The Most Underrated Nintendo DS Games Of All Time

Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective is an uncanny roller-coaster ride of a game, where the player, as ghost Sissel, has to uncover the mystery behind his own death by manipulating objects in the environment. The gameplay is chock-full of complex puzzles and time-limited tasks that require strategic thinking and inventive problem-solving. A runaway hit, this game's haunting narrative and mind-bending puzzles have left a lasting impact on adventure game enthusiasts.

Hotel Dusk: Room 215 combines classic film noir with interactive gameplay, as the player, a hard-boiled detective, navigates through a shady motel, solving puzzles and investigating mysterious happenings. The game heavily relies on stylus-based interactions, which contributes to an immersive gameplay experience. This unique story-driven mystery has carved a niche within the thriving genre of narrative adventure games.

999: Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors enthralls with a thrilling narrative about nine persons trying to escape a locked ship within nine hours. With suspenseful puzzles and a story that continually morphs based on player decisions, the game's nonlinear gameplay fuels player involvement. Its innovative blend of puzzle-solving and interactive storytelling has set a high bar in the visual novel genre.

The World Ends With You dollops an offbeat, urban fantasy narrative set in a stylized depiction of Tokyo’s Shibuya shopping district. The player interacts with the world using a unique touchscreen combat system using a variety of pins. This game with its rich character development and immersive gameplay has been a trendsetter in modern JRPGs.

Fossil Fighters lets you live out your palaeontologist dreams, tasking you with digging up fossils, reviving dinosaurs from them, and battling these beasts with your opponents. Its strategic turn-based combat system and monster-collecting mechanic have led to comparisons with Pokémon. Due to its appealing fusion of education with fun, this game has made a significant dent in the sphere of edutainment.

Rhythm Heaven delights with simple but addicting minigames requiring precise button presses in sync with various musical beats. The gameplay shines in its ability to squeeze complexity out of simplicity, making each task an entertaining challenge. This game is remembered fondly for injecting a dose of exhilarating rhythm into the world of handheld gaming.

Elite Beat Agents invites you on a quirky journey where you control music-induced secret agents to help people in need. The fast-paced rhythm-based gameplay, paired with goofy and unpredictable narratives, creates an entertaining salad of fun. The game's unconventional approach to narrative and gameplay left a lasting imprint on the rhythm game genre.

Trauma Center: Under the Knife 2 pits you as a surgeon, throwing a plethora of intricate surgical procedures in front of you. With precise stylus controls mirroring surgical instruments, the gameplay oozes tension and urgency. This empowering simulation left a deep scar in the line-up of profession-centric DS games.

Touch Detective is a quirky, mystery-solving gem where you, as Detective Mackenzie, solve cases in a haunted mansion. The stylus-driven point-and-click gameplay is infused with offbeat humor and a unique art style. It was the game's innovative use of touch controls for storytelling that helped it leave a mark on players.

Unearth a post-apocalyptic world in Advance Wars: Days of Ruin, a tactical role-playing game that unfolds through epic battles, engaging storylines and multifaceted characters. Develop strategic gameplay as you control an army combating the devastating effects of a meteor strike. The breathtaking narrative and innovative gameplay mechanics made the game wildly popular among strategy aficionados, thereby cementing its status in RPG history.

Rune Factory: A Fantasy Harvest Moon invites you to a tranquil life in a fantasy town where you explore and farm. The gameplay mixes action-adventure, RPG systems, and life-simulation mechanics into a pastoral symphony of a gaming experience. This serenely engrossing game created a genre unto itself, fusing RPG elements with farm-life simulation.

Survival is the name of the game with Lost in Blue, where you guide two shipwrecked characters through a deserted island with scarce resources and variable weather. The gameplay comprises hunting, cooking, and building shelter, inherently reliant on teamwork and resourcefulness. The game's nerve-racking survival dynamics and compelling plot have left a lasting impression on survival game devotees.

Dragon Quest Monster: Joker subjects you to a mythical journey where you tame, breed, and battle an assortment of monsters. The mix of strategic, turn-based combat, and monster-collection mechanic captivates endlessly. This game's successful fusion of RPG and monster-raising elements has had influential ripple effects within the genre.

Embark on an epic adventure into the depths of a treacherous labyrinth in Etrian Odyssey, drawing maps, fighting off monsters, and solving intense puzzles. The gameplay requires careful exploration, strategy, and teamwork to successfully navigate through the challenging terrains. Etrian Odyssey's unique cartography element and roguelike elements left a mark in the world of dungeon crawler RPGs.

Infinite Space sets you on an epic sci-fi journey across a massive, fully explorable universe. The gameplay attracts with its strategic spaceship battles and in-depth customization options. Its uncommon blend of strategy and sprawling space exploration game made it a trailblazer of its time.

Step into a world of logic puzzles within the narrative of Picross DS, where you decode mission map locations under time pressure, revealing hidden objects and advance in the game by solving each challenge. It's a gameplay experience that flexes your mental muscles while walking you through a unique puzzle-based journey. Picross DS enthralled players worldwide, helping popularize the Nonogram puzzle genre with its innovative spin.

Lunar Knights thrusts you into a post-apocalyptic world where you combat vampires using melee combat and elemental weapons. The creative use of the DS dual screens and the dynamic day/night cycle escalates the gameplay tension. This action RPG heralded new possibilities for the genre and became a reference point for future handheld titles.

Aliens Infestation throws you into the depths of a terrifying pursuit through Xenomorph-infested spaceships and colonies. Gameplay consists of retro-style run-n-gun action with strategic squad-based elements, drawing from both action and survival horror genres. Its captivating narrative coupled with its immersive, tension-filled gameplay gave it a firm footing in the world of action-adventure games.

Henry Hatsworth in the Puzzling Adventure mingles platforming and puzzle-solving antics in an eclectic blend. You're constatly juggling between platforming action on the top screen and match-3 style puzzles on the bottom screen, making it an engaging adventure. This zany hybrid showcased the untapped potential of the DS platform, leaving players aching for more similar innovative ventures.

Welcome to the over-the-top, the devastatingly hilarious narrative of Disgaea DS, where you play as a young demon prince navigating the hellish world of politics. It boasts strategic, grid-based gameplay that demands keen tactical decisions during its intense battles. Disgaea DS has become a cult classic, making waves with its sharp humor and innovative tactical RPG elements.

Witness a superhero's exploits from a fresh perspective in Viewtiful Joe: Double Trouble!, with gameplay that intricately bridges puzzle-solving, platforming, and beat-em-up scenarios. With a comic book-style narrative, the game turns the convention of superhero stories on its head, delivering a unique twist. Its innovative use of touchscreen controls and distinctive storyline helped carve out a solid niche in the action-adventure gaming landscape.

Jump guns blazing into Contra 4, a run-and-gun game that continues the saga of humanity's fight against alien invaders. The balls-to-the-wall gameplay offers challenging levels, filled to the brim with enemies and exciting power-ups. The game's thrilling storyline and heart-pounding, high-octane action has etched it into the annals of retro-style gaming.

In Metroid Prime Pinball, it's a roller coaster ride where Samus Aran transforms into a morph ball, blurring the lines between pinball and Metroidvania experience. Gameplay pivots on racking up points by beating enemies, collecting items, and interacting with traditional pinball bumpers and flippers. This unique fusion gameplay has cemented a lasting impact within the Metroid series and the pinball genre.

An ingenious blend of match-three puzzles and role-playing elements, Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords follows the story of a hero's journey through a war-torn fantasy realm. Gameplay involves winning gem-matching battles to vanquish foes, level up, and earn treasure. Its seamless blend of genres popularized the 'puzzle RPG' sub-genre and made Puzzle Quest a household name among gamers.

Dive into the infectiously frenzied world of Puyo Pop Fever, where you aim to obliterate your opponent's screen with an avalanche of Puyos in a frantic puzzle showdown. This game spices up the basic "match four" puzzle gameplay with a colorful design and competitive twists. Puyo Pop Fever's dynamic gameplay mechanics and competitive aspect shook up the puzzle genre, becoming a cult favorite in the process.

Bartender DS is a unique cocktail mixing game that thrusts you into the role of a stylish, virtual mixologist. With a gameplay focused on shaking, stirring and pouring different ingredients, it provides a delightful balance of fun and challenge. Its unique theme and aspects of drink mixing and customer satisfaction have made it a standout title on the Nintendo DS.

Ninjatown whips up a tale of feudal Japan's adorable yet deadly ninja warriors defending their village from evil demons. This tower defense-based gameplay demands strategic resource allocation, clever planning, and rapid decision-making to keep the demons at bay. It's charming, innovative, and challenging characteristics gave Ninjatown a well-crafted niche in the tower defense genre.

Cut a dash into the exhilarating world of high-speed racing in Speed Racer! Where the adrenaline-pumping gameplay centers on the rush of outracing opponents and mastering spectacular maneuvers. Its tale of the thrill of competing and a strong focus on maneuver-based gameplay left its tire marks on racing game terrain.

In Touch the Dead, players find themselves in the boots of an inmate fighting his way out of a zombie-infested prison. The game boasts a full-on survival horror experience with its intuitive touch interface, allowing players to become the action hero. Leaving quite an impact in the horror genre on handheld consoles, it brought a new level of intensity and engagement to gamers everywhere.

Venture into a serene, unique cosmos in Soul Bubbles, where you shepherd spirits encased in bubbles through creatively-challenging levels. The gameplay gently mixes arcade and puzzle elements, requiring deftness and ingenuity to master. Soul Bubbles' unique gameplay mechanics and ethereal art style set it apart, offering a relaxing experience that resonated with puzzle game lovers far and wide.

This addictive dungeon crawler, Dungeon Explorer: Warriors of Ancient Arts, immerses players in an expansive fantasy realm filled with monsters and treasure. With an innovative touch-based combat system, it offered a fresh and engaging RPG experience. The game left an indelible mark on handheld RPGs, setting the standard for their user interface and combat options.

Point Blank is lauded as the epitome of light gun shooting games where the player, acting as a law enforcement officer, battles against baddies and hits the bullseye in various stages. The game boasts a blend of skill-based shooting challenges with frenetic gameplay, spawning a genre of its own and it impacted the arcade gaming scene greatly when it was launched. Its 'quick draw' style and innovative screen style made it a fan favorite and pioneered several features that became standard in other shooting games.

Pac-Pix brought an innovative twist to the beloved Pac-Man franchise by allowing players to draw their own Pac-Man characters on the DS touch screen. The innovative mechanic, blended with the classic gameplay of eating pellets and avoiding ghosts, proved a slam dunk with fans. The reinvention of such a classic game with an inventive control scheme shook up the industry, redefining handheld gaming.

Magnetica is a puzzle game that brings an innovative twist to match-three mechanics, where players strategically launch marbles to create cluster of similar colours to progress. The engaging gameplay, featuring a rotating pointer and challenging physics-based puzzles, has become a favourite with players. Its unique approach to puzzle strategy has had a substantial impact on the genre, influencing many subsequent games.

Intellivision Lives! is a nostalgic compilation of over sixty vintage games from Mattel's Intellivision console. Highlighting the simple but addictive gameplay of the golden age of home consoles, it brought the charm of the 80’s and 90’s gaming back into the limelight. This game was a major factor in the rise of retro gaming culture, honoring classic games and maintaining their influence in the gaming world.

Nervous Brickdown is a kind of Breakout game with a twist, where the player uses the DS stylus to control a paddle and break bricks, each level introducing a new game style or artistic theme. This game gained popularity due to its unique integration of puzzle and action gaming, creatively using the touch screen mechanic of the DS to its full potential. With its hip retro vibes and ingenious level design, it has been a heavy hitter on the handheld console market.

The New York Times Crosswords on DS allows enthusiasts to enjoy the challenging puzzles from the renowned newspaper right on their handheld console. The game capitalizes on the DS touch screen for an intuitive and interactive puzzle-solving experience. Its simplicity and quality have stimulated the profits of educational games, attracting intellectual gamers who enjoy mental workouts.

TouchMaster is a collection of various mini-games that utilize the DS touchscreen to deliver simple yet addictive gameplay. With everything from card games to puzzles, TouchMaster provides a wealth of entertainment at your fingerprints. Its impact has been observed in the popularity of mixed-genre titles, potentially inspiring the rise of similar games.

This action-packed adventure game puts you in the boots of a courageous pirate, stalking the high seas in search of treasure and glory. Through intense naval battles and strategic ship management, players must outwit and outmaneuver rival pirates. Its innovation in nautical strategy and epic storytelling has caused quite a splash in the realm of handheld gaming.

Burnout Legends sets the track on fire by pushing players to the edge of their skills in high-speed, intense races where causing havoc is as important as crossing the finish line. The game balances challenging races and drop-dead gorgeous crashes perfectly, delivering an adrenaline-pumping experience. By making a bold statement in handheld racing genre, Burnout Legends has drifted its way to become a classic.

Blades of Thunder II is a high-octane combat flight simulator that puts you in the cockpit of heavily armed military choppers. Marrying frenzied dog fights with tactical mission strategies, the gameplay keeps players glued to their seat. It has soared above its competition in the flight simulation genre, leaving an impact with its intense aerial combat and unprecedented level of realism.