There was a thread here that I had saved a few months ago where people had recommended lots of cool lesser-known DS games. I finally got a flash cart a legal means of obtaining games but sadly all of the comments on that post have been hidden by the admins. Would be nice if we could start a new thread for recs

  • WEIMARUSSY [they/them]
    ·
    2 years ago

    ignoring the other good recs in this thread:

    • Contact (if you only take one suggestion, make it this one. Yes, the combat is bad, everything else is unique and tailored for the DS in a way that couldn't be properly replicated with emulation, wonderful game).
    • Chibi Robo - Park Patrol / Okaeri! Chibi-Robo! (you're a little robot who goes around and helps people)
    • FF4DS (even if you've already played a version of FF4, this is a total 3D remake that doesn't feel weighed down by its source material)
    • Final Fantasy 12: Revenant Wings (RTS sequel to FF12 that learns all the right lessons from Heroes of Mana)
    • Final Fantasy: The 4 Heroes of Light (Bravely Default 0.5, FF1/3 feel with modern pacing and game design)
    • Tokimeki Memorial Girl's Side 1st Love Plus (start of the legendary otome series)
    • Ketsui Death Label (CAVE shmup for the DS, get fucked)
    • Lock's Quest (best version of this game, SRPG/Tower Defense hybrid)
    • Okamiden (really good sequel to Okami that doesn't get talked about anymore)
    • Blood of Bahamut (Squeenix Monster Hunter)
    • Suikoden Tierkreis (really good Suikoden entry, has a menu theme that goes so fucking hard )
    • Mario Hoops 3v3 (we fly high, no lie, you know this)
    • Maplestory DS (fun metroidvania translation of the MMO)
    • the translated SaGa remakes (Final Fantasy Legend II and III but totally overhauled)
    • Solatorobo: Red the Hunter (furry ARPG)
    • Nanashi no Geemu (The Ring but instead of a video tape it was Dragon Quest 1)
    • The Soukou Kihei Gun Ground (budget Front Mission: Gun Hazard)
    • Pokemon Conquest (the DS equivalent of the Mario Rabbids game for the switch, "really fucking good SRPG for no apparent reason")
    • Ore ga Omae o Mamoru: I Will Protect You (Otome metroidvania, about as good as the other Castlevania games on the console)
    • The Wizard of Oz: Beyond the Yellow Brick Road (as good as an average Tales of game, punches way above it's weight)
    • Magical Starsign (Brownie Brown's game after Mother 3, sequel to the GBA game, fun little JRPG)
    • Flower, Sun, and Rain (Suda 51's PS2 investigation game ported to the DS. Only not the best Grasshopper game on the console because Contact exists.)
    • Feel the Magic XX-XY / The Rub Rabbits! (minigame collections from early in the console's lifespan when it was still trying to show off the hardware)
    • Yakuman DS (my go to Mahjong game on the go)
    • Death Note: Kira Game (stylish VN based on the manga)
    • Sonic Rush 1&2 (great Sonic games with music done by the guy who did LUV CAN SAVE U from IIDX 24: Sinobuz. He also apparently did some graffiti games but who cares)
    • Mystery Dungeon: Shiren the Wanderer (more good mystery dungeon games)
    • Style Savvy (fashion/business sim, deeply underrated)
    • Bangai-O Spirits (sequel to the DC shmup by Treasure)
    • Commando: Steel Disaster (Contra/Metal Slug inspired run and gun, about as hard)
    • Ontamarama (rhythm game with TWEWY controls)
    • Tokyo Beat Down (DS Yakuza)
    • Metal Max 2 Reloaded (SaGa but in a tank)
    • Super Robot Taisen OG Saga Endless Frontier / EXCEED (closer to Valkyrie Profile than the rest of the SRW series, story's shlocky but combat's fun)
    • Witch's Wish (fun little VN)
    • Coropata (The Incredible Machine for the DS)
    • Ninjatown (turn your brain off tower defense)
    • Front Mission (best way to play the 1st game, at least for now. SRPG that does Metal Gear's atmosphere and message arguably better than Kojimbo's attempts)
    • Princess Debut (rhythm/otome game made by CAVE)
    • WarioWare DIY (make your own Warioware games)
    • Avalon Code (what if we gave a little anime kid the Akashic records)
    • Utacchi (an actual original Bemani game just for the DS)
    • Dragon Quest: Rocket Slime (10/10 platformer, if this doesn't get you to try it I'm not sure anything will )
    • Freshly-Picked Tingle's Rosy Rupeeland / Ripened Tingle's Balloon Trip of Love (PS2's Chulip but better because you help Tingle from the Legend of Zelda bust a fat nutt)
    • Retro Game Challenge/2 (Game Center CX games with a bunch of NES games that don't actually exist)
    • Professor Layton series (British peodphile and loyal sidekick go around and solve puzzles)
    • Izuna: Legend of the Unemployed Ninja/2 (really solid mystery dungeon games)
    • Bleach: Dark Souls (the only good Dark Souls game. A licensed fighting game, but made by Treasure so it's actually really fucking good)
    • Custom Robo Arena (Custom Robo, but without the agonizing pace of the GC entry)
    • Valkyrie Profile: Covenant of the Plume (SRPG, has permadeath but only when you supercharge your party members )
    • Fire Emblem: Shin Monshō no Nazo (has an english translation, follow up to Shadow Dragon, finally had the "arrow to the knee" memes patched out)

    this is a very incomplete list, the DS has (in my opinion) the best library out of any console and I'll still be finding bangers for years to come. please give us a Sakura Note translation.