Some of the most successful Pokemon games have been those released for the Nintendo DS. Many of the mainstream and spin-off Pokemon games released for the Nintendo DS from 2004 to around 2012 have become cult classics among the community.

Several mainstream Pokemon titles for the Nintendo DS now retail for outrageously high prices due to being some of the best in the franchise. This phenomenon has angered both long-time and new fans of the series, given that it's become impossible to find authentic copies of these coveted games, which are not only among the best titles on Nintendo's portable system but also Game Freak's long-running franchise. Which are the best Pokemon DS games​​​​​​?

Updated December 2, 2023 by Mark Sammut: The Nintendo DS library contains some of the greatest Pokemon games of all time, and an argument could be made that the console's era represents the franchise's peak. This goes beyond just the mainline entries, as the DS has quite a few spin-offs that are widely different than Diamond and Pearl or Black and White. Sure, these releases are fairly niche and polarizing, but they brought something fresh to the plate.

14 Pokemon Dash

Metascore: 46

Pokemon Dash is one of the more unremarkable releases for the Nintendo DS, at least in concept. It's essentially a Pokemon-themed racing game, with players being able to race against their favorite Generation 3 creatures such as Torchic, Treecko, and Mudkip.

The graphics and sprites for the game are charming; however, it's weighed down by its repetitive gameplay and the fact that players can only play as Pikachu. The game is also designed around the Nintendo DS's stylus, with players essentially guiding Pikachu around a track rather than controlling it akin to a kart racer.

Unfortunately, Pokemon Dash is almost impossible to recommend on nearly any level. The gameplay is too simplistic to be interesting beyond a few minutes, and the rest of the package offers very little to make up for its weak core loop.

13 Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers Of Darkness & Time

Metascore: 60

Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers Of Darkness and Time have an enchanting story, unique sprites, lovable characters, and interesting gameplay. Mystery Dungeon is built upon dungeon-crawler gameplay, and the franchise is far more expansive than just Pokemon. These spin-offs are among the license's most famous releases, and they do offer a nice change of pace from the standard Pokemon project.

Despite the pros of the gameplay, these titles are still rather repetitive, particularly during later points in the campaign. If players found themselves under-leveled or stuck, it would take massively repetitive grinding for them to catch up to where they needed to be.

12 Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Blue Rescue Team

Metascore: 62

The counterpart to Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue Team, which was released exclusively for the Game Boy Advance, Blue Rescue Team was released only for the Nintendo DS. The games are practically interchangeable as far as story and playable characters go, with the differences lying in certain creatures players can encounter and recruit in dungeons.

At the time of Red & Blue Rescue Team's debuts, Mystery Dungeon was still a fairly unique entity for Pokemon fans, especially Western audiences who might have never heard of Shiren the Wanderer or Chocobo's Dungeon. As such, Blue Rescue Team benefited from being the franchise's first trip into this side world, even if the game was surpassed by its sequels in many ways.

While a decent game by most metrics, Blue Rescue Team has arguably aged the worst of all the Mystery Dungeon DS games; however, it is still charming in its own way.

11 Pokemon Ranger: Guardian Signs

Metascore: 68

The third Pokemon Ranger installment saw the spin-off series stagnate to an extent. That said, the entry introduced a few improvements to the gameplay style, such as adding ridable legendary creatures and a time-traveling mechanism that allowed for multiplayer gameplay. However, its story is fairly weak, and the legendary Pokemon do not add much to the experience.

Furthermore, the feature in Shadows of Almia that allowed players to change their partner Pokemon between a wide variety of obtainable creatures was taken away in its sequel. It was an unnecessary backward step in a subseries that did not have much forward momentum.

10 Pokemon Ranger

Metascore: 69

The first installment in the Pokemon Ranger series is the most critically successful, at least according to Metacritic. However, it is not necessarily the best overall package in the series. Still, it introduced the concept of playing not as a trainer or another Pokemon, but as a Ranger set on maintaining peace throughout the region and saving wild Pokemon that have been put in harm's way.

There isn't much flexibility in the partner Pokemon that players can have; they can only choose between a Plusle and Minun depending on which gender they choose for their protagonist. However, the circle-drawing gameplay style that allowed players to capture the friendship of wild Pokemon was revolutionary for the franchise. This mechanic couldn't have been done on the Game Boy Advance, as the Nintendo DS was the first console to introduce a touchscreen.

9 Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers Of Sky

Metascore: 54

The Pokemon Mystery Dungeon series is just generally not well-regarded by critics, with most of the entries getting middling reviews at best. However, they obviously have their fans, and if someone likes one entry, they will probably enjoy most of the others. Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky is a classic example of a game that didn't receive the most love from critics, but has become a favorite for many fans in the community.

The improved version of Explorers of Darkness & Time brought enough new ideas to the plate to justify its existence, and newcomers should pick this game above its predecessors. The additions include several new playable creatures, playable special episodes, new items, exclusive dungeons, and minor tweaks to the tear-jerking story. Speaking about the latter, this entry has the best story in the series. While that might not seem like that big of a deal for the franchise, the Mystery Dungeon games are more story-driven than the main series, and Explorers of Sky is one of the few Pokemon games that is primarily worth playing for its narrative.

8 Pokemon Ranger: Shadows Of Almia

Metascore: 68

Shadows of Almia is the second game in the Pokemon Ranger series. The title made several improvements to its predecessor's story, which was a bit lacking in this regard. This included setting the protagonist as a teenager studying to be a Pokemon Ranger, which many kids and young adults playing the game could relate to.

Despite the improvements, Shadows of Almia kept the gameplay mostly the same, albeit with the important addition of being able to swap out partner Pokemon. Still, the lack of innovation was disappointing since it seemed like a missed opportunity. While fans of the original release should check this out, Shadows of Almia won't impress anyone who did not care for the first game.

7 Pokemon Trozei!

Metascore: 74

Pokemon Trozei! is a puzzle game that is very similar to Tetris and Yoshi's Cookie when it comes to gameplay. Blocks with the faces of different Pokemon will fall from the top of the screen, but only the last row can be moved and matched with the ones above it.

It is a relaxing experience, similar to Pokemon Pinball. Trozei is a fine option for players who aren't that fond of the mainstream series of games; at the same time, the spin-off is unlikely to appeal to anyone besides die-hard Pokemon fans.

6 Pokemon Conquest

Metascore: 80

Pokemon Conquest was the first and only attempt by Game Freak's franchise to try its hand at the strategy genre, with the spin-off introducing a unique storyline as well as a fresh turn-based battle system. Players moved different creatures across the battlefield, encountering enemies as well as harmful field hazards along the way.

Pokemon Conquest is an incredibly fleshed-out game, with the main story taking roughly 15 hours to beat. There's also a plethora of post-game missions for players to beat.

5 Pokemon Diamond & Pearl

Metascore: 85

The first mainstream Pokemon games to be released for the Nintendo DS were Diamond & Pearl. For many players, these games were their introduction to the franchise, giving them deep sentimental value for all who played them in their childhood.

Generation 4 was critically praised for its immersive story, smooth graphics, incredible soundtrack, and memorable characters that players met along their journey through the Sinnoh region. Switch owners can pick up remakes of Diamond & Pearl if they want a slightly prettier experience.

4 Pokemon Platinum

Metascore: 83

Pokemon Platinum was the third mainstream game for Generation 4, released after the success of Diamond & Pearl. Unlike many "third versions," Platinum received a lot of critical praise for not simply being a carbon copy of its predecessors.

Although the storylines are relatively similar, Pokemon Platinum not only introduces new wild Pokemon, but the game also changes parts of the story. At the climax, players enter the Distortion World, face off against Cyrus, and catch Giratina. Most importantly, this release simply runs better than its predecessors, making it far easier to revisit. A more balanced game, Platinum fully earns its definitive version tag.

3 Pokemon Black & White

Metascore: 87

Pokemon Black & White introduced several new concepts that have stayed consistent throughout the mainstream games that were released in its wake. They debatably introduced the most brand-new concepts since Generation 2 or 3, including rotation battles, triple battles, multiple rivals, and fully animated sprites.

Although fans found a couple of recurring characters annoying, it's no secret that Black & White are renowned for their incredibly strong main storyline and improved gameplay compared to their predecessors. There is a reason Generation 5 is considered one of Pokemon's highest points, and Black & White are largely responsible for that reputation.

2 Pokemon Black 2 & White 2

Metascore: 80

The final mainstream games released for the Nintendo DS were Pokemon Black 2 & White 2. These entries were the first time any mainstream Pokemon game received an official sequel, and they presented a strong case that Game Freak should consider repeating this practice moving forward.

Black 2 & White 2 offer a refreshingly new take on the Unova region. They continue the story from the previous games, as well as including new wild Pokemon from other generations and even different gym leaders for certain towns. Overall, there is not all that much separating Black 2 & White 2 from their predecessors, but they come with quite a few new mechanics and quality-of-life adjustments, along with a great battle tower. While newcomers should start with the first games since they are also among the strongest RPGs on the Nintendo DS, they should not skip the sequels or dismiss them as rethreads. They are fantastic and contenders for the best games in the franchise.

1 Pokemon HeartGold & SoulSilver

Metascore: 87

Pokemon HeartGold & SoulSilver are some of the most beloved games in the entire franchise. These remakes of the original Pokemon Gold & Silver for the Game Boy Color satisfied both critics and fans with the charming Generation 4 graphics, updated storyline, the introduction of the Pokewalker, and Pokemon sprites that follow the player's character.

These remakes have become so widely beloved that getting an authentic copy is almost impossible unless fans are willing to cough up some serious cash. These entries were so fantastic, that they almost made the original versions obsolete.

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