The Nintendo DS makes a strong first stop for players who want handheld games with very different ways to play. Its library spans role-playing games, action, puzzles, racing, strategy, and life simulation, so you can find a game for nearly any mood. The range helps if you want a quick round today and a longer story another time.
Metascore means a critic-review summary score shown here on a 100-point scale. The picks below combine critic scores with variety, rather than claiming every player will prefer the same genre. A high score can point you toward a well-reviewed game, but your own tastes still matter.
Some choices suit short sessions, while others ask you to follow a story or return to a world over many days. If it has been years since you last played a handheld game, you can still find an easy place to begin. The best DS games are the ones that make you want to keep playing.
This list gives you practical starting points across the library, with room to choose by genre, pace, and play style. A good starting point is the kind of experience you want, whether a quick challenge, a long story, or a game to revisit over time.
Key Takeaways
- Pick by genre and play style, not score alone.
- RPGs, puzzles, racers, and strategy games all have strong options.
- Some games depend on touch controls, while others use buttons.
- A 3DS can play most DS games, with DS software shown in 2D.
- Start with one game that fits the kind of session you enjoy.
Best DS Games: Which Five Should You Play First?
Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars leads this shortlist with a Nintendo DS Metascore of 93. It gives you top-down action, while the other picks offer a time-travel RPG, racing, strategy, and adventure. Start with your favorite style, then use the scores as one way to compare games.
Chinatown Wars is the highest-scoring pick in this set, but the right first choice depends on genre preference. A score summarizes critics’ reviews; it cannot tell you whether you want a race, a long story, or careful tactical turns.
| Game | Nintendo DS Metascore | What it offers |
|---|---|---|
| Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars | 93 | Top-down action |
| Chrono Trigger | 92 | Time-travel RPG |
| Mario Kart DS | 91 | Kart racing |
| Advance Wars: Dual Strike | 90 | Turn-based strategy |
| The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass | 90 | Touchscreen-led adventure |
Choose by the kind of play you want, not by a one-point gap between scores.
For an open-world feel from a top-down view, Chinatown Wars gives you action built around a city setting. Chrono Trigger is the story-focused option, with a time-travel premise and turn-based battles. Mario Kart DS gives you a direct pick-up-and-play race, while Advance Wars rewards planning.
Phantom Hourglass suits you if you want a Zelda adventure that makes the touch screen part of play. That difference matters: the same list includes games for quick rounds and more involved sessions. This broader list of Nintendo DS favorites can help you compare other genre picks. Choose by the kind of play you want, not by a one-point gap between scores.
Which DS RPGs Have the Best Stories and Systems?
Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story is the highest-scoring RPG pick here, with a Nintendo DS Metascore of 90. It leans on humor and character-driven play, while the other choices offer quests, different battle systems, and distinct settings. Look at the style of play as closely as the score.
These RPGs range from playful adventures to longer quests and unusual combat systems. No single story or battle system is the right fit for everyone. Choose based on how much time you want to give the game and what kind of decisions you enjoy.
| Game | Nintendo DS Metascore | RPG appeal |
|---|---|---|
| Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story | 90 | Humor and character-led play |
| The World Ends With You | 88 | Distinctive setting and combat |
| Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver | 87 | Return to a familiar region |
| Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies | 87 | Expansive fantasy quest |
| Radiant Historia | 85 | Time-focused story and battles |
Mario & Luigi has a comic tone and active battles that ask you to time your moves. The World Ends With You stands apart through its setting and combat design, making it a pick for players who want something less familiar. Radiant Historia also links its battles to a story built around time.
Dragon Quest IX offers a broader quest for players who want a sustained adventure. HeartGold and SoulSilver bring Pokémon fans back to Johto, while Pokémon Black and White begins with a distinct-generation entry and a new regional cast. The story-game recommendations offer more ideas for choosing a narrative by mood and commitment.
These games do not ask for the same kind of attention. Some make humor and characters central, while others emphasize a long quest or a distinct battle system. For a first RPG, match the game’s battle system and story commitment to the kind of play you enjoy.
Which DS Puzzle and Rhythm Games Suit You?
For a rhythm game built around tapping along to music, start with Elite Beat Agents; for puzzle action, compare Meteos and Planet Puzzle League. Those choices reward quick reactions, while other games ask for patient deduction or controlled movement. Your preferred pace can narrow the field fast.
Choose fast, reflex-led play for a burst of action, or careful puzzles for a slower session. The touch screen supports several styles, but each game makes different demands of your timing and attention.
| Game | Nintendo DS Metascore | Main appeal |
|---|---|---|
| Meteos | 88 | Fast puzzle action |
| Elite Beat Agents | 87 | Rhythm and timing |
| Professor Layton and the Unwound Future | 86 | Careful puzzle solving |
| Planet Puzzle League | 86 | Quick tile-matching play |
| Kirby: Canvas Curse | 86 | Stylus-led platforming |
Meteos and Planet Puzzle League suit players who like rapid puzzle action and clear goals. Their appeal comes from spotting a move and acting quickly. Professor Layton and the Unwound Future takes a more measured approach, with puzzles that reward thought before you answer.
Kirby: Canvas Curse changes platform play by asking you to guide Kirby with the stylus. It feels quite different from a game built around buttons or steady puzzle matching. That variety gives the touch screen a role beyond tapping through menus.
Elite Beat Agents fits a music-loving player who wants rhythm to drive each level. Its timing-led play brings more energy than a puzzle you can solve at your own pace. Pick rhythm and timing for an energetic session, or logic puzzles when you want to slow down and think.
Which DS Adventures and Action Games Stand Out?
If you want familiar platforming, New Super Mario Bros. is the clearest fit among these five. The other picks lean toward exploration-heavy action or a Zelda-style adventure, so you can choose by the feel you want. Start with the kind of movement you enjoy.
The five games split into platforming, exploration, and story-led adventure. Their art style and pace differ, even when they share action at the center. Each offers a separate reason to pick up the handheld.
- New Super Mario Bros. gives you side-scrolling platforming with a familiar Super Mario feel.
- Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow blends action with exploration through connected areas.
- The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks offers a Zelda-style adventure built around travel and story.
- Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin is a separate adventure, not another name for Dawn of Sorrow.
- Shantae: Risky’s Revenge brings its own platforming and action style to the list.
New Super Mario Bros. is a practical choice if you want clear platforming goals and familiar characters. Dawn of Sorrow gives exploration a larger role, while Portrait of Ruin is another Castlevania game with its own adventure. The two entries are distinct games, not interchangeable versions of one story.
Spirit Tracks suits players who want an adventure with a stronger storyline and a different pace from a straightforward platformer. Shantae: Risky’s Revenge offers another route for action fans who want movement and exploration together. For more Nintendo DS game ideas by genre, compare the library by the kind of play each title offers.
These picks cover different ways to move through a game world, from side-scrolling levels to broader exploration. The right fit may depend on whether you want familiar controls or a new setting to learn. Let the action style guide your choice, especially whether you prefer platforming, exploration, or a story-led adventure.
Which DS Games Fit Strategy, Simulation, and Platform Fans?
Animal Crossing: Wild World suits players who want an ongoing town to return to, while Advance Wars: Days of Ruin is the tactical choice. The other two picks give you a humorous RPG and puzzle-strategy combat. Genre makes the clearest difference among these games.
Each of these four games has a Nintendo DS Metascore of 86, but their play styles differ. A shared score does not make them similar: one builds a town routine, while another asks you to plan battles.
- Animal Crossing: Wild World: Choose it for ongoing town life and self-directed goals.
- Advance Wars: Days of Ruin: Pick this strategy game for tactical battles and planning.
- Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time: Try this RPG for humor, characters, and turn-based play.
- Might and Magic: Clash of Heroes: Choose puzzle-strategy combat that mixes matching and battle choices.
Wild World suits you if you like returning to a town and choosing what to do each time. Days of Ruin asks you to think through tactical moves instead of tending a daily routine. The two games may suit very different moods, even though their scores match.
Partners in Time is the lighter, character-led option, with RPG battles and a comic tone. Might and Magic: Clash of Heroes blends puzzle choices with combat, so it fits players who want strategy through a different kind of challenge. These are useful category matches when you want a DS game by genre, not by score alone.
The four games share a score, but their play styles are far apart.
What Made Touchscreen Play a DS Signature?
Elite Beat Agents turns the touch screen into a rhythm instrument, asking players to tap and trace patterns in time with its music. Your accuracy affects how the story turns out, so performance matters beyond the score. Touch becomes the main action, not a side feature.
The game responds to how well you tap and trace each pattern. Its story links the music, characters, and play style, making the touch screen central to the experience.
Elite Beat Agents was listed with a Nov. 6, 2006 date and an E10+ rating. Players follow rhythmic patterns as songs play, and the outcome changes with their performance. Each successful tap helps you keep the action in time.
That kind of design shows what the handheld’s touch screen could add to gameplay. The second screen could support information or action, depending on the game. Not every DS game requires a stylus, since many rely more on buttons and traditional controls.
Touch input works best when a game builds its main action around clear, accurate movement. A stylus can feel natural for tracing or quick taps, but not every player wants that style. The DS touch screen matters most in games whose central action is built around precise stylus input.
Can You Play Nintendo DS Games on a 3DS?
Yes, a Nintendo 3DS can play most Nintendo DS games, although DS software displays in 2D. Most ordinary DS cards work, but games that use the GBA Slot are the compatibility exception.
DS and Nintendo DSiWare software displays in 2D on a 3DS. A DS game can still be a sensible choice for your 3DS, but it will not use the system’s 3D display.
- Ordinary DS game cards work on a 3DS in most cases.
- Games that depend on the GBA Slot are exceptions.
- DS and DSiWare software appears in 2D on the 3DS.
The GBA Slot compatibility exception matters when a DS game expects an accessory or feature in that slot. The 3DS does not include a GBA Slot, so those games cannot use the feature as intended.
That limit does not rule out most of the library. A strong DS recommendation can still work well on a 3DS, even though the display remains two-dimensional. If you want the 3D effect, choose a game made for the 3DS rather than DS software.
Check whether a specific game depends on the GBA Slot before choosing it for a 3DS.
Which Nintendo DS Games Suit Kids?
Mario Kart DS is one straightforward family shortlist option, with an ESRB Everyone rating. Pokémon Diamond and Pokémon Pearl, plus The Legend of Zelda: The Phantom Hourglass, also carry that rating. Use ratings as a starting point, not as the only measure.
An ESRB rating offers a content guide, but it cannot decide what suits an individual child. A child’s comfort with action, reading, or game length can shape the choice as much as the rating.
- Mario Kart DS: ESRB Everyone.
- Pokémon Diamond and Pokémon Pearl: ESRB Everyone.
- The Legend of Zelda: The Phantom Hourglass: ESRB Everyone.
Mario Kart DS offers racing with familiar characters, while Pokémon’s adventure centers on exploration and battles. Phantom Hourglass gives a child an adventure with its own pace and play style. Even games with the same rating can feel quite different to play.
The ESRB explains age ratings and content descriptors in its rating information for families. Check the details for a specific title, since its descriptors add context beyond the age category.
Check the full ESRB rating details and the game’s play style before handing it to a child.
What Should Adult Players Prioritize?
Adult players can start with the kind of attention they want to give a game: a story, a tactical challenge, or an open-ended routine. Age does not point to one genre, and an adult may want a short action game one day and a long RPG the next. Choose by the experience you want.
These games differ in content and play style, so match your choice to both. A game’s appeal to adults does not mean every title suits every player or situation.
Story and character writing
The World Ends With You suits a player who wants a story-led RPG with a distinct cast and setting. Radiant Historia is another choice when you want a strong narrative tied to time and battle decisions. Both ask for more attention than a quick race, but their stories take different paths.
If you enjoy tracking characters and plot as you play, either game can give you a reason to return. Their battle systems also shape the experience, so story alone need not decide your pick. Think about whether you want unusual combat alongside the narrative.
Tactical decisions and longer campaigns
Advance Wars: Days of Ruin fits players who like weighing moves before acting. Tactical battles reward planning and attention to the board, rather than quick reflexes alone. Its appeal rests on the choices you make from turn to turn.
This is a good match when you enjoy solving a changing problem and can focus on a campaign. It may feel less inviting if you want a game that gives you a fast result after a few minutes. Your preferred pace matters as much as the strategy label.
Open-ended play and time commitment
Animal Crossing: Wild World offers ongoing life-simulation play, with a town you can return to and shape at your own pace. Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars offers a different kind of action, with a top-down view and a city setting. Neither choice is simply an “adult game”; each has a different tone and routine.
Wild World suits you if open-ended activities sound relaxing, while Chinatown Wars is a more action-focused pick. Consider how much time you want to spend and what kind of content you prefer. Check the game’s content rating as well as its genre if suitability matters to you.
What Is a Good First DS Game?
A newcomer who wants a quick start can choose Mario Kart DS for racing or New Super Mario Bros. for platforming. For a story-led game, Chrono Trigger offers a longer role-playing experience, while Animal Crossing: Wild World suits ongoing play. These are entry points, not a universal winner.
Start with the kind of session you already enjoy. A quick race, a long RPG, and an open-ended town ask for different levels of attention.
For quick, familiar play
Mario Kart DS is a clear first pick if you want to race and learn as you go. New Super Mario Bros. offers a similar ease of entry for someone who prefers platforming. Both let you focus on movement and play without first learning a long storyline.
Choose racing if you want to revisit a course for another run. Choose platforming if you enjoy moving through levels and reaching the next goal. The game that feels familiar to you is likely to make a better first session.
For a first long-form RPG
Chrono Trigger is a clear story-led option if you want your first DS RPG to center on a time-travel tale. Its turn-based battles and story ask for more sustained attention than a quick race. That commitment is part of the appeal when you want a longer adventure.
RPGs tend to build through a series of battles, character moments, and story events. If you prefer a short session, you can still play in smaller stretches, but the larger arc takes time. Choose it because you want to follow that arc.
For an easy-to-follow town routine
Animal Crossing: Wild World suits players who prefer ongoing, self-directed play. You can return to town and decide what to do, rather than following a single story from start to finish. That makes it a different kind of first game from a racer or RPG.
It works best if you enjoy setting your own small goals and checking back over time. A newcomer who wants clear stages may prefer Mario Kart DS or New Super Mario Bros. instead. Start with the kind of session you are likely to enjoy repeating, rather than buying into a genre you do not like.
Which DS Games Work Well With Emulation Controls?
An emulator feels closest to a DS when its screen layout and touch controls are comfortable to use. Two screens need space, and games that depend on accurate stylus moves can be harder to control. Test the setup with the game’s key actions before settling in.
Control comfort depends on both screen placement and touch input. Games that rely more on buttons may translate more easily than games built around taps and tracing.
Two-screen layout
DS games use two screens, so emulator screen placement and size affect how easily you can follow both displays. Try a layout that keeps the main action clear without shrinking useful information too far. Chrono Trigger is a less touch-dependent example, which can make its controls easier to map.
A cramped display may make it harder to read text or track what happens across both screens. Check whether the game’s important action stays visible while you play. A comfortable layout can matter more during a long session than a technically accurate one.
Touch input and stylus-heavy play
Elite Beat Agents relies on taps and traced patterns, so accurate touch input matters to its rhythm gameplay. Meteos and Kirby: Canvas Curse also use touch input as a central part of play. These games differ from titles that rely more on buttons.
Button-focused games may feel more natural with a controller or mapped keys. Touch-heavy games need a way to make quick taps and smooth traces without fighting the controls. Test the parts of the game that use touch, not just its opening screen.
Legal access to game files
Use only game files you are authorized to use. Emulator software does not by itself grant permission to copy or download a copyrighted game file.
In the United States, owning a physical game does not automatically make downloading a ROM lawful. The rules for the emulator and the game file are separate issues. For more on emulators and Pokémon play, consider the device and controls you plan to use.
Check both the control mapping and your right to use the game files before settling on an emulator setup.
Which Native 3DS Games Make Strong Next Picks?
For a native 3DS adventure, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D leads this group with a score of 94. The other picks offer strategy, platforming, and another Zelda adventure. These are games made for 3DS, rather than DS games running on the system.
A native 3DS title is the choice when you want a game built for that platform. Its score belongs to the 3DS group and should not be treated as the same measure as a DS Metascore.
| Game | Nintendo 3DS Metacritic score | Genre |
|---|---|---|
| The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D | 94 | Adventure |
| Fire Emblem: Awakening | 92 | Strategy RPG |
| The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds | 91 | Adventure |
| Shovel Knight | 90 | Platformer |
| Super Mario 3D Land | 90 | Platformer |
Ocarina of Time 3D is the highest-scoring adventure in this group. Fire Emblem: Awakening suits you if you want a strategy RPG, while A Link Between Worlds offers another Zelda adventure. Shovel Knight and Super Mario 3D Land give platform fans two distinct choices.
Other options include Pushmo (90), The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask 3D (89), 3D Gunstar Heroes (89), 3D Streets of Rage II (89), and Colors! 3D (89). Those scores refer to native 3DS games, not DS software played on a 3DS.
Choose a native 3DS title when you specifically want a game made for that system rather than a DS game displayed in 2D.
Which Pokémon DS Game Fits Your Play Style?
Choose HeartGold or SoulSilver for a return to Johto, and Black or White for a fresh regional roster at the start. The games offer different ways into the Pokémon series, so your preference for a remake or a new generation can guide the choice. Think about the starting point you want.
HeartGold and SoulSilver revisit Johto, while Black and White begin with a new regional Pokémon roster. Neither approach is better for every player; each suits a different reason to start a game.
HeartGold and SoulSilver suit you if you want to return to the Johto games through a remake. That familiar region gives the adventure a sense of revisiting a place in the series. The choice makes sense for fans who value that connection.
Black and White begin their main adventure with a fresh regional Pokémon roster. That makes them a good fit if you want a new generation’s starting point rather than a return to Johto. The early roster helps give the opening a distinct feel.
Both choices offer a Pokémon adventure, but they serve different tastes within the series. You may prefer familiar territory or a new region to learn as you play. For broader Pokémon game recommendations, compare entries by story, battles, and exploration. Decide whether you want a revisiting experience or a new generation’s starting point before choosing a version.
Which Mario & Luigi Game Should You Play First?
Play Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time first if you want the DS entries in series order. It is the earlier DS entry, followed by Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story. That sequence keeps the release order clear for players who want to follow the series.
Partners in Time comes before Bowser’s Inside Story in the DS series order. Starting there lets you move from the earlier entry to the later one without skipping ahead.
The order is useful if you want to see how the DS games progress from one adventure to the next. You can begin with Partners in Time, then continue to Bowser’s Inside Story. This approach treats both as part of the same series path.
Bowser’s Inside Story is also a reasonable first pick if its Bowser-focused premise interests you more. You do not need to start with Partners in Time to enjoy that game on its own. Choosing the later entry first simply means you are prioritizing its setup over the DS sequence.
If you care about the Mario & Luigi series order, keep Partners in Time first. If a particular story or set of characters draws you in, it is fine to start there instead. Choose the order that best matches your interest, but keep Partners in Time first if sequence matters to you.
Are These Nintendo DS Games Still Worth Playing?
Yes, a DS game can still be a rewarding pick when its play style matches what you enjoy. Mario Kart DS gives you racing, Chrono Trigger offers a long RPG, Animal Crossing: Wild World supports ongoing town life, and Elite Beat Agents centers on rhythm. Specific appeal matters more than age.
Older hardware conventions and touch-heavy controls may not suit every player. A game’s format can be part of its charm, but it can also feel unfamiliar if you prefer newer controls.
Mario Kart DS is an easy match if you want races and courses you can return to. Chrono Trigger asks for more time because its appeal comes from following a long RPG story. If you prefer a routine you can shape yourself, Wild World gives you a town to revisit.
Elite Beat Agents is the pick for someone who wants music and touch-led rhythm play. Its control style feels unlike a button-focused game, so the format may be a bigger part of the choice. Think about what you want to do during a session before adding more titles.
Choose one title that matches a preferred genre and try that before expanding a collection.
That rule gives you a simple way to test whether an older game still fits your taste. If its pace and controls work for you, you can then look for more games with a similar feel. Readers exploring other older Nintendo libraries may also like this guide to GameCube games across several genres, or these Nintendo 64 classics.
Choose one title that fits your preferred kind of play, then decide whether you want more from that genre.
Conclusion
The best next DS game is the one whose style makes you want to pick it up again. A racing fan may want another course, while an RPG fan may want to see where a story leads. Your favorite genre gives you a better starting point than a score alone.
A 3DS can play most DS games, though DS software displays in 2D. That gives you another way to enjoy many handheld picks without changing what made each game distinct.
You do not need to build a large collection to find a good match. Choose one title from the genre you enjoy most and make it your first play.
FAQ
What is the difference between a DS Metascore and a 3DS Metacritic score?
A DS Metascore and a 3DS Metacritic score belong to separate platform-specific score groups. The DS scores here summarize critic reviews for DS titles, while the 3DS scores apply to native 3DS games. Use each score to compare games within its group, not as a guarantee you will enjoy a title. Genre, controls, and story still shape your experience.
Can I use a Game Boy Advance cartridge in a 3DS?
No, a 3DS has no GBA Slot for Game Boy Advance cartridges. That matters because some DS games use the slot as part of their play or accessory setup. Most ordinary DS games work on a 3DS, but titles that depend on the GBA Slot are the exception. Check a particular game’s needs before choosing it for that system.
Can I play DS games without a stylus?
Yes, many DS games use buttons and do not need a stylus for their main controls. Touch-heavy titles are different: Elite Beat Agents asks you to tap targets and trace patterns in time with music. A finger may work for some touch actions, but precise tracing can be harder. The game’s main control style decides whether a stylus matters.
Is Chrono Trigger a good first DS RPG?
Yes, Chrono Trigger is a strong first DS RPG if you want a story-led, time-travel adventure. Its turn-based battles and longer story ask for more attention than a quick race or puzzle round. That makes it a good match for players who want to follow characters and plot over time. Choose another genre if you prefer short, self-contained sessions.
Is it legal to emulate DS games in the United States?
Emulator software and copyrighted game files raise separate legal questions in the United States. Using an emulator does not automatically give you permission to copy or download a game. Use only files you are authorized to use, and do not assume that owning a physical copy makes every download lawful. Rules can depend on how a file was made and obtained.
Can a 3DS display DS games in 3D?
No, DS and Nintendo DSiWare software displays in 2D on a 3DS. The handheld can play most DS games, but those titles do not use the system’s 3D display. A native 3DS game is the right choice if you specifically want a game made for that system. The two kinds of software remain distinct even on the same device.
