We wouldn't jump up and down in a fit over the greatness of a game without setting aside a few copies for you guys! And since we just loved
The World Ends With You, we're going to give three readers the chance for a crack at Square Enix's brilliant new outing. All you have to do is leave a comment right here on this post telling us what you think the very best DS game you've played is. If you were reviewing, what would be closest to the magical ten? We want to know, and that comment may just snag you a copy of
The World Ends With You ($39.99).
The contest will run through Monday, May 12; that night, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern, entries will close, and we'll choose three winners in a random drawing. To enter, you must be
18 or older, and a current legal resident of the United States or Canada (excluding Quebec). Have questions? Check the
official rules.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 17)
GumbyX84 @ May 6th 2008 9:55AM
Best game on the DS? Hm.... that is hard. This game comes really, really close, but the combat system takes a while to get used to and the missions to open gates get annoying.
I would have to say its a tie between Contact and Phantom Hourglass. They are the two games that have held my attention the most and had really fun gameplay.
jsutcliffe @ May 6th 2008 9:57AM
Good lord, I have no idea. FFIII's rather fun, and Layton was good while it lasted. I'm not sure I've seen a game I'd give a nine to yet, let alone a ten.
ryan @ May 6th 2008 9:58AM
Phantom Hourglass
SAGExSDX @ May 6th 2008 9:59AM
I personally enjoyed Meteos a lot. I thought the touch screen integration was perfect and definitely necessary as opposed to being tacked on.
However I wouldn't say it's the BEST DS game. It is just one of my personal favorites. Mario Kart DS is probably up there as being highly regarded globally (which I played and enjoyed as well)
Martin (MKWii 3737-9909-8021) @ May 6th 2008 10:00AM
For me there is no question which game has provided the most playtime and fun: Tetris DS. My girlfriend lives in California, so we don't get to game together all that much, but when we do, some heated battles of Tetris are great.
jesminya @ May 6th 2008 10:01AM
I believe I may have to go with Ouendan 2.
Swampgirl Inez @ May 6th 2008 10:03AM
Well, I haven't had my DS for very long, so my experience is limited. So far, my favorite game is Phoenix Wright (Trials and Tribulations).
Keith @ May 6th 2008 10:04AM
1. New SMB
2. Phantom Hourglass
3. Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan!
Roto13 @ May 6th 2008 10:04AM
The best DS game I've played could very well be Elite Beat Agents. I spent god knows how many hours on that game, perfecting my scores and such.
Prettz @ May 6th 2008 10:05AM
Definitely The World Ends With You. It's the entire reason I bought a DS.
ReverendKain @ May 6th 2008 10:06AM
No question for me-- Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin.
Ryan G @ May 6th 2008 10:07AM
I really liked New Super Mario Bros. Maybe not a ten, but close.
sho @ May 6th 2008 10:08AM
I think that Etrian Odyssey is one of the best. I haven't been able to put it down since I got it.
Plus, it's one of the few games you can play for like 5 mintues but still make some progress.
evan @ May 6th 2008 10:08AM
I have no idea what my favorite is. There is no perfect one, but it is great that there are so many good options. But fine, here goes:
Picross DS
Jon @ May 6th 2008 10:09AM
The best game on the DS? I don't know if it's the best, but Mario Kart is easily the one I play the most. Layton was great, but short. Phantom Hourglass was fantastic, but lacked replay value. Advance Wars is fun, but not all-the-time fun. My vote is definitely for Mario Kart.
Brandisis @ May 6th 2008 10:12AM
I've really enjoyed New Super Mario Brothers and Final Fantasy 3. But I absolutely loved Phantom Hourglass. Not just me, but my wife loved it too, and she doesn't really play video games. That in and of itself says loads of how great this game is.
chris @ May 6th 2008 10:12AM
mario kart. definitly.
SamsMans @ May 6th 2008 11:01AM
For me I'm going to have to say Phantom Hourglass.
s1ipstream @ May 6th 2008 10:15AM
Though by no means the most innovative or impressive game, I played the living crap out of Rune Factory when it came out. There's just something oh so satisfying about yanked tubers out of the ground, ya know?
As for something a little more current, I'm having a GREAT time with FFCC: Ring of Fates. Any game that lets you deck out your main character with a pompadour is a winner in my book!
Brychanus @ May 6th 2008 10:15AM
Best I've played so far on the DS was Phantom Hourglass.
Mad Martin Kinderhook @ May 6th 2008 10:18AM
Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow, barely edging out Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney.
ArrogantWorm @ May 6th 2008 10:25AM
It has to be the whole Ace Attorney series for me.
riles @ May 6th 2008 10:36AM
I would have to say the best game I've played on the DS is Advanced Wars: Days of Ruin.
I'm not much of a fan of "turn based stategy" games to be honest. A friend let me borrow Dual Strike for a weekend and I really got into it. I went out and bought DOR the next week. It's a close 1st and 2nd between those 2 games.
I'm over 30 so the environment of DOR was serious and appealed to me more. But there could have been a little more flash to the graphics to make up for the bleak environments.
Sure I've played other games on the DS that were better in storyline, graphics, and interaction (Phantom Hourglass). But the replay value of DOR and the ability to randomly play against someone online makes this my #1 game I would rank closest to a a 10.
Jonathan Bloom @ May 6th 2008 10:29AM
I think my favorite game on the DS has to be Metroid Prime Hunters for the fact that it's a 3d FPS on a handheld!
droopy @ May 6th 2008 10:30AM
Probably Dual Strike. Even without wifi, all the other stuff it has over DoR makes it the best Advance Wars game on the ds, which automatically makes it the best game on the system.
kazuya @ May 6th 2008 10:36AM
Animal Crossing Wild World.
Paustinj @ May 6th 2008 10:39AM
Kirby: Squeak Squad. Fun, Cute, and Addicting.
folkie_1 @ May 6th 2008 10:40AM
Meteos is probably the most perfect pick up and play handheld game I have played. I love it still.
I thought Sonic Rush Adventure was fabtastic. The ocean traveling parts were way better than the awful sailing in Windwaker/Phantom Hourglass, and the fact that Sega did something better in a Sonic game than Nintendo did with Zelda is a testament to how good Sonic can be. Sailing sucks.
rikki @ May 6th 2008 10:40AM
Even though it is not my FAVORITE at the moment and I have not played nearly as much as I should have to make this judgement... (I am seriously in a twitch gamer phase right now)
...I would say Mystery Dungeon: Shiren the Wanderer would earn highest honors from me. The game is extremely polished and balanced. It is difficult not because it tests your patiencei.e. "how long can I stand grinding until my numbers are big enough to kill this boss"but because it tests your judgement, your memory, and your luck.
Other games do this, but all of the ones I've played also provide an easy way out if you get "stuck". (Rondo of Swords allows you to keep the experience you've gained from a lost battle, for example.) Not Shiren. The ONLY way to beat the game is to become cognizant of your MISTAKES and take steps to correct or prevent them...which is why it is a game for the few, not the many.
Pizza Pasta @ May 6th 2008 10:40AM
I've been playing Famista DS since last November so I think that's the one I'll pick.
doulos @ May 6th 2008 10:42AM
I just had ACL surgery and picked up a DS because I have a lot of couch time to kill.
The "best" game I've played isn't really good. It's not new or interesting or fun or anything. But it's really addictive for no good reason.
Etrian Odyssey.
It's like being 8 all over again and playing Wizardry on the Apple //e and not really knowing why. Or maybe Might and Magic. Whatever. It's not a great game, but I love it.
ballistic @ May 6th 2008 10:45AM
Ouendan cause of the quirky aspect and good use of the touch screen and dual screens.
trauma center would have been up there had the final boss not pwn me for free
rosemo @ May 6th 2008 10:46AM
I have only had a DS since Christmas, but my favorite so far is probably Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney. I was really drawn in by the gameplay and writing. Professor Layton, the game I am playing now, is really up there though.
d3volution @ May 6th 2008 10:48AM
Castlevania: PoR for me
CJC @ May 6th 2008 10:47AM
Professor Layton stole my life for a couple of weeks, highly worth of the great scores it got.
MrSodium @ May 6th 2008 10:48AM
I'm a bit behind on my DS playing, but I'd have to go with Phantom Hourglass. Though, for time-devouring enjoyment, I sure did like Dawn of Sorrow a lot.
JusticeDude @ May 6th 2008 10:49AM
Castlevania! Both DS games have been excellent.
mattsoestupido @ May 6th 2008 10:49AM
Advance wars
TheCoats @ May 6th 2008 10:50AM
ELITE BEAT AGENTS
acefondu @ May 6th 2008 10:50AM
I'd have to go with Elite Beat Agents.
Derango @ May 6th 2008 10:57AM
I'd have to go with Elite Beat Agents. I spent so many hours just playing that game. And the multiplayer is very fun too when you combine it with a friend who's as into the game as you are. I didn't expect to like EBA, but I really did and I hope they come out with a second one someday...
Calcipher @ May 6th 2008 10:55AM
Tetris DS
jduke @ May 6th 2008 10:55AM
I'd probably go with Mario Kart or Pokemon
Zen and Tonic @ May 6th 2008 10:58AM
For my money, the best DS game I've played so far was Animal Crossing : Wild World. It helps to have a girlfriend who was into it, too, but I think it was the collection aspect that really hooked me for a while.
pipcafe @ May 6th 2008 11:52AM
The game that I own that closest deserves a 10 in my book for the DS has got to be "Feel the Magic". While, this feeling might not be mutual, to me, this game far surpasses everything else I own. I bought this game way after its release, when I found it sitting in a clearance bin for 2 dollars. The amount of happiness I got out of a two dollar game warrants the 10 in my mind.
abu @ May 6th 2008 10:59AM
Castlevania series!
Michael K. @ May 6th 2008 11:00AM
it'd have to be castlevania portrait of ruin
Risingsun @ May 6th 2008 11:02AM
I dunno, I know im enjoying FFCC: Ring of Fates a lot right now. That or Hotel Dusk.
Matt Iserman @ May 6th 2008 11:02AM
As strange as it may sound, "The New York Times' Crosswords".
Shelly @ May 6th 2008 11:47AM
Both Castlevanias.