Next year marks the 20th anniversary of the Nintendo DS, which launched in Japan and the US in 2004. When Nintendo first unveiled the DS at E3 04, then Nintendo of America Senior VP Reggie Fils Amie marketed the new handheld's name as not only standing for "Dual Screen", but also "Developer's System".

"Developer's System" sounded like an vague term at the time, but as the DS began to roll out, it was clear what Nintendo was aiming for with this new console. Going into the HD era with the next generation, development costs for games was about to increase dramatically, and would initially be an affair only affordable by the largest of studios. This was obvious when looking at the early days of the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 where mid-sized and smaller teams struggled to create compelling experiences with High-Definition visuals, causing many developers to fold or shut down.

Nintendo pitched the Nintendo DS (and later the Wii) in 2004 and 2005 to developers as an alternative to traditional console development. A low-risk, low-cost platform who while lacking the sheer graphical power of other devices, made up for it with it's flexible, easy-to-develop-for architecture, and innovative control inputs. Allowing game developers to create AAA quality experiences, at only the fraction of the costs on HD home consoles, which was a blessing to the more mid-ranged and independent studios, who were stuck either trying to compete with the big boys in AAA development, or release comparatively simplistic games through Xbox Live Arcade.

Throughout the DS's years, it was quietly home to some of the best, innovative, and most ambitious games of its generation. Being the home for classic side-scrolling games, unique touch-screen focused titles, and suprisingly decent adaptations of home console franchises. Even as its lifecycle drew to a close, developers still kept pumping out gems for the system that leveraged its unique hardware.

At over 152 million units sold and a software library of more than 2,000+ titles, it's safe to say the gamble paid off. I feel like the Nintendo Switch is probably the closest successor to the DS in this regard, being a relatively underpowered, but exteremely versitile system with a variety of unique inputs allowing for innovative playstyles.

Definitely not

It's a system that rely on dual screen and touch controls. It's too far away of the industry standards. Not even Nintendo can port all its games without some compromises

The thing I like the most about Switch (and by product that make me hate systems like Wii) is because on Switch Nintendo finally understood (and more important: respected) the importance of following the standard control scheme (i.e. Sony's Dualshock) and screen placement. They managed that without sacrificing other features like gyroscope and accelerometer, and making the joycons fully detachable. brilliant design

Yes. Money isn't everything, but the sheer revenue and profits of the DS motivated developers and publishers. We got some small-scale versions of COD on there for crying out loud.
It was the first Nintendo handheld to allow for true 3D environments, but that still was far from universal on DS. The DS is around a PS1 in power (roughly) with more RAM than an N64 (no expansion pack) but lower resolution and worse graphical effects at times.
DS had so many features int its tool kit despite getting destroyed by the PSP in the specs department and far far below home consoles.
DS is also the first Nintendo platform (handheld or otherwise) with built-in online support. It's very primitive online, but it's there.

The fact that the 7th gen was a transitional period for many studios made the DS a very appealing system, as it was very cheap to develop for in contrast to the growing costs of the PS360 or the difficult to implement motion controls of the Wii. Just look at the massive amount of small RPGs the DS got.

You have to remember the era the DS came out in though. It was released at a time when consoles with custom, bespoke hardware were very common and cross-platform development wasn't as standardized as it is now.

Plus, the DS basically had a full controller layout anyway, so developers weren't forced to use touch controls if they didn't want to.

The Switch is basically the developer's system for the modern age. It has the standard console controller inputs, and full support for modern game development tools.

Yeah, pretty much the only obvious omission from DS was some kind of analog nub like the PSP and 3DS have. There is only one set of shoulder buttons, but that's not really an issue on DS. 

Another good thing about DS is that there was no mandate to use touch controls (like how the Wii didn't mandate motion controls). As a result, plenty of DS games have the touch screen as a map with minimal to no touch interactivity. 

Yes, it's great to see Nintendo following the standard that Sony has established with Dualshock, this makes backwards compatibility and preserving the original experience much easier.
I mean, Nintendo tries to innovate, but that creates problems with emulating outdated "gimmicks" like the DS's secondary screen. Reproducing the experience can be a problem and end up harming gameplay and other key aspects of the game.
Dual Shock standard, that is inspired on SNES controller created by Nintendo, defines all modern controllers, and this makes it perfect for preserving the gaming experience. This can be seen when a game you played on the PS1 is playable almost 30 years later without any loss in experience on very similar controller configuration. The foundation established by the NES, SNES and Dualshock is almost timeless. it creates a standard that preserves the experience in an impressive way, second only to the mouse and keyboard.

Just reminds me how little Reggie actually did.

I think the options of touch screen or not was good (N64 like graphics but different enough). The games were creative and varied or as shovelware as can expect. The IPs were varied, genres went interesting directions, the limitations were interesting to see what could be done, whether videos, whether comic panels, whether mixing the stylus/buttons, the lid close and open and more.

Bite sized DSiware/PSP Minis always confused me, they were fine but never experienced them. Most I did on Wii U or Vita digitally or a PSP Minis Volume 1 collection physically.

I mean just picking up ebooks (getting the Flips series apps for example just like 100 Classic Books, Personal Trainer series and more people bring up) on it is weird but cool just like UMD Movies. My DS library and PSP libraries are small but building up over time to around 20+ games then the I think 10 or so before, some first party, some third party noteable to now just random games I find and glad to own (said for other consoles with bigger libraries I have just oddities).

Still getting the Opera Web Browser and going to the unique websites with Wii suitable design in mind is cool (never experienced but still cool). No idea if DS had that through it's web browser or DSi browser. DSi + Internet video hmm. Also the Wifi connection for games like PS2/Xbox many people's first online experiences. I never used it only Spirit Tracks local multiplayer I think and that's it for download play, or the Brain Age demos (I never understood the WipEout Pulse Game Share feature, let alone what ad hoc meant till years later).

Going to the settings and it saving, the colours/menu/clock/pictochat, some personalisation but not a lot to give personal touch but still something.

The hardware was what it was but it was also a 'do whatever' system. Seeing what GBA/DS 3D differences were like. Interesting sprite art. I do think some PSP versions got eh because of the DS but that's on the devs cutting corners really.

The lack of some sticks/buttons is fine the GBA was SNES 16bit then 32bit mostly for what games were being offered wasn't that bad even though it had A & B, d-pad and L & R with no X & Y (which DS had but N64 didn't have which always confused me I get simplifying or space on the N64 controller due to the C buttons or the 2 d-pads on Virtual Boy was kept but still, also Wii d-pad for cameras is as slow or worse than N64 I think or at least how some games use it it can seem that way besides the very few N64 games played on an actual N64 controller FINALLY then just Wii U virtual console or emu to guess how it feels besides the way the games act).

Dual screens or single, GBA BC was nice to have, peripherals were used with the GBA slot then the SD on DSi (no SD/IO like PDAs/Pocket PCs so hmm there), you got motion, RAM, rumble and more the GBA had but on DS.

Watching a video on the game Th3 Path made me go oh 3 views of characters for stealth and so on huh that's cool, it's not a great game but it tried (also I guess Night Trap and it's many camera views modern or original version to jump between footage/modern having previews or continuous footage going).

It's possible to do multiple window/multi-screen on a single (depending what it's going for) or just the GBA/GameCube, Dreamcast VMU and TV, Wii U.

Or Windows 8/Xbox One approach of windows/apps in their own environment or so. Having more organic (if the Wii U didn't go yep GBA manual pauses the game than actually working while viewing both still) because dual screen phones can offer so much more these days just as much as Windows 8/8.1, Xbox One having background apps of just playing music while playing the game regardless of being in a paused state the app itself likely or for games it mostly is then the apps as the games require more going on and aren't doing anything in the background compared to apps (Quick Resume on Series X) or Vita Remote Play (Xbox One/Steam Link wifi as well then local of Wii U).

You can tell I've thought about what the Wii U dynamic use cases could do next if it wasn't for Nintendo's ideas/layout of the OS or just the power of the console itself as well (besides the Switch and Wii U syncing, console base, or cast to the TV without a console aka what my Phones can do with a third party app then only the phone apps with the 'cast' icon like chromecast just casting my phone to use phone only apps not TV/phone matching apps with the icon, aka allowing more to work with and no need for a dock or cable at all like Switch, PSP 2000/3000 Composite/Component cables or Sega Nomad as Genesis on the go, Pocket PCs/PDAs with docks, Turbo Express Turbo Grapx on the go and so on, to just the Sony P Android Phablet, the LG Wing because why not, or the Xperia Play/Ngage as gaming phones of the time).

Games can be reworked/ported whether Wondeful101 style of the on and off second screen (reworking the inside the building part but still gyro camera which is why I questioned if it would go to Xbox One or be reworked to the right stick as they wanted to use as much of the controllers as possible even with the Switch/PS4 port, I don't own the Wii U version of the game) or it being vertical or tate mode on Switch if they wanted to then just oh it's single screen and cut the 2 gameplay view screens or 1 gameplay view the other menu like many did which of course isn't hard to consider. I mean the 2 videos playing on DS/3DS games still surprises me it's really cool. I was reminded by it with Mario Tennis Open (last 3DS game in my local EB Games so thought why not pick it up).

The DS regardless of the pre-iPhone smartphone popularisation and apps then the older smartphone/PDA/Pocket PC era the DS started in and the OG DS looking like a PDA/tool then a games console at times.

Connecting the DS to the Wii was cool like Big Beach Sports I think to design something (like but probably not the same as Mario Kart DS's designs on the kart but of course not sent to the Wii), never experienced but seeing some games do it was cool (or the Nintendo Channel having demos), just knowing Outrun 2006 PSP/PS2 versions had cross save before Sony really pushed cross save/crossbuy/crossplay on PlayStation systems (and before all platform crossplay was a thing) is just cool to me. Or just PSP/PS3 connectivity for Resistance 2 & Retribution to 'infect' your game. Just small things like that are cool when we get the chance. Some were good some were eh, GT PSP/GT5 was something...... for car model sending than the memory cards of the past to trade. That or the PSP ports differing.

I don't know how I feel about PS2/PSP/Wii versions being unique, I miss them but sometimes I don't and other times some were bad but some are good (Wii motion controls so a Prince of Persia Forgotten Sands case or PSP being it's own thing for Army of Two compared to the PS3/360/PC version or just) or just the lower end hardware consistent of those 3 from the PS3/360/PC major versions. I like unique versions sometimes then the typical low end ports but it depends on the game and what effort they put in or if they were willing enough.

Split Second on PSP is great to have emu or just in general of a PS3 version I assume downscaled port (makes it easier to play then going hmm how do I experience this other version then the unique ones) while others who knows. Or odd ones like the Spiderman Web of Shadows sidescroller and going hmm for PSP/DS sure but PS2 hmm. I mean power is what it is but game design/what people expect from handheld or console or porting regardless it varies.

Getting GameCube controller support when don't have a Classic Controller (even though some only offer Classic Controller likely for the additional button (not the special buttons on it) but oh well. Switch doesn't have that, which is fair and also due to the time it is of budget/parity and other reasons but still old consoles having unique versions or low end versions to be unique than just graphic downgraded was interesting in good and bad ways.

DS/PSP being similar or completely different or GBA versions but better graphics.

It's a good system with many interesting use cases, interesting games. The Wii with it's optional or required (minimal use of buttons too and of course VR nowadays having good and bad Wii like over compensating controls besides the GBA/Power Glove eras of motion controls mercury/tilt switches and different nowadays for accelerometer, gyroscope and such).

Absolutely!

The DS brought out more creativity from devs for any Nintendo console since the NES. And a greater volume of development support than any previous Nintendo console thanks to lower dev costs and the first or second highest consumer base in the history of the industry at the peak of the industry (around the PS2 and Wii).

The DS was the first time in over a decade where I couldn’t count the number of game released this month on my fingers for a Nintendo platform - usually of one hand in the case of N64 and Gamecube. Less expensive development prices and a high consumer userbase are what made the Wii and DS the most popular destination for developers on a Nintendo console to that time, even surpassing the NES; and this coming after two consecutive generations of decline both in consumer and developer interest. We went from a generation where nearly every game of the previous generation of Nintendo were derivative titles and ports with very little new or interesting from developers compared to even the Wii U/3DS generations. By comparison, the DS release was a garden of original experiences that I hadn’t felt since at least the PSX era - but this time it was Nintendo, not Sony as the home of the most creative titles.

As well, I think if Sony had launched their first handheld without the DS, the developers might have gone there instead in as big a way as the home console industry. But DS not only brought them to Nintendo, but with more creativity and variety than any Nintendo platform since the NES.

Short answer: The Nintendo DS gave developers something new to be creative on. And it was the seed that kicked off the mobile industry’s touchscreen games which is now a whole new industry that is thriving and filled with competition - and despite there being a lot of exploitative chore games, there are also multitude of creative games as well - and I feel its surpassed Steam in that regard, largely thanks to the handheld nature of mobile devices and the touch screens - this all started on DS.