Nintendo is a company that’s always prided themselves in their ability to reinvigorate how video games are played and their handheld console, the Nintendo DS, was a breakthrough in this department.
Short for the Nintendo Double Screen, one of the new handheld’s trademark features was the use of its touch screen to offer a more immersive style of gameplay. The use of stylus and touch screen controls wavered throughout the Nintendo DS’ lifespan, but it’s a mechanic that was integral for some of the system’s games.
10 Kirby: Canvas Curse Is A Total Stylus Experience
The Kirby franchise has been a top performer for Nintendo as far back as the days of the original Nintendo Entertainment System and the first Game Boy. Kirby’s adorable nature and malleable physique has allowed the character to experience some creative facelifts, like pinball and golf spin-offs. Kirby: Canvas Curse leans into Kirby’s spherical shape and is a title that’s entirely controlled by the DS’ stylus and touch screen. Players create Kirby’s rolling path and it results in a very unique, yet fulfilling DS game. Fellow DS title, Kirby Mass Attack also makes prevalent touch screen use, too.
9 Trauma Center: Under The Knife Turns The Stylus Into A Surgical Scalpel
The Trauma Center series from Atlus has fallen into relative obscurity, but it was a major player on both the DS and Wii due to its natural incorporation of touch and motion controls. There are a wide range of simulation games, but Trauma Center is a mature look into the field of medicine, health sciences, and surgery. Trauma Center: Under the Knife is another ambitious game that’s played entirely through touch controls, where precision is paramount. The player must suture up wounds, repair blood vessels, remove tumors, and so much more all through rapid stylus gameplay.
8 WarioWare: Touched Uses The DS’ Touch Screen To Evolve Its Wacky Formula
The surreal WarioWare micro-game franchise is back in the spotlight after the release of the Switch’s WarioWare: Get It Together! There were bold WarioWare experiments on the Game Boy Advance that made use of obscure features like the gyroscope and accelerometer, but the DS’ WarioWare: Touched goes even further.
One of the original launch titles for the Nintendo DS, WarioWare: Touched makes sure to show off stylus and touch screen gameplay in a way that’s beneficial for the evolution of WarioWare, but also function as an early example of the DS’ strength.
7 Elite Beat Agents Is A Radical Rhythm Game Like No Other
The rhythm game genre used to be relatively niche due to the necessary incorporation of wild peripherals like a dance mat or maracas. The Nintendo DS was a major breakthrough for the rhythm genre because the use of the stylus and touch screen is such a natural fit for fast-paced rhythms. Elite Beat Agents is such a breath of fresh air with how it combines the rhythm genre with superhero-like storytelling where a proficient team uses music to right wrongs. Other DS rhythm games like Rhythm Heaven are also infectious, but Elite Beat Agents has more character.
6 Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword Places Touch Controls On The Brutal Action Series
The Ninja Gaiden series, whether it’s the original games or the more modern update to the franchise, represent some of the most challenging action titles of their kind. The games are known for their hordes of enemies and non-stop battles. The DS’ Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword really pushes the hardware to its limits. Dragon Sword is set between the events of Ninja Gaiden and Ninja Gaiden II, and it adopts a very unique gameplay style. Dragon Sword uses the stylus for every action in the game, except for blocking, which is done by pressing any of the DS’ buttons.
5 The Ace Attorney Series Use Touch Controls For Courtroom Breakthroughs
The incredibly popular Ace Attorney series was originally released for the Game Boy Advance in Japan, but received a robust port for the Nintendo DS so that Western audiences could experience the series for the first time.
Accordingly, touch screen controls weren’t originally a part of Ace Attorney’s plan, but they fit so well and offer up a much more active style of gameplay. Touch screen controls can be used to navigate through the entire game and the player can even shout out “Objection!” and have the command recognized by the DS’ microphone.
4 The Legend Of Zelda: Spirit Tracks Uses Touch Controls To Expand Link’s Horizon
The Legend of Zelda is such an important Nintendo franchise because it’s been able to excel just as much in the handheld market as it has on its larger home console adventures. The Nintendo DS is the home for some excellent and unconventional Zelda games. Both Phantom Hourglass and Spirit Tracks make prevalent use of the handheld’s stylus and touch controls, but it’s a more compulsory component in the latter. Spirit Tracks’ central premise pushes the series into new territory as Link plots out paths for the titular Spirit Tracks to cover. It adds an appreciated strategy component to Zelda’s gameplay.
3 Metroid Prime Hunters Remixes The FPS’ Controls And Plays To The DS’ Strength
Metroid Prime helped rejuvenate the classic Nintendo franchise for the GameCube and Wii by transforming the series into a moody first-person shooter experience. The Nintendo DS attempted to cash in on Metroid Prime’s success with a multiplayer focused game that puts Samus Aran and other prestigious space bounty hunters in combat with each other. Metroid Prime Hunters uses the touch screen as a new way to control the player’s view, as well as aim weapons. Gameplay is a little tricky to initially master, but it becomes quite natural.
2 Nintendogs Is An Adorable Pet Sim Where Touch Is Part Of The Experience
Nintendogs isn’t just a cute play on words, but it’s an absolute home run for Nintendo for their DS handheld. Nintendogs isn’t necessarily overly deep in terms of story or gameplay, but it’s extremely satisfying as a pet simulator that allows the player to raise an adorable puppy. There are many different ways to take care of and play with this virtual pet, but they all make clever and personal use of the stylus and touch screen controls. There’s just something extra special about actually touching a dog’s head on the screen and them then reacting from being pet.
1 Brain Age Uses The Power Of Touch To Improve One’s Mental Powers
The video game industry’s reputation with educational content has always been very interesting. In the past, it was easy to write off these titles or admonish them as cruel “tricks” of sorts, but there have been more modern attempts that find a much more comfortable middle ground. The DS tried to develop a number of titles for non-gamers, with Brain Age being one of the more successful examples. The title allows for bite-sized gaming sessions that involve exercises designed to improve one’s mental acuity. The stylus is necessary for all of these mini-games as the player completes problems.
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