TheNintendo DSremains one of Nintendo’s greatest accomplishments to date. From its launch in 2004, the DS saw unbelievable success that led to the device becoming Nintendo’s best-selling console of all time. Its reception further cemented Nintendo’s status as the champion of the portable gaming industry at a time when the primary handheld competitor,Sony’s PlayStation Portable, struggled to make huge waves.
20 years from its debut, the DS is still just as relevant as ever. Not only was the console a great success at the time, butthe DS was the catalyst that resulted in a seismic shiftfor both Nintendo and gaming in general. The DS stood out as a revolutionary console that was completely different from what other consoles offered at the time while heavily influencing Nintendo’s approach to hardware and software development moving forward.
The DS Was Unlike Any Console At The Time
The New Features Changed How Players Approached A Game
Before the DS was first unveiled to the world, it’s safe to say that the market had become accustomed to a certain playstyle.Consoles at the time, such as the PlayStation 2, GameCube, and Xbox, had a very similar approach to controlswith relatively standardized button layouts. The result meant that it was very easy for players to move across each console with ease, though none of them prioritized anything especially different or unique to stand out from competitors.
10 Best GameCube Games Of All Time
The GameCube is home to an extraordinary library of games, and all of the best titles are still well worth seeking out and playing today.
The DS broke new ground by completely changing how the player was expected to interact with a game. The implementation of dual screens could initially seem daunting as it means far more can happen with a game at any single time for the player to focus on. Yetthe use of two screens made for more engaging experiences on the DS, as the player becomes more aware of their surroundings, managing the many elements at play without them becoming too overwhelming.
Meanwhile, the DS’s touchscreen completely upended the type of gameplay players had come to expect.The touch screen added another level of interaction between the player and the gamethanks to the fluid, multifaceted actions it provided. This implementation only allowed for more diverse and unique experiences on the DS as there were near limitless possibilities for how each game on the system could be played, making the console the most versatile and revolutionary product on the market at the time.
It’s clear that Nintendo was not content with the DS simply being an upgraded version of a previous consolelike theGame Boy Advance. The company wanted to change the fundamental understanding at the time of what a video game console was capable of and the kind of gaming experiences the player could enjoy. That unique approach to the DS would have certainly boosted its appeal at the time of release, contributing to the console’s gargantuan success.
The DS’s Best Games Took Full Advantage Of The System
The Library Of Titles Appealed To A Huge Demographic
Despite these additions potentially complicating control for players,the DS was an intuitive and adaptable console. The touch screen actually made for a more accessible console, as it proved incredibly simple and easy to get used to, meaning anybody was able to pick up and play with virtually no issues. As a matter of fact, the DS’s most successful games took advantage of this simplicity, providing experiences that can be enjoyed by people who may not typically play video games, broadening the system’s appeal.
10 Best Nintendo DS Games
The Nintendo DS library gave birth to a number of classics, and the best games that it has to offer remain every bit as compelling today.
Thewildly successfulNintendogs, for example, had the player use the touchscreen to perform a multitude of tasks, including training and washing their dogs on a regular basis. Meanwhile,Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day!offered a series of challenging puzzles that required minimal input from the player, eitherwriting their answer on the touch screen or speaking into the DS’s built-in microphone. Both games were hugely successful due to their simple and easy-to-learn control scheme that made each title accessible, further propelling the DS’s success as a console for everybody.
Brain Agealso made clever use of the folding DS format with a vertical orientation that had players hold the system like a book.
Of course, Nintendo made sure that their signature franchises made an appearance and took full advantage of the DS’s new features. The most notable example comes fromThe Legend of Zelda, which made heavy use of the new controls with its two entries for the system,Phantom HourglassandSpirit Tracks. Similar toNintendogsandBrain Age,bothZeldaentries on the DS had the player focus primarily on the touch screen to control Link in both traversal and combat, while also using both screens to either sail the seas or traverse an elaborate railway system.
This unique control scheme made for adventures that stood apart from previous entries in theZeldaseries while also being simplistic enough to make either game a perfect entry point into the franchise for more casual players.The DS was not only revolutionary in its accessibility and appeal, but in giving well-known franchises such asZeldathe ability to reinvent themselves, making for more satisfying games as a result.
The DS Would Shape Nintendo’s Consoles Moving Forward
Nintendo Continues To Push Boundaries With Each Console
It’s no wonder that the DS was such a success during its lifetime. The console’s deviation from the norm and push for a new, innovative gaming experience resulted in the DS becoming a product that reached beyond the typical gaming sphere, giving consumers an accessible way to start their own gaming journey. However,one of the DS’s largest accomplishments is how it shaped Nintendo going forward, as later consoles would continue to push the boundaries of what was possible in gaming.
TheWii’s motion controlsessentially served a similar purpose to the DS’s touch screen, offering a different yet fun and easy-to-learn control scheme that encouraged far more active input from the player.The 3DS’s use of stereoscopic 3D images gave developers more freedom in how perspective was usedin their games, as the peripheral gave the player the ability to see far more than they could have in 2D. The Switch’s own humongous success is owed to its versatility and ability to be played in a number of ways, similar to what the DS allowed with its own features.
The DS isn’t just the most popular handheld console of all time. It marks a crucial time in Nintendo’s history when the company worked to make players reconsider how games are meant to be played and enjoyed. Nintendo has spent the last 20 years releasing groundbreaking consoles and games that have revolutionized the gaming industry as a whole, and it all started with theNintendo DS.
