Forgotten and Weird Nintendo DS Games (NDS)

The Nintendo DS was the strange successor to the Game Boy and I think it's aged like a fine wine. It's library is massive and I think it's a good time to go back and look at the pre-predecessor to the Nintendo Switch.

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#gaming
#nintendo
#games

[austineruption]

We've done just about every other Nintendo platform, why not give the DS a try? What's a strange or forgotten Nintendo DS game you've played? Lemme know!

Also HELLO, AVENGERS WILL BE OUT IN THE NEXT TWO WEEKS. MY FINGERS ARE TURNING TO DUST.

[waaaaa]

I love how Mario Hoops 3-on-3 is still listed on Soken's bio when promoting FF16.

Dude's rightfully proud of it

[Supergupo]

Favorite hidden gem on the DS has got to be "Big Bang Mini." A shmump where you fling fireworks into enemies who drastically change art style doesn't seem like it'd work, but it really does.

[astrozombies]

My best friend passed away over a year ago and his mother gave me all of his games. One of them was Mario Hoops 3 on 3 and I have never heard of that one before. So seeing it brought up in this video reminded me of him

[AxleTrade]

You're spoiling us with the constant stream of uploads, Austin. This is amazing.

[SpikeRosered]

One of the cool things about Solo to Robo is when it feels like you "beat" the game basically the game starts up again with a new intro movie and you essentially get to play a sequel right there and then. It honestly felt like two games in one.

[statesminds]

It’s not really forgotten but the best DS game imo is 9 Hours, 9 Persons, 9 Doors

[thattagen]

Shoutout to Lost Magic, an RTS game with monster catching where you draw combinations of runes on the bottom screen to cast spells. The spell system was weirdly in-depth, but you would be often restricted by how much mana you have. Good game.

[shawnheatherly]

Glad to see at least a few seconds of Radiant Historia here. Easily one of my favorite DS games. Funnily enough, it feels like every DS game I adore got a remaster for 3DS/home console or is likely to get one (Pokemon says hello).

[Phrogly]

Dragon Quest IX, the forgotten entry in the series. Honestly one of my top games of all time. Great story, 4 way multiplayer, and so much content!

Also that Little Red Riding Hood zombie game might be connected to that Wiiware title Zombie Panic in Wonderland. Had that Momotaro, Snow White and Dorothy shooting the undead and bosses in fairytale areas.

[HiMyNameIsLeo]

Contact will always be at the top of my list. An RPG made by Grasshopper Manufacture, it really took advantage of the system's two screens with each one in their own style as two characters interact. Just so unique and I just don't hear it talked about like at the time I expected it would be. I guess it's something rather different from Grasshopper so that also plays into it I am sure.

[safebox]

Three DS games I'd never even heard of before a few years ago have turned out to be my favourite ones of the whole lineup.
Radiant Historia, Contact DS, Infinite Space
Last Window (the sequel to Hotel Dusk) is another one because it didn't get a UK release, so it was only ever sold via US imports.
Along with the sister series; Code R.

It's kinda weird just how many hidden gems get less spotlight than their GBA counterparts.

[HewleyxAngel]

I don’t know if this really counts as a ‘Forgotten’ gem of the DS/3DS but Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey is a surprisingly harrowing game and I really love it. I love the Schwarzweld and think it’s tied with Nocturne for my favorite setting in the series. We got Deep Strange Journey/Strange Journey Redux on the 3DS, but that original is just so *chef kiss*.

[itsagabe]

Phantasy Star Zero is hands down one of my favorite games on the DS. Definitely a must play for classic PSO fans. Not as much content as PSOBB, obviously, but it's a stellar expansion of some of PSO's ideas without going overboard like PSU or doing a 180 like in PSU. I just wish playing online on a DS/3DS wasn't such a pain due to the DS's encryption limitations :/

[SoundsideSherry]

For me, that one obscure DS game I fell in love with was Magician's Quest: Mysterious Times (aka "Tongari Boushi to Mahou no 365 Nichi" in Japan, or "Enchanted Folk and the School of Wizardry" in Europe). It's pretty much an Animal Crossing type game made by Aquria and Konami, but with a heavy fantasy theme, with unique mechanics like learning magic spells and investigating supernatural events. It's kinda like if Animal Crossing: Wild World was set in Halloween Town, and I *love* the art style that comes with it. It's definitely got some jank (and the localization wasn't the best), but I adore it so, so much. It's a big comfort game for me, and I could play it any day at the drop of a hat.

It was even popular enough in Japan to get a handful of sequels on the DS and even the 3DS, but the similarities to Animal Crossing probably doomed it overseas. Didn't help that it was released months after Animal Crossing: City Folk in both North America and Europe, either. But it still means a lot to me, and I'm glad I found it.

[thomaswrightson]

I know it's Jp exclusive, but my main nom for a forgotten DS title would be Sigma Harmonics from SQEX/Think Garage. A turn-based RPG you hold like a book, written and directed by Hiroki Chiba inspired by Showa-era mystery novels, with character art by Yusaku Nakaaki, and music by Masashi Hamauzu. It just looks and sounds phenominal!

[davidt]

I missed the entire DS generation since I was busy working at the time. It's just unbelievable how many good games are on this system. I will definitely have to check some of these out!

[TheWonkster]

Fossil Fighters Champions is one of the most weirdly good looking games on the DS, it's also really fun if a tiny bit shallow all things considered. It's a shame they never improved on the system with future games, instead deciding to completely upend what was already working in the last sequal they got to make.

[themanwithsauce]

My personal favorite weird DS game is Daigasso: Band Bros, and the sequel - DX. They were fully featured MIDI music makers. They got me into music production, and were great rhythm games to boot. DX even let you connect to the internet and download other people's creations or upload your own.

[bootsthecat]

I really loved Lost Magic for the DS. It was unnecessarily hard but still fun