The Best Nintendo DS Games…That I’ve Played (March 2008 Update)

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********READ THE NEWEST LIST (May 2008) CLICK HERE********

First off, this article is biased. These are MY favorite games, if you don’t like them, tough. As I mentioned in an earlier blog, I’ve played a lot of Nintendo DS games, a lot of good ones and a lot of bad ones, so I feel like i have some authority here; either way, here’s the best games that I have played:

1. Pokemon Diamond/Pearl: Ever since I first played Pokemon Blue in 8th grade, I am a Pokemon fan. No, not of the the anime or any of the other crap. But that games are perfect. And the DS installment didn’t change the formula, but they did add some touch screen controls and, more importantly, online trading and battling. This game is so good, that I bought and played through both versions.

2. Animal Crossing: Wild World: Animal Crossing snuck up on me and it has had me hooked ever since. Like it’s GameCube installment, this game offers a life sim that is like no other. In other words, it isn’t complete crap (i.e. The Sims series, Harvest Moon, and MySims). You can pretty much do anything you want. I made fruit orchards and pretend that I own…well…an orchard. The game is awesome. If ou have a DS and you don’t have it, buy it. If you don’t have a DS, buy a DS and then buy this game. You will not regret the $150 investment.

3. Anno 1701: This was a Europe only release, but now it is a Gamestop/EB Games exclusive in the U.S. It blends Sim City with a RTS and it’s set in colonial America. You can defend your colony from pirates, other colonies, and wi-fi invaders. I have put many hours into this game, especially into it’s “continuous play” mode (as opposed to “story play”). Nothing is more fun then waging war and nearly bankrupting your colony just to take over some diamond mines and a some corn fields. Seriously, it is fun.

4. Picross DS: This is the best puzzle game ever. You can take your time and work through a puzzle all day whenever you get a chance. It’s kinda like Sudoku only without the headache and you get a picture at the end!

5. Yoshi’s Island DS: Remember this game on the SNES? It’s like that only WAY better. Two screens, better graphics (still hand drawn), and four babies!

6. Mario Kart DS: It’s Mario Kart 64 with better graphics, more characters and karts, and online. It also showcases tracks from all of the old Mario Kart games as well some great new ones.

7. Jump Ultimate Stars: Imagine a Super Smash Bros. game on the DS with characters from 28 popular animes and mangas. That game exsists…in Japan. Due to licensing issues this game will most likely never make its way out of Asia, but this game is worth importing. You can customize fighting teams with characters from series such as Dragon Ball Z, Naruto, Bleach, One Piece, and Yu-Gi-Oh. You then can train your team and take them online to fight other players. If you want to spend less on this game looks for Jump Super Stars, the first game in this series (it doesn’t support wi-fi though).

8. Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker: Think 3-D Pokemon, without random battles in the Dragon Quest universe. It’s great and the level grinding doesn’t seem so repetitive, but I don’t know why.

9. Sim City DS: The DS is the best system for RTS’s and Sims like Sim City because the touch screen gives you better-than-a-mouse control of the game. The only downside is the small screen, but you get used to it quickly. As for the graphics, they are somewhere in between the SNES version and Sim City 2000. The game is also online.

10. Sonic Rush: To be honest, I have not played Sonic Rush Adventure (The sequel to this game) and it may be better than Sonic Rush, but in its own right, Sonic Rush is a side-scrolling Sonic game with better graphics and a lot faster. Yes, faster. It’s not that difficult of a game, but it’s a blast.

Honorable Mentions: The New Super Mario Bros. is a great 2-D Mario game, with phenomenal graphics and it may be up higher on other people’s list, but the game was too boring and repetitive for me. But I have no doubt that if you buy this game, you will like it. Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime is a unique RPG but a wildly addicting one. It’s a mix between a ‘hunt-and-gather RPG’ and shooting the heck out of each other’s tanks. Just buy it and you’ll see what I mean. In Trauma Center: Under the Knife you are a young surgeon that has to operate on many patients via the touchscreen and endure a storyline that could be straight out of a daytime drama. There are also two installments of this game on the Wii (but I’d say that the DS version is best Electroplankton is a crazy little music game that is like no other, in fact, I can’t even explain it. But if you want to pick this game up, try to find the Japanese version because it will actually be cheaper (there was barely any U.S. version made) and it comes with exclusive headphones (you are making music!). Trace Memory is puzzle/mystery/text-based game that is a fun as it is challenging. It’s also very cheap at $10 at most places. Starfox Command is like Star Fox 64 with better graphics, touch screen controls (they work pretty well), and an RTS between level map. Like other sports series Tiger Woods PGA Tour Series is largely over looked on the DS mainly because sports games don’t fare well on handhelds; but if you are a golfing fan, the Tiger Woods games are great because the graphics are good enough and you control the swing with your stylus. Just a warning about this game: my original DS is permantly scratched from swinging the club too much on this game, but the screen protector on my current DS has stopped that problem.

So that’s it, my top ten (and then some) games. Love ‘em or hate ‘em, they are there to stay, or at least until next month.

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