I've been looking online more lately at Nintendo DS games as it is one of my all time favorite consoles to collect for. Not only was it the system I played most during the more important years of my development as a "gamer" and helped shape my taste in games, but it also just has an incredibly deep library of games. Platformers, sports games, action games, rhythm games, puzzle games, strategy games, and a very deep catalogue of JRPGs, it's got something for everyone.
One thing I noticed is that prices on the system have climbed considerably since the last time I looked. Games I would recommend to everyone that were once $20-30 are now $50+. Even super common titles like New Super Mario Bros, which I had no problem finding in the $10-$15 range now goes for $20-$25. If someone started collecting for the system now, it would be a lot more expensive to get the same collection I built between the late 2000's to mid 2010's.
So that's what brings me to this topic. When someone is just getting into collecting (or just starting a collection for a system) I always try and recommend a good spread of games they can get for cheap. So if you were shopping with this hypothetical person who is just getting into collecting, what games are you suggesting them to? You can choose the system in which this hypothetical person is collecting for, because not everyone has collected / played a lot of NDS. So if you want to build a $100 Xbox 360 collection or $100 PS1 collection go for it.
To set some ground rules, let's keep the list at a total of $100. I feel that is a reasonable amount to spend when you first start collecting a new console. Also, in the spirit of getting the most bang for your buck in this starter collection and a good selection of different kinds of games, let's make sure we include:
- A racing game
- A 2D platformer / 2D Sidescroller
- A RPG
- An action game (shooter / 3rd person action / fighting
- A puzzle / strategy
- A wildcard game (any genre, something that didn't fit into the other listed genres or double dip in a genre)
As an additional rule for my collection I've decided to go off of CiB only, because most people who collect NDS I feel collect CiB. Obviously it's not really doable for systems like GBA or SNES, so use your own discretion. Also use your own discretion as to if a game fits into the categories. I chose them because I wanted to focus on getting a nice spread of different style games, but they aren't perfect and you could easily just put like a bunch of JRPGs on the list lol Try to follow the spirit of challenge, but it's your list so do what you want lol
For me, my $100 collection would be:
- Mario Kart DS ($20) - TBH I had originally chosen a cheaper game, but I had $10 when I finished so I decided "what the hell". It's the best racing game on the DS I've played and totally worth the price. Every NDS collection neeeds a copy of this game, so it's a super safe pick and excellent bang for your buck.
- Prince of Persia Fallen King ($9) - Had to save money somewhere for some other categories that I knew I wanted to have a bit more money for. Prince of Persia is fine though, and uses the unique design of the DS to provide a game you can't really experience anywhere else (it uses touch controls to move the character around, something not many consoles or handhelds are able to implement). It's often featured on hidden gem videos for the DS so it's a nice game to have in your collection even if there are some other 2D sidescrolling games on the DS I might normally suggest playing over this one.
- Valkyrie Profile: Covenant of the Plume ($27) - Finding a really good RPG for cheap can be difficult. They tend to climb due to their (relatively) low sales and high collectability. I feel this is a super reasonable price for such a good SJRPG though. I honestly thought it would be double it's current price considering it is a fairly niche franchise that is well regarded in JRPG circles (making it highly collectible). Great SRPG to play on the NDS and one that will likely be a highlight in your collection even after you start collecting more on the system.
- Naruto Shippuden: Ninja Destiny 2 ($14) - A solid 3D fighting game on DS. You don't need to know Naruto to get enjoyment out of it, but like any game in a well known franchise it probably helps. It's simple enough anyone can play it. Probably not deep enough for any hardcore fighting game fans, but for a casual fan its a good game to have in the collection.
- Brain Age 2: More Training in Minutes a Day ($7)- Maybe it's just me but no NDS collection is complete without a copy of Brain Age. It was such a cultural touch stone at the time. Me and all my friends would compare our "brain ages" and riff on each other for having the brain of a 42 year old. I played a lot of this back in the day, and the included Sudoku puzzles were an added bonus.
- Elite Beat Agents ($22)- One of the must play games on DS I feel. Crazy fun and addictive, and something that really hasn't been replicated since outside of pc game "Osu", which is actually based on this series (EBA is an American reimagining of the Osu! games which came out in Japan, featuring the same gameplay but Japanese characters and songs). It is one of my favorite rhythm games of all time.
Total = $99
I got all my prices on pricecharting cause it was the easiest for me but you can use whatever site/app you want for your prices.
Looking at my list I realize I could change it in so many ways. For example, the game I always suggest people play on DS is
The World Ends With You as it is my favorite DS game, but costs like $50. But I could make a list with it on it if I wanted, I would just have to make some concessions in other parts of the list. Ultimately I decided I wanted to spread things a little more evenly so you get something really nice in each category.
Anyways, for those who collect NDS what do you think of my list?
And for those who have an hour to kill, drop your list for whichever retro system you like to collect.
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