10 Hidden Gems For The Nintendo DS

Released in 2004, the flippy DS handheld featured stylus-based touch-screen controls, a built-in microphone, wireless connectivity, and two screens working in tandem. It was yet another roaring success for the legendary company, and has a huge and varied back catalogue to match. The top of the DS sales chart was filled with high-quality titles whose names have lived on in gaming legend, and a whole host of cult hits exist just below that surface layer, their virtues extolled by a legion of hardcore fans. We're digging even further though, and looking for sparkly bits in the deepest layers of rock and sediment. That's right, we're mining for gems again, and this time it's the DS that's getting the hardhat and pickaxe treatment. Here are 10 Hidden Gems For The Nintendo DS.
VO: Ben Potter (@Confused_Dude)
Script: Simon Pike (@Sim198k)
Video Editor: Leonardo Bacalzo
#RetroGameChallenge #Solatorobo #AliensInfestation
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[@SquarePegs]

I just wanted to say thank you for including Hatsworth on this list. I was the QA project manager on the game, and any time I see a channel other than my own mention it, I'm filled with happiness. Sincerely, thank you so much for recognizing that incredibly special game! (And Clash of Heroes is another spectacular choice!)

[@warehousedave7937]

Both those games are two of my top ten favorite DS games of all time, and that includes all the first party games and Square Enix titles.

[@RedditLaster]

Need to play that game now it seems rather fun

[@LVPB]

I have loved hatsworth for years. 👍 great job

[@kennyyoung486]

It’s an awesome game. Would Love a sequel

[@NueThunderKing]

Never knew an action plataformer and puzzle game could work but there you go, it is an amazing game.

[@peksacola]

Finally a hidden gems video with some actual hidden gems I haven't heard of before

[@shilluba]

As an air traffic controller myself, I must say "addictive, stressful and therapeutic" is a very accurate description of the job

[@TheLemonyBard]

Good to have a job like that! Minus the stressful part lol

[@shilluba]

@@TheLemonyBard yeah lol tbh it's very similar to playing a game, losing is not an option though

[@zackshannon834]

Hotel Dusk and custom robo arena. Both incredible games.

[@Khroniclas]

I literally just googled an old NDS game that I remembered. It's called Lost Magic, you were like this little wizard boy that had to save the world in this RTS gameplay where you could find and capture monsters to help you. It was fun, wish they somehow made a version of it for newer consoles.

[@MasVikingSam]

amazing game, my favorite on the console. Go listen to Run Like the Wind right now and relieve some nostalgia my friend

[@Ramaxx95]

Phantasy star 0 is one hidden gem that instantly pops in my head when talking about the DS

[@JTK_XXL]

Farming Humilias on Hard and Super Hard was a nightmare if you wanted to have the Humilias Sword and especially the legendary Humilias Breaker 💀

[@ianswift3521]

theres nothin hidden about phantasy star 0. thats like saying pokemon is a hidden gem.

[@Guzuma]

okamiden, solatorobo, drawn to life and any of the digimon ds games!!

[@quitebabyqueen1391]

Hotel dusk room 215 and its sequel. So underrated. Especially considering sing went bankrupt.

[@quitebabyqueen1391]

Also the sequel was EU exclusive.

[@purplemist7]

​@@quitebabyqueen1391I still hope we get Switch ports of those games like we saw with the Another Code/Trace Memory games.

[@jasonblalock4429]

Man, I wish Platinum & Sega would rerelease Infinite Space. It kind of flopped on release, for no good reason. It was an excellent RPG, and there's really no reason it couldn't be put on modern systems with a little tweaking of the screens. It deserves a 2nd chance to be played.

[@nifftbatuff676]

Yeah. I played it recently using a DS emulator.

[@ionfalcom1]

Agreed, also recently played on an emulator and it's a real gem that deserves a round 2

[@CobaltT9]

I had a big smile on my face during this video's runtime, remembering when I bought Electronic Gaming Monthly and Nintendo Power magazines (especially the latter) to learn more about the latest DS games! I own Henry Hatsworth, Draglade and Infinite Space, along with other hidden gems like Again, Away: Shuffle Dungeon, Beat City and Big Bang Mini. With the plethora of RPGs in its back catalog, you should highlight the under appreciated ones!

[@vallaurianv6024]

I’d have added Bangai-o spirits, radiant Historia and Okamiden

[@monkaWGiga]

Bangai-O spirits is such a good game. Also so damn hard.

[@michaelsong5555]

Radiant Historia and Okamiden are not "hidden". They may not be as famous as the typical franchises, but they're still very well known.

[@steve.nighthawk]

Now if only Solatorobo had a moderately reasonable price

[@hellohello6510]

might and magic: clash of heroes is my fav DS game of all time. very happy about the remaster as well. great list.

[@franciscobutte]

The creativity of the DS library is unmatched.

[@DustMan2704]

No. Your comment is bad and you should feel bad.

[@franciscobutte]

@@DustMan2704 lol why you attack me like that? get a life.

[@DustMan2704]

@@franciscobutte Because your comment is bad and you should feel bad.

[@franciscobutte]

@@DustMan2704 I don't, go play with dust

[@DustMan2704]

@@franciscobutte Your comment is still bad and you should feel bad.

[@pelago_]

Ah Infinite Space… I was at uni at the time so naturally I did sweet fa during the day, and I couldn’t find this game at my local. I went to about 4 places all over Sydney to find it, including going into the CBD, and I finally grabbed it that afternoon. It’s very hard though and I quit like 1/3 of the way in. I’d be keen to try it again though.

[@JTK_XXL]

Try it again please. The story is worth it. Keep in mind to grind and to look for new ships, better parts and assign crew members to a favorable position etc.

[@zuljaras]

I am very disappointed that you did not mention "Fighting Fantasy: The Warlock of Firetop Mountain" ... it is like Skyrim on a DS!

[@DameonRaye]

I was thinking the exact same thing. Yet they added Orcs & Elves… yuck.

[@Roy5556]

I never thought I'd see Orcs & Elves on a list like this. It was a guilty pleasure of mine and I distinctly recall gaming outlets dunking on it on the reviews back when it was new. I enjoyed it nonetheless. Good to hear there are other enjoyers out there

[@James-gj8rn]

I feel like Ninja Gaiden Dragon Sword is so underrated, you can complete it in about 5 hours but it's a blast, i love it :)

[@protocetid]

probably saving it for a part 2, along with GTA Chinatown Wars and The World Ends with You

[@jclkaytwo]

​​@@protocetidthose are not remotely hidden gems

[@protocetid]

@@jclkaytwo GTA CT sunk on the DS. Rockstar voiced it didn't hit sales targets, it did better on other platforms. Just because its GTA doesn't mean it sold infinite copies, platform can make all the difference. TWEWY may have had a similar story, Square Enix didn't release total sales numbers for the DS copy so I can't say for sure. The TWEWY franchise gives off an air of overlooked franchise, the sequel was called a commercial disappointment. For AAA games these weren't popular like the rest of the releases from high profile publishers.

[@jclkaytwo]

@@protocetid TWEWY and GTACT regularly appear on lists of the best DS games, and the former even appears on lists of the best games of all time. to call them hidden gems is disgraceful to the very concept of hidden gems lol. just because they're not in the public eye doesn't automatically mean they're hidden gems

[@protocetid]

@@jclkaytwo By your logic hidden gems don't exist or cease to exist when they make it to on a top games list. Keep in mind that it's easy for the best hidden gems to make it in the top 50, sometimes much higher. What about games almost nobody played on unpopular consoles? Consoles nobody bought will have small libraries, and its impossible to have your idea of a hidden gem to not get ranked. Respectable top games list are made by enthusiasts who possess vast amounts of specialized knowledge, whether it be of a specific platform or genre. To the hardest of the hardcore and reviewers hidden gems don't exist for long because they play everything out of passion or for their job. Your standards for hidden gems is so high the only thing you're left with is games with next to no documentation, the number of video games produced in the present is so high that that its possible for these to exist. During the DS era the video game market was significantly smaller, I'm sure every quality DS game is known by now. If they weren't all sussed out back then I imagine it happened over the following decades.

[@erakfishfishfish]

Might & Magic: Clash of Heroes was my most played DS game. I would play it for an hour while peddling on a stationary recumbent bike for an hour a few times a week. I had always hoped for a sequel, but alas…

[@KikonSketches]

Might and magic clash of Heroes was the greatest discovery as a kid, genuinely the most underrated game on ds by far

[@lucaspereirahmj]

Fun Fact, Solatorobo is actually part of a franchise, being the second game of this franchise.

[@MrZhdarkstar]

Nostalgia was the perfect hidden gem for JRPG fans.

[@EugeneKurlikin]

Might have been one of the worst titled RPG of all time.

[@ilpastor]

Thanks for adding new games on my backlog!

[@tomgreen2737]

Soul bubbles is another hidden gem on the DS

[@ChipipoydotcomdotPH]

Bruh im recently playing solatorobo, that game is so fun to play and the art style is cool

[@bdp226]

[phone] for infinite space being on the list

[@EhrisaiaOShannon]

Glory Of Heracles was amazing!! Honestly shocked it's so unknown. 💜

[@JTK_XXL]

Yeah, it was cool. The real Heracles (NOT Iphicles) and Eris after her transformation are beasts in power!

[@ca_kay]

Your voice is like the Spiffing Brit's, but much calmer. It literally slowed my heart rate down...

[@Guitario666]

Henry Hatsworth is awesome!

[@inktendo]

Another hidden gem I'd recommend is Maestro Jump in Music! One of the most fun and charming rhythm game I've ever played

[@NowUndefined]

Great list of games. Monster Tale is also a great hidden gem game

[@itsagabe]

Phantasy Star Zero has to be mentioned as it doesn't get as much credit as it deserves for being a pretty competent modernization of classic PSO, or even as one of the best dungeon crawlers on the DS. Another extremely underrated one is the Japan-exclusive Chibi-Robo Clean Sweep. If you can be bothered to load your DS or 3DS with a ROM file, get the fan translation patch and check out this gem. Such a shame Nintendo pretty much let that series die by keeping this one exclusive to Japan, making Zip Lash a completely different game than what anyone expects of Chibi-Robo, and making Photo Finder pretty soulless. This series could be massive nowadays taking into account the huge popularity of chill games.

[@Emberson-9000]

I haven't played Orcs and Elves, but I can say that I'm a big fan of the Doom RPGs on mobile. They were a wonderful blend of dungeon crawling and fps action. I wish they got released on DS as well.

[@DontKnowDontCare6.9]

Hatsworth was good. But it gets repetitive quickly, and the stages in each level are unnecessarily long. Monster Tale addresses all these problems. It's a sorta successor from the same team of developers.

[@ryanspengler4877]

The SNES-ish beat-em-up and starship battle mode multiplayer of SW: Revenge of the Sith is BEYOND a hidden DS gem.

[@michaelsong5555]

How is Custom Robo Arena not on this list? Very few people know about its existence (Henry Hatsworth and Draglade are more well known), but it's so good.

[@DaBirdman1995]

Retro Game Challenge was a blast to discover a decade ago. Wish I'd kept my copy- was was once a neat $10 buy seems to command ludicrous prices these days.

[@vallaurianv6024]

Great list! I have quite of few of these so the reminder to dig them out and play again was good: retrogame challenge, ninja town, Solatorobo, aliens infestation, might and magic and infinite space. The others are cheapish so May pick them up to complete the set!

[@Azuris190]

Got Orcs and Elves about 2018 for 3€, it is a very fun Game!

[@kyledavis6108]

Ninjatown mentioned

[@nash3527]

Orcs & Elves looks interesting, it reminds me of Wolfenstein & Doom

[@rmgb-tv]

If you ever do a follow up I would like to nominate Soul Bubbles

[@alex31721able]

My personal hidden gem for the DS is the whole Inazuma Eleven series

[@dylanogg347]

While it's more well-known these days, "The World Ends With You" is more than worthy of topping this list.

[@edgehead2350]

Custom Robo Arena is my all time favourite DS game. It’s story is fantastic and it’s Robo fights are an incredible addition

[@dacueba-games]

This has to be irony. That story is about as fun as painting a wall with period blood and watching it dry. Also, it's "its". Illiterate goof.

[@roguerifter9724]

I love Infinite Space. As someone who is very annoyed when he plays an RPG where the protagonist is the captain or pilot of an armed ship but the ship combat is limited to cutscenes instead of being playable I was very happy. Plus my inner 4X and Tabletop game born ship designer had a lot of fu experimenting. Unfortunately Space Frigates are rare enough in the setting you never actually see them in the game and never get to command one (They are mentioned once or twice in the in game lore) but I guess we can't have everything.

[@DaisonPaz]

Ótima seleção de jogos. Parabéns!

[@franktorres2915]

If you enjoyed playing orcs and elves, fighting fantasy ds is really awesome hidden gem

[@videoporfavor]

I’m completely addicted to the Air Traffic Chaos game! If you have any interest in aviation at all, you will probably enjoy this game. Can’t recommend it highly enough. It’s just a fantastic game.

[@luliby2309]

Hey, I knew of Retro Game Challenge thanks to ProJared. He played it and it seriously impressed me with the amount, quality, and just how big and content-filled the various games are. A few of them feel like stand-alone games. There's a shockingly big RPG in there and it's just one of the games (the one that straight up looks like Dragon Quest 2).

[@mjdf122]

Gem Time Let’s See How Bright They Shine

[@terryechoes3192]

When I tried Infinite Space, it seemed like it was just going to be Rock-Paper-Scissors RNG. Perhaps it's worth a second glance?

[@JTK_XXL]

The rock-paper-scissors thing is kinda true for ship battles, especially for close combat melee. However, there is a lot to explore and you can customize your fleet in so many ways. The story itself is worth to give it a try again.

[@branalog]

is Moon considered a hidden gem or is it too well known?

[@destho4308]

I consider it a hidden one. It's usually mentioned as a generic FPS game. In case you haven't yet, check out Dementium: The Ward, and it's sequel. Both are absolute hits.

[@monkaWGiga]

​@@destho4308but not the HD remake of Dementium 2 which kind of sucks.

[@El4N73L0XII]

Wuh?

[@Aaron-lr1di]

The USS Sulaco was in the second film "Aliens" not "Alien 3"

[@frozenninja4030]

I didn't know Might & Magic: Clash of Heroes was a DS game as well. I put way too many hours into that game and ended up beating it when it was a Games with Gold game one month way back on XB360. And I don't really even like puzzle games all that much. It was just that good.

[@jedewitz]

Air Traffic Chaos might look like shovelware, but it is part of a really good series that peaked on PSP. The only English version for PSP was "I Am An Air Traffic Controller: Airport Hero Tokyo," and it's pretty good but even the four or five other japanese versions are great if you like that kind of strategy! They emulate really well when you can fast forward 😂

[@jasonjones7461]

I just started video but orcs and elves o recognize on thumbnail, i love that game. I hope Dementium 2 is on this list. Its such an underrated gem imo

[@matteste]

One I know that pretty much is all but invisible would be Nanostray 2. And man, Infinite Space is a game I haven't heard of in a long time. Also, that Might and Magic game was recently remastered and released on PC.

[@robbie5984]

One for me and it’s because I played the arcade cabinet was Metal Slug. Metal Slug 7 on the DS is a damn near perfect game.

[@lewisbrowne8799]

nice to see Infinite space on the list, definitely slept on

[@jordanhazelwood2546]

I loved the Might & Magic: CoH port on PS3.

[@PhriekshoTV]

I love Orcs & Elves Spawned my love of DRPGs

[@ridensroom6957]

You missed Soul Bubbles and Another Code.

[@DarkbluesEXE25]

3:32, 3:46 - Ninja Among Us

[@dylanogg347]

Considering #07 has a great story, all the dialogue isn't a big deal.

[@Tranzisto]

Man, how I wish Aliens: Infestation was as good gameplay-wise as it looks. It was one of the reasons I bought me a DS, and what a disappointment this game turned out to be - barely 5 hours long, so easy you can play it half asleep and still manage to complete with most of your team surviving and as much variety as one would expect from an early NES game. If it wasn't for some of the best pixel art ever created no one would remember this game.

[@yotaruvegeta]

2:13 Kacho…on!

[@CnideriaRex]

Same some of these cost so much second hand

[@dbloodymoon]

Oh, I have one long-text-strange-story gem to recommend! Time Hollow, Konami Oh wow, this one have a good story... You use a pen to return in certain parts on the past to avoid people of your circle of friends, family or aquaintances getting erased Thanos-style from your own timeline! But be careful... Don't explore enough and you might lose precious timey-wimey energy to finish the game and get things hard to youself...

[@josemirr93]

thanks for the video and all your audience for the comments

[@khomantes4418]

Got + 1 sub here,man.. damm nice list ! THANK YOU !👍

[@warehousedave7937]

Henry Hatsworth is the best game on this list.

[@DarthInfernusify]

Lucky I bought Aliens:Infestation back in 2013.

[@amrithkoomardhawotal6703]

5:54 Ellon is a wand who talks not a sword

[@lewiswatson915]

Ninja Town is so fucking good man

[@edgarjrsanmartin5304]

Orcs & Elves was so fun, it’s too bad I lost it during a road trip when I was like 10 years old smh

[@blackmesacake5361]

I wonder if there will ever be an easy way to emulate the dual screen, if youll ever be able to buy a touch screen display screen controller for PC off Amazon 😮

[@erakfishfishfish]

I think any tablet held vertically could do the trick.

[@danbauer3669]

Clash of Heroes is so good I bought it thrice! Twice on DS and once on Xbox 360 Also, thanks for introducing me to Ninja Town! Looks like the best game ever! I'll have to find it

[@CallN0w]

"Energy called matter"? Einstein would be proud

[@jeouxgreen2021]

I bought alien infestation seven years ago for fifteen dollars. Since then it got lost while moving and forgotten about. Saw this video and thought to replace it but now it's 60 to 100 dollars 😢

[@backprints]

ninjatown AND draglade!!!??!? if you had monster racers and Dragon Tamer Sound Spirit id die

[@woogha]

Orcs and elves!!! I wish the other 4 games would have gotten DS releases. Doom RPG, Doom 2 RPG, Wolfenstein RapG and Orcs and Elves 2. (OnE2 is friggin hilarious, the wand is an asshole for most of the game because you ateal it). Coincidentally, i'm currently playing Retro Game Challenge 2 as i watch this.

[@JULR0W]

The ds Wario ware is so good

[@protocetid]

they were hits, not obscure at all

[@PhillipGallant]

Where’s Ghost Trick?

[@protocetid]

quite a glaring omission

[@paddyola1]

Soul bubbles should have been here

[@druid54us]

Orcs and elves was the shit

[@latbat58]

timestamps for games?

[@shinjinaraku4251]

Drill dozer was a good game.

[@destho4308]

Rhythm Heaven is one worth mentioning.

[@protocetid]

sold 3 million copies, it’s not a hidden gem

[@BagzAndPresident]

Dragon Warrior Monsters Joker 1 and 2

[@peacexlove]

I watched this while taking a grap.

[@Sliider36]

ninjatown looks sus.

[@AbrahamGomez-t6i]

Awesome

[@gracekim1998]

Oooo fun😊

[@littleadam5740]

can't believe i'm here so early (13 minutes, 244 views, 24 likes)

[@Jai-D-Music]

Contact

[@ststriker]

It's a shame that thanks to the eshop closing these games are doomed to be lost to time.

[@paddyola1]

Emulation

[@ststriker]

@@paddyola1 The DS is sometimes difficult to emulate due to it having two screens and sometimes requiring touchscreen controls.

[@paddyola1]

@@ststriker android emulation lol

[@monkaWGiga]

R4 cards are a good solution for DS games. Yeah you need a DS but it gives you access to basically any DS game you want.

[@erakfishfishfish]

The Completionist purchased every game and DLC from the eshop for preservation purposes. The video about it is a good watch-it was a more difficult task than they anticipated.

[@ScheferLucas]

Ainda te amo

[@aliensweathands]

👽

[@revwroth3698]

First?