Like the 3DS, games on this console are best played on the original hardware, notably because of its vertically stacked dual screens. Even the 3DS is not optimal, as the upper screen cannot provide a pixel-perfect image at the DS’s native resolution, making the games appear slightly blurry. The following list contains my personal selection.
This page may be updated from time to time. Last edited on : 25.02.2026
Meaning of the columns :
- DSI Ware : tells whether the game has only been released digitaly
- Touch : tells whether the games makes use of the touchscreen
- Port: tells if the game is a port from another plateform
| Name | Type | DSI Ware | Touch | Port | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AirRace | Racing | Yes | No | A fast-paced aerial racing game. One of the early polished DSiWare titles. | |
| Aliens Infestation | Metroidvania | No | No | Dark, atmospheric 2D shooter with permadeath for your squad members. | |
| Another Code: Two Memories | Adventure | No | Yes | A haunting mystery that uses every DS feature (touch, mic, dual screens). Short but atmospheric. | |
| Asphalt 4: Elite Racing | Racing | Yes | No | Scaled-down version of the mobile racer. Decent 3D for a digital title. | |
| Aura-Aura Climber | Action | Yes | No | Simple but addictive arcade game where you grapple to climb as high as possible. | |
| Bomberman Land Touch! | Action / Puzzle | No | Yes | Combines classic Bomberman battles with a touch-driven adventure mode. | |
| Boulder Dash: ROCKS! | Puzzle | No | No | Modern take on the classic. Includes a "Planet Mode" with new mechanics and graphics. | |
| Bubble Bobble Double Shot | Platformer | No | Yes | Arcade | Port: Includes 100 levels and the original game. Touch: Used for a 'Continue' mini-game. Cons: The bubble physics and graphics divide purists. |
| Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow | Metroidvania | No | Yes | Direct sequel to Aria of Sorrow. Touch: Used for drawing "Magic Seals" to finish bosses. | |
| Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia | Metroidvania | No | No | Features a higher difficulty and a unique "Glyph" system for combat. | |
| Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin | Metroidvania | No | No | Focuses on swapping between two characters. Includes a co-op boss rush mode. | |
| Chronos Twins | Platform / Puzzle | Yes | No | Control the same character in two different time periods across both screens. | |
| Classic Action: Devilish | Breakout / Action | No | No | A dark, gothic take on the Breakout formula. Fast-paced but controls can be twitchy. | |
| Contra 4 | Run and Gun | No | No | Developed by WayForward. Uses both screens for massive vertical action. Very difficult. | |
| Dark Void Zero | Platform / Shooter | Yes | No | 8-bit style prequel to Dark Void. Excellent retro aesthetic and soundtrack. | |
| Diddy Kong Racing DS | Racing | No | Yes | N64 | Port: Includes new tracks and characters. Cons: Touch-based "spin-to-start" mechanic is polarizing. |
| Dig Dug Digging Strike | Action / Arcade | No | No | Arcade | Remake: Mixes the gameplay of Dig Dug I and II. The action takes place on both screens (surface and underground). Cons: Lacks long-term depth. |
| Dr. Mario Express | Puzzle | Yes | No | A compact version of the classic Dr. Mario. Perfect for quick sessions. | |
| Dragon's Lair (I & II) | FMV | Yes | No | Arcade | Port: Direct ports of the laserdisc games. Amazing to see running on DSi. |
| Elite Beat Agents | Rhythm | No | Yes | Western version of Ouendan. High-energy rhythm gameplay using exclusively touch and slide. | |
| G.G Series Dark Spirits | Shoot 'em up | Yes | No | Part of the G.G budget series. A solid, simple horizontal shooter. | |
| Galaga Remix | Shooter | No | No | Arcade | Often included in the Namco Museum DS compilations. Modernized 3D version of the classic. |
| Henry Hatsworth | Platform / Puzzle | No | Yes | Hybrid of a 2D platformer (top) and a Match-3 puzzle (bottom). Highly original. | |
| Kirby Canvas Curse | Platformer | No | Yes | Kirby is a ball; you draw rainbow paths to guide him. No button controls for movement. | |
| Kirby Super Star Ultra | Platformer | No | No | SNES | Port: Massive upgrade with new modes, CG cutscenes, and 4-player support. Highly recommended. |
| Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story | RPG | No | Yes | Widely considered the best in the series. Brilliant use of both screens simultaneously. | |
| Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time | RPG | No | No | Features past and present versions of the brothers. Less touch-focused than its successor. | |
| Mario Kart DS | Racing | No | No | A system seller. Introduced online play and iconic tracks. Bottom screen acts as a useful map. | |
| Mario Slam Basketball | Sports | No | Yes | Developed by Square Enix. Unique touch-based shooting and dribbling mechanics. | |
| Mario vs. DK 2: March of the Minis | Puzzle | No | Yes | Shifted the series focus toward Lemmings-style touch control of multiple minis. | |
| Mario vs. DK: Mini-Land Mayhem | Puzzle | No | Yes | Further refines the touch mechanics; includes a robust level editor. | |
| Megaman ZX | Action | No | No | Open-world Megaman with "Biometal" transformations. Uses touch for map and sub-screens. | |
| Metal Slug 7 | Run and Gun | No | No | The last mainline entry. Note: Later ported to PSP/PC as Metal Slug XX. | |
| Meteos: Disney Magic | Puzzle | No | Yes | Disney-themed version of Mizuguchi’s classic puzzle game. Slide blocks to launch them. | |
| Metroid Prime Hunters | FPS | No | Yes | Impressive 3D visuals. Features a robust (now offline) multiplayer and stylus aiming. | |
| Metroid Prime Pinball | Pinball | No | No | A pinball retelling of Metroid Prime. Often came bundled with the DS Rumble Pak. | |
| Mighty Flip Champs! | Puzzle / Platform | Yes | No | Flip through screens like pages in a book to find the exit. Early WayForward gem. | |
| Moon | FPS / Adventure | No | Yes | Sci-fi horror with a similar engine to Metroid Prime Hunters. Very atmospheric. | |
| Nanostray | Shoot 'em up | No | No | A technical showcase for the DS hardware with pre-rendered 3D backgrounds. | |
| Nanostray 2 | Shoot 'em up | No | No | Improvements over the first, including better boss fights and horizontal/vertical stages. | |
| New Super Mario Bros. | Platformer | No | No | The return of 2D Mario. Pure button gameplay with touch used only for stored items. | |
| New Zealand Story Revolution | Platformer | No | Yes | Arcade | Port: Adds touch mini-games and dual-screen view. Cons: Some classic fans find the touch additions intrusive. |
| Okamiden | Action / Adventure | No | Yes | Sequel to Okami. Use the "Celestial Brush" via the touch screen to interact with the world. | |
| Pac 'n Roll | Platformer | No | Yes | You make Pac-Man roll with the stylus as if it were a trackball. Very intuitive and visually appealing. | |
| Prof. Layton and Pandora's Box | Puzzle | No | Yes | Deep story with animated cutscenes. All puzzles are solved via the touch screen. | |
| Prof. Layton and the Curious Village | Puzzle | No | Yes | The game that started the craze. Perfect "pick up and play" puzzle design. | |
| Prof. Layton and the Lost Future | Puzzle | No | Yes | Emotional finale to the original trilogy. Features significantly more puzzles. | |
| Prof. Layton and the Spectre's Call | Puzzle | No | Yes | Prequel story. Includes the "London Life" RPG mode in the US/JP versions. | |
| Qix ++ | Puzzle | No | No | Arcade | Modernization of the territory conquest game. Very minimalistic but addictive. |
| Rainbow Islands Revolution | Platformer | No | Yes | Arcade | Port: A complete reimagining of the Taito classic. Touch: Players draw rainbows using the stylus rather than using buttons. Cons: The departure from traditional controls is often criticized by fans of the original. |
| Resident Evil: Deadly Silence | Horror | No | Yes | PS1 | Port: Includes classic mode and "Rebirth" mode with new touch puzzles and 1st-person knife fights. |
| Shantae: Risky's Revenge | Metroidvania | Yes | No | High-quality pixel art and music. One of the best games on the DSi platform. | |
| Sonic Colours | Platformer | No | No | Different from the Wii version; plays like a sequel to Sonic Rush. Excellent 2D speed. | |
| Sonic Rush Adventure | Platformer | No | Yes | Features 2D Sonic speed with 3D touch-based sea exploration/mini-games. | |
| Space Invaders Extreme | Shooter / Arcade | No | No | Arcade | Remake: Une version psychédélique et rythmée avec des musiques techno. Avantages: Supporte le DS Rumble Pak pour des vibrations immersives. Un incontournable. |
| Space Invaders Extreme 2 | Shooter / Arcade | No | No | Arcade | Remake: A psychedelic and rhythmic version with techno music. Advantages: Supports the DS Rumble Pak for immersive vibrations. A must-have. |
| Star Fox Command | Strategy / Flight | No | Yes | Unique turn-based strategy map and full touch-based flight controls. Multiple endings. | |
| Super Mario 64 DS | Platformer | No | Yes | N64 | Port: Adds 3 new characters and 30 extra stars. Cons: Lacks an analog stick (D-pad/Touch control). |
| Super Monkey Ball T&R | Puzzle | No | Yes | Control the ball by rolling the stylus on the touch screen. Features many mini-games. | |
| Super Princess Peach | Platformer | No | Yes | Vibrant platformer where Peach uses her emotions to trigger special abilities via touch. | |
| TMNT 3: Mutant Nightmare | Beat 'em up | No | No | Based on the 2003 cartoon. Note: Different from the console versions; focuses on 2D action. | |
| Ultimate Mortal Kombat | Fighting | No | No | Arcade | Port: A near-perfect port of UMK3 with a bonus "Puzzle Kombat" mode. |
| Wario: Master of Disguise | Platformer | No | Yes | Use the stylus to draw costumes on Wario to change his abilities. Creative but slow-paced. | |
| WarioWare: Touched! | Party | No | Yes | Specifically designed to showcase the touch screen and microphone through rapid-fire mini-games. | |
| Yoshi Touch & Go | Action / Score | No | Yes | An arcade-style game where you draw clouds to guide baby Mario. High replayability. | |
| Zelda: Phantom Hourglass | Adventure | No | Yes | Entirely controlled via touch, from movement to boomerang paths. Uses the mic for puzzles. | |
| Zelda: Spirit Tracks | Adventure | No | Yes | Sequel to Phantom Hourglass. Refines touch combat and introduces the train travel mechanic. |