Skip to main content
GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+ The Games, Movies, TV & Comics You Love
flag of UK
UK
flag of US
US
flag of Canada
Canada
flag of Australia
Australia
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Games
    • Game Insights
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • The Big Preview
      • On The Radar
      • Future Games Show
    • Genres
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
    • Franchises
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Hardware
    • Insights
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
    • Computing
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
    • Accessories & Tech
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • Game Deals
    • Tech Deals
    • TV Deals
    • Buying Guides
  • Video
    • Newsletters
    • Total Film
    • Retro Gamer
    • Newsarama
Total Film
  • home
  • Games
    • View Games
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • The Big Preview
      • On The Radar
      • Future Games Show
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • View Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • View Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • View TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • View Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • View Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • View Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Hardware
    • View Hardware
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • View Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • View Deals
    • Game Deals
    • Tech Deals
    • TV Deals
    • Buying Guides
  • Video
    • Newsletters
    • Total Film
    • Retro Gamer
    • Newsarama
Total Film
Gaming Magazines
Gaming Magazines
Why subscribe?
  • Subscribe from just £3
  • Takes you closer to the games, movies and TV you love
  • Try a single issue or save on a subscription
  • Issues delivered straight to your door or device
From$12
Subscribe now
Trending
  • Dying Light: The Beast
  • Borderlands 4 review
  • Battlefield 6
  • New Games for 2025
Don't miss these
a sprigatito plushie erupting from a switch
Pokemon A new Pokemon puzzle game got shadow launched during today's Presents stream, and it reminds me of all the iPhone games I used to play as a teenager
Photograph of the original Game Boy taken by Future Plc
Platforming Games The best Game Boy games of all time
Hand using the Nintendo Switch 2 Joy-Con controller in its mouse setting
Nintendo Switch 2 How the Nintendo Switch 2 could take the point-and-click adventure revival to new heights: "The Switch 2 is a better platform than its predecessors for these games"
The 10 best Game Boy Color games
Games The best Game Boy Color games of all time
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Games Be it a new Animal Crossing or Fire Emblem, I can't justify buying a Switch 2 without Nintendo meeting me halfway on this wishlist
Screenshot from Dear me, I was' announcement trailer, showing a woman in a necktie sitting in what looks like a class room.
Adventure Games New Switch 2 game comes from the developer of some absolute DS classics, is designed for "adult women," and is doing something genuinely exciting for visual novels
Ayaneo CEO Arthur Zhang holding black Ayaneo Pocket DS in front of camera.
Handhelds Ayaneo just announced the "world's first flip dual-screen Android handheld" for 3DS games, and I'm more excited about it than the Windows version
Donkey Kong shouts in shock in Donkey Kong Bananza
Hardware Former Nintendo marketing lead says the "one time" she "saw genuine fear from the executives" at the company was "when we saw the rise of mobile games"
Pokemon Legends: ZA screenshot of the protagonist trainer holding his hand out towards a mysterious small glowing orb
Pokemon Pokemon Legends Z-A has made me realize what I miss about the series, and it's up to Gen 10 to fix it
Upcoming Switch games header image featuring Sonic Racing CrossWorlds, Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time, Hello Kitty Island Adventure, and Metroid Prime 4: Beyond
Action Games Upcoming Switch games for 2025 and beyond
The best NES games: a screenshot of collection of NES games and a Nintendo console.
Games The 10 best NES games of all time
Pokemon Gold and Silver
Pokemon The best Pokemon games, ranked from worst to best
A screenshot of two nurse Chansey from the Pokemon anime episode Pokemon Emergency.
Pokemon Pokemon fans revive old, official "Rescue Team" initiative to help players free 23-year-old GBA 'mons from their Gen 3 prisons – and beyond – and get them on Switch
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond key art featuring Samus in her suit with her hand outstretched using purple psychic powers
Games After smashing through Donkey Kong Bananza I've run out of things to play on my Nintendo Switch 2 – so here are 5 games that better get release dates at Gamescom 2025
Best Switch 2 games: Toad smiling while racing on a train track during Mario Kart World.
Games The 15 best Switch 2 games to play right now in 2025
  1. Games

Nintendo DS games that should go mobile

Features
By Giancarlo Saldana published 16 January 2014

Here are 10 Nintendo DS games we think deserve a second chance on mobile devices.

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Touching is good

Touching is good

Ghost Trick, The World Ends with You, Phoenix Wright. All these games were once DS-exclusives but have since made their way to mobile devices. These remakes not only boast better visuals and a mobile-friendly interface, but they breathe life into franchises that might have been overlooked the first time they hit stores. As shocking as it may be, not everyone owned a DS, so the ubiquitous smartphone is the better platform to give some of these older games a second chance.

Weve put together a list of 10 games we think deserve a mobile update. Why? Chances are you may not have played them. And if you have, why not let everyone else enjoy them too? As Nintendo once said--touching is good, even your phone or tablet.

Page 1 of 12
Page 1 of 12
The Rub Rabbits!

The Rub Rabbits!

The Rub Rabbits! is a game about love. Weird ways to achieve love, but love nonetheless. The game came out a couple of years after Feel the Magic: XY/XX and while it serves as a prequel, it simply provides more of the same weird mini-games that serve to bring you one step closer to the girl of your dreams. Some of these strange mini-games consist of running up escalators while avoiding sumo wrestlers, shooting beams of love towards your love interest, and paddling up a river filled with alligators. Eventually the girl you fall in love with gets kidnapped and you need to play even weirder mini-games to rescue you her and chase away her army of suitors vying for her attention.

Its short-but-sweet format and simple touch controls would work just as great on mobile devices. Plus, we could always make do with another kooky game that could have only come from Japan.

Page 2 of 12
Page 2 of 12
Radiant Historia

Radiant Historia

Sure, time-traveling RPGs have been done before (heres looking at you, Chrono Trigger), but Radiant Historia brings something new to the table and makes each action you make have an impact on its story. The game even features a lot of parallel endings, and you can even revisit critical moments in the story to play them again until you get the ending or path of your choice. This makes replaying it a no-brainer and puts much of its scenarios in your hands. Battles too are simple and uncomplicated but feature enough room to strategize and to build up your heroes skills. Add to that a stellar soundtrack by the composer of Kingdom Hearts, and you have an RPG that just wants your attention.

For those that never got a chance to play Radiant Historia, your phone or tablet could easily be its new home. You dont really need a second screen, and touch-based controls can feel just as good as any other mobile Final Fantasy game already available. And you know how many of those there are out there.

Page 3 of 12
Page 3 of 12
Nanostray 2

Nanostray 2

Fans of space shoot-em-ups might be busy playing Galaga on their phones, but anyone that played Nanostray 2 on their DS is bound to have memories of flying through space and shooting down ships on every planet. This sequel offers a few improvements from the original, including a story and some additional modes that test how long you can stay alive while bullets are raining down on you. Adventure mode features plenty of boss battles and a mix of horizontal and vertical shooting as you track down the source of the deadly Nanostray virus. Those looking for some high-scoring good times, can take on Arcade mode or try to stay alive under strict conditions in Challenge mode.

Considering there are already a few similar games available on the App Store and Google Play, a mobile version of this galactic gem wouldn't have a hard time fitting in. But perhaps a mobile version of Nano Assault, another shooter in the series that takes place within the confines of the human body, would be more appropriate. Think about all those germs that live on your phone. The Nanostray virus could be one of them.

Page 4 of 12
Page 4 of 12
Dementium: The Ward

Dementium: The Ward

PC Games like Amnesia and Outlast try to scare us with their blend of psychological horror and use of light and shadow. Who knew a DS game like Dementium: The Ward could do the same? You know youre going to get spooked when you start off in a dark (empty) building with nothing but a flashlight on you. To make things worse, you can even hear someone or something breathing in the distance. What makes this horror title so special is that its one of the few first-person shooters on the DS that isnt just about being trigger-happy. Youll eventually get a gun to defend against muscly corpses and gross-looking monsters, but the game is about survival, exploration, and figuring out where and who you are.

There aren't many games like Dementium on mobile devices, but if a DS can freak you out, whats stopping a mobile game from doing the same? The mobile marketplace is already filled with FPS titles, but turn off the lights and add some creepy crawlers, and youve got a game thats guaranteed to be scary good.

Page 5 of 12
Page 5 of 12
Trauma Center: Under the Knife

Trauma Center: Under the Knife

Trauma Center lets you play doctor in the year 2018. Instead of the interoffice drama youd expect from television, the game takes place during a crucial moment in time when a new outbreak is getting people really sick. Playing as the talented Dr. Stiles, its your task to operate on patients, removing tumors from their bodies, administering medication, and stitching up their wounds. Each chapter you play through is a test of your healing abilities and puts you one step closer to discovering the culprits of this dangerous disease.

Operating on patients requires the use of a stylus, but like most DS games, touch controls can take its place and still provide you with the accuracy you need to handle those tricky emergencies. Whats more, its chapters are perfect for quick gaming sessions and the games challenge mode is a great way to retry operations to get the best rank possible. Who said cell phones and hospitals shouldn't mix?

Page 6 of 12
Page 6 of 12
Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift

Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift

Final Fantasy Tactics Advance may have had a similar name to the PlayStation strategy RPG that came out a few years before it, but this Game Boy Advance game featured a whole different set of characters, battle properties, and a more youthful storyline. The games sequel, Grimoire of the Rift, follows the story of a boy who gets warped into the world of a book during his summer vacation and must battle alongside his gang of warriors, mages, and thieves to find a way home. Much of the same gameplay as the first one returns, but the game introduces new character classes, regions in Ivalice to explore, and touch-screen controls that make setting up your troops for battle even easier.

A very traditional strategy RPG game, Grimoire of the Rift would work great on mobile devices since its controls are so similar to those of Final Fantasy Tactics, which is already out on iOS. A Japan-only mobile entry in the series is already out, but there's no word on whether it'll be available worldwide. Fans of the genre would not only get another great title to play on the go, but its colorful setting and memorable characters put a whole new spin on the phrase getting lost in a good book.

Page 7 of 12
Page 7 of 12
Okamiden

Okamiden

Okamiden is like a bite-sized version of Okami, featuring the same Japanese ukiyo-e art style and a cast of characters that are even more adorable than those of its prequel. Starring Amaterasu's young son, this action adventure takes you through the land of Nippon one more time to find friends and fight off evil. Brush techniques still remain an important part of the game and you can freeze time and draw different symbols to unleash your heavenly powers. Various partners lend a hand during your adventure and provide you with new ways to explore and battle.

While the original made use of the stylus, a mobile version of Okamiden could easily incorporate touch controls to translate the experience to your phone or tablet. Okami received an HD remake not too long ago, so why cant her adorable little pup get some love too?

Page 8 of 12
Page 8 of 12
Trace Memory

Trace Memory

One of the DSs shorter games, Trace Memory is a point-and-click adventure that follows the story of a young girl trying to uncover the whereabouts of her thought-to-be-dead father. The game features plenty of touch-based puzzles and clues to solve, but it only lasts a few short hours. Its sequel, released for Wii outside the US as Another Code: R, builds on the original and makes it feel like youre part of a detective novel. You can interrogate people and discover new bits of information or present them with items youve found and hope it jogs their memories a little. Puzzles still play an important role in the story, but theres a lot more room to explore and to exercise your deduction skills.

Point-and-click adventure games have no trouble doing well on mobile devices, so whats to stop a forgotten series like this one from doing well? The Wii sequel made the game work with just one screen, and a new entry in the series or even a remake would be a great addition. For a game about remembering the past, few people seem to recall anything about this one.

Page 9 of 12
Page 9 of 12
Contact

Contact

Contact is an experimental RPG created by Goichi Suda (Suda51) and his team. As youd expect from the creator of Killer 7 and Lollipop Chainsaw, this DS title is anything but conventional and follows the story of a boy trying to get home by helping an odd scientist gather parts for his ship. The game breaks the fourth wall several times as the scientist begins to realize youre the one controlling the little boy and eventually hopes to keep this fact a secret from him. To make things even stranger, the top and bottom screens have differing art styles, so youll often see characters shift in appearance depending what screen they appear on.

Of course, the game is an RPG, so you still level up and battle monsters. But get this--even NPCs can be attacked. And if you do decide to pick a fight with them, you may have entire towns ambush you whenever you decide to do some shopping. The game was originally planned for the Game Boy Advance, too, so theres no reason all this madness cant work on a mobile devices single screen.

Page 10 of 12
Page 10 of 12
Elite Beat Agents

Elite Beat Agents

Plenty of rhythm games have tried to mimic the magic that comes from playing Elite Beat Agents, but none can compare to the original. This DS game is the American version of the popular Ouendan series, which never made it to the states because of its Japanese tunes. Instead of J-pop, the game features an eclectic, English-speaking soundtrack ranging from Avril Lavigne to the Rolling Stones but it plays just the same. Each song challenges you to tap your screen in sync with the music and features four difficulties that put your rhythm muscles to work.

A few rhythm games are already out for mobile devices that use some of the same mechanics as Elite Beat Agents, but a sequel featuring its hilarious comic panel storytelling and licensed soundtrack would surely beat all its imitators. Heck, even a mobile version of Ouendan would work. A language barrier should never keep you from playing a good rhythm game.

Page 11 of 12
Page 11 of 12
Tapping is just as good

Tapping is just as good

So there you have it. Did you get a chance to play these games when they came out on the DS? Whether you did or not, remakes or sequels of these classics would work just as great on mobile devices. Any other DS games you remember playing that youd like to see again? Let us know in the comments below.

These games may not be out on mobile devices, but here are some iOS and Android games that were once Nintendo-only.

Page 12 of 12
Page 12 of 12
CATEGORIES
Android iPad Nintendo iPhone Platforms Mobile Gaming
Giancarlo Saldana
Social Links Navigation
See more Games Features
Read more
a sprigatito plushie erupting from a switch
A new Pokemon puzzle game got shadow launched during today's Presents stream, and it reminds me of all the iPhone games I used to play as a teenager
 
 
Photograph of the original Game Boy taken by Future Plc
The best Game Boy games of all time
 
 
Hand using the Nintendo Switch 2 Joy-Con controller in its mouse setting
How the Nintendo Switch 2 could take the point-and-click adventure revival to new heights: "The Switch 2 is a better platform than its predecessors for these games"
 
 
The 10 best Game Boy Color games
The best Game Boy Color games of all time
 
 
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Be it a new Animal Crossing or Fire Emblem, I can't justify buying a Switch 2 without Nintendo meeting me halfway on this wishlist
 
 
Screenshot from Dear me, I was' announcement trailer, showing a woman in a necktie sitting in what looks like a class room.
New Switch 2 game comes from the developer of some absolute DS classics, is designed for "adult women," and is doing something genuinely exciting for visual novels
 
 
Latest in Games
Bella Ramsey as Ellie and Pedro Pascal as Joel in The Last of Us
Neil Druckmann says his hope for The Last of Us season 3 is "to make sure it's as deeply faithful as season 1"
 
 
Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade
Final Fantasy 7 Remake director takes a hammer to difficulty discourse as the JRPG reveals ultimate god mode, says he's played games where he "gave up because of the time it takes to level up characters or traverse the game"
 
 
Anthem
BioWare realized late in Anthem's development that "this game was coming in on fire" after EA told the devs "we were targeting a game in the 70s" on Metacritic
 
 
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 Harper skin
Activision doubles down on Call of Duty skins problem, makes Black Ops 7 skins less goofy "after receiving community feedback specifically related to the Black Ops 7 Vault Edition"
 
 
Borderlands 4 trailer screenshot of Rafa around a bonfire
Gearbox and Randy Pitchford aim a fire hose at the Borderlands 4 PC port, share "optimization guide" and a tip to "boost your performance" which is, big surprise, enabling DLSS performance with frame gen
 
 
Characters from Final Fantasy 7 Remake: Intergrade
Final Fantasy 7 Remake gets 2026 release date on Switch 2 and Xbox with Rebirth and Part 3 to follow
 
 
Latest in Features
Man of Tomorrow concept art showing Superman and Lex Luthor teaming up superimposed over a group of heroes from the cover of Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?
Almost 90 years after Superman was first called the Man of Tomorrow, James Gunn is reviving the name for his big sequel
 
 
A lineup of Helsmiths of Hashut warriors armed with spears in a rocky environment, with a larger model looming behind them
Fear this new Warhammer Age of Sigmar army, because the Helsmiths of Hashut are gonna kick your ass
 
 
A screenshot of the upcoming Switch 2 game, Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave with a character using a purple energy blast
Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave – Everything we know about the strategy game's Switch 2 debut
 
 
Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale
Downton Abbey helped me through the toughest times, but The Grand Finale feels like the perfect time to wrap things up
 
 
Upcoming video game movies: Mario, Princess Peach and Toad in The Super Mario Bros Movie.
Super Mario Galaxy Movie release date, cast, plot, and everything else you need to know about The Super Mario Bros. sequel
 
 
Hade 2 early access screenshots
After 105 runs in Hades 2, I suddenly unlocked three huge side stories I thought were bugged and I guess I'll be here 'til launch
 
 
  1. Gwent: The Legendary Card Game box on a wooden surface, with cards visible in the background
    1
    There's now a real version of the Witcher Gwent card game, and it's just as engrossing as the original
  2. 2
    Borderlands 4 review: "Undeniably an excellent looter shooter, but one that requires a bit of tunnel vision to fully enjoy"
  3. 3
    This enormous exploration board game won't be for everyone, but it's a masterclass in narrative and sandbox gameplay
  4. 4
    Hollow Knight Silksong review: "Worth the wait and then some, this isn't just more Hollow Knight but an evolved, spindly beast all its own – even if it's fiddly at times"
  5. 5
    Cronos: The New Dawn review: "An unabashed mash-up of survival horror greatest hits, from Dead Space to Silent Hill, with plenty of its own gory ideas"
  1. Vera Farmiga as 'Lorraine' in The Conjuring: Last Rites
    1
    The Conjuring: Last Rites review: "Not bold or memorable enough for the Warrens' final chapter"
  2. 2
    Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle review: "Roars past Mugen Train as Demon Slayer's best adventure yet"
  3. 3
    The Long Walk review: "One of the best Stephen King adaptations ever made"
  4. 4
    Frankenstein review: "A classy, if somewhat safe, adaptation"
  5. 5
    Weapons review: "A twisted fairytale that bests Barbarian"
  1. Catherine Zeta-Jones as Morticia Addams, Jenna Ortega as Wednesday Addams, Luis Guzman as Gomez Addams, and Isaac Ordonez as Pugsley Addams in Wednesday season 2 part 2
    1
    Wednesday season 2 part 2 review: "Ortega shines, but it's a zombie who steals the entire show"
  2. 2
    Peacemaker season 2 review: "Darker and sadder than the first year, but there's still a lot of fun to be had with the 11th Street Kids."
  3. 3
    Wednesday season 2 part 1 review: "Complex and exciting but weighed down by too many subplots"
  4. 4
    Alien: Earth review: "Arguably the franchise's strongest outing since James Cameron's Aliens"
  5. 5
    King of the Hill season 14 review: "Hank Hill himself has evolved into a much more open and accepting person"

GamesRadar+ is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...