The 25 Best DS Games of All Time

Now 19 years after the Nintendo DS first hit the street, Nintendo's first handheld has proven itself as one of the best-selling gaming consoles ever launched. The Nintendo DS was once thought to be a flash in the pan, but it ended up determining the future of Nintendo over the following years and even laid the groundwork for the massively successful Nintendo Switch.

Here at IGN, we've had the pleasure of reviewing thousands of games that made the Nintendo DS such a monumental success, so we now have the pleasure of bringing you the best 25 Nintendo DS games ever released.

What follows is our latest version of the venerable countdown. Read it, take it in, and then prepare to voice either your approval or disagreement through our comments box at the end.

See more top Nintendo Games:

• Best 3DS Games
• Best N64 Games
• Best GameCube Games

25. Super Scribblenauts DS

Publisher: Warner Bros. Interactive | Developer: 5th Cell Media

Release Date: October 12, 2010 | Read the Review

Taking down a tree with an ax. Or a flamethrower. Or a beaver. God fighting Satan on a skateboard. Traveling back in time to capture a T-Rex, then riding it back to the future to eat robot zombies. Scribblenauts, the game that let you summon into existence anything you could imagine, captivated everyone at E3 2009 and earned our Best of Show award, the only time a DS title managed that feat. Its sequel Super Scribblenauts gets the nod to kick off our Top 25, though, as it fixed the control problems that plagued the first game and added adjectives to the mix. (So that time-traveling T-Rex became a giant, orange, insatiable time-traveling T-Rex.)

~ Lucas M. Thomas

24. Rhythm Heaven

Publisher: Nintendo | Developer: Nintendo, TNX

Release Date: April 5, 2009 | Read the Review

Only Japan got to experience the quirky, sing-songy, pressing-buttons-to-the-beat action of Rhythm Tengoku on the Game Boy Advance, but that title did so well in Nintendo's home territory that this DS sequel was given the greenlight around the globe. Tapping along or flicking the stylus across the touch screen to match the action in such oddball scenarios as a farmer stomping the ground to harvest crops, ghosts singing at a rock concert or and endless ping-pong ball rally, Rhythm Heaven was the perfect blend of challenge and charm.

~ Lucas M. Thomas

23. Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin

Publisher: Konami | Developer: Konami

Release Date: December 5, 2006 | Read the Review

Legendary game designer Koji Igarashi and his team of fellow creators at Konami refined Castlevania action and exploration into a science on Nintendo's GBA, then brought three more incredible Dracula-hunting quests to series fans on the DS. Portrait of Ruin was the second to debut on the dual-screened system, and it made its mark by doubling your playable heroes – whip-wielding Jonathan Morris and magic-master Charlotte Aulin quested through the haunted manor together as you switched between controlling both to take down obstacles one hero alone could never overcome.

~ Lucas M. Thomas

22. Kirby: Mass Attack

Publisher: Nintendo | Developer: Nintendo

Release Date: September 19, 2011 | Read the Review

The Kirby franchise's versatility has proven to not only be its most consistent element, but its greatest asset as well. Mass Attack introduced the notion of controlling a squad of Kirbys that collectively had to work towards common goals while avoiding damage. Not only were the touch controls perfectly implemented, but the game had a scalable difficulty of sorts, rewarding players who could avoid harming their pink puffballs. Balancing creativity and challenge, Mass Attack may have arrived late in the life of the DS, but it instantly proved to be one of the most memorable games in the system's library – and in Kirby history.

~ Richard George

21. Dragon Quest 9

Publisher: Nintendo, Square Enix | Developer: Level-5

Release Date: July 11, 2010 | Read the Review

After years as a series exclusive to PlayStation consoles, Square Enix abruptly shifted gears and brought Dragon Quest's ninth installment to a Nintendo handheld instead. The shocking change in strategy was simple math, according to the studio – the DS simply had the most units sold out of all gaming platforms, and Square Enix wanted the ambitious DQIX to have as big an audience as possible. The game itself then impressed us all even more than its creators' boldness, offering an addictive, customizable and connected Quest adventure that cast you as the hero yourself, and took the series one step closer to MMOs.

~ Lucas M. Thomas

20. Picross DS

Publisher: Nintendo | Developer: Jupiter

Release Date: July 30, 2007 | Read the Review

Nintendo's DS became a huge success on the strengths of innovative original games and strong sequels to long-running series, but perhaps even more important were its audience-expanding casual titles. Games like Art Academy, Personal Trainer: Cooking and Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day all sought to appeal to your parents or grandparents and introduce gaming in unorthodox and easily accessible ways, and for the most part they succeeded – but Picross DS was, undoubtedly, the best of all the "Touch Generations" titles. Filling in boxes on a grid to make tiny pixel pictures became an unbreakable addiction for thousands of DS owners, and the cartridge packed in so much content that we're still solving puzzles to this day.

~ Lucas M. Thomas

19. 999: Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors

Publisher: Aksys Games | Developer: Chunsoft

Release Date: November 16, 2010 | Read the Review

One of the most unexpected success stories on the DS came in late 2010, when Aksys Games took a chance on localizing a game in a genre rarely seen in the States – the visual novel. These games often feature more text than actual gameplay, playing out like interactive Choose Your Own Adventure books – the sheer volume of words to translate almost always keeps them locked away overseas. 999's mind-bending and murderous story of nine kidnap victims trying to make their way out of a trap-filled sinking cruise ship was beautifully brought into English, though, giving DS-owning adults one of the most satisfying M-rated experiences available on the system. It sold through multiple print runs and gave rise to an all-new franchise.

~ Lucas M. Thomas

18. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney

Publisher: Capcom | Developer: Capcom

Release Date: October 11, 2005 | Read the Review

"Objection!" Perhaps no one-word catchphrase has ever been as popular as that one, cried out alongside the iconic pointing finger, swept-back hairstyle and signature blue suit of gaming's most famous lawyer, Phoenix Wright. Capcom first introduced the Ace Attorney to Japanese audiences in the GBA era, but the DS is where he found global recognition in a series of cartoony courtroom dramas. Investigating crime scenes, interrogating suspects and catching witnesses in lies all combine with an incredible supporting cast of unforgettable characters across this game and its many sequels and spin-offs. (Phoenix has proven so popular, in fact, that he's even made the cut for Capcom's cross-over fighting games.)

~ Lucas M. Thomas

17. The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks

Publisher: Nintendo | Developer: Nintendo

Release Date: December 7, 2009 | Read the Review

Nintendo first brought the Zelda franchise to the DS with The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass, a sequel to the GameCube's Wind Waker that kept the Toon Link style alive while innovating a new, all-touch control scheme. Phantom Hourglass had a few odd design ideas, though, like a central temple you had to replay over and over again throughout the adventure – so our Top 25 Zelda pick goes to the more recent Spirit Tracks. This game kept the unique touch controls of Hourglass, fixed the issues of that predecessor and introduced us to both train travel across Hyrule and a version of Princess Zelda who actually accompanies Link on his quest – in ghostly "Spirit" form, allowing her to possess and take control of various armored enemies along the way. Spirit Tracks was a great ride.

~ Lucas M. Thomas

16. Tetris DS

Publisher: Nintendo | Developer: Nintendo

Release Date: March 20, 2006 | Read the Review

Nintendo handhelds and this classic Russian puzzler of falling blocks have been inseparably connected ever since the brilliant move to make Tetris into the pack-in game for the original Game Boy, but Tetris DS did more than just pay homage to a long-running legacy – this version of the venerable design embraced its new home with fresh touch-based modes, remixed classic ways to play and wrapped the whole thing up in a presentation packed with vintage Nintendo sprites and theme songs. It's one of the best editions of one of the best games ever made.

~ Lucas M. Thomas

15. Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon

Publisher: Nintendo | Developer: Intelligent Systems

Release Date: February 16, 2009 | Read the Review

The Fire Emblem franchise is Nintendo’s shiniest example of how to nail tactical role playing. A remake of the first game in the series, the DS version updates the graphics and expertly incorporates touch controls to make managing your allies a breeze. It’s also the first game in the series to offer online play – a huge step forward for this epic franchise. Shadow Dragon’s heroic tale of a prince’s escape and a kingdom on the brink of ruin is as stirring now as it was 20 years ago. Paired with this version’s graphical updates and dual screen utilization, Shadow Dragon easily earns a spot on our list.

~ Audrey Drake

14. Advance Wars: Dual Strike

Publisher: Nintendo | Developer: Intelligent Systems

Release Date: August 22, 2005 | Read the Review

When Nintendo first revealed that the DS hardware would feature a touch screen and use a stylus for input, many gamers' thoughts immediately went to the strategy genre – and Nintendo just happened to have a strategy franchise ready to go (a few years before its sister series, Fire Emblem, would appear on the system.) Advance Wars: Dual Strike, while not exactly controlling better in the main campaign with the stylus, illustrated the little plastic pen's power wonderfully in the map creation mode – you could now paint new battlefields into existence instead of just tapping them out square by square. The tactics of leading the Orange Star Army were just as gripping as ever, too, and made even more complex with new dual-screened missions.

~ Lucas M. Thomas

13. Professor Layton and the Curious Village

Publisher: Nintendo | Developer: Level-5

Release Date: February 11, 2008 | Read the Review

Arguably the greatest new hero introduced through a DS title, Level 5's well-mannered, puzzle-loving professor of archeology, Hershel Layton, appeared on the scene in Japan in 2007 and has become one of the handheld's defining characters ever since. One year later his first adventure made its way around the world, and we all fell in love with solving head-scratching brainteasers, hunting for coins to buy ourselves hints and interviewing the oddball citizens of the titular Curious Village for clues to solve a bewildering mystery. It was only the beginning of a series of engrossing journeys with the Professor and his assistant Luke.

~ Lucas M. Thomas

12. Pokemon Conquest

Publisher: Nintendo | Developer: KOEI

Release Date: June 18, 2012 | Read the Review

The Pokemon franchise isn't always considered to be the most versatile in Nintendo's arsenal, despite many attempts at breaking away from the near-annual releases of the traditional RPG. Still, some of the best experiences featuring Pikachu and his friends have resulted from leaving that safe territory, and Pokemon Conquest is a great example of that.

While Conquest doesn't necessarily change the turn-based strategy formula to any considerable degree, it executes is vision – a hybrid of Pokemon and iconic Japanese series Nobunaga's Ambition – with great skill. The classic collecting formula from Nintendo's franchise complements the depth of Tecmo Koei's series, almost to the point where it seems as though these two concepts have always existed hand-in-hand. Featuring plenty of depth and a lengthy core campaign, this is one of those wild experiments we desperately hope will see a sequel. It's just that good.

~ Richard George

11. Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia

Publisher: Konami | Developer: Konami

Release Date: October 21, 2008 | Read the Review

The third of Konami's three different Castlevania sequels to hit the DS, Order of Ecclesia was defined by its absolutely punishing difficulty level. It was a throwback to the maddening challenge of Castlevanias of old as the new playable character, Shanoa, was brought down again and again by the bloodthirsty demons, beasts and bosses of the latest vision of Dracula's castle and surrounding countryside. Finishing this quest took dedication, patience, and at least a little bit of personal insanity – we loved every minute of it.

~ Lucas M. Thomas

10. Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars

Publisher: Rockstar Games | Developer: Rockstar Leeds

Release Date: March 17, 2009 | Read the Review

Rockstar revolutionized M-rated gaming with the release of Grand Theft Auto III years ago, reinvigorating and relaunching a series that has since gone on to define adult appeal in the industry. Nintendo's systems have rarely been positioned in line with Mature content and adult themes, though, so Grand Theft Auto has understandably been absent on Big N consoles over the years . . . which made it all the more incredible that Nintendo actually manage to score an exclusive GTA game for a handheld. Chinatown Wars was anything but small in scope, though, telling an all-new story focusing on the Triads of Liberty City's underworld, achieving uncompromised full 3D with a DS-appropriate overhead perspective and even innovating beyond the console games in the series with unique additions like a complex interactive drug trade. Chinatown Wars has since been ported to a few other platforms, but DS got it first – and it remains one of the best experiences on Nintendo's two-screened portable.

~ Lucas M. Thomas

9. Elite Beat Agents

Publisher: Nintendo | Developer: iNiS

Release Date: November 8, 2006 | Read the Review

If you can judge a game's success by the quantity of clones and imitators that appear in the years following its release, then Nintendo's Elite Beat Agents must be one of the most successful game designs ever made. The gameplay system crafted here – tapping icons on the screen to the beat of background music, tracing lines and keeping everything in rhythm – has inspired years of similar music games from a wide variety of other publishers. It's no knock against those companies, just a higher compliment for Nintendo – proving they're still a pioneer in gameplay innovation after all these years.

~ Lucas M. Thomas

8. Animal Crossing: Wild World

Publisher: Nintendo | Developer: Nintendo

Release Date: December 5, 2005 | Read the Review

When a game that originated on a console is brought over to a portable system, the result is often somewhat disastrous. But this certainly wasn’t the case with Animal Crossing: Wild World – in fact, it’s arguable that this DS entry in the beloved franchise is the best of them all. The game’s main attraction – namely, the addicting tranquility of bettering your town and home, making kooky animal friends, collecting everything in sight and so on – is only further supplemented by the ability to play this game on the go. Have a free five minutes as you wait in line at the market? Grab a cup of gourmet coffee at the Roost and watch your stress melt away, or perhaps drop off a few fossils for Blathers to inspect. The game was already terribly addicting to begin with – taking it on the go and adding online multiplayer support simply took things to another level.

~ Audrey Drake

7. The World Ends With You

Publisher: Square Enix | Developer: Jupiter

Release Date: April 22, 2008 | Read the Review

Few one-shot games have the ability to leave as lasting of an impression as The World Ends With You. But although this would-be franchise has only seen one installment in the last five years, fans of the game just can’t seem to get that funky beat out of their heads. While the action role playing mechanics are fun, it’s everything else that really makes TWEWY shine. It’s the game’s attitude, the crazy/cool Shibuya setting, the awesome art style, memorable characters and incredible soundtrack. All of these things combined really set this DS game apart. If you haven’t experienced the magic yet, it’s finally time to track down a copy and see why people are so crazy for this game.

~ Audrey Drake

6. Professor Layton and the Last Specter

Publisher: Nintendo | Developer: Level-5

Release Date: October 17, 2011 | Read the Review

Professor Layton and his loyal assistant Luke first investigated the mystery of the Curious Village. Then they boarded a train on a mission to solve the puzzle of the Diabolical Box. Then, to complete the trilogy, they traveled through time to arrive in the Unwound Future. We were in awe of each, and the story told throughout all three – but wait, a fourth game? Sure enough, Level 5 delivered one more incredible puzzle-packed adventure before moving on to the 3DS, and Professor Layton and the Last Specter proved to be the best of all. In gameplay and puzzle quality, certainly, but also in story – since it brought us back to when Layton first met Luke and began an all-new trilogy of adventures for our favorite British pair.

~ Lucas M. Thomas

5. New Super Mario Bros.

Publisher: Nintendo | Developer: Nintendo

Release Date: May 15, 2006 | Read the Review

Compared to other 3D Mario games, and in the context of its Wii and 3DS successors, it's sometimes easy to forget just how important New Super Mario Bros. was to the Nintendo DS. Prior to its release, 2D Marios were a thing of the past, a style of game swept away by the Nintendo 64 and its 3D revolution. NSMB reminded gamers – and Nintendo itself – that it was okay to be old school, and that both styles of Mario could co-exist, appealing to entirely different audiences as well. With its emphasis on simplicity and a tried-but-true approach to level design, NSMB brought back some of the fondest Mario memories while opening a door to entirely new generations of gamers. The game proved a touch easy, but even the most skilled gamers loved returning to a simpler era when reaching a flag pole was more important than anything else.

~ Richard George

4. Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow

Publisher: Konami | Developer: Konami

Release Date: October 4, 2005 | Read the Review

While most people think “home console” when they hear the word Castlevania, DS owners know better. While the franchise has had some trouble transitioning into the realm of 3D gaming, 2D Castlevania is still alive and well on Nintendo’s portables – and Dawn of Sorrow is the best of the bunch. With a cool story that brings the dark and gloomy Soma Cruz to the forefront once more, Dawn of Sorrow epitomizes everything you could ask for from a Castlevania game – crazy cool enemies to slice up, plenty of cool weapons and abilities, a large area to explore, a mystery to solve, some cool platforming and more. The game is intensely satisfying, and an absolutely necessary inclusion in any DS library.

~ Audrey Drake

3. Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time

Publisher: Nintendo | Developer: AlphaDream

Release Date: November 18, 2005 | Read the Review

A sequel to the hilarious Game Boy Advance game Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga, Partners in Time continues the tradition of excellence set forth in the original with a brand new adventure involving aliens, babies and time travel. Full to the brim of the trademark humor the Mario & Luigi franchise is now known for, the game ups the ante with the inclusion of features like the innovative partner system, which added a whole new layer of strategy to the already excellent action RPG gameplay. Throw in the hilarity of seeing the Bros and Peach interact with their baby counterparts, excellent music by Yoko Shimomura, and the laugh-out-loud comedy this game offers left and right, and you have an experience that easily ranks among the best the DS has to offer.

~ Audrey Drake

2. Mario Kart DS

Publisher: Nintendo | Developer: Nintendo

Release Date: November 14, 2005 | Read the Review

Though the franchise has technically existed for two decades, Mario Kart games mean more than ever thanks to some of Nintendo's recent stellar efforts. Mario Kart DS might follow the tried-and-true formula of its predecessors, but it pushed the series forward in one key way – online gameplay. Some of Nintendo's franchises simply scream to allow players to compete around the globe, and Mario Kart is certainly one of them. Combine that new functionality with crisp gameplay and great track designs, and the DS iteration of Kart was simply regarded as one of the best the series had seen.

~ Richard George

1. Pokemon: The DS Generations

Publisher: Nintendo | Developer: Game Freak

Release Date: 2007 – 2012 | Read the Latest Pokemon Review

[Editor's Note: Our decision to place all DS versions of the Pokemon franchise, as a collective entity, will no doubt surprise many, particularly considering other franchises on this list are represented individually.

The Pokemon series is unique in its ability to further and perfect the same core experience over the course of many years, more than 15 to be precise. It does so to different capacities for each game, but regardless, to the editors that selected this list, the experiences found within Pokemon Diamond, Pearl, Platinum, SoulSilver, HeartGold, Black and White are similar enough - and of a similarly high caliber - that they can all justly be lumped together at the top of the heap. Which specific game we would attempt to highlight would be irrelevant, as they are all worthy of being recognized individually as the elite of the DS elite.

It might seem like a strange thought to batch several games together on a list of individuals, but allow us to stress there is no collective advantage to be had here, merely an equal recognition of these games' achievements, and a subtle wink that any one of them can be recognized, isolated from its brethren. - Rich]

Pokemon has continued to be one of the most prominent and powerful franchises in the video game industry, and is a critical element in the success of Nintendo's portables. Upon moving into the Nintendo DS generation, the developers at Game Freak have not only managed to preserve the core RPG and collecting elements that made the series such a success in the '90s, they've found a way to radically increase connectivity and interactivity between players.

Despite maintaining a signature style that is easily identifiable, many of the subtle adjustments made to the DS iterations of Pokemon video games have made a world of difference, from being able to trade creatures online to touch-based commands. All of this is incremental, yet it's important. The Pokemon games of today, while somewhat aesthetically similar to their predecessors, are considerably different in how they operate. That's a big reason the titles continue to sell more than they ever have, and it's also why this single franchise continues to be one of the biggest reasons why portable gaming still works for Nintendo.

~ Richard George

Note: This list was most recently updated in 2012, but has since received layout updates in 2023.