GameCentral honours the Nintendo DS’s twentieth birthday by celebrating essentially the most weird entries in its intensive catalogue of video games.
This might shock some youthful readers, however the unique Nintendo DS was huge when it got here out. In truth, it stays one of many best-selling consoles ever made, second solely to the PlayStation 2.
It’s doubtless it’ll ultimately be overtaken by the Nintendo Switch, however holding onto that place all these years, whilst much more highly effective {hardware} has come out, exhibits simply how beloved the DS was.
We initially deliberate to rejoice the console’s twentieth anniversary with its all-time finest video games, like the unique Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story and Ghost Trick, however then we remembered how the DS was house to all method of delightfully odd releases; loads of which is able to doubtless by no means get a modern-day remaster and are already fading from reminiscence.
So, allow us to toast to the forgotten, weirder entries within the DS’ library; ones which might be nonetheless value experiencing even at the moment.
Freshly-Picked Tingle’s Rosy Rupeeland (2006)
It is surprising that Tingle, a recurring aspect character in The Legend Of Zelda sequence, received to be the primary star in not one however two video games, lengthy earlier than Echoes Of Wisdom lastly gave Zelda a correct protagonist function (no, the CD-i video games don’t rely).
Freshly-Picked Tingle’s Rosy Rupeeland nearly seems like a parody, with the titular Tingle exploring dungeons and promoting gadgets to earn sufficient cash to construct a tower and attain the paradise that’s Rupeeland. It is as unserious because it sounds, with even Tingle’s well being instantly tied to your rupee rely.
It did nicely sufficient to warrant a 2009 sequel – all about pursuing relationships with completely different girls – however that was, maybe unsurprisingly, a Japanese launch solely.
Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars (2009)
Despite what you would possibly suppose, there have been numerous Grand Theft Auto video games on Nintendo codecs, together with the GTA: The Trilogy remasters, but additionally stretching all the way in which again to the Game Boy Color. That alone is fairly unusual however Rockstar went one step additional on the DS, with a giant funds touchscreen unique.
While GTA: Chinatown Wars did see a PlayStation Portable port seven months after launch, the unique was marketed solely for the DS and was even a part of Nintendo’s E3 2008 showcase. It was all very un-Nintendo-like, particularly when the sport caught flak for having a drug-selling mechanic.
Perhaps extra surprising was that Chinatown Wars was excellent, being explicitly designed for the DS’ capabilities and never only a watered-down port of up to date GTA 4.
Henry Hatsworth In The Puzzling Adventure (2009)
With a reputation like Henry Hatsworth In The Puzzling Adventure, you’d be forgiven for assuming this was some type of Professor Layton rip-off. Especially once you study the sport stars a British gentleman outlined by his headgear, who’s excellent at fixing puzzles.
However, the Layton similarities finish there, as this isn’t only a match-three fashion puzzle sport however a 2D action-platformer too. All the platforming takes place on the highest display screen, with defeated enemies changing into puzzle blocks on the underside display screen. You should then hyperlink chains of colored blocks utilizing the stylus to make sure the enemies don’t come again and replenish meters for performing tremendous assaults.
It’s surprisingly concerned and an efficient mix of each gameplay types. It was additionally a uncommon however welcome change of tempo from EA Tiburon, higher identified these days as EA Orlando, which principally labored on sports activities video games like EA’s Madden NFL sequence.
999: Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors (2009)
Before AI: The Somnium Files, director and author Kotaro Uchikoshi made a reputation for himself with the Zero Escape sequence of visible novels, of which 999: Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors was the primary. Nine individuals discover themselves trapped on a sinking ship and should resolve escape room puzzles to outlive in a lethal sport of selection; one the place breaking the foundations will set off bombs of their stomachs.
Initially one thing of a rarity, due to its Japan and US exclusivity, the sport quickly garnered fairly the next due to its advanced branching storyline, that touches on thought-provoking subjects and ideas whereas additionally revelling in off-the-wall, generally juvenile, humour. It additionally had a neat gimmick the place all of the character dialogue passed off on the highest display screen whereas ongoing narration appeared on the underside display screen.
Surprisingly, it fared very nicely within the West, with poor Japanese gross sales for each it and its superior sequel, Virtue’s Last Reward, very almost killing the sequence. Fortunately, Uchikoshi would get to wrap up the franchise with a 3rd sport, and all three are simply accessible on trendy platforms.
Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan (2005)
A protracted-time GameCentral favorite, Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan is a delightfully foolish sport the place you assist individuals in want, be it a college students struggling to check or a potter looking for inspiration, by tapping your stylus to the beat of a wide range of Japanese pop songs.
Aside from satisfying rhythm-action gameplay, the situations are more and more over-the-top and hilarious. The very idea of individuals calling on a cheerleader squad to rally them by way of no matter downside they’ve – together with an asteroid crashing into the Earth – is nice enjoyable all by itself
Although it by no means left Japan, it was a preferred import title that inspired the extra worldwide pleasant follow-up Elite Beat Agents, which was fantastic however wasn’t fairly pretty much as good. There was one other Japan-only sequel in 2007, however that was sadly the final we’ve seen of the Ouendan sequence, barring cameos in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.
Pokémon Conquest (2012)
In a post-Pokémon Smile and Pokémon Sleep world, Pokémon Conquest should still be the strangest spin-off within the franchise’s historical past. Not solely was it The Pokémon Company’s first (and thus far, solely) stab on the tactical role-playing style, Pokémon Conquest doubled as a crossover with Koei Tecmo’s Nobunaga’s Ambition sequence.
While it was definitely too straightforward for individuals who had minimize their tooth on one thing like Advance Wars, Pokémon Conquest stays one of many higher Pokémon spin-offs thanks partly to a ridiculous premise that, regardless of all odds, truly works fairly nicely. As such, it has cultivated its personal devoted fanbase.
It’s a disgrace it didn’t appear to depart a lot of an affect, because it by no means noticed a follow-up. There have been another stable spin-offs since then, particularly Pokkén Tournament and New Pokémon Snap, however none of them are almost as odd as this.
Slide Adventure MAGKID (2007)
Even a number of the most diehard Nintendo followers gained’t have heard of this one. Like Ouendan, this was a Japanese unique, nevertheless it doesn’t appear to have been a lot of a success in its house nation. Slide Adventure MAGKID is value remembering, although, if just for its novel movement management gimmick.
It got here with a particular accent known as the Slide Controller, which you plugged into the DS’ backside slot. You then needed to relaxation it in opposition to a flat floor, and it acted like a pc mouse, permitting you to slip the DS to maneuver the titular Mag Kid and resolve puzzles.
There’s enjoyable available within the sheer novelty of the sport however why Nintendo thought it justified its personal peripheral, that needed to be bought in a bigger field than typical, is a thriller. Although it’s a lot much less perplexing as to why it was by no means launched within the West.
Soul Bubbles (2008)
Another old skool GameCentral favorite, Soul Bubbles places you accountable for a shaman whose mission is to herd spirits by way of varied ranges by containing them in bubbles.
Using the touchscreen to attract and information these bubbles sounds easy sufficient, however the place Soul Bubbles excels is in its environmental puzzle-solving. Sometimes your bubble is simply too huge to move by way of areas, so you should divide the spirits into a sequence of smaller bubbles. Other occasions, the bubbles have to be frozen or crammed with water, so there’s extra complexity to it than chances are you’ll anticipate.
On high of that, the entire sport has a calming ambiance and boasts a number of the most beautiful visuals we’ve seen on the DS. If you ever stumble throughout a second-hand copy of Soul Bubbles, you owe it to your self to snap it up and provides this long-forgotten gem an opportunity.
Super Princess Peach (2005)
When it involves Super Mario video games for the DS, Super Princess Peach is nicely remembered however not for the appropriate causes. In some fundamental function reversal, Mario has been kidnapped by Bowser and Peach should save him. Rather than depend on her personal platforming abilities, although, Peach’s predominant powers are her personal feelings.
You activate these powers by tapping the completely different colored hearts on the underside display screen. Joy, for instance, makes her float by way of the air, whereas disappointment makes her run quick as she cries a waterfall of tears. The sexist undertones, the place Peach is portrayed as an emotionally unstable wreck, are little doubt unintentional however troublesome to disregard.
If you possibly can look previous that, Super Princess Peach is an in any other case stable platformer that isn’t only a run-of-the-mill Super Mario Bros. clone, with Peach because the playable character. It definitely presents extra of a problem than the overly easy Princess Peach Showtime, however the definitive Peach solo journey has but to emerge.
The World Ends With You (2007)
Even almost 20 years later, The World Ends With You stays some of the courageously unique role-playing video games on the market, particularly in relation to the gameplay.
Its fight, which calls for you take note of each screens whereas controlling two characters concurrently, may be off-putting and troublesome to parse, however determining the way it all works is value it. Combined with the trendy artwork fashion and music, The World Ends With You stood out amongst its friends of the time for taking full benefit of the DS’ capabilities.
While the Switch remaster and 2021 sequel are definitely extra approachable, we actually miss the dangers the unique sport took. If potential, it’s value monitoring down a DS copy and experiencing the way it was meant to be performed as a result of, like most of the video games on this checklist, it’s a lot extra enjoyable on its unique {hardware}.
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