by Thaius Tydane

Created on: July 08, 2009   Last Updated: July 12, 2009

In any artistic medium (such as video games), a term such as "best" is very relative, and can mean many different things based on genre preferences and differing values for each aspect of a game. So I will name off and describe some of the games for the Nintendo DS which, in my opinion, represent the best in their genre for the platform.

My personal favorite on the DS has an intricate and emotional story, complex and strategic gameplay, and a soundtrack full of Japanese-inspired rock. This game is called The World Ends with You. Made by Square Enix (makers of the well-loved Final Fantasy franchise), The World Ends with You tells the story of Neku, a young boy in Tokyo who has disconnected himself from the world around him out of pure distaste for everyone around him. He feels that people do nothing but drag him down, and to depend on others is a sign of weakness that will lead to destruction. But when he finds himself forced into a deadly game of supernatural origins, he has to depend on and work with others if he wants to get out of it alive. This sets the scene for an exciting story, full of surprising twists, complicated characters, positive messages, and epic battles. The gameplay is deep, with many different options to tailor the play style to your liking and power up the characters. The battle system brilliantly makes use of both the buttons and the touch screen without making it too hard to use; though it will take some getting used to, in the end it flows well and creates truly intense encounters. This is one of those games that will leave you in awe far after the credits roll.

For those who enjoy rhythm games such as Dance, Dance Revolution and Guitar Hero, I guarantee you will enjoy Elite Beat Agents. This game combines a manga-esque art style, wacky stories, and some awesome music to create an entertaining and challenging experience. You control three agents, sent out to help people with various problems (anything from making a movie to hitting a home run) by - you guessed it - dancing! This, of course, makes no sense, but it works for the zany feel of the game. "Dancing" is done by tapping on circles on the touch screen in time with the music (which includes music from bands such as Sum 41, Avril Lavigne, and Green Day), while your agents can be seen dancing in the background. The story unfolds on the top screen via comic-like videos. Elite Beat Agents is always fun, and it eventually becomes really intense as the difficulty ramps

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