It’s been two decades since Nintendo’s foldable, portable touchscreen system first landed stateside, and while today’s cool, contemporary tech makes it easier to forget the hardware that got us here in the first place, one thing is true: the Nintendo DS walked so the Switch 2 could run. The handheld was an industry phenomenon from the early/mid-2000s ’til the mid-2010s, its portability giving it a competitive edge over clunkier, not-so-portable consoles.
The Nintendo DS game catalog is an expansive one. But according to review aggregator Metacritic, these 10 diverse DS titles still stand tall above the rest. These top picks range from art suite software to story-rich RPGs, but still have a hold on handheld gamers decades later.
Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars (2009)
Chinatown Wars is probably the least-known installment in the GTA franchise, but one of the Nintendo DS’s most celebrated titles. Controversial minigames aside, Chinatown Wars remains the best-rated game ever released on the Nintendo handheld, thanks to near-universal critical acclaim. More than 15 years have passed since the installment was released, so if you ask me, we’re definitely due for a remaster.
If the Nintendo Switch 2 can run Cyberpunk 2077, then surely it can handle Chinatown Wars.
Metascore: 93
Flipnote Studio (2009)
Did you take the Nintendo DS’s social software PictoChat really seriously? Then you’re probably familiar with Flipnote Studio, free-to-download animation software that allowed DS doodlers to animate and share their works. The accessible Mario Paint-like software gave on-the-go artists of all ages the tools to curate their own masterpieces. Flipnote Studio 3D, a follow-up to the original animation suite, was released a few years later in 2013.
Were you a PictoChat pro, too?
Metascore: 93
Chrono Trigger (2008)
In 2008, a port of the classic retro RPG Chrono Trigger landed on the Nintendo DS. The DS version dropped nearly 20 years after the original title launched in 1995, and despite technological advancements, the port stays faithful to everything that made Chrono Trigger such a good game in the first place. Relatively unchanged assets, enhanced script, and all-new (at the time, of course) dual-display functionality made this all-timer even more memorable.
Metascore: 92
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Mario Kart DS (2005)
Impressively smooth 3D visuals AND Nintendo Wi-Fi connectivity? Be still, my heart!
Nintendo’s Mario Kart DS gave fans of the kart racing franchise their first online matches, a gameplay element that’s only gotten more popular in the two decades since its release. Mario Kart DS was a major catalyst in the game series’ jump from casual cartoonish kart-racing to the often cutthroat and competitive matches most modern gamers enjoy today — though “enjoy” is doing some heavy lifting there.
Metascore: 91
Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story (2009)
Like something out of The Magic School Bus, our mustachioed plumbers are unknowingly inhaled by Bowser and must work quickly and strategically to make it out unscathed. Bowser’s Inside Story is a minigame-stuffed RPG with multifaceted character skill-building, slick gameplay that uniquely incorporates the device’s touchscreen and mic, and a spellbinding story that’ll keep you locked in for hours.
Metascore: 90
The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass (2007)
As a DS loyalist, it was nice to find games that utilized all of the handheld’s hardware. Phantom Hourglass, the direct sequel to GameCube’s The Wind Waker, took players through intense touchscreen battles where they could use their stylus to sling Link’s boomerang, tap through the in-game map, doodle door-opening shapes, and so much more.
Metascore: 90
Advance Wars: Dual Strike (2005)
Those old enough to remember when the DS dropped in the U.S. can likely recall naysayers’ warnings that the handheld’s touchscreen was nothing more than a gimmick. Thanks to inventive titles like turn-based game Advance Wars: Dual Strike, however, those folks had to eat crow. While I was a fan of ANY game that leaned on the DS hardware’s new tools, a tactical milsim like Dual Strike felt like a perfect fit for a touchscreen and stylus.
Metascore: 90
Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow (2005)
Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow was (and still is) Konami at its best. Stunning sound, elaborate and impressively ornate visuals, wireless connectivity, of course, the welcome utilization of the Nintendo DS’s stylus and second screen. Frankly, the game made an accessible stepping stone into the Castlevania IP for gamers that might’ve otherwise been too young to get familiar with the franchise.
Metascore: 89
New Super Mario Bros. (2006)
New Super Mario Bros., a masterclass in sidescrolling platformers, is still heralded as one of the handheld’s most beloved titles. Not only could players toggle between the two protagonists with the press of a button, but slick new abilities — namely the wall jump — that required well-timed player input could catapult characters to previously inaccessible areas. If you’re a completionist like me, any chance to dilly-dally and hunt for Easter eggs is a welcome one.
Metascore: 89
Meteos (2005)
One for the ages! Tile-matching touchscreen puzzle game Meteos, besides being nearly impossible to put down, expertly integrated the system’s second screen and stylus. The puzzler’s diverse mode offerings, snazzy soundtrack, and heart-pumping gameplay made it a prime choice for people who thought Tetris wasn’t nearly stressful enough. Meteos snagged several awards after launch, its popularity and reception leading to an eventual Xbox Live Arcade release as well as mobile phone versions.
Metascore: 88
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A lifelong gamer raised on classic titles like Crash Bandicoot, Spyro, and Croc, Stephanie brings her expertise of gaming and pop culture to deliver unique, refreshing views on the world of video games, complete with references to absurd and obscure media.
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