The Best Nintendo DS And 3DS Games You’ve Never Heard Of

Since the Nintendo DS launched in 2004, there has been a variety of models, including the Nintendo DS Lite and the Nintendo 3DS. Each of these handheld consoles is known for having a unique design with two screens, one of which is a touchscreen that you can interact with to perform various functions within different games.

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Although this line of consoles is known for a variety of popular games, there are also quite a few excellent games on the platform that never got quite as well-known as these did. Since Nintendo has moved its focus to the Nintendo Switch, a lot of DS and 3DS games have been forgotten.

Updated on April 8, 2025, by Rebecca Phillips: The Switch 2 may have just been announced, but nothing beats the classic Nintendo DS and 3DS, hey? If you’re still looking for great games on these handheld consoles, which added another fantastic title you might not have heard of.

22

Magician’s Quest: Mysterious Times

Magician’s Quest: Mysterious Times

Released

November 13, 2008

While Animal Crossing: Wild World and New Leaf were undoubtedly the kings of the cozy genre on DS and 3DS, Magician’s Quest: Mysterious Times is easily on par with them in terms of quality and fun. You join a wizardry school, and are tasked with learning spells by going to lessons. You can choose whether the lessons happen – in the day or the evening – to suit your schedule, as the game follows real time.

You can also befriend your classmates and the townspeople – just like Animal Crossing, there’s a big roster and the game randomly selects which characters live there when you start the game. The ‘Mysterious Times’ part of the title refers to mysteries that happen around the town. You’ll need to investigate them and ask around to discover the truth behind them.

Contact

Systems

Released

October 19, 2006

ESRB

e

Developer(s)

Grasshopper Manufacture

Publisher(s)

Marvelous Entertainment, Atlus, Rising Star Games

Engine

game engine

Multiplayer

Local Multiplayer

Grasshopper Manufacture’s 2006 DS game Contact is a distinctive RPG that isn’t afraid to break the fourth wall through its eccentric character the Professor. To power his spaceship, the Professor recruits (more like kidnaps) Terry to gather the cells his ship lost.

As the player, you are a character in the game, as the Professor directly addresses you and acknowledges that you are the one controlling Terry. The game also utilizes two contrasting art styles across the DS’ two screens, with the top screen using pixel graphics and the bottom using pre-rendered, watercolor-like graphics; it’s a unique experience you’re unlikely to find in any other game.

20

Solatorobo: Red The Hunter

Red Savarin, an anthropomorphic dog, known as a ‘Caninu’, is Solatorobo’s protagonist. He is an adventurer who finds himself embroiled in a quest to unravel the world’s secrets after coming across a Felineko (a cat person) named Elh during one of his missions.

The game is set in a vibrant Steampunk world, where Red pilots his own mecha that can be customized and upgraded; however, where the game truly shines is its story. There are twists and turns throughout to keep you engaged, going deeper than you’d expect for a game about dog people and mechs.

19

LostMagic

LostMagic follows a young boy named Isaac who inherits the Wand of Light from his father, which he can use to cast magic. While the game’s story is fairly simple compared to other RPGs, its gameplay is great fun and makes use of the DS’ touchscreen.

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To cast magic, you can draw runes using your stylus on the DS’ touchscreen; there are lots of different runes to cast, so you have plenty of options when battling enemies, though its difficulty can often be a challenge. It has a lot of charm and it’s worth checking out.

18

Rune Factory 3: A Fantasy Harvest Moon

Rune Factory 3: A Fantasy Harvest Moon

Released

November 9, 2010

ESRB

everyone

Developer(s)

Neverland Co.

Publisher(s)

Natsume, Marvelous Entertainment, Natsume Atari, Rising Star Games

Engine

game engine

Franchise

Rune Factory

The draw of the Rune Factory series is that, alongside running a farm, raising livestock (or monsters in this case), and getting to know the locals as you would in other farming sims, you get to experience a fantasy story as well. Rune Factory 3 is no different.

In this entry, you play as Micah, who learns that he is half a monster, and can transform into one himself. Like other farming sims, you can also romance one of the characters; however, unlike others, this plays into the overall narrative, which is unusual for games in this genre. Rune Factory 3 is one of the best entries in the series and is worth playing on DS.

17

Crimson Shroud

Level 5’s Crimson Shroud is an example of the 3DS’ ingenuity when it comes to video games. Similar to tabletop games like Dungeons & Dragons, in Crimson Shroud, the roll of the die can turn the tide in battle – and, of course, you roll the die using the touchscreen.

The game is dedicated to the tabletop style that it uses as inspiration, as the character and enemy models are mini figures in battle. Its compelling narrative is conveyed through text on a static background, evoking a similar tone to narrating a tabletop game at the table; if you’re a fan of tabletop or unique RPGs, Crimson Shroud will appeal to you.

16

Monster Tale

Monster Tale’s main character Ellie finds herself in the Monster World, where she meets her monster companion, who she names Chomp. Alongside Chomp, Ellie discovers that other humans, the Kid-Kings, have infiltrated the world, but are taking advantage of the monsters.

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To help the monsters, Ellie and Chomp travel the world, freeing them of the Kid-Kings. The game mixes the Metroidvania and monster-taming genres, as you gain new skills and take care of Chomp, and it utilizes the DS’ two screens, having Chomp move between the two depending on whether you’re using him in battle or taking care of him.

15

Shinobi 3D

Shinobi 3D

Released

November 15, 2011

Sega’s Shinobi series has been around for more than three decades, having first appeared in arcades way back in 1987. There are 13 games in total, and many argue that Shinobi 3D for the Nintendo 3DS is the series’ best.

The game was one of the better-looking games for the system at the time of its launch and played like a dream. While the visuals may now look a bit dated, the hack-and-slash combat remains just as enjoyable as ever and the story is every bit as captivating, and there is even a selection of half-decent minigames thrown in there too, just for good measure.

14

Theatrhythm Final Fantasy

Theatrhythm Final Fantasy

Systems

Released

July 3, 2012

ESRB

e

Developer(s)

indieszero

Publisher(s)

Square Enix

Engine

Luminous

Multiplayer

Local Multiplayer

Theatrhythm Final Fantasy and its sequel, Curtain Call, combine the incredible music of Final Fantasy with the rhythm-based gameplay of games like Guitar Hero and Rock Band to great effect. Like many games for the 3DS, they definitely look a little rough around the edges, but the gameplay and sound quality are exactly what you’d expect from a Square Enix game.

You’re able to form a party of four characters from the first 13 games in the series and must use them to battle enemies by timing your button presses just right. Many of the series’ best tracks are included, with the sequel even allowing you to download additional characters and songs as DLC.

13

Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime

Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime

Systems

Released

December 20, 2018

ESRB

t

Developer(s)

Tose

Publisher(s)

Square Enix

Engine

unity

Multiplayer

Local Multiplayer

While plenty of people played the mainline Dragon Quest games for the DS, the Heroes titles passed a lot of players by. This was largely due to their limited marketing and perceived niche appeal, but these simple little adventure games are actually very enjoyable when approached with the right attitude.

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Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime is probably the pick of the bunch and plays more like a fast-paced action game than an RPG. Believe it or not, the game is all the better for it, and a well-crafted RPG is a fine thing and all, but sometimes it can be nice to just focus on good, clean fun; and that’s exactly what Rocket Slime is.

12

Ever Oasis

Ever Oasis

Systems

Released

June 23, 2017

ESRB

e

Developer(s)

Grezzo

Developed by the same studio that is responsible for many of the ports and remakes of classic Zelda titles, Grezzo’s Ever Oasis actually plays a lot like a Legend of Mana game. Whether that’s a good thing will perhaps depend on your opinion, but most will probably enjoy this well-presented title.

It’s quite a bit easier than other RPGs of this ilk, but this needn’t necessarily be seen as a bad thin; for one thing, it allows you to focus more on the game’s engrossing story and also eliminates the need for grinding as the end game approaches. It might not be the best RPG for the 3DS, but it’s not too far behind the likes of Bravely Default and Dragon Quest 8.

11

Okamiden

Okamiden

Systems

Released

September 30, 2010

ESRB

E for Everyone – Fantasy Violence, Mild Blood, Use of Alcohol and Tobacco

Developer(s)

Game Studio

Steam Deck Compatibility

25½ Hours

Serving as a successor to Clover Studio’s fantastic action-adventure Okami, Okamiden does a great job of utilizing the DS’ touchscreen capabilities. The Celestial Brush now feels like the godly weapon that it was always intended to be and using it to solve puzzles or defeat enemies is a great deal of fun.

Visually, the game doesn’t hold up quite as well as some of the other titles for the system, although, if you can look past this, you will find a lot to love about this innovative handheld game. If you can’t, you risk missing out on one of the most magical titles in the DS’ rich catalog of games.

10

Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars

Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars

Released

March 17, 2009

ESRB

M For Mature 17+ due to Blood and Gore, Drug Reference, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Violence

Developer(s)

Rockstar Leeds, Rockstar North

Engine

RenderWare

Only 11 titles on the Nintendo DS were given an M rating, and this makes all the games with such a high rating pretty interesting to take a look at. One of them is a game from a surprising series that not many people would have expected to see on a Nintendo DS console: Grand Theft Auto.

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GTA: Chinatown Wars launched in 2009 and was a callback to the top-down GTA games that were released in the early days of the series. Considering this is ranked as one of the best Nintendo DS games ever by its Metacritic score, it may seem strange to call it a hidden gem, but it was still overlooked by a lot of the gaming world and is definitely worth checking out.

9

999: Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors

999: Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors

Released

November 16, 2010

ESRB

M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood, Drug Reference, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Violence

Developer(s)

Chunsoft

Publisher(s)

Spike Chunsoft, Aksys Games

The Nintendo DS is well-known for having a variety of visual novels and puzzle games on the console, and one great example of the genre is a game called Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors. This game launched in 2009 and puts you in the shoes of one of nine people who were kidnapped and forced to play a deadly game.

This visual novel has you solve a variety of puzzles and make your way through the game to try to figure out who put all the characters together and how they can make it out alive before time runs out.

8

Sprung

Visual novels come in all different formats; some are really serious and intense while others are a little more on the humorous side, and Sprung is definitely a game that falls into that second category. In this game, you control either Brett or Becky, a pair of friends who are on a vacation with all their friends to a mountain ski resort.

You have to complete a variety of tasks and puzzles to advance through the game. The puzzles involve everything from figuring out how to escape from bad dates to waiting on tables to make some extra cash.

7

The World Ends With You

The World Ends With You

Systems

Released

July 27, 2007

ESRB

T for Teen: Fantasy Violence, Mild Language, Mild Suggestive Themes

Engine

Unity

Multiplayer

Local Co-Op

The World Ends With You is an action RPG that originally launched on the Nintendo DS in 2007. It received a re-release on the Nintendo Switch in 2018, helping to raise its popularity some, but it’s still definitely a game that has largely flown under the radar of many gamers.

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This game is set in modern-day Shibuya, a district in Tokyo, and the game is known for its distinct art style and for the engaging battle mechanics, where you use both the top and bottom screens to control the characters. Despite also coming out on the Nintendo Switch, the DS version is still unique because of the dual screens on the console.

6

Corpse Party

Corpse Party (2021)

Released

October 20, 2021

ESRB

M For Mature 17+ // Blood, Strong Language, Suggestive Themes, Violence

Developer(s)

MAGES. Inc.

Publisher(s)

MAGES. Inc., XSEED Games, Marvelous

Engine

RPG Maker software

Franchise

Corpse Party

Corpse Party is terrifying and the first game in a series of survival horror visual novels. It was created in 1996 and has been released and re-released on a variety of different platforms over the years.

The game follows a group of students in Japan who unknowingly do a dark, magical ritual that locks them in a bizarre world, filled with puzzles and ghosts and all kinds of scary things. The game has you control these characters and try to get out of the school alive before it’s too late.

5

Tokyo Beat Down

Tokyo Beat Down launched in 2008 and is a side-scrolling beat ’em up-style game that’s brimming with personality. It only came out on the Nintendo DS, unlike some other DS and 3DS games that have been ported to other consoles.

This game takes place in Yaesu and focuses on a group of ‘Beat Cops.’ These police officers have an unconventional and, as their name might suggest, violent way of dealing with criminals. In the game, you control these Beat Cops as they go after the criminals.

4

Hotel Dusk: Room 215

Hotel Dusk: Room 215

Systems

Released

January 22, 2007

ESRB

Teen // Mild Language, Mild Violence, Use of Alcohol

Developer(s)

Cing

Publisher(s)

Nintendo

Number of Players

1

Hotel Dusk: Room 215 is a visual novel that launched on the Nintendo DS in 2007. This game is one of only a few that supports the Nintendo DS Rumble Pak, meaning that it’s become a special one for collectors, but one that largely flew under the radar for other gamers.

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The game follows a former detective in Los Angeles who travels to a hotel room to solve an unusual mystery. The game uses the DS touchscreen to let you interact with your surroundings to find clues and solve the mystery.

3

Elite Beat Agents

Elite Beat Agents

Systems

Released

November 8, 2006

ESRB

Everyone 10+ // Cartoon Violence, Crude Humor, Lyrics, Suggestive Themes

Developer(s)

iNIS

Publisher(s)

Nintendo

Multiplayer

Local Multiplayer

Number of Players

1-4

Elite Beat Agents is a music game in which you use the touchscreen at specific moments to perform dance moves and complete sections of the game. The game relies on timing and precision and is unique as far as the mechanics go.

It launched in 2006 and was received positively by game critics and was nominated for and won several game awards in the year that it came out. Despite this, it suffered from low sales and is definitely a hidden gem on the DS.