The Nintendo DS RPGs today still require the same dedication as 10 or 20 years ago. One thing that has changed for many of us is that we no longer have all the time in the world to sit in front of a screen, customize characters, and learn complicated mechanics and combat systems.
Fortunately, something came to our rescue: portable consoles. NDS, with its incredible sleep mode, is genuinely a boon for role-playing games. Can’t find a save point? No problem, close it and go.
And if that weren’t enough, the most demanding fans of the genre will find countless innovative titles in the console’s RPG library. Most NDS Roms can be emulated on PC. Also, they often have many excellent features that are made possible by dual displays and touch controls. Let’s dive in and see which RPGs stand out.
- Contact
The game is an excellent example of how role-playing games can push the boundaries of the genre and offer truly unique experiences.
If we were to judge Contact solely by its gameplay characteristics, it would not deserve mention on this list. Combat is straightforward, character customization is fundamental, and dungeon crawling is repetitive.
Contact is a unique (and fun) experience because it acts as a contact between players.
You play through the main character Terry, the professor, and his dogs, who defeat Mochi and go through the fourth wall from the beginning. It’s weird but a lot of fun.
Well written and well organized, Contact’s story makes it easy to overlook the many problems of a game that is not for everyone.
- Dark Dawn
Geniuses are great. You can make your wishes come true, and they can unleash powerful spells to obliterate their enemies.
Golden Sun (Dark Dawn) is one of those RPGs saved by a redeeming quality: the story that takes place 30 years after the GBA games.
The game is a more book-based story in which the children of the original heroes try to save the world and live up to their parents’ reputations.
The genius system is undoubtedly very entertaining. It allows players to customize their characters, access new classes and abilities, and unleash eye-catching summoning attacks that quickly destroy mobs in the game’s classic turn-based combat system.
A good variety of puzzles also helps with an experience that would have been pretty forgetful if based solely on your story. It’s worth checking out if you’re a Golden Sun fan; if not, it could be a hit or miss.
- The Dark Brotherhood
If Mario and Luigi have had some great RPG adventures, why shouldn’t Sonic the Hedgehog?
Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood has an excellent pedigree and was developed by the masters of RPG Bio Ware.
And it shows from the excellent turn-based combat system to the various aiming system that forces players to use all the characters in the party. Not to mention the intelligent controls that use the touch screen and stylus for almost every action.
The story may not be that exciting. But the excellent banter between these cheeky characters will be more than enough to get you out of the Green Hill Zone and into the wild.
- Heroes of Lagaard (Etrian Odyssey II)
When video games were available to a broader audience, Etrian Odyssey II: Heroes of Lagaard took precisely the opposite path with excellent results.
Hard-core is the true definition of the in-game dungeon crawling experience, and random battles played in the first person, the turn-based combat system reminiscent of classic RPGs; they are brutal.
Dungeons are complex. And there is no map to guide you other than the one you can draw on the lower screen.
The class update system here is also complex and requires a lot of thought to be used properly. If it’s still not entirely clear, let me spell it out: Hard-core adventures only!