Aside from being a good console, it has one of the most interesting libraries I’ve ever seen. On the one hand, you have the games known to the public, which tend to be some of the best games ever: Mario Kart DS, Pokémon Black/White 2, New Super Mario Bros., Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story and more. These are but some of the results you could get if you search for “best Nintendo DS games” on your browser.
On the other hand, you have… the unknowns. The ones that stay below the surface. The ones that made you click on this article. The Nintendo DS has no shortage of these obscure games. And I have knowledge of some of them. I did have a TTDS as a kid (I still have it!), and as I was quite bored back then, I’d search for lots of games. So, you could call me an expert of sorts.
Without further ado, here’s some of the most unkown games that I have on my library. Keep in mind that just because a game isn’t particularly well known it doesn’t necessarily make it good (hence, the difference between hidden gem and hidden rock). Also, some of these games were beaten a long time ago, so my memory is a bit hazy.
FINAL FANTASY TACTICS A2: GRIMOIRE OF THE RIFT
You have no idea how much I love the job system in this game.
- Release: 2007
- Developer: Square Enix
This is one of my favorite games of all time, period. The story is… quite subpar. I’d even say it goes as far as being not very good. However, it more than makes up for it with its gameplay. And I’m not talking about the combat specifically (although it is very good, using terrain and positioning in your favor to do more damage or even take less). No, the real beauty of Tactics A2 is its customization.
Final Fantasy Tactics A2 features a rich and deep job system based on growths that differ from class to class. This leaves a lot of room for min-maxing, making it a dream for perfectionists. At the same time, this system allows you to pretty much use any class you want (provided you used a correct class for growth). You don’t really have to min-max if you don't want to, but it’s obvious that you’re not going to make a character grow as a warrior and then transition them into a mage because it’s going to be useless.
As a kid I had fun simply building units as optimally I could. Good times, good times.
POKÉMON RANGER TRILOGY
But what if... I were to make a square?
- Release: 2006
- Developer: Creatures Inc. (Nintendo)
Pokémon Ranger is one of the most unique spin-offs in the Pokémon franchise, as well as one of the most unique set of games ever. Unlike the other games, this one doesn’t rely on RPG elements. Rather, it’s more action oriented; because you play as a Pokémon ranger (duh!) who takes care of wild Pokémon. Thanks to a specific tool, Rangers draw circles around afflicted Pokémon and inject them with their love, making them feel better.
That’s the gist of it. It’s a unique premise that makes full use of the capabilities of the Nintendo DS (as you have to draw literal circles around the Pokémon). Looks simple from the outside, but it actually has a certain degree of difficulty and depth because each Pokémon has their unique ways of preventing the “capturing” (if a Pokémon attacks the circles, the Ranger takes damage; take enough and the tool breaks, causing a game over). A Bidoof will walk slowly from side to side, occasionally doing a short range headbutt, while an Entei will constantly summon long range pillars of fire. Captured Pokémon can be used to destroy certain obstacles preventing your path.
All three games are very fun, although you can feel that the first one is, well, the first one in a lot of areas.
HENRY HATSWORTH IN THE PUZZLING ADVENTURE
Subpar puzzle game + subpar platformer = above average game!
- Release: 2009
- Developer: EA Tiburon
On the top screen you do your classic platforming action. The platforming itself is quite basic, and it pales in comparison to the Mario games. What elevates Henry Hatsworth from “mid” to “unique” is what happens on the bottom screen, which is The Puzzling Zone (trademark).
When you kill an enemy, it transforms into a block and goes to the bottom screen. The bottom screen slowly rises to the top, and by default there’s no danger in this. In fact, some of the blocks hold buffs for the protagonist Henry. However, when the enemy blocks reach the top, they will deal damage to Henry. You can ignore them, but eventually you’ll take enough damage that you’ll die and lose. So, no, you can’t actually ignore them. So, in order to succeed at the adventure, you have to switch constantly between platforming and puzzle (the puzzle part itself is like Puzzle League, where you combine three or more blocks of the same color to make them disappear). I might be wrong in this one, but if I recall correctly you could sometimes make blocks to progress on the platforming by doing something in the bottom screen. Quick reflexes are key to obtaining victory in this pocket-sized adventure!
DRAGON BALL Z ATTACK OF THE SAIYANS
Hey, look, it's that thing from that one time in the manga!
- Release: 2009
- Developer: Monolith Software
Anyways, Attack of the Saiyans is one of those games that you don’t know is good until you give it a try. For the most part, it’s a retelling of the Saiyan saga from Dragon Ball Z (if you don’t remember, it’s the first arc in the manga and the anime), but it also takes some liberties by adding story bits that do not exist in either of the sources. In my opinion, this is a great idea, because if you want to experience the story, you can watch the anime or read the manga, or even play the Budokai games. By making it an RPG, it gives you freedom to add new tidbits that may or may not be relevant to the story, but can help give some characters like Yamcha and Tien more screen time. Of particular note is the search for the Dragon Balls. This by itself isn’t new, it’s done in the original source as well. What IS new is the places our heroes go to find them. Of particular note is Devil’s Toilet, which is an actual Dragon Ball location, but with new things that weren’t present before.
Mechanically, the game is solid. It features an active guard system to reduce damage, you can have three party members at the same time and have three in the back, use basic attacks, defend and use ki blasts that consume ki. The novelty wears off over time, but it’s still well done.
If you like Dragon Ball, give this game a try. If you like turn-based RPGs, give this game a try. If you like Dragon Ball AND turn-based RPGs, why are you still here?
LUMINOUS ARC
It's alright, I guess?
- Release: 2007
- Developer: Imageepoch
GUILTY GEAR: DUST STRIKERS
It's not even alright
- Release: 2006
- Developer: Arc System Works
Guilty Gear DS is not a good game. It takes what Guilty Gear Isuka did (which isn’t particularly good either, mind you) and somehow makes it worse. The stages lose a lot of horizontality and instead focus on verticality, with platforms and items. This makes it similar to Smash Bros., but trust me when I say that this is no clone.
The main issue with Dust Strikes is that it doesn’t control very well. If I recall correctly, the turn around mechanic (which is a maniacal decision for a fighter) is still present. It’s also not very fun; the platform gimmick wears off soon and gets annoying fast. The items are not properly explained either. The multiplayer is chaotic and unbalanced, to top it off. The good news is that controls are super simplified in comparison to other Guilty Gear games, which makes it very accessible. If you want Guilty Gear on the go, however, you have much better options… in other consoles.
Credit where credit is due: this game is the reason I’m currently into fighting games, albeit indirectly.
MONSTER RACERS
Who would have guessed, it has Monsters Racing.
- Release: 2009
- Developer: Koei
Monster Racers covers two niches: monster catching and racing. None of the two niches are particularly developed, but it allows for a unique mix that I have yet to see in another game. The racing in particular has some platforming (kind of like a Sonic game but without ever stopping), but if I recall correctly there are some obstacles on the tracks to deter you from winning. As you progress, you need faster monsters or you are not winning, no matter how good you are. As a result, if you end up liking one particular monster, it might get outclassed a bit too soon.
MAGICAL STARSIGN
Like the horoscope if it were good.
- Release: 2006
- Developer: Brownie Brown
Magical Starsign is a sequel to a GBA game that didn’t come out of Japan. I didn’t play that one so I have no information on it. It’s a turn based RPG with a cute aesthetic, set in a magical school. One day, one of the teachers goes missing to solve some problem with the universe, and the students get worried when she takes doesn’t come back after a while, so they go on an adventure to search for her.
As far as the game goes, it’s your classic turn-based RPG with some customization to keep you interested. There are elements, all associated to a specific star, and each element wins and loses against other elements, kind of like in Pokémon but with less depth. The story, as far as I remember, is pretty standard (the final boss felt random at the time) and I have absolutely no memory of the music, but it plays well and is cute. It's also not too long, if that bothers.
FINAL WORDS
I'm always impressed by what the Nintendo DS had to offer. Its games may not have always landed, but at the very least felt unique, were fun or both. Some of them even went as far as using the unique capabilities of the console to enhance the experience (or at least make it more memorable). This, in turn, made it difficult for those games to be ported to modern consoles (case in point: Pokémon Ranger). Nevertheless, thanks to emulation we can experience these games like if they were released yesterday, especially because DS emulators aren't too consuming. If you have a modded 3DS, you can also install Twilight Menu and play those games on original hardware! But don't tell anybody that I told you
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