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[MegaMelon]

The World Ends With You
999
Phoenix Wright

Hah I was going to post exactly that. To add OP if you like pokemon at all check out tbese spinoff games that are completely different to the mainline pokemon games:

Pokèmon Mystery Dungeon Explorers Of Sky
Pokèmon Conquest
Pokèmon Ranger

 

[Thud]

The trinity of novel:

999
Ghost Trick
Hotel Dusk Room 215

 

[18-Volt]

- Aliens Infestation (best thing close to Metroid)
- Okamiden
- The Legendary Starfy

 

[Zhao_Yun]

999
Phoenix Wright Series
Radiant Historia

 

[MetalSlug]

• Ghost Trick
• Warioware Touched
• Sonic Rush

You should really get Ghost Trick. It's fantastic!

 

[FunkyDealer]

As someone who was in the same boat as you OP, I'd recommend 999, Ghost Trick and maybe Phantom Hourglass. Pokémon Heart Gold / Soul Silver are also tremendous.

 

[FirLocke]

Well, the 3 Castlevania games sound right up your alley! I still need to get them myself.

Gonna recommend a hidden gem: Solatorobo: Red the Hunter. Great action game with gorgeous visuals.

 

[Lord British]

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney
Elite Beat Agents
Kirby Canvas Curse

imo these represent the strengths of the hardware best, as well as being excellent games in their own right.

 

[TwiztidElf]

You don't need three, just one.

 

[SolVanderlyn]

Castlevania Order of Ecclesia
Mega Man ZX Advent
Advance Wars Days of Ruin

Bonus: Phoenix Wright series

Edit: Wait, you want three DS game recommendations, or 3DS game recommendations?

I don't think you can get more perfect than this. Unless you replace Ecclesia with Dawn of Sorrow. Don't play ZX Advent without playing ZX first. It's a direct sequel, and unlike a good number of Mega Man games, the plot is actually very connected.

 

[Majukun]

the world ends with you
rhythm heaven
ace attorney saga (all three,in order)

 

[Jeb]

Ace Attorney trilogy and Ghost Trick.

There are other great games on the system, but for me, nothing matches these two.

 

[flatearthpandas]

Ghost Trick
DQIX
Strange Journey

...

TWEWY
Phoenix Wright Trilogy
DQV
EOIII

Too many. DS + 3DS library is fucking awesome

 

[Spieler Eins]

Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow (or any CV on it)
Hotel Dusk (and eventually the sequel)
Contra 4

 

[jblank83]

People are probably recommending the obvious stuff like Dragon Quest and Castelvania, so I'll throw out a couple of underlooked gems.

- Professor Layton and the Unwound Future
The very best Layton games, with smart puzzles, fun mini-games, and a surprisingly sweet, sad story.

- Henry Hatsworth in the Puzzling Adventure
An incredibly inventive, overlooked platformer game with solid combat, light Metroid elements, and some puzzle elements.

- Tetris DS
The best version of Tetris, imo, with tons of modes, including some satisfying puzzle modes.

What about Kirby Canvas Curse? It's a fun platformer where you draw lines with the stylus to steer Kirby through the course. Gets pretty challenging! One of my favorite DS games.

I don't even like Kirby games, but Canvas Curse is incredible.

 

[DaveMG]

 

[E_Darkness]

Etrian Odyssey III
The World Ends With You
Shin Megami Tensei Strange Journey

xxx

Okamiden
Chrono Trigger
Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky (surprisingly good story)
Rune Factory 3
Ghost Trick
Mega Man Zero Collection (good if you never got Zero on GBA)

It was hard to think of my top 3, so I just listed a bunch of stuff. This thread has reminded me I should play Radiant Historia.

Spoiler

And maybe finish 999, but I'm hoping for that Vita port

 

[meppi]

How has no one said Bangaio Spirits yet!
One of the best games on the system.

Also get Meteos!

 

[Sir_Crocodile]

Phoenix Wright : Ace Attorney (if it's expensive get the 3ds eshop trilogy release)
Ghost Trick
Castlevania : Order of Ecclesia

 

[Visualante2]

.

 

[Wiped89]

Advance Wars
GTA Chinatown Wars
Theme Park

 

[Gaspard]

999, Ghost Trick and another filler title.

If the filler title is Picross 3D this would be the perfect list.

 

[Tricky I Shadow]

1. 999
2. 999
3. 999

 

[Ceadeus]

Phantasy star zéro, castlevia all of them.

+1 to picross, advance wars

 

[TheFuzz]

Bless you all, friends. I think 999 and Castlevania will be my first two pick-ups. I've got a vacation and some traveling coming up and these seem perfect. I'll also tag the thread in case anyone else wants to contribute.

Thanks again!

 

[MrDoctor]

etrian odyssey ii
tetris ds
kirby canvas curse

 

[neptunes]

Kirby Canvas Curse and Meteos

 

[faridmon]

1 - The World End with You
2 - The World End with You
3 - The World End with You

 

[Rush_Khan]

Ghost Trick
The World Ends With You
Pokemon Heartgold/Soulsilver

 

[I Wanna Be The Guy]

Ghost Trick Phantom Detective
Hotel Dusk
Professor Layton and the Curious Village

 

[Eyothrie]

This thread reminded me how damn good the DS was... Thinking about playing some of these games again

 

[Shikoba]

The World Ends With You
Dragon Quest IX
Infinite Space

 

[Aiustis]

Ghost Trick
Elite Beat Agents
Infinite Space

 

[Already Torn]

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney
Pokémon Black (or if you're a weirdo SoulSilver)
Rhythm Heaven

Don't get Elite Beat Agents. It's an ugly rhythm game comprised entirely of bad covers of songs you already hated.

 

[aparisi2274]

More Hotel Dusk and Last Window love.

This!

Shame they never released Last Window in the US. I really wanted to play that!

 

[Randomizer]

For action and Metroid like get a Castlevania game, Dawn of Sorrow or Order of Ecclesia. Contra 4 is awesome action game too. For story driven go for the Phoniex Wright series, Ghost Trick or 999. For platformer get Kirby Super Star Ultra, New Super Mario Bros., Mario 64 or Sonic Rush.

Edit: All those JRPG suggestions smh read the OP lol.

 

[Spieler Eins]

This!

Shame they never released Last Window in the US. I really wanted to play that!

DS is regionfree...

 

[nintendork666]

Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow
Advance Wars: Dual Strike
Kirby: Canvas Curse

and of course...

 

[E_Darkness]

This!

Shame they never released Last Window in the US. I really wanted to play that!

Import?
They never released Etrian Odyssey 3, 999, Strange Journey or Radiant Historia in PAL territories. But thankfully the DS was region free

Spoiler

damn you 3DS...

 

[pinkurocket]

The trinity of novel:

999
Ghost Trick
Hotel Dusk Room 215

Yes.

 

[NinjaCoachZ]

There's a lot of Phoenix Wright recs, but if you have a 2DS, just get the Trilogy off the eShop. Much cheaper and more convenient. Only real downside is no physical copies.

Apollo Justice (Ace Attorney 4) though? You'll need to get a DS cart for that.

Most of my recs have been said already, but anyway, here's my personal top 3...

- Elite Beat Agents
- Kirby Super Star Ultra
- The World Ends With You

 

[CharminUltra]

Advance Wars DS
PW: Ace Attorney

Edit: I guess since you already have MK7 I'll change my recommendation to Pokemon SoulSilver

 

[SolidChamp]

I'm actually just about to get a copy of Dragon Quest IX for $12. Worth it?

 

[ramoisdead]

999
Phoenix Wright
Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective

Can't think of anything better than those 3. Well I guess if you replace 999 and Ghost Trick with the other 2 Ace Attorney games.

 

[Baron Doggystyle von Woof]

Phoenix Wright
Kirby Canvas Curse
Professor Layton

All of them are alright.

 

[Krappadizzle]

GTA: Chinatown Wars
Alien: Infestation
Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass

 

[Chaos17]

 

[yoonshik]

999
Chrono Trigger
Picross 3D

 

[City 17]

If you're into puzzles Slitherlink is the GOAT, though you gotta import it.

 

[sixteen-bit]

that Canvas Curse
that Ecclesia
that Meteos