Guild's Suggested Games: DS

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A

• Advance Wars: Days of Ruin/Dual Strike: DS versions of the popular GBA strategy franchise. Just as good if you like them, great for any grid-based turn-based strategy fan. [Strategy]
• Age of Empires: The Age of Kings/Mythologies: More DS strategy games. Turn-based Age of Empires. Works alright although not nearly as awesome as regular AoE. If you want something more akin to AoE then check out Anno. [Strategy]
• Anno 1701: Dawn of Discovery: One of the few RTS games on the DS. Good portable RTS fun for any strategy fan. [RTS]
• ASH: Archaic Sealed Heat: SRPG but with some kick ass graphics and it's overall a lot of fun. Translation is in progress (I think) but some people (like myself) have English patches. NO, I WILL NOT GIVE IT OUT. Wait for the translation though or learn to read moonrunes. [SRPG]
• Assassin's Creed II: Discovery: Surprisingly fun outing. Mixes some Sonic the Hedgehog-like speed elements with some Prince of Persia-type platforming as well as some bits of stealth. Actually a good deal of fun. [Action/Platformer]
• Avalon Code: Solid ARPG with some unique elements, although it can be a bit boring at times. [ARPG]

B

• Batman: The Brave and the Bold: Good ol' beat 'em up fun. Some great 2D graphics as well as some funny Adam West-era Batman humor (if you ever saw the old Adam West Batman movie). Funny and enjoyable. Wii version also kicks ass. [Action]
• Bejeweled Twist: Bejeweled when M. Night Shyamalan takes over (side note: this game is note associated with Shyamalan). Basically just Bejeweled mechanics but you rotate squares of four gems to do it. Just as addictive and fun though. Also a DSiWare "lite" version if you want. [Puzzle]

C

• Catan: Great port of the classic board game. Sure beats carrying around a mini Catan set (I do have one though, kicks ass). AI can be a bit bitchy though. Only released in Europe. [Board Game]
• Carcassone: In the same vein as Catan sorta as a strategy board game. Just as much fun though (I also own this board game). Also only available in Europe. [Board Game]
• Call of Duty 4/World at War/Modern Warfare Mobilized/Black Ops: Decent FPS franchise on the DS. Fun multiplayer but your hand cramps like a bitch really easily. If you're able to handle though, it can be moderately enjoyable. [FPS]
• Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow/Order of Ecclesia/Portrait of Ruin: Listed in order from best to worst. Dawn of Sorrow plays the most like Symphony of the Night so it's the best. Order of Ecclesia and Portrait of Ruin have some new mechanics but still not bad. [Action/Platformer]
• Chrono Trigger: Personally I don't like it any more than Chrono Cross but still a good RPG to play. DS version has a revamped version and the original if you want. [RPG]
• Chronos Twin: Little-known action-platformer with great mechanics. Basically your character exists in two dimensions (or something like that) and you navigate two characters at once on both screens. Challenging but a lot of fun. Translation is pretty shitty though, so watch out. Fun facts: made by the same people who made Zombie BBQ and there's also a DSiWare/WiiWare version of it now. [Action/Platformer]
• Crash of the Titans: Kinda painful to see how badly Crash Bandicoot has been brutalized but it's an otherwise solid game. [Platformer]
• Culdcept DS: Kinda like Magic the Gathering meets Monopoly. Quite fun, and there's a translation patch that makes the game pretty understandable. [TCG]
• Club House Games: Just a bunch of small games to pick up and play. Some are bad but it contains a lot of good card games (Solitaire, Blackjack, Poker, etc). [Compilation]

D

• Disgaea DS: Same old Disgaea game, just on the DS. [SRPG]

E

• Elite Beat Agents: Good soundtrack that beats out the shitty Japanese version. Fun gameplay but it gets ridiculously balls hard at a point. Still find myself redownloading it and playing it from the start time and time again. [Rhythm]

F

• Fighting Fantasy: The Warlock of Firetop Mountain: Completely pawned by critics for some difficulty swings but it's a pretty fun first person ARPG. Takes a bit to get a hang of but surprisingly fun and old fashioned feeling. [ARPG]
• Final Fantasy III/IV: Recommended only if you have no other means of playing these games well. Shitty art style and the gameplay has been touched a bit (not much, but it's noticeable). Stick to FFIV: The Complete Collection on the PSP if you can, FFIII is skippable. [RPG]
• Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon: Nintendo's classic SRPG franchise. It can be quite challenging at times (if a character dies in battle, he's out of commission for the rest of the game), but it's a good experience. [SRPG]

G

• Geometry Wars: Galaxies: Classic Geometry Wars shmup goodness, just on the DS with touchscreen controls (which works great). [Shmup]
• Giana Sisters DS: Pretty much a Mario clone (not as much as the older ones, obviously) but still a lot of fun. [Platformer]
• Glory of Heracles: Fun RPG game. Not entirely groundbreaking but it has some fun mechanics and good graphics. [RPG]
• Golden Sun: Dark Dawn: I can't say that Golden Sun was/is an amazing series but it's still a pretty decent RPG. Golden Sun fanboys may bawww over this one, though. [RPG]
• Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars: The original version of Chinatown Wars. Top-down GTA game that's a lot of fun. Worse graphics than the other versions but keeps the touchscreen sections (which are fun). [Open World]

H

• Henry Hatsworth in the Puzzling Adventure: This shit's downright amazing. Awesome platforming gameplay combined with Puzzle League. Fucking awesome.

I

• Illust Logic DS + Colorful Logic: Good set of puzzles. Japanese only but you don't really need to know the language to figure it out. [Puzzle]
• Iron Man 2: Actually fun for a movie game. Uses the same type of engine as Assassin's Creed II: Discovery/Spiderman: Web of Shadows/etc. Fly around as Iron Man or War Machine and shoot/beat shit up. [Action]

J

• Jump! Ultimate Stars: Shitty anime characters but with Super Smash Bros. type gameplay. Japanese only but there's a complete translation patch. [Fighting]

K

• Kirby Super Star Ultra: Remake of the SNES game. Basically a collection of mini-Kirby games as well as some mini-games. Quite fun and one of the few games I own an actual copy of. [Platformer]
• Kirby Squeak Squad: Plays like classic Kirby but it's a bit too light and fluffy. It'll still fill your Kirby hankering, though. [Platformer]
• Kirby Canvas Curse: It has a few other names in different regions. Basically Kirby rolls along a course and you have to draw paths to manipulate where he goes. Rather fun but it can be a little too much micromanaging at times. [Platformer]
• Konami Classic Series: Arcade Hits: Some great retro stuff here. Namely includes the original Contra but also has Gradius, Rush'n Attack, Shao-Lin's Road (I like it a lot), TwinBee, and some other stuff. Lacks Frogger though (the GBA version has it, though). [Compilation]

L

• The Legendary Starfy: Nintendo's lesser known character Starfy's latest game. Pretty standard platformer but a lot of it focuses on underwater stuff. [Platformer]
• Little Red Riding Hood's Zombie BBQ: PLAY THIS SHIT. [Shmup]
• LostMagic: Run RTS/RPG hybrid, although it can get a bit tricky at times. [RTS/RPG]

M

• Magical Starsign: Sorta mundane RPG. Nothing really stands out about the battle system but it's still a fun RPG if you've wanted some turn-based goodness. [RPG]
• Mario and Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story: Partners in Time is pretty shitty but this game is amazing. Turn-based and timing-based RPG combat that's actually enjoyable and varied. It's also got plenty of lighthearted humor. [RPG]
• Mario Hoops 3-on-3: Known by something else in Europe. Awesome graphics but overall it's a fun sports game. Made by Square Enix so it has some Final Fantasy I characters in it for the lulz. Beats the shit out of that piece of shovelware known as Mario Sports Mix.
• Mario Kart DS: Just Mario Kart on the DS. Plays kinda like the Wii version. [Racing]
• Marvel Super Hero Squad: May look like shovelware but it's actually kinda nice. Plays a bit like Super Smash Bros. but with kiddy Marvel characters. Has a two player versus mode if you wish (although I think bots are available if you want to play with them). Decent amount of unlockables too. [Beamup/Fighting]
• Might and Magic: Clash of Heroes: Critter Crunch (if you've ever played it on the iPhone) with RPG aspects. Almost as much fun as Puzzle Quest. Really awesome though, play it. [RPG/Puzzle]
• Monster Racers: It's basically a complete Pokemon clone but turn-based battles are replaced with 2D racing. It's a big clone but it's still a shocking amount of fun. [Racing/RPG]
• Monster Tale: Metroidvania-style platformer with some pet sim type elements. Fucking awesome. [Action/Platformer]

N

• N+: Based off the awesome flash game. Great platformer with short-but-sweet levels for some awesome portable gaming. It can also be balls challenging at times. [Platformer]
• Nanostray/2: It's no shmup classic but it plays pretty well. [Shmup]
• New Super Mario Bros.: New take on the classic SMB-style platforming. Adds some new elements and 3D graphics to make it all fun. [Platformer]
• Nostalgia: The battle system is alright but the steampunk style is awesome and it pulls off the older RPG elements quite well. Worth playing for any steampunk/RPG enthusiast. [RPG]

O

• Orcs and Elves: Classic turn-based first person dungeon crawler. Fun to play, and Doom RPG/Wolfenstein RPG use identical gameplay systems. [RPG]
• Over the Hedge: It's actually a fun 3D platformer with good graphics. Who'd have known? [Platformer]

P

• Peggle: Dual Shot: IT'S FUCKING PEGGLE. I already play the shit out of it on my PSP and iPod, but having it on another platform is just the more the merrier. [Puzzle]
• Phantasy Star Zero: Completely inferior to Phantasy Star Portable on the PSP but decent alternative if you don't have PSPo. [ARPG]
• Pic-Pic: Highly addictive puzzler. Good variety of puzzle types and there's a lot of shit to solve. Good game for Picross addicts.
• Picross DS/3D: I'd say 3D is better and it has wasted way too many hours of my life but the original game of Picross is still fun. Both are highly addictive logic puzzlers. [Puzzle]
• Planet Puzzle League: Decent puzzler, just not nearly as good as Tetris or Columns. [Puzzle]
• Plants vs. Zombies: PopCap's tower defense classic is just as good on the DS as it is elsewhere. Fun, addictive, and easy to pick up and play. [Tower Defense]
• Pokemon Black/White: Haters gonna hate. Still fun iterations in the series and overall just beefy RPG outings. [RPG]
• Pokemon HeartGold/SoulSilver: Remakes of the GBC classics (which are arguably the best games in the series). Probably the most fun of all the DS Pokemon games. [RPG]
• Pokemon Platinum: The Diamond/Pearl engine is slower than Platinum and Platinum is just better in general. Just like the other Pokemon RPGs. [RPG]
• Professor Layton and the Curious Village/Diabolical Box/Unwound Future: Listed in order of release. Adventure/logic puzzles. Not everyone's cup of tea (such as mine) but I can still easily suggest it to any point-and-click adventure/puzzle fan. [Adventure/Puzzle]
• Puzzle Chronicles: Basically trying to ride on the whole Puzzle Quest wave of success. Still kinda fun though although they focus too much on the really shitty story. [RPG/Puzzle]
• Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords: Puzzle Quest 2 is quite mediocre compared to this. Not as good as the PSP/XBLA/PS3 versions but better than the iPhone version. But either way it's Puzzle Quest so you can't go wrong. [RPG/Puzzle]
• Puzzle Quest: Galatrix: Sci-fi themed Puzzle Quest with a shittier engine. Not bad though if you still want some Puzzle Quest goodness. [RPG/Puzzle]

R

• Resident Evil: Deadly Silence: If you have no other way to play the first Resident Evil then you should just use this. Otherwise, play it elsewhere. [Survival Horror]
• Retro Game Challenge: Compilation of humorous retro game "clones". [Compilation]
• Roogoo Attack: Basically you just navigate falling puzzle pieces through holes. Simple but addictive. There's also a few other versions of it out. [Puzzle]

S

• Sands of Destruction: Another RPG for the system that's pretty decent. Also features quite a bit of voice acting, something I usually don't see on the DS. Storyline is rather unique as it seems you aim to destroy the world, not save it. [RPG]
• Scribblenauts/Super Scribblenauts: OH MY GOD THIS IS SO MUCH FUN. Super Scribblenauts is undeniably better but the original is still pretty fun. Basically you can type most anything that's appropriate and not a proper noun and you can make it. You can easily spend hours on the fucking title screen. [Puzzle/Platformer]
• Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor: Not as good as classic SMT games, Persona, or Strange Journey., but fun. SRPG aspects to it and a few multiple paths still make it fun though. Sequel coming out sometime. [SRPG]
• Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey: Plays a bit more like the older games with a first person view. Not as good as Persona still but better than Devil Survivor.
• Sideswiped: Best racer on the system. Plays like Burnout and features a lot of fun stuff. Also runs very well and looks great. GET THIS SHIT. [Racing]
• Soma Bringer: Japanese-only ARPG that's one of the better ARPG games on the system. There's also a great complete translation patch out for it so make sure to pick it up. [ARPG]
• Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood: Not as bad as people play it off to be. It's made by BioWare (although it's not anywhere near a KOTOR/Dragon Age/Mass Effect quality/scale) and it's basically just a turn-based RPG with Sonic characters and some touchscreen actions for special attacks. I like it, I'd say it's fun. [RPG]
• Sonic Classic Collection: People enjoying bawwing over this because it uses the homebrew emulator Jenesis but it's still awesome. 4 of the classic Sonic games in one package and the emulation works well enough. [Platformer]
• Sonic Rush: Sonic gameplay but with a lot more "Hold Right to Win". Still fun though. Rush Adventure though is pretty shitty though. [Platformer]
• Sonic Colors: A little less "Press Right to Win" and features some the newer lock-on feature and stuff. Best Sonic game on the system outside of the Collection. [Platformer]
• Space Invaders Extreme/2: Space Invaders revamped. Adds some special abilities and stuff to the original gameplay. Fun and easy to pick up and play. [Shmup]
• Spiderman: Web of Shadows/Shattered Dimensions: Both are pretty good Metroidvania-type games but with Spiderman elements (like web swinging/slinging and wall crawling). Both are definitely worth playing. [Action/Platformer]
• Star Fox Command: Basically has condensed Star Fox air battles spaced out with some minor strategy gameplay. There's some multiple paths and stuff and it controls pretty decently. So it's better than Star Fox Adventures. [Shooter]
• Star Wars: Episode III: Revenge of the Sith: You'd be surprised. Fun 2D beat 'em up with some space combat too. [Beamup]
• Steal Princess: Fun puzzle/platformer game. Critics didn't really like it but it's good. [Puzzle/Platformer]
• Super Mario 64 DS: It's actually better than the N64 version. I liked the D-Pad controls for some reason and the addition of three other characters and some extra stars makes it worth playing again. [Platformer]
• Super Robot Taisen OG Saga: Endless Frontier: Awesome turn-based RPG with some really fun timing-based combat and chaining mechanics. Narrative is stupid though but luckily you can hold Right Trigger + A to skip it all. Has a sequel but it's only in Japanese for the moment and I don't know how far the translation is done. [RPG]

T

• Tales of Innocence: It's a Tales game with classic Tales gameplay. Now with a full translation patch too! You must play this! [ARPG]
• Tetris DS/Party Deluxe: I personally prefer Party Deluxe for its older feel and the gameplay feels a bit smoother but both versions are good. Plus, it's fucking Tetris. [Puzzle]
• Thor: God of Thunder: Based off the recent movie but still good. Features fucking awesome sprite work and it doesn't play half bad either. [Beamup]

U

V

• Valkyrie Profile: Covenant of the Plume: Unfortunately it doesn't play like the classic Valkyrie Profile but it's a decent SRPG set in the same universe. [SRPG]
• Viewtiful Joe: Double Trouble!: Not as good as the classic Viewtiful Joes but it's still pretty fun. Great graphics as well. [Beamup]

W

• WarioWare Touched!: Really fun WarioWare game. WarioWare DIY is alright but you spend too much time on making your own microgames than you do on actually playing fun ones. [Compilation]
• The Wizard of Oz: Beyond the Yellow Brick Road: Really weird turn-based RPG based on the Wizard of Oz, but with a much different interpretation. RPG aspects are kinda basic but it's worth playing for the graphics and that you're playing the Wizard of Oz as an RPG. [RPG]
• Worms: Open Warfare 2: Classic Worms gameplay on the DS. Really fun for multiplayer. [Strategy]

X

Y

• Yoshi's Island DS: Decent platformer but I wouldn't say it's the best on the system. Worth a shot though. [Platformer]
• YuGiOh World Championship 2008: YuGiOh is far from the best TCG but it's one of the few on the system. '08 was before they got retarded and added MOTORCYCLES to the series. Plays pretty well. [TCG]

Z