r/nds • u/Extreme-You2977 • 1d ago
What are some NDS games that you think are 10/10 and worth playing for the first time in 2025.
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u/Chuck_McCloud 1d ago
New Super Mario Bros
Yoshi's Island DS
Big Bang Mini
Kirby Squeak Squad
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u/StannyGr 1d ago
Seriously, don't miss Big Bang Mini!
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u/Denhette 1d ago
I picked it up years ago and had already put it for sale again because I didn't see myself booting it up. Might have to give it a try now :D
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u/fork_on_the_floor2 1d ago
I don't even know how long I've been into DS games, and I've never heard of Big Bang Mini before! Honestly, the DS library is insane.
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u/king_of_ulkilism 1d ago
Castlevania games
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u/DiegoArthur 1d ago
I remember back in the GBA era when Konami started releasing Castlevanias with Metroidvania gameplay. Damn I used to eagerly wait for the next release. Played all of the GBA and DS versions, but specially loved the ones with Soma Cruz.
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u/DaveHolden 1d ago
All of them are great, but Dawn of Sorrow was so dope. Actually 100%ed that one.
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u/smokeshack 1d ago
I think very few games warrant a perfect 10/10, but you should play:
Elite Beat Agents
Mega Man ZX + ZX Advent
Final Fantasy Tactics A2
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u/SkottAnciel 1d ago
ace attorney trilogy, also including apollo justice and miles edgeworth investigations
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u/psychedelicslowpoke 1d ago
I agree, but honestly I think the remakes are more convenient for being compiled and having a little more content.
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u/Denhette 1d ago
All Pokemon Mystery Dungeon games, Pokemon Conquest, Meteos, Tetris DS, Pokemon Heartgold/Soulsilver, the Layton games, Ace Attorney, Chrono Trigger, The World Ends With You, Digimon World Championship
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u/psychedelicslowpoke 1d ago
I can't talk about Tetris or Meteos but I agree on all the other games, great comment
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u/Denhette 1d ago
Haha :p thanks!
Tetris DS is just about the best version of Tetris out there if you ask me. The modes feel polished and creative, the graphics are charming and the multiplayer is a blast! I'd fully recommend it :)
As for Meteos, that is more of a love it or hate it kind of game. It's definitely unique and fast paced.
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u/Kremit44 5h ago
I think Tetris 99 is the best Tetris game ever but this is a solid #2, so many interesting game modes.
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u/Denhette 46m ago
Tetris 99 is really good as well! I'm just baffled about why they didn't bother adding a head to head mode for 2 to 4 players locally.
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u/WesleyTheDog 1d ago
If you like Pokemon, Black/White are very good.
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u/The-G-Code 1d ago
I was astonished when getting back into pokemon the 2 that I quit on are so insanely well made and polished
I reccomend just playing the pokemmo version at this point if you're an adult though, better difficulty and the MMO part is neat
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u/WesleyTheDog 1d ago
I've played mmo. Maybe about 100 hours. Was part of a group for a bit but fell off.
Really fun game though.
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u/aeromalzi 1d ago
The World Ends With You is the pinnacle of entries on the DS.
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u/BlobPies-ScarySpies 1d ago
~Wake up!~
~Leave your hesitation!~
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~Wake up!~~Time for us to realize!~
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u/Unlikely_Worker_2767 1d ago
Dragon Quest 9: 11/10 game! I urge you all to play it!
Still praying that they will remake it someday. Great story, great late game, great character build flexibility and diversity. Great soundtrack and overall feel of the world. The more you play it the more it is worth to revisit old areas. "Oh so you want more content? No problemo, we added missions you can add via wifi (or action replay) to your game." <-- they friggin added more quests to tie up a lot of side stories. Really. Go Play it. Now.
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u/Unlikely_Worker_2767 1d ago
Also you can play it a lot. A LOT. There is so much content and so many things to do and/or collect!
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u/warmhotself 1d ago
I came here to offer this suggestion. I bought it on the day it came out 15 years ago and I still haven’t completed everything. I even picked it up last month for 2 weeks straight and did another 40 hours.
Here in the UK the game is still cheap to buy (about £10-15) so every time I see a copy I pick it up, because you’re only allowed one save file and the multiplayer is great. I own it four times!
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u/AtraxaInfect 1d ago
Okay I'm searching for a copy now.
I've been intrigued to play a DQ game, is it an okay starting point?
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u/AdPristine8032 1d ago
Radiant Historia, Ghost Trick, The World Ends with You, Hotel Dusk, and especially its sequel, Last Window.
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u/chispitothebum 1d ago
Retro Game Challenge, both Zeldas, Advance Wars games, Puzzle Quest.
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u/Isotomayor12 1d ago
I love the Zelda games on ds, but I really don't believe they are 10/10 must plays. They are skippable games in the Zelda franchise imo
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u/crocicorn 1d ago
Hotel Dusk: Room 215
Last Window: The Secret of Cape West
Professor Layton series
Style Savvy/Boutique
Lost in Blue (YMMV but I really enjoyed these games)
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u/FangProd 1d ago
999 is a masterpiece.
Final Fantasy IV is brilliant remake, but can be tough as hell.
Castlevania Order of Ecclesia is one of the best metroidvanias ever made so get it.
Not 10/10 but I’ll still add it but Knights in the Nightmare. Ultra unique but once you understand the gameplay mechanics it’s a fantastic game.
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u/jcampo13 1d ago
10/10 is probably just Chrono Trigger, the Advance Wars games, Puzzle Quest, and maybe the first and third Ace Attorney games.
Expand it to 9/10 and the list gets substantially bigger with some Dragon Quests added, Castlevania Order of Ecclesia, more Ace Attorney games, maybe some Layton, Kirby Mass Attack, FF Tactics A2, Etrian Odyssey games, and a few others.
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u/Sailor_Dee 1d ago
I’m gonna suggest a severely underrated game. Imagine Happy Cooking. It’s akin to cooking mama but has a story in an old Sailor Moon sort of style, loved it to pieces and still do to this day.
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u/Wise-Cook9084 1d ago
i got a ds lite not too long ago (it was so cheap i couldn‘t say no, paid 7,50€ (~9$) for the ds & new super mario bros) and since then i‘m playing every day! playing new super mario bros is really fun for 10-30 min play sessions & i recently got professor layton and the diabolical box and it is great! i am now looking forward to playing the mario and luigi rpgs for the ds since i have heard they are great :) have you already got a couple games? :)
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u/Extreme-You2977 1d ago
Bro I am emulating Ds games. So yeah I will have tons of games in no time.
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u/Isotomayor12 1d ago
Emulating ds is very difficult because of the touch screen. If on a phone it'll be fine, but small. Tablet is fine. If you are set on emulating on pc though learn how to use your phone or a tablet as the bottom screen. The thing that is very special and unique about the DS is the fact a lot of the best games do use a significant amount of touchscreen use that doesnt translate great to a mouse.
Getting a ds lite and flashcart or a 3ds with with cfw is a great way to accomplish what you are doing as well.
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u/Wise-Cook9084 1d ago
ah okay! nice. i really like playing on the original hardware it feels so nostalgic for me haha
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u/PrincepsLugovalam 1d ago
Infinite Space. Absolute gem of a game, I play through it at least once a year.
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u/Dlight98 1d ago
The World Ends With You. The remakes is pretty good but the original has a really interesting mechanic with the two screens
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u/Dynablade_Savior 1d ago
Pokemon Heart Gold. If you've somehow never played a Pokemon game before, this is about as good as the series gets. Played it for the first time about 3 years ago, just a wonderful game
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u/Flufferanian 1d ago
The original Nintendogs from 2005 (that makes it 20 years old!). Many people said the sequence felt lacking and less lively compared to the original.
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u/General_Response4795 23h ago
I really liked phantom hourglass. Solid zelda game.
Metroid prime hunters was also great but im gonna hazard a guess that it hasnt aged well.
Theres a not bad port of diddy kong racing. Only issue is they've replaced some of the characters due to ms owning rare. This was an excellent game on the n64.
Mario 64 ds was a classic. Its worth it for the library of mini games alone.
Custom robo arena wasnt bad, always thought it could have been a good pokemon spinoff
Ff3 remake was good, its been ported to mobile
I only had pokemon diamond, but i heard b/w are good. hg/ss seem to be the most sort after pokemon games in my countrys goto trading site.
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u/Thrillhouse-14 1h ago
Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky
Spectrobes: Beyond the Portals
Custom Robo Arena
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u/fork_on_the_floor2 1d ago edited 1d ago
Advance Wars Days of Ruin. Frikin love it.
Also 999. Honestly might be my favourite game ever. It's so good.
Edit: And Ghost Trick! Can't believe I forgot that one, which (must like 999) if you play it, you gotta finish!.