Beaten back only the PS2 and Nintendo’s own Switch in terms of unit sales, the DS is one of the most popular consoles in the world. Affordable, plenty of revisions, and a plethora of games available for it, it’s not surprise that the console was such a success. You could bring it anywhere, and it offered a play experience unlike anything else out there.
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For being such a massive console in terms of both sales and support, you would then have ti surmise that the DS, and it’s subsequent re-releases, would have quite a lot of games. And oh boy, you sure would be right. The DS is packed, but let’s dissect just how many it has, and some other keys facts about the console.
How Many Games Were Released On The Nintendo DS?
On day one, the DS wasn’t exactly overflowing with games, and there was initially fear that the console wouldn’t take off. A portable console that was significantly weaker than its home console forebears, and with a dual screen set up that would be tricky to take advantage of? The gamble paid off though, because the DS sure has a lot of games.
Exact numbers are hard to define because of just how many games there are, and some regional exclusive games too, but we’re hovering somewhere in the range of 3,000 games. That’s before DSiWare games too, which bump up the number with around 500-600 titles. As such, there are at least 3,600 games on the DS, and 4,000 at a generous push. That is a pretty remarkable number.
It is also a remarkable comeback from the Gamecube, which had only around 700 games.
When Was The Last Game Released For The Nintendo DS?
From its release in 2004, the DS had quite a long life. The DS Lite came out a few years later to give it a slimmer form factor, and then the DSi came as a mid-generation upgrade with new functions (though playing the same games) in 2008. Though it was eventually succeeded by the 3DS in 2011, it still got support for a few years beyond that.
To that end, the last game physically released on the original DS was Big Hero 6: Battle in the Bay, which released on October 28th, 2014. It also came to the 3DS. However, the DSi received its final game two years later with the DSiWare game Crazy Train, on January 28th, 2016. That marks ten years from release with the original DS, or almost 12 years with the DSi.
What Were The Launch Titles For The Nintendo DS?
The DS enjoyed major success during its lifetime, though it came from rather humble beginnings. Nintendo sought to make a re-entry into the handheld market after the Game Boy, and that came with some big expectations. The console initially launched in North America, though the selection of games was quite limited, and didn’t really show off what made the DS so special.
- North America – November 21st, 2004.
- Japan – December 2nd, 2004.
- Europe – March 11th, 2005.
It wasn’t until its European release that a more healthy number of games were available for the console, really starting to show how it could shine. Let’s take a look at all the launch titles across various regions.
Launch Titles In North America |
Launch Titles In Japan |
Launch Titles In Europe |
---|---|---|
Feel The Magic: XY/XX |
Project Rub |
I Would Die For You |
Super Mario 64 DS |
Super Mario 64 DS |
Super Mario 64 DS |
The Urbz: Sims In The City |
The Urbz: Sims In The City |
The Urbz: Sims In The City |
Asphalt: Urban GT |
Daigasso! Band Brothers |
Asphalt: Urban GT |
Metroid Prime Hunters – First Hunt |
Kensyūi Dokuta Tendo |
Metroid Prime Hunters – First Hunt |
Spider-Man 2 |
Mahjong Taikai |
Spider-Man 2 |
Madden NFL 2005 |
Mr. Driller Drill Spirits |
Mr. Driller Drill Spirits |
Pokemon Dash |
Pokemon Dash |
|
Polarium |
Polarium |
|
WarioWare: Touched! |
WarioWare: Touched! |
|
Zoo Keeper |
Zoo Keeper |
|
Zunō ni Asekaku Game Series Vol.1: Cool104 Joker & Setline |
Ping Pals |
|
Rayman DS |
||
Retro Atari Classics |
||
Robots |
||
Sprung |
||
Tiger Woods PGA Tour |
Feel The Magic: XY/XX, Project Rub, and I Would Die For You are all the same game, just so you know.
With only seven launch titles in North America and 12 in Japan, it wasn’t until the European release’s 17 titles that you actually had a strong selection. It’s good that Nintendo kept up after the relatively weak launch, as the DS has gone down in history and one of the most unique consoles in history.
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