5 Nintendo DS Games to Cure Your Nostalgia Fever

It has been more than 15 years since the release of the iconic handheld console Nintendo DS. For most of the people of my generation, this console was their first introduction to the colorful world of video games. From Mario to Kirby, to Zelda, to Pokémon: This console was everything that we could have ever asked for in our lives in the early 2000s. Thus, it is inevitable for us to get lost in the melancholic sense of nostalgia when talking about this console.

So, we have compiled five games that are guaranteed to help you reminisce about the good old times. Please note that this list excludes the Pokémon series because there are so many great and nostalgic games that we do not know where to begin.
 

1. Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story (2009)
Genres: Action RPG, Platformer

 

For many of us, Mario was the first proper video game character that we got to know about. Luigi, his friendly counterpart, came later. All the other characters like Bowser and Princess Peach became our friends as well, and we grew up with them. Directed by Hiroyuki Kubota, Bowser’s Inside Story quickly became a fan favorite in the Mario franchise. In this game, the players control three characters in total: One being the familiar duo Mario and Luigi, and the other being the famous villain Bowser. Bowser’s Inside Story makes great use of dual-screen technology by letting the players control the former on the bottom screen and the latter on the top screen. The players are supposed to help Mario and Luigi, who are stuck in Bowser’s body, to revive Fawful and save Princess Peach.

If you’ve never had a DS but this game seems familiar to you, it might be because of the 3DS remake of this masterpiece, titled Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey. The remake was released in 2018, and it also had fantastic reviews from players all over the world.

 

2. Chrono Trigger (1995)
Genres: Adventure, JRPG
 

 

Originally released for SNES, Chrono Trigger was ported to Nintendo DS in 2008. Made by three insanely talented artists, namely Hironobu Sakaguchi of Final Fantasy, Yuji Horii of Dragon Quest, and Akira Toriyama of Dragon Ball manga, Chrono Trigger is deemed “ahead of its time” by many reviewers. It was an instant hit among the players, in fact, it was the “second best-selling game of 1995 in Japan.” Chrono Trigger is still loved and respected by Nintendo fans from all over the world. But what is this game about? How is it so successful?

Chrono Trigger details the events that happen after the malfunction of a teleportation device called the Telepod. One of the main characters, Marle, decides to try the device but ends up creating a mysterious portal instead. One of the developers of the device, Lucca, rushes with his best friend Crono to save her. Together, they find themselves in an adventure like no other.

 

3. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney (2001)
Genres: Adventure, Visual Novel
 

 

Released in the fine year 2001, Ace Attorney was developed by Capcom. Though it was originally a Game Boy Advance title, it was also ported to Nintendo DS in 2005. The game was so popular that many spinoffs and sequels, as well as movie and anime adaptations, were released in time. In fact, the latest entry of the Ace Attorney series was last year in 2021 with the release of The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles.

In the Phoenix Wright trilogy, the players take up the role of a defense attorney called Phoenix Wright and defends his clients. The player is supposed to speak to the witnesses, overview the evidence, examine locations in order to find new clues, and cross-examine the witnesses in the courtroom to find conflicts within their testimonies.

The game was a success both in Japan and other countries, and it is deemed to be one of the most influential games ever made because of its impact on the popularization of the visual novel genre.

 

4. Kirby Super Star Ultra (2008)
Genres: Platformer, Adventure
 

 

Originally released in 1996 for the SNES, Kirby Super Star Ultra is a remaster of Kirby Super Star. The DS version came out as a celebration of the 15th anniversary of the Kirby franchise. Like many other games in the Kirby franchise, Kirby Super Star Ultra was an instant hit: In fact, this game remains the fourth best-selling game of the franchise.

Kirby Super Star Ultra has eleven different game modes, each of which has different storylines that progress mostly indifferent to each other. There are too many modes to name them all, but one of the most popular modes was entitled Revenge of the Meta Knight, which was a narrative-driven game where Kirby had to fight Meta Knight and escape the airship in time. Meta Knight quickly became a fan favorite.

Kirby Super Star Ultra was a critical success as many reviewers gave it a score of 80 or higher. It is thought to be one of the most influential Nintendo DS games to date.

 

5. Mario Kart DS (2005)
Genres: Kart Racing
 

 

Developed by Nintendo EAD Group No.1, Mario Kart DS was the bestselling video game on its release. Mario Kart DS was not the first kart racing game in the Mario franchise, in fact, it was the fifth installment, but it was the first one to be playable online. This allowed the game to be played with friends, and the online service was one of the main contributors to the success of the game.

Mario Kart DS was not much different from other kart racing games. There are 12 playable characters to choose from in this game, four of which are unlocked by making progress. Mario Kart DS was also one of the games that made great use of dual-screen technology as it helped the player to see the race from two different perspectives. There are different game modes like Grand Prix and Time Trial, and there is also a Mission Mode which is unique to the DS version, as no other game in the Mario Kart franchise has a mission mode.

Mario Kart DS might have ruined many friendships, but it also built many bridges. Still loved and reminisced by so many gamers, this game defined an era.

Of course, there are so many games that did not make it to this list because it would be far too long for any of us to pay attention to, but for many of us, these games defined our childhood. Nintendo DS games were the blueprint for many games that followed them, and as well as being commercially successful, many of them were critical successes. What are your favorite DS games?
 

Yagmur Sevinc (@yagmursevvinc)
Editor, NoobFeed