The Nintendo DS launched in 2004. For a stunning seven years, it thrived as one of Nintendo’s best-selling devices across both consoles and portables. It was a huge mega-hit that was replaced in 2011 with the 3DS. 

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That said, every DS game is still playable on that system no matter what version one plays it on from the 3DS to the 2DS. In that way, DS games are still somewhat accessible. However, as they have never been released digitally on the 3DS, getting ahold of some of these cartridges can be tricky. Some strangely did make it to the Wii U, but the following ten did not. 

10 Castlevania: Dawn Of Sorrow 

None of the DS Castlevania games ever left the system. This goes for Dawn of Sorrow, Portrait of Ruin, and Order of Ecclesia.

All three of those games are classic Metroidvanias, but Dawn of Sorrow is the best of the three. It’s like comparing rare diamonds but if one could only wish for a single port, it would be that. 

9 Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire Of The Rift

Like Castlevania, there are plenty of Final Fantasy games trapped on the handheld game system. In fact, none of them have appeared on the Wii U Virtual console.

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The best handheld exclusive is the final, real title in the Final Fantasy Tactics series. It, and its Game Boy Advance predecessor, are certainly different in tone compared to the original. However, make no mistake, it is still a classic. 

8 Pokémon Conquest 

pokemon conquest

Another tactical spinoff game trapped on the DS is Pokémon Conquest. This bizarre title crosses over the RTS simulation series, Nobunaga’s Ambition, with cute Pokémon as stand-in soldiers.

While flawed, this late addition to the console from 2012 not only deserves a port but a sequel as well. Getting the mainline games ported, like Pokémon Black/White, would also be a treat.

7 Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels Of The Starry Skies

Dragon Quest IX

This game launched in 2009 for Japan, but Western fans had to wait a year for it to be released in 2010. That’s right, 2020 is the tenth anniversary of its Western debut. What better time to release a port, or remake?

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This was the first main game to feature multiplayer along with being built from the ground up for a portable system. It was ahead of its time and deserves another spot in the sun. Getting Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime would also be grand. 

6 Lunar Knights 

Lunar Knights is the last game in the Boktai series that started on the Game Boy Advance. Because those games relied on charging literal sunbeams into the game via solar panels, it makes emulating them incredibly tricky.

This is probably why the Boktai series in general isn’t on Wii U or the Switch. Why Lunar Knights isn’t on the service is beyond anyone’s guess, though, as Konami did away with the gimmick of using real sunlight for the game. This then is just a cool hack-and-slash RPG. 

5 Golden Sun: Dark Dawn 

Another sun-related RPG series is Golden Sun. Thankfully Camelot never felt the need to use solar panels though. The first two games from the Game Boy Advance did make their way to the Wii U.

As one could guess this final entry, Dark Dawn, did not. It has now been ten years since this released with Camelot focusing on various Mario sports-related titles for Nintendo. They are good, and it would be nice to see them return to this series at some point. 

4 Okamiden 

Since its debut on the PS2 in 2006, Okami has been ported to nearly every console since. Its DS sequel, unfortunately, has not.

Of the two the original is definitely more worthy of the constant port and remaster treatments. Okamiden was more like a half-step as a sequel, but for fans of the original that perhaps never got around to it, this is still worth a play and also deserves a new chance at life. 

3 Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood

BioWare has made some of the most iconic games of the past couple of decades. Even when they aren’t creating their own worlds, they do fine work with licenses such as Star Wars. Another, more forgotten, property they have worked on was Sonic.

This was an RPG that tried to tackle the Mario RPG series and they did an okay job with it. The game is rough, but still neat enough to deserve getting on another digital service. Funnily enough, no Sonic games from the DS ever made it to the Wii U or Switch, although Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games had a sequel released for the Wii and Nintendo 3DS.

2 Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days

kingdom hearts game tier list

Another flawed RPG, that honestly begins with the bizarre title, is Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days. This game follows Roxas and the beginnings of Organization XIII. It skips all over the place from the first and second main games so it is both a sequel and a prequel.

The cool thing this game tried to do was introduce multiplayer to the series. It was sort of like a Kingdom Hearts version of Monster Hunter. The repetitive levels and poor controls made it hard to play with friends, but an enhanced port could fix some of these issues. 

1 Super Princess Peach

A Nintendo list would not be complete without a Mario title. Not only was Super Princess Peach her first and only solo game, but it has never left the DS. It remains forgotten by Nintendo, but true Peach fans hold this wacky adventure close to their hearts.

It’s time for a port and a sequel. Throw Daisy and Rosalina in there for good measure too. That’s a free idea, Nintendo. 

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