The 25 Best DSi Games: What to Play on Nintendo's Handheld
Dusted off your DSi and wondering what to play? Or maybe you just picked one up cheap and want to know where the good stuff is. Either way, you're in the right place.
The DSi plays the entire DS library (minus GBA slot games), plus it had its own digital storefront called DSiWare. Between retail DS carts and downloadable exclusives, there's a staggering library of games available. We ranked the 25 best ones.
This list includes DS cartridge games (playable on DSi), DSiWare exclusives, and DSi-enhanced titles that got bonus features on the hardware. For each game, we've noted what type it is and whether you can play it on modern platforms.
Quick Answer: What Are the Best DSi Games?
Best overall: Chrono Trigger (DS port). Widely considered the greatest RPG ever made, and the DS version is arguably the definitive one.
Best DSiWare exclusive: Shantae: Risky's Revenge. A full Metroidvania with gorgeous pixel art. The Director's Cut is on modern platforms now.
Best if you want something quick: Elite Beat Agents. A rhythm game about secret agents solving problems through dance. It's as fun as it sounds.
The 25 Best DSi Games, Ranked
1. Chrono Trigger
| Type | DS game (playable on DSi) |
| Developer | Square Enix / TOSE |
| Release | 2008 (DS port) |
| Metacritic | 92 |
| Play Time | ~23 hours |
| Modern Availability | Steam, iOS, Android |
The DS port of Chrono Trigger is arguably the definitive version of one of the greatest games ever made. It includes the original SNES content plus new dungeons, an extra ending, and a bestiary, all with the dual-screen map display that makes navigation effortless. If you own a DSi and haven't played this, stop reading this list and go fix that.
2. Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars
| Type | DS game (playable on DSi) |
| Developer | Rockstar Leeds |
| Release | 2009 |
| Metacritic | 93 |
| Play Time | ~10-15 hours |
| Modern Availability | iOS, Android |
The highest-rated DS game on Metacritic. Rockstar crammed a full GTA experience onto the DS with a top-down perspective, brilliant touchscreen integration for carjacking and drug dealing, and a surprisingly deep story. It proved the DS could handle mature, complex games. A 93 on a handheld in 2009 was no joke.
3. Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story
| Type | DS game (playable on DSi) |
| Developer | AlphaDream |
| Release | 2009 |
| Metacritic | 90 |
| Play Time | ~20-25 hours |
| Modern Availability | 3DS remake (2019). No modern console port. |
The peak of the Mario & Luigi RPG series. Playing as Bowser while Mario and Luigi adventure inside his body is one of the most creative premises in Nintendo history. The writing is genuinely funny, the battle system is tight, and the dual-screen mechanic is used brilliantly. A 3DS remake exists but the DS original still holds up perfectly.
4. Mario Kart DS
| Type | DS game (playable on DSi) |
| Developer | Nintendo EAD |
| Release | 2005 |
| Metacritic | 91 |
| Play Time | ~5 hours (Grand Prix) / 20+ hours (completionist) |
| Modern Availability | No modern port. Some tracks in MK8 Deluxe Booster Pass. |
The game that proved online multiplayer on a handheld could actually work. It introduced the now-standard retro track cups, had Mission Mode (still missing from newer entries), and offered some of the tightest kart racing on any platform. Single-card download play made this the road trip game for an entire generation.
5. The World Ends with You
| Type | DS game (playable on DSi) |
| Developer | Square Enix / Jupiter |
| Release | 2008 |
| Metacritic | 88 |
| Play Time | ~25-30 hours |
| Modern Availability | Final Remix on Switch. NEO (sequel) on Switch/PS4/PC. |
One of the most original JRPGs ever created. The dual-screen combat where you control two characters simultaneously across both screens is something only the DS could pull off. The Shibuya setting, fashion-based progression, and killer soundtrack make it utterly unique. The DS version is still the best way to play it because the combat was designed specifically for dual screens.
6. Advance Wars: Dual Strike
| Type | DS game (playable on DSi) |
| Developer | Intelligent Systems |
| Release | 2005 |
| Metacritic | 90 |
| Play Time | ~23 hours (campaign) / 55+ hours (completionist) |
| Modern Availability | No modern port. AW 1+2: Re-Boot Camp on Switch covers earlier titles. |
Turn-based strategy perfection. Dual Strike added dual-front battles across both screens, Tag Power abilities, and a ridiculous amount of content. The map editor alone could keep you busy for hundreds of hours. Still the high watermark for the series, and it's a shame this specific entry hasn't been remade.
7. Pokemon HeartGold / SoulSilver
| Type | DS game (playable on DSi) |
| Developer | Game Freak |
| Release | 2010 |
| Metacritic | 87 |
| Play Time | ~40-50 hours (main story) / 200+ hours (completionist) |
| Modern Availability | No modern port. DS/3DS only. |
Ask most Pokemon fans what the best games in the series are and these will be near the top of every list. Two full regions, your lead Pokemon walking behind you, the Pokewalker accessory, Battle Frontier... this is Pokemon at its most generous. The sheer volume of content here is staggering. Physical cartridges are expensive as hell now, but they're worth it.
8. The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass
| Type | DS game (playable on DSi) |
| Developer | Nintendo EAD |
| Release | 2007 |
| Metacritic | 90 |
| Play Time | ~15-17 hours |
| Modern Availability | No modern port. |
A masterclass in DS-specific game design. The entire game is controlled with the stylus, and it works. Drawing paths for your boomerang, writing notes on your map, closing the DS lid to solve a puzzle... Phantom Hourglass showed what a Zelda designed from the ground up for touchscreen could be. It's creative in ways that still feel fresh.
9. Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow
| Type | DS game (playable on DSi) |
| Developer | Konami |
| Release | 2005 |
| Metacritic | 89 |
| Play Time | ~8-12 hours / 20+ hours (completionist) |
| Modern Availability | Switch, PS5, Xbox, PC (Castlevania Dominus Collection, 2024) |
The Metroidvania genre at its finest on handheld. Dawn of Sorrow's Tactical Soul system lets you absorb enemy abilities, the castle design is excellent, and the boss fights are incredible. One of the best DS launch-window games, and thanks to the Dominus Collection, you can now play it on modern hardware too.
10. Shantae: Risky's Revenge
| Type | DSiWare exclusive |
| Developer | WayForward |
| Release | 2010 |
| Metacritic | 85 |
| Play Time | ~5-7 hours |
| Modern Availability | Director's Cut on Switch, PS4/PS5, Xbox, PC |
The crown jewel of DSiWare. A full Metroidvania with gorgeous pixel art, tight platforming, and Shantae's signature belly-dance transformation mechanic. At its original $12 price tag, it was the most expensive DSiWare game, and worth every penny. It proved digital-only games on the DSi could compete with retail releases.
11. New Super Mario Bros.
| Type | DS game (playable on DSi) |
| Developer | Nintendo EAD |
| Release | 2006 |
| Metacritic | 89 |
| Play Time | ~7-8 hours / 15 hours (completionist) |
| Modern Availability | No modern port. |
The game that revived 2D Mario after over a decade. The Mega Mushroom, the Mini Mushroom, tight level design, and addictive mini-games made this a system seller. It became the best-selling DS game of all time. The "New" brand got overused later, but the original felt genuinely fresh when it launched.
12. Pokemon Black / White
| Type | DSi-enhanced |
| Developer | Game Freak |
| Release | 2011 |
| Metacritic | 87 |
| Play Time | ~35-40 hours |
| Modern Availability | No modern port. |
The most narratively ambitious Pokemon games ever made. An entirely new Pokedex with zero old Pokemon until postgame was a bold move that paid off. Animated battle sprites, seasonal cycles, and a genuinely interesting story about the ethics of Pokemon training. On DSi, you got WPA wifi support and camera features for the Xtransceiver.
13. Elite Beat Agents
| Type | DS game (playable on DSi) |
| Developer | iNiS |
| Release | 2006 |
| Metacritic | 87 |
| Play Time | ~5-8 hours |
| Modern Availability | No modern port. |
Secret agents solve people's problems through the power of dance. That premise should sell you immediately. The touchscreen tap-and-slide gameplay is phenomenally addictive, the difficulty curve is brutal in the best way, and the "You're the Inspiration" level will make grown adults cry. A genuine DS classic that nothing has replicated.
14. Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies
| Type | DS game (playable on DSi) |
| Developer | Level-5 |
| Release | 2010 |
| Metacritic | 87 |
| Play Time | ~40-50 hours / 150+ hours (completionist) |
| Modern Availability | No modern port. |
A full console-quality JRPG on a handheld with an insane amount of content. The class system, multiplayer co-op, tag mode treasure map exchange, and endless postgame dungeon grinding made this a game people sank hundreds of hours into. The biggest RPG on the DS in terms of raw content, and it desperately needs a modern revival.
15. Meteos
| Type | DS game (playable on DSi) |
| Developer | Q Entertainment |
| Release | 2005 |
| Metacritic | 88 |
| Play Time | Endless (puzzle game) |
| Modern Availability | No modern port. |
Tetsuya Mizuguchi (Rez, Lumines) designed a puzzle game specifically for the DS touchscreen. Flicking blocks upward to form matches that launch into space is incredibly satisfying. Each planet has different gravity physics, and the soundtrack shifts dynamically as you play. One of the best puzzle games ever made, and tragically forgotten.
16. Professor Layton and the Unwound Future
| Type | DS game (playable on DSi) |
| Developer | Level-5 |
| Release | 2010 |
| Metacritic | 86 |
| Play Time | ~15-18 hours |
| Modern Availability | HD mobile port on iOS/Android. |
The best game in the Layton trilogy. Brain-teasing puzzles combined with an emotionally powerful time-travel story. The ending hits harder than any puzzle game has a right to. Over 165 puzzles, gorgeous animated cutscenes, and the DS touchscreen made puzzle-solving feel natural and intuitive.
17. Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective
| Type | DS game (playable on DSi) |
| Developer | Capcom |
| Release | 2011 |
| Metacritic | 83 |
| Play Time | ~10-12 hours |
| Modern Availability | Remastered on Switch, PS4, Xbox One, PC (2023) |
From the creator of Ace Attorney. You're a ghost who possesses and manipulates objects to change the fates of the recently deceased. The animation is stunning for DS hardware, the story has more twists than a pretzel factory, and the puzzles are brilliantly designed. The 2023 remaster finally gave it the audience it deserved.
18. Flipnote Studio
| Type | DSiWare exclusive (free) |
| Developer | Nintendo |
| Release | 2009 |
| Metacritic | 93 |
| Play Time | Unlimited (creative tool) |
| Modern Availability | Flipnote Studio 3D on 3DS. Original online features (Hatena) shut down. |
Technically not a game, but the highest-rated DSiWare title and arguably the most culturally significant thing to come out of the DSi. A free animation tool that spawned an entire online community of creators. It was the reason many people bought a DSi in the first place. Its influence on a generation of young animators is hard to overstate.
19. Kirby: Canvas Curse
| Type | DS game (playable on DSi) |
| Developer | HAL Laboratory |
| Release | 2005 |
| Metacritic | 86 |
| Play Time | ~5-8 hours |
| Modern Availability | No modern port. |
The game that proved the DS touchscreen wasn't a gimmick. You don't directly control Kirby. Instead, you draw rainbow lines for him to roll along. It sounds weird. It is weird. And it's fantastic. One of the most inventive platformers in the Kirby franchise and a must-play for anyone who appreciates creative game design.
20. Might & Magic: Clash of Heroes
| Type | DS game (playable on DSi) |
| Developer | Capybara Games |
| Release | 2009 |
| Metacritic | 86 |
| Play Time | ~20-25 hours |
| Modern Availability | Definitive Edition on Switch, PS4/PS5, Xbox, PC |
A brilliant mashup of puzzle and RPG mechanics. Matching colored units creates attack formations on the bottom screen while battles play out on top. The campaign is meaty, the multiplayer is excellent, and the "just one more battle" factor is off the charts. One of the most underrated DS games, period.
21. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney
| Type | DS game (playable on DSi) |
| Developer | Capcom |
| Release | 2005 |
| Metacritic | 81 |
| Play Time | ~17-20 hours |
| Modern Availability | Ace Attorney Trilogy on Switch, PS4, Xbox, PC, mobile |
The game that made "OBJECTION!" a cultural phenomenon. Examining evidence, pressing witnesses, and catching contradictions is endlessly satisfying. The DS version added a fifth case designed specifically for the hardware's touchscreen and microphone. The Trilogy collection on modern platforms is the easiest way to play the first three games.
22. Art Style: PiCTOBiTS
| Type | DSiWare exclusive |
| Developer | Skip Ltd. / Nintendo |
| Release | 2009 |
| Metacritic | 83 |
| Play Time | ~5-8 hours |
| Modern Availability | No modern port. DSi/3DS only (shop closed). |
The best of the Art Style DSiWare series. You arrange falling colored blocks to recreate classic 8-bit Nintendo character sprites. The remixed NES music is fantastic, the difficulty ramps perfectly, and the Nintendo fan-service is top-notch. Unfortunately, with the DSi Shop closed, this is nearly impossible to get legitimately now.
23. Radiant Historia
| Type | DS game (playable on DSi) |
| Developer | Atlus |
| Release | 2011 |
| Metacritic | 85 |
| Play Time | ~30-35 hours |
| Modern Availability | Perfect Chronology (enhanced remake) on 3DS. No modern console port. |
A time-travel JRPG where your choices create branching timelines you hop between to find the true path. The grid-based battle system lets you shove enemies around for devastating combos. It's smart, deep, and was one of the last great DS RPGs. Criminally overlooked at launch, it's since gained a well-deserved cult following.
24. 999: Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors
| Type | DS game (playable on DSi) |
| Developer | Chunsoft |
| Release | 2010 |
| Metacritic | 82 |
| Play Time | ~9-12 hours (one ending) / 25+ hours (all endings) |
| Modern Availability | Zero Escape: The Nonary Games on Switch, PS4, Vita, PC |
A visual novel escape room thriller where nine people are trapped on a sinking ship. Multiple endings, dark storytelling, and genuine horror. Here's the thing: the DS version has a plot twist that physically uses the dual screens in a way the remasters can't replicate. If you can play it on DSi, that's the definitive experience.
25. The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks
| Type | DS game (playable on DSi) |
| Developer | Nintendo EAD |
| Release | 2009 |
| Metacritic | 87 |
| Play Time | ~20 hours |
| Modern Availability | No modern port. |
The follow-up to Phantom Hourglass refined the touchscreen Zelda formula and added a train-based overworld that's surprisingly fun. Phantom Zelda as a controllable companion in dungeons adds great co-op puzzle mechanics. Often overshadowed by its predecessor, but Spirit Tracks is the more polished game.
Honorable Mentions
- Mighty Flip Champs! (DSiWare) -- A clever screen-flipping puzzle platformer. One of the first great DSiWare titles.
- Animal Crossing: Wild World (DS) -- The portable Animal Crossing that consumed countless commutes.
- Planet Puzzle League (DS) -- Panel de Pon perfected for touchscreen.
- Hotel Dusk: Room 215 (DS) -- Noir-style adventure played with the DS held sideways like a book. Incredible atmosphere.
- Professor Layton and the Curious Village (DS) -- Started the Layton phenomenon. Nearly made the top 25.
A Note on Availability
The DSi is a retro handheld at this point, and some of these games are getting harder to find:
- DSiWare titles like PiCTOBiTS and Art Style games are essentially lost to time unless they're already on your DSi. The DSi Shop closed in 2017.
- Physical DS carts vary wildly in price. Pokemon HeartGold/SoulSilver can run $80-150+ loose.
- Modern ports exist for some titles (Chrono Trigger on Steam, Ghost Trick Remastered, Castlevania Dominus Collection, Ace Attorney Trilogy).
If you're building a DSi library, prioritize the games with no modern alternative first. You can always play Chrono Trigger on Steam, but Elite Beat Agents and Advance Wars: Dual Strike can only be experienced on DS hardware.
Track Your Collection
Got some of these in your backlog? Vaulted.Games helps you track your gaming library across every platform, including retro handhelds. Add these to your collection, track what you've beaten, and never lose track of what's next in your pile.