Favourite "lesser known" DS games?

[poppycock]

The Nintendo DS is known for it's RPG's (which is a genre I am not a fan of) and it's quiz/puzzle based games.. It is well documented that Mario Kart DS is a fantastic game and maybe the best in the series.. Grand Theft Auto: China Town Wars, Mario 64 DS, New Super Mario Bros, endless Pokemon, Zelda and Dragon Quest games also all getting deserved praise but what are some of your favourite DS games (perhaps lesser known or less praised than the usual top 10)..

I am a big fan of horror films and horror based video games but never expected to find much on the DS in the way of good adult targeted horror.. I was wrong.

Not only did I find two great survival horror games but I may have found my favourite hand held horror games of all time. I am talking about Dementium and Dementium 2.

I first came across the games by catching a glimpse of the artwork on the box of Dementium 2.. then after reading reviews I decided to give the first game a go. I was not disapointed, i think it is brilliant and right up the top of my favourite DS games list. It has a great story (nothing original but if it is not broke etc..) Decent graphics for the DS, amazing control system that just flows and an atmosphere that generally conjures up fear and intensity at times. Basically it is a fantastic little game that if you are into that sort of thing you will surely love. The only downside in my opinion is the save system (by which I mean the lack of checkpoints and the tiresome restarting of levels if you happen to die.) This does not take too much away from the game though and it is something that is fixed in the second game. Speaking of which Dementium 2 is just as good as the first and then some. Equally as scary, better save system, new features and when you kill an enemy they do not come back after you leave and re-enter the room.

Another game called Moon from the same people who made these games is out and looks pretty decent but I heard it's more action less horror (anybody played it?)

 

[The Doctor]

Another Code: Two Memories, known in the US as Trace Memory
Brilliant and relaxing point-and-click game with an engaging story and beautiful music. I've played through it multiple times and often revisit it just to look at the scenery or bathe in its atmosphere. Absolutely great game that not many know about.

Hotel Dusk: Room 215
By the same people who did Another Code. Excellent art style, diverse cast of characters, and plenty of interesting puzzles and scenarios. It's also home to one of the most shocking twists I've witnessed in a game. Can't recommend it enough.

The Ace Attorney series
Every game is interesting, hilarious, fun, and full of twists and turns galore. Tons of unique characters, and every case will have you wracking your brain to find the real culprit. I love the series to bits, and each game brings in something new to the gameplay and story, so the series never gets old.

The World Ends With You
Awesome JRPG. The art and music style gives the game a very hip and stylish atmosphere, and the story is something brilliant that I would LOVE to see adapted into a movie. The dialogue is spot on as well, and the battle system is something I've never seen before, that feels complex at first but really becomes second nature as the game goes on. So much to think about and discover as you get further into the game, and there's tons of replay value.

Avalon Code
RPG with an interesting mechanic of being able to basically rewrite reality by switching around elements and "codes". You can make monsters you're facing weaker by taking away their special stats, or you can make your weapon stronger by infusing it with a Stone code, and much more. I haven't really gotten very far in the game so I can't tell you whether the story's any good, but the mechanics are interesting and the graphics are very pretty.

 

[poppycock]

I agree I loved Hotel Dusk:Room 215. It is a game that is quite slow paced though so some people may not be into that but like you said I definitely recommend it. I have not played any of the others but have heard good things about The World Ends With You.

Resident Evil Deadly Silence is another great DS Horror game and my favourite Resident Evil remake.. Rebirth mode is awesome.

 

[Skairipa Matrix]

i have a few actullay idk if they count but i still have my nitendo ds i play it quite a bit latley and i usually play mario kart ds or donkey kong 3 on 3 basketball its pretty entertaining and i like mario games on ds there pretty fun...i had smackdown vs raw 2008 for my ds but i couldnt get into it ever it was too much work to do a move and it was too slow for my liking

 

[poppycock]

i have a few actullay idk if they count but i still have my nitendo ds i play it quite a bit latley and i usually play mario kart ds or donkey kong 3 on 3 basketball its pretty entertaining and i like mario games on ds there pretty fun...i had smackdown vs raw 2008 for my ds but i couldnt get into it ever it was too much work to do a move and it was too slow for my liking

Mario Kart DS is awesome and I think Mario 64 DS is a pretty good remake with some nice additions.. bought me right back to when I used to play it on the N64. I tried Smackdown Vs Raw 2008 on the DS but like you said I also could not get into it. have you played Smackdown Vs Raw 2010 on DS? It is a lot better and quite fun if you are out and about and want some quite limited but enjoyable WWE gameplay.

 

[The 1-2-3 Killam]

There is an Atlus game called "Knights in the Nightmare" for the DS, and it is one of my favorite games ever. And because it is Atlus, it is also one of the most off-the-wall, ridiculous, and challenging games you'll ever play. Challenging handheld RPG's are difficult to come by, so it's worth checking out if you're more than a casual fan. Remember, Atlus is the company that brought us gems like Catherine, the Shin Magami Tensei series, and the Trauma Center games.

 

[The Doctor]

Got a new one.

999: Nine Hours. Nine Persons. Nine Doors.
Incredible visual novel, with a gripping and scary story told in a brilliant novel-style. Nine people wake up on a ship and are forced to play a game called "The Nonary Game" in order to escape and survive. If they don't make it out within nine hours, they're going down with the ship. The game is mostly story and dialogue, but that's actually a really good thing because the writing is fantastic. The narration is detailed and fascinating, and adds so much more to whatever situations you are experiencing than any cutscene could do.

The gameplay is a bit like Hotel Dusk or Another Code. There are rooms, and you need to find the materials hidden in the room to proceed. You combine items, use them on the scene, and solve puzzles to unlock the door on the other end of the room. Some of the solutions really have you straining your brain, but there are enough hints around that they never really become frustrating.

You WILL have to play this game multiple times through to get all the different endings and all the possible information about the setting and characters. If you don't mind reading what is basically an exceptionally well-written novel with a puzzle here and there, pick it up. It's gripping and absolutely haunting. I've only seen one of the endings, and am playing it through a second time so I can get all the info possible, because there are so many unanswered questions.

 

[WackerJr]

DDP, you've got some great games on that list!

For me special mention goes to the Ace Attorney Series and The World Ends With You (you've desribed them brilliantly already!). I'd also like to put it a good word for Ghost Trick, an original title from the minds of the Ace Attorney team with some clever puzzles and intriguing story. Also Chibi Robo, which while occasionally repetitive, has a charm and memorable characters and if you enjoyed the GameCube title you'll surely enjoy this one too!

 

[Sheamus' Suntan]

I have to say, Hotel Dusk IS my favourite game on the DS. It's just amazing. Doc, your list is pretty much all encompassing of my fave games on DS.