Nintendo DS - 20 Years Later (History, Stories, & Games) - Adam Koralik

[@santosduran9183]

It’s crazy to think how stacked November 2004 was. Halo 2, Metroid Prime 2 Echoes, Half Life 2, Metal Gear Solid 3 and the Nintendo DS all released. This was probably one of my favorite holiday seasons for sure. What a great time to be alive.

[@FSAPOJake]

I had an original fat DS as a kid. I left it on the roof of the car before a road trip, and it ended up falling off the car while we were going 65mph on the highway. We actually ended up finding it a few days later on our way back, and it was still there, with only a few scratches on it. Not only did it still work, it still works TODAY - I haven't charged it since I got a DSi in 2009 and it still has its charge from back then and plays everything just fine. Nintendo doesnt build systems that durable anymore.

[@robmalcolm8042]

The switch is pretty durable and probably more durable than ps5 and xsx even with it having a battery. i think its more luck based tho how durable. My v2 has been fine for years but im sure many issues with the first iteration of switch existed.

[@worduprussia8298]

I've found the Switch og version very durable. I had it set up where I would constantly pull it off the desk by the headphone cord and it would hit the hardwood floor. Has never missed a beat despite 7 years of this kind of abuse.

[@rj5485]

The NDS Lite had a GBA slot

[@brentdennison176]

The GBA carts stuck out quite a bit though, where the original DS it was flush with the case design.

[@rj5485]

@brentdennison176 yeah. That's what I liked about the OG NDS.

[@brentdennison176]

@@rj5485 plus, you could chuck it and use that big gray brick as a weapon in a pinch

[@rj5485]

@brentdennison176 lol for the time, it was considered massive

[@kcidd12]

@@brentdennison176yeah flush ….more like…. flush down the toilet hahahaha.., 🤧

[@HalfpennyTerwilliger]

I think my favorite part of the DS is how many devs were dedicated to the bit of finding some way to insert D & S in their game's titles.

[@VOAN]

Yeah like Dawn of Sorrow (Castlevania), Dragon Sword (Ninja Gaiden), Deadly Silence (Resident Evil), Dual Strike (Advance Wars), Dragon Song (Lunar), etc.

[@gregorys9629]

Great to see Resident Evil Deadly Silence get some love! I played through it for the first time this year and it's pretty interesting - has some exclusive content like having the knife permanently available with the stylus, and a bonus House of the Dead style mini game where you have to knife zombies coming at you.

[@Rowri88]

Its 20 years old? “Existential crisis intensifies” 😢😢😢😢

[@puni3094]

Don't worry. Here one born in 70's.

[@solarwinds5114]

Didn't expect Adam to make a history video about a handheld! I couldn't be more glad though

[@TheodoroDML]

Hey Adam, it's guys here.

[@AdamKoralik]

BRAZILIAN!

[@TheodoroDML]

@AdamKoralik howdy lol. The whole "being a teen too cool for games" is so true. At the end of the DS life time, the 5th gen of pokémon games came out, me and my buddies hated on it because "these pokémon look like Digimon now" and I only played pokémon Black like last year, looking back i feel really silly becuase it was the last 2d Pokémon game with an amazing 4 seasons aesthetic, I wish i had enjoyed them as a teen rather than a nostalgic adult who complains about the current hastly made 3d pokémon games(i know you dont like pokémon or anime, but the game came out before any anime or manga, so there's that lol).

[@AdamKoralik]

Brazil.

[@TheodoroDML]

@@AdamKoralik YAAAAS!!! 🇧🇷🗣️💦🫦💚🔥👀🔥🇧🇷🗣️🇧🇷🗣️🔥

[@chaospoet]

Of course playing as Luigi if you do everything and beat the game in an hour is untrue. You have to do it in 45 minutes! Everyone on the playground knows that.

[@stigee]

I remember getting a DS in the summer of 2005, and would play it between classes my sophomore year of college.

[@GamingintoEternity]

I like how Adam always says he's old. I must be ancient because I was 32 when the DS launched in 2004. Great handheld and it was my first. I still have my Black DS Lite. I bought the R4 Card and loaded it up with games. I will play it today for the anniversary.

[@nicolaashamman6201]

"Deviating Story" would've been a pretty good subtitle for a DS game.

[@ToadBradley24]

Got so many memories playing games like Mario Kart DS, New Super Mario Bros., Mario Party DS, Nintendogs and so on as a kid

[@VOAN]

That New Super Mario Bros. was actually quite surprising to me when I first play it. My thought when I first play it was that it's just a 3D remake of the first Super Mario Bros. but then I play it and realize wow it's something more than the first SMB.

[@MrMario2011]

I'm so glad you described the odd timeframe of being that age where it isn't cool to like things you grew up with, like some forced apathy you have to exude to show that you REALLY HATE that kid stuff you grew up with. Real growth is not being afraid to embrace the nerdism.

[@AdamKoralik]

Agreed.

[@ScrapKing73]

The DS (phat) and DS Lite are undeniably different variants of the same system. But the DSi was significantly more powerful and had some DSi-specific games at retail (and hundreds more through digital distribution). To me it's its own system, just like the Game Boy Colour is. Ditto the 3DS and the New 3DS, for the same reason. Ditto the NEC Supergrafx, even though its library is tiny (and some of them run in a downgraded form on the PC Engine). This is in contrast to the Xbox One X, the PS4 Pro, and the PS5 Pro that don't have their own exclusive game libraries. To me that's what defines a unique system vs. a mid-gen upgrade, whether it has a unique game library or not.

[@tiggywanyo3658]

Holy shit 20 years that’s crazy. Got my ds in the Christmas of 2007. Zelda phantom hourglass and brain age were great!

[@zevindd]

17:18 I somehow find it so comforting that as someone the same age, even across the country in Washington, we have nearly identical experiences. From rumors at school that you could unlock Yoshi in Mario 64, to being ashamed to be playing Mario Kart DS online on my breaks from my 2nd job out of school.

[@josephb8268]

It's been 20 years? Time sure does fly when you're having fun right.

[@trevormorgan9084]

You rarely see a handheld pop up in an Adam Koralik video, but when you do, it's always a treat! I got a DS shortly after they came out....I think it was for my 14th birthday in March 2005. Super Mario 64 DS was my first and I think only game until New Super Mario Bros. and Mario Kart DS came out. I remember pictochatting and playing Mario Kart DS on DS Download Play and the newly advertised "Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection" with friends in our middle school cafeteria - what a time it was to be a teen! Man...the 90's were a great time to be a kid...but the 2000's were an even better time to be a teen! That 6th and 7th gen era was just top tier! That whole decade (in terms of gaming and tech) was just phenomenal! I still consider that decade to be part of the pre-internet era, because even though it clearly existed and online gaming had started exploding, the internet hadn't yet completely consumed every minute of the entire world's lives as it does now. You could still buy games during that decade that didn't need huge day one patches, the games were complete on the disc or cart for better or worse and single player story modes/campaign's were still a developer's focus and local multiplayer was still a thing as well. We've surely lost a lot of what made the 2000's incredibly special. It's like the 2000's fine-tuned/perfected what the 90's pioneered or ushered in, and the 2010's just obliterated it into obscurity. Anyway....the DS was phenomenal and it hit for me at the perfect age! It is crazy that it ended up selling as well as it did, because while I would see a few of them roaming around in kids' hands from time to time, there really was no surrounding indication that it was taking the world by storm, so for it to have climbed up to 154 million, it's just like......how? I mean...it's not like the Wii where it quite literally took the world by storm and grandmother's and nursing homes were buying them...yet the Wii only hit 101 million...I rarely saw DS's outside of my friend circle and you never really heard anybody talking about it, yet it somehow hit 154m?

[@simplebutnotsolongname6642]

That Story of that Cardboard box surviving the House Fire that had KUON AND RULE OF ROSE IS INSANE!!! Devil’s luck I’d say (or in this case the Spoopy god of horror).

[@LonnyHimself]

Speaking of 20 years, I almost graduated from high school 20 years ago, and I'm maybe a few months from being 41 years old

[@burmecian123]

This has to be the first time I've ever heard Mario 64 DS described as "definitive." 😂

[@RockyFluffyWhiskas]

I’m similar age to you and the DS was seen as a toy. The PSP was the one for more “adults” and seen a more “cool”. 🇬🇧

[@Negrodomaus]

Yup, same. I had the AGS-101 (before I knew what that was) but as soon as the PSP was released I didn't own another Nintendo handheld until the Switch. I did circle back for the New 3ds tho.

[@danielstefanovic2604]

same here, thats why i got the psp, the games was more mature while the ds like the switch today is more kids oriented.

[@NorthSon]

@@danielstefanovic2604 Don’t think you are correct regarding the switch, the average age of users is 20-25, with large portions of over 40’s and under 20’s. While the DS had a far larger portion of the under 20’s demographic.

[@Negrodomaus]

@@NorthSon Those are what we call "Disney Adults." I think the OP's point still stands. Nintendo will always be seen as more kid-friendly, even if adults enjoy it.

[@thejackal007]

Still have my DS's and games. Awesome story about the hidden games you recovered! If you mentioned that in an earlier video, I must have missed that.

[@Electrohead92]

I remember seeing 3D graphics on a handheld console was one of the most mind blowing things to me at the time. Fantastic library of games from both Nintendo and third party developers. I remember the second screen being way more useful than I initially expected it to be, especially having a map and quick access to items etc. in different games. Not to mention that it also had online play, which was also crazy to experience on a handheld. Mario Kart DS is probably still my favourite Mario Kart game.

[@ryansease7066]

I didn't get a DS myself until just a few years ago. I remember seeing it back in the day and poo-pooing it as I didn't understand what it really was all about and how good it truly was / is. Definitely it is mind blowing to think that this is now 20 years old. Dang, I am getting old(er) as my current handheld gaming device is a Steam Deck OLED.

[@theshadowman1398]

I was a PSP guy that Generation. But I was amazed to be able to play Mario 64 on the go.

[@Nathan-mu1pz]

Always love your personal stories and experiences, really puts the systems in their proper context. I actually started playing ds again about a year ago. Enjoyed mario 64 ds, playing mario kart ds again, and looking forward to trying the pokemon ones as well. Great system!

[@thomaslynch1853]

When Brain Age came out I feel like the DS’s popularity skyrocketed. Everyone wanted in on that game.

[@boyzero1985]

Thank you for sharing a bit of your experiences.

[@chikanchuui]

I'm used to hearing you talk about anniversaries/retrospectives of old system launches that you were around for but I wasn't, and now hearing you talk about the anniversary of a system's launch that I actually remember being around for makes me feel old as fuck thanks Adam

[@AdamKoralik]

Welcome!

[@Edmundostudios]

I got the DS at launch, main thing that I found mind blowing was playing 3D games on a handheld, the touch screen was also interesting as nothing much else at that time really had a touch screen from what I remember that wasn’t very clunky. Then PSP came out a year later with another significant jump with graphics on a handheld so was an exciting time for that stuff.

[@kushcookie17]

My FIRST ever proper game system was a DS Lite for Christmas 2008 with New Super Mario Bros at 6 years old. So happy to see this!

[@izzymaedavidson1974]

I got OG electric blue ds for my fourth or fifth birthday and it was my introduction into video games so the ds holds a special place in my heart .

[@retroandmoderngaming493]

Happy 20 years of the Nintendo DS (2004 - 2024), i remember wanting it as a kid, but got a PSP instead

[@aaronwilkie1110]

In 2010 I was in the Army and deployed. In our small bits of downtime a group of 4-6 of us would system link our DS’ and play Mario Kart DS. Great times.

[@aaliguy9986]

I love the stories that you tell when talking about stuff in general.

[@doh4828]

The GOAT handheld is my white Switch Lite. I happened to trade in my PSP for it back in the day (later got one back, don’t worry), but my Switch Lite (with R4 card hehehe) was my couch, travel and holiday companion for years and years! It still works, still holds a charge like a champion, it’s my goto GBA. A few years ago I got a beautiful, like new DSi XL burgundy and it’s honestly a gem. How I would love Nintendo to make a clamp design Switch model, man. Good old days!

[@RetroCak]

My wife picked up an original DS for me at a yard sale for $1.00. I immediately bought Contra 4 and loved it. I went on to get games like Touch of the Dead and Mario Basketball. I guess the only handheld I ever really got into was the Lynx, and that was back in the 90s.

[@MrDemonsushiGuy]

What’s interesting is how Nintendo advertised this as their “third pillar.” Last time they tried that strategy, they put out the virtual boy. Worked out this time. Glad to see you talking about specific and meaningful games in your console retrospective again. P.S. Wii U hands down shouldve the best way to play DS games. Yeah, glad you mentioned how awesome a ds cart adapter would have been. Oh well. There’s always the Switch/Switch 2,for that opportunity, right? P.S. sorry for commenting prematurely before. I didn’t have time to watch your vid before and got excited when I saw this in my feed. Now I do. 😅

[@miata0363]

I grew up with the DS Lite. I got one right before I moved to America back on 2007. I didn't have that many games but I enjoyed playing it. I played mostly the main line Pokemon games XD. Another cool feature on the DS was that you can close the DS and it will go on sleep mode. That means I didn't need turn off the system. It will not drain much of the battery and I can continue playing when I open the DS.

[@ManectricReturns]

For a 20 year old system, the games hold up really really well. If you play the DS originals it's an amazing experience. The multiplatform games, not so much though

[@senatortombstone]

I have always thought that the original DS was not very aesthetically appealing, but that's not why I waited until the summer of 2006 to purchase the smooth, symmetrical, and more sightly DS Lite. What sealed the deal for me was New Super Mario Bros. and the Final Fantasy 3 remake which came out towards the end of 2006. The Zelda Phantom Hourglass was excellent. Leave it to Nintendo to successfully make an action adventure game that solely relies on the Stylus, just because they can. Zelda Spirit Tracks was also great, except for the ocarina portions during which you had to blow into the micro phone and tap with perfect timing certain colored keys on the touchscreen with the stylus. Dragon Quest 4-6 were remade and ported to the DS. There were dozens of other solid RPGs. Over the years I have probably owned close to 100 DS games, due to my collecting addiction. I have since sold many of them, but I still have a shelf full of DS gems that shine burningly bright.

[@Themetalwookie666]

Never had a DS, but my sisters had the DSi and from the games that I saw them playing when I was home from college on holiday, they seemed to enjoy it. Also oh my god I can so relate to the whole being a teen and hiding stuff from your peers because you wanted to look like an adult, but in my case it was comic books, manga, and anime.

[@santosduran9183]

Damn I can’t believe it’s been 20 years already. Handhelds typically go by the wayside for me. I bought a DS within the first month of release. It came alongside Metroid Prime Hunters. Which was terrible but Mario 64 3DS was great. I appreciate your videos Adam and your perspective on Game Freak. I forgot about that place. I was working at Toys R Us at the time fresh out of high school. This video took me down memory lane. Keep putting out great content dude.

[@gars129]

I feel that part of the reason the DS was made was that many developers insisted on a 3d aesthetic on the GBA, even if it meant very compressed pre rendered graphics and using the integrated FX Chip, for better or worse. Sprites seemed to be uncool apparently. There was some very high quality prerendered games at the time like Golden Sun, Vicarious Visions and Rare games on GBA, or Trails in the Sky on PC.

[@nvc.]

Handheld recap series please Adam! lezgooo

[@jordangordon2350]

Fun fact: playing mario 64 DS on a 3DS is awesome because you get a joystick. The same applies to Kart DS, makes power sliding super fast, you just make circles on the stick instead of going back and forth.

[@PenguTT44-sh2oe]

This is one of my favorite consoles of all time.

[@MonkeyChip]

As an Australian, I appreciate the early release. We usually get these vids a day late 😅

[@theroguecybersoldier2629]

Gees I was only a little kid when it came out, didn't get one till 2007 though with an R4 but the DS and my MP3 player came everywhere with me. Had the original model, but it broke after one drop, so I got the lite and that thing still works to this day. One think I remember is people had them like they did an IPhone, because it had a good variety of games

[@Wheels8504]

I was never interested in this because the only handheld gaming I cared about was Game Boy. So the year the DS came out I bought the NES style edition of the GBA. But I always enjoy this type of video. Thanks Adam.

[@greasemonkey5637]

My story with the ds. I bought my daughter a dsi for Christmas around 2010. She had had nintendogs and horse games, but it kind of got me back into gaming. Mario bros and mario kart were great and the ability to have the 2nd player join in without another game cartridge was cool. At the time, the selfie camera, note messages and touch screen were lots of fun.

[@kaminobatto]

I think I got my original DS in 2006 if I'm not mistaken. It was after spending some time with the PSP and realizing that the DS also had merit because of all the exclusives. My main system must haves were Super Mario 64 DS and Metroid Prime Hunters, the two games on which I spent more than 99% of my DS play time. However, I do have a very decent collection of DS games that I never got to because of my focus on the former two. Recently, I've been enjoying playing handheld systems a bit more as I can do that more comfortably, so I might just pick up my DS now and give it a run I think I have all the variations of the console, with the exception of the 2DS. I'm really enjoying these anniversary videos, and I'm already anticipating the eventual PSP anniversary video next year!

[@dragoon1090]

I remember getting the original silver DS at EB Games with that Metroid prime first hunt demo 20 years ago. I was 12 and spoiled to get it at launch. I've had every revision and like the DSi XL the most. Especially with homebrew. There's so many amazing games on this system. It's almost impossible to finish them all. Pokemon Black 2 and White 2 are my absolute favorite.

[@elunico13lu]

I remember getting the NDS because I couldn’t afford the PSP. Games were way better on DS, then my brother gave me a DSLite he found at work and it changed my life.

[@paokman]

I had it always in my pockets for a couple of years! I enjoyed Mario Kart, GTA, Yoshis Island and more!

[@josephtafur]

I remember when i upgraded from my black GBA SP AGS-001 front-lit model to the Onxy Nintendo DS lite and was my main driver until i upgraded to the Cosmo Black Nintendo 3DS then the Black Nintendo 3DS XL and now i have the New Nintendo 3DS XL and the The Nintendo Switch Lite.

[@pistolpetereal]

10:21 missed opportunity to call it Resident Evil Silent but Deadly 😂

[@pinkace]

I got into the DS after the Lite came out. So many FANTASTIC games on it, I remember laughing out lout playing Elite Beat Agents and the japanese sequels, Ghost Trick, and Phantasy Star Zero *online*, with other players!!!

[@embracerodusk2537]

I'm the same way man. Would just much rather play on my big screen with surround sound. It used to piss me off that Nintendo wouldn't just port most of their handheld stuff to the home console. Crazy that DS is 20 years old though.

[@DoctorMinjinx]

The Nintendo DS is fascinating system and one of my favorites. Handhelds in general are super interesting because I have a really close friend who's just like Adam, he would rather just play anything on a TV and kind of begrudgingly plays handhelds to experience their games. I'm the complete opposite, I adore handhelds and get super passionate about them and I feel like handhelds retrospectively attract such a split like this. You either have the guys like me who worship them, or the guys like Adam and my friend who just are just sort of like "That's cool, but I'd prefer it on a TV." In regards to some history, Nintendo was actually seemingly super cautious about moving away from the "GameBoy" branding. They actually announced the DS as a "third pillar" something that would compete alongside the GameBoy Advance and the GameCube. Of course this didn't happen, the DS was 100% the successor to the GBA, but it's interesting, especially because I believe Nintendo has re-used that "third pillar" nonsense claim with future systems. The GBA itself actually had a pretty short life compared to other Nintendo handhelds and actually did co-exist for a bit with the DS. GBA games were coming out into the DS' life for a while there. The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap, which is the defining Zelda game for the GBA actually came out after the DS had launched (in North America anyway). Overall, I love the DS...Didn't really love the 3DS though. But story for another time.

[@mala4196]

I got my DS just for NSMB. Played through all the 2D Mario games on GBA so i was buzzing to hear there was gonna be a new 2D Mario game on the DS

[@ross3695_basedhax]

The first DS I played is still sitting on an orange Stagecoach bus seat with Mario Kart DS and Mario Bros 3 in the GBA slot. Then I sent the second one to Loopy in Utah and thankfully he wasn't shady and it arrived back in one piece. I used it for a DSi shop demo which had multiplayer The DS was the biggest jump ever man

[@cyrus8886]

I love how they really didn't want to treat it as a Gameboy successor for a while there Ig it makes sense it would've been their first handheld that's not named a Gameboy definitely a risky move (Still have my original 2006 salmon pink ds lite still works like a charm)

[@Sam36192]

I used to have a blue fat DS but then I dropped it in the parking lot when I was with out with my mom somewhere, then I got a black DS lite but then it got liquid damaged and now I still have a small light blue DSi that I've had for a long time now. A few months ago I found both of my sisters original blue fat DS' along with some of the games that one of them had with hers, I had come across some old DS game cases in the drawer of the dresser of one sisters room at my parents house but the game cartridges were missing from them and I was searching desperately all over the house to find them and then I found her DS with those games in that closet. Then, two weeks later, I managed to find the other sisters DS in HER closet and I rescued a Paws n Claws Pet Vet and another Nintendogs game with it. And that's what got me started on a DS craze collecting other DS games I've never actually tried before lol

[@LukeAkAscooterkid]

Been meaning to get an R4 card for my 3ds, perfect timing I guess. would be good to enjoy some old DS titles I played back in the day. Some cool games for sure.

[@ProjectSh4dow]

Wow, this is a pleasant surprise!

[@blastechee-3546]

Adam piggybacking on your making up achievements in games. Who remembers taking a photo of the TV to prove that yes game was completed.😂 Oh yeah, handheld generation videos!😀 Most of the generation videos are ten years old now, been subbed since🤯🤯.

[@brycetheoddball]

I had a DS lite that I got after I finished 1st grade and my dad got me NSMB. I had that, Mario Kart, Sonic Rush, Dragon Ball Origins and a whole bunch of other games I can’t find anymore. I broke that DS Lite atleast 6 times. Eventually got a 3DS and it doesn’t leave my room as a result. I love the DS.

[@pauldoake6188]

I sold it at launch and done pre orders for it. I love handhelds and collect all Nintendo console's

[@ConnorSeals]

Fun fact, you can play any ds game on a hacked wii u. Also, the DSI XL is arguably the best way to play OG DS games because of the larger IPS screens and also plays the games in the original resolution (unlike the 3ds models)

[@Marcus_K]

I have a DSi XL, but to me DS games look blurry on those larger screens. DS games only have a screen resolution of 256 x 192 pixels. The XL's screens are almost the same size as the PS Vita's screen, which has a resolution of 960 × 544.

[@dinofart105]

I have a fat DS and DS lite through high school. Mario Kart DS, Elite Beat Agents, and Animal Crossing were some of my faves. Also shout out to Mario 64 DS for having a ton of minigames on it. Basically touch screen phone games before those really took off. Unfortunately the hinges gave out due to heavy use and now the top screens of both of them are all messed up. Need to see if there are some top screen and shell replacements I can get to keep them going. Currently I use an R4 on my regular 3DS to play DS games when I get the hankering, but it would be cool to play on the fat again.

[@jordangordon2350]

The DS had so many revisions and games, it lasted soooo long

[@SpongeyBubby]

Caught at the right time as I was just playing on my childhood DSi LMAO

[@Metal_Groove45]

Did not expect Adam to do a video about the DS! I remember getting the original DS for Christmas 2004 when I was 9! I remember first discovering about the DS at Walmart where they had a display, with booklets talking all about the system and the games it was launching with!

[@simplebutnotsolongname6642]

I got my DS lite black back in around 2006, and I remember getting Pokémon Pearl Version with it as a gift. At the time, I wanted Diamond instead, but I ended up liking it and being fond of the Pokémon in it (Palkia). The rest of my experience back then was getting gifted movie licensed DS games, and just playing on the R4 flash cart. Custom Robo Arena was one of of favourite games ever on it. Now I try and collect physical games for it.

[@ReeseyPuffy]

Me and my sister were obsessed with Super Mario 64 DS; we would literally fight over the cartridge to play it. I prefer the original overall, but the DS remake still means a lot to me. Funnily enough, I think I sunk more time into the minigames than I did with the main game.

[@meikaishi]

This was the console that made me love handheld gaming, I remember seeing it at a store alongside pokemon emerald and I really wanted one but my mom couldn't afford it, started saving and managed to buy one a year later, the very first console I bought with my own money, missed out on the launch model with Mario 64DS so I couldn't even get a game lmao, went a few months literally just playing with pictochat and borrowing games with a friend before I could finally afford one, made great memories with it, I only had that launch model until I got a 3DS when it got the price cut

[@TheY2KReviewer]

Adam Koralik making a video about the Nintendo DS was not on my 2024 Bingo Card... But I'll take it.

[@KatsuyaTheFuuk]

I got my DS Lite on Christmas of 2007, and I really liked it but I didn't have too much for it. Nintendogs was the standout one I played a ton of. But honestly I was still using my GBA more than it until my 9th birthday in 2010 when I got my DSi. That changed everything lol. The camera, the DS games I already had, and most importantly... Flipnote Studio. I think that's directly involved with my interest in animation, leading to my college major all these years later. Not that I was good at animating and drawing in it, but seeing other people's animations in the online part of it was so inspiring. I still fire it up to this day to check out all the stuff I had saved on it

[@onlywiigame.]

I’ve been waiting for you to make this!!

[@chrisbroome6423]

I literally just modded my DSiXL a couple days ago and loaded up a bunch of games, so this is hitting me at the right time lol. Came across a who cares game that I ended up loving, called N+. Its kinda like if SpeedRunners was a puzzle platformer instead of a racing platformer. So much fun I ordered a physical copy, sealed, for $8 lmao

[@AndreNYH]

That means that I was 7 when that came out time flies, I know getting it when I was a child and I was so excited because I got it

[@MisterYeko]

i own a black DSlite and i still have it. played NSMB, Nintendogs, MKDS, Mario Olympic, Mario Party, even Pokemon Platinum (i'm a noob for this franchise) and Wario Ware D.I.Y. good times

[@KongGig]

Ds was really a big step up from Gba in terms of innovation and features. I will never forget the feeling when I first tried mario 64 on ds, as this was the first time 3d gaming was possible on a handheld device.

[@CrazyOldDave]

Nice coincidence! I finally started my DS Backlog a week ago, beat Mario Kart DS, and now I'm doing the other titles 👌

[@alexharker7223]

I got one on launch day but the store was out of SM64DS (yes Adam, it was a launch title), which was the only game I wanted. I played the pack-in Metroid demo about 10,000 times before I finally was able to track down SM64 a few days later. Then, I started buying GBA games because it was MONTHS before there were any other decent games. It really blew my mind though when MKDS came out because online play from a handheld felt like an alien technology from the future. Animal Crossing online on a handheld was another mind-blowing experience. The DS really blazed a trail for handheld gaming, great memories.

[@rikustorm13]

Wow congrats on 20 years to the DS :o

[@GenerationZ313]

I have to remind myself that the DS came out in 2004 since I'm more familiar with the DS Lite, which I first got in 2008. I ended up going through a handful of these due to the shoulder button or the touch screen not working among all the issues present with the system. I remember getting a flash card containing a whole bunch of games on it, and I eventually figured out how to download and install them myself. This was how I ended up experiencing several franchises, including Professor Layton, Mario & Sonic At The Olympics, Mario Kart DS, and so much more. Interestingly enough, I actually wanted to get a PSP instead, but the DS was cheaper, and the first game I got was New Super Mario Bros. DS. I have a lot more to say, but there's only so much I can talk about in a single comment.

[@chrilz1498]

Oooo, Adam, you're setting a terrible precedent--I would love these for a myriad of other consoles at the risk of them becoming formulaic year after year!

[@antemlikota8760]

I was 15 in 2004 when this thing came out, it was such a big deal here in Europe, but i was focusing more on the big boys at the time, PS2 and GameCube 🤝🏻❤ Love listening to a fellow older millennial, good work Adam.

[@MINKIN2]

I remember going into the local games store on the weekend of the DS release. I went in there to see what "retro" stuff they had on sale but ended up standing at the kiosk for 45 minutes straight playing Warioware. I knew that if I left without one it would haunt me, so I picked one up. That game was so addictive that I would even have to fight my family & friends just to give it back.

[@energyzer_bunny1913]

One of the GOAT handhelds!

[@erneststackhouse1133]

i was late 2 the party as well for the DS. A year before i just got the GBA SP that did away with Batteries as well. it wasn't until i bought a DS for my daughter & i kept on asking 2 play it & then it became a burden 2 her, so i was like what am i doing? i just need to get one! Mario Kart DS has R.O.B the Robot as a driver! My favorite character was Luigi on the Poltergust 4 Thousand! Wish they came out with a toy of him on there but they have to do so. Also love The New Super Mario Bros DS with KAIJU MARIO!!! i still travel to places playing DS Games to this day!

[@TorqueEffect]

Had a lot of good memories of the DS. I didn't get one at launch either, I didn't get mine until after Mario Kart DS came out, I got the Special Edition Mario Kart DS Bundle. (The Original Phat DS model, there was a later DS Lite Mario Kart DS bundle but it was kinda half-assed) I remember this was also at a time where wifi wasn't a common thing to have at home, so I would walk about 20min to the nearest McDonalds where I could connect to the Wi-Fi there, and play Mario Kart and Tetris DS Online, and later I would get the Official Nintendo Wi-Fi dongle that would plug into your Windows PC and provide a DS only wireless access point. (Other WiFi devices couldn't connect to it, but later on the Wii could connect to it too.)

[@GenerationZ313]

I tried to use McDonald's WiFi with my DS at some point, but it didn't work because McDonald's likes most free wifi would redirect you to a screen where you had to click accept in order to connect but of course the Nintendo DS couldn't do that so I was unable to take advantage of it.

[@TorqueEffect]

@GenerationZ313 Weird considering Nintendo and McDonalds had like a partnership it should have worked with no issue. Might have been after a certain point they stopped their DS WiFi support thing

[@Tyler16bit]

I got my original DS for Christmas of 2004 when I had just turned 16 a couple weeks prior. Got Super Mario 64 with it as well as some Metroid demo that was on a physical cart, but yeah awesome memories!

[@okra7648]

I was recently made aware that the original resident evil on ps1 got a DS remake. That’s cool. I like that lol Also, great video as always.

[@GenerationZ313]

Yeah, the DS got quite a number of interesting remakes of console games, including Rayman 2 as well as Splinter Cell Chaos Theory. I guess you could make the argument that the Nintendo DS, in general, is one big Demake machine because almost every single multiplatform game was either heavily downscaled for a completely different game made from scratch to take advantage of the system's features.

[@DJSALTYNUTZ]

i only have a Wii u for lit Wii VC

[@expithesocfurry4099]

I got my DS Lite rather late for my birthday in 2011 (about a month after the 3DS released lol) but it's always been one of if not my favorite 'handheld' console of all time. I remember playing Super Mario 64 DS minigames, Mario Kart DS and Mario Party DS with my cousin quite a lot during the summers of 2011 and 2012 and my favorite game on the system was definitely Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story.