Nintendo DS games

[Pumpkin]

Since I have a Nintendo DS and games are expensive, I did not just download an emulator and Pokemon Black. Since I did not do this, I was wondering if you guys could recommend me some Nintendo DS games now that I can afford them since I do not have an emulator with which I can play free games.

[Skyblade]

:irked:

Well, as long as you're looking for good games to BUY, I do have a list of some of the best on the system.

Rune Factory 3.
Chrono Trigger.
Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift
Ghost Trick.
Golden Sun: Dark Dawn.
Radiant Historia.
Kirby Superstar Ultra.
Pokémon Platinum.
The World Ends With You. (Could an emulator even handle touch controls well?)
Professor Layton and the Curious Village.
Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor.
Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 2.
Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Sky.
Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days.
Valkyrie Profile: Covenant of the Plume.


That's it for now, but I'll be back with more later, I'm sure.


Is your Let's Play over?

[Pumpkin]

I actually have a few of those already. Thanks for the suggestions, a few of those sounds good :D

[WildRaubtier]

Massive seconding for The World Ends with You - probably one of the few decent square games released in the last decade as well as one of the best games for the system.

Others:
Any (but only one) Yu-Gi-Oh game (nightmare troubador reccommended due to the smallest banlist)
Megaman StarForce (comes in three different flavours, like pokemon but fewer differences)
FFIV-DS (fanciest version of, consider skipping)
Advance Wars - Days of Ruin
Lock's Quest
Henry Hatsworth in the Puzzling Adventure - This should be your top priority.
Super Robot Taisen OG Saga - Endless Frontier
FF- The 4 Heroes of Light (some light jrpging for you)

If you want something more casual, try one of SEX's Space Invaders Extreme. Alternatively, my DS-flavoured sudoku fun of choice is Sudoku Gridmaster (responsible for at least 25% of my logged pooping hours since 2007).

[Skyblade]

Massive seconding for The World Ends with You - probably one of the few decent square games released in the last decade as well as one of the best games for the system.

Others:
Any (but only one) Yu-Gi-Oh game (nightmare troubador reccommended due to the smallest banlist)
Advance Wars - Days of Ruin

Yeah, but can you imagine playing TWEWY with a mouse as your stylus?

I'll second these. Although I'd say Spirit Caller or Nightmare Troubadour for the Yu-Gi-Oh game, as it plays smoother than Nightmare Troubadour.

I always wanted to play Endless Frontier and Megaman Star Force.

[WildRaubtier]

You don't need the stylus if you play top screen only. I wouldn't recommend doing it with a mouse on an emulator but since she certainly isn't using an emulator to play the roms I'll send to her over IRC its all a bit hypothetical, really.

[Formalhaut]

I third The World Ends With You. Easily one of the best games of the decade for me, and one of the most innovative and interesting combat systems I've seen.

If nothing else, pick that up. I wish they did a sequel.

I know I'm slightly biased, but I looove the Professor Layton series. Chronologically, you'd be best picking up Professor Layton and The Curious Village and playing the 'original' trilogy (Curious Village, Pandora's Box, Lost Future). After that, you can then take on the 'prequel' trilogy of The Lost Specter, The Miracle Mask and the as of yet to be released conclusion to that. The Miracle Mask and presumably the unknown game requires a 3DS, but we can cross that bridge when we come to it.

The Phoenix Wright games are awesome, even if I've never played a single one :p

[Spuuky]

The best DS games are Dragon Quest IX and Etrian Odyssey 3.

[Red Mage Coffman]

If we're talking about DS, let me hit you with MY top 5 really quick. I won't even bother listing Pokemon though. So..

Rune Factory 3
This is is actually a REALLY good RPG/Sim hybrid. I won't go into story specific details, but it is a VERY good game, and I'd recommend it to anyone. BTW it IS a fantasy version of Harvest Moon, meaning there will be farming. Just saying.

Final Fantasy 3
Like. I LOVE Final Fantasy 3. Simple, fun and a remake of an earlier NES title, this game has stolen my heart forever. The graphics, I think, are nice and cute, the music is astounding and the Job system, though not V's, is still pretty good.

Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky
If you aren't aware, just know that this isn't your normal Pokemon game. Its a dungeon crawler in which you PLAY as a Pokemon. The story, music, characters and the general world will suck you in really fast and the amount of post game content is just amazing. Even if your partner in the first one was by far better in terms of character, this game expands on every aspect of the first one and is something I could play over, and over.


Dragon Quest V: Hand of the Heavenly Bride
Given a lot of people consider IX to be the best for the DS so far, I'd have to stick a claim for this one, my personal favorite in the series, next to VII for the PS2. I've always found the story to be simply awesome. That is the biggest thing this game does for me. As for as everything else, its your average Dragon Quest game. I will admit, IX won me over in a TON of aspects, but this one will ALWAYS be superior in my opinion and I'd check it out if I were you.

Mario and Luigi: Partners in Time
Despite the fact that it IS Mario, it is still one of the funnest, quirkiest, simple RPG's I've ever played. With great everything, I'd play this ANY DAY. I"d recommend Superstar Saga for the GBA first, but it isn't necessary, just another of my personal favorites. Just trust me, pick this one up and enjoy it.

Honorable Mentions
Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Sky
The World Ends With You (A game I'd probably put on this list, if I'd ever pick it up and actually play it.)
Rune Factory 2 (I like a lot of things story wise about this game, but the sequel stands taller.)
Final Fantasy IV (Because it didn't let you form your own party in the end.)
Chrono Trigger (A great RPG, but never felt like actually caring about it on the DS.)
Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor (I have the 3DS version, but still. A great game, though I've yet to finish it or the sequel.)

[Bolivar]

My favorite games I played on the DS were Final Fantasy III and Dragon Quest V. Rune Factory, DQIV and VI and NSMB 1 were really good too. And I really enjoyed FFXII Revenant Wings, but apparently I'm insane.

[Formalhaut]

And I really enjoyed FFXII Revenant Wings, but apparently I'm insane.

You can join the insane club; I enjoyed it too.

[Pumpkin]

I have Revenant Wings, but I haven't actually played it yet.

[Skyblade]

And I really enjoyed FFXII Revenant Wings, but apparently I'm insane.

You can join the insane club; I enjoyed it too.

There's a lot to enjoy about it, I admit. But the gameplay completely fails it, especially as you near endgame.

Imprecise controls means that you have very little strategy, and there are very few options with how to deal with things. Combine that with the utter cheapness of most bosses (such as their ability to instantly kill every Esper within a radius around them), and it stopped being fun, and just became a pain to play.

Which is a shame, because there is a lot to enjoy about the game.

[Formalhaut]

And I really enjoyed FFXII Revenant Wings, but apparently I'm insane.

You can join the insane club; I enjoyed it too.

There's a lot to enjoy about it, I admit. But the gameplay completely fails it, especially as you near endgame.

Imprecise controls means that you have very little strategy, and there are very few options with how to deal with things. Combine that with the utter cheapness of most bosses (such as their ability to instantly kill every Esper within a radius around them), and it stopped being fun, and just became a pain to play.

Which is a shame, because there is a lot to enjoy about the game.

Yeah, the imprecise controls does hurt it rather much.

[Pumpkin]

What about the game 999. I have heard good things about it. Anyone play it?

[Skyblade]

What about the game 999. I have heard good things about it. Anyone play it?

I just started. It's...different. Haven't gotten far enough to really have an opinion on it though.

[Scotty_ffgamer]

I like the little I've played of it so far. And it can be gotten for pretty cheap.

[Shauna]

I thoroughly enjoyed 999. Would recommend.

[Agent Proto]

Hahahaha, I bet all of you didn't say this so I could. Anyway shion...

The Ace Attorney Trilogy, in chronological order.

In fact, if you do indeed start playing Ace Attorney please play in this order to get full satisfaction of the games' story.
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney
Ace Attorney: Justice for All
Ace Attorney: Trials and Tribulations
Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney

I'm sure they'll be hard to find though, so good luck with that! Just my recommendation!

[CimminyCricket]

All I can say is stay away from the Disgaea DS. Worst port ever. I still haven't played past chapter 2.

[krissy]

999 is the best ds game

[Pumpkin]

What is ace attorney about proto? How does it play?

[Shauna]

You are an attorney. It plays as a visual novel type game, in which you investigate crime scenes and do court cases to get your client proved Innocent.

[Scotty_ffgamer]

It is also really funny if I remember right. I've only played the first one.

[Shauna]

It is pretty funny. Really excellently translated and localised.

The premise of the game does not lend itself well to description, just gonna have a to play!

[Pumpkin]

I like visual novels. It sounds interesting. Is it difficult?

[Shauna]

Not hugely. :3 Some tricky bits here and there, but for the most part, with a bit of thought you'll be able to muddle through.

[Agent Proto]

What is ace attorney about proto? How does it play?

Shauna has the basics of it, but it's really much more than that. There are two types of gameplay. You have your Investigative mode, and the Trial mode. Each play very differently, but they shouldn't be too difficult to understand. Usually, the first case in these games will get you introduced into the trial mode, and the second case will introduce you into investigations. It's pretty easy to pick up, but can be challenging if you end up getting stuck on a problem. You really want to start from the beginning if you start with Ace Attorney. It plays like one long story, as everything is connected in one way or another, because there's a backstory to the whole series that explains why Phoenix is a lawyer, and such.

[Hollycat]

Hahahaha, I bet all of you didn't say this so I could. Anyway shion...

The Ace Attorney Trilogy, in chronological order.

In fact, if you do indeed start playing Ace Attorney please play in this order to get full satisfaction of the games' story.
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney
Ace Attorney: Justice for All
Ace Attorney: Trials and Tribulations
Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney

I'm sure they'll be hard to find though, so good luck with that! Just my recommendation!

You forgot the miles edgeworth game.

[krissy]

did someone mention ghost trick yet

[Flaming Ice]

Haven't played TWEWY but since the ios release it went down in price majorly (at least on online sites).




Occasionally I find good games at ebgames but a lot of the better ones are obviously hard to find now =( ...don't really buy online either just checked the prices

[Skyblade]

:irked:

Well, as long as you're looking for good games to BUY, I do have a list of some of the best on the system.

Rune Factory 3.
Chrono Trigger.
Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift
Ghost Trick.
Golden Sun: Dark Dawn.
Radiant Historia.
Kirby Superstar Ultra.
Pokémon Platinum.
The World Ends With You. (Could an emulator even handle touch controls well?)
Professor Layton and the Curious Village.
Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor.
Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 2.
Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Sky.
Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days.
Valkyrie Profile: Covenant of the Plume.


That's it for now, but I'll be back with more later, I'm sure.


Is your Let's Play over?


did someone mention ghost trick yet

First reply, fourth title.

Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective is one awesome game. :D

[qwertysaur]

Pokémon Conquest
Pokémon Conquest
Pokémon Conquest
Pokémon Conquest
Pokémon Conquest

[Skyblade]

Pokémon Conquest
Pokémon Conquest
Pokémon Conquest
Pokémon Conquest
Pokémon Conquest

I was unsure about including this one. It's fun, but its definitely niche. I think the idea worked far better than it should have on paper, but could still use a lot of retooling and polish.

It's a good game, but I'm not sure it's a "must buy". If you're a TRPG fan, you'll probably like it, but you'll probably still be wondering why certain aspects aren't as strong as they could have been. And if you're not a fan of Turn-Based-Tactics, I'm not sure you'd like it at all.

I just don't know how much to recommend it, even though I personally really like it.

[WildRaubtier]

There are better TBS games on the DS, most of which have been mentioned.


Hahahaha, I bet all of you didn't say this so I could.
I didn't mention Phoenix Wright because, while enjoyable, it barely manages to be a game :I

[Synoptikal]

All the Ace Attorney games. While Apollo Justice isn't the greatest of the series, it's still got a compelling story.

I also put my vote in for: TWEWY, Golden Sun: Dark Dawn, Nightmare Troubadour, Spirit Caller and FFIV DS.

I also put forward the following two:

Time Hollow;
Avalon Code.

[Pumpkin]

What is Pokemon Conquest?

Games mentioned that interest me:
999
Ace Attorney
THE World Ends With You

I don't know how much space these games take up on my memory but my desktop isn't all that fancy or powerful.

I already have the final fantasy games and Dragon Quest IX on my actual DS.

[WildRaubtier]

TWEWY Rom is 128mb iirc. That's on the high end for a DS game. Ace attorney games don't break the 16mb mark, again iirc, but the first is bigger than the next two.

[Scotty_ffgamer]

OH! You should play Trace Memory. That game is so good with a pretty great story. It's a fun little point-and-click game. The only downside is that it is an extremely short game.

[Pumpkin]

I'll check it out.

Just started the first Ace Attorney Proto suggested. The prosecutor is Mr. Payne which makes me feel like I'm arguing with my boyfriend.

[Del Murder]

Did anyone mention Zelda: Phantom Hourglass? That one is pretty good.

Though 999, TWEWY, and Ace Attorney are a great start. They're all very different from anything else you will ever play.

My favorite DS game though is probably Radiant Historia. Play it!

[Skyblade]

What is Pokemon Conquest?

Pokémon Conquest is a game released in Japan as Pokémon + Nobunaga's Ambition. It's a crossover between the two series, so you'll need some background on Nobunaga's Ambition in order to fully appreciate it.

Essentially, Nobunaga's Ambition is a strategy and tactics RPG centered around the conflicts of the Sengoku Era of Feudal Japan. In it, you control a series of Warlords and Warriors, each of whom has troops at their command, and work with your chosen warlord to conquer all of Japan.

Conquest adds Pokémon to the mix.

The game takes place in the new Ransei region of Japan, which is split into 17 different territories (one for each type). You, as the new Warlord in charge of one of these territories, start out building your empire and attempting to unite all of the Ransei region before Nobunaga's armies can do the same. The Warlord who can unite all of the Ransei region will supposedly be graced by the presence of the legendary Pokémon who formed the region, and gain access to its godlike powers.


Each warrior and Warlord has control of a single Pokémon at a time, so to expand your army, you recruit more warriors. As you conquer territories, you will discover places to catch new Pokémon (each warrior can only use one at a time, but you can trade which one they use), new shops, new training locations, etcetera.

Battles take place in a tactical RPG style, where up to 6 Warriors and Warlords on each side pit their Pokémon against each other. Each Pokémon has one attack, and its strength scales with its bond with its Warrior. Each Warrior has their own ideal Pokémon that they can reach a perfect link of 100% with, making it their most powerful Pokémon (a few of the special Warlords will have more than one, usually their main one and a legendary that you acquire in post game).

Outside of battle, you determine what your warriors due each day. Do you train, look for treasures, mine for gold, try to capture new Pokémon, improve your bonds, move from castle to castle for better positioning/access to resources, etcetera. And you gather your might and assault other castles.

[KentaRawr!]

I know it's already been mentioned, but 999 is seriously a great game. It's a visual novel with point-and-click sequences based around finding your way out of a room. The story is pretty mind-boggling, and it'll take multiple playthroughs to get the whole story. Thankfully the game lets you skip text that you've already read on subsequent playthroughs, so you can just skip straight to the parts you haven't read yet on divergent paths. What escape scenarios you come across change depending on what story path you're on, too.

I really enjoyed it. It sucked my life away until I got all the endings. Wish I had a system that could play the sequel!

[Pumpkin]

I'll definitely look into a bunch of these.

An update: I'm an awful lawyer.

[Tasura]

I'll also get behind recommendations for TWEWY, the Ace Attorney series, Radiant Historia and the Professor Layton series. On top of that I'd add;

Sands of Destruction
Nostalgia
Trauma Center series (Like Ace Attorney but you're a doctor instead of a lawyer)
Atelier Annie
Digimon World Dawn/Dusk
Magical Starsign
Monster Rancher DS
Shin Megami Tensei - Strange Journey
Summon Knight - Twin Age

And that's all I can think of for now, that hasn't already been mentioned.

[Flaming Ice]

Digimon World Dawn/Dusk
.



From what I've seen, those games cost a fortune.


Really want one of those and monster rancher too....:(

[Mindflare]

All I can say is stay away from the Disgaea DS. Worst port ever. I still haven't played past chapter 2.

I don't know. The PSP one was a solid version, but if you get past the nerfed graphics and uglier menus, it is still a great, solid game. Endlessly replayable.

[Elite Lord Sigma]

It seems like nobody has mentioned the Etrian Odyssey games yet, so I will. I haven't played them myself, but I've heard nothing but praise for them.

[Skyblade]

Are the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon games any good? I've heard conflicting things about them, but I'm kind of curious.

Now that you jerks have got me stuck on a Pokémon kick again and forced me back into Conquest.

[Pike]

Sonic Classics Collection and SimCity DS are the two Nintendo DS games I put the most time into by far