So here we are, mere weeks away from the 5 year anniversary of the DS. And it has been quite a legacy, with multi-million sellers and proven innovations. Few can say that the DS isn't one of the strongest gaming devices ever created. But what games exactly made it great? We could look at its sales or its reviews, but a better measure might be the actual public opinion, yours.
So what is your top 5 favorite DS titles here 5 years into its life cycle? What games do you think proved the systems strengths and provided you with that addiction level that had you coming back for more? And hopefully, you would recommend to others.
Here's mine:
1. Kirby's Canvas Curse - Early into the life of the DS, it was looking for a few good titles to really stand out and show what the DS could do. And this was definitely it. Sporting great graphics and more importantly, unique stylus controls that no other game had seen before, this game took the Kirby series in a dramatic new direction, and it worked beautifully. To this day, you will be hard pressed to find a game that delves directly into the innovative stylus and Double Screen configuration of the DS better than this game. And it is still one of the best DS, and Kirby games, around.
2. Dragon Quest V DS - Overlooked outside of Japan due to a lack of marketing, this remake of a classic SNES RPG still remains one of the best RPGs out there. And this DS remake does nothing but improve on the original, with additional content, updated graphics and improved gameplay. In all ways, this is a model of how a DS RPG should be made.
3. New Super Mario Bros - How better to reinvigorate the Mario Franchise on handhelds then to get back to basics. As long as its done correctly that is. And New Super Mario Bros pretty much hit it spot on. Sporting a feel much like the original Super Mario Bros, but sporting a plethera of new worlds, two new power ups and a host of familiar enemies, this new Mario title had just the right touches to please everyone. And the most important feature, it was fun.
4. Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan! - One part JPOP, one part Rythym Music game, one part crazyness, Ouendan is a game that couldn't have been made without the DS. And it is an experience that everyone with the system should share at least once. Who ever thought tapping and dragging a stylus to a beat could be so addicting...or so hard?
5. WarioWare Touched! - The WarioWare series has seen a long and healthy life. Sometimes under the shadow of other titles while other times as a bold marketing strategy to push the new features of a launching console. The latter was the basis behind WarioWare Touched! on the DS. And while it didn't sell extrodinarily well, it did show off much of the early capabilities of the DS. But even more importantly, it rekindled the fast paced Mini-games action of the first WarioWare title and is one of the best games on the DS, even for coming out so early.