So here we are. After many hours of walking, sweating, and trying out every single DS game on the E3 showfloor (ugh, we totally hate our job!), we’re finally ready to reveal the best games of the Nintendo DS. It was hard to pick each one, as the DS booth was full of amazing software, but we tried, and here’s what we got.
Best Artistic Design
<a href="http://ds.advancedmn.com/game.php?gameid=332"The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass
It’s not often that we get a chance to play two Zelda titles on the E3 showfloor, but when it happens, you won’t see us complaining. E3 2006 was home to, not one, but to two new Hyrulean adventures; and even though The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess was again, the star of the Zelda show, its dual-screen iteration is nothing short of fantastic. Featuring an innovative fusion of touch-screen focused gameplay, and the tried-and-true Zelda formula, it’s difficult not to pay attention to this title. But even more impressive than its touch-screen implementation is the unbelievable artistry that the Nintendo DS hardware is pulling off. Phantom Hourglass has colorful graphics, a design that echoes The Wind Waker‘s style, and huge worlds, fully rendered in 3-D. Nintendo’s artists are working hard to create a living, breathing world just like they did with GameCube’s first Zelda appearance, and because we don’t doubt that they will pull it off, we give The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass the award for Best Artistic Design.
Runner up:
<a href="http://ds.advancedmn.com/game.php?gameid=352"Yoshi’s Island 2
Best RPG Game of E3
<a href="http://ds.advancedmn.com/game.php?gameid=116"Final Fantasy III
The true Final Fantasy III never made it over to the US shores, but now it will thanks to Square Enix. Even better since it has been reworked from the ground up. The original was for the Japanese Famicom, and was naturally in 2D. This iteration boasts new 3D elements, but still remains very faithful to the originals design.
One of the most surprising things about Final Fantasy III was how well the experience has held up. You still have random monster encounters, but by in large the game despite its age fits right in with most portable RPGs, and will likely be the best one for the Nintendo DS for sometime now.
Runner up:
<a href="http://ds.advancedmn.com/game.php?gameid=86"Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime
Best Puzzle Game of E3
<a href="http://ds.advancedmn.com/game.php?gameid=354"Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis
Not a lot of competition for best puzzle game, but that doesn’t take away from what a great game Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2 really is. This sequel takes everything the original was, and adds a few new twists. Most notably, you don’t control Mario in this iteration; you control the Mini Marios instead.
Another change comes in the form of control, with Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis you will be controlling the actions with the touch screen. Which really makes more sense because now you will be controlling a group of Mini Marios. Controlling your army of toy soldiers is easy, and very intuitive. Solving the puzzles can be difficult, but that is why its our pick for best puzzle game of E3 2004.
Runner Up:
<a href="http://ds.advancedmn.com/game.php?gameid=325"Magnetica
Best Graphics of E3
<a href="http://ds.advancedmn.com/game.php?gameid=356"Mario Hoops 3 on 3
There were quite a few graphic showpieces for the Nintendo DS. So selecting one for this award was really difficult, add to that these are demos. So they may be retooled for release. So to be fair I placed all the worthy titles for this contest in a hat, and drew out the winner. Wait, I am just kidding. The winner rightfully was Mario Hoops 3 on 3.
Everything visually about Mario Hoops 3 on 3 screams top notch. The behind the character perspective looks great, and the animations for each character are complete and fluid. Not only is this a great game, but its graphics are a gem all its own.
Runner up:
<a href="http://ds.advancedmn.com/game.php?gameid=353"Star Fox Command
Best Multiplayer Game of E3
<a href="http://ds.advancedmn.com/game.php?gameid=353"Mario Hoops 3 on 3
Multiplayer support has always been a strong point for Nintendo DS software, and this year’s offerings thankfully were no different. The Nintendo WiFi connection is soon to get far more titles to add to its growing number of games. But sadly the best multiplayer game of the show won’t take advantage of this feature. It will support local wireless play only, but the design is so good, you won’t mind inviting your friends over for some Mario Hoops 3 on 3 fun.
Sports games seem to lend themselves naturally to multiplayer, but rarely deliver the best experiences. This time they did, with a solid control scheme, and solid take on basketball. Mario Hoops 3 on 3 plays just as well as any of its Mario sports brethren on the home consoles, and offers some of the best multiplayer on any platform.
Runner up:
<a href="http://ds.advancedmn.com/game.php?gameid=273"Custom Robo Arena
Best Adventure Game of E3
<a href="http://ds.advancedmn.com/game.php?gameid=332"Zelda: Phantom Hourglass
Whenever anybody lists their favorite things about the Zelda franchise, usually they include that Link’s many quests are always among the best adventure stories ever conceived. The intriguing relationships between Link, Zelda, and Ganondorf always seem to create the perfect backdrop for a series that is known for tight gameplay, cutting edge graphics, and great music and sound.
Thankfully Link’s newest adventure, Phantom Hourglass appears to not only continue the great Zelda franchise traditions, but it also manages to bring many new things to the table. With a whole new control scheme, new ways to interact with characters, and the promise of a lengthy adventure, The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass easily bested any other games that hoped to challenge it in this category.
Runner up:
<a href="http://ds.advancedmn.com/game.php?gameid=375"Lunar Knights
Best Racing Game of E3
<a href="http://ds.advancedmn.com/game.php?gameid=316"Tony Hawk’s Downhill Jam
The Birdman is poised to make a return to the DS in serious style later this year. At E3 2006, the latest Tony Hawk game, Downhill Jam managed to wow attendees with its blazing speed, killer graphics, and hefty features both online and off. Gamers will be able to not only race each other via Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection, but they will also be able to exchange congratulations and taunts via voice chat. Any fan of online racing games should be looking forward to Tony Hawk’s Downhill Jam.
Runner up:
<a href="http://ds.advancedmn.com/game.php?gameid=328"Micro Machines V4
Best Strategy Game of E3
<a href="http://ds.advancedmn.com/game.php?gameid=307"Star Trek: Tactical Assault
Star Trek: Tactical Assault was far and away the finest strategy title shown for the DS at E3. With a deep campaign mode, and a great multiplayer aspect, Star Trek: Tactical Assault promises to be another quality release from Bethesda. You can even play the Klingon campaign with the text entirely written out in the Klingon language if you so choose.
Runner up:
<a href="http://ds.advancedmn.com/game.php?gameid=345"Panzer Tactics
Biggest Surprise of E3
<a href="http://ds.advancedmn.com/game.php?gameid=352"Yoshi’s Island 2
Usually we get word ahead of time from Nintendo before a game is announced, but seeing Yoshi’s Island 2 at E3 caught us completely off-guard. The game looked amazing and was really far into development; something that surprised us just as much as its actual announcement. With a holiday window release date, DS owners are in for a treat when they finally get their hands on Yoshi’s Island 2.
Runner up:
<a href="http://ds.advancedmn.com/game.php?gameid=361"Chibi Robo: Park Patrol
Best Action Game of E3
<a href="http://ds.advancedmn.com/game.php?gameid=339"Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin
After the success of the first Dual Screen iteration of Castlevania, the surprise would’ve been NOT getting a sequel. And here we are, with Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin, ready to whip vampires and save the world in an action packed title that will surely satisfy fans of the franchise, and action gamers alike. In the game, you take control of two characters: Jonathan and Charlotte, and it will be up to you to exploit their strengths and weaknesses in order to overcome boss threats and puzzles. Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin takes the series back to where it all begun: with action. You will still collect the always classic items, and you will always gain new abilities, but you will definitely feel the fighting portions to be a bit more challenging. But hey, we’re not complaining, so neither should you. What you should do is keep an eye for our Best DS Action Game of E3 2006 when it launches later this year.
Runner up:
<a href="http://ds.advancedmn.com/game.php?gameid=353"Star Fox Command
Best DS Platformer
<a href="http://ds.advancedmn.com/game.php?gameid=352"Yoshi’s Island 2
Okay, so let’s get this out of the way. Yes, this game is being developed by Artoon (creator of the infamous Blinx and the crazy Yoshi: Topsy Turvy), but Nintendo knows that their fans are going to be extra critical with a sequel to one of the best platformers ever created, so we have no doubt that they will take all the time they need to make a game worthy of its predecessor. What we can say is that, based on the E3 demo, the developer is on the right track. Not only does it look visually stunning (with graphics that blend the style of Yoshi’s Island and Yoshi: Touch & Go), and features the always charming atmosphere, but also — and most importantly – the gameplay is mostly on the spot. Now with extra babies to look after (influencing the gameplay with new puzzles!), we can safely pick Yoshi’s Island 2 as our favorite platformer of the show. Now where are those extra diapers?
Runner up:
<a href="http://ds.advancedmn.com/game.php?gameid=358"Kirby
Best DS Sports
<a href="http://ds.advancedmn.com/game.php?gameid=353"Mario Hoops 3 on 3
Another surprising game (if only because of the developer), Mario Hoops 3 on 3 is easily our Sports game of the show. With characters like Yoshi, Mario, Bowser, and Wario all making an appearance — plus many more from the numerous Mario titles — you can at least expect a fun experience based on other sports games in the Bros. universe. You can also look forward to power ups, super moves, and crazy rules that could never be applied anywhere else. The game also features a new style of control setup, in which you will tap the screen to dribble, slide your stylus to pass the ball, and dunk with the touch screen – all while controlling your character with the d-pad. It may sound weird, but it’s incredibly intuitive, and most importantly: fun. Add the fantastic graphical engine (one of the best we’ve seen on DS hardware), and you can start to guess why we can’t wait for this game to arrive.
Runner up:
<a href="http://ds.advancedmn.com/game.php?gameid=367"Winning Eleven
Best Innovation
<a href="http://ds.advancedmn.com/game.php?gameid=260"Contact
It’s not Mother. It’s not Secret of Evermore. It’s quirky. It’s intriguing. But even after playing it we still had not idea what the heck Atlus’ upcoming DS release is about. Yet after talking to the company’s representatives, we found out that Contact is one of the first games to acknowledge that you, the player, are in fact not the sprite or polygon character you are manipulating on the screen. While the gameplay should feel familiar to fans of action RPGs, the concept is anything but. With Wi-Fi Connection compatibility, tons of secrets to uncover, and a quirky script, we have no doubt but to give Contact our most innovative game design award.
Runner up:
<a href="http://ds.advancedmn.com/game.php?gameid=355"Elite Beat Agents
Best DS Game of E3
<a href="http://ds.advancedmn.com/game.php?gameid=332"The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass
There is really no surprise that Zelda: Phantom Hourglass won best DS game of E3. We would love to have given this award to another game, but Zelda: Phantom Hourglass was just on a much higher tier than anything else at the show. This is really saying something since E3 2006 was easily the best showings of new DS software.
Zelda: Phantom Hourglass obviously takes its visual cues from Wind Waker, but also is said to be a continuation of the Nintendo GameCube title. Since Phantom Hourglass is on the Nintendo DS, expect full use of the touch screen for maneuvering Link through his new adventure. Believe me, it works seamlessly, and almost effortlessly.
The game design has always been the best part in any Zelda game, and Phantom Hourglass is no different. Taking all the familiar elements of the Zelda franchise, and bringing them to the Nintendo DS. Even sailing has made a return on Zelda: Phantom Hourglass, but made a lot more fun thanks to the ability to chart your course with the touch screen.
Runner up:
<a href="http://ds.advancedmn.com/game.php?gameid=352"Yoshi’s Island 2
— by Stephen Smith, Jeff Rivera, Miguel Yanez, and Weston Bass
