Nintendo DS Lite Game Suggestions...

[BrettCullum]

I broke down and got a Nintendo DS Lite for myself - sort of a Christmas present from Santa. I was wondering like the XboX thread if anybody had any suggestions for games. I got ANIMAL CROSSING: WILD WORLD, The Opera Internet Browser, and a personal coach cartridge for a project I am working on (they have a surprising amount of informational packages). I had the GBA, so I do have 30 or 40 of those carts lying around too. Thank goodness for backwards compatibility! Figured I should get one before that new one hits shelves.

Any "must buy" games for this one?

[J.M. Vargas]

The "Brain Age" games if you're upfor some mental games that are more for adult tastes than kiddie gaming fare (IQ tests, adding/subtracting, etc.);

"Yoshi Touch & Go" uses the stylus at it's fullest to create a new style of platforming in which you draw, point and/or guide Yoshi toward goals and/or away from danger. Hard as hell (constant outside-the-2D-box thinking required) and not for everybody but definitely not something that could be done on any other platform;

"New Super Mario Bros." is easily the best traditional 2D platform game on the system, using both screens to great effect and tailor-made with that 'Nintendo' magic;

"Mario Kart DS" sells itself and remains a Top 20 seller three years after it was released;

"Space Invaders Extreme" is old-school gameplay mixed with updated trippy visuals (or old-school visuals if you so desire);

"Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow" and "Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin" are traditional 2D action games that put the stylus to minimal but effective use if you're into this type of game;

"Age of Empires: Mythologies," "Advance Wars: Days of Ruin" and "Robocalypse" are easily the best three strategy games on the DS (if that sort of thing rocks your boat);

"Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword" looks better-than-average (3D polygons on the DS), uses both screens and retains some of the extreme difficulty of its PS3/XBox 360 cousins;

"Planet Puzzle League" used the old "Tetris Attack/Pokemon Puzzle League" model to create a hell of an addictive "Tetris"-like puzzle game, which is way better than "Tetris DS" (my opinion);

"Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam" (and to a lesser extent "American S8kater") looks/plays like the glory days of the franchise plus, along with "Mario Kart DS," "DJ" of the few games that takes full advantage of the DS' wireless online network connectivity to play with gamers around the world (without chatting or knowing their names or who they are though). And it's a third-part game on the DS that rocks, which is rare.

[BrettCullum]

Wow! Thanks!

I really would like to get the Castlevania games. And Space Invaders is always a gas. I had the suped up version for the GamCube.

[mkiker2089]

The new Castlevania is good also.

Get one or both Touchmaster games if you get them at a good price, as they are fun mini game collections.

I also recomend the Midnight Play pack, again if the price is good.

Crash of the Titians is pretty fun.

If you can find Resident Evil then I recommend it, it's a direct port of the first game.

Metroid Prime is a good FPS.

Call of Duty Modern Warfare is another good FPS if you like them.

You must get Proffesor Layton, it's a collection of riddles and puzzles set in a narrative. Imagine an interactive comic book with riddles to reward you with. A must have.

If you can find Point Blank get that also.

Dementium The Ward is a good cross between a rail shooter and a standard FPS, much funness.

Nanostray 2 to feed your overhead shooter jones.

Indiana Jones to feed your lego curiosity.

And Touch the Dead just to creep people out with.

[Steve T Power]

Final Fantasy 3 and 4 are amazing little carts. Classic RPG gameplay wrapped in a shiny new presentation.

Chrono Trigger on the other hand is virtually unchanged from it's SNES incarnation, but it's still a classic game that remains one of the best of any era.

[Udvarnoky]

Hot damn thanks for reminding me about the existence of the Chrono Trigger port!

[babbisha]

What is the difference between nintendo ds,dsi and ds light? I am interested in purchasing nintendo ds but i dont know what the difference is between the three. also is there more ds's that i should know about? also why do the colors range different everywhere?

[BrettCullum]

Nintendo DS - That's the original model Nintendo first came out with. It's a little bulkier than the other models, but does have the capability of playing Gameboy Advance cartridges. Any of these you find would be old and out of date. There shouldn't be any lying around on retail shelves. Probably only find this one used...

Nintendo DS Lite - The second generation of the DS, and it is more compact with a brighter screen than the predecessor. It also seemed more durable without the hinge issues the previous model had. Available in many colors, and Nintendo seems to do that routinely with all its products. Just find one you like and go for it! The DS can play Gameboy Advance cartridges, so it has a huge library from the word "go". I bought this one because I had about 40 games for the GBA. Did not want to lose the ability to play those.

Nintendo DSI - The latest and greatest version, this one has many added features. There's a digital camera, the ability to go online through a wireless connection... but it is no longer backwards compatible with the GBA games. So this one is for people who have no library of older games, and only want to delve in to the DS titles exclusively. That said, this one is the current powerhouse of the line and the easiest to find.

Really any DS model will suit your need to play a DS game, so you can't go wrong. Just depends on what bells and whistles you want as well as what you are going to use the system for.

I love my DS... portable games are more effective for me, because I am often on the road and not able to plug in to a TV. Great time killers that are easy to pack!

[TemporalWisdom]

Really any DS model will suit your need to play a DS game, so you can't go wrong. Just depends on what bells and whistles you want as well as what you are going to use the system for.

If you have a backlit GBA, that's perfect for playing GBA and GBC and GB games. I'd like one someday, because while my GBC plus a DS would let me play anything from any generation, the GBC isn't backlit so angling the LCD screen to catch the light just so gives me a headache.

[BrettCullum]

Funny because I do have a backlit GBA. But I only have one GB game, so I am really considering selling it off. The DS Lite is my model of choice currently. I like the bigger screen and it simply feels more substantial. The GBA felt a little silly in adult hands.

[TemporalWisdom]

Funny because I do have a backlit GBA. But I only have one GB game, so I am really considering selling it off. The DS Lite is my model of choice currently. I like the bigger screen and it simply feels more substantial. The GBA felt a little silly in adult hands.

Yeah. Plus an option is to get the Game Boy Player, if you have a Gamecube. I really don't travel much, so I'm rarely away from a TV except for school. That might be the best choice for me.

[BrettCullum]

I have the GameBoy Advance adapter for the GAMECUBE. I really loved that, and I wonder why the Wii has yet to exploit that angle for the DS or the back catalog of the GBA. Nintendo puts out some good product.

[mkiker2089]

I for one would not recommend a DSLite at this time. The DSi is the future, Nintendo just hasn't decided that future yet. You'll pay one about 30 dollars more but it's a sound one time only investment.

Granted with the sheer numbers of DSL's out now they can't abandon it, but they also can't let the i owners down either. It's going to be getting exclusives and updated games.

It also can use the Nintendo store without going through a Wii. Online functionality is something the DSL sorely lacked. The DSL can only play small demos on it's onboard memory which erases at power down. The DSi can purchase games and keep them.

[BrettCullum]

But Marshall... it's a wash right now....
You may get some online purchasing power with the DSi, but the DSL offers the back catalog capability. Plus check this... I have the Opera Browser for the DSL, so my Internet connectivity with the DSL is just fine thank you very much. Nintendo still sells it for the system through their site.
I think it all depends on what is important to you. Online game purchasing is not a killer app for me. Certainly no more than that e-Reader card attachment the GBA had which let you play DONKEY KONG by swiping six cards.
The DSi is definitely the future, no doubt about that. But if the DSL suits me fine... I see no reason to live in the future yet.

[mkiker2089]

I think it's a personality thing. I have to justify my gaming so future proofing it helps. I got the DSLite when it was newish because the backwards comp meant cheap GBA games and it had a future. Now I look at the DSi and wonder what's in store for it.

From day one I wished it had online functions like the PS3, Wii, PSP, and Xbox. I don't mean web functions because I have a netbook, but actual online games. Both playing online which it has but some sort of store front also. It feels like it's missing something. Especially for something that is so proud of it's casual / mini game heritage. Online functions and the DSi seem like they were made for each other. Downloading a cheap tetris rip off for example instead of waiting for a best of the mini games cart to be released.

It really just comes down to what do you want. As much as I'm into retro games I did get some of the GBA games including the old NES ports. I think Nintendo messed up big time when they took the GBA slot off. Not only did it kill the GBA games but also Guitar Hero (which is still huge), the Rumble Pack, the dial for Space Invaders, and that slide thing that never got to the US. It took the DSi from being a no brainer to a questionable upgrade.

[TemporalWisdom]

I've got to get a handheld console more recent than my GBC.

[rickyvogas]

Thanks for this wonderful addition. Really enjoyed your thread. Appreciate people taking the time to write quality work..