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The Nintendo DS has one of the greatest game libraries ever assembled. Over 1,800 games across every genre, with creative touch-screen mechanics and some of the best portable RPGs, platformers, and strategy games ever made.
With the explosion of dual-screen handhelds in 2025–2026 — devices like the AYN Thor, Anbernic RG DS, and AYANEO Pocket DS — DS emulation finally feels like a first-class experience. Two physical screens, upscaled graphics, save states, fast-forward for grinding sections, and modern AMOLED displays that make these games look better than they ever did on original hardware.
Here are 30 DS games that are worth revisiting (or discovering for the first time) on a modern retro handheld.
RPGs
Chrono Trigger
The definitive portable version of one of the greatest RPGs ever made. The DS release added a new dungeon, an improved translation, and touch-screen menus. Fast-forward makes grinding painless, and save states mean you never lose progress on the go.
The World Ends with You
One of the most creative RPGs on any platform. Dual-screen combat, stylus-driven attacks on the bottom screen, and a phenomenal soundtrack. This game was designed for the DS's unique hardware and plays beautifully on dual-screen emulation devices.
Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies
An enormous RPG with hundreds of hours of content. The class system, crafting, and post-game dungeon crawling are perfect for handheld sessions. Fast-forward through random encounters makes this even more playable today.
Radiant Historia
A time-travel RPG with a branching timeline system and tactical grid combat. One of the best DS-exclusive RPGs that rarely gets the recognition it deserves. Excellent pacing for portable play.
Pokemon HeartGold / SoulSilver
Widely considered the best Pokémon games ever made. The Johto and Kanto regions in one package, with the iconic Pokéwalker integration (not needed for emulation). On modern hardware with upscaling, these look stunning.
Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story
The best game in the Mario & Luigi RPG series. Hilarious writing, creative dual-screen combat, and the brilliant mechanic of playing as Bowser on the top screen while Mario and Luigi work inside him on the bottom screen. Peak DS design.
Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon
A tactical RPG that's perfect for portable play. Missions are self-contained, making it ideal for pick-up-and-put-down sessions. Save states add a safety net for permadeath anxiety.
Platformers
New Super Mario Bros.
The game that reignited 2D Mario. Tight controls, creative level design, and a great difficulty curve. The mini-games make excellent use of the touch screen. A comfort-food classic.
Kirby: Canvas Curse
One of the most inventive platformers on the DS. You draw rainbow lines with the stylus to guide Kirby through levels. Plays wonderfully on devices with responsive touch screens.
Yoshi's Island DS
A worthy sequel to the SNES classic. Multiple baby characters (Baby Mario, Baby Peach, Baby DK) each add unique abilities. The dual-screen vertical scrolling is a design highlight that benefits from actual dual-screen hardware.
Mega Man ZX / ZX Advent
Metroidvania-style Mega Man games with exploration, boss fights, and multiple transformations. Great for handheld play — bite-sized areas and frequent save points.
Strategy & Tactics
Advance Wars: Dual Strike
The best entry in the Advance Wars series. Deep turn-based strategy with a charming art style and a massive campaign. The dual-screen CO Power system is a perfect use of the hardware. This game alone justifies owning a DS emulation device.
Fire Emblem: New Mystery of the Emblem
A Japan-only release that's fully fan-translated. Tactical RPG with deep customization and challenging maps. Emulation is the only way most Western players can experience this excellent entry.
Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift
Hundreds of hours of tactical RPG content. The mission-based structure is perfectly suited to portable sessions. Take on a quest, close the lid (or save state), and pick up later.
Age of Empires: The Age of Kings
A surprisingly deep real-time strategy game adapted for the DS. Stylus controls work well for unit selection and base management. An underrated gem.
Puzzle & Unique
Professor Layton and the Curious Village
The game that launched a beloved franchise. Charming animation, brain-teasing puzzles, and a mystery storyline that unfolds beautifully. The sequels (Diabolical Box, Unwound Future) are equally excellent.
Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective
From the creator of Ace Attorney, Ghost Trick is a puzzle-adventure masterpiece with some of the best animation ever seen on the DS. Manipulate objects to change the fate of the dead. Brilliant and criminally underplayed.
999: Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors
A visual novel / escape room hybrid with multiple endings and a mind-bending story. The DS version uses both screens in ways the later ports couldn't replicate — there's actually a puzzle that only works on dual-screen hardware.
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy
Objection! The original three Ace Attorney games are available on DS and remain some of the most entertaining visual novel / adventure games ever made. Perfect for commute-length sessions.
Elite Beat Agents
A rhythm game controlled entirely by touch. One of the most purely fun games on the DS. Note: touch screen latency matters here — test your device's responsiveness before committing to this one.
Action & Adventure
The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass
Stylus-controlled Zelda that works surprisingly well. Drawing paths for your boomerang, marking maps, and solving puzzles across both screens. The sequel, Spirit Tracks, is also excellent.
Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow
The Metroidvania Castlevania games on DS are some of the best in the series. Dawn of Sorrow, Portrait of Ruin, and Order of Ecclesia form an incredible trilogy. Explore, level up, collect souls — perfect handheld gameplay loops.
Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars
A top-down GTA with a surprising amount of depth. Drug dealing minigame, touch-screen interactions for hotwiring cars and assembling weapons, and a full open-world Liberty City. Mature, addictive, and wildly ambitious for a DS game.
Metroid Prime Hunters
A first-person shooter on the DS that still holds up. Online multiplayer is gone, but the single-player campaign offers tight FPS action with creative boss fights. Touch-screen aiming is responsive.
Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days
Play as Roxas in the Organization XIII story. Mission-based structure works perfectly for handheld sessions. The story hits harder if you're invested in the Kingdom Hearts universe.
Multiplayer / Party (Single-Player Still Great)
Mario Kart DS
The DS entry that introduced online Mario Kart. The single-player grand prix and mission mode remain excellent. All 32 tracks, tight controls, and the iconic snaking technique.
Tetris DS
Arguably the best Tetris game ever made. Multiple game modes themed around Nintendo properties, silky smooth controls, and the addictive standard Marathon mode. A perfect handheld game.
Bomberman Land Touch!
Classic Bomberman action plus a theme park's worth of touch-screen minigames. Great for short sessions.
Hidden Gems Worth Discovering
Solatorobo: Red the Hunter
An action RPG set in a floating island world of anthropomorphic dogs and cats. Gorgeous sprite work, fun mech-based combat, and a charming story. One of the best-looking DS games.
Infinite Space
A space opera RPG with fleet management, ship customization, and a massive story spanning the galaxy. Deep and rewarding, but not for the faint of heart — this is a time commitment.
Emulation Tips for DS Games
- DraStic is the fastest DS emulator on Android and handles all of these games perfectly. It's pre-installed on most Android handhelds.
- melonDS is the open-source alternative with better accuracy and Wi-Fi emulation support. Requires more processing power.
- Upscaling to 2x makes a noticeable visual improvement on games with 3D graphics (Pokémon, Zelda, Kingdom Hearts). Pure 2D games look great at native resolution.
- Fast-forward is essential for RPGs with random encounters or grinding sections. Most emulators support 2x–4x speed toggling.
- Save states are a godsend for games with limited save points or permadeath mechanics (Fire Emblem).
Looking for the best device to play these? Check out our guide to DS and 3DS emulation handhelds. For other system-specific game lists, see our best GBA games, best PS1 games, and best SNES games.