People may dismiss it due to PSP having better ports, but Disgaea DS is a good port of 1
The Port of DS of Final Fantasy IV is also a solid port that keeps the original's plot while adding its own Nooks and crannies (I would say III is good, but the PSP having Moogle Mail sidequest aviable Solo makes it my way to go)
Speaking of RPG ports, Dragon Quest IV gives you something that makes it the definitive version: The capacity of making your Allies follow commands (NO MORE KYRIL SPAMMING WHACK ON BOSSES) and if you patch it or play the japanese original the Party Chat is a deal maker if you like skit-like mechanics
IDC about the limitations compared to Battle Network, Star Force is still a good follow up
Tales of the Tempest: Hot Take, but i don't mind the so called "Blandness" of the plot and gameplay, as long as it keeps me glued two hours per day, the gameplay being entertaining is my deal
Nowadays Farming Simulators mixed with ARPG are as a norm, but believe when i tell you Rune Factory are the reasons it's a norm that works, the trilogy introduced me to farming games as a teen
Etrian Odyssey is archaic compared to its sequels on DS or even its Origins remake, despite it is easly the one i beat the most
Avalon Code, all the fun a hipothetical PS2 ARPG can give in a single cookie sized card
Nostalgia... is complex, i has played it and so far love the throwback to both classic RPG and Indiana Jones-esque movies, but i am afraid due to the game seemingly having a bug where a late game boss fails to appear, but if your copy is safe, you are free to go nuts
Looking for something cheerful instead of gritty fantasy and tough soldiers in blood soaked armors? Rhapsody: A Musical Adventure is for you, a bubbly game about using the power of music to beat the bad guys
Lufia on DS is a good ARPG take on Rise of the Sinistrals for SNES
Lastly, Chrono Trigger on DS is by far the best non-hack version, extra content, even more New Game Plus stuff to do, a boss that connects both Trigger and Cross, if you liked the PSX anime cutscenes but reasonably hate the version, the DS keeps them while translating more acurrately the game from the original Japanese script
