I was one such gamer. Until March 1, 2013, when I managed to lose my DS on or around my commuter train. Sad day. I have no plans to replace it, given that the list of DS games I was still interested in playing was pretty small. It provided me with great gaming for about five years, though, and so it seemed an appropriate sendoff to count down my top 10 favorites. I gave extra points to games that implemented the touch screen and dual-screen setup in interesting ways, though that was certainly not a requirement for the list.
1. Mario and Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story
Another great Mario RPG, this one mixes things up a little by introducing Bowser as a playable character and splitting the story in two. It exudes classic Mario charm, with the highlight being epic stylus-driven Bowser vs. giant edifice battles.
2. Retro Game Challenge
A unique game - a compilation of several 8-bit style games that lovingly emulate their predecessors in every way except old-school frustrations. Shooters, racing, action, and a complete Dragon Quest-style RPG are all represented. Surrounding the games are lots of fan service, such as fake gaming mags, that evoke the spirit of being a gamer in Japan in the 80s. If only they would have brought the sequel to the States.
3. The World Ends With You
This is perhaps Square's best RPG of the past decade. Their emo characters finally feel right at home in Tokyo's Shibuya district rather than some uninspired fantasyland. Battles are intense, utilizing simultaneous d-pad and stylus controls. And the soundtrack is incredible, deploying truly memorable and catchy J-rock to the utmost effect.
4. Etrian Odyssey
I never finished EO, but this game has to be hundreds of hours long, so can you blame me? It firmly deserves a spot on the list, harking back to the glory days of hardcore dungeon crawlers. It's very challenging but addicting thanks to the customizability of the characters the and thrill of exploration. And the implementation of using the stylus to drawn your own dungeon maps is a stroke of genius.
5. Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon
I was playing Fire Emblem when I lost my DS so I didn't finish it either, but I was close enough to the end that I believe I can accurately judge it. It's another addicting Fire Emblem game (actually a remake of the original), offering intense strategic battles with the constant danger of permanent character death looming over your head. Plus, it has pegasus knights. What other game has pegasus knights?
6. Okamiden
The original Okami is one of my absolute favorite games, probably of all time. Okamiden brought the Zelda-style adventure to the small screen(s), in which you play as a wolf-god pup and his various companions travelling through fairy-tale Japan. It's a little too derivative of the original, but the watercolor art style transfers surprisingly well to the DS and the stylus is a natural fit for painting with the Celestial Brush. Man, now I want to play Okami.
7. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney
A fun adventure/courtroom drama game where you must gather evidence and then use it to poke holes in witnesses' testimony, taking great satisfaction in pointing out contradictions. The snappy English writing makes an otherwise very Japanese game quite enjoyable. I regret I won't get to play its sequels.
8. Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies
Level 5 did an amazing job bringing the quality of the PS2 DQ8 to the DS, with amazing cel-shaded graphics for the system, including every piece of equipment rendered onto your characters (making this the first loot-lust DQ game). It's this far down on the list because, well, at its heart its still Dragon Quest. Solid, but you've been here before. The online multiplayer features were interesting, but I never got into them. Still, as classic JRPGs go, DQ always has you covered.
9. Trauma Center: Under the Knife 2
This game wins the award for the most creative use of the stylus - you use it to perform operations. That's right, you incise, suture, remove tumors, transplant organs, and perform various other feats of medical aptitude. All wrapped up in a crazy story about bioterrorism. It is intensely challenging and stress-inducing - this only makes the list because it included an easy difficulty setting that I needed to even have a shot at success.
10. Picross 3D
Hey, a puzzle game! A game of logical deduction where you use clues to chip away at 3D blocks to reveal some shape or figure underneath. That's about all there is to it, but it's addicting and mind-bending.
Honorable Mention: Mario Kart DS. Really fun, but still Mario Kart.
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