactivity through the action of drawing stamps on the screen —, this game can be defined as a must-play for fans of the franchise and owners of a Nintendo DS.

The history of Dawn of Sorrow is character-centered Sum Cross, who, after discovering the existence of the evil power of Dracula in his body, he fights to prevent mysterious forces from trying to revive him. With many classic elements from the games in the series and special additions, we still have a multiplayer (VS Mode) focused on the fastest resolution of the phases and also the possibility of carrying out exchanges souls through the wireless connection of the Nintendo DS with a friend.

Launch: October 4, 2005

Elite Beat Agents 2m2b3l

IMDB: 8,2 | Metacritic: | Nintendo Life: 8.4

One coolest DS games, Elite Beat Agents mixes music and rhythmic commands using the stylus and touchscreen of the hybrid laptop Nintendo. As agents of a secret service, you must embark on various missions — which include a cat trying to rescue a baby, a fast race with a pregnant woman to the maternity ward, two celebrities trying to survive on a desert island, among other situations —, all using the power of dance through precise touches on the screen according to the rhythm to advance successfully.

To accompany the game and the stories presented in each stage, comic book-style art with several funny moments can be seen. And, of course, as expected, the music is very well represented here. Songs like “YMCA"(Village People), "Highway Star"(Deep Purple), "Rock This Town"(Stray Cats) is "Material Girl"(Madonna) are just some of the examples that the player will hear when following the on-screen commands.

Launch: November 8 of 2006

Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective 503l1y

IMDB: 8,3 | Metacritic: 83 | Nintendo Life: 8.5

From the same developer as Phoenix Wright (Shu Takumi), Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective it's a game point and click full of history and enigmas that explore the many possibilities of Nintendo DS. You wake up in the skin of the newly slaughtered Sissel and now, as a ghost, he must control objects and solve various puzzles in the hope of deciphering the mystery of who killed him and why, all in the short time of one night!

With a recent remaster released on Nintendo Switch, Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective proves to be one of the best nintendo ds games. Its jazzy soundtrack, unparalleled graphics and animations, and innovative gameplay — based on temporal realities and the use of tricks (tricks) — guarantee originality to the game. 

Launch: January 11, 2011

GTA: Chinatown Wars 2u2562

IMDB: 7,4 | Metacritic: 93 | Nintendo Life: 8.2

Bringing back the graphic style of the first games in the series GTA (Grand Theft Auto) and including news from contemporary games, GTA: Chinatown Wars marks the unprecedented debut of the most famous crime and misdemeanor franchise in the world. Rockstar GAMES on consoles Nintendo. The classic open-world mission experience was combined with new features only available in Nintendo DS, such as using the touchscreen to jump-start stolen cars via hot-wiring.

In the story, full of twists and turns and which presents a universe more focused on the Chinese universe, you are Huang lee and must deliver an ancient sword to his uncle Kenny. It is worth noting that the title can also be played through cooperative multiplayer mode with a friend who also owns the game. A gem of Nintendo DS and which has side missions, minigames and collectibles in addition to the main story.

Launch: March 17, 2009

IMDB: 7,8 | Metacritic: 86 | Nintendo Life: 8.1

Em Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time, we control the Mario brothers in both children's and adult versions within a context that mixes past and present in the Mushroom Kingdom. Revealing a story centered on fighting alien villains, in this RPG, we must control both characters at the same time, having to use the “duality” of controls and screens — which here can be done both in the basic movement of the brothers and in battles and solving puzzles.

Launch: November 28 of 2005

Mario Kart DS 5c1a3k

IMDB: 8,0 | Metacritic: 91 | Nintendo Life: 8.5

The franchise Mario Kart is synonymous with success in video games Nintendo and its title released for the Nintendo DS it could not be different. Now with fully 3D tracks in the palm of your hand, the game also boasted the fact that it was the first game in the franchise to include an online mode, increasing the replay factor by allowing matches with multiple players around the world. Another feature of Mario Kart DS was to allow local multiplayer matches using just one cartridge — which was common in some titles of the Nintendo DS. 

Launch: November 14 of 2005

Meteos 4f53u

IMDB: 7,3 | Metacritic: 88 | Nintendo Life: 8.0

Match three blocks as they fall on the bottom screen to make them fly up into the space displayed on the top screen, leaving space for more pieces to fall. This is the idea behind Meteos, game made by the same company (Q Entertainment) of Lumines and that makes the most of the characteristics of the Nintendo DS. Original and, at the same time, classic, the game combines the features of traditional puzzle games with an innovative touch, even gaining a sequel in Xbox Live Arcade entitled Meteos Wars.

Launch: June 27, 2005

Metroid Prime: Hunters 464e50

IMDB: 6,7 | Metacritic: 85 | Nintendo Life: 6.9

Metroid Prime: Hunters turned into reality what might have seemed impossible at the time: porting the graphics of one of the most beautiful games in the world. Nintendo for a super famous handheld. Well, it still proved to be a great game, delivering a universe full of new places to explore, unique abilities and a story to be completed. If all that wasn't enough, the game also brought countless possibilities for connection for multiplayer gameplay, including an online mode.

Launch: March 20, 2006

New Super Mario Bros. 2m6q6m

IMDB: 8,2 | Metacritic: 89 | Nintendo Life: 8.1

Taking the wave of the classic games in the series and bringing it to the year 2006 with a new look, New Super Mario Bros. revived the series Mario in 2D after more than 10 years since its last release. It opened the doors to a new generation of players, as well as bringing back veterans to play games with all the grace of yesteryear. 

News like the Mega Mushroom (which left the Mario giant to destroy everything in the stage) and the Mini Mushroom (which made it tiny to fit into tight spaces) were essential to shaping the essence of this new entry in the franchise, which ended up gaining sequels for the Nintendo 3DS later due to success.

Launch: May 15, 2006

nintendogs 6e654a

IMDB: 6,7 | Metacritic: 83 | Nintendo Life: %

Taking care of a puppy on a portable video game console was truly an innovative idea. With multiple versions for different dog breeds, nintendogs brought unique gameplay combinations to take care of the beloved pets. Whether by voice commands to give orders, or through the pen stylus to touch the screen and pet it; and even to interact with the cat using elements available in the scenarios, the possibilities were many. Another highlight was being able to use the device's wireless connection to find other dogs from other DSs down the street. Simply, “animal”! 

Launch: 22 of August of 2005

Okamiden 411s4o

IMDB: 7,6 | Metacritic: 82 | Nintendo Life: %

The younger brother of the incredibly successful Okami, Okamiden proved to fit well in the palm of the hand and using the touch controls of the Nintendo DS. By Celestial Brush, the magic pen that was brought to the game through the stylus, you control Chibiterasu, the young celestial wolf (and son of Amaterasu) to fight and solve puzzles in beautiful Japanese natural settings, but which have been possessed by dark forces.

Launch: March 15, 2011

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney 4j654w

Original title: Gyakuten Saiban: Yomigaeru Gyakuten

IMDB: 8,3 | Metacritic: 81 | Nintendo Life: 8.7

As an exception to our choice not to include remakes and remasters in this list, Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney was actually an unprecedented release for the Nintendo DS in the Americas, since, before, he had only seen the sunlight in Japanese lands through the Game Boy Advance.

The title is innovative in presenting a new game genre, mixing stories of investigative cases in the courts with point and click commands and scenes in the best style visual novel to continue the most varied trial stories. The discoveries, humorous insights and intricate cases that depend on good reasoning tactics built a generation of fans, ready to shout along with the character at each presumed victory: “Objection!”.

Launch: October 11, 2005

pokemon platinum 586t6z

IMDB: 8,5 | Metacritic: 83 | Nintendo Life: 8.9

Increasing the aspects of pokemon diamond e pokemon pearl, pokemon platinum brought the innovations of the previous games and elevated them with valuable additions. The Sinnoh region welcomes the adventure with a spotlight on the legendary Pokémon of note, Giratina, plus improvements to online gameplay and a new mode Battle Frontier.

Launch: March 22, 2009

Professor Layton and The Curious Village 5p3m4h

IMDB: 8,0 | Metacritic: 85 | Nintendo Life: 8.5

First game in the beloved franchise Professor Layton and one of the most emblematic of his generation, Professor Layton and The Curious Village made history by inserting puzzle elements into minigames within a plot in the best style Sherlock Holmes. In command of Hershel Layton and his assistant Luke Triton, you must travel through the peaceful village of St. Mystere to solve the case of the Golden Apple.

With a memorable cast of characters, classic and intelligent challenges that take advantage of the touch screen and a complex plot that unfolds throughout the adventure — with many animations carrying a characteristic British style —, the game was perfect from its first debut, generating sequels that extend to the present day.

Launch: February 10, 2008

Rhythm Heaven 1j5e69

https://youtu.be/zmg3GmHgpYw

IMDB: 7,8 | Metacritic: 83 | Nintendo Life: 8.5

For those who enjoy rhythm games, the Nintendo DS also brought one of those games, full of sounds and made by the same team that worked on the titles in the series WarioWare. Rhythm Heaven is cheerful and contagious, placing the player to execute commands on the laptop's touch screen — with it turned like a book —, following the rhythm of the songs. 50 stages are included in this package that is divided into themes and extra remixed stages, challenging the player progressively with each advance.

Launch: 5 of April of 2009

The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass 4g1w72

IMDB: 7,7 | Metacritic: 90 | Nintendo Life: 8.0

Following the story of The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker and adding new elements to the experience, The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass arrives at Nintendo DS taking advantage of its two innovative screens. With Tetra captured by a ghost ship, now it's up to Link, with the help of the captain Linebeck, travel the vast ocean crossing islands and searching for information to continue the adventure.

Using the pen stylus, the possibilities range from controlling Link's movement and attacks with a simple act of drawing on the screen, as well as making notes on the map and even blowing to interact with certain elements, such as fire, opening space for solving puzzles in ways never before seen in the series. Additionally, the game also has a multiplayer mode that pits up to two players against each other to collect Force Gems and control ghostly enemies.

Launch: October 1, 2007

The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks 5k3472

IMDB: 7,4 | Metacritic: 87 | Nintendo Life: 8.1

The next entry in the franchise The Legend of Zelda No. Nintendo's dual-screen handheld completely changed the scenery compared to its predecessor: the beaches and islands are gone and long locomotive tracks and green fields are in. In this new plot, Link counts on the help of Zelda — who is present here only in spirit — to work together to prevent the awakening of Demon King by enemies and, at the same time, restore order to the tracks of a new Hyrule.

Taking advantage of the functionalities of Nintendo DS are also present, such as the possibility of plotting routes and setting the speed of the train to move and shooting a cannon by simply touching the screen. In an unprecedented way, we can also use new items such as the Whirlwind (a sort of weather vane, useful for moving items and stunning enemies) and the Spirit Pipes (a type of in-game pan flute) by blowing into the video game's microphone. 

Launch: December 7, 2009

The World Ends With You 4l70c

https://youtu.be/mMPfZBIK47c

IMDB: 8,3 | Metacritic: 88 | Nintendo Life: 8.6

From the same creators of Kingdom Hearts, The World Ends With You is an innovative and stylish RPG set in a stylishly dark alternate version of the Shibuya district. You are Some and receives a message claiming that his existence is in crisis, within a seven-day counter. In the game, we have an innovative battle system — which takes advantage of both screens of the DS — and many animated scenes that refer to comic books. 

Launch: April 22th 2008

Trauma Center: Under The Knife 3h4d4b

IMDB: 6,2 | Metacritic: 81 | Nintendo Life: 8.1

O Nintendo DS It may be perfect for many things, but being able to use it to perform surgery on patients, taking advantage of the use of the touch screen, could not be more convenient. Trauma Center: Under The Knife comes with this prerogative and puts the player in the shoes of surgical doctors using the stylus and the laptop's touchscreen. 

From then on, your life will change in the hospital environment. Whether it's to dedicate yourself to tasks that require skill in handling instruments — which here include scalpels, antibiotic gels and tweezers —, or due to the tension and need for quick actions to save lives, the game is a complete medical simulation that will test all the player's skills on the operating table.

Launch: October 4, 2005

So, what did you think of this list and what titles would you add to it? ranking de best nintendo ds games? Tell us in the comments!

See also other features:

The 20 best Nintendo Wii games

The 20 best Nintendo 3DS games in history

Sources: Nintendo, Nintendo Life, Den of geek, VGDB, nintendo blast

reviewed by Gabriel Princessval in 26 / 02 / 2025