Hidden Gems!

[OldManLav]

Gitaroo Man

 

[stealthRUSH stealthRUSH]

10,000 Bullets / Tsukiyo ni Saraba

 

[Cu-Neo]

I would recommend Maken X (Shao) and Okage Shadow king

 

[gk_ishy]

Berwick Saga. Its by the creator of fire emblem. Feels like the evolution of fire emblem if he never left intsys.

 

[Parasite_Steve]

if you've already tried it, i recommend Genji Dawn of the Samurai. it's a lot better than its reputation, i personally really like it

Never realized it had a bad reputation. I always greatly enjoyed the two Genji games as a huge fan of the Onimusha series with which it shares dna.

The PS2 had lots of quality action games, especially in the hack'n'slash genre so I second Dororo/Blood will tell. It's infamous for its high price tag these days but I've rarely heard anyone ever talk about its gameplay which is a shame.
Bujingai is also a fun exemplar of the genre. It got decent hype at the time because the protagonist was modeled after J-Pop singer Gackt, but it quickly faded into obscurity.
I don't know if you'd count these because the series they sprang from was once incredibly popular but I'd consider the Shinobi remake and its sequel Nightshade/Kunoichi to be real gems on the system. The two Gungrave games are also very enjoyable and stylish if short.
I'll cautiously throw Tenchu 3 and Tenchu Kurenai in the ring here too. The series was massive around the turn of the millenium, but it hasn't been remotely popular in twenty years (unfortunately for good reason), so I'm not sure how well it is remembered if at all.

 

[RageBurner]

I'm not sure if it matches your criteria properly but Rogue Galaxy is pretty neat and, as far as I know, something of a hidden gem.

 

[nonotz]

Are these counted as hidden gems ?:

• Community POM : Action RPG (think zelda) with a bit of town building aspect

• Incredible crisis: MASH em buttons!
  
  
  

 

[Krazy Kat]

Rogue Galaxy

7 Sins
Playboy the Mansion
The Guy Game
Bmx XXX
Larry Suit Larry : magna cumlaude

for this 5 game title it is dangerous to play with speaker on, and put dualshock controller on your own joystick

 

[Xeres]

There were incredible mentions like Shadow Tower Abyss, Okage, Maken, Steam Bot Chronicles-the PSP port is short and sweet- and Rogue Galaxy (I am biased on those three, I'm a sucker for Level5 and Atlus games). I could add Dororo to the list, I love how the game changes as you recover your body parts. Magic Pengel, the quest for color is quite clunky because of its drawing mechanic using analog sticks. It could have been a blast for the DS, though.

 

[Krazy Kat]

don't forget about

Shining force EXA

Arc The Lad : Twilight Of Spirits

Namco X Capcom Rpg

Legaia 2 Duel saga

Champion of Norrath

 

[Glimbo]

Drakan: The Ancients' Gates

Pirates: The Legend of Black Kat

Two really great action-adventure games. Drakan on PS2 is actually a sequel but the first game is PC only released in 1999.

 

[werewolfgimmick]

Oh I got a few
First, Chaindive is a 2.5D action game where you use a rope to grapple onto hooks, flying through the air freezing and then smashing enemies. The controls are weird but extremely fun and addictive once you get a handle on them. This one never left Japan but you can play it just fine without understanding the story.

Then there's Gungriffon Blaze, a pretty standard but fast paced arcadey mech FPS. I could only find this in CD format, which a lot of modded PS2s (like mine) don't read well, so you might want to just emulate it.

Last but not least is a licensed game, Super Dimension Fortress Macross. The selling point of this one is that at any time during gameplay you can transform back and forth from plane, to semi-plane, to humanoid mech, making for some pretty dynamic action. The worst thing about it is that it's super short, but that speaks it's strenght as a game that left me wanting more. Also only in Japanese but same as with Chaindive it's pretty simple to navigate and understand.

 

[Flaming_Metal_Systems]

I recommend you a game truly under the skin:

and Michigan: Report from Hell:

 

[RetroLaw]

I second Shining Force Exa.
I also loved Shining Force Neo.

Haven't played Legaia 2 but it's definitively in my priority backlog

 

[Aziamuth]

The Nintendo DS is one of my favorite consoles, if not my favorite console, ever. Very functional, slick design, a nice duration to its battery, ergonomic, plenty of functionalities, buttons that feel good… Just a excellently designed piece of hardware. And very durable, too! Mine fell on the floor a bunch of times and still works wonders! I did have to change the circuit for the trigger buttons, but the rest works magnificently.

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 probably the most known game of the list alongside with the next entry, but for some reason I feel like it’s barely discussed when it comes to tactical RPGs, and even more so in comparison to the vastly superior War of the Lions, or within the franchise.

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)​

Okay, Pokémon isn’t exactly a niche franchise, but just like with the previous example, I feel like the Pokémon Ranger trilogy needs a tiny bit more of exposure.

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

We’re finally getting into niche territory! Henry Hatsworth in the Puzzling Adventure is a game that could only work on the DS (and the 3DS, I guess) because of how it uses its capabilities. There’s no game like Henry Hatsworth, as it is both a platformer and a puzzle game. And you might say: “Well, what about Braid?”. To which I reply: “No, when I mean platformer and puzzle, I meant it literally”.

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​

Everyone knows about Dragon Ball, it’s THE manga and anime series ever. But did you know that there’s a competent turn-based RPG on the Nintendo DS? It shouldn’t surprise you, as Dragon Ball isn’t a stranger to turn-based RPGs.

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​

Luminous Arc is a tactical RPG. Yeah, that’s all I can say about it. I don’t have much to say because the game is absurdly generic. All characters fall into a cliched trope (although I am very fond of Heath), the story is a typical “good vs evil” with the “twist” of the church being evil (you can see it from the beginning), the gameplay doesn’t have any distinguishing features, the visuals are just fine and the music is unremarkable. Despite everything, it’s fairly serviceable and good fun. It’s also not very long. If you enjoy tactical RPGs, give this one a chance. It also has two sequels, but I haven't tried them out yet.

GUILTY GEAR: DUST STRIKERS​

It's not even alright ?​

• Release: 2006​
• Developer: Arc System Works​

The Guilty Gear used to be a fairly niche franchise prior to the release of STRIVE, so not many may know about the spin-offs. One of them is Dust Strikers (or DS, as I like to call it, hehe).

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, my beloved! I say that, but I actually never beat this game; a childhood friend of mine did. For my part, I merely gave a try, but never went too far because, at that time I was more interested in other games. Time passes, and I never get into it. A pity.

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​

We finish this list with a game that I did beat, unlike the pervious entry. Problem is, it’s one of the first games I actually beat, and it has been more than 10 years since then, so I don’t remember much. Still, it’s a game I enjoyed a lot, it’s not very known and it’s on the Nintendo DS, so it fits.

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 ;).

 

[Yousef Yousef]

Oh wow what a pleasant surprise, a new article so soon :0
Ok, I’ll give it a read and….done! Took a couple of minutes. I’m a fast reader nyahahaha, but this was a really good piece.
I like how you justified your reasoning for claiming Henry to be a one of a kind, it truly does look unlike anything else! I actually really love weird puzzle games so this is really up my alley.

Another dbz turn based game is always a delight, while I haven’t played many, this seems fun to pick up and play.

The story about GGDS helping you get into FGs is definitely cute and really interesting! I wish I had a story like that but I’ve been playing fighting games since I was 5 years old. I do have a somewhat dumb story on how I got into street fighter though and that’s thanks to the SF2 mobile ports. My veins are now installed with SF2 nostalgia thanks to them, that game will always be special. I also have a friend who loves GG so he’s gonna love talking about DS on DS (hehe).

Good read!

 

[Aziamuth]

The story about GGDS helping you get into FGs is definitely cute and really interesting! I wish I had a story like that but I’ve been playing fighting games since I was 5 years old. I do have a somewhat dumb story on how I got into street fighter though and that’s thanks to the SF2 mobile ports. My veins are now installed with SF2 nostalgia thanks to them, that game will always be special. I also have a friend who loves GG so he’s gonna love talking about DS on DS (hehe).

I'm planning on writing an article on why I love Faust from Guilty Gear and Dust Strikers is the main (indirect) reason, so stay tuned

 

[Waffles's iconWaffles]

Ah! Hell yeah, dude! As a late DS user, I can totally appreciate this article.

 

[Yuu Suzuki]

Piccolo Jr sweep

 

[Cu-Neo]

Dude I freaking love Attack of the Saiyans. I loved how they used the filler in a good way to expand the story. Also Dual strikers was my first Guilty Gear. Although to this day I still need to play the Magical series (Vacation, Starsign). And the PK rangers games rocks

 

[Aziamuth]

Dude I freaking love Attack of the Saiyans. I loved how they used the filler in a good way to expand the story. Also Dual strikers was my first Guilty Gear. Although to this day I still need to play the Magical series (Vacation, Starsign). And the PK rangers games rocks

There were plans for a sequel of AotS, but was cancelled. Not sure if it's because of poor sales or lack of financing.

 

[RetroFreax]

Outstanding HIDDEN GEM that nobody knows is:

Manpuku!! Nabe Kazoku on PlayStation​

Ultra Playable 2 Player Mayhem (even with your Wife/Girl who doesnt like to play games).

Yo!Tube! Video

 

[Deleted member 11897]

The DS is the only portable console I own, and it's cause it's the only one that managed to grab me with its uniqueness. Just like the Wii, it's a machine engineered for novelty and fun rather than power and this is actually something I consider a benefit because it motivates developers to come up with games that use its features more than just try to demake what the home consoles were generally doing.

You're oddly right about Pokemon Ranger and FF Tactics 2 being overlook... They really are games I never see discussed. I've heard of the rest on the list, but not much either. Still gotta go out and play Henry Hatsworth.

I wanna add that I love metroidvanias and the DS is a great platform for them, niche and mainstream. The DS versions of Spider-Man Web of Shadows and Shattered Dimensions are short and polished Metroidvanias with fun controls. WoS gets repetitive late on but luckily it's also just not too long. There's also Monster Tale, which is a mix of monster pet simulator and metroidvania where growing your monster friend is what you need to get past those typical special ability gates.

We should all be playing more DS games...

 

[Parasite_Steve]

Bmx XXX

Bmx XXX is surprisingly one of the better action sports titles on the PS2. They really shot themselves in the foot with the nudy theme though. No one's gonna take the BoobMX game seriously, and the biggest demographic for these titles, teenage boys, couldn't even buy it due to the M rating. Plus I can imagine being sued by Dave Mirra didn't help matters. Good riddance Acclaim, your harebrained attempts at generating publicity were always a reliable source of laughter.

For other action sports titles that time forgot by now, I recommend Airblade, basically Tony Hawk's Pro Skater on a hoverboard in a future dystopia, Aggressive Inline, sadly unsuccessful attempt at bringing this underrated sport to the masses with absolutely massive interactive levels and Dave Mirra Freestyle Bmx 2. A pretty ambitious title with the best level editor I've seen in the genre. It's very flawed, some challenges are basically impossible, but it's worth checking out, if only for the early 2000s vibe. If you're interested in these kinds of games, especially the more obscure titles I can recommend the youtube channel Rad Rat Video. It's mostly on skateboarding history and culture, run by an absolute nerd (I mean that as a compliment!) but he does a lot of reviews of action sports games.

 

[PKT]

Both the hidden and gem status of this game can be contested but the first 7th Dragon game on DS is pretty neat. The dev team consisted of people who worked on Phantasy Star, Etrian Odyssey and Ys. Always felt like a more Final Fantasy-like Etrian game to me. Even has an english translation (that has a few bugs on DeSmuME but seems fine on MelonDS and real hardware from my tests). I feel like the later 7th Dragon games on PSP and 3DS are more talked about, while I rarely see this game get mentioned.