These are DS games worth playing

So, this is a list of worthwhile DS games, picked by their established and well-known quality, closeness to a series most probably already enjoy, or in some cases just something that experiments with concepts unique and interesting enough to be forgiven for much of their flaws.

Give me time and I will probably provide a link to both a Wikipedia and Gametrailers page for all of the aforementioned games so that you may reference information on the various games' plot, content, and gameplay to see if they are something you would like to play.

Suggestions of games welcome, as well as if you feel a game should be in a different category, or a better way to organize the list in general.

Strategy:
Advanced Wars series
(Wikipedia #1 | Wikipedia #2 | Gametrailers #1 | Gametrailers #2)
Final Fantasy: Tactics Advance 2
(Wikipedia | Gametrailers)
Valkyrie Profile: Covenant of the Plume
(Wikipedia | Gametrailers)
Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings
(Wikipedia | Gametrailers)
Knights in the Nightmare
(Wikipedia | Gametrailers)
Luminous Arc 2
(Wikipedia | Gametrailers)
Disgaea DS
(Wikipedia | Gametrailers)
Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon
(Wikipedia | Gametrailers)
Lock's Quest
(Wikipedia | Gametrailers)
Ninjatown
(Wikipedia | Gametrailers)
Front Mission DS
(Wikipedia | Gametrailers)
Worms: Open Warfare 2
(Wikipedia | Gametrailers)
Super Robot Wars: W
(Wikipedia | Gametrailers)
Robocalypse
(Wikipedia | Gametrailers)

RPG:
Final Fantasy III
(Wikipedia | Gametrailers)
Final Fantasy IV
(Wikipedia | Gametrailers)
Final Fantasy: Echoes of Time
(Wikipedia | Gametrailers)
Dragon Quest IV
(Wikipedia | Gametrailers)
Dragon Quest V
(Wikipedia | Gametrailers)
Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker
(Wikipedia | Gametrailers)
The World Ends With You
(Wikipedia | Gametrailers)
Chrono Trigger DS
(Wikipedia | Gametrailers)
Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time
(Wikipedia | Gametrailers)
Etrian Odyssey II
(Wikipedia | Gametrailers)
Avalon Code
(Wikipedia | Gametrailers)
Legacy of YS
(Wikipedia | Gametrailers)
Soma Bringer
(Wikipedia | Gametrailers)
Suikoden Tierkreis
(Wikipedia | Gametrailers)
Tales of Innocence
(Wikipedia | Gametrailers)
Pokemon Platinum
(Wikipedia | Gametrailers)

Action/Adventure:
Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass
(Wikipedia | Gametrailers)
Dragonball: Origins
(Wikipedia | Gametrailers)
Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword
(Wikipedia | Gametrailers)
Metroid Prime: Hunters
(Wikipedia | Gametrailers)
GTA: Chinatown Wars
(Wikipedia | Gametrailers)
Custom Robo Arena
(Wikipedia | Gametrailers)
Megaman ZX Advent
(Wikipedia | Gametrailers)
Lunar Knights
(Wikipedia | Gametrailers)
Star Fox Command
(Wikipedia | Gametrailers)
Resident Evil: Deadly Silence
(Wikipedia | Gametrailers)
Dementium: The Ward
(Wikipedia | Gametrailers)

Platforming:
Mario 64 DS
(Wikipedia | Gametrailers)
New Super Mario Bros.
(Wikipedia | Gametrailers)
Sonic Rush series
(Wikipedia #1 | Wikipedia #2 | Gametrailers #1 | Gametrailers #2)
N+
(Wikipedia | Gametrailers)
Drawn to Life
(Wikipedia | Gametrailers)
Henry Hatsworth in the Puzzling Adventure
(Wikipedia | Gametrailers)
Kirby series
(Wikipedia #1 | Wikipedia #2 | Wikipedia #3 | Gametrailers #1 | Gametrailers #2 | Gametrailers #3)
Castlevania series
(Wikipedia #1 | Wikipedia #2 | Wikipedia #3 | Gametrailers #1 | Gametrailers #2 | gametrailers #3)
Yoshi's Island DS
(Wikipedia | Gametrailers)

Arcade:
Arkanoid DS
(Wikipedia | Gametrailers)
Geometry Wars: Galaxies
(Wikipedia | Gametrailers)
Nervous Brickdown
(Wikipedia | Gametrailers)
Big Bang Mini
(Wikipedia | Gametrailers)
Peggle: Dual Shot
(Wikipedia | Gametrailers)
Bomberman DS
(Wikipedia | Gametrailers)
Retro Game Challenge
(Wikipedia | Gametrailers)
Bangai-O Spirits
(Wikipedia | Gametrailers)
Nanostray 2
(Wikipedia | Gametrailers)
Space Invaders Extreme
(Wikipedia | Gametrailers)
Contra 4
(Wikipedia | Gametrailers)
Metal Slug 7
(Wikipedia | Gametrailers)
Metroid Prime: Pinball
(Wikipedia | Gametrailers)
Super Dodgeball Brawlers
(Wikipedia | Gametrailers)

Puzzle:
Tetris DS
(Wikipedia | Gametrailers)
Puzzle Quest series
(Wikipedia #1 | Wikipedia #2 | Gametrailers #1 | Gametrailers #2)
Meteos
(Wikipedia | Gametrailers)
Picross DS
(Wikipedia)| Gametrailers)
Planet Puzzle League
(Wikipedia | Gametrailers)
Mr. Driller Drill Spirits
(Wikipedia | Gametrailers)
Brain Age series
(Wikipedia #1 | Wikipedia #2 | Gametrailers #1 | Gametrailers #2)
Clubhouse Games
(Wikipedia | Gametrailers)
Puyo Pop Fever
(Wikipedia | Gametrailers)

Thinking:
Hotel Dusk: Room 215
(Wikipedia | Gametrailers)
Time Hollow
(Wikipedia | Gametrailers)
Professor Layton and the Curious Village
(Wikipedia | Gametrailers)
Ace Attorney series
(Wikipedia | Gametrailers)
Trauma Center series
(Wikipedia #1 | Wikipedia #2 | Gametrailers #1 | Gametrailers #2)
Trace Memory
(Wikipedia | Gametrailers)
Touch Detective series
Wikipedia #1 | Wikipedia #2 | Gametrailers #1 | Gametrailers #2)
Exit DS
(Wikipedia | Gametrailers)
Tingle's Rosy Rupeeland
(Wikipedia | Gametrailers)

Minigame/Music:
Feel the Magic XY/XX
The Rub Rabbits
Wario Ware: Touched!
Master of Illusion
Mario Party DS
Elite Beat Agents
Ouendan series
Taiko Drum Master series
Rhythm Heaven
Guitar Hero: On Tour
Daigasso! Band Brothers DX

Misc:
Jump! Ultimate Stars
Bleach: Dark Souls
Viewtiful Joe: Double Trouble
Draglade
Animal Crossing: Wild World
Viva Pinata: Pocket Paradise
Nintendogs
Rune Factory 2
Chibi Robo: Park Patrol
Diddy Kong Racing
Mario Kart DS
Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime

 

I've got 8 of those games that are listed and I like all of them that I have. I'm a little surprised none of the Pokemon Ranger games, or Mystery Dungeon games aren't on there. I know Explorers of Time and Darkness had a great story and was pretty fun to play. Only problem was doing the random missions in between parts of the story, but those helped level you up, especially if you did more than one at a time. As for the Rangers, I found it pretty fun to be able to walk around with Pokemon and use their abilities for missions. I also liked the new way of capturing them.

 

That's why I'm taking suggestions. Hell, 5 minutes after I posted this I remembered that Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime was an awesome game and put it up.

 

I still need to find Jump Ultimate Stars. ._. I found the first one when I was 13, but I got Phoenix Wright instead.

 

I'd suggest Magical Starsign. Its gameplay is rather old-school but it was a decent game imo. Made me chuckle a few times too.

 

So, after neglecting this for a significant period of time and then forgetting about it, I'm returning tot his thread to finish it out.

Platforming and Arcade have been finally been updated, and now I'm doing Thinking.

 

I have 5 of those and have played at least 10. Very nice list. I've wanted to play some of those FF and DQ games, too. I think I'll go check some of them out now, actually.

 

I have quite a bunch of those, but many of them I haven't even tried yet. I'll have to check them out.

I feel that this list should eventually be stickied at some point...would make a great sticky and stop those "I has DS, what should I play?" threads.

 

Once I get a DS again I'll just get The World Ends With You. And I can continue with Prince of Persia Fallen King. Not to mention I can play Age of Empires again. I might get the Fire Emblem game.

 

Only thing I'd get for sure is Platinum and one of the FF's since I'm familiar with them..also, a topic without you trolling TMM..I'm proud :D..little freaked out, but proud. Now get back to doin' what you do best.

 

You forgot Space Invaders Extreme on the Arcade list. :/

 

No I didn't, it's been there since the beginning.

 

I'm going to go ahead and say; I hate how strong of influence Square has on this list.

 

Because they're one of the biggest supporters of the DS

Also, they only majorly influence the RPG category, which is like 10 games out of the 100+ or so on this list.

 

Solid list, Muffins. I've played most of these, and have been pretty content with them. Mostly the Square games, though.

 

They are huge supporters of the DS, but even so, there wouldn't be as many Square games on another sites list.

Some of the games mentioned aren't even that spectacular. (Final Fantasy XII Revenant Wings being one of them.)

 

Really? Would you honestly say that other sites would not list Final Fantasy 3 & 4, Dragon Quest 4 & 5, Final Fantasy Tactics, Chrono Trigger, or The World Ends With You as must-play DS games? Because outside of Revenant Wings, Monsters: Joker, and Echoes of Time as what I can see as "maybe, eh, could take it or leave it", those are the only other Square-Enix games on the list out of over 100 other games

You honestly have no idea who I am if you think the presence of Square Enix games on this list is somehow Kingdom Hearts bias.

May I point you in the direction of: "or in some cases just something that experiments with concepts unique and interesting enough to be forgiven for much of their flaws."

Final Fantasy: RW is one of the few attempts at an RTS on the DS, and does it in a unique way not seen on the platform before. It is not a groundbreaking or spectacular game, but it's simply fun and interesting to just play on the DS and see how they did it. Hence, it's "worth playing", which is something you should pay attention to, this thread is not the "abosolute best games on the DS list", this is the "DS games that are worth playing", and the introduction describes in what way this is determined.

 

This is the entire point of me bringing this up, while I agree that these games aren't awful, why bring up a few lack-luster Square games in a list of games that, in some casses, created whole new ways of playing games? (TWEWY Obviously.)

 

Umm, because they're worth playing.

Revenant Wings is one of the few RTS's on the DS and is creatively done at that. It suffers from a poor/negligible story and lacking difficulty, but it is a new experience on the platform and can be fun, and I suppose if you've got even a mild affinity for FFXII's characters it would be worth trying.

Crystal Chronicles: Echoes of Time is easily the most expansive online enabled games on the platform, with 4 player cooperative play that links up with people playing even on the Wii version of the game, and is an absolutely fantastic Multiplayer coop experience. It suffers from a lackluster single-player campaign, and it's hard to get 4 people with copies of the game together for local multiplayer, but the Online play is an experience in and of itself. Plus, it's a 3D platforming action-adventure title with Square-Enix elements that hadn't been done up until 358/2 Days

Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker is the first 3D DQ-Monsters title in the series and a great one at that, it is reminiscent of Pokemon in a way but does it in DQ style battle with 3D graphics that many people who like either series would enjoy, so it's a really nice mix-up of the two series and ends up a unique and enjoyable game on the DS (plus online play). It suffers from a non-existent story and has the infamous Dragon Quest difficulty and Grind, but it in particular is both "closeness to a series most probably already enjoy" and "experiments with concepts unique and interesting enough to be forgiven for much of their flaws"