Highlights

• The original DS Phat may be clunky and have a small screen, but it has undeniable charm and appealing color schemes.
• The 2DS looks nice and has durable buttons, but feels somewhat cheap.
• The New 3DS XL is the best handheld in the DS line and Nintendo's best handheld overall. It has improved performance, fast loading, and enhanced 3D capabilities.

Just as hard as it once was to believe Nintendo was pushing a handheld with dual screens, it’s difficult to accept that the DS’ heyday is over and done with. Now that the Nintendo Switch has effectively dominated both the handheld and home console markets, it seems unlikely Nintendo will return to the Dual Screen format anytime soon.

This is a pity, as even at its worst, the DS line of handhelds embodied some of Nintendo’s finest craftsmanship – from the DS Phat all the way to the 2DS XL. Of course, when taking size, brightness, and button quality in mind, not all Nintendo DS models were created equally.

Updated on December 18, 2023, by Ritwik Mitra: The DS and 3DS are two of the greatest consoles ever made, with both handhelds being very important for Nintendo to continue their track record of developing excellent titles that fans can't get enough of. Given the massive financial success of both portables, it's easy to see why Nintendo went all out and developed multiple models of these consoles to cater to fans who wanted to own the best and most improved versions of these consoles.

10 DS Phat

The Original DS Model That Was A Huge Hit Despite Some Kinks Here And There

There’s an undeniable charm to the DS’ original model. Clunky, chunky, and home to a screen too small, it’s hard to deny how comfortably the DS Phat fits in the hands regardless. The DS Phat truly is too unwieldy for a handheld, but it looks nice, and Nintendo released some appealing color schemes for the DS.

The stylus the DS comes with isn’t too bad either, but the touch screen has a nasty habit of scratching. Worse, the DS Phat features fairly weak shoulder triggers– a drawback the Phat, unfortunately, shares with the GBA SP. Coupled with the worst brightness of the handhelds on this list, the DS Phat looks nice but is hard to return to.

9 2DS

Removed The Unnecessary 3D From The Original Model, But Looks And Feels Somewhat Cheap

Nintendo really banked on the 3DS’ 3D being a selling point, and, unfortunately, it simply wasn’t. While stereoscopic 3D is incredibly well implemented with most first-party titles (Ocarina of Time 3D is downright stunning with 3D turned on), it was a feature that went grossly underused even by those who liked it.

As a result, Nintendo produced the 2DS, and it’s just fine. The 2DS looks nice, and the buttons are plenty durable, but it’s hard not to feel like the 2DS isn’t some bizarre bootleg version of the 3D despite being official. Its base feels oddly cheap as well, but at least it was priced accordingly.

8 3DS

The Beloved Original Model That Helped Nintendo Stay Afloat After The Much-Maligned Launch Of The Wii U

The 3DS managed to become quite the successful handheld by the end of its lifespan, but its early goings weren’t exactly pleasant. Not only did Nintendo overprice the 3DS in Western markets (to the point Nintendo of America had to do damage control with the Ambassador Program), but the analog stick really can’t withstand too much wear.

Not helping matters is that the 3DS’ fairly poor hinge is prone to snapping if handled uncarefully. All the same, in the hands of the careful gamer, the original 3DS is a sleek handheld with some nice color options, albeit flawed in its final presentation & execution. Still, the first step for any console is important, and this template allowed the 3DS to become even better over time with successive models.

7 DS Lite

A Sleek DS Model That Became An Instant Fan Favorite

The DS Lite is, in many respects, the antithesis of the DS Phat, with marketing that even reflected that fact. Where the Phat was chunky, the Lite was sleek. Where the Phat was dark, the Lite was bright. Where the Phat was too big for its own good, the DS Lite is arguably the perfect size for a handheld.

The added brightness does wonders for the console, but the DS Lite’s touchscreen still scratches (though not as easily), and the shoulder buttons don’t fare much better. If anything, it seems as though the L & R buttons wear out even easier on the Lite. It’s an improvement on the DS Phat but one that has inherent flaws.

6 DSi

The Introduction Of Online Functionality Elevated The DS To A Whole New Level

The DSi was a rather huge step forward not only for the DS line but Nintendo in general. While Sony and Microsoft were embracing the advent of online gaming – complete with the former’s PSP featuring online capabilities – Nintendo was in an online stone age. All of this changed with the launch of the DSi.

A handheld with the ability to connect to the internet, it was the DSi that set the foundation for the 3DS. It should be noted how much nicer the DSi is on a surface level, as well. It doesn’t seem to wear down half as badly as its predecessors, and the body is nice & smooth (arguably even nicer than the 3DS’).

5 DSi XL

A Bigger, Better Version Of The DSi That's More Fun To Play On

The first of the XL line, the DSi XL rejected the notion that handhelds had to be, well, handheld, and weaponized size to its advantage. With a bigger screen, higher resolution, and a larger frame, the DSi XL attempted to blur the line between home console gaming & handheld gaming through an emphasis on greater presentation.

While the idea of a handheld XL is antithetical to the very idea of handhelds, the DSi XL was a step in the right direction for the DS line’s presentation. It’s no surprise that every single XL model is in the top 5 of this list when the DSi XL sets such a strong foundation, letting players optimally enjoy their favorite video games.

4 3DS XL

A Bigger Screen Does Justice To The 3DS' Amazing Games

The 3DS XL more or less fixes all of the regular 3DS’ problems, albeit with one new flaw of its own: it’s slow. The 3DS XL takes so long to turn on that one would be forgiven for thinking their 3DS broke. Likewise, it takes quite a while to open games, open the menu, and turn the system off.

However, the buttons are much nicer, the analog stick is a huge improvement, and 3DS games just look fantastic on the XL’s screen. It’s not the best 3DS XL model by a longshot – and Nintendo would improve upon it considerably with revisions – but the 3DS XL overcomes its flaws in many ways and continues to be the favorite of fans who enjoyed their favorite games on this superior handheld.

3 New 3DS

An Improved 3DS That Is The Definitive Way To Play The Many Great Titles In This Console's Library

One of the more recent quirks Nintendo has adopted is rejecting the traditional console race. While Sony and Microsoft actively compete against each other, Nintendo has posited itself not only as an alternative but one that can coexist with its competitors. Naturally, this means Nintendo upgrades their hardware mid-gen.

The New 3DS was Nintendo’s attempt at keeping the 3DS intact while also upgrading the system to better match advancements in technology. The New 3DS was a better-made system on an architectural level, complete with a better analog and an added c-stick, but it’s the handheld’s ability to improve in-game performance that makes it an improvement over the 3DS line.

2 New 2DS XL

The Lack Of The 3D Gimmick And A Focus On The Games Itself Was A Huge Bonus

Nintendo released the 2DS and followed it up with the New 3DS not long after. Needless to say, this naturally resulted in uninformed consumers purchasing a 2DS only to realize they couldn’t play what few New 3DS games there were. Nintendo notably did not release a New 2DS model either.

Of course, this was ultimately for the best, as Nintendo ended up releasing the New 2DS XL. A huge improvement over the base 2DS, the New 2DS XL has a professional quality that speaks to Nintendo’s reputation, unlike the cheap hardware of the 2DS. It helps that the New 2DS XL has a stylish, unique design.

1 New 3DS XL

A Console Many People Consider To Be The Best Nintendo Handheld Ever Made

The New 3DS XL isn’t just the best handheld in the DS line, it’s Nintendo’s best handheld, period. Between its architecture, improved buttons & analogs, nicer screen, and fast loading, the New 3DS XL is the definitive way to play the 3DS. Better yet, there are quite a few models to choose from, and both screens display wonderfully.

The New 3DS XL also improves the handheld’s stereoscopic 3D capabilities considerably. While it’s not a feature many used, it’s important to note that Nintendo remembered what drove the 3DS’ inception in the first place, making the main 3DS a more comprehensive system in the process.