Summary
The DS is one of the best-selling pure handhelds of all time. Without it, the Switch may not have ever become as popular as it turned out to be. The DS was a great system forRPGs, but there was one aspect that could be a bit annoying for veteran fans of the genre: random encounters.
For example, walking around in tall grass or caves in the variousPokemongames could get old. MostFinal Fantasygames also had random battles. These other DS RPGs were different though, and offered non-randomized battles in both turn-based and action varieties. Let’s rank them based on how purely good they all were.
7SaGa 2: The Treasure Legend - Goddess of Destiny
Started As A Fantasy, Ended As A Saga
SaGa 2: The Treasure Legend - Goddess of Destinyis a remake ofFinal Fantasy Legend 2which is not connected toFinal Fantasyat all. Instead, it’saSaGagame. The gameplay between the two versions features a customizable character who can create and recruit party members skilled in various weapons along with monsters.
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Monsters and other party members can evolve based on what they are given or eat, and their stats will increase whenever actions are repeated. Using swords can increase proficiency and attack power, for example. Battles are turn-based and occur when players run into enemies in dungeons or on the world map. This remake was exclusive to Japan on the DS, which is a shame, although there have been efforts by fans for an English patch.
The Wizard of Oz: Beyond the Yellow Brick Roadis the perfect game to discuss now thanks to thehype aroundWicked. It’s another unique interpretation of theOzlore, with this one finding Dorothy and her comrades going after seasonal witches whom The Wizard of Oz has deemed evil.
Players will confront monsters in the field and go through traditional turn-based battles where every party member has strength over another enemy type. For example, the Tin Man is good against plant monsters as he can chop them down. This one-off was developed by Media.Vision, who some may know from theWild ArmsandValkyria ChroniclesRPG franchises.
Atlus has made a lot of one-off games, but among the many,Radiant Historiais one that fans want to see a sequel to. Players control Stocke, who can control time via a book. A small change in one universe could open up a branching path which players could hop back and forth from. It was a moreengaging timeline systemthan the one many were introduced to in the SNES classicChrono Trigger.
While players explored the fields and dungeons, enemies would appear, and touching them would initiate a turn-based battle. Enemies appeared in columns and player abilities could group enemies to inflict more damage, which was the most effective way to victory.
Chrono Triggerwas re-releasedon the DS after its debut on the SNES and port to the PS1. Said PS1 port was messy despite some attractive additions like the anime cutscenes, but the DS was a return to basics. It enhanced what needed to be enhanced, like a chronicle of the timelines and endings. Meanwhile, it left alone what was already amazing, like the battle system and graphics.
Chrono Triggerwas ahead of its time, featuring enemies walking around dungeons. The world map was barren of battles of any sort, which made it less of a hassle to explore. This made the turn-based combat feel more dynamic along with the addition of combo attacks.
Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Storyis the third game in theMario & LuigiRPG series. It splits the narrative between Bowser, who is trying to rule the Mushroom Kingdom while defending it from invaders, and Mario and Luigi are stuck literally inside him.
Bowser’s innards are toured like a dungeon and it’s an inventive good time. Whether players are adventuring as Bowser or the plumbers, enemies will appear in the field. Battles are turn-based, but attacks are active and players can dodge enemies and counter back.
Dragon Quest 9: Sentinels of the Starry Skywas the first game in the mainline seriesto get rid of random battles. It was a first to feature other gameplay mechanics too, like the addition of co-op and the fact that it was on the DS and not on a console.
One of the best ways to level up in the series is through Metal Slimes. Being able to track them down in the field or dungeon made the grind easier inDragon Quest 9: Sentinels of the Starry Sky. Also, tracking other monsters down for fusion materials or side quests helped dampen the grind overall. Combat was still turn-based, but the Vocation system kept things lively.
The World Ends With Youwas a seminal RPG for the DS that bucked many trends and used the portable’s functionality well. Neku, the protagonist, dies and goes into an afterlife, wherein he plays a death game in the hopes of getting revived.
In battle, Neku is joined by a partner who automatically fights the same monster above as Neku does below, but players can input moves if they want via the D-Pad. Neku can be controlled via the stylus and attached pins will dictate his abilities from slashes to fireballs. In thisafterlife version of Japan, players can attract monsters called Noise whenever they want to do battle.
