The Nintendo DS remains one of Nintendo's greatest accomplishments to date. From its launch in 2004, the DS saw unbelievable success that led to the device becoming Nintendo's best-selling console of all time. Its reception further cemented Nintendo's status as the champion of the portable gaming industry at a time when the primary handheld competitor, Sony's PlayStation Portable, struggled to make huge waves.
Related 10 Best GameCube Games Of All Time The GameCube is home to an extraordinary library of games, and all of the best titles are still well worth seeking out and playing today. It's clear that Nintendo was not content with the DS simply being an upgraded version of a previous console like the Game Boy Advance. The company wanted to change the fundamental understanding at the time of what a video game console was capable of and the kind of gaming experiences the player could enjoy. That unique approach to the DS would have certainly boosted its appeal at the time of release, contributing to the console's gargantuan success.
✕ Remove Ads The wildly successful Nintendogs, for example, had the player use the touchscreen to perform a multitude of tasks, including training and washing their dogs on a regular basis. Meanwhile, Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day! offered a series of challenging puzzles that required minimal input from the player, either writing their answer on the touch screen or speaking into the DS's built-in microphone.
This unique control scheme made for adventures that stood apart from previous entries in the Zelda series while also being simplistic enough to make either game a perfect entry point into the franchise for more casual players. The DS was not only revolutionary in its accessibility and appeal, but in giving well-known franchises such as Zelda the ability to reinvent themselves, making for more satisfying games as a result.