just got a DS lite

[BRUUUCE]

gf suprised me with an early christmas present. I haven't had a handheld since gamegear/gameboy color so it was a big suprise. I got brainage and WiFiMax with it. Brainage is addicting and i love it. WiFiMax, havent messed with it yet, but do i need this if I already have a wireless router? She kind of hinted I may be getting a Wii as well and I know this can be used with WiFiMax - basically what im asking, is do i need this?

Also, which games should I get? I already plan on getting the mario game, is there any other must-have titles?

Lastly, the homebrew scene - is it worth it? I'm not interested in free games, I'm more interested in apps like a browser, IRC or turning it into a pseudo PDA device, has anyone used a homebrew application yet on their DS?

thanks in advance

[Cameront9]

I don't know what WiFiMax is. If you have a wireless router that is using WEP, DS will work with it. Heck, if your Mac has Airport, you can even go through that.

Must-have titles will depend on your gaming preferences, but here are some generally universally considered good ones:

-New Super Mario Bros.
-Yoshi's Island DS
-Elite Beat Agents
-Mario Kart DS
-FINAL FANTASY III
-Metroid Prime: Hunters
-Starfox: Command

There's a TON of great games out there, so don't stop there.

[raggedjimmi]

Wow Bruce, you sound just like my uncle, haha. My aunt got him a DS Lite for Christmas to replace his classic Gameboy (the only games machine he plays/ed). Has Brain Training and loves it so.

Enjoy it. Some games I'd get and some I'd avoid

get-
New Mario Bros
Tetris
Animal Crossing
Mario Kart
Castlevania Dawn of Sorrow
Final Fantasy 3

avoid-
Yoshis Island 2 (only if you've played the first one, otherwise it's probably quite good)
Castlevania Portrait of Ruin (not as the first DS Castlevania)
Metroid Prime (unless you plan on playing it online/LAN)

[srobert]

Here is metacritic's all time top 20 for the DS.:

1 Mario Kart DS- 91% (Racing)
2 Advance Wars: Dual Strike - 90% (Turn-based strategy)
3 Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow - 89% (Action Adventure)
4 New Super Mario Bros. - 89% (Platformer)
5 Meteos 88% - (Puzzle)
6 Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan - 88% (Rythm)*
7 Elite Beat Agents - 87% (Rythm)*
8 Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin - 86% (Action Adventure)
9 Kirby: Canvas Curse - 86% (Platformer)
10 Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time - 86% (Adventure RPG?)
11 Animal Crossing: Wild World - 86% (Simulation)
12 Metroid Prime: Hunters - 85% (First Person Shooter)
13 Super Mario 64 DS - 85% (Platformer)
14 Daigasso! Band Brothers - 84% (Music)
15 Tony Hawk's American Sk8land - 84% (Sport)
16 Tetris DS - 84% (Puzzle)
17 Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime - 83% (RPG?)
18 Nintendogs - 83% (Virtual Pet)**
19 Clubhouse Games - 83% (Card ans such)
20 Sonic Rush - 82% (Platformer)

* These two are basically the same game. (Japanese and american versions). The american version has a slightly different theme to appear less alien to its intended demographics.

** I crammed all versions of this game together. They have the same score anyway.

My personnal favorites are Advance Wars and the 2 Castlevania.

Here is the complete list: http://www.metacritic.com/games/ds/scores/

[siurpeeman]

if you like brain age, you'll probably also like big brain academy. i find the mini games in big brain academy to be more fun, though i think brain age has more lasting value. still, both games go hand in hand, and it's hard for me to think of owning one and not the other.

other games i recommend:

castlevania: dawn of sorrow (haven't played portrait of ruin yet but have heard it to be quite good)
mario kart ds
tetris ds
clubhouse games
metroid prime: hunters (i found even the single player adventure to be quite deep and very engaging, though a tad short)

you might also want to check out the editors' choice section on ign ds. you really can't go wrong there.

http://ds.ign.com/index/choice.html

[Sky Blue]

avoid-
Yoshis Island 2



Blasphemy!
(I'm guessing you meant YI DS)

[thegreatunknown]

it is to my knowledge wifimax is for people that don't have a wireless router. I believe you connect it to a usb port on a wired computer and it acts as a wireless router by sharing the internet from the computer.

since you have a wireless router this isn't necessary for you.

[raggedjimmi]

Blasphemy!
(I'm guessing you meant YI DS)

I know :o I wanted to like it but I just cant. I'm a music whore and the soundtrack in this is just *terrible*, IMO.

[gloss]

Meteos, my friend.

[BRUUUCE]

looks like i'll be returning wifimax. games i will be getting in return is new mario and mario kart. (loved it on N64 and it was pretty good for GC too)

i need a good rpg to occupy a 30 minute train ride to school every day this winter. All i saw was a final fantasy game from what you guys listed, closest ive been to rpg is diablo II or Zelda oot but are they even considered a real RPG? maybe i can get a classic zelda game from nes/snes (is this possible?) There was a game called dragon warriors (i think) that was making noise in the news last week - should i look out for this game?

and no one has tried homebrew?

you guys are awesome by the way.

[srobert]

There was a game called dragon warriors (i think) that was making noise in the news last week - should i look out for this game?

Dragon Quest is very promising but unfortunately it hasn't been released yet. I has just been announced in Japan meaning that it could be a while before we see it land on our shores.

About the homebrew. I've never got around to try it. (Almost did) Did you have a look at this old thread?: http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=221171

[Cameront9]

looks like i'll be returning wifimax. games i will be getting in return is new mario and mario kart. (loved it on N64 and it was pretty good for GC too)

i need a good rpg to occupy a 30 minute train ride to school every day this winter. All i saw was a final fantasy game from what you guys listed, closest ive been to rpg is diablo II or Zelda oot but are they even considered a real RPG? maybe i can get a classic zelda game from nes/snes (is this possible?) There was a game called dragon warriors (i think) that was making noise in the news last week - should i look out for this game?

and no one has tried homebrew?

you guys are awesome by the way.

I've Never played Diablo, but I thought that was more of a hack and slash game. Zelda is not even CLOSE to being an RPG. It's pure Action/Adventure. If you want Classic Zelda games, They are available in Game Boy Advance form (playable on the DS. Look for the Classic Nes Series (now getting hard to find) Zelda I and II, and a GBA port of Link to the Past.

Final Fantasy III is a "true" turn-based RPG. It's actually a graphical update/port of the original FFIII NES game, which was never released here in the states. If you've never played a Final Fantasy game before, I suggest you look for Final Fantasy I + II for GBA. It's available dirt cheap now. It was my first RPG, and I really like it. FFIII might be too much to start with if you've never played a traditional RPG before.

[Thanatoast]

Lost Magic is fun and RPG-ish. I've also been looking at Magical Starsign, though I've yet to play it.

Advance Wars will take up plenty of time if you're into strategy.

And that top twenty list is weird. Metroid Prime should've ranked higher.

[NewbieNerd]

I've Never played Diablo, but I thought that was more of a hack and slash game. Zelda is not even CLOSE to being an RPG. It's pure Action/Adventure. If you want Classic Zelda games, They are available in Game Boy Advance form (playable on the DS. Look for the Classic Nes Series (now getting hard to find) Zelda I and II, and a GBA port of Link to the Past.

Final Fantasy III is a "true" turn-based RPG. It's actually a graphical update/port of the original FFIII NES game, which was never released here in the states. If you've never played a Final Fantasy game before, I suggest you look for Final Fantasy I + II for GBA. It's available dirt cheap now. It was my first RPG, and I really like it. FFIII might be too much to start with if you've never played a traditional RPG before.

As for RPGs, Breath of Fire I and II are both GBA ports of great SNES RPGs. Final Fantasy IV and V are also already GBA ported with VI on the way. I would recommend either III (because it is an actual DS game and looks nice) or IV (because it actually has a good story) if going the FF way for the first time because I and II are relatively hardcore and not very engaging relatively speaking. Now if only we could get GBA ports of Chrono Trigger or the Lufia games, that'd be awesome.

[buffalo]

A little out of nowhere, but does anyone know when Winning Eleven: Pro Evolution Soccer will be out? I can't wait to do some WiFi soccer gaming. I've thought about getting Fifa '07 but I'm afraid it will get old playing against the computer.

[buffalo]

Does anybody have Winning Eleven yet? It's too bad IGN (http://ds.ign.com/articles/763/763036p1.html) wasn't impressed.

[Maynerd]

Get an R4 they are awesome. :)