By 2004, the Game Boy Advance and its updated version, the Game Boy Advance SP, were incredibly popular – almost everyone I knew had one. Nintendo dominated handheld gaming, and that created a great opportunity for innovation. That holiday season, they delivered with the Nintendo DS. Initially, it seemed like just another SP with an added screen, but we quickly realized it was much more than that.
The Nintendo DS significantly raised the bar for handheld gaming. Its innovative dual screens, combined with a touchscreen and improved performance, opened the door to a wide variety of games – both new and updated classics. While many titles offered a fun, one-time experience, the DS was especially known for its incredibly replayable games that kept players hooked for hours.
10. Brain Age: Train Your Brain In Minutes A Day!
Who Says Games Can’t Be Educational?
Someone once pointed out the irony that video games don’t actually teach you things – and it makes sense! Most people play games for fun, not for education. But the Nintendo DS was different. As a portable system, it offered a chance to learn quickly and enjoyably, especially with games like Brain Age.
Brain Age isn’t a typical video game; it’s designed to give your brain a daily workout. You play it in short bursts, a little bit each day, rather than trying to finish it all at once. You hold the Nintendo DS upright and use the touchscreen to solve puzzles, do basic math, recognize pictures, and test your memory. It even included a Sudoku mode for those who enjoy that puzzle.
Brain Age was a fun and surprisingly engaging way to give your brain a daily workout. It felt a bit like doing homework initially, but with consistent practice, you could noticeably improve your mental sharpness, speed, and awareness. At the very least, it was a great way to start the day with a little boost of confidence – something everyone appreciates.
9. Sonic Rush
First Appearance Of Blaze The Cat
Look, the mid-2000s were a bit of a weird time for Sonic games overall, but honestly, some of the best Sonic I played back then was on handhelds. The Sonic Advance games on the Game Boy Advance were awesome because they really felt like the classic Sonic games I loved. And then on the DS, Sonic Rush kept that same fast-paced, fun feeling going – it was a great time to be a Sonic fan on the go!
Sonic Rush blends 2D and 3D elements with 3D character models moving through 2D levels, similar to the Sonic Advance games. Players can choose to play as either Sonic or Blaze the Cat, speeding through side-scrolling stages and battling robot bosses. A unique feature of the game is its ability to seamlessly switch between the top and bottom screens during fast-paced sections like loops and drops, creating a visually impressive effect without impacting gameplay.
Sonic Rush is on the shorter side for a platforming game, but that actually makes it really replayable – it’s perfect for fun speedruns! Just like the classic Sonic games, it has hidden special stages where you can collect Chaos Emeralds, giving you another great reason to play through the game again.
8. Scribblenauts
If You Can Write It, You Can Make It
The Nintendo DS was full of puzzle games, and they tackled challenges in different ways. Some used traditional puzzle designs, while others took advantage of the DS’s unique features like the touchscreen and microphone. But Scribblenauts was different – instead of relying on these methods, it let you solve puzzles simply by writing words and describing what you wanted to happen.
Scribblenauts is a puzzle game where you navigate side-scrolling levels and solve challenges in creative ways. Instead of directly tackling obstacles, you use a magical notebook to create almost anything you can imagine – objects, people, machines, and more – to help you succeed. You can even modify what you create with different adjectives, opening up tons of unique puzzle solutions.
The main story in Scribblenauts offers lots of levels and puzzles that encourage creative problem-solving. You can also build and share your own puzzles with the level editor. And if you need a break, you can always summon a chicken and have fun experimenting with silly descriptions to turn it into something wild – maybe a fire-breathing monster!
7. Rhythm Heaven
The First In A Rhythmic Legacy
Rhythm games became surprisingly popular on the Nintendo DS. It’s easy to see why – like listening to music on your commute, but instead of just passively enjoying it, you actually play along! One of the best rhythm games on the DS, and the start of a beloved series for fans, was the original Rhythm Heaven. Technically, it was the first one released in Western markets.
Similar to Brain Age, Rhythm Heaven used the DS’s vertical grip and stylus. Players tapped, scratched, and strummed the touchscreen along with the beat in fifty different rhythm games. These games were designed to be easy to pick up and play—you didn’t need complex controls or strategies, just a good ear for rhythm to become skilled.
You can finish the game without aiming for top scores, but a real challenge comes from earning the highest ‘Superb’ rating – and a perfect score – on every level. It’s difficult, but the desire to nail it after just one more try kept players hooked and eager to hear the exciting music.
6. Elite Beat Agents
The Shadow Boss Of The Rhythm Genre
In 2005, the Japanese game Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan was released for the DS. It featured energetic cheerleaders who motivated people with upbeat music. While successful in Japan, the game became surprisingly popular with players importing it from other countries. This led the developers to release a sequel, Elite Beat Agents, worldwide in 2006.
Elite Beat Agents is a rhythm game designed for the Nintendo DS. Players tap, swipe, and spin along to popular pop and hip-hop songs. It’s a simple game to pick up and play, but that’s what makes it so addictive! You’ll always want to replay songs, either to enjoy the music again or try to beat your high score.
Elite Beat Agents, along with the Ouendan series, deserves recognition not only as a fantastic and engaging game, but also for inspiring osu!, a hugely popular indie rhythm game. Many rhythm game fans have played osu!, and professional esports players even use it to improve their reaction time.
5. Kirby Super Star Ultra
A Certified Classic, New And Improved
The Nintendo DS had several fun Kirby games like Canvas Curse, Squeak Squad, and Mass Attack. While those were all excellent, I always find myself returning to Kirby Super Star on the SNES as one of the very best. And its updated version, Kirby Super Star Ultra, is just as good.
Super Star Ultra includes everything you loved from the original Super Star, plus a ton of new stuff! You’ll find completely new game modes like Revenge of the King, fun twists like Helper to Hero and Meta Knightmare Ultra (where you play as support characters and Meta Knight), and the challenging True Arena, which features a boss rush that gets harder as you go.
Even after completing the main story, replaying any of the game modes or the arena is a great reason to keep playing. The True Arena, especially, was a fantastic addition for players wanting a bigger challenge, and it’s become a regular feature in later Kirby side-scrolling games.
4. WarioWare: Touched!
Put That Touchscreen To Work
The first WarioWare game on the Game Boy Advance unexpectedly became a big success for Nintendo, packing tons of incredibly fast mini-games into collections where players chased high scores. It was a clear winner, and its simple concept worked perfectly with the unique features of the DS. That’s how we got WarioWare: Touched, which remains a favorite of mine.
Like the original WarioWare, WarioWare: Touched challenges you with quick, bizarre mini-games. Each set of games is introduced by Wario or one of his friends, and they all have a unique twist: almost all of them are played using only the DS touchscreen, and in different ways! For example, Mona’s games involve tapping and cutting, Jimmy’s require rubbing the screen, and Mike’s use the DS microphone.
No matter if you’re playing through a specific set of microgames or one of the mixed modes, the core gameplay of quickly completing tasks before the timer speeds up is consistently enjoyable. I have fond memories of playing WarioWare: Touched during long car rides as a kid, constantly challenging my sister to beat each other’s high scores.
3. Animal Crossing: Wild World
A Living World In Your Pocket
A cool feature of the Nintendo DS, compared to the Game Boy Advance, was its built-in clock and calendar. While not many games utilized this, the popular title Animal Crossing: Wild World was a notable exception and really showcased its potential.
Animal Crossing: Wild World, the first sequel to the original GameCube game, proved the series worked perfectly on handheld consoles. It cleverly used your Nintendo DS’s clock and calendar to create realistic day-night cycles and seasons within the game – something the original also did, but was especially impressive on a portable system. Being a handheld game made it much easier to share your town with friends, either by local wireless connection or online.
Wild World felt much more lively and personal than the original Animal Crossing. The villagers talked more and asked for different things, and you could even create your own clothing designs using the DS touchscreen. It was a game that always gave you a good reason to turn it on and see what everyone was up to, whether it was just chatting or helping them with tasks.
2. New Super Mario Bros.
A Return To Form
As a long-time Mario fan, it felt like by 2006, the series had really shifted towards 3D adventures like Super Mario 64 and Sunshine. While the Game Boy Advance had some older sidescrolling games on it, we hadn’t gotten a brand new 2D Mario in ages! That’s why I was so excited when Nintendo decided to revisit those classic roots and gave us New Super Mario Bros. It was exactly what I—and a lot of other fans—were hoping for.
As you might expect from the title, New Super Mario Bros. was intentionally designed to feel like the original Super Mario Bros. game. It brought back the straightforward, timed levels and familiar power-ups like the Super Mushroom and Fire Flower. But it also included moves Mario had learned in newer games, such as ground pounds and wall jumps, making the gameplay smoother and more responsive.
New Super Mario Bros. on the DS was a truly standout game, offering the same simple enjoyment as the classic Mario games. Its levels were more creative and memorable than previous titles, and I often revisited the first level—the one with the Mega Mushroom—just for fun. It was a really enjoyable experience.
1. Mario Kart DS
Another Nintendo Console, Another Mario Kart
I truly believe every Nintendo console should have a Mario Kart game, and I’ll keep saying that! Mario Kart is incredibly popular and easy to pick up, making it perfect for introducing people to gaming. That’s why the Nintendo DS also got its own version, called Mario Kart DS.
Man, Mario Kart DS was a huge leap forward from the Game Boy Advance version. Finally, we got proper 3D graphics, like in Mario Kart 64 and Double Dash! There were so many characters to pick from, and you could really customize your ride to match how you like to race. But what I really loved was that it started bringing back old tracks – it was awesome getting to revisit some of my favorites from past Mario Kart games. It felt like a real celebration of the series’ history!
It’s easy to see why Mario Kart DS is so popular – it offers the same fun, quick, and easy-to-pick-up racing experience as newer titles like Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. It’s perfect for short bursts of fun whenever you have a few minutes. Plus, it was the first Mario Kart game to let you race online, though those servers are no longer active since 2014.
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2025-12-05 23:43