Brand New DSi (or, why people will see less of Alch for a while)

[alchemyprime]

So, my dad Santa got me a new DSi for Christmas, and I'm looking for what games to buy.

Yes, I did dodge the DS and DS Lite (though the Green Special Edition was tempting....), as I was happy with my GBA for a LOOOOONG time, and by the time I was ready, I got my laptop. Spore, World of Goo, Impossible Creatures, StarTopia, you guys delayed me.

So, after this past CHristmas, I have the following games:

Cartridges:
Brain Age 2 (arguably, my mom and my sister OWN this game altough I BOUGHT it)
Trauma Center: Under the Knife (my favorite Wii game I never owned, on my DS! Hooray!)
Final Fantasy IV (which I did plan on finishing on the PS1 but never got around to and the 3D sprites are so adorable! I can barely stay angry at the Baron!)
Zelda: Phantom Hourglass
Some translator program... In case I ever travel....
Puzzle Quest: Galactrix (I have Fantasy on my Laptop)

DSiWare:
Bird and Beans
PiCTOBiTS
Dr. Mario Express
EA Sudoku (Yes. I realize I have Sudoku twice. I bought this before I was gonna get Brain Age 2)
Dragon Quest Wars (Not a bad Turn Based Strategy game for US$5.)

I wanna know: What else must I get? I have Scribblenauts on to-do, as well as the Zelda games and Mario games, but no idea past those. Maybe Kingdom Hearts: We Want You to Do Our Math For Us, Rune Factory (though I did get the Wii version) and Harvest Moon (which... I'm still playing through Friends of Mineral Town... so I don't know if I'll be able to...)

Also... why is there no D&D for the DSi? I'd kill for that!
"What? Everyone canceled on the campaign? Forget you guys, I'm playing my DS alone!"

[Geno9999]

If you need that RPG fix, I suggest the Mario & Luigi Partners in Time and Bowser's Inside story, Sonic Chronicles, and Fire Emblem Shadow Dragon (remake of Japan-only Fire Emblem Shadow Dragons and the Blade of Light for the NES/Famicom)

I also suggest Kirby Superstar Ultra, if only for REVENGE OF METAKNIGHT (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPPwdlgv2cs&feature=related)!!! (though Revenge of the King (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXRnPmgGtL4&feature=response_watch) has an epic theme too...)

... Now that I think about it, the majority of the games that I have are Nintendo's main series (Zelda, Mario, Fire Emblem, Kirby)

[Terraoblivion]

Unless you have a violent aversion to thinking you have to get the Ace Attorney games when getting a DS. A series of excellent adventure games featuring great writing and just as great localization, making for some of the funniest games ever with surprisingly good plot to go with it. Excellent music just helps it along.

[potatocubed]

The Phoenix Wright games are top. I also really liked Pokemon Diamond/Pearl/Platinum and Final Fantasy Tactics A2.

I hear good things about the Professor Layton games but I've not played them.

[The Dark Fiddler]

Think you'd enjoy Animal Crossing? Get that. Occupied me for two and a half years easily. Sure, I only played for about 15 minutes a day, but I played near daily for those 2 1/2 years. Great investment if it's your cup of tea.

[Comet]

Aside from the ones already mentioned, I'd suggest Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor if you're into turn-based tactical RPGs.
It's got a great story with loads of meaningful decision making and replayability. It is, however, just a bunch of turn-based battles with interactive text-reading between them. So no walking around, exploring or any of that stuff. It's still one of my favourite DS games.

Aside from that, I wouldn't really recommend the DS Kingdom Hearts. It's mainly just a recycle of KH2 material with less story and poorer gameplay. If you can find it cheap, then go for it, but I wouldn't pay a full price for it.

[Zevox]

Games I'd recommend for the DS in general:

- Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story
- Advance Wars: Dual Strike
- Advance Wars: Days of Ruin
- The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass (Possibly also the new one, Spirit Tracks - haven't played it yet, but I did get it as a Christmas gift.)
- Dragon Quest IV: Chapters of the Chosen
- Dragon Quest V: Hand of the Heavenly Bride
- Disgaea DS (If you don't already have it on the PS2, or would like to have a portable version of it.)
- Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood
- Chrono Trigger
- Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon (If you're already a Fire Emblem fan.)
- Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor

Yeah, I'm an RPG and strategy game aficionado. If you're into those genres, all those should be good games (save Zelda I guess, but who doesn't like Zelda?).

Zevox

[Terraoblivion]

I'll throw my support for Devil Survivor in as well. It is just a really well-designed game and has some of the better writing among non-Persona Megaten games which is quite high praises. Be prepared for some difficult choices, though.

[Drascin]

Good DS games? My, where to even start.

Some things as they pop into mind...

Shim Megami Tensei: Devil survivor (Turn-based RPG)
Ouendan 2 (Rythm)
Elite Beat Agents (Rythm)
Mario&Luigi RPG 3: Bowser's Inside Story (the previous are also good, but 3 is the absolute best) (RPG)
Megaman ZX/ZX Advent (Sidescroller)
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles Echoes of Time (Real-time RPG)
Maestro! Jump in Music (Rythm)
Zelda Spirit Tracks (Adventure)
Etrian Oddyssey I and II (turn-based RPG) (warning: HARD)
Phoenix Wright (Point'n'click adventure)
Puzzle Quest (Puzzle) (Surgeon's warning: extremely addictive)
Kirby Super Star Ultra (Platformer)
Knights in the Knightmare (RPG/Bullet Hell shooter) (yes, I wrote the genre right)
Castlevania Order of Ecclessia (Metroidvania)
Final Fantasy Tactics A2 (turn-based RPG)
Final Fantasy Fables Chocobo Tales (Minigames)

...and that's only from what me and my mother personally have or have had.

[Terraoblivion]

The two previous Castlevania games, Dawn of Sorrow and Portrait of Ruin, are quite good as well. All three are strongly recommended. More so than any other platform, though, a list of DS recommendations will be long. It is just one of the best platforms ever. Look at the long lists people have shown, every single game on one of those lists that i have tried i would recommend and many of the others i have only heard good things about.

[Inhuman Bot]

Also... why is there no D&D for the DSi? I'd kill for that!
"What? Everyone canceled on the campaign? Forget you guys, I'm playing my DS alone!"

There's Baldur's gate: Dark Alliance and Eye of the Beholder for the GBA, at least.

I'm also noting a shamefull lack of The World Ends With You. I love that game.

Otherwise most people have suggested what I would suggest.

I would reccomend against Scribblenauts, though. I can play that just as well with a pencil and paper, and a pencil doesn't say "F**K YOU, THE CORRECT TERMINOLOGY IS 'ROCK THAT IS LARGER THEN A HOUSE', NOT ROCK THAT'S LARGER THEN A HOUSE!!!!!11"

[potatocubed]

I'm also noting a shamefull lack of The World Ends With You. I love that game.

£$%&!!!

I knew there was one I was forgetting! The World Ends With You is fantastic. Get it now.

[Oregano]

for the D&D fix there is the recently released adaption of the first Fighting Fantasy book. Warlock on Firetop Mountain?

It plays a bit like The Elder Scrolls series by the looks of it and boasts some impressive 3D.

[alchemyprime]

Scribblenauts I will get used.

TWEWY looks good, but I CAN'T FIND IT! ARG!

Picked up Puzzle Quest IN SPAAAAAACE! and Zelda; Phantom Hourglass. I work minimum wage, so most my games will come from Used or Bargain bins. :smallbiggrin:

[Drascin]

Picked up Puzzle Quest IN SPAAAAAACE! and Zelda; Phantom Hourglass. I work minimum wage, so most my games will come from Used or Bargain bins. :smallbiggrin:

Aw. I should have warned you. Galactrix is an extremely watered-down, badly-coded, load-heavy shadow of the original. I meant the first puzzle Quest, the "fantasy" one.

[Closet_Skeleton]

The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass (Possibly also the new one, Spirit Tracks - haven't played it yet, but I did get it as a Christmas gift.)

According to the biggest Zelda fan I know, Spirit Tracks is better than Phantom Hourglass.

[Zevox]

According to the biggest Zelda fan I know, Spirit Tracks is better than Phantom Hourglass.
We'll see. I'd be quite pleased if it is, of course, but I already count Phantom Hourglass as my third favorite Zelda game (after only Ocarina of Time and Twilight Princess), and I know not many others share my high opinion of it, so Spirit Tracks may have an easier time surpassing Phantom Hourglass in other peoples' opinions than in mine.

Zevox

[Inhuman Bot]

Aw. I should have warned you. Galactrix is an extremely watered-down, badly-coded, load-heavy shadow of the original. I meant the first puzzle Quest, the "fantasy" one.

I actually found the Galactrix funner, though I didn't play either one for very long at all.

[Fan]

According to the biggest Zelda fan I know, Spirit Tracks is better than Phantom Hourglass.

I say it kills the spirit, because I watched someone play through the first 5 missions on a Live Stream, and it ended with him getting a Train with a Cannon on it.

That is the exact reason why I didn't like Wind Waker.

Cannons /=/ Zelda. Same with Trains.

No offence to anyone who DOES like it, but that's just my opinion.

[alchemyprime]

I dunno... I like Z:PH. Wind Waker is actually my favorite in the series, and I come from a nautical family... the waves just make me feel at home.

Of course, Spirit Tracks looks fun....

[Flarowon]

Dude. Everything you need:

The World Ends With You
Trauma Center: Under the Knife 2
Chrono Trigger
Pokemon Platinum

And you're done.

[Cute_Riolu]

If there's only one game you ever get for the DS, it must be The World Ends With You. I would choose it over D&D, and that's saying a LOT.

[The Dark Fiddler]

Pokemon Platinum

Or if you were around for Johto and want a nostalgia trip, or just want to see what it was like, wait until March for HeartGold and SoulSilver.