10 Most Addictive Nintendo DS JRPGs

The Nintendo DS was a behemoth of a handheld system. Even if you don't care about the dual-screen stylus functionality, there were still a ton of amazing games on it. And many of those were JRPGs. In fact, before the 3DS rolled around, I probably played the most games from that genre since the PS2 era, which is saying something.

Even though many of these are shorter burns than a home console JRPG, they still had everything that fans expect, from colorful style and memorable characters to deep combat and challenge. And yes, some of them actually handled the stylus functionality pretty well, much to my pleasant surprise.

There's a lot of incredible Nintendo DS JRPGs on this list, and there's a wide range. Some of them are well-known titans of the genre, like Pokémon, others are strange offshoots, and some are system-defining classics that changed the game entirely. I did my best to rank them based on how fun they are, and how often I've been drawn to replay them, again and again.

10 Etrian Odyssey III: The Drowned City

Build Your Guild

If there's one series that proves how well the DS can implement dual screen and stylus functionality, it's Etrian Odyssey. These games are old school in a big way, with a huge dose of dungeon crawling, but that modern interface made them sing. So much so that I honestly can't imagine playing them without a stylus at hand.

Etrian Odyssey III: The Drowned City was a great example of the series, with several new classes, subclass options and mayhem in the seven seas. You can set sail when you want, though you'll want to make sure you have enough provisions for your journey. Either way, you'll want that stylus to accurately map your surroundings.

Perhaps the best new feature was weapon forging, providing powerful effects to your armory. Etrian Odyssey III: The Drowned City was a great game, but like the entire series, it's pretty ruthless. You'll be doing a ton of grinding until you're strong enough to survive the threats arrayed against your guild.

9 Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies

Celestrian Epic

Earlier I mentioned how some handheld JRPGs are on the shorter side. Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies is an exception. It may be portable, but it's also deep and long. Just beating it can take around 50 hours, whereas true completionists can look to spend hundreds.

In large part, that's because of how old school it is. Though it did feature some multiplayer functionality, and apparently even inspired Nintendo to utilize StreetPass and SpotPass on the 3DS, two things I really miss in the modern era.

Put simply, it's a really fun and expansive game, and many love it. But it is also pretty light on story, and the graphics don't hold up as well as some other DS games. Still, in terms of bang for your buck, Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies is a hell of a bargain.

8 Radiant Historia

Fight the Clock

I feel like us older gamers are still waiting for the successor of Chrono Trigger. A recent example was Sea of Stars, but one that came out before that was the fantastic Radiant Historia. It's one of the best told time travel stories I've seen in a videogame, and features complex tactical combat.

It's also not a short adventure, though it's somewhat linear. Meaning that once you've rolled the credits, you don't have much reason to return to it. They did get around that with the Perfect Chronology remake later on, but somehow the time travel mechanics there felt more convoluted.

Honestly, my biggest complaint about Radiant Historia is that it's so singular, as I would love some actual sequels. But if you're a fan of great stories and fun combat, this is one DS adventure you'll want to add to your library.

7 Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time

The Unexpected Choice

As a big fan of the Mario & Luigi games, I debated which of the DS entries to include on this list. The obvious choice was Bowser's Inside Story, but there's a reason I stuck with Partners in Time. Namely, it never got a remake, unlike Bowser's Inside Story. The other reason is that it made superb use of the dual screens in combat.

Wrangling four plumbers isn't easy work, as each one is controlled with a different button in combat. This did make Partners in Time one of the more hardcore games in the series, but it makes up for that by being a short burn. The upside is that it means this is one of the few games in the series I've replayed more than once, other than the original Superstar Saga.

Another great thing about the game was that it had a really gorgeous visual style, even more than the first game. The enemies and bosses are full of neat details, which made this a memorable adventure that more people should try.

6 Luminous Arc 2

Tastier Than a Witch's Pie

For those who don't know, Imageepoch was a fantastic developer. Even though not all their games came stateside, those that did were delightful. And one of their first games I played was Luminous Arc 2. It's a mix of JRPG and tactics, but I took great joy from all the delightfully silly fanservice.

It's a story about witches, Beast Fiends and knights in training. It's also a game where the woman you romance has an impact on how the story unfolds. All of your teammates are characters, but perhaps my favorite is one named Therese, who cheerfully threatens foes that she'll make them into pies. Which is equal parts horrifying and hilarious.

My main complaint about Luminous Arc 2 is that it marked the end of the series in the West, as we never got to play Luminous Arc 3. But even then, it's a fun and noteworthy DS JRPG that's easy to replay.

5 Pokémon Conquest

A Ferocious Mashup

Even though I've never played any of the Nobunaga's Ambition games, I've played quite a few Pokémon adventures. But much as I enjoy the mainline entries, one of my absolute favorite offshoot games was Pokémon Conquest. It mixes Nobunaga's Ambition with iconic monsters and throws in tactics and some rogue-lite features for good measure.

Not only do you manage Pokémon in the game, but you also acquire a roster of Warlords, each with distinct special abilities. As for your monsters, they can only use one move, but they still serve distinct strategic purposes. It also replaces Pokeballs with Links, with some Warlords able to attain better links with different species of Pokémon.

There's a good amount of replay value in Pokémon Conquest, as well as post-game content and even optional DLC. It was an unusual hybrid, but a fun one. Honestly, to this day, I'm still surprised we haven't seen a modern remake of this engaging DS adventure.

4 Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey

Into the Schwarzwelt

The DS era was an amazing one for the Shin Megami Tensei series. That said, a standout adventure was Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey. It features an epic science fiction plot involving climate disaster, getting drawn into the phenomenon called the Schwarzwelt, angels, demons and all sorts of unexpected surprises.

Mechanically, it plays much like any dungeon crawler, with you diving into dangerous areas, fighting foes and grinding like crazy until you're strong enough to proceed. There are also tons of traps, as well as key choices that will impact not only the story, but the fate of your crew.

The only reason Strange Journey wasn't higher on this list is because it was perfected years later in Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey Redux. But still, this DS adventure is well worth experiencing.

3 Pokémon Black / White

Team Plasma Mayhem

In many ways, the era of Pokémon Black / White marked one of the high marks of the series. Not only did it feature great graphics, Triple and Rotation Battles and an expansive world to explore, but the story in the games was actually pretty interesting. Team Plasma was a bit more complex than previous villains, which helped them get immersed.

But where these games really stood out was the amount of replay value. There was a ton to do once you rolled credits in Pokémon Black / White. Which fans always want, but haven't got much in the years since they came out. Sure, Game Freak introduced DLC to the series in later entries, but we don't like having to pay more for extra content.

Even though Pokémon Conquest was more original, Pokémon Black / White was the superior game. Here's hoping the Winds and Waves games manage to rekindle the greatness of this titanic series.

2 Super Robot Taisen OG Saga: Endless Frontier

The Ballad of Haken Browning

I remember reading about Super Robot Taisen OG Saga: Endless Frontier online, and being captivated by how weird and colorful it looked. Then I bought the game, and realized it was even crazier and more enjoyable than I could have imagined. This adventure by Monolith Soft was a great mashup between different worlds, and features well-known characters like KOS-MOS, as well as memorable heroines like Kaguya Nanbu.

Super Robot Taisen OG Saga: Endless Frontier doesn't hide its fanservice, it embraces it. And the result is a truly hilarious and unhinged story with a delightful cast of characters, both good guys and villains. The combat is akin to Namco x Capcom, and features you chaining together attacks in fast-paced fashion.

My only complaints about this DS adventure are that it's a bit short and linear, and that the overworld map is somewhat plain, even though everything else is bursting with detail. Other than that, my main issue is we never got the sequel, Endless Frontier Exceed, localized. Still, it was a wonderful experience. That said, the last game on this list managed to eclipse even it.

1 The World Ends With You

Shibuya Calling

Every game on this list made the DS a great console. But only The World Ends With You truly made it a must-own handheld. Neku's journey across Shibuya, fighting Reapers and Noise in a dangerous game and learning how to cope with the world, changed me as a gamer. Not only because of how emotional it was, but thanks to how effortlessly it took several complex systems and wove them together.

The pin system, the importance of food, even leveling up when the DS was in sleep mode were all game changing on their own. Combining them with a stylus-based combat system and utilizing the D-pad for your partners' attacks really shouldn't have worked. But it did, as I could tell from the many grooves scratched into my touch screen after I rolled the credits in the adventure.

After the game came out, I worried it was all over, since we had to wait many years for the eventual sequel. But it's clear that fans made it known how important this world was. The World End With You isn't just a great game, it's one of the very best by Square Enix. Here's hoping that story isn't over.