Monday 4 April 2011

Looking back on the DS

Now the 3DS is out and will soon take over from the DS as the main portable game console. i'm going to take a while to look back at my favourite games for the DS.
i have more than 100 games for the DS and in some way, i like all of them, but for this i will TRY to limit myself to just 5 games (some games might be part of a series, in which case i will mention all the games in the series).. After adding them all to the 3DS's built in software library and having a chance to play them again, in no particular order here are my top DS games and a bit about them and why i think they are so great!

Number 5: Kirby's Super Star Ultra (also mentioned: Kirby's Power Paintbrush, Kirby's Mouse Attack)



One of my all time favorite games for the SNES, remade for the DS with improved graphics and sound, and loads of extra game modes and features! if you like nintedo platformers this is one you can't afford to miss out on! :D I have written a review for this (not sure if the link will work, as its on facebook, but its worth a try) http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=10150430678555648

The other two kirby games for the DS are also worth a mention, Power Paintbrush (also known as Canvas Curse) is a very fun game, in the same style as Yoshi's touch and go, in which you dont have direct control over kirby, instead you draw a rainbow which kirby can ride on. it makes for some very clever level design and gameplay.

The third Kirby game is Mouse Attack (aka Squeak Squad) which is much more of a traditional Kirby game. a straightforward platformer that is maybe a little too easy. but still fun non the less. its also quite challenging to try and track down all the hidden treasure chests! 


Number 4: Castlevania Dawn Of Sorrow (also mentioned: Castlevania Portrait Of Ruin, Castlevania Order Of Ecclesia)
                                         










All 3 of these games are amazing, and its probably my favourite trilogy of games ever (yes better than metroid prime) and easily 3 of the best games on the DS. if i had to pick i would say that Dawn of Sorrow was my favourite of the 3, but only because its more about exploring one giant castle, compared to Portrait of ruin, which has a big castle, but also levels hidden inside portraits on the walls, which makes for a nice change of scenery but limits the exploration somewhat. and order of Ecclesia is much more action oriented compared to the other 2, the levels are slightly more linear and there are loads of side quests you can do.  All of these games are amazing on their own, but when played as a set, they are even better, also worth playing are the 3 GBA castlevania's which are the same style as these.

Number 3: Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days (also mentioned: Kingdom Hearts Re-Coded)
Both the Kingdom Hearts games on the DS are worth playing, but by far the better of the two is 358/2 Days, it has one of the most compelling and genuinely emotional story lines in any game i have played. the gameplay can get a little repetetive with the mission structure of the game making you re-play the same levels several time with different objectives, but it never gets dull, its definitely worth persevering with to see the next cut scene, which are nearly all done in lovely CG graphics and fully voice acted which is rare for a DS game. The game also has an excelent levelling up system, where you have slots where you can place panels which give you new abilities, more health, etc. its a very rewarding system and it can be fun to just re-arrange the panels so you can fit more upgrades in. its a very in depth system that adds another level of strategy to the game. the combat is also very well done, and is much like the PS2 versions of KH. 

Number 2: Another Code: Two Memories
One of the first DS games to be released after the launch of the console, and still one of the best. an extremely atmospheric point and click style adventure game with lots of clever puzzles that put all the features of the DS to good use. theres some very surprising solutions ot the puzzles that you wouldn't even think were possible. such as one puzzle where you get a stamp and you have to stamp a book to reveal a picture, in order to use the stamp, you actually have to close the DS and open it again, just like you're pressing down on the book with the stamp. there are other equally inventive puzzles but i wont spoil them all here. Also the game has a very nice story which is centred around the girl on the box, Ashley Robbins, who has gone to a mysterious island to find her father, who has been missing and is presumed dead (until Ashley receives a message from him telling her that he is waiting for her on the island). of course, he isn't there when she arrives, and the rest of the game centres around you exploring the island and the mansion trying to find Ashley's father. Until the last couple of chapters where it all goes a bit Sci fi. which are awesome, and the events of this game follow onto the sequel for the Wii called Another code: a journey into lost memories, which is an equally good game.

Number 1: Time Hollow


Another game with an amazing story line, following the life of Ethan Kairos, after he discovers a pen called a "Hollow Pen" which lets him draw portals into other time periods. the game sees you trying to solve the mystery of why it seems your parents have gone missing, one moment they are there, sitting at the dinner table, then when Ethan wakes up the next morning... they no longer exist.. Someone had changed the past and Ethan has to use the hollow pen to travel round the town and change the past. its a hard story to describe but well worth playing / reading for yourself. It's got a great cast of characters which really help add a level of realism to the story. The graphics and music are also top quality, really i can't prise this game enough, just play it! :D


Of course theres lots more DS games i want to talk about, but thats all im going to mention here..

Thanks for reading, hope you decide to try some of these games after hearing my opinions of them.

LONG LIVE THE DS!

Nicktendowii.

1 comment:

  1. Nice to see some Time Hollow love. Shame it was so short :( I want a sequel!

    ReplyDelete