Need some DS recommendations

[Nerexor]

Phoenix Wright games.

These are excellent, but be warned the first ones are really difficult find on anything besides Amazon or other online marketplaces, and they probably won't be cheap.

The World Ends With You is awesome and highly recommended for actually being pretty unique and fun.

Bowser's Inside Story: Fun. A little gross if you overthink the concept, but otherwise fun.

If you can handle gratuitous amounts of grinding, Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor is good. But seriously, TONS of grinding. Be warned.

For GBA cartridge games:
If you can find the earlier Mega Man battle network games (1 to 3 or 4 are the good ones), do so. They're a bit kiddy in plot and dialogue, but have an awesomely fun and addictive combat system. Also some of the dialogue is unintentionally hilarious.

Super Robot Wars: Original Generation and Original Generation 2
Awesome mechs? Check.
Cool strategy game? Check.
Mind blowingly awesome music? Check.
A character with music so awesome it overrides the boss themes? Check.

 

[DustyDrB]

Okamiden is definitely worth getting, especially if you enjoyed Okami (wait...who didn't enjoy Okami?).

I'd say that's the one "must-have" title on the DS.

The World Ends With You

Help me out here. I have this game. But how the hell do you do two battles on two screens at the same time? I always just find myself focusing on the bottom screen (by accident...it just happens) and then the top one sorts itself out. It's a pretty good game, though. The writing is a bit cheesy, but that doesn't ruin it.

 

[Rastien]

RADIANT HISTORIA if you like JRPGS and you like CHRONO TRIGGER you need to play this game.

(i could never get into the world ends with you the characters music and style just... wasn't for me)

 

[Boggelz]

The World Ends With You. I lurve it.

 

[Bowler Hat]

I can't recommend Infinite Space enough. The combat system is fairly inaccessible at first but give it a bit of patience. The ship customization features are pretty cool but the main appeal is the story. It is mindblowing and epic in the truest sense of the word, pulling no punches and leaving you shocked at every turn.

I'd also like to recommend The World Ends With You (although it seems the entirety of the Escapist beat me to it )

Oh and Advance Wars, Fire Emblem and Disgaea if you're into turn-based strategy.

 

[kyogen]

Do you like roguelikes, OP? Mystery Dungeon 2: Shiren the Wanderer is an awesome DS remake of a great SNES roguelike. Great art, great music, great game mechanics, good sense of humor and fun.

You need to know what a roguelike is (randomly generated dungeons, "permadeath" in the sense that dying sends you all the way back to the beginning, turn-based movement, etc.), or you'll be a little baffled by the gameplay, but this is a great addition to the genre. It's a bit like an action version of chess.

 

[Et3rnalLegend64]

Pokemon Black/White if you're fine with Pokemon.

Devil Survivor 1 and 2 if you like Shin Megami Tensei or want a harder RPG. It's not absurd (yet) as far as I know, but there is no cruise control.

After this is all guessing. I really have nothing for my DS.
The World Ends With You has an amazing reputation.
DS Castlevania games are probably good. I want Order of Ecclessia.

 

[Under9000]

I came to say The World Ends With You but it looks like I'd be beating a dead horse.

Advance Wars: Dark Conflict/Days Of Ruin (same game, different names in Europe and the US) is excellent too if you like that sort of thing.

 

[bladester1]

Get Rune Factory 3: A Fantasy Harvest Moon. Really fun game.

 

[sextus the crazy]

Okamiden is definitely worth getting, especially if you enjoyed Okami (wait...who didn't enjoy Okami?).

I'd say that's the one "must-have" title on the DS.

The World Ends With You

Help me out here. I have this game. But how the hell do you do two battles on two screens at the same time? I always just find myself focusing on the bottom screen (by accident...it just happens) and then the top one sorts itself out. It's a pretty good game, though. The writing is a bit cheesy, but that doesn't ruin it.

mash the d-pad in whatever direction the enemy is on the top screen; don't bother looking at the top except just to check if the enemy moved. Usually battles that require top screen focusing of a critical level don't require much focus on the bottom screen. Other than occasional checking at the top, focus entirely on the bottom screen; that's the screen in which nimple maneuvering is most important.

Personally, I like how real the game feels. All of the main characters feel like people I know and the fashion shit & semi-irritating, but sometimes good music immerses me in the story and atmosphere.