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Just got a used DS...where to start?

MickeyPhree

Member
I picked up a used ds(10 bucks at a thrift store!) and am looking for game recommendations. I haven't owned a Nintendo handheld since the original game boy way back when.

Open to everything except Pokemon or any of the Hannah Montana games ha!
 

entremet

Member
Ace Attorney series
Etrian Odyssey 2/3
Bangaio-O
Castlevania games
999
Mario Kart DS
Chrono Trigger
Dragon Quest DS games (Prioritize V)
 
Hotel Dusk + Last Window
Contra 4
Castlevania
Bowser's Inside Story
Ninja Gaiden DS
GTA Chinatown Wars
The World Ends With You
Rune Factory
Shin Megami Tensei
Phoenix Wright
Kirby's Mass Attack

Avoid at all cost: Zelda, New Mario
 

Nintenleo

Member
Super Mario 64 DS
New Super Mario Bros
Advance Wars DS and Dark Conflict
Zelda Phantom Hourglass and Spirit Tracks
Mario & Luigi Bowser's Inside Story
Ace Attorney games
Layton games
Another Code
Kirby Canvas Curse

You're gonna discover an amazing lineup OP.
 

Nimajneb

Member
RPG:
The World Ends with You
Radiant Historia
Chrono Trigger

SRPG:
Devil Survivor

VN:
Phoenix Wright series
Ghost Trick
999
Hotel Dusk
The Last Window

Rhythm:
Elite Beat Agents
Ouendan 2 (import)

Other:
Mario Kart DS
Trauma Center
Kirby's Canvas Curse
 
My personal must have list:
  • Castlevania trilogy
  • Ace Attorney trilogy
  • Mario & Luigi 2 and 3
  • Chrono Trigger
  • Animal Crossing: Wild World
  • Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective
  • The World Ends With You
More but not necessarily worse: Dragon Quest IX, Kirby: Canvas Curse / Super Star Ultra, WarioWare DIY, Rhythm Heaven, Professor Layton series...

If it's an old DS with backwards compatibility:
  • Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga
  • The Legend of Zelda: Minish Cap / A Link to the Past
  • Metroid Fusion / Zero Mission
  • Super Mario Advance 1-4
If you ever change your mind on Pokémon, go for HeartGold/SoulSilver or Emerald.
 

TheMoon

Member
Dear lord. Dat list is gonna be so long. :D

It's not a DSi, though, right? Because if it's a DS(Lite), we could also throw in GBA recommendations lol.

Alright, let's go:

Action
Contra 4
Mega Man Zero Collection
Mega Man ZX / ZX Advent
the three Castlevania games
Aliens: Infestation
Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword
Star Fox Command

Action Adventure
Scurge: Hive
Zelda: Phantom Hourglass / Spirit Tracks

Puzzle/Platformer
Henry Hatsworth in the Puzzling Adventure
Kirby Mass Attack
N+

RPG
Contact
Chrono Trigger
Radiant Historia
Dragon Quest V, IX (feel free to also get IV and VI)
The World Ends With You
Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story
Infinite Space
Solatorobo: The Red Hunter

Strategy:
Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon
Advance Wars: Dual Strike
Ninja Town
Lock's Quest

Visual Novel/Puzzle/Adventure
999 - 9 Persons 9 Hours 9 Doors
Ghost Trick

Rhythm
Rhythm Heaven
Elite Beat Agents
Jam with the Band

Puzzle
Meteos
Might & Magic: Clash of Heroes
Soul Bubbles
Tetris DS
Picross 3D

Other
Retro Game Challenge
Kirby Canvas Curse (and the Power Paintbrush in EU)
GTA Chinatown Wars
Geometry Wars Galaxies
 

entremet

Member
Dear lord. Dat list is gonna be so long. :D

It's not a DSi, though, right? Because if it's a DS(Lite), we could also throw in GBA recommendations lol.

Alright, let's go:

Action
Contra 4
Mega Man Zero Collection
Mega Man ZX / ZX Advent
the three Castlevania games
Aliens: Infestation
Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword
Star Fox Command

Action Adventure
Scurge: Hive
Zelda: Phantom Hourglass / Spirit Tracks

Puzzle/Platformer
Henry Hatsworth in the Puzzling Adventure
Kirby Mass Attack
N+

RPG
Contact
Chrono Trigger
Radiant Historia
Dragon Quest V, IX (feel free to also get IV and VI)
The World Ends With You
Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story
Infinite Space
Solatorobo: The Red Hunter

Strategy:
Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon
Advance Wars: Dual Strike
Ninja Town
Lock's Quest
Visual Novel/Puzzle/Adventure
999 - 9 Persons 9 Hours 9 Doors
Ghost Trick

Rhythm
Rhythm Heaven
Elite Beat Agents
Jam with the Band

Puzzle
Meteos
Might & Magic: Clash of Heroes
Soul Bubbles
Tetris DS
Picross 3D

Other
Retro Game Challenge
Kirby Canvas Curse (and the Power Paintbrush in EU)
GTA Chinatown Wars
Geometry Wars Galaxies

Great list, but you fail avatar by missing Kirby Super Star Ultra ;P
 

Mudron

Member
- Anything Castlevania
- The World Ends With You
- Retro Game Challenge
- Dragon Quest V (I'm not a huge DQ fan, but after someone recommended DQV to me, it's one of my favorite RPGs now, right up there with The World Ends With You)
 

Who

Banned
My top 3:

Dragon Quest IX - One of the best JRPGS I've ever played

Jump Ultimate Stars - completely in Japanese but it's easy enough to progress through the story and build decks using common sense/trial and error

Advanced Wars Dual Strike - best in the series
 
With a DS in your hands, the possibilities are endless. There are so many great recommendations here, I really can't add much. I'll say that you should definitely check out Elite Beat Agents at some point. Have fun with quite possibly the best library for any dedicated gaming platform.
 
Final Fantasy: 4 Heroes of Light

Pretty fun, IMO.

Everyone else recommended all the good ones already. Just wanted to put my vote for this one :)
 

AdanVC

Member
I practically skipped the entire DS generation but the only game I remember I had the most fun before I sold it was Wario Ware: Touched. It's a pretty short game but the replay value is infinite and it's full of very creative and fun af minigames and microgames.
 

Xaero Gravity

NEXT LEVEL lame™
Hotel Dusk and it's sequel The Last Window (although it wasn't released in NA so if that's where you're located you'll have to import it)

Radiant Historia

999

Ghost Trick

Dragon Quest IX

The three Castlevania games



There are so many more that I'm missing, but those are the ones that come to mind. Just a fantastic handheld.
 

Hugstable

Banned
Dragon Quest 5

Also Dragon Quest Rocket SLimes (then we can cry together as the rest of the amazing spinoff series never comes west :(
 

MickeyPhree

Member
Dear lord. Dat list is gonna be so long. :D

It's not a DSi, though, right? Because if it's a DS(Lite), we could also throw in GBA recommendations lol.

Alright, let's go:

Action
Contra 4
Mega Man Zero Collection
Mega Man ZX / ZX Advent
the three Castlevania games
Aliens: Infestation
Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword
Star Fox Command

Action Adventure
Scurge: Hive
Zelda: Phantom Hourglass / Spirit Tracks

Puzzle/Platformer
Henry Hatsworth in the Puzzling Adventure
Kirby Mass Attack
N+

RPG
Contact
Chrono Trigger
Radiant Historia
Dragon Quest V, IX (feel free to also get IV and VI)
The World Ends With You
Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story
Infinite Space
Solatorobo: The Red Hunter

Strategy:
Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon
Advance Wars: Dual Strike
Ninja Town
Lock's Quest

Visual Novel/Puzzle/Adventure
999 - 9 Persons 9 Hours 9 Doors
Ghost Trick

Rhythm
Rhythm Heaven
Elite Beat Agents
Jam with the Band

Puzzle
Meteos
Might & Magic: Clash of Heroes
Soul Bubbles
Tetris DS
Picross 3D

Other
Retro Game Challenge
Kirby Canvas Curse (and the Power Paintbrush in EU)
GTA Chinatown Wars
Geometry Wars Galaxies

It's the original ds. Sorry I'm at work right now and couldn't respond. Going to head to GameStop later.

I can download games off of the Nintendo store as long as I get a memory card right?
 
I can download games off of the Nintendo store as long as I get a memory card right?
Downloading retail games wasn't implemented until 3DS, and even indie games weren't a thing until the DSi. EDIT: Since you said "Everything except Pokemon", I am obligated to respond with the following list:

Pokemon Platinum
Pokemon HGSS
Pokemon BW2

:3
 

MickeyPhree

Member
Downloading retail games wasn't implemented until 3DS, and even indie games weren't a thing until the DSi. EDIT: Since you said "Everything except Pokemon", I am obligated to respond with the following list:

Pokemon Platinum
Pokemon HGSS
Pokemon BW2

:3

Very funny ha. Anyways I picked up these three to start.

QxTn8cq.jpg


How's the Mario 64 port? And is phantom hour glass better than spirit tracks? I think lttp is the best Zelda by far if that helps any.
 
The Mario port is actually pretty good, controls well and the graphics are much better than the original, plus there's some extra awesome content.
 
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