The 50 Best Nintendo DS Games - Part Two

Last week began the five week series of what I perceive to be the 50 best Nintendo DS games of the system's exhaustive library. The first ten can be seen here. This week we delve into ten more top titles for the Nintendo DS, one of the best-selling dedicated gaming platforms of all time, currently at around 150 million units worldwide across all revisions. On these ten titles for this week, we have a menagerie of memorable characters and series like Mario, Mega Man, and Sonic the Hedgehog. Remember that these games must have released in North America to be on this list. With that out of the way, are you ready for round two?

Mario Kart DS

Quite possibly the finest iteration of the highly popular Mario Kart franchise, Mario Kart DS was Nintendo's first dabbling with online play. It was a much hyped title for that reason alone, regardless of how bare bones the online actually was. When played with friends across the world, the game was quite fun online. Otherwise it was mediocre. Regardless, that isn't even what I consider to be an important part of the game. No, the inclusion of four Retro Cups based on tracks from past Mario Karts was an exciting addition to the series and brought back waves of nostalgia. The incredible Mission Mode added boss battles and other challenges, something I wish future Mario Kart games would have implemented. (It was a sad exclusion of Mario Kart 7.) Not only all that, but the track design was impressive and showed off wonderful new ideas and courses such as Luigi's Mansion, Waluigi Pinball, Airship Fortress, and Delfino Square (one of my favorite tracks of all time). If you feel the need for speed, Mario Kart DS is the apt choice to get your motor running.

Tetris DS

While Tetris: Axis on the Nintendo 3DS featured a smorgasbord of modes to choose from, Tetris DS is my preferred means to get my Tetris fix because of the Nintendo NES nostalgia added to the game. Each mode in the game, from Mission to Marathon, has a Nintendo theme from games like Super Mario Bros., Donkey Kong, The Legend of Zelda, Metroid, and Balloon Fight. For players who wish to expand from the single-player fun of the title, there is online play for up to four opponents to outplay one another. The game is out of print as Nintendo lost the Tetris license shortly after the game was manufactured. If you can find a copy, jump on it. This is one of the best versions of Tetris on any platform, and if you get feelings of warmth for anything Nintendo -- especially the NES era, this is the must-have version to acquire. 

Picross 3D

Are you familiar with nonograms? These are clever logic puzzles where you have to work with cells on a grid and color them in based on numbered clues. The end result creates a picture. We've seen Nintendo run with this idea with Mario's Picross on the original Game Boy and with an earlier Nintendo DS title, Picross DS. The idea went fully 3D with Picross 3D. Instead of having a 2D grid containing cells, you had a three-dimensional box which needed to be chipped away at to create a specific shape, creature, or object. The catch here is that numbers on all axes clarify how many blocks are present in a given row or column. Trying to break a block that is a part of the finished puzzle results in a strike. Get three strikes and you fail. I loved this version of Picross more than any other because of how the ending shapes animate once a puzzle is completed. I also adored the complexity of the game and the plethora of puzzles included. With the bonus of downloadable puzzles and the ability to create your own, the fun doesn't end for a long time with Picross 3D.

Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia

The third and final Castlevania game for the Nintendo DS was Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia. It tried some new things with what some were calling a tired and stale formula. Levels weren't all attached to one another. Instead, different areas were split up on a world map. Don't be mistaken, though, as there was plenty of exploration and secrets to be found, and even an immense castle to plunder. Additionally, a new Glyph system was introduced, allowing the heroine of the game, Shanoa, to find and equip over 100 unique Glyphs, or powers, to unleash on foes and get through the game. Outside of the main game there were side quests to complete, each giving the player a prize for helping out a denizen. I consider Order of Ecclesia to be the most arduous of the DS Castlevania trilogy. That damnable crab in the lighthouse will always give me nightmares as a gamer. If you're looking for a challenge, Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia will bring it to you in spades.

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney

Objection! And thus a million GIFs and messages were posted on forums and comment sections everywhere, with each person using the phrase thinking they were more creative than the last. Originally released in Japan on the Game Boy Advance in 2001, Gyakuten Saiban would finally make it to gamers outside of Japan in 2005, but this time with touch screen controls on the Nintendo DS. Us Western gamers known the game and subsequent series as Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney. This adventure game follows the cases of the titular lawyer, Phoenix Wright, as players perform two types of gameplay: investigation and trial. Finding the right clues, cross examining witnesses, providing the right evidence at the right time, and yes, objecting when appropriate were all features of this out-there game and series. There is an ardent fan base for the Phoenix Wright series, and the game would spawn numerous sequels and even various spinoffs. If you want a game that is outside the normal realm of what's mainstream, Phoenix Wright may just be "wright" for you.

999: Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors

From one adventure game to another, 999 is no reference to Herman Cain's presidential campaign tax plan. No, it is more in line with the mature-rated adventure game starring a cast of characters all held against their will aboard a cruise ship which is set to sink within nine hours. By solving puzzles and working together (despite much suspicion of one another), the nine souls must try to survive their kidnapper's gruesome game. 999 is full of puzzles that the player must solve, and choices in dialogue and doors that affect which of the many endings they will see. 999 is a thrill ride and possesses one of the better stories in gaming. Your decisions definitely affect how you play the game, and the twists and turns will keep you guessing till the very end (or ends). With Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward soon coming for Nintendo 3DS and PlayStation Vita, there's no better time to try out 999 if you haven't already.

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Echoes of Time

If there is one type of game that I immensely enjoy that haven't had much influx on handhelds, that would be the action/loot RPG. I've chosen Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Echoes of Time over its predecessor, Ring of Fates, for two main reasons: 1) Magic is much more easier to use. There are no obnoxious combinations to that are forced on the player to use, and instead of having to use Magicite, there is simple MP to use, and 2) There is the addition of much appreciated online play. There's nothing like jumping around, hacking and slashing enemies, unleashing spells, finding treasure, battling bosses, unfolding the story, and teaming up with friends across the globe for one common goal. Echoes of Time was also made available for the Wii that not only does that version show just how poorly third-parties handled and blew it with the system, but it shows that Echoes of Time is more suited for a handheld than a console. A great pickup for loot lovers and action-RPG fans, Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Echoes of Time shines just like a crystal: bright and majestic.

Solatorobo: Red the Hunter

Solatorobo: Red the Hunter is the type of game that was destined to be overlooked. It was a new IP, it released near the end of the Nintendo DS' life cycle, and it didn't receive much in the way of advertising. It wasn't just one of those things that damned it to oblivion. It was the combination of variables. Regardless, who can resist controlling a bipedal canine in a mech suit which can grab, throw, and destroy opponents, explore islands in the sky, and complete over 80 missions that advance the story (with many more available for download for free)? I'm not even a dog person and I found the cast to be adorable and interesting. Outside of the main character's mech, he can have better mobility in the form of reaching otherwise inaccessible areas via swimming and climbing ladders, he can flip switches, and he can uncover treasure chests full of valuable booty. The North American version came with a soundtrack CD, sporting off the superb music which is just one part of the impressive presentation this DS game has. Pick up a copy if you're in the mood for something new and something reminiscent (at least to me) of Tail Concerto. 

Sonic Rush

You know, Sonic the Hedgehog has received a lot of criticism over the past decade, some just and some unjust. The handheld (at least on the GBA and DS) Sonic games I view as quite competent titles. Some might rely heavily on speed to overshadow their inadequacies (such as too many bottomless pits), but overall, they are titles that I enjoyed. Sonic Rush is but one of these, and it was the first Nintendo DS Sonic game. It featured zones that sprawled across both screens, the ability to play as both Sonic and newcomer Blaze the Cat, fun special stages, and one of the most sensational DS soundtracks I've ever heard. The game is a joy to look at, the 3D bosses and stages are intriguing and enjoyable, and the level design is mostly well done. It seems many of the more punishing pundits for 2D Sonic compare the more recent titles to the classic Genesis ones and judge them off of that. I judge the games based on how fun they are and how well they control, and not so much how close they are to the original Genesis games. For instance, you can keep me away from Episode I and II, but don't start talkin' trash about the Sonic Advance trilogy or the duo of Sonic Rush games.

Mega Man ZX Advent

The final game of this second set of ten best DS games is Mega Man ZX Advent. It completely abolished my main problem with its predecessor in that it had a much more capable and complete map to see where areas were interconnected for easier travel. Also different from the original ZX is that the game features a full English voice cast for its translation. Very nice. The game is somewhat Metroid-like in where receiving new forms and Biometals allow the main protagonists (either Ashe or Grey) to reach new areas, battle new bosses, and uncover hidden routes and pathways. The ability to transform into defeated bosses takes the classic Mega Man approach of simply taking a Robot Master's weapon and kicks it up to the third degree. If you're afraid of a good challenge, there is always the Beginner difficulty to start out with to get your feet wet with the game. As for replay value, over 80 secret disks containing info regarding the cast (main characters and enemies) are available to be found, multiple medals for defeating the game's bosses by accomplishing specific goals, and multiple difficulties make for a Mega Man experience that was built to last.

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Part Two is now complete, meaning that 20 of the best Nintendo DS games are in the books. Join me for next week when ten more top titles are listed. Will your favorites be among those ten? Only one way to find out, and that's by checking here next Thursday.

Top Ten Quirky Gems of This Generation

Gonzo gaming-- a type of gaming experience that many glance over. The following is a list of quirky gaming experiences that I deem most wonderful this generation. But two questions: 1) What do I mean by quirky? 2) What does this generation incorporate? Well, to answer question #1: quirky is defined by being off-the-wall, unconventional, or bizarre, and to answer question #2: I consider this generation to be made up by the Wii, 360, PS3, DS, and PSP. With that out of the way, let's welcome our new gonzo gaming overlords.

10) Boom Blox (Wii)


As a partnership between blockbuster movie director Steven Spielberg and publisher Electronic Arts, Boom Blox was a game where the goal was to topple towers by simulating chucking balls at them. Some games have you defending a fortress from invaders, carefully pulling pieces of block from a tower Jenga-style, and escorting an off-the-wall character across a perilous obstacle-infested platform. The variety and amount of multi-player mayhem Boom Blox offers makes the title one of the Wii's great party games. It's simple to learn but tough to master. The zany creatures from felines to sheep make for a crazy experience which is why Boom Blox and its sequel in Bash Party make my list of quirky games.

9) NiGHTS: Journey of Dreams (Wii)


When you have a genderless being dressed in a jester costume, something is off-the-wall about the game. Coming off the Sega Saturn classic of NiGHTS Into Dreams, Sonic Team came out with a less-than-stellar but still capable sequel in Journey of Dreams. From stopping a bomb from detonating to flying and floating through the air with such poignant grace, there was a lot to love about this Wii exclusive. Sure, platforming and playing as the two child sidekicks in NiGHTS's adventure was a hassle, but the rest of the game was quite entertaining as well as abundantly wacky and weird.

8) Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney (DS)


If someone came to you and suggested that they could create an interesting game surrounding the luxurious life of a lawyer, would you believe them? Perhaps so, perhaps not. I was on the latter side of the fence until I slid the Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney game card into my Nintendo DS. The courtroom drama of Ace Attorney has players drumming up evidence at crime scenes, creating compelling arguments for the judge and jury, and following the daily life of one Phoenix Wright in every day situations. The day that Ace Attorney hit store shelves was the day that countless internet memes were born (for better or worse since most memes are obnoxious). Regardless, for an idiosyncratic journey in the life of a lawyer, the Phoenix Wright series is the one for you.

7) No More Heroes (Wii)


Travis Touchdown is short on cash, so he opts to enter the assassin game. Sounds fun, no? This outstanding otaku comes equipped with a beam katana that he ordered off the internet in his attempt to make more money and get some luck with the ladies. Good luck with that, Mr. Touchdown. From bumming around Santa Destroy to doing odd jobs like mowing lawns and catching scorpions, Travis has a lot to accomplish on his way to becoming the number one assassin in town. The action has players utilizing the Wii remote in some creative ways, slicing the heads off of opponents in an oftentimes delectable display of bloodshed, and charging up his limp katana by shaking the remote furiously. This out-of-the-ordinary game from the twisted mind of Suda 51 is a definite entry for my list of quirky titles.

6) Patapon (PSP)


And the beat goes on. Press the proper buttons to march your army of Patapon at offending opponents both small and large. Be sure to keep the beat and memorize the correct button presses at the correct time to fully obliterate the opposing enemy brigades. There's an entire cavalry of patapon types to enlist such as infantry and archers, with many more to unlock. Additionally, players can opt to equip their patapon posse with one of hundreds of weapons to unleash maximum damage to foes. Patapon definitely marches to a beat of a different drummer, and it certainly shows when one plays this crazy little game.

5) WarioWare: Smooth Moves (Wii)


WarioWare's Wii debut put a plethora of uses into Nintendo's unconventional controller. From holding it over your head and performing squats to putting it in front of your face like the trunk of an e5lephant to tilting the remote like a steering wheel to drive through an obstacle-filled road, the micro-games involved in Smooth Moves are the epitome of far out. The entire series is known for its wacky uses of whatever technology and system it is on, and WarioWare: Smooth Moves is no exception.

4) Katamari Forever (PS3)


Roll up anything and everything in Katamari Forever, a game that could be considered a greatest hits collection in the Katamari Damacy franchise. You play as the Prince, a celestial being tasked with rolling up various doodads with his katamari, a spherical orb that can grab anything as long as it is larger than what it tries to roll up. The King of All Cosmos has monumental things in store for his son as well as the player, so don't let him down! Roll through city streets, sushi bars, and Japanese temples in search of items of varying sizes-- attempting to create the largest katamari possible to please The King of All Cosmos. Nothing says quirky like that type of gameplay... or does it?

3) The Munchables (Wii)


These guys sure have one insane appetite! The goal of The Munchables is to slowly but surely gobble up as many enemies as possible while the clock strikes closer and closer to zero. The catch here is that you can only get a taste of foes that are smaller than you. As you chomp on tinier enemies, your Munchable character grows, allowing him or her to dine on larger enemies. This process continues until you reach the goal. If you want to broach about a game being quirky, where else can you take on a broccoli monster or creature made up of grapes? Even the music is out there and presents itself as bizarre.

2) LocoRoco (PSP)


The LocoRoco series on the PlayStation Portable has players using the shoulder buttons to slant the playing field to slide their mass of LocoRoco left and right. Press both shoulder buttons at the same time to make the LocoRoco army leap into the air to pass over gaps, chasms, and jump into enemies. Discover hidden fruit in the myriad of levels to grow the size of the LocoRoco. The soundtrack is especially endearing using childlike vocals and percussive beats. If you haven't guessed it by now, LocoRoco isn't your conventional platformer. Far from it, but that's what makes it such a blast to play.

1) LittleBigPlanet (PS3)


Join Sackboy as he traverses through many imaginative levels of thrills, chills, and danger in LittleBigPlanet. Dress up your personal Sackboy however you see fit. If you like, turn him into a Sackgirl-- no operations required! LittleBigPlanet permeates charm from every orifice from its ingenious level design to its eccentric narrator. When the pre-made levels aren't enough for you, try dabbling in the fine art of creating your own worlds with more tools than you can shake a Sackboy's arm at. Then challenge your friends or total strangers the world over to take your crafty designs on and attempt to achieve a high score. Whether you're running through the zany levels or making your own, LittleBigPlanet is quite quirky, indeed!

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The amount of bizarre, unorthodox gaming experiences this gen has been incredible. For those who think the industry only knows how to make gritty first-person shooters couldn't be any further from the truth. You just need to know where to look like with any gem. What about you? Did I leave out your favorite quirky jewels of gaming goodness? Let your opinion be heard (or at least read) in the comments section.

High-Definition Hijinks: Games That Should Go HD

With the advent of the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, gamers the world around have been able to play their favorite games in all their high-definition glory. However, there are a handful of games that haven't made the jump to HD which I think is a missed opportunity of sorts. The following are just a sampling of those titles. Whether you agree or not, let your opinion be known in the comments section.

Tony Hawk Pro Skater series (PS2, GCN, XBX, PS1, N64,)


There would be nothing better than manualing and reverting in glorious HD. Activision could have the perfect moment to reboot this once-popular and now-faltering franchise with a downloadable game that remixes the very best levels of the original Tony Hawk titles. Throw in drop-in/drop-out online play, and you're golden. Even the later games in the series which introduced the ability to get off your board in order to reach otherwise difficult-to-access areas provided some fun to this dulling series. Who wouldn't want to see the birdman in crisp and clear HD?

Muramasa: The Demon Blade (Wii)


There were rumors that this retail Wii game was coming to the downloadable services of PSN and XBLA, but it was just that-- a rumor. The game already looks gorgeous running on Wii hardware, but just imagine how colorful and marvelous it would look in HD. Muramasa had players exploring the Japanese countryside, taking down mythical bosses like the giant Oni and Kraken. From the makers of Odin Sphere, Muramasa had little in the way of slowdown unlike its predecessor, so that wouldn't even have to be fixed. What we'd wind up with is a game that's exemplary in art design and as an art form.

The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker (GCN)


The art style of The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker would lend itself well to the HD capable Wii U. A port with Wii controls or the Wii U tablet would be wonderful all to itself. Imagine exploring the Great Sea, seeing islands with the game's massive draw distance, weathering impressive storms, and sailing from place to place via the King of Red Lions boat. The cel-shaded style of the game is already breathtaking, so putting it in high-definition only seems like the next step in making for a scrumptious package.

Super Mario Galaxy series (Wii)


Imagine traversing planets and planetoids alike in and HD version of the Super Mario Galaxy franchise, the Wii's most graphically competent game series yet. With the Wii U, fans could play through these games either with a dual retail release on one disc or through downloadable means. Whichever the way, Mario would never have looked so brilliant and vibrant. Nintendo has already made two of the best reviewed games this generation, so why not share them with the HD crowd? It makes too much sense to this superhero!

Ratchet & Clank series (PS2)


What is the hold up for a Ratchet & Clank HD collection? We've seen Kratos in HD, Ico and Shadow of the Colossus, soon to be Silent Hill and Metal Gear, so how about everyone's favorite lombax? With the addition of trophies, all four (or three depending on your view) classic Ratchet titles would simply look grand in HD and have oodles upon oodles of longevity and lasting life. Whether he's taking out Dr. Nefarious's half-baked plans or taking down Megacorp, Ratchet and Clank is one team you don't want to mess with!

Tatsunoko VS. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars (Wii)


This Wii-exclusive fighter took the worlds of anime company Tatsunoko and game lords Capcom and shifted their worlds on their heads. The mechanics (in my opinion) outclass Marvel VS. Capcom 3 easily. It's just a more fun game with two-on-two teams as opposed to the triple threat teams of MvC3. Regardless, just picture the colorful cast and characters in brilliant and vivid high-definition graphics and online that works much better than it does on the Wii. It's a game that deserves to be played by as many people as possible, it's Tatsunoko VS. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars.

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney (DS, WiiWare)


Hold it! We've seen Phoenix Wright in SD form enough already, so now it may be time for him to shine in heavenly high-definition. Objections and being out of order would never be so delicious to look at. The character models would stay in 2D and animate even more beautifully than they already do. All the courtroom drama on a giant well-formed screen would make for a brilliant-looking game-- more so than it already looks. With rumors (and a leaked character list) from Ultimate Marvel VS. Capcom 3, we won't have to wait long to see a 3D model of Phoenix Wright in HD.

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That's but a small sample of some of the games I'd love to see in HD. What about you? There must be other games or trilogies that you'd love to see get the high-definition treatment. List any and all such titles in the comments section.