The 10 best and weirdest Nintendo DS games to celebrate the 20th anniversary
The 10 best and weirdest Nintendo DS games to celebrate the 20th anniversaryMichael BeckwithPublished November 20, 2024 1:00am Remember when Tingle was popular enough to warrant two solo titles? (Nintendo)GameCentral honours the Nintendo DSs 20th birthday by celebrating the most bizarre entries in its extensive catalogue of games.This may shock some younger readers, but the original Nintendo DS was massive when it came out. In fact, it remains one of the best-selling consoles ever made, second only to the PlayStation 2.Its likely itll eventually be overtaken by the Nintendo Switch, but holding onto that position all these years, even as far more powerful hardware has come out, shows just how beloved the DS was.We initially planned to celebrate the consoles 20th anniversary with its all-time best games, like the original Mario & Luigi: Bowsers Inside Story and Ghost Trick,but then we remembered how the DS was home to all manner of delightfully odd releases; plenty of which will likely never get a modern day remaster and are already fading from memory.So, let us toast to the forgotten, weirder entries in the DS library; ones that are still worth experiencing even today.Freshly-Picked Tingles Rosy Rupeeland (2006)It is shocking that Tingle, a recurring side character in The Legend Of Zelda series, got to be the main star in not one but two games, long before Echoes Of Wisdom finally gave Zelda a proper protagonist role (no, the CD-i games dont count).Freshly-Picked Tingles Rosy Rupeeland almost feels like a parody, with the titular Tingle exploring dungeons and selling items to earn enough money to build a tower and reach the paradise that is Rupeeland. It is as unserious as it sounds, with even Tingles health directly tied to your rupee count.It did well enough to warrant a 2009 sequel all about pursuing relationships with different women but that was, perhaps unsurprisingly, a Japanese release only.Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars (2009)Despite what you might think, there have been lots of Grand Theft Auto games on Nintendo formats, including the GTA: The Trilogy remasters, but also stretching all the way back to the Game Boy Color. That alone is pretty strange but Rockstar went one step further on the DS, with a big budget touchscreen exclusive.While GTA: Chinatown Wars did see a PlayStation Portable port seven months after launch, the original was marketed solely for the DS and was even part of Nintendos E3 2008 showcase. It was all very un-Nintendo-like, especially when the game caught flak for having a drug-selling mechanic.Perhaps more shocking was that Chinatown Wars was very good, being explicitly designed for the DS capabilities and not just a watered-down port of contemporary GTA 4.Henry Hatsworth In The Puzzling Adventure (2009)With a name like Henry Hatsworth In The Puzzling Adventure, youd be forgiven for assuming this was some sort of Professor Layton rip-off. Especially when you learn the game stars a British gentleman defined by his headgear, whos very good at solving puzzles.However, the Layton similarities end there, as this isnt just a match-three style puzzle game but a 2D action-platformer too. All the platforming takes place on the top screen, with defeated enemies becoming puzzle blocks on the bottom screen. You must then link chains of coloured blocks using the stylus to ensure the enemies dont come back and fill up meters for performing super attacks.Its surprisingly involved and an effective blend of both gameplay styles. It was also a rare but welcome change of pace from EA Tiburon, better known nowadays as EA Orlando, which mostly worked on sports games like EAs Madden NFL series.999: Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors (2009)Before AI: The Somnium Files, director and writer Kotaro Uchikoshi made a name for himself with the Zero Escape series of visual novels, of which 999: Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors was the first. Nine people find themselves trapped on a sinking ship and must solve escape room puzzles to survive in a deadly game of choice; one where breaking the rules will set off bombs in their stomachs.Initially something of a rarity, thanks to its Japan and US exclusivity, the game soon garnered quite the following thanks to its complex branching storyline, that touches on thought-provoking topics and concepts while also revelling in off-the-wall, sometimes juvenile, humour. It also had a neat gimmick where all the character dialogue took place on the top screen while ongoing narration appeared on the bottom screen.Surprisingly, it fared very well in the West, with poor Japanese sales for both it and its superior sequel, Virtues Last Reward, very nearly killing the series. Fortunately, Uchikoshi would get to wrap up the franchise with a third game, and all three are easily available on modern platforms.Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan (2005)A long-time GameCentral favourite, Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan is a delightfully silly game where you help people in need, be it a students struggling to study or a potter seeking inspiration, by tapping your stylus to the beat of a variety of Japanese pop songs.Aside from satisfying rhythm-action gameplay, the scenarios are increasingly over-the-top and hilarious. The very concept of people calling on a cheerleader squad to rally them through whatever problem they have including an asteroid crashing into the Earth is great fun all on its ownAlthough it never left Japan, it was a popular import title that encouraged the more international friendly follow-up Elite Beat Agents, which was fine but wasnt quite as good. There was another Japan-only sequel in 2007, but that was sadly the last weve seen of the Ouendan series, barring cameos in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.Pokmon Conquest (2012)In a post-Pokmon Smile and Pokmon Sleep world, Pokmon Conquest may still be the strangest spin-off in the franchises history. Not only was it The Pokmon Companys first (and so far, only) stab at the tactical role-playing genre, Pokmon Conquest doubled as a crossover with Koei Tecmos Nobunagas Ambition series.While it was certainly too easy for those who had cut their teeth on something like Advance Wars, Pokmon Conquest remains one of the better Pokmon spin-offs thanks in part to a ludicrous premise that, despite all odds, actually works quite well. As such, it has cultivated its own devoted fanbase.Its a shame it didnt seem to leave much of an impact, since it never saw a follow-up. There have been some other solid spin-offs since then, namely Pokkn Tournament and New Pokmon Snap, but none of them are nearly as odd as this.Slide Adventure MAGKID (2007)Even some of the most diehard Nintendo fans wont have heard of this one. Like Ouendan, this was a Japanese exclusive, but it doesnt seem to have been much of a hit in its home country. Slide Adventure MAGKID is worth remembering, though, if only for its novel motion control gimmick.It came with a special accessory called the Slide Controller, which you plugged into the DS bottom slot. You then had to rest it against a flat surface, and it acted like a computer mouse, allowing you to slide the DS to move the titular Mag Kid and solve puzzles.Theres fun to be had in the sheer novelty of the game but why Nintendo thought it justified its own peripheral, that had to be sold in a larger box than usual, is a mystery. Although its much less perplexing as to why it was never released in the West.Soul Bubbles (2008)Another old school GameCentral favourite, Soul Bubbles puts you in control of a shaman whose mission is to herd spirits through various levels by containing them in bubbles.Using the touchscreen to draw and guide these bubbles sounds simple enough, but where Soul Bubbles excels is in its environmental puzzle-solving. Sometimes your bubble is too big to pass through spaces, so you must divide the spirits into a chain of smaller bubbles. Other times, the bubbles need to be frozen or filled with water, so theres more complexity to it than you may expect.On top of that, the whole game has a relaxing atmosphere and boasts some of the most gorgeous visuals weve seen on the DS. If you ever stumble across a second-hand copy of Soul Bubbles, you owe it to yourself to snap it up and give this long-forgotten gem a chance.Super Princess Peach (2005)When it comes to Super Mario games for the DS, Super Princess Peach is well remembered but not for the right reasons. In some basic role reversal, Mario has been kidnapped by Bowser and Peach must save him. Rather than rely on her own platforming skills, though, Peachs main powers are her own emotions.You activate these powers by tapping the different coloured hearts on the bottom screen. Joy, for example, makes her float through the air, while sadness makes her run fast as she cries a waterfall of tears. The sexist undertones, where Peach is portrayed as an emotionally unstable wreck, are no doubt unintentional but difficult to ignore.More TrendingIf you can look past that, Super Princess Peach is an otherwise solid platformer that isnt just a run-of-the-mill Super Mario Bros. clone, with Peach as the playable character. It certainly offers more of a challenge than the overly simple Princess Peach Showtime, but the definitive Peach solo adventure has yet to emerge.The World Ends With You (2007)Even nearly two decades later, The World Ends With You remains one of the most courageously original role-playing games out there, especially when it comes to the gameplay.Its combat, which demands you pay attention to both screens while controlling two characters simultaneously, can be off-putting and difficult to parse, but figuring out how it all works is worth it. Combined with the stylish art style and music, The World Ends With You stood out amongst its peers of the time for taking full advantage of the DS capabilities.While the Switch remaster and 2021 sequel are certainly more approachable, we honestly miss the risks the original game took. If possible, its worth tracking down a DS copy and experiencing how it was meant to be played because, like many of the games on this list, its so much more fun on its original hardware.Emailgamecentral@metro.co.uk, leave a comment below,follow us on Twitter, andsign-up to our newsletter.To submit Inbox letters and Readers Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use ourSubmit Stuff page here.For more stories like this,check our Gaming page.GameCentralExclusive analysis, latest releases, and bonus community content.This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Your information will be used in line with our Privacy Policy
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