The DS and 3DS are two of the best handheld consoles ever made, with the latter single-handedly keeping Nintendo afloat after the Wii U bombed spectacularly. These platforms are full to the brim with quality games across various genres that haven’t been ported to other platforms, which is a shame.
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The Nintendo DS and 3DS may not be the most powerful consoles, but the handheld devices still feature some truly great open-world games.
Some of the best RPGs players can get their hands on are present on these two handhelds. If players are really interested in playing these games, then the effort to procure the hardware required is quite worthwhile.
8
Final Fantasy 12: Revenant Wings
A Sequel To The Mainline Entry That’s A Ton Of Fun To Play
Final Fantasy 12: Revenant Wings
- Released
-
November 20, 2007
Final Fantasy 12 was an experimental title that has its fair share of fans. What these people may not be aware of is that the game received a sequel that could only be played on the DS.
It was a puzzling move, but players who gave Revenant Wings a shot were pleased by the depth of its tactical gameplay. It was great to reunite with the cast again on another epic adventure in the world of Ivalice where the stakes were upped once again.
7
Pokemon Sun & Moon
Another Entry In A Legendary JRPG Series That Fans Can’t Get Enough Of
- Released
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November 18, 2016
- OpenCritic Rating
-
Mighty
While Pokemon Sun & Moon is an excellent addition to the series’ legacy, it also caused fans to worry because of a poor introduction and mechanics that had started to feel dated. While this was an indication of the bad times to come, it shouldn’t take anything away from Pokemon Sun & Moon‘s allure as an excellent 3DS JRPG that fans will adore.
The monster-catching gameplay is quite addictive, with players encountering a wealth of unique Pokemon and forming their best party during this adventure. The story is more prominent in this title than in other Pokemon games, which is an interesting way to help this game stand out from its predecessors.
6
Golden Sun: Dark Dawn
A Fun Entry In The Golden Sun Series That Players Adore
Golden Sun: Dark Dawn
- Released
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December 18, 2010
It’s a shame that the Golden Sun series has been dormant for so long. Players are being robbed of unique JRPGs that feature their fair share of puzzles and let players engage with a unique job system that is more varied than ever before in Golden Sun: Dark Dawn.
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While the series was getting a bit too generic for its own good, the superb gameplay of Dark Dawn is enough to help it stand out as a stellar entry in the series. It’s a shame that this was the last Golden Sun game released before the franchise went into hiatus for a criminally long time.
5
Persona Q2: New Cinema Labyrinth
A Crossover Title Featuring The The Cast Of Persona 3, 4, & 5
- Released
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June 4, 2019
- Developer(s)
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P-Studio
- OpenCritic Rating
-
Strong
Sometimes, all players need is a bit of fanservice coupled with some solid turn-based combat to check out a spinoff. Such is the case with Persona Q2: New Cinema Labyrinth, a game that merges the cast from the third, fourth, and fifth mainline Persona entry.
Many players love how charming and fun this side story is, implausible as it may be. Fans of the Persona series will find this game to be a no-brainer to play, but people unfamiliar with this Atlus franchise can still test the waters and give this game a shot to see if it’s their thing or not.
4
Bravely Default
A Classic JRPG That Players Will Ease Into In No Time
- Released
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February 7, 2014
- Developer(s)
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Silicon Studio
- OpenCritic Rating
-
Mighty
A JRPG that pays homage to the golden age of this genre, Bravely Default is an epic game despite its boring title that lets players enjoy a classic adventure where gameplay reigns supreme. The job system is the crowning jewel of this title and encourages players to mix and match their party as much as possible.
Along with this, Bravely Default also lets players Default on a turn to stock Brave Points that can be used to power up their attack. It’s a simple system but one that encourages people to be tactical in battle against the game’s many challenging bosses.
3
Dragon Quest 9: Sentinels Of The Starry Skies
An Excellent Entry In The Series That Fans Love
It’s only a given that an entry in the beloved Dragon Quest series would be a no-brainer for fans of handheld RPGs. While Dragon Quest 9‘s innovative multiplayer elements may be harder to enjoy now, that shouldn’t stop people from going through this epic JRPG.
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It’s a brilliant entry in the series that takes players on a classic adventure full of the turn-based shenanigans players love in this series. Dragon Quest 9‘s classic gameplay and charming graphics make it one of the best RPGs on the Nintendo DS and understandably so.
2
Pokemon X & Y
One Of The Best Entries In The Pokemon Series
- Released
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October 12, 2023
- OpenCritic Rating
-
Mighty
Touted by many as a game released during the franchise’s peak before things started spiraling downward, Pokemon X & Y is the perfect game for players seeking out a classic turn-based RPG. Catching Pokemon and forming an optimized party for each gym is a gameplay loop that players will never tire of.
The charming visuals, fun gameplay, and evocative Pokemon design harkens back to a simple time when fans had no complaints about the Pokemon series. It helps that this generation is full of charming Pokemon whom players can bond with in no time as they embark on a grand adventure to become a Pokemon Master.
1
Shin Megami Tensei 4
A Hardcore Yet Engaging JRPG Where Players Must Strategize To Deal With A Host Of Challenging Bosses
Shin Megami Tensei IV
One of the hardest JRPGs ever made, Shin Megami Tensei 4 has become the stuff of legends because of its difficulty. For the most part, players can scrape by this game without playing it as intended early on, only to be obliterated by the Minotaur boss who punishes players for being incompetent at playing this game.
It’s a huge difficulty spike that tests just how much players are willing to learn if they want to topple the game’s many challenging bosses. If they manage to clear the Minotaur, then most players can rest assured that they can go through the rest of Shin Megami Tensei 4, no matter how punishing things get after this point.
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7 Hardest Nintendo 3DS Games, Ranked
There were plenty of difficult titles released for the 3DS over its lifespan, but these are without a doubt the most brutal of the bunch.