10 Best Nintendo DS Games (2024)

It's been a long time since the Nintendo DS changed the game for handhelds, but all these years later, the dual-screen device still holds up where it counts. While it might be graphically lacking compared to more modern options, the DS packed a lot of great games into a compelling form factor. Many of the best games also made great use of its unique features like touchscreen capabilities, delivering experiences that couldn't be found anywhere else.

As is to be expected for a Nintendo system, the roster of DS greats includes a sampling of first-party Nintendo games, but they're not the only titles to show the system at its best. From complex RPGs to exciting action games, the Nintendo DS library boasts an extraordinary lineup that's still well-worth playing today.

10 Professor Layton And The Unwound Future (2008)

The Professor Layton series is one of the best things to come out of the Nintendo DS, and Professor Layton and the Unwound Future might represent the franchise at its peak. At its core, Unwound Future is a puzzle game, but it's not one that's ever content to stick with one idea for too long. With 168 puzzles that follow their own unique rules, there's a lot of delightful brain-teasing to be found here.

Puzzles aren't all that Professor Layton and the Unwound Future has to offer, however, and charming locations, gorgeous art, memorable characters, and a story that swings for the fences all help to make the experience something special. Professor Layton and the Curious Village, the game that started the series, is also a fantastic Nintendo DS pick, and it's hard to go wrong with any DS game that bears the Layton name.

9 Animal Crossing: Wild World (2005)

Animal Crossing is a bigger franchise than ever thanks to the success of New Horizons, but the series has been great for a long time. Even if it doesn't pack in as many features as later entries, Animal Crossing: Wild World is still a genuine contender for the best in the series. Packing an experience this robust into a handheld system was impressive at the time, but it does a lot more than just deliver the essentials.

Animal Crossing: Wild World excels thanks to its compelling atmosphere and fantastic villagers, elements that aren't quite as beholden to a focus on being cute as they are in New Horizons. Fishing, decorating, and filling out the museum all have their charms, but engaging in heated arguments with villagers and slowly befriending characters like Brewster and Sable are what make the experience special.

8 Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels Of The Starry Skies (2010)

Dragon Quest 9: Sentinels of the Starry Skies released in North America less than a year before the launch of the 3DS, but this expansive RPG helped to prove that the Nintendo DS still had a lot to offer. Telling the story of a protagonist from an angelic race venturing on a journey through the mortal world, Dragon Quest 9 met the standards of quality storytelling and engaging gameplay that the time-honored RPG series is known for.

The core elements of Dragon Quest 9's design are more traditional than they are deeply innovative, but the game made a big leap forward with its focus on multiplayer. Some unique features that Dragon Quest 9 included even helped set the stage for the 3DS StreetPass functionality, showing its ability to be forward-thinking where it counts.

7 Pokémon Black & White (2011)

When it comes to late-stage Nintendo DS hits, nothing outdoes the 2011 release of Pokémon Black and White, except for perhaps the sequel release of Pokémon Black 2 and White 2. In a modern era where a number of major Pokémon releases have been fairly disappointing, the DS titles look more attractive than ever, presenting polished experiences and interesting stories that definitely hold up.

Despite the strength of earlier Pokémon DS games like Diamond and Pearl and HeartGold and SoulSilver, Pokémon Black and White weren't content to let the series rest on its laurels. New concepts like seasons and the largest number of new Pokémon introduced in any generation helped Black and White stand out, and some of the games' best qualities haven't been topped today.

6 New Super Mario Bros. (2006)

By the time that Super Mario Bros. Wonder came around for the Nintendo Switch, it felt like a refreshing return to form after how stale the New Super Mario Bros. games had gotten. On the Nintendo DS, however, the original New Super Mario Bros. also felt like a fresh innovation. Tight level design and gameplay that's perfect to take on the go still elevate it above its successors, especially compared to the relative misfire that was New Super Mario Bros. 2.

New Super Mario Bros. takes things back to the 2D platforming basics, but it adds in plenty of memorable touches, like enemies that dance along to the beat of its bouncy music. A generous save system makes it a lot more approachable than classic Super Mario Bros. games, but some smart platforming challenges still make beating Bowser rewarding.

5 Castlevania: Dawn Of Sorrow (2005)

The gorgeous Castlevania title Symphony of the Night remains an iconic staple of the Metroidvania genre today, but its successors on the Game Boy Advance and Nintendo DS are no less worthy of attention. It's especially hard to go wrong with the first DS entry, Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow, which delivers all the franchise's best elements at a difficulty level that's more manageable than the hardest titles.

Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow iterated on the gameplay of its predecessors to make the best use of what the DS hardware had to offer, and its boss fights remain standouts. The art style and story can be divisive compared to some other entries, but it still blows plenty of other DS games out of the water in both regards.

4 The Legend Of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass (2007)

The Legend of Zelda series has had a lot of great handheld adventures, and The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass is no exception. Following up on the cartoon style and sailing spirit of The Wind Waker, Phantom Hourglass features plenty of charming characters and memorable dungeons to enjoy.

The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass is also a must for anyone wanting to see some creative uses of Nintendo DS capabilities, as it makes use of every feature from blowing into the mic to closing the system. Not every gimmick feels great, and controlling Link with the stylus can take some getting used to, but even that helped open up the more fluid style of top-down movement that defines 2D The Legend of Zelda games today.

3 Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story (2009)

Every game in the Mario & Luigi series has its charms, and Bowser's Inside Story represents just how creative they can be. The title is more literal than it might seem, as Mario and Luigi end up inside of Bowser in an unusual adventure that faces everyone off against the interesting villain Fawful.

The writing in Mario & Luigi:Bowser's Inside Story consistently lives up to the potential of its premise, with a memorable story and plenty of fun comedy that never undermines its strongest moments. A fun take on turn-based combat that injects a greater sense of action keeps things moving even for fans who aren't as accustomed to RPGs, and unlike the later Mario & Luigi entry Dream Team, the game never loses its inherent momentum.

2 Mario Kart DS (2005)

It might seem odd that one of the best Mario Kart games of all time came out on a handheld with relatively limited hardware capabilities, but Mario Kart DS is easily capable of shattering expectations. Tight mechanics, well-balanced item distribution, and a fantastic selection of tracks make the moment-to-moment gameplay consistently thrilling, and a fun lineup of characters and karts provides something for every playstyle.

Mario Kart DS also fully delivers as both a single-player and multiplayer experience, going above and beyond in both regards. A selection of single-player missions incentivize mastery of various skills, while multiplayer gets a boost thanks to fun mini-games and a DS Download play feature that requires only one copy to have fun with friends.

1 Chrono Trigger (2008)

The original Super Nintendo release of Chrono Trigger is a contender for the best RPG of all time, and the Nintendo DS port did the impossible by making it even better. The dual-screen setup makes it possible to keep the beautiful artwork free of menu clutter, and some extra content offers more to players that have already seen it all.

Created by a dream team of industry legends at Square Enix, Chrono Trigger delivers essentially everything that an RPG can, with a creative story, compelling characters, and thoughtful encounter placement that doesn't simply throw random battles at the player. It might seem odd for an SNES title to claim the throne as the best Nintendo DS game, but playing through Chrono Trigger on the DS makes it clear just how thoroughly it deserves that honor.