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Ten DS Games That Should Be Made

marcellizot writes "Even though the DS is already blessed with a large and varied library of great titles, its hard not to wish for the games that should be, and the games that probably will never be. Nintendo's little white pandora's box of quirky interfaces seems destined to forever remain pregnant with possibility, no matter how creative the developers get. To vent their desires, Pocket Gamer has assembled a canon of forgotten gaming heroes and oddball fancies that would make a good fit for Nintendo's dual-screened play thing."

31 of 94 comments (clear)

  1. best one wont get made by mastershake_phd · · Score: 2, Interesting

    GoldenEye DS Theyre refering to the N64 Goldeneye made by rare. Since Microsoft bought rare butchered perfect dark. EA got the 007 contracts. The best we can hope for is a Timesplitters on DS. But it would be almost as good...

  2. Just friggin port Starcraft already by Sciros · · Score: 5, Interesting

    The stylus and control pad are enough to play Starcraft on it. The second screen might not be all that useful, so they can just use it to track scores or units or research progress or whatever else you don't need to click on. With the DS letting you play anyone in the world via WiFi and the controls to make it work, Starcraft can experience a resurrection as a handheld game.

    I know I'd buy it.

    --
    I like basketball!!1!
    1. Re:Just friggin port Starcraft already by Kergareth · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Construction tab mate

    2. Re:Just friggin port Starcraft already by DivineOmega · · Score: 5, Interesting

      I agree. Real-time strategy games are more possible on both the DS and Wii due to their controller's being able to so easily emulate the functions of a mouse. The lack of a mouse-like device I think is something that really holds back consoles from the RTS genre.

    3. Re:Just friggin port Starcraft already by stoolpigeon · · Score: 3, Insightful

      you can't resurrect what isn't dead. i never have trouble finding a bunch of kids on battle net willing to kick my ass.

      --
      It's hard to believe that's how Micronians are made. Why don't we see it right now by having you both kiss one another?
    4. Re:Just friggin port Starcraft already by Fozzyuw · · Score: 2, Insightful

      I agree. Real-time strategy games are more possible on both the DS and Wii due to their controller's being able to so easily emulate the functions of a mouse. The lack of a mouse-like device I think is something that really holds back consoles from the RTS genre.

      Absolutely. I've been saying that to my friends as part of my Wii critique since I got it. I just got a DS and I can see tons of potential with that as well.

      Cheer,
      Fozzy

      --
      "The past was erased, the erasure was forgotten, the lie became truth." ~1984 George Orwell
    5. Re:Just friggin port Starcraft already by bjourne · · Score: 3, Interesting

      That will never ever happen. Why?

      It would be to fun.

      If they released Starcraft for the DS, everyone would buy it. Everyone would play it forever and ever. They would then enjoy that game so much that they would not have to buy new games. Nowadays, studios do not make hard and challenging games because they do not want to keep people occupied. Instead they make games that last for X numer of hours, where X is the smallest number possible while still making the customer believe it got its moneys worth.

      You can keep on dreaming but there will never be any good RTS for the DS or a challenging chess game either for that matter.

  3. Ten Things People Should Give Me by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny
    1. A new car.
    2. A million dollars (a lot of people want this one, so make sure you do this!)
    3. A hotter wife (I hope some good plastic surgeons are reading this and pick it up..)
    4. A smarter boss (the current upgrade packages are too expensive!)
    5. Prehensile tail.
    6. Bat wings.
    7. A flying fortress (it doesn't make sense, but it would be cool, yeah?)
    8. A longer attention span.
    1. Re:Ten Things People Should Give Me by ArwynH · · Score: 2, Funny

      Don't forget 'the ability to count to ten.'.

    2. Re:Ten Things People Should Give Me by bradkittenbrink · · Score: 3, Funny

      WHOOSH!!!

    3. Re:Ten Things People Should Give Me by DavidTC · · Score: 2, Funny

      10: I must be free. No questions about it.

      <rapid voice>One free Anonymous Coward per customer please. Limited time offer. First come first serve. Open to legal US residents 18 and older.</rapid voice>

      --
      If corporations are people, aren't stockholders guilty of slavery?
  4. RTS with local play by scarpa · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I want a simple RTS that I can play with my friends locally.

    One screen a map, the other for unit/building management. Toggle the screens to switch between movement and management.

    Or just port Starcaft as someone already mentioned.

    1. Re:RTS with local play by tomstdenis · · Score: 3, Interesting

      I'd pay money to play the original Command and Conquer [sans cutscene movies] on the DS. Bonus points for half intelligent but not super tough A.I. and hell maybe a random map generator.

      Also the original Warcraft (with some unit limits lifted) would be fun too.

      Tom

      --
      Someday, I'll have a real sig.
  5. sim games by stoolpigeon · · Score: 2, Insightful

    sim city, sim farm, sim ants -- i'd play any of the old sim games on ds and have fun with it.
     
    sim ants would be really cool as you could have below ground and above ground on each screen. just get rid of that little hole that always runs to the enemy ants colony. it made the game too easy but i just couldn't resist using it.

    --
    It's hard to believe that's how Micronians are made. Why don't we see it right now by having you both kiss one another?
    1. Re:sim games by antifoidulus · · Score: 2, Informative

      Yes, but it was always fun to use that to get your queen into the red ants base after you have covered up all the exits with rocks. The queen loses its head then just runs frantically. Good times!

    2. Re:sim games by SethraLavode · · Score: 2, Informative

      You're in luck. SimCity is coming soon.

      It won't be quite the same (you have to blow out fires, for example), but the core of the game should be there.

    3. Re:sim games by geekster · · Score: 2, Informative

      You're in luck. Sim City is coming to the DS this summer.

    4. Re:sim games by XxtraLarGe · · Score: 2, Funny

      Eeep, that was kinda creepy. Swear I didn't see your post there! :) That's probably because you were starting your post just as they were hitting the submit key. Don't worry though, you'll get modded "Redundant" for your troubles, and I'll get modded "Off Topic". Mods please go easy on the guy!
      --
      Taking guns away from the 99% gives the 1% 100% of the power.
  6. Donkey kong country by Turn-X+Alphonse · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Personally I'd like to know why so few SNES games are getting ports. Donkey Kong Country (1-3) were fantastic games and really could do with a nice port.

    But the thing I REALLY want is Lemmings. I don't care if Sony got it, the DS screams for Lemmings. I honestly can't think of a single game better suited to a touch screen.

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    I like muppets.
  7. Civ4 is possible, if you remove the bloat by Brunellus · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Nothing in the Civ4 ruleset would be too complex to implement on the DS. The Civ4 GRAPHICS engine, however, would be excessive. Civ 3 and Civ 4 were great rulesets grafted onto the most unbelievable graphical bloat ever foisted upon the gameplaying public.

    Alpha Centauri's isometric three-dimensionality had a definite impact on gameplay: sea levels changed, artillery bombardment effectiveness varied with the difference in elevation, moisture & rainfall patterns differed on windward and leeward slopes of mountainsides, &c. Civ 3 and Civ 4 had prettier graphics, but none of their 3D graphics made any difference to the ruleset, which could have been quickly and easily implmented with sprites and tiles.

    If Sid Meier were to bring me the Civ 4 ruleset with sprites and tiles on the DS, I would play the DS version to the exclusion of the PC version , because it would mean a return to the real roots of the Civ games and a turn away from useless bling and graphical bloat.

    Sadly, with the way game development seems to be headed, I doubt I'll see Civ on the DS. I'll break down and get a DS, finally, when SimCity releases.

    1. Re:Civ4 is possible, if you remove the bloat by DeepHurtn! · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Although I'm a bit of a Civ addict, I haven't played Civ 4 yet because the system requirements are absolutely insane; beyond my laptop, at any rate. There is no reason *at all* for a turn based strategy game to demand the sort of specs Civ 4 does (I've run across stories of people being able to run WoW, but not Civ 4). That's just crappy engineering.

  8. 2 words... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    Custer's Revenge.

  9. Monkey Island! by jackster1 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Oh my god, how much would I love Monkey Island on DS. I've got to say, the old Lucas Arts games were amazing. Even one of the newer-ish ones was good (Grim Fandango), although Monkey Island 4 wasn't as good. I really hope LucasArts brings Monkey Island to DS, but they seem to have turned their backs on adventure gaming for now, although maybe something like Monkey Island would appeal to casual gamers, something the DS appeals to aswell.

    1. Re:Monkey Island! by grumbel · · Score: 2, Informative

      If you want Monkey Island and all the other games on the DS, just buy a DS flashcard and download ScummvmDS.

    2. Re:Monkey Island! by DavidTC · · Score: 2, Informative

      Based on the state of the industry though, adventure games are considered "dead"...Here's to hoping that they (adventure games and classic adventure games) make a comeback.

      They made a comeback already. There are literally dozens of great adventure games released since 2000, many of which came back with sequels.

      They're just not talked about anywhere near as much as other games, and have trouble finding shelf space.

      Successful series: The Longest Journey, Runaway, The Broken Sword, and Benoît Sokal's games.

      --
      If corporations are people, aren't stockholders guilty of slavery?
  10. Couldn't agree more by geekster · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Syndicate and Ports of Call would also be nice on the DS. It seems that some companies has picked up on this. With Settlers, Sim City and Theme Park coming. And why not, I imagine it must be pretty cheap with all of the art already made just needing a bit of tweaking.

    That's also what appeals to me about homebrew on the DS. It's kinda like being back in the early 90's. Only this time I actually know how to program :). The smaller screens makes the low res graphics nicer in my opinion. And having the stylus and touch screen you can have mouse and keyboard (on screen) functionality. It's really like having an instant on, old pc in your pocket.

  11. Sure, I'll Karma whore. by Beardo+the+Bearded · · Score: 4, Informative

    We're a greedy lot here at Pocket Gamer. Even though the DS is already blessed with a large and varied library of great titles, we can't help but wish our lunchbreaks away over the games that should be, and the games that probably will never be.

    To vent our desires, we've assembled a canon of forgotten gaming heroes and oddball fancies that make a good fit for Nintendo's dual-screened play thing. Would it help if we said "Please!"?
    10 games we'd love to play on DS
    We want: A LucasArts adventure game collection

    Before consoles and PCs got all hung up on 3D and LucasArts got all hung up on churning out legions of below average playable adverts for the Star Wars cash cow, LucasFilm Games (as it was known back then) carved out a reputation for quality point-and-click adventure games driven by its S.C.U.M.M. engine (that's Script Creation Utility, fact fans). This scripting tool yielded a plethora of adventure romps that would fit the DS's stylus like a glove. We would love to see an adventure game bumper cart celebrating the genre including Maniac Mansion, LOOM, Sam and Max Hit The Road, Full Throttle and, of course, The Secret of Monkey Island. Yes, you can get them on homebrew, but they really need to be tweaked for the smaller screen.

    We demand: Okami DS

    If there is one thing that the DS handles deftly, it's cell shading. Whilst the PS2 version of Okami's beautiful pastel depth may be out of the DS's reach, the scope its stylus would provide for manipulating the washed out dreamscape of Okami is obvious. A DS version with less emphasis on action and more of a focus on Okami's innovative celestial brush and puzzle sections would tick all of the right boxes for the casual RPG fan.

    Give us: Pilot Wings DS

    The game that helped to launch the N64 (and less famously the SNES) screams First-party Nintendo Smash from every pixel. And so where better to grant Pilot Wings a third flight than on what is arguably Nintendo's most Nintendo-ish console to date? Simulating wind to billow a paraglider's parafoil by blowing into the mic would be a great addition, as would the option to plot custom courses through the stages with the stylus (exchangeable via wi-fi, naturally).

    Still want: Sketch Fighter DS

    We've already made some noise about how much we would like Ambrosia's casual gaming gem to grace the DS, but this list would not be complete without a repeat shout in the hope that the right people might be listening. With its simple blasting action, its signature visual style and the option to draw your own multiplayer battle zones, one could be forgiven for thinking that this game was designed specifically for the DS. Ambrosia, if you are out there...

    How about: A board game compendium for big kids?

    The DS already has a fantastic card and board game collection in 42 All-Time Classics. But on the last day of school term, it was always the kids who brought in Operation and Mouse Trap that drew the most attention, whilst the boffins that tried to encourage a round of chess and checkers were left to sit in the corner discussing The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe. We want a big kid's version of 42 All-Time Classics featuring the likes of Operation, Jenga (wi-fi possibilities), Mouse Trap, Kerplunk and any other game where the board is the least important part of the apparatus.

    Please: Mario Paint DS

    Mario Paint was a surprise hit for the SNES during Nintendo's 'Let's brand all of our first-party titles with Mario' phase, and paved the way for the ultra rare 64DD series entitled simply Mario Artist. These games enabled you to create images and 3D models, and even offered the option to share artwork via an online communication kit. We've got a stylus and wi-fi now - come on Nintendo, need we say more? You know it makes sense!

    Be crazy not to do: Marble Madness DS

    This long lost arcade classic was also the first game to appear on the Atari System 1, and set the machine apart from its contemporaries as the apex predator console of its day. Ori

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    ---
    ECHELON is a government program to find words like bomb, jihad, plutonium, assassinate, and anarchy.
  12. Tetris since 2001 is "broken" by tepples · · Score: 2, Insightful

    It seems that every Tetris game released since 2001 is broken by design. For instance, Tetris DS inherits its infinite spin and T-spin triple rules from Tetris Worlds.

    LOCKJAW, on the other hand, is exactly as broken as you want it to be.

  13. Take Hotel Dusk and turn it up a notch. by Mc_Anthony · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I had huge hopes for "Hotel Dusk: Room 251", a graphic novel in game form. It is actually a pretty good game if you enjoy a decent story. The interesting, interactive puzzles mixed in here and there help set off the story.

    But I can't help but wonder how mind blowingly great it could have been had the creators hired a real, honest to God writer, like Stephen King, or Neil Gaiman, etc... Damn that would be cool. Anyhow, thats my "most wanted"...

  14. Come -on-! by Kamineko · · Score: 3, Informative
    I already made Lemmings for the DS three months ago!


    It was even mentioned on Slashdot!

  15. good luck! by FatSean · · Score: 2, Informative

    Check out civfanatics.com. There is no uber-tuning guide, but there are lots of people making the game work on low-spec machines.

    --
    Blar.