Nds top games 2011

Thomas Updated: 6 Jan pm. Nintendo's DSi went on sale in the States over two years ago now. The system, which was the third revision of the DS hardware to be made available in America, stuck pretty close to its predecessors in overall design - two screens, touch-based control, a microphone, a clamshell construction - while making some tweaks and additions too, like bumping up the size of the screens and including a couple of small digital cameras.

Perhaps the biggest new addition, though, wasn't a visible change in the system itself. It was in the software. It was the DSi Shop. Taking inspiration from the WiiWare service on the company's home console, Nintendo launched the DSiWare downloadable games service on the same day as the DSi system shipped to stores.

The new format, which allows you to download digital-only exclusive games from a virtual storefront on the handheld, positioned Nintendo's portable in more direct competition and comparison against some other options for getting games on the go - and competition is always good for the consumer.

While DSiWare as a whole has certainly flown under the radar through these past two years, those players paying attention have had access to some truly great game designs.

And, if you're just tuning in yourself, we're here to help elevate the notoriety of those efforts with this list of the best of the best. We've gone back over our thoughts and opinions on every DSiWare download released through the past 24 months, and we've compiled this list of our Top 15 picks for the service.

These are the games that are guaranteed hits - well worth your time and money, and certain not to disappoint. YES NO. Experience the urban grit and neon of the coolest district in Tokyo with a distinctive, high quality style of in-game artwork. Meet an achingly hip cast of characters each with an interesting personality and stylish sense in fashion, music and culture. Use psychic powers to read the thoughts of the population, put words into people's minds, and move objects to help you progress in your adventure.

Immerse yourself in an amazing audio soundtrack featuring a diverse fusion of bleeding-edge hip-hop, rock, and techno. A tale of friendship, hope and overcoming your challenges, creatively told with a modern edge. Shop till you drop: Keep abreast of the latest Trends to stay one step ahead of the fashion scene and your enemies. Trade items with friends using Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection too. Action-packed minigame fun that can be enjoyed by up to four players via DS Wireless Play.

Engage the Chance Encounter mode via DS Wireless Play to share data with fellow game users you bump into in the real world.

Horii and Sugiyama are on board to provide their talents as DQIX takes the series in a decidedly different direction. For the first time, the DQ franchise has an action-oriented title where battles take place on the field much like "Crystal Chronicles".

To cap off the presentation, SQEX announced that the game supports four-player multiplayer. In a jam? Well, all these guys DO is jam!

Prepare to rock as these beat masters use their groovy moves to save the day. As the music plays, players tap the screen, trace rhythmic patterns and keep the beat as the story unfolds on the top screen.

Every scene is accompanied by rump-shaking tunes, but players have to keep the Elite Beat Agents grooving. The worse players do, the worse the story might end up. Code-named Elite Beat Agents, these men in black are heroes' heroes and the coolest group of guys this world has ever known.

Of course, according to official records, they do not exist. When he finds one, he dispatches the agents, who assist their targets by performing a song and dance. The hypnotic nature of their rocking revives the targets with "Groovy" energy that boosts their willpower and helps them overcome their obstacles. Every stage is presented in a storyline fashion. Commander Kahn dispatches the agents to the scene.

The agents arrive in a special "Beat Transport" that is tailor-made for the situation. The song starts as the agents and player meet the target. The animated story changes depending on how well the player performs.

After each section, the player gets judged. Depending on the Elite-o-meter's judgment, the story will go well or poorly.

If the player makes it though the whole song, he or she will be judged on the whole thing and get one of three endings. The game provides players with a new story, more puzzles and even a new mode of transportation.

In this game, Link voyages by train, which offers up new possibilities for problem-solving. The game has the same look and feel established in Phantom Hourglass. Link has a valuable new companion. While navigating dungeons, he's accompanied by a Phantom, a hulking suit of armor that responds to his commands.

Players can tap the Phantom to take command of him, then draw a line on the touch screen to direct him where to go. The stout Phantom can walk through fire or lava, be used as a platform to carry Link above dangers, or even run interference to block Link from harm.

When Link conducts the train, players enjoy a satisfying combination of action and real-time puzzle solving as they determine which track to take and how to best manipulate their speed. When on the train, Link must plot the best route to the end of the line around ever-moving obstacles. While en route, Link might need to fire an onboard cannon at enemies who attack the train or sound the whistle to scare animals off the tracks.

Link uses a variety of new items and weapons, including the Whirlwind, which players activate by blowing into the microphone of the Nintendo DS system.

As with The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass, players can draw notes on the in-game maps using the stylus on the touch screen. Also known as "Touch! Using the stylus to control Kirby's movements is surprisingly intuitive, and the new control scheme provides many unique gameplay challenges.

The rainbow paths you draw guide Kirby through the game, but they also can protect Kirby from falling icicles, lasers, cannon blasts and other hazards. In addition to drawing paths, the stylus can also be used to stun enemies, destroy barriers, detonate bombs and much more. Each of the game's seven worlds is divided into three stages, and each stage holds three hidden medals.

Some are easy to find, while others are either well-hidden or heavily protected. You don't need to find these medals to complete the game, but the medals you recover can be traded in to unlock special features like new ink colors for the paths you draw with the stylus. With a manga art direction it has been re-mastered into a glorious 2D environment.

Live an exciting adventure as you play 5 different heroes, alternate between exploration in various maps and battle in turn-based puzzle games, in order to accomplish your quest. Teaming up with their young selves will soon send Mario and Luigi on a quest of lunatic proportions as players must control both the adult AND baby versions of the Mushroom Kingdom heroes. Players use the top screen to study the land, keep track of the pair of brothers not under their control or maximize combo moves in battle.

With twice the Mario brothers and twice the laughs, this massive side-splitting adventure could only find a home on the dual screens of the Nintendo DS. If you match three or more panels of the same color, they will vanish. Form chains and combos to create cascading waterfalls of panels to rack up high scores. Play three two-minute games in unique Daily mode. Track your progress over weeks and months. Dozens of tutorials and demos teach you the ins-and-outs of this incredibly deep game.

Three difficulty levels:. Easy for beginners, normal for veterans, brutal for experts. Two can compete head-to-head over the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. With the Nintendo DS Headset accessory sold separately you can even chat with your friend as you polish your puzzle skills. Up to four players can compete in three local wireless modes. You can also send a single-player demo to a friend via local wireless.

Orient the game the way you like: vertically or horizontally! You can even configure for left- or right-handed play. In this sequel to the wildly popular Nintendo GameCube game, players and up to three friends can hang out in the same village and interact in real time - either through wireless LAN or over Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. Now players can visit a friend's village from thousands of miles away.

The touch screen makes item management and world navigation a breeze. Typing letters and designing patterns are now just stylus strokes away. Days and seasons pass in real time, so whether players want to decorate their homes, catch bugs or fish, collect brand-new items like hats and sunglasses or just chat with the wild and wacky characters in their villages, there's always something to do.

Professor Layton and his apprentice, Luke, receive a confounding letter - from Luke 10 years in the future. But the message inside is even more troubling: London of the future is in disarray, and the only person who can help set things right is Professor Layton. Advance Wars has been reinvented. Set amidst a world in chaos and featuring new characters and settings, a gritty look, an engaging storyline, and online Wi-Fi battles and map trading.

Try you hand with new COs and units, realistic graphics, and a new environment. Use Nintendo WiFi Connection and battle against a friend halfway across the world, or use the map editor to create, trade and battle on your own custom maps. In the midst of an unending war for dominance between two super-powers, Special Intelligence Agent Stocke is assigned to a routine escort mission that goes horribly awry.

The sequel to the critically acclaimed Shantae is here! Take control of two heroes, Jonathan Morris, a vampire killer and his close friend Charlotte Orlean, a girl with tremendous magical ability. Amidst the chaos of World War II, two mysterious sisters emerge, working to resurrect Dracula and David and Charlotte are all that stand in their way. Two new playable characters, each with their own unique style of play and abilities. Strategically switch between characters in the heat of the action.

Call on your partner and execute Summon Attacks to decimate your enemies. Collect items, weapons and magic as you explore the castle. Explore several environments new to the series, such as the Desert, abandoned cities and more. Before Metroid Prime Hunters, the answer was easy. Now that six other ferocious bounty hunters have gathered to challenge Samus, the title is up for grabs.

Engage in intense four-player deathmatches either locally or against players from around the world with Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. Battle with seven elite bounty hunters, each with unique alternate forms and specialty weapons. Customize your multiplayer matches with over 20 expertly designed arenas and seven intense modes of play. Unlock multiplayer features by completing an all-new single-player mission in Adventure Mode. When you set off on your travels, you'll be able to play as either a boy or girl Trainer.

Pokemon fans have caught glimpses of Lucario, Munchlax and Weavile in Pokemon movies, and these Pokemon will are debuting in this adventure. Also, you can link up with Pokemon Ranger to access more special content. Also known as "Layton Kyouju no Fushigi na Machi" and "Professor Layton and the Mysterious Village" Marking Level 5's first foray onto the DS, Professor Layton is an old-fashioned point-and-click adventure which requires your use of skills such as reasoning, knowledge and creativity to solve various puzzles.

Super Mario 64, the genre-defining Nintendo 64 classic, arrives on the Nintendo DS with all-new features that take full advantage of the new portable system's dual screens, touch screen and wireless multiplayer capability. Play as Mario, Yoshi, Luigi and even Wario. You'll need to use each one's unique abilities to find Power Stars hidden in the castle and grounds. Play through Adventure mode and try your stylus-wielding hand at tons of new touch-sensitive mini-games.

Each of the four main characters has multiple jumping moves that cover great horizontal and vertical distances. Each has unique moves: Yoshi can eat enemies and turn them into eggs that he can throw; Mario can punch, kick and wall-jump to great heights; super-strong Wario can break certain blocks; and Luigi can jump incredibly high.

Power Flowers give each character even cooler powers, like invisibility, fire breath or the power to float through the air. Four elemental Crystals, each possessing awesome power, lie scattered throughout the realm.

However, men are quick to covet things which offer strength, and easily corrupted by the might which they possess. Seduced by the promised power of the Crystals, the kingdom of Baron begins employing unprovoked force to seize them from peaceful nations. Stricken with grief at his own actions, yet burdened by his loyalty to his country and his personal sense of honor, Cecil at last decides to turn from the path of darkness and destruction.

Enraged, the king accuses him of disloyalty, strips Cecil of his command, and sends him off to slay a mysterious beast that lurks in the nearby Valley of Mist. Cecil embarks on a fateful journey that will bring trials, betrayals, friendship, loss and self-discovery. Can Cecil open his eyes and become the man of honor that he must be? Train and customize Whytkin by playing a variety of mini-games and challenge another player to head-to-head battle via local wireless connection.

The legendary Castlevania series is back in its 3rd installment on the Nintendo DS. This time you play as a member of the Ecclesia, an organization that has sworn to defeat the evil forces of Dracula.

Use the brand new Glyph attack system which has more than different combinations to battle Dracula and his minions throughout 20 explorable areas. Take part in side quests and collect items to power up your character in the next great Castlevania game produced by Koji Igarashi.

Castlevania: The Order of Ecclesia features intense side-scrolling action gameplay as you quest to collect elements that will help you in your quest against Dracula. Explore all-new outdoor areas from the forests to the ocean. Sell and buy items and equipment you have found while playing with other players utilizing Nintendo DS Wi-Fi Connection.

Utilize multiple abilities and attacks simultaneously with the all-new Glyph attack system. Replay more than once to discover multiple endings. New Music: Get in the groove with up-beat techno tunes that are synched to gameplay. New Mini-Games: Experience varied gameplay with mini-games Rounds that are launched mid-game — they add to the fun, and are a good way to rack up points. New Twists: Discover exciting twists to the classic game that provide swift, fast-paced game play.

New Multiplayer Element: Battle against a friend with the all-new multiplayer element, available on both platforms. Shoot and clear the orange pegs from levels spanning two full Adventure modes including 10 all-new levels in the exclusive Bonus Underground.

Wield 11 Magic Powers, score amazing style shots, and collect valuable gems and power-ups in the Bonus Underground. Each of the six modes of play features a theme based on a classic Nintendo game, such as Super Mario Bros.

The traditional Tetriminos falling blocks and line-clearing strategy remain the staples of the game, but the touch screen adds a new element of interactivity.

Some modes give players special Tetris puzzles to solve. Others feature head-to-head action between two players, or massive wireless battles between 10 DS users, even if only one player has a game card. Players also can log onto Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection to compete in two- or four-player battles. Tetris DS even includes a point-based rating system based on players' battle results.

Opponents can see one another's ratings, which indicate their skill levels. Every gamer, whether competitive or casual, will find a way to reconnect with one of the most popular puzzle games in history. Look for more details about the new game play modes on Nintendo.

Tokyo is in full lockdown, the government's swift, coldblooded response to a surprise demon invasion. Trapped within the sprawling metropolis is the city's helpless populace, forced to turn on each other in order to survive. A mysterious piece of technology, the COMP, falls into the hands of you and your peers. This device allows you to form contracts, forcing demons to serve you in battle against the otherworldly creatures.

There are others with COMPs, so-called demon tamers, who seek to use the demons to satisfy their own whims-be they for justice, peace, or power-in the chaos that was once downtown Tokyo. Where did the demons come from? Why did they appear? Who created the COMPs, and what is their purpose? These questions must soon be answered, for if you fail to solve the mystery, much more is at stake than your own lives.

User Score: 5. Get your wits working with over puzzles, and help unravel the mystery of the Elysian Box. That game was called Dark Void. Before long, the game was shelved and drifted, unnoticed, into the annals of gaming history. Dark Void became a legendary "lost project" at Capcom. Now, nearly 20 years later, Dark Void is back! To commemorate the game's humble origins, Capcom has commissioned this recreation of the original 8-bit classic, now re-titled Dark Void Zero, on the Nintendo DSi system.

You play as Rusty, the first human born in the Void, who must take on the Watchers in a quest to stop their domination of Earth. With the aid of Nikola Tesla and his state-of-the-art rocket pack, Rusty must take down the Watchers and their minions across three intense levels of action and intrigue.

No levels. No load times. What we've decided to do is treat all of these games on equal ground. Some of these we've seen screenshots or videos of and some we haven't. Some we've heard developers talking about, some we haven't. Some seem very likely to actually come out this year and others are such a long shot… but we're treating them equally.

There's no sense in obsessing over the unknown, and we certainly can't get publishers to talk as Nintendo is keeping them all rather quiet. So until this January 19 event rolls around, we're just going to keep guessing. Ah, the joys of waiting for a system to launch. Instead, it's an enhanced version of the supplemental Mercenaries modes found in Resident Evils 4 and 5. In these modes, players find themselves commanding various heroes of the RE series, attempting to kill as many enemies as possible in a limited amount of time.

We know a few of the enhancements planned for Mercenaries. A first-person aiming mechanic is being added, and players will still be be able to move when using this perspective.

Capcom has also stated it intends to add online functionality. Beyond that we don't know much, though given the fact that this is based mostly off of existing game concepts, a release prior to Revelations seems somewhat likely. Succeeds if the amount of options and game mode diversity compensates for the lack of a story or originality. Fails if this feels like the same stuff we've played in the last few games.

Unfortunately, aside from the fact that this appears to be a port of Star Fox 64, we know little about this game, which seems destined to see release early in the 3DS's lifespan. The brief E3 demo and subsequent screenshots definitely suggest the game is getting a graphical boost, but what else will we see? Will gameplay be adjusted? Will we get some online functionality? Time will tell, but we'd love to see a fully developed Star Fox installment — we don't get them nearly enough. Succeeds if we're getting more than just Star Fox The franchise has seen numerous improvements since that time..

Fails if we don't get online functionality. We want space-based dog fights with our friend on our 3DS! The first version released for the 3DS won't actually be a port of Madden NFL 11, but instead a unique version suited for the handheld that will hit close to the launch of the 3DS. Succeeds if EA uses the gap of time between Madden 11 and Madden 3DS to improve the experience, delivering a better game than the one released in August.

Fails if there's no online mode, something we haven't heard anything about so far. What remains to be seen is how the series will make the jump to the 3DS. The DS version, released in , was highly praised, receiving a 9.

How will the gameplay work out in 3D? By now, we all have a firm grasp of Mario Kart mechanics, and it will be interesting to see if Nintendo's EAD teams try to tinker with the format.