21 Best Nintendo DS Games

[@ppleakage2785]

The DS was certainly one gem of a system

[@poble]

@Kyle Robinson no

[@TheMarioManiac]

@Kyle Robinson said no one ever.

[@lusseruss4741]

@Kyle Robinson You do know that GameXplain is not getting review copies/deals from Nintendo anymore for treating Jon like shit right? (assumed due to not getting a review copy of SM3DW+BF and Bravely etc)

[@LukeSkywalker-zv3xy]

@@lusseruss4741 really if so that’s one of the best choices they have made all year. Nintendo actually holds great value in respecting their employees more than any other AAA developer so I can see them making that decision.

[@ToffeeJim19]

@@LukeSkywalker-zv3xy Nintendo? Respect for customers and employees? BAAHAHAHA

[@scottlawson1800]

The DS and PSP was the golden age of handhelds, the game selection was unreal, including GTA timed exclusives on both systems, backwards compatibility or UMD movies. I love my Switch, but Sony caring about its handhelds was a *good* thing

[@contytub]

Neither vita nor switch are good out of the box but are amazin when hacked

[@elusivelight3766]

Pokemon/ Fire Emblem/ Warioware were my favs for DS. I had the Vita later and my fav on that was the Jak Collection.. 👍

[@blu5758]

@@contytub first of all… the switch will *AWLAYS* be better than older consoles the PSP and DS came out in the 2000s so it makes sense that it would be better because it has 10x the power

[@contytub]

@@blu5758 ... a console isn't good because of spec but library and over all experience . even if i'm a psp/vita guy, a swtich will never get to the level of ds when it comes to the sheer number of quality games unless hacked to play most of them. The switch has probably the narrowest library after vita.

[@ricardo_1989]

Now we get steamdeck finally a blow to nintendo for making such simple low end handheld. Also stupid nintendo for still asking max price dor gakes made 5 years ago

[@Galebreth]

Jon has this deep and heavy voice that I think he has his own gravitational field.

[@oneish7454]

Makes me a bit jealous, especially since I found out I'm older than him.

[@shagunbaranwal7376]

@@oneish7454 lol opposite for girls but dang I do like his voice

[@AbdFattah]

That's why you can't stop the Jon

[@TheonewhoisP]

420 likes 👍 nice

[@T.O.Wallee]

Who's here after Delta released on IOS?

[@BAKERTheLegend]

me!!

[@UnlimitedPower47]

Me too!!!

[@xaviercoachlee6908]

dudeee its so smooooth and im playing it on an iphone 7plus😆

[@IWWWTJ]

Howdy

[@DudeItsMalcolm]

Same

[@jon-h]

*All of the games listed* - Professor Layton and the Curious Village 0:53 - Dragon Quest IX 2:00 - Mario and Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story 3:17 - Last Window: The Secret of Cape West 4:22 - Pokémon Platinum 5:12 - Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective 6:09 - Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia 7:05 - Kirby Superstar Ultra 7:51 - Mario Kart DS 8:38 - Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky 9:52 - Tetris DS 10:37 - 999: Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors 11:57 - Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney 12:44 - Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow 14:00 - Professor Layton and the Lost Future 15:00 - Radiant Historia 15:49 Top 5: 5. The World Ends With You 16:44 4. Phoenix Wright: Trials and Tribulations 17:43 3. Dragon Quest V 18:31 2. Pokémon HeartGold/SoulSilver 19:56 1. Chrono Trigger 21:09

[@guyonDmoon]

Where can I buy theses games now?

[@urukadooedwards7637]

There are cheap multi carts out there on eBay, Amazon, Alli Express that have most all these games in one cartridge for about $15 or so. I recommend the 208 in 1 cartridge.

[@Wolf-Squatch]

@@urukadooedwards7637 just got mine in the mail and can't recommend this enough.

[@GradoNite]

​@@guyonDmoonemulate.

[@SniffinYaMum]

Nice one , I always pause these 20 minute long videos and look for these comments , you didn’t disappoint 🏆

[@DAAB101]

Bowser’s inside story for some reason is some of happiest gaming memories I have (I’m not even that old)

[@voidshard4053]

I wonder what makes it so good? I've only played dream team and superstar saga

[@cosmicXtropics]

It's probably one of my earliest memories with the DS only because I played the demo at Walmart. I never bought the game because it was so different compared to nsmbds but I regret it. The demo DS also had Nintendogs, Picross, and Mario 64 ds.

[@faboulazc4157]

I have a non nostalgic opinion since I literally just bought it a week ago (I'm starting to collect for DS) and it's also my first Mario&Luigi game, Antdude convinced me to get it. The story is so fun, the art is beautiful, the gameplay it's not hard but it can be difficult and that's so fun about it.

[@spoon7053]

@@voidshard4053 you get to play as bowser!!! Getting to experience his personality and point of view is such a fresh experience. The villain (fawful) is unforgettable because of the absurd humor. Spritework is as good as superstar saga (imo the 3DS version graphics look uninspired compared to on the DS). The music is excellent and sticks in your head. The battles are the right difficulty. I replayed the game recently, and it holds up so well. I highly recommend it.

[@ted9030]

I HATE IT BECAUSE OF THE CARROT MINIGAME!!!!

[@Daniel-yz3zf]

I absolutely love the DS. Build quality, size, game library... just a fantastic handheld with so many memories attached to it.

[@pkilljoy5797]

It makes me happy that DQ is getting the recognition it deserves in the west. DQ5 is a special game that everyone should try

[@Austin-lm6iq]

yeah i’ve been playing that on ios, paid 15 for it. though i also bought chronotrigger for 5 and must say chronotrigger is more bang for your buck. I also already know the main premise of dq5 because i saw the movie but regardless want to play through it. chronotrigger is a blind play through so that’s probably why i’m so shifted towards that game at the moment.

[@cbkirby6199]

That’s what I like about Texas. (Sorry couldn’t resist)

[@Boujonzu]

All the DQ remakes on DS are definitive for me

[@marchickey7209]

Hell ya I love dairy queen 5

[@zetro_cloud]

My all time favorite

[@jacobw8634]

Platinum was my first mainstream Pokemon game, and definitely had an impact on me, but Heartgold was just so much more fun to me. The music, the massive amount of content, the walking Pokemon, everything.

[@guyonDmoon]

Where can I buy these games now?

[@koreyh6968]

@@guyonDmoon They've been discontinued. You can buy them from used markets like ebay or emulate the games with pirated roms

[@wizardking515]

@@guyonDmoon kzbin.info/www/bejne/r6TTpHSLf9WKjqc

[@karebushmarebu233]

What do you mean first "mainstream" pokemon game lmao, all pokemon games are mainstream

[@crimson3970]

@@guyonDmoon You can’t buy them from Nintendo, you either have to pirate or pay $100+ for each one second hand.

[@coos8730]

“Get in the dryer Mario kart super circuit, and don’t come out” -Jon 2021

[@TheCarrotMan248]

0:52 #21 Professor Layton and the Curious Village 2:02 #20 Dragon Quest IX 3:17 #19 Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story 4:22 #18 Last Window: The Secret of Cape West 5:12 #17 Pokémon Platinum 6:09 #16 Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective 7:05 #15 Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia 7:51 #14 Kirby Super Star Ultra 8:38 #13 Mario Kart DS 9:52 #12 Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky 10:37 #11 Tetris DS 11:57 #10 9 Hours, 9 Persons, 9 Doors 12:44 #9 Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney 14:00 #8 Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow 15:00 #7 Professor Layton and the Unwound Future 15:49 #6 Radiant Historia 16:43 #5 The World Ends with You 17:42 #4 Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney: Trials and Tribulations 18:31 #3 Dragon Quest V 19:55 #2 Pokémon HeartGold & SoulSilver 21:09 #1 Chrono Trigger

[@leoangelomiranda3312]

I love you.

[@TheCarrotMan248]

@@leoangelomiranda3312 No no no, I love you.

[@TheCarrotMan248]

@@waled7564

[@pop3stealth97]

we need to give this more likes

[@TheCarrotMan248]

@@pop3stealth97 yes we do

[@RevolverLink]

I loved the Nintendo DS, truly one of my all-time favorite systems - it was actually my system of choice for most of the Wii/360/PS3 generation. And it's really nice to see underplayed gems like Ghost Trick, Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia, Radiant Historia and Last Window on here

[@Marowak31]

OBJECTION! Pokémon Black 2 and White 2 deserved at least a top 5 spot. Apart from that it's a great list! The DS library is full of good game and surprisingly good third party exclusives (Layton, Ace Attorney, Hotel Dusk, 999, Castlevania...)

[@hybridshivam]

#1 for me

[@properheadkick6327]

Hearsay

[@Quelkei]

1 yr old comment but its cool to see someone remembering 999 🥰

[@bindug8477]

Honestly it's the best ds game.it is really sad that a masterpiece like that is often forgotten when talking about the ds games

[@RichardCranium69420]

@@Quelkei it’s literally in the video

[@singsongdan249]

Wow Mario AND Zelda not being here is wild!

[@qigebo]

I just saw the number 1 and thought that exact thing. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a Nintendo console list with out them at least in the top 5.

[@sirisaac1264]

Mario and luigi bowser's inside story: am I a joke to you

[@therealmariofan]

@@sirisaac1264 I think he meant main line games like New super mario bros or sm64

[@isaacnuketon]

SPIRIT TRAAAAAAAAACKS

[@mnchr.]

Mario Kart DS was in on the list

[@scacknewman]

Please never run out of these strange topics, they are so fun to listen to.

[@biggestbubba]

@Kyle Robinson no gamexplain doesnt treat employees nice and Jon is way cooler than Andre.

[@auntiegarfunkel]

@Kyle Robinson I thought the same til Jon moved here, now they're equal in my opinion

[@jetgriffin5622]

@@auntiegarfunkel How can someone ever think of GameXplain as equal after how horrible that asshole of a boss treats his employees?

[@MoonGhostDoodles]

@@jetgriffin5622 Tbf he did actually apologize (legitimately). But still even without the drama the channel nowadays is full of clickbait and fluff nonsense compared to other gaming news channels

[@alechemy]

@@MoonGhostDoodles did they ever post an apology or acknowledgment to the channel? I seem to remember them putting out one tweet on the topic, and that’s it. And then they would remove comments from their videos that referenced the fiasco. Just a bad vibe overall.

[@HillelArt]

Jon is such a joy to listen to

[@gdjosef]

hey hillel

[@juiceala]

I only subbed for him, and I unsupped to GX when he left, turns out he was the sole reason I followed GX.

[@shigerumiyamoto9612]

@Kyle Robinson That is absolutely wrong though. Look how Andre treated Jon and the others?

[@onlytrueway8742]

i fall in love everytime

[@PhoenixWrightAceAttorney]

I’m glad I made it onto the list.

[@masa5300]

You're not a video game, just a cringe roleplayer

[@gamerprince-tl5hg]

I'm not.

[@PhoenixWrightAceAttorney]

@@gamerprince-tl5hg Sissel? I'm currently playing through Ghost Trick, and I'm surprised you weren't there.

[@redscarlet56]

@@masa5300 damn you must be fun at parties

[@ronald8146]

@@masa5300 Jeez dude stfu

[@bobbypaycheque]

I really really miss this era of gaming.

[@denimchicken104]

The last years before the wheels of society fell off.

[@wackgusty4850]

The switch gives me a similar child-like wonder especially with alot of games from this era coming back... But it's still not the same.

[@chilly6470]

Just buy another DS.

[@GuilhermeRodrigues-wj9ps]

@@denimchicken104 Cringe

[@Rinne_Z_rank]

Number 1 for starting gambling addictions at a young age goes to new super mario bros picture poker minigame

[@DammYou]

I finished Chrono Trigger on the DS for the first time this year even though I have had it since it came out. It was one game I really wanted to play last year and finally get it off my backlog. It's a great game. The music is sooo good. I'm a fan of Robo's theme.

[@RemoWilliams1227]

I too need to play chrono trigger finally and have had it for eons

[@wiggy700]

Sad that Solatorobo did not make this list it's but it is a hidden gem as well as Aliens infestation is also amazing.

[@joaojunqueira7899]

furry alert!!!!!

[@wiggy700]

@@joaojunqueira7899 Maybe you should learn to appreciate games more than spend your time bashing its fans, It should not matter what fanbase anyone is from. A game is there to be enjoyed by all, Not for you to spread hate.

[@schowd31]

paid $90 on amazon for Solatorobo and it. was. worth it! Also glad I got Last Window after playing Hotal Dusk as a library rental.

[@TheNintendoWizrad]

@@joaojunqueira7899 you sure sound like a buzz kill huh

[@cloudy7971]

It is such a great game, definitely in my top ten games of all time. And at least it made it on the top 50 list.

[@just9019]

Nice to see Pmd Explorers mentioned, it's such a hidden gem. Also it has the best ost in a pokémon game imo

[@NCC-0000]

The best Pokemon game ever done: Best OST, Best story, Best characters, lots of hours of replayability, even is the best PMD game in it's own saga

[@Shahzad-ss1jq]

@@NCC-0000 Ah I knew that dusknoir was bad I was right in the end

[@tteeggaann]

Rescue team has better replayability because less cutcenes...

[@Drstrange3000]

I wish I could wipe my memory and experience PMD Explorers again. Best Pokémon game by far! The soundtrack was epic!

[@ParisDorn159]

VNs on the DS were so good. Ace Attorney, 999, and Hotel Dusk are all amazing

[@MarcMarioMaster]

I love so many of the games on this list. It's especially great since you were able to bring such games over to the 3DS still and while some people critisized the launch selection of games, I simply took my DS games on there and enjoyed the huge install base.

[@kristym8641]

I was a kid when the DS came out, and it was my first experience with a touch screen. I got the Nintendogs DS bundle for Christmas, and it was magical playing that game for the first time. Now, it seems outdated but back then, the fact you could touch and talk to your virtual pets, it was revolutionary. Also shout-out to Plants vs. Zombies, Animal Crossing Wild World, Harvest Moon DS, and Drawn to Life. I had loads of fun with these titles, along with the Pokemon games. And even Pictochat!

[@MrGregory777]

I passed on DQ V when i saw it in a store for $28 5 years ago. I still have nightmares about that

[@djde4th877]

understandable having 28$ is like having 128$ as a child lol

[@playstationtwo877]

@@djde4th877 is dqv worth playing?

[@djde4th877]

@@playstationtwo877 i recommend DQ joker 2

[@djde4th877]

@@playstationtwo877 i havent played V yet

[@exzisd]

I'd like to see a series of videos like these "best of" games for different consoles for indie game and games which didn't sell really well but were well reviewed and had a cult following. Some might call them hidden gems but I think even a series on Indie Games itself would be interesting to see from Gamecube through modern day.

[@xXChipsAndGravyXx]

im so happy both dragon quest 5 and 9 got on this list, these games are fantastic

[@Ronald_Ruck]

Feels good to know that I have played all of them. I think my DS is my most used system ever. And well, having a Flashcard for those rare or not localised games was helping, as well.

[@thenintendogamer1542]

Man I love the 3DS and by extension the DS. Having access to DS and 3DS on a 80$ system is crazy!

[@Night-Shade.]

Too bad that you can't find DS games anymore tho

[@thenintendogamer1542]

@@Night-Shade. the best place for me is online at Gamestop or other retailers. Yes they dont have the case, but I print it out

[@Night-Shade.]

@@thenintendogamer1542 If you find popular titles then ur very lucky. All I’ve seen are the left over cash grab games.

[@thenintendogamer1542]

@@Night-Shade. they are a lot of mid ish games there. No huge ones usually, but starfy, mario vs dk, etc are usually there and I got them for a good price. 3DS games are really easy to find there though. I basically built my 3DS collection from gamestop. Especially the sale they used to do 4 games that are 15$ for 30$ and it was great!

[@Shahzad-ss1jq]

@@Night-Shade. Emulators and roms

[@firebird6000]

Did not expect it, but just wanna throw out Fossil Fighters; one of my favorite games! Very underrated! Utilized the touchscreen and microphone so well and has an engaging gameplay loop!

[@playstationtwo877]

Nah dumbest game i ever play

[@daking6361]

Oh my I loved Dragon Quest 9. It was basically my favorite jrpg from my childhood, and I had so many fun memories of it

[@michaelsmulkowski5088]

I like the equipment graphics in the inventory.

[@quartzite12]

Hey Jon from Nintendo life, everyone here!

[@HedgehogHero8]

@Cifu You got only 5 subscribers bro, no cares about you or ur opinion.

[@JJGamezMC]

@@HedgehogHero8 *said the guy with 1 subscriber*

[@camharkness]

people can have their own opinions, no matter how many subs they have

[@JJGamezMC]

@@camharkness I know, i’m just pointing out the hypocrisy in his statement and saying how dumb it is to judge the validity of an opinion on subscriber counts.

[@camharkness]

@@JJGamezMC yeah I understood that. Sorry I should have made it more clear that I wasn't aiming my comment at you. I hope that you have a good day

[@ExtremeAce]

20:04 "My personal favorite is 5" I like this guy.

[@bradendubois3661]

It's so nice to see John and everyone else at Nintendo Life happy.

[@omegaweapon116]

I modded a DSi recently and have been catching up on all these games. Too many good ones to play

[@enzog1078]

Been playing all the ds Pokémon games and they are truly perfect masterpieces.

[@Froinlaven_2020]

I unfortunately missed out entirely on the DS family. It wasn’t until recently I bought a New 3DS XL and I’m glad I still have the chance to play all the DS games I missed out on

[@samijudj]

I’m super happy I bought most of the Pokémon DS games when they hadn’t shot up in price, as they’ve definitely shot up in value and demand in the last few years

[@alexlilano1931]

My number one game on the DS is Brain age. Haha... I was that guy. I spend the most time with that game with the DS for some reason. The DS was great. It had an alarm which told me how much is time is left before the alarm goes off and had touch screen. I thought it was amazing. This is before Smart Phones were big.

[@jerrygomez3825]

You're not the only one. I loved that... game(?) I'm still hoping they'll release the switch version to the rest of the world

[@harukaf.n.1994]

Haha I still use the ds alarm so I don't wake up directly using my phone, having an exact countdown of the time I have left to sleep makes me get to bed quicker

[@beepbop1762]

I love that game. pretty sure that game also taught me how sudoku worked which i enjoyed a ton

[@errimusberrimus383]

Kyle Hyde is one of my favorite protagonists in any game, and last window's story made him feel so much more real and down to earth. It's not just the art style that shines about that game, the characters and setting are also what makes the game stand out in my eyes. Really great game, and the prime example of a gem that Europe got that the U.S. didn't.

[@jymfiskburk2256]

The novel that came with the game was awesome too, and give a proper insight to the ending

[@Kelpoflakey]

so glad to see explorers of sky get a spotlight, I hope they remake it in the vein of rescue team DX

[@avrilwilliams252]

Still have a backlog of DS games in my collection I haven't played yet, I Purchased a DSI XL last year to get the best experience when playing them : ) Love that Nintendo Life are still making these videos, more please : )

[@finestcustard5647]

I could never get past the first gym cause I skipped all the dialogue so I had no clue what to do but Heartgold is still so important to me. Hearing the music from the ds Pokémon games makes me so nostalgic it’s crazy. The ds sound is just so special and has so much character

[@partyxplays]

I'm surprised new super Mario Bros isn't on this list. That game was definitely my favorite on the Ds.

[@MELFOR64]

YESSSSSSSSSS BOWSER’S INSIDE STORY IS ON HERE THATS MY CHILDHOOD (and also Pokémon platinum)

[@nausicaa_8434]

masterpiece game. My childhood as well, along with DQIX, Wild World and Pokemon Black

[@syntaste]

The Zelda DS Games are criminaly underrated

[@ChrisGorski]

I loved everything about PH except returning to the Ocean Temple. Very interesting idea that needed some tweaking.

[@thelegendofstonecoldstevea3205]

@@ChrisGorski a bit of fast travel would’ve done that game wonders

[@smaug131]

@@thelegendofstonecoldstevea3205 it did have a bit of fast travel though: there were some places you could teleport using tornados between

[@thelegendofstonecoldstevea3205]

@@smaug131 yeah but that wasnt really ideal.

[@spoon7053]

spirit tracks was a massive improvement over PH. the ideas are actually creative and the music is some of the best in the series. Reminder that we havent had playable zelda in a mainline 1st party game yet. I hate how people call ST gimmicky when the sword isn’t assigned to a button. It’s a DS game with DS controls, and they work.

[@TheSmart-CasualGamer]

Dragon Quest IX, Mario Kart DS, The Lord of the Rings: Aragorn's Quest, The Lord of the Rings: Conquest and, of course, New Super Mario Bros.

[@jupiterlandings8646]

Can the people spamming GX>NL go watch gameexplain and leave the rest of us alone already??

[@shigerumiyamoto9612]

Agree. I see this Kyle spamming GameXplain > Nintendo Life which makes me sad considering how they treated Jon and how Jon also have moved on from the company/Andre

[@thenintendogamer1542]

@@shigerumiyamoto9612 trye

[@I_was_a_Bullfrog]

@@shigerumiyamoto9612 Not to mention how poorly the others who left were treated too.

[@SphaxDeluxe]

I recently started DQIX again. It has been 10 years since I touched the story. It made me feel like a child again and all the emotions and joy I had back then came back to live. Its my favourite DS game and actually it was the reason why I kinda stepped back from Pokemon.

[@dragonsigner]

TWEWY fun game..so hard near the end....im glad for an anime and a sequel coming soon.

[@PhoenixWrightAceAttorney]

More people need to know about this game. One of the best games of all time imo.

[@superman2957]

What does that stand for?

[@dragonsigner]

@@superman2957 TWEWY -the world ends with you. .its that Japan like video game for ds that it like the Japanese movie BATTLE ROYALE.

[@dobadobadooo]

Also, so glad to hear someone else appreciate Dragon Quest V, that game is just phenomenal from beginning to end, and I love how much dialogue you can get from your Party Members. They will seriously comment on pretty much every location and NPC in the entire game, which is just insane to me.

[@rayvenskye3274]

I am not big into rpgs all that much, but ho!y Christ dragon quest v is one of the best. For me it ranks up there with golden sun 1

[@playstationtwo877]

@@rayvenskye3274 is dragon quest v hard for casual player like me?

[@isaiahdixon9224]

The DS wasn't my favorite system, but I really enjoyed Yoshi's Island DS & Kirby Squeak Squad.

[@jayc3793]

Yes Kirby squeak squad was great! Fun little game man

[@Clembo]

Ghost Trick is a masterpiece. If you've never played it and will do at some point I envy what you've got coming to you.

[@adam145]

Order of Ecclesia is one of the best games ever if you ask me. It improves on literally everything the series ever had. Story is actually something original, levels are varied and skills actually are usable this time around. Shanoa is probably my favourite Castlevania character as well. I'd love to see a remake or even just a port on the Switch.

[@NCC-0000]

Given how Konami is right now, you can only expect a SotN port in the Switch. Sadly (I don't even mention pachinkos because they already exist...)

[@Sephirothkingdom782]

It’s definitely lacking in terms of level/castle design, music, and atmosphere and possibly pixel art against SOTN tho and I believe it’s still not as good as aria or dawn but that’s just me

[@xXtesanXx]

in this list I would also add dragon ball origins 1 and 2, demetium 1 and 2, jump ultimate stars, zelda games, fire emblem, advanced wars, inazuma eleven, dragon quest monster joker, pokemon whiet black 1 2, too many games, even kingdom hearts are nice, ds was fantastic.

[@ICharlyl]

I just started collecting games one month ago, and i started with the DS because it is the one Nintendo console I never owned, so I wanted to try it. I can't belive the amount of good games this system has. My pockets are running dry and i still have games missing even after I've purchased 22. Having a blast looking and collecting for it.

[@Lazystu376]

How’s that collection going now?

[@ICharlyl]

@@Lazystu376wow, i didn't even remember this comment, i appreciate you asking, it has grown a ton, i pretty much expanded to most Nintendo consoles to this point. Went from having a few games from each system to having around 30 DS games, around 70 GC games, like 30 N64 and wii ones, 20ish SNES and 20ish NES ones, plus a few Gameboy color and advance ones. Tho I've been resting from searching and buying games recently, mostly because I own most games i had as a kid and i craved having so i've focused a little on buying a new PC, some vinyls and a home theater to improve the living room experience. But it's good, I hope yo start buying some few I'm missing for Nintendo and branching out to Xbox and PS consoles between this and next year.

[@Lazystu376]

@@ICharlyl That’s awesome! Did you purchase most of them online or from a local store? Also, it sounds like a sweet setup, im currently redoing my basement and making it into my gaming area.

[@BrokenSocialScene23]

Me: Opens video, crosses fingers that he talks about Elite Beat Agents.

[@rhodrage]

Why Layton hasn't made it into Smash in anyway will always be a mystery to me.

[@Pokemonmaster467]

The one puzzle nobody can solve

[@Pingoinnn]

Gentlemen don't fight with knuckes but with puzzles.

[@By-the_Way]

CING made a lot of good games, so I was so shocked when they went bankrupt. Another Code, Hotel Dusk, etc. were really fun and not many development companies make games like that. And Ghost Trick definitely needs a HD port to Switch!

[@playstationtwo877]

Is hotel dusk worth playing?

[@cloudy7971]

if you like mystery visual novels then yes, it is one of the best of its kind

[@hqizyyy]

Some other great games are: Animal Crossing Wild World, Magician’s Quest Mysterious Times, Dementium I & II, GTA: Chinatown Wars, LoZ Spirit Tracks/Phantom Hourglass, Lego Star Wars TCS, Nintendogs, and Plants vs Zombies 🖤 I’m so glad I hung onto my DS games, the system definitely defined my childhood and I still go back to play those games. (Currently replaying Pokémon White and Professor Layton!)

[@zetro_cloud]

Chinatown Wars was very fun to play

[@CJ-tj8ge]

Im so glad that the Layton series is still kept in such high regard. those two trilogies occupied hundreds (maybe even thousands) of hours of my early teens and ill still boot them up on my 3ds every now and then. Fantastic games

[@MegabyteMusician]

Same! A series that defined my childhood. I used to play alongside my brother (he’s at uni now, and I’m following soon haha) and I have the most nostalgic feeling whenever I see my 3DS in my drawer. Layton for smash… he’s overdue.

[@SwedePotato314]

Wow. I really wish I could play Last Window. I love visual novel and puzzle type games before bed. I've been playing and replaying the professor layton series and the Phoenix wright series before bed for ages haha

[@Robodob0]

Almost disappointed not seeing Meteos in the list as my favorite action puzzle game, but man the DS has an amazing library of titles that can fit a top 50 list and still have some good games deserving mentions.

[@Antweezy100]

i highly recommend sideswiped for the ds, its probably the best arcade racing game on the system next to mario kart.

[@Andriale]

What a coincidence I just found this video, I bought Black from my friend a couple weeks ago because I wanted to try a Nuzlocke after only playing Sword, pulled out my DS while on plane trips for college trips, and I’ve been having such a blast. Also, she gave me this unopened SoulSilver box with a PokeWalker for free, and apparently they’re worth a hell of a lot. I don’t know whether I should play or sell lol

[@staticshock4239]

Am I the only one that feels like Gen 5 for Pokemon is criminally underrated?

[@rabbanirhythm8568]

It used to be underrated, now its overrated among fans.

[@rabbanirhythm8568]

@Vishnu PM I get your point.Don't get me wrong i like gen5,it has a good story.Its just that wherever i go, i see a comment like this,calling gen5 "an underrated gem" or "peak of pokemon ", which is absurd.

[@harukaf.n.1994]

Atm people are exaggeratedly realizing how good of a gen it was, so it's not underrated anymore. It's the Pokemon generations syndrome, when they come out, they suck and the previous gens are much better, a bunch of years pass and as Pokemon fans age, they realize the game was actually not that bad. I have to include myself there, although I didn't hate gen5, but the 3ds pokemon games on just didn't do kt for me

[@kaitoph]

No love for Zelda? Phantom Hourglass or Spirit Tracks? Those were the best!

[@VenomSnakeMGS]

One of Nintendo's best systems. Especially when it came to third party support. Not a lot of great Nintendo games but the third party games are soooo good.

[@OstianOwl]

I'd say some other great DS games that weren't mentioned here are WarioWare Touched, Elite Beat Agents, the Final Fantasy IV remake, Pokemon Conquest, and Castlevania Portrait of Ruin.

[@anibeanie]

TWEWY, 999, Ace Attorney, and Hotel Dusk were some of my fave DS games. So excited for the TWEWY sequel. I wish they would port 999 like they did the AA trilogy tho.

[@PhoenixWrightAceAttorney]

I can’t wait for NTWEWY and the anime

[@makkrohero59]

Bowser’s inside story is my favorite ds game ever. Even one of my favorite games in general. Such an amazing DS game

[@reev9759]

"[Chrono Trigger] is as important as Zelda, Mario, and Metroid" of which none were on the list.

[@VenomSnakeMGS]

None of the Mario, Zelda, or Metroid games on DS are that great. Metroid prime hunters is whatever. Spirit Tracks and Phantom Hourglass have bad control schemes imo. Mario 64 is inferior to the original and I say that as someone who grew up with the DS version. And NSMB was cool at release but it's done to death at this point.

[@reev9759]

@@VenomSnakeMGS easy to disagree with

[@ltb1345]

Bowser’s Inside Story is on the list.

[@Alias_Anybody]

@@VenomSnakeMGS NSMB revolutionized the 2D series. The frequently held sentiment that the Wii, 3DS and Wii U versions somehow made it worse retroactively is stupid.

[@Moonstrider]

I like that (retro)Jon is reviewing older consoles!

[@Alias_Anybody]

As much as I love the inclusion of Radiant Historia and the Castlevanias, some choices here are a bit baffling to me. I'd understand not ranking Phanom Hourglass very high, but Spirit Tracks? And rank 30 for Pokemon BW2, maybe the best games in the series? What's wrong with you guys! And a remake on #1? I mean I'll simp for the Megaman Zero Collection any day of the week but including remakes, ports and collections at all is IMHO a mistake. Oh, and later entries don't make NSMB (DS) any worse, fight me.

[@matthewharris517]

Castlevania OOE is hands down my favorite Castlevania game and DS game in one Absolutely love it

[@Bmont_Yo]

Dawn of Sorrow: The touch controls are relatively minor? I mean, I guess you don't do them very often, but you HAVE to execute them properly to kill the bosses so touch is absolutely needed. I figured this would be helpful for anyone trying to emulate these. You can for sure emulate Dawn of Sorrow, but drawing the symbols can be rough.

[@Soupgoose40]

theres a rom hack that removes the touch screen stuff (you can break ice with a weapon after the boss fight and it does the signs automatically)

[@DanResanti]

That's a good list right here. I would only add to my personal favourites Devil Survivor 1 and 2 and Rune Factory 3 and 2.

[@linkvigilante21]

So glad Last Window made the list. That and Hotel Dusk are some of my favorite games ever. Both equally good imo

[@PhoenixWrightAceAttorney]

I’m so glad that game got recognition. Honestly one of the best games I’ve ever played as well as Hotel Dusk. Too bad not many people know about it...

[@raindrainxi]

Honestly didn't know Last Window existed up until last year way waay later after finishing Hotel Dusk years ago, which is still one of my most favorite games of all time.

[@linkvigilante21]

@@PhoenixWrightAceAttorney yea both games have some of the most natural dialogue in any game I ever played

[@linkvigilante21]

@@raindrainxi same here. Bought a PAL version off of eBay for over 50 bucks. Worth every penny

[@Fattydeposit]

There was more to the DS than RPGs and visual novels. Bangai-O and Ketsui are some of the very best handheld shooters to this day.

[@va8157]

Bangai o as in the dreamcast game?

[@ParisDorn159]

Yeah, but VNs on the DS were so good that they deserve to be on the top of this list

[@antix995]

For me its Dragon Quest 9. What an absolute masterpiece.

[@Thenight-n2e]

Is dragon quest 9 a long game?

[@Drstrange3000]

Still my favorite system ever. So much creativity and original games. I miss it. Most of my favorite gaming memories are on this system.

[@spoon7053]

Man, I thought Okamiden would have made the list!!! It’s such a criminally underrated game and I NEVER see Okami fans talk about it. I beat the game four times and it didn’t get old. The story and gameplay is just that easy to get into again. Not to mention the music...incredible. The visuals really look like Okami, the overworld is massive like Okami. The brush skills work better than Okami. And all people say is “something something plot holes something something DS game.”

[@samuelcarrara9473]

I’m almost 30 years old and just got my first Nintendo Dsi 😂 Such a joy

[@DannyRFN]

I keep hearing about Chrono Trigger and Dragon Quest V on DS, I need to try them out. The DS had so many great games... Awesome video Jon!

[@Buzz231094]

Last window is a fantastic game, wasn’t expecting to see it

[@bretthansen8166]

Absolutely, the prequel on DS (Hotel Dusk Room 215) is also a must play!

[@mirawind9126]

Two of my personal favorites are lesser known and not on this list. I loved Avalon Code and Trace Memory. They're shorter games that really focus on the story line but they are beautiful RPGs. Trace Memory was a really immersive puzzle game involving every new feature that the DS included even the fact that it closes and Avalon Code had both combat and life focuses with integrated friendship and relationship mechanics that also boosted party strength and a puzzle aspect that changed the characters and world around you. Not to mention the fun of challenging yourself to see how many combos you could make on an enemy to slash them into space. Avalon code's mechanics and more importantly puzzles weren't well explained though so without a wiki they became more like easter eggs so I wouldn't put it on this list but it was really enchanting all the same. Both games could be binged in under 20 hours but when I think of DS these are the ones that always come to mind. However, I disagree with 1 thing you said. Bowser's inside story is a great game. But, legend of the 7 stars was and will probably always be the BEST Mario RPG.

[@markerikson7423]

just finished Spirit Tracks, it's amazing

[@vslazer6728]

I'm extremely confused by the lack of Spirit Tracks, Pokémon Black/White, Pokémon Black 2/White 2, and New Super Mario Bros. We have to fix this people!

[@cosmicXtropics]

STARFY????!!!

[@joedorben3504]

People get blinded by nostalgia since Gen Z grew up w/ Platinum & HGSS, but honestly the more I play them the more I realize that Black 2/White 2 are definitely the best games in the series. Just a fucking absurd amount of things to do, dope environments, probably the best graphics and visuals in the entire series, moving sprites, ridiculous amount of mons to choose from for teambuilding (aside from water types, especially early on, but you gain access to a few really good ones in mid-late game), quite extensive postgame, etc. That's not even mentioning that they're likely the hardest games in the series even on Normal Mode (not that they're extraordinarily difficult, but still) despite a pathetic final gym

[@vslazer6728]

@@joedorben3504 Yeah I completely agree, I think Black 2/White 2 are probably the best games in the series and for a while they were my favorite. But I don't know what it is about Platinum that makes it more appealing to me, don't get me wrong I still think Black 2/ White 2 are the best for all the reasons you stated, but I enjoy myself more while playing Platinum (even though I didn't actually grow up with it).

[@haribo_42]

Ikr

[@felictyafton9456]

My Favourite original DS games were: New Super Mario Bros DS, Mario Kart DS, Nintendogs: Dachshund and Friends, Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks (Yes, I actually played that) Animal Crossing Wild World. They were some of the few games I owned as a child, and I loved every minute of them.

[@ichigo3853]

+ harvest moon nds games will always have a special place in my heart

[@betteranimations8365]

Which one was the best?

[@ichigo3853]

@@betteranimations8365 for me it's either tales of two towns or grand bazaar

[@betteranimations8365]

@@ichigo3853 thanks for the tip I'm getting a bunch of Ds games so I'm looking for the best games

[@SuperPaperPokemon]

I gotta say, these days, I think I only really played Pokemon Platinum because I was young enough to have no concept of a game being too slow. It was one of my first games, after all.

[@joedorben3504]

Yeah and in hindsight the overworld is still incredibly chromatically bland and mediocre, especially when HGSS came afterwards. It looked incredible to me when I was a kid due to Diamond and Pearl being my only point of reference, but after seeing what more the DS was capable of, it just doesnt look all that special. Still really love the game though

[@binmarcy]

My top 5: 1. Super Mario DS 64 🥇 2. Mario Kart DS 🥈 3. New Super Mario Bros 🥉 4. Pokemon Platinum 5. Pokemon Black 2

[@gamemasterseven]

Cool to see Radiant Historia get a spot on the list. While I didn't play the original on DS, I've sunk many hours into the 3DS version and it is by far one of my favorite 3DS RPGs.

[@ChrisGorski]

The NDS is one of my favorite systems of all time. So hyped to see this full of a wide variety of classic games. It's missing Dragon Quest: Rocket Slime imo! EDIT: nvm, it just missed the top 25!

[@main_tak_becus6689]

What I hate about Dragon Quest is I was always underleveled when facing the last bosses (DQ 4, 8, 9, 11). Needed to grind an hour or two to beat them in long fights. I like the series thought.

[@Thenight-n2e]

Dude just use cheat it's more fun lol

[@mattcrowell5875]

You forgot Castlevania Portrait of Ruin, probably the most solid of the DS Castlevania games.

[@playstationtwo877]

Castlevania games hard af for me

[@denimchicken104]

Metroid prime pinball is a national treasure god dammit!

[@ekrej778]

this is the first time i've ever heard someone say 'soul silver & heart gold' in stead of 'heart gold & soul silver'

[@rockerkid6110]

I just played ghost trick for the first time a few months ago its so good was hooked in the story the whole way through