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The ten best DS games of 2006

We hope you found one in your Christmas stocking

The ten best DS games of 2006
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It's been a great 12 months for DS. Thanks to a neat redesign, the old, grey brick that started out the year has morphed into the svelte DS Lite and sold like hot cakes around the the world. But there's little point selling the most consoles in Europe in a week ever – 515,000, fact fans – if there aren't any good games to play.

Thankfully, it's been a top year for DS on that score too. In fact, the only trouble we've had in compiling our list of the Ten Best DS games of 2006 has been deciding what exactly we mean by 2006. So, somewhat elastically, we've compromised. Most of these games were released in Europe during 2006, but a couple are due in 2007. In those cases, we've reviewed the US versions, which were released this calendar year.

Oh, and if you were wondering why no Nintendogs, well, while Nintendogs Dalmatian & Friends Edition was released in 2006, we reckon it's not different enough from the Nintendogs games released in 2005 to count on its own.

Think we've missed something else out? We're eager to hear your views, so post a comment telling us what your fave 2006 DS games where. Top 10 DS games in 2006

Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime
Developer: TOSE
Publisher: Square Enix
Released: October (US), TBA (Euro)


No one grows up thinking how great it would be to become a small blob of blue slime, even one called Rocket. But from that seemingly limited starting point, the designers behind Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime have come up with a really engaging experience. Perhaps the most impressive thing is the humour that runs throughout the game. As well as the satisfying ability for Rocket to be stretched and fired like an elastic band, there are wacky tank battles, which include some role-playing levelling up of your trusty gunners. So go blue – there's plenty of odd enjoyment to be discovered.
Metroid Prime: Hunters
Developer: Nintendo Software Tech.
Publisher: Nintendo
Released: May


"A 3D first-person shooter on the DS? It'll never work". How wrong our conceptions proved, as Nintendo's Software Technology group managed the miraculous. Also thrown into the mix were solid touchscreen / stylus controls and an option for four way online multiplayer via the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. Technically, you couldn't ask for more. In terms of the gameplay, shooting things dominated over the rollerball puzzles, as Samus attempted to beat a selection of bounty hunters to a selection of powerful artifacts. Sure it wasn't War and Peace, but with this amount of firepower, who needs ...and Peace?
Dr Kawashima's Brain Training
Developer: Nintendo
Publisher: Nintendo
Released: June


Much of the DS' success in 2006 has been due to games that aren't really games. Dr Kawashima's Brain Training was one of the first, and in terms of how it's supposed to be played, the best example. Sure, it wasn't perfect. The speech recognition system had problems with the word 'Blue', for starters. But overall the selection of games on offer was fun enough for anyone to play for the required ten minutes per day, every day, so the good Dr could work out how old your brain was. The inclusion of touchscreen sudoku into a game costing a mere £20 was a special bonus.
Children of Mana
Developer: Next Entertainment
Publisher: Nintendo
Released: November (US), 12th Jan (Euro)


OK, so we'll admit we're fans of role-playing games but even discounting that bias, Children of Mana is wonderful. Actually, we'd argue it's exactly the sort of RPG that would appeal to people who aren't keen on the genre. Based around non-stop action – you spend your time fighting your way through dungeons rather than endlessly travelling across mysterious worlds – it enables you to get creative with an array of weapons, magical spirits and gemstones. There's even a neat co-op mode, plus the 2D sprite graphics, audio sounds effects and bouncy attack physics are brilliant.
Tetris DS
Developer: Nintendo
Publisher: Nintendo
Released: April


We've all played Tetris and gone to bed counting falling blocks before, haven't we? Nevertheless, Nintendo managed to gracefully overhaul the most played game ever in Tetris DS by cunningly mixing a traditional version of the game with retrospective atmospherics from Nintendo's back catalogue, as well as sneaking in some radical reinterpretations. Of the new modes introduced, our favourite was the shoot 'em up-style Catch mode, while the head-to-head Push mode satisfied those competitive folks who always want to win. And, thanks to support for Nintendo's Wi-Fi Connection, you could take on the world.
Elite Beat Agents
Developer: iNiS
Publisher: Nintendo
Released: November (US), TBA (Euro)


Rhythm action games are great, especially if like us you're tone deaf and have two left feet. All you need to do is wield your stylus in time to the music and you too can be winner. In fact with Elite Beat Agents (the Western version of Japanese cult classic Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan!), not only will you be a winner, but you'll also being saving members of the public from embarrassing social situations, just by tapping along to Material Girl or Sk8er Boi. Frankly it's about the most fun we'll ever have, on or off the dancefloor.
New Super Mario Bros
Developer: Nintendo
Publisher: Nintendo
Released: June


The title sounds like something Tony Blair might have thought up ten years ago, but thankfully Nintendo bringing 3D graphics and new moves to Super Mario Bros proved more exciting than New Labour dropping Clause IV. What's most impressive is the beautiful level of control you have over Mario, with spring jumps and ground-pound moves bringing extra zip to the character. Even sleights of hand such as the giant mushroom pick-up that sees Mario filling the screen are totally enjoyable. It really is like going back to the future of platform games.
42 All-Time Classics
Developer: Agenda
Publisher: Nintendo
Released: September


When you can purchase a quality touchscreen version of a card, board or pub game for 48p, you know you're onto a winner. If that were the only rationale for 42 All-Time Classics it would still be one of our top 10 games of 2006, but such is the sheer tactile joy of playing the majority of these games with your stylus, it would still be worth it as a full price title. Even more impressive is the ability to duke it out via Nintendo's Wi-Fi Connection, which brings an extra frisson to games such as darts.
Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time
Developer: AlphaDream
Publisher: Nintendo
Released: February


So you're asking how the only DS game that got 10/10 on Pocket Gamer wasn't our game of the year? What a rigid crowd you are. But in some ways you're right. We loved Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time. It is the epitome of what Nintendo does best: Mario, Luigi and their baby versions powering up to rhythm action shell attacks and power jumps to take out baby Bowser and his henchmen in a 30 hour adventure. It's funny, clever and engrossing, but also singularly designed for one player to play through in a linear fashion. Which brings us to...
Animal Crossing: Wild World
Developer: Nintendo
Publisher: Nintendo
Released: March


A reviewer could be so rude about Animal Crossing: Wild World. Basically it's a doll's house simulator combined with a chatroom, but only to the same extent football is 22 men kicking a sheep's stomach around a mud patch and wine is the juice of grapes trodden on by dirty feet. So forget the prosaic and venture into a realm where you're in touch with a world of players who are interested in checking out your home interiors, the state of your garden and maybe even swapping nice gifts and kindly words. Of course you'll need a wi-fi connection to join in, but that aside, Animal Crossing: Wild World is more than just a game. For those prepared to be open to its possibilities, it's pretty much a way of life. Want more? Check out our latest and greatest DS top 10 charts.

Jon Jordan
Jon Jordan
A Pocket Gamer co-founder, Jon can turn his hand to anything except hand turning. He is editor-at-large at PG.biz which means he can arrive anywhere in the world, acting like a slightly confused uncle looking for the way out. He likes letters, cameras, imaginary numbers and legumes.