The Nintendo DS is, possibly, my favorite handheld system. The touch screen was awesome and so was the backwards compatibility with GBA games. Now we’re at the  end of an era because the 3DS is here and the DS’s time is up so I thought I’d make a list of my favorite Nintendo DS games. Of course I haven’t played every DS game so don’t be offended if your favorite isn’t on here, I probably just haven’t played it yet.

Ace Attorney: Apollo Justice

I’m a huge fan of the Ace Attorney series and all of the games released on the DS in America. I chose Apollo Justice for this list because it takes full advantage of the DS’s capabilities. Sometimes you had to examine evidence from all angles by using the stylus to rotate a 3D piece of evidence. If you wanted to, the player could shout Objection! through the microphone (while it’s embarrassing to do I get some satisfaction out of it). Apollo Justice is also my favorite game in Ace Attorney the series because of it’s awesome story and the way it ties in with Phoenix Wright, the protagonist from the previous games. The last case is my absolute favorite in the series. 

Final Fantasy IV

I had not played FF4 before the DS version so I had no way of knowing if other ports were better than others. But I love this game. I liked the combat system it had; Active Time Battle System. It’s like a hybrid of turn based and real time combat. Also the story is very good. I found myself caring about Cecil and I felt guilty when characters died. A small touch that I liked was that when you equipped a weapon you could see it on the battle screen, each weapon had it’s own unique appearance.

Sonic Rush

Sonic Rush is an awesome 2d Sonic game. One of my favorite things about it is the rush ability. You would press X to run in an invincible burst of speed, perfect for when a bad guy or other obstacle gets in your path unexpectedly. This rush power was limited by a meter you could fill up by doing tricks in the air or by jumping on enemies. Rush, Rush Adventure, and Colors are the games that keep me coming back to Sonic.

Radiant Historia

Radiant Historia is one of my favorite RPGs. The combat is unique, I haven’t played another game like it, it uses a turn based grid combat system. The player uses certain attacks to push bad guys into each other, then attack them when they’re grouped together for extra damage. There’s also time travel involved which makes for great storytelling and two alternate story lines are going on at the same time.

The Legend of Zelda Phantom Hourglass

Phantom Hourglass was the first LoZ game to release for the DS. The art style is just like the Wind Waker but it has a top down view. The story is a direct sequel to Wind Waker (which is why it has the same art style.) In addition to having a terrific main quest, there were some wonderful side quests you could find. For example, if you collected enough of certain items and happened to find the special island (it’s not on the map) you could upgrade your sword with the items and different fairies.

New Super Mario Bros.

Super Mario Bros. was one of the first games I ever played so half of the enjoyment I get out of the DS entry is the nostalgia. Parts of levels are designed to be reminiscent of the original game, but these levels never feel re-hashed. The game’s levels are designed perfectly; it walks the tightrope of fun between frustrating and easy with deft skill.

So what are your favorite DS games? Also I’ve forgotten what game I got my avatar from, if anyone knows please tell me.