Ever since 1989, Nintendo has had a firm grip on the handheld gaming market. Though competitors like Sony’s PSP and PS Vita gave it a good go in the 2000s and 2010s, even they couldn’t outdo Nintendo. And whilethe original Game Boymarked an incredible start for Nintendo’s career in the handheld market, and its future iterations kept a tight hold on it, it’s theNintendo DSthat really captured the attention of multiple generations.
Releasing in North America first in November 2004, which is a bit of an oddity for the Japanese company, the Nintendo DS became an instant smash-hit on launch. Though the Nintendo DS wouldn’t hit the mainstream public conscience until the release ofthe Nintendo DS Lite model, the DS' initial launch sales were still impressive, and some of that success has to come from the high quality of some of its initial launch line-up.
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Every US Launch Title for the Nintendo DS
By far the biggest and most beloved title on the Nintendo DS' initial US launch line-up isSuper Mario 64 DS. A wildly impressive port of the Nintendo 64 classic,Super Mario 64 DSwas the perfect title to showcase just how far Nintendo’s handheld tech had come, and perfectly demonstratedthe leap between the Game Boy Advance and the Nintendo DS. ButSuper Mario 64 DSwas far more than just a port of an N64 staple. Along with a refreshed control scheme,Super Mario 64 DSadded a slew of new content, ranging from new playable characters like Wario and Yoshi to brand-new story missions with additional bosses and even a dedicated 4-player multiplayer mode that allowed friends to duke it out in a series of fun little minigames.Super Mario 64 DSwas the main reason for buying a DS on day one, and it still lands on the top spots of “Best DS games of all time” lists.Metroid Prime: Hunters, though hardly the most popular title in the series, is also worth mentioning given its status as a pack-in title for the console.
A console launch wouldn’t be complete without its fair share of sports titles, and even the Nintendo DS was forced to comply with the trend. Out of the two included on the DS' US launch line-up,Madden NFL 2005is widely considered to be the better title, being a sufficient recreation of the usualMaddengameplay for a handheld console. Controls were solid, graphics were decent, and aside from a more limited number of players, teams, and stadiums, there was a good amount of content for fans. However,Madden NFL 2005’s touch-screen capabilities were severely lacking, and critics couldn’t shake the feeling that the game felt too stripped-down for the handheld console. The other sports title on the DS' launch line-up wasAsphalt: Urban GTwhich, like the rest of the franchise, was met with mediocre reviews, as critics claimed that the game felt rushed and unfinished with repetitive gameplay.
Though they didn’t review too well, two of the more well-known games on the DS' US launch line-up areSpider-Man 2andUrbz: Sims in the City. WhileSpider-Man 2lacked the beloved web-swinging and open-world gameplayof its mainline console counterparts, it ended up being a pretty solid 2D side-scrolling beat-em-up with some intuitive touch-screen gameplay.Urbz: Sims in the Cityis a similar case, lacking the depth and complexity of its main console version but retaining a lot of its charm and uniqueness, leading to an engrossing handheld experience.
But by far the strangest title on the Nintendo DS' launch line-up isFeel the Magic: XY/XX, a minigame collectiondeveloped by Sonic Teamthat sees players attempt to woo a girl by using the touch-screen in a variety of ways.Feel the Magicis actually a pretty solidNintendo DSgame, albeit a simple and pretty strange one, with players being encouraged to replay missions to unlock more clothes for the woman they’re constantly pursuing.
