Damn Good DS Games

[Helios Leinheart]

Welcome to Damn Good DS Games. The thread that brings old, forgotten, or completely missed DS titles into the light. As many of you know, the 3DS is quickly pushing the DS into obscurity. Gamestops recently stopped selling PS2 games and are on their way to doing the same with DS games. This thread is here to make sure that the exceptional games find their way into the hands of willing gamers before their time is through.

You'll always have Amazon or Ebay if you would like to order them, but for those that prefer to stick with Gamestop shopping, you'll want to be on the lookout for the games in this list. Post whatever games you want guys. Just please accompany each entry with a short review.

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To start, here's a game that made criminally low sales in the US. A game that is brimming with personality and some rockin tunes.




What does it take for a game to make excellent sales? Apparantly not excellent reviews from critics and a number of 2006 awards. Elite Beat Agents is actually the American spinoff of a Japanese rhythm game for the DS, called Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan. Which was also the inspiration for the free online rhythm game, Osu!

The game is entirely stylus based and uses the touch screen of the DS in probably the most effective way ever. You simply tap numbered bubbles in time with the music in order to help troubled people in need. In a game like EBA, the gameplay is only 50% of the experience. The other half comes from the characters and animations that play out in the top screen. Do excellent, and the characters in the top screen will too. Do lousy, and the characters will get flustered and start messing up. These characters and their scenarios are well thought out and often pretty wacky.

My personal favorite is a meteorologist who is the mother of a young boy. She promised to have a picnic with her son that weekend, but right when she's about to go on air to deliver the weather, she's told that there is 100% chance of rain. She knows her son is watching her, so she says that it will be a sunny weekend. It's then up to the Elite Beat Agents to help her get rid of all the storm clouds is crazy ways by dancing to the song, September.

Without outright gushing, EBA is a game that was developed with high standards in mind. You can see the love and work the designers put into the game. I recently found a copy at Gamestop for only 5 bucks. If you own a DS (preferably a non-XL model), you would do well to purchase this game and experience one of the greatest DS games from 2006. Music lives!


-Final Notes-
A few songs in the game are...

Sk8er Boi, ABC, Walkie Talkie Man, YMCA, Makes no Difference, Highway Star, Material Girl, Jumpin Jack Flash, and Survivor.

[Fanfic Fetishist]

Wow, that's a wonderful game.

Adding to the list myself, I heartily recommend Super Mario 64 DS. It's a superb upgrade to one of the best N64 games of all time, with three new playable characters (Luigi, Wario, Yoshi), some neat mini-games, upgraded graphics, and 30 more stars to collect. For those of you who've never played the game, you're in for a treat and addicting gameplay. For those who played the N64 version, you'll be having fond memories even as you take advantage of the new features the game has.

[Jinouga87]

Okamiden is pretty good. Saw an Lp done by Chuggaconroy.

[Fanfic Fetishist]

Isn't Okamiden a 3DS game?

Anyway, back on topic.

CHRONO TRIGGER

It's an updated port of the original with a good chunk of new content. I missed the SNES game, so this was a refreshing title for me. One of the best, most engaging RPGs I've ever played.

[BaroqueSieben]

I think I'll throw one on the pile -- this is one you could probably pick up for a mere few bucks due to its relative obscurity, thanks to how its titular protagonist's popularity seems to have waned over the years.

I'm talking about . . .



MY FROGGER: TOY TRIALS

You play as a boy and his frog -- no really, not kidding -- as you enter a big ol' athletics tournament for a special brand of toys that said frog belongs to. These toys can move, act, and even feel, a perfect little companion of your dreams, that you draw up yourself and send in to have them make your very own Toy Pet.

Your protagonist sent in for a dragon.

He instead got Frogger.

What goes on from there is a fairly engaging story, a large amount of action-platforming puzzle gameplay with the signature hopping-and-leaping top-down format that the Frogger games have become more known for as of late (that I'm aware of), such as in the Frogger's Adventures games (of which the GCN one, subtitled 'The Rescue', I highly recommend as well), and a cast of characters wide enough to be diverse but small enough that you don't lose anyone in particular.

The game even adds in cute little costumes for Frogger, some of which are necessary for puzzles (like a Super Frog that can push bigger things, and a Ninja that can walk on special walls and ceilings), others of which merely are a nice bonus (like an adorable heart sweater that the lead female and potential love interest gives him, which actually serves to give Frogger a bit more life with which to avoid death/failure).

Atop that, as the cover art linked above sort-of-shows, it's got a fairly cute art style to boot, giving us I think the most adorable iteration of Frogger yet. So when you get a chance, I recommend hunting it down where you can -- you'll be glad you did!

[Helios Leinheart]

Now that's what I'm talking about! I had no idea about that game. If the price is right, I'll order it on Amazon and give it a go. Thanks for posting it.

And Konami? Kind of blew my mind there.

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And now, for another game that was sadly ignored in the US, yet still recieved "DS Game of the Month" in EGM.



In RGC, you complete 4 challenges in many retro styled games. Games like Star Prince, a space shooter. Robot Ninja Haggleman, a neat hybrid of a side scroller and puzzle game. And Guadia Quest, an epic RPG in the style of Dragon Quest.

Some of the challenges range from fairly simple to brainless to pretty effing hard. But thankfully, the game offers you gaming magazines that contain useful tips and cheats to help you out. Though, do not mistake these cheats as required to beat the game. They are there to help you if you need it. More gamers can power their way through every challenge without any difficulty.

The game is filled with little nods to what made the retro age so memorable. Every once in a while, a game will fail to start up. Forcing you to blow on it just as you would an NES game. And Star Prince starts out as a tiresome button presser. Until your buddy buys a turbo controller and gives you the sweet sensation of firing a barrage of bullets without needing to see the hand doctor afterwards.

Fortunately, a sequel was made with a much larger list of games. Unfortunately, the game was never released in the US and probably never will be due to the poor sales of the original. However, I don't believe the DS has a lockout chip for imports, so you should be able to order it and play it in Japanese. Be careful though. The first game is a text adventure that needs a guide to know what's going on.

Retro Game Challenge is a game that should be in every DS owner's collection simply for those days when you feel like getting retro. It's cheap, it's fun, it's retro. Game on!

[Helios Leinheart]

Time for another damn good game for the DS.



Strange Journey is a creative sci-fi take on the destruction of the world. In fact, the story and premise are so good that I would love to see it adapted as a movie. You are a member of a team that must enter the Swarzwelt, a strange black hole that is expanding from the South pole and threatens to destroy humanity so the earth can be reborn again. Using the advanced technology of your battle suit, called the "Demonica", you explore levels in the style of a dungeon crawler. Your Demonica quickly gets upgraded with the demon summoning/fusion program, allowing you to use the demons you meet in your party.

Think Pokemon for adults. As for the number of demons, well, let me just say that I'm invested 40 hours in the game so far. I know I'm nearing the end, but I've only filled up my demon compendium by %50. And I also know that there is more after the game is done. You will surely get your money's worth with this game.

Some reviewers complain that in the world of dungeon crawlers, Strange Journey falls flat. Personally, I believe the levels can be a little bland in their design. However, there are plenty of mind bending floors that will test your puzzle solving skills. There's still no excuse for teleport puzzles that require memorization though.

The high level of customization allows you to craft a team that suits your preferences perfectly. If you don't come across any demons that particularly catch your fancy, no problem. You can easily just fuse demons through the whole game to keep up with the leveling curve. However, if you do want a specific team of three, you can easily keep them leveled up through battles and boost their stats and abilities through Nitamas.

My team consists of Succubus, Kresnik, and Black Frost. Once you learn the intricacies of the fusion system, you can easily use it to your advantage. For a new player, learning how to use the fusions effectively is half the fun.

On a final note, Atlas really knows how to put the weight of the world on a player's shoulders. Anybody that has played Nocturne knows what I'm talking about. You are responsible for a lot more than just saving the world. Ultimately, you will decide on what the world will be like after you save it. Will you create a world where the people are pacified by the voices of angels and sing the praises of the Lord every day. Or perhaps a world where anarchy and freedom reign. A world where if you die, it's your fault. Or will you believe in humanity and take the neutral route. It's up to you. Boot up your demon summoning app and go make some choices. It's gonna be a strange journey indeed.

[Feathers]

Actually thinking of picking this up for myself (I played it on friend's DS and it's pretty good) and also Devil Survivor 2. For some reason I have a hard time sticking to handheld games though.

This is a very immersive (and unappreciated) game, I agree it's worth it.

[Flare]

Surper Scribblenauts. Why?

Rainbow-colored bear fractal on a flying tricycle. That's ridable.

Here is some gameplay footage.

[youtube]DmVszuJlQas[/youtube]

[Helios Leinheart]

Dat Scribblenauts. Quite the mind bender that. When you're used to the usual limitations of normal games, it's difficult to play Scribblenauts and understand that you really can make about anything.

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Here's a game that's in the running for my favorite DS title.



Story isn't a big focus in this tactical RPG from Squenix. The focus here is hundred upon hundreds of missions, dozens upon dozens of classes, and more customization than you can shake a moogle pom pom at. Cute artwork, excellent and moving music, and what little bit of story that is in the game still manages to hook you and invest you in the game. I truly felt an attachment to the characters and was sad when the whole experience was eventually over about 60 hours later.

But the game doesn't end when the credits roll. There literally enough clan missions to keep you playing for at least another 40 hours after the main story is complete. The addition of Vaan and Penelo from FF12 is just icing on the cake.

Disgaea DS is always nice and Luminous Arc is good if you want some gratuitous fanservice. And I suppose you could always play Pokemon Conquest if you're interested in playing a game that isn't going to challenge you. But FF Tactics A2, this is where it's at. By far the best tactical RPG on the DS. Actually, it just may be the best ever...


Oh, and there are demon girls. BOSS!!! Just might be the best damn game ever!

Gria can also become the Ravager class. How appropriate. Did I mention I love this game?

[Feathers]

Is there any harpies, sirens, fairies, or mermaids?

[Flare]

From what I can tell...no. The closest to any of them are the Sprites, whom are the sprite and banshee/

Though the Gria are dragongirls...

[Helios Leinheart]

@Feathers - I've been wanting to replay it, so I will and let you know what I find.

@Flare - It's a demon girl demmit!

[Flare]

@Flare - It's a demon girl demmit!

http://finalfantasy.wikia.com/wiki/Gria

Dragongirls.

[Feathers]

Those dragon girls are pretty cute. ^_^

[Helios Leinheart]

It's a demon girl demmit!

[musical74]

@Helios

Don't argue with a fiery lamia, esp if she has evidence!

I've never played FFTA2, how is it different than FFT?

[Helios Leinheart]

I've never played FFTA2, how is it different than FFT?

More of a lighthearted story and feel. Different art style. Guild leveling system. Whole bunch of stuff really. The gameplay is pretty much the same though. With the exception of all the new classes.

[Helios Leinheart]

Are you ready for ninjas?



200 levels of hot, steamy, sidescrolling ninja platforming action. No swords, guns, or martial arts. Just your expert reflexes and masterful art of D-pad pressing. For such simple gameplay, it feels remarkably satisfying to control. The sense of inertia is spot on and wall jumping adds a much needed layer of strategy to the gameplay. Avoid missiles, bombs, and lazors. Collect gold to do nifty stuff. And the best part, make your own levels with an easy to use level editor.

I don't need to say much more here. That one paragraph should be all it takes for you to purchase your own copy today. Damn is this good.

[Feathers]

Just placed order for Strange Journey today. Looking forward to it.