DS owners: your top 5 games?

[segages]

Been thinking of picking up a DS for a while but I have little idea about the games. I searched and found an old thread of AAA releases but I'm needing a more up-to-date opinion. Titles like Ouendan and Trauma Center sound like great fun and I'm partial to quirky games. Ignoring that though, what are your top 5?

Oh and has anyone played the 'Brain' games? Opinions? And finally, how much is a DS if you bought it over the counter in Japan? And finally (pt 2 ) anyone with a white DS have any problems keeping it clean? That's all

[Kaladron]

I haven't played every DS game yet but here's my top 5, in no particular order.

Ouendan - One of the best rhythm action games ever and one of only a handful of games to compel me to play through on HARD as soon as I finished NORMAL.

Another Code - The most original graphic adventure in a long, long time. If only for that puzzle.

Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow - Proof that a good DS game doesn't have to really make use of the machine's features, it just has to be good. Another classic Castlevania game.

Zoo Keeper - Forget Meteos, this is the best puzzle game on DS. It's fast, frenetic and addictive. The twoplayer wifi mode is brill.

Feel the Magic - Great minigames, beautiful graphics, ****ing awesome sound and a touching (no pun intended) central romance.

[Dogg Thang]

Never played the brain games, or have a white DS so I can't help you out with those but top five DS games? Well I don't know about Trauma Center. It's good and is one that uses the touch screen really well if that's important to you. Something didn't sit right with me with the way speed seemed far more important than precision - that's probably just because the idea of a surgery game appealed to me so much and this just isn't the game I was looking for. But it's certainly fun in short doses.

After that, well, it may be a remake and all that but you'll never go wrong with Mario 64. Never.

Then there's Castlevania - totally dependant on you liking Metroid-style CV games. If you do, you'll most likely love this one. It's excellent.

Probably Advance Wars too but, after playing through the first and the second GBA versions I just had trouble getting into the DS version for no other reason than I felt I had played it all before. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this game though. If you've OD'd on the first two I'd wait a while though.

I also love Nintendogs but it's very much a virtual pet thing over a game so you'd need to be prepared for that.

And, for my surprise last nomination - The Urbz. Yeah, you heard me. It's just a lazy GBA port with a couple of extra bits but it's bizarrely fun to play. If you're willing to give it a go and get past the GBA thing, it's excellent.

[babs]

Ouendan
Meteos
Nintendogs
Kirby's Canvas Curse
Another Code (if woefully short)

Castlevania really needs a mention too.

[the_dude]

The DS is the most overrated console ever IMO, it's more of a gimmick than anything else! I recently sold mine on. As for AAA games most are only available on import (Ouendan, Jump Superstars, etc) because right now in the UK there's only 2 titles worth getting for the system. But this is my opinion.

Yesasia are selling the White DS for ?95 delivered. And you won't get charged by customs.

http://us.yesasia.com/en/PrdDept.aspx/pid-1003971726/code-j/section-games/

[butchcvc]

Ouendan
Nanostray
Band Bros


i didnt like and sold...

mario 64, wario ware, feel the magic and electroplankton (yes i hated it!)

[Kotatsu Neko]

Ouendan

Nanostray

Trauma Center

Goemon

Castlevania

---

Ouendan is a good way ahead of the rest.

DS is fast on it's way to becoming my fav console of all time if it continues like this, perhaps rivaling even the mighty Dreamcast. Stuff like Animal Crossing, Mario & Luigi 2, MarioKart Online, Final Fantasy III, Children of Mana, Sonic Rush, New Super Mario Bros, Zelda Four Swords, and Viewtiful Joe are going to be great I'm sure!

[Geoff D]

In no real order -

Ouendan would be near the top (if we were counting) - it's insane & makes me giggle out loud; the tunes are top notch & it's totally compelling. Great stuff.

Super Princess Peach is a treat; classic 2D platforming, tight control, colourful, vibrant & most importantly, fun.

Another Code is short but sweet; great puzzles & nice all round atmosphere. Shame the last chapter is disappointing.

Phoenix Wright:Ace Attorney - I defy you not to enjoy this.

Castlevania Dawn Of Sorrow - because you can never have enough 2D Castlevania.

[krispyk]

I'll second that vote for Phoenix Wright. I bought on the recommendation of others on this forum and love every second.

I would have to recommend as well...

Castlevania - Outstanding.........

Advance Wars DS - Compelling

Nanostray - Simple

Nintendogs - Typical Nintendo Innovation

[Dogg Thang]

Nintendo innovation? I like it but it needs to be said that it's just a virtual pet. It's a nice one, but it's hardly innovation.

[mt50]

I've only had my DS for a couple of weeks, but so far out of the games i've played pac n roll is the best game so far, you can pick it up for ?15 from movietyme. it's by far my most played game very simple gameplay so it's perfect for a quick 10-15min game(which imo is what suits the DS the best)
there is so much to unlock it will have you playing for ages.

also i really like yoshi it was slow to start with but once you get the hang of it it's great.

ridge racer isn't bad either if you can get it for under ?10 it's well worth it.

don't really like project rub but it's only a fiver in virgin so it's worth a shot

[Balou]

I just bought the Nintendo DS a few weeks ago and only have three games at the moment, so I can only comment on those. I?ll just list what I think about these games and which ones I consider for future purchases:

Castlevania - Dawn of Sorrow:
Great 2D action game. The action is simple but very captivating - you can play on and on and on ...
At first I was not interested, but eventually I gave it a try and it?s excellent. You really can?t go wrong with this one.

Phoenix Wright - Ace Attorney:
Fabulous adventure game: Very good atmosphere, interesting characters, funny dialogs, relaxed and fresh gameplay, not too short ...
It?s a very good game if you just want to lay back and be entertainent - a bit like reading a good book.

Zoo Keeper:
You can play this as sort of a demo on the internet. All you do is align different icons (as far as I know), so that three of the same kind form a row and disappear.
It may not look like much from any of the screenshots, but once you played the demo it will grow on you. It seems like an excellent puzzle game. Can be played with the stylus.
I will definitely get this once I find a cheap copy.

Kirby - Power Paintbrush:
I just bought this on eBay but still waiting for it to arrive. The basic idea is to draw lines to steer Kirby through different levels. I already liked the concept of indirectly controlling the main character through the use of the stylus in Yoshi Touch & Go, however Kirby seems to be a better game overall. Basically, I think the touchscreen is a marvolous feature and this game seems to utilise it very well.

Nanostray:
Said to be an above-avarage shooter. I really like the internet-ranking feature, which was also already present in Iridion II for the GBA and really extended the scope of the game. The game will launch in Europe on November 11th. I intend to get this one as well sometime soon.

Other games that I can?t comment on but look and sound very interesting:
- Mario Kart DS (wireless online play!)
- Trauma Center (heavy use of the touchscreen, operating on patients with the stylus)
- Ossu! Tatakae! Ouendan! (it?s a rhythm game, sounds very interesting but only released as Japanese version)
- Metroid Prime Pinball (Pinball on two screens)
- Another Code (adventure game, said to be quite short)
- lots of GBA games


In general, I?m very happy with the purchase of the Nintendo DS. I just like the little handheld and it?s fresh take on old genres - even if it is just drawing sort of pentacles in Castlevania. I really appreciate the touchscreen - more than the dual screen - for its ease of use and new gameplay options.
I know now that I like those quirky and innovative games more than all the Snakes, Burnouts, GTAs and Master Chiefs combined. I?m not interested in the new Xbox or PS3, but I want to align animal icons in Zoo Keeper!!

[dogsout]

My DS is my fav console by far.

Ouendan
Advance Wars
Kirby
WarioWare
Jump Super Stars

Honourable mention to Zookeeper. To think I've got preorders down on Megaman battle network 5 DT, MarioKart, Animal Crossing, Viewtiful Joe and more.

[msm13579]

band brothers
ouendan
kirby
meteos
grrr, can't choose between Phoenix Wright and yoshi for the last place

[themanwithapc]

My favourite top 4 are:

Ouenden
Advance Wars DS
Kirby
Trauma Center

All these are must plays IMO. The DS has become my favourite and most used console of 2005. It's criminal to not have one.

I haven't played Phoenix Wright yet despite having the LE for about 2 weeks now. By impressions I'm getting, I guess that'll complete my top 5 of absolute AAA titles. I've got some other cracking titles which would be considered great games IMO (Nintendogs, Meteos, Jump! Superstars, Daigasso! etc.) but the ones mentioned above are just a class above practically everything else that has come out in 2005.