There has been a lot of discussion about the Nintendo Switch eventually reaching the Nintendo DS in sales and the PlayStation 2. So, before we get to that point let’s reflect on some of the best games for the DS and more specifically, the best-selling DS games.
We’ll take a look at the Top 5 best-selling titles for the handheld console. Keep in mind this does not include the 3DS.
New Super Mario Bros.
New Super Mario Bros. is a platform game released in May 2006. It’s the first entry in the New Super Mario Bros. subseries of the Super Mario franchise. The title had a lot of success with many critics suggesting it’s the main contributor to the revival of the 2D platforming genres
New Super Mario Bros. was the best-selling game for the DS with 30.80 million units sold.
Nintendogs
One of the most iconic games for the DS was Nintendogs and there were multiple versions. There was Dachshund & Friends, Chihuahua & Friends, and Lab & Friends when the franchise first came out. The real-time pet simulation video game was released on April 21, 2005. Nintendogs used the DS’s touchscreen to pet dogs, play with them, and various other things. Another neat feature the games used was the built-in microphone.
Nintendogs is the second best-selling Nintendo DS game with 23.96 million units sold.
Mario Kart DS
Who didn’t have Mario Kart DS as one of their first games for the Nintendo handheld? Mario Kart DS was released on November 14, 2005, marking the fifth main entry in the Mario Kart series. Surprisingly, this game trails Mario Kart Wii and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe in sales
Mario Kart DS is the third best-selling game on the DS with 23.60 million units sold.
Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day!
There was nothing like Brain Age on the DS. Inspired by Tohoku University professor Ryuta Kawashima’s work in the neurosciences, Brain Age was first released in Japan then released in North America and Europe later on. The game ended up getting a sequel to test your brain even more.
Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day is the fourth best-selling DS game of all time with 19.01 million units sold.
Pokémon Diamond and Pearl
Who doesn’t love Gen 4? Pokémon Diamond and Pearl was released on September 28, 2006, in Japan then on April 22, 2007, in North America. Diamond and Pearl did better than its Game Boy Advance predecessors, Ruby and Sapphire with selling over 2 million more units. Gen 4 did so well that it got remasters for the Nintendo Switch known as Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl.
Pokémon Diamond and Pearl is the fifth best-selling DS game with 17.67 million units sold.
You can look at the rest of the best-selling games for the DS here.
