The Nintendo DS is one of the most influential video game systems of all time, succeeding the Gameboy line and helping continue the Nintendo handheld console craze of the late 1990s and early 2000s. The Nintendo DS had many console updates and developments and was arguably the most popular Nintendo system line prior to the Nintendo Switch.
The Nintendo DS, of course, started it all, a system on which many iconic and fan-favorite game titles were released. Unfortunately, though, many have since been forgotten and left trapped. With game remakes and remasters being so popular these days, we think they’d prove a huge crowd-pleaser for die-hard fans of these games.
We’ve compiled a list of the titles most worthy of a remake/remaster. So without further ado, here are the 10 best NDS games most worthy of a Nintendo Switch Remaster, in no particular order.
Pokemon Ranger
Pokemon spin-off games have been around since the beginning of the franchise’s video game series, with titles all the way back on the Gameboy – such as Pokemon Trading Card Game, and Pokemon Pinball. The DS actually only has one: Pokemon Ranger, a game in which, as the title reflects, you take a break from filling the role of a Pokemon trainer and instead play as a Pokemon Ranger, an individual who can befriend and temporarily use wild Pokémon to assist them in many missions.
Pokemon Ranger rocks for a bunch of reasons, not least for an abundance of compelling locations to explore, which are made all the more fun paired with the ability to capture wild Pokemon using the Nintendo DS stylus. If you’ve not tried it before, the mechanic works by relying on players to complete a successful chain of circular motions to “tame” them into companionship. Every tameable Pokemon has a unique battle mechanic that you can use to assist your captures, such as slowing or stunning enemy Pokemon, doubling the progress of your capture train, and creating obstacles that trap enemy Pokemon in one place.
However, capturing Pokemon using the stylus is no easy task. Sometimes they will put up a fight by breaking the chain of the circle and disrupting your attempts to capture them. Does anyone remember that tricky Registeel boss battle? I still recall feeling satisfaction and relief after completing it following countless attempts!
I can definitely see Pokemon Ranger as an interesting remake on the Nintendo Switch, as the system could use both the touch screen and optional motion control gameplay with the Joycons to simulate the drawing of the circle, like Pokemon: Let’s Go Pikachu & Let’s Go Eevee’s Pokeball mechanic – letting everyone feel like they’re truly a Pokemon Ranger using the capture device!
Drawn To Life
Drawn To Life was one of the most iconic games to capture the hearts of many Nintendo DS gamers. It gained enough attention and committed fans to earn its own sequel games, Drawn To Life: The Next Chapter, and Drawn To Life: Two Realms, as well as a SpongeBob-themed spin-off, Drawn To Life: SpongeBob SquarePants Edition. In Drawn to Life, you get the chance to draw your own characters, objects, and platforms with the Nintendo DS stylus, bringing your creations to life as an interactive function of the game.
The Nintendo Switch would surely be a great fit for a game like Drawn To Life to shine and reinvent the series. There are many possibilities to incorporate the drawing aspect of the game, such as motion controls, the Nintendo Switch tablet touch screen, or even the potential for the sale of a new Nintendo Switch stylus accessory since multiple successful ‘unofficial’ stylus products already exist for the system.
As someone who was a huge fan of the Drawn to Life series on Nintendo DS, and a creative person in general, I’d be pumped at the notion of a modern Drawn to Life that used Switch technology. Also, all the new storylines a remake could feature, and the notion of cool collaborations that have become commonplace in the games industry these days.
Sonic Rush
Known as a hidden gem for owners of the DS console, Sonic Rush is one of the best Sonic the Hedgehog games to exist. It’s the most popular Sonic game released on the Nintendo DS by far, and a standout competitor for other big DS titles. Not only does it feature a mix of both classic and more modern Sonic mechanics but also uses the Nintendo DS two-screen setup in interesting ways. It seamlessly displays the dynamic side-scrolling action and has Sonic and Blaze jumping from one screen to another.
Sonic Rush holds a special place in my heart for a number of reasons. I love the Sonic boost ability, for one, which allows you to rush and speed through the map levels even faster than usual. But from a story perspective, I actually think Blaze the Cat is an extremely underrated and intriguing character within the franchise. Her starring role in Sonic Rush was a great inclusion compared to the usual trio of Sonic, Tails and Knuckles, and it would be interesting to showcase her again with a modern remake on the Nintendo Switch.
Especially with the new release of Sonic Frontiers, which focuses on a new direction for Sonic games, a remaster of Sonic Rush that takes all the old gameplay styles and mechanics and elevates them in a new way could be a huge hit with the Sonic fans who have a particular fondness for this era of the franchise.