One of Square Enix’s Best RPGs Ever Was a Nintendo DS Exclusive

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Square Enix is famous for its incredible role-playing games, but one Nintendo DS title often gets overlooked. Designed specifically for the DS, it really showcased the console’s unique capabilities. While other developers focused on puzzles or platformers, Square Enix took a chance on a fresh and visually striking RPG. Despite being a truly excellent game, it never achieved the same popularity as the company’s other big franchises.

Originally launched in 2007 for the Nintendo DS, *The World Ends With You* is considered one of the best RPGs on the system and a standout title from Square. The game was developed by the team behind *Kingdom Hearts*, but offered a fresh and unique experience compared to that popular collaboration. Despite its innovation and positive reception, it didn’t receive much attention until a sequel and a later re-release, which is unfortunate given how much potential it had.

The World Ends With You’s Bold Art Style & Gameplay

I immediately loved playing *The World Ends With You*. It stood out from other games thanks to its unique art style – a vibrant, graffiti-inspired look with bold colors. Instead of the typical fantasy setting, it took place in a lively, modern Tokyo. Even with the Nintendo DS’s limitations, Square Enix created a game that felt incredibly dynamic and visually striking, with layered backgrounds, comic book-style conversations, and energetic animations that instantly drew me in.

Beyond its striking visuals, *The World Ends With You* completely changed my expectations for action RPGs. The game uniquely let you control two characters simultaneously using the Nintendo DS stylus and D-pad, with each character appearing on a separate screen. This created a fast, energetic, and surprisingly rhythmic battle system that demanded skillful coordination, clever thinking, and strategic planning. Square Enix brilliantly integrated the DS’s features – particularly the stylus – into the combat, allowing you to perform attacks like throwing fireballs or slashing with lightning using simple motions. They also cleverly tied your character’s fashion choices and current trends to how effective they were in battle.

The leveling system in *TWEWY* was particularly unusual. Players could deliberately decrease their level, creating a trade-off between risk and reward. This meant you could earn better items, but faced a greater challenge and the possibility of losing. This design choice cleverly reflected the game’s themes of self-discovery and humility, and it pushed players to experiment – I found myself constantly testing both combat strategies and how low I could safely lower my level.

A Story About Life, Death, and the Fear of Connection

I loved *The World Ends With You* for more than just how it played. It had a touching and meaningful story, like many games from Square Enix. I especially connected with the main character, Neku Sakuraba – a quiet, moody teen in Tokyo. The game starts with him waking up with no memories, only to find out he’s dead and stuck in a strange competition called the Reapers’ Game. Over seven days, Neku has to face dangerous trials and team up with other people who are also trapped.

What starts as a puzzling story slowly becomes a moving exploration of who we are and how we connect with others – it really resonated with me. The main character, Neku, starts out as a closed-off and pessimistic person, but he learns to trust and find purpose through the friends he makes. Characters like the cheerful Shiki, the mysterious Joshua, and the energetic Beat all play a part in helping Neku grow. Square Enix delivered a powerful story about growing up at a time when I really needed it, and that’s why *TWEWY* has stayed with me ever since.

The writing remains powerful and relevant today. It doesn’t idealize being young or city living, but honestly portrays the uncertainty, defiance, longing for meaning, and search for self that define those experiences. The game’s setting wasn’t just window dressing; it represented the complicated and beautiful nature of human connections. Every element, from optional missions to dialogue and the music, was carefully crafted to reinforce this core idea, working both on its own and as part of a larger, cohesive whole.

Why Square Enix Never Made It a True Franchise

Considering how much praise the original *The World Ends With You* received, it’s surprising Square Enix didn’t build a larger franchise around it. It had the potential to be as popular as *Dragon Quest* or *Final Fantasy*, but it never quite got the same level of support. While a re-release on the Nintendo Switch and a sequel, *NEO: The World Ends With You*, eventually came out, they arrived too late to fully benefit from the initial game’s success. Plus, the sequel just didn’t capture the same magic that made the first *The World Ends With You* so special.

Several factors contributed to the original *The World Ends With You*’s success. It launched near the end of the Nintendo DS’s lifespan, and adapting it to the similar 3DS would have required a complete overhaul – something Square Enix likely didn’t want to invest in. More importantly, the first game was a unique hit that perfectly captured the moment. Its style, music, story, and fresh gameplay resonated with players at the time. When the sequel arrived years later, the gaming landscape had shifted, and while it gained a dedicated fanbase, it didn’t achieve the same widespread popularity as Square’s other franchises.

Even now, many players consider *TWEWY* to be one of the best RPGs Square Enix has ever created, especially for the Nintendo DS. It stood out from the crowd with its unique style and heartfelt story when a lot of other games were sticking to familiar formulas. I, along with countless others, was immediately drawn to its originality. Over fifteen years later, *The World Ends With You* is still a remarkably daring game, and I’d love to see a third installment released.

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2025-10-09 17:57