10 Classic Nintendo DS Games That Are Unplayable Today

The Nintendo DS was a significant moment for portable gaming. Its unique dual-screen design – with each screen serving a different purpose – encouraged developers to try new things. However, these experiments didn’t always succeed.

Surprisingly, many Nintendo DS games haven’t aged well. Titles like the Nintendo DS Browser and Tony Hawk’s Motion really feel like products of their time and haven’t held up over the years.

Animal Crossing: Wild World Feels Small Compared to Its Sequels

Animal Crossing: Wild World was a significant release as the second main game in the series and the first one available on a handheld console. It delivered a fantastic Animal Crossing experience on the go, adding new features like the rolling log and introducing online multiplayer.

It’s a shame that while the rolling log has remained a consistent part of Animal Crossing games, features like online play are no longer available. Later games, including New Leaf and New Horizons, have become much more popular and complex than the original Wild World ever was.

The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass Is Closed Off

Released in 2007, The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass is an action-adventure game where Link embarks on a challenging quest to save Tetra from the villainous Bellum. Along the way, he’ll face off against Bellum’s minions and complete tasks for other characters who can help him.

In The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass, there’s a puzzle that requires players to physically close the lid of their Nintendo DS. This is very difficult – almost impossible – to do when playing on emulators or certain handhelds like the original 2DS, creating a significant problem for players.

Dragon Quest IX Has Turned Into a Ghost Town

Released in 2009, Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies is a role-playing game where a celestial being is reborn as a human. This character must then search for special fruits hidden throughout the world, and they’ll need the assistance of friends to succeed.

The game used to have online features, but they stopped working when Nintendo discontinued its Wi-Fi Connection service. Now, certain parts of the game – like the post-game content, Stornway Inn, and shops – don’t function correctly unless you use emulation or hacks.

Super Mario 64 DS Is Too Cumbersome to Play Now

Super Mario 64 DS is an updated version of the classic 1996 game, Super Mario 64. It mostly stays true to the original, but players begin the game as Yoshi. They then need to locate Mario, Luigi, and Wario by finding them in paintings, which unlocks each character’s unique powers.

While this new feature seems good in theory, it actually makes the game feel clunky. There are ways to gather items without constantly switching characters, but even that solution has drawbacks. Plus, getting around the game world is much more complicated than it was in the first game.

Guitar Hero: On Tour Has Been Canceled

Released in 2008, Guitar Hero: On Tour created a new branch within the popular Guitar Hero series. The game successfully brought the Guitar Hero experience to the Nintendo DS, but with a unique twist: players had to use a special “Guitar Grip” accessory to play the notes.

There are two issues that could make playing Guitar Hero: On Tour impossible. First, the Guitar Grip doesn’t connect to newer Nintendo DS models like the DSi or 3DS because they lack the necessary port. Second, if any of the buttons on the Grip break, you won’t be able to play the game properly.

C.O.P. The Recruit Is a Poor Man’s GTA

Released in 2009, C.O.P. The Recruit is an action-adventure game heavily inspired by the Grand Theft Auto series. It features third-person shooting and open-world gameplay, clearly aiming to recreate the GTA experience on the Nintendo DS.

While the game has interesting technical goals, they don’t make it enjoyable. Ultimately, C.O.P. The Recruit doesn’t offer much that players couldn’t experience more effectively in a game like GTA. Even though it’s not terrible, it can be tedious to play, and there are better games to invest your time in.

Metroid Prime Hunters Is Painful to Play

Released in 2006, Metroid Prime Hunters is an action-packed, first-person shooter where players control Samus Aran. She’s sent to the Alimbic Cluster in the Tetra Galaxy to confront Gorea, a powerful and enigmatic being connected to a vanished civilization known as the Alimbic race.

While the game has some drawbacks – a simple single-player story and an online mode that’s no longer available – its biggest issue is how you control it. Metroid Prime Hunters relies almost entirely on using the stylus with one hand while holding the DS, which feels awkward and makes the gameplay feel clunky.

WarioWare D.I.Y. Is D.O.A.

WarioWare D.I.Y., released in 2010, lets players both create their own quick, quirky minigames—similar to those found in other WarioWare titles—and play pre-made ones. Players used to be able to share their creations online with others.

Even though you can still play WarioWare D.I.Y. by yourself, the best part of the game was sharing creations online. While there are still ways to do that unofficially, the original online features are gone, which makes the experience feel less connected.

Tony Hawk’s Motion Is Motionless

Released in 2008, Tony Hawk’s Motion is a skateboarding game for the Nintendo DS that uniquely utilizes the system’s capabilities. It comes with a special attachment called the Motion Pack, which plugs into the bottom of the DS and allows players to control the game using physical movements.

Because newer Nintendo handhelds like the DSi and 3DS don’t have a card slot for extra games, you can’t play Tony Hawk’s Motion on them. Plus, even if you could, the game was never very enjoyable – it’s really hard to see the screen when you’re constantly tilting the DS.

Quiz

5 Questions

Test Your DS Nostalgia: Which Classics Didn’t Age Gracefully?

Your Top Score

—

Attempts

—

Report Error

Found an error? Send it so it can be corrected.

2026-03-11 06:42