Best Nintendo DS Games of 2025

Ethan Nicholls Avatar
Ethan Nicholls
Last Updated: 8 Feb 2025

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Nintendo DS games are a popular form of entertainment for gamers of all ages. These games are designed to be played on the Nintendo DS handheld console, which was released in 2004. The console features two screens, one of which is a touch screen, and a range of buttons and controls. The games themselves come in a variety of genres, from action and adventure to puzzle and simulation. With a vast library of games available, there is something to suit all tastes and preferences. Whether you're looking for a classic game from your childhood or a new release, Nintendo DS games offer hours of fun and entertainment.

At a Glance: Our Top Picks

New Super Mario Bros. for Nintendo DS Adventure Cover #TOP 1
New Super Mario Bros. for Nintendo DS Adventure
ftb score rating icon 9.9
Mario Kart DS for Nintendo DS Console Cover #TOP 2
Mario Kart DS for Nintendo DS Console
ftb score rating icon 9.8
Jewel Quest 5 - The Sleepless Star Adventure Cover #TOP 3
Jewel Quest 5 - The Sleepless Star Adventure
ftb score rating icon 9.6

Top 10 Nintendo DS Games

#TOP 1

New Super Mario Bros. for Nintendo DS Adventure

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New Super Mario Bros. for Nintendo DS Adventure Cover
New Super Mario Bros. (Nintendo DS)

New Super Mario Bros. offers a thrilling side-scrolling adventure through beautiful worlds filled with the iconic Mushroom Kingdom. You will encounter familiar enemies like Goombas and Koopas, along with new challenges and formidable bosses. As you jump and bounce your way through, you can power-up and enhance your gaming experience. Additionally, the game supports local wireless multiplayer, allowing you and a friend to compete for stars in specially designed levels, making every play session exciting and competitive.

What We Like
Visually stunning graphics
Classic and new enemies
Multiplayer mode available
Engaging power-ups
#TOP 2

Mario Kart DS for Nintendo DS Console

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Mario Kart DS for Nintendo DS Console Cover
Mario Kart DS (Nintendo DS)

Mario Kart DS is a thrilling racing game that lets you race against up to seven friends using just one game card, thanks to the local wireless DS Download play. With over 30 courses to explore, including beloved classics from earlier Mario Kart titles, there’s plenty of nostalgia and excitement. You will enjoy the chaotic fun of using crazy items to gain an edge over your opponents. Additionally, the new mission mode adds a unique challenge, making it perfect for both competitive and casual gaming sessions.

What We Like
Multiplayer racing with one game card
Over 30 exciting courses
Includes classic Mario Kart tracks
Fun items for competitive play
New mission mode challenges
#TOP 3

Jewel Quest 5 - The Sleepless Star Adventure

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Jewel Quest 5 - The Sleepless Star Adventure Cover
Jewel Quest 5 - The Sleepless Star (Nintendo DS)

Jewel Quest 5 offers an engaging adventure-romance story, enhanced by speaking characters and stunning artwork. You will enjoy over 200 brand new Jewel Board puzzles, providing hours of challenging gameplay. The game introduces 'obstacle puzzles', a unique feature that allows you to unravel the story as you play. Collecting 16 Native American relics adds special powers to your gameplay, making each session more exciting and varied.

What We Like
Captivating story with speaking characters
Over 200 new puzzles
Innovative 'obstacle puzzles'
Special powers from relics

Cooking Mama for Nintendo DS with Stylus Features

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Cooking Mama for Nintendo DS with Stylus Features Cover
Cooking Mama (Nintendo DS)

Cooking Mama DS offers an innovative gaming experience by making full use of the Nintendo DS stylus and microphone. You can engage in various cooking activities like chopping, slicing, and kneading, bringing a fun, interactive element to your gameplay. The ability to share recipes with friends via the DS wireless link enhances the social aspect, allowing you to connect with others. Additionally, it received accolades for its creative design at E3 2006, ensuring that you enjoy a game that's not only entertaining but also recognised for its quality.

What We Like
Innovative use of stylus
Engaging cooking activities
Recipe sharing with friends
Award-winning design
#TOP 5

Cooking Mama: Create 76 Real Dishes

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Cooking Mama: Create 76 Real Dishes Cover
Cooking Mama / Game

Cooking Mama Game is a delightful cooking simulation on the Nintendo DS that allows you to create 76 real dishes. You can combine recipes to craft advanced meals, making it perfect for culinary enthusiasts. Using the stylus as your master kitchen tool, you can chop, slice, pan fry, knead, and grate, bringing an interactive cooking experience to your fingertips. Additionally, you can cool down hot food by blowing into the Nintendo DS microphone, adding a fun twist to your cooking adventures.

What We Like
Interactive cooking experience
Wide variety of dishes
Fun multi-player option
Unique cooling feature
#TOP 6

Professor Layton and the Lost Future for Nintendo DS

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Professor Layton and the Lost Future for Nintendo DS Cover
Professor Layton and the Lost Future (Nintendo DS)

Professor Layton DS offers an engaging experience with a large cast of quirky characters and a captivating soundtrack that enhances the gameplay. You will enjoy over 165 new puzzles that challenge your logic and problem-solving skills, perfect for keeping your mind sharp. The game also features more hand-drawn animations and voice acting, creating a richer storytelling experience. If you find yourself stuck on a puzzle, the new "superhint" option provides helpful nudges towards the solution, ensuring you remain engaged and entertained.

What We Like
Engaging storyline with characters
Over 165 challenging puzzles
Enhanced animations and voice acting
Helpful "superhint" option
#TOP 7

MySims: Create and Design Your Town

MySims: Create and Design Your Town Cover
MySims (Nintendo DS)

MySims invites you to build and customise your very own town, allowing you to shape every aspect from the flower shop to the mad scientist's laboratory. You have the power to choose who lives in your community, making social interactions meaningful and engaging. As you explore, you'll uncover hidden treasures that enhance your gameplay experience. With user-friendly controls, you can design furniture, homes, and businesses, transforming a rundown town into a vibrant place where creativity thrives.

What We Like
Customisable town features
Engaging social interactions
Easy controls for building
Variety of resident options
Hidden treasures to discover
#TOP 8

Mario Party DS: Unlock Hidden Treasures

Mario Party Ds
Mario Party DS: Unlock Hidden Treasures Cover
Mario Party (Nintendo DS)

Mario Party DS offers a thrilling experience on the Nintendo DS, bringing you a full 3D Mario Party adventure for the first time on a handheld device. After each game, you will earn points that unlock a variety of secret goodies, enhancing your gameplay. The game features five exclusive boards, including exciting locations like Donkey Kong's Wild Jungle and Princess Peach's Music Room, packed with traps and fun. Whether playing solo or with friends, the vibrant settings and engaging challenges ensure hours of entertainment.

What We Like
Unlockable secret goodies
Five exclusive boards
3D experience on handheld
Multiplayer fun
#TOP 9

Sims 2 for Nintendo DS - Customisable Gameplay

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Sims 2 for Nintendo DS - Customisable Gameplay Cover
Sims 2 / Game

The Sims 2 Game offers you the opportunity to control your Sims in fully customisable locations that vary by platform, enhancing your gaming experience. You can create thousands of unique food recipes, clothing designs, potions, inventions, and even personal music tracks and paintings, allowing for endless creativity. The game lets you tell your own stories while directly controlling your Sims’ lives, which means you can build their worlds and excel in their careers. Additionally, you can help them fulfil their wants while avoiding their worst fears, making each gameplay session engaging and personal.

What We Like
Highly customisable gameplay
Endless creative options
Direct control over Sims' lives
Unique locations per platform
#TOP 10

Disney Friends for Nintendo DS Adventure Game

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Disney Friends for Nintendo DS Adventure Game Cover
Disney Friends for Nintendo DS

Disney Friends Game on Nintendo DS invites you to interact with beloved Disney characters like Stitch, Dory, Simba, and Winnie the Pooh. Experience the fun of touch talking and nurturing these characters, enhancing your gameplay with their unique emotional behaviours. You can explore classic film locations, embarking on exciting adventures while collecting tradable pins. The real-time clock feature allows you to engage with characters at different times of the day, making your experience dynamic and immersive.

What We Like
Engaging character interactions
Dynamic real-time gameplay
Collectible tradable pins
Positive values reinforced
Buying Guide Image
Editor's Notes

During our nintendo ds game research, we found 306 nintendo ds game products and shortlisted 10 quality products. We collected and analyzed 41,779 customer reviews through our big data system to write the nintendo ds games list. We found that most customers choose nintendo ds games with an average price of £21.86.

The nintendo ds games are available for purchase. We have researched hundreds of brands and picked the top brands of nintendo ds games, including Nintendo, Just For Games, 505 Games, Import, Electronic Arts. The seller of top 1 product has received honest feedback from 74 consumers with an average rating of 4.8.

Written by
Ethan Nicholls Avatar

Ethan Nicholls is a developer from Manchester, and he is also a web content writer. Ethan is a first-class graduate from the department of electrical and electronics engineering, University of Surrey. Ethan has programmed series of software and games. When Ethan is not programming or developing software, he writes tips and tricks on passing tough levels in popular video games.