The Top 6 DSiWare Titles
The big (only?) selling point of the DSi was the existence of DSiWare, a collection of downloadable games available for purchase. From cheap, simple titles like Pyoro and other re-released WarioWare games to larger titles that were a bit too niche for a retail release like Wayforward’s Mighty Flip Champs, there was a fair bit worth playing on the service, so I thought it was worth highlighting the best it has to offer – or at least the games you readers claimed to be the best. I personally have minimal experience with DSiWare, only discovering a handful of games through the 3DS eShop, which is why other editors, namely Austin, are giving me a hand in writing this up.
I had initially planned to do all these lists as a “top 10” since it’s the tenth anniversary of the Nintendo DS, but since the DSi has only been out for six years let’s streamline things a bit. Yes, that’s the reason that only six games are on it and not because there were only a few entries that completely dominated the poll.
#6 – WarioWare: Snapped
Patrick: Though it was savaged by critics, this frequently-forgotton entry in the WarioWare series must have found some niche if it made the list. It’s a bit light on the microgames, but I can’t think of another game that made such extensive use of the DSi’s cameras. I mean, if they’re garbage for taking photos you might as well put them to use eating bread, swatting flies and drying dogs.
#5 – Photo Dojo
Austin: Photo Dojo was free for a time, and as such, many of us that played it didn’t end up paying for it. I think that made it all the sweeter, really.
The game has you taking posed pictures of your friends up against a wall– their bodies shaped into punching and kicking molds that appear on the top screen of the DSi– and then it takes those photographs, crops your friends out, and uses them as the sprites for a simple side-scrolling brawler. Additionally, you can record the sound effects for punches and kicks, as well as taunts and impact noises. Admittedly the singleplayer experience was about as weak as they come, but being able to get two friends in and duke it out against each other in local multiplayer (on the same DSi, no less!) made for plenty of laughs. There’s nothing quite like fighting your friend Glenn using your high school band room as the arena and taunting him with garbled vulgarity, courtesy of the console’s microphone.
#4 – Flipnote Studio
Austin: If someone had ever told you that the DSi would have an animation application that almost literally anyone could use and laugh at, regardless of how terrible they were at drawing, I probably would have said “Oh, you mean Flipnote Studio?”
Though it was limited to black and white only– at least at first– Flipnote Studio was a surprisingly accessible way to create simple animations on your DSi and share them with your friends. Much like contemporary Nintendo software such as Miiverse, the game also let you browse others’ animations and gawk at just how intricate people could make art on a DSi screen. It wasn’t necessarily useful if you were trying to build a professional portfolio, but it did serve to make you laugh at your terrible Star Wars-based animations (sigh…) and feel like maybe you could do real animating someday. Plus, it was free. Can’t argue with that!
#3 – Cave Story
Patrick: This cult classic Japanese indie game was also released on DSiWare and very little was lost in the transfer. Sure, it lacked a few features from the Wii version and later ports, but even Nicalis couldn’t mess up this game and its lovely pixel art graphics. Styled after Metroid but very much a unique experience, Cave Story sees players shooting their way labyrinthine caverns accompanied by a dark storyline involving killer robots and odd bunny creatures. You could say it excels in both caves and stories. There’s not a whole lot of reason to play this version now there’s improved 3DS and PC remakes of the game that are actually available in Europe, but if you’re craving a portable version of Cave Story and find yourself sent back in time to early 2011, why not give this DSiWare version a go?
#2 – The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Anniversary Edition
Patrick: Originally released alongside the Game Boy Advance port of A Link to the Past, the DSi also saw a slightly arranged version of the multiplayer Zelda game, Four Swords, if only for a short while. The game was a free download that tied into the franchise’s 25th anniversary, and as far as free software goes it’s not bad. The manic multiplayer mode that makes this Zelda entry unique is still intact and you can finally play Four Swords without other players. I mean it’s not fun, but the option is there. While it was free for a limited time, the game was never made available for purchase which is a bit disappointing. What’s the point of having a primarily multiplayer game if none of my friends can even buy it?
#1 – Shantae: Risky’s Revenge
Patrick: DSiWare might not have had an overwhelming presence by third party developers, but there were a few teams whose work stood out in the storefront (not literally, because boy is that thing a pain to browse). Of particular note was Wayforward, who brought us a duo of experimental platformers in the “Mighty” games and of course the brilliant Shantae: Risky’s Revenge. A sequel to the late Game Boy Color release, Risky’s Revenge saw that spunky genie, Shantae, returning with even crazier production values. The game’s sprite animation and funky music are just phenomenal, and of course the game plays pretty well too. Exploring every nook and cranny in Sequin Land was fun thanks to Shantae’s range of animal transformations and the game never overstayed its welcome. Sure, it was a bit on the short side, but when the game is made with speedrunning in mind that really isn’t an issue. Shantae isn’t just the best platformer on DSiWare, but it’s an experience that can stand proudly among the Marios and Kirbys on the console.
Next up is a look at the best soundtracks on the Nintendo DS. Voting for it is now closed, but you can still get your opinions on the remaining categories in here.
