DS games worth a sequel: we want seconds!

As more and more DS titles flood down store shelves, certain games are inevitably overshadowed. Some games easily get lost in a whirl of titles such as New Super Mario Bros., Metroid Prime Hunters and Final Fantasy III. Some of these overlooked DS games are great, and totally worthy of a second serving. We have compiled a list of sequel-deserving DS titles; consider picking them up if you haven’t, and keep your fingers crossed for further installments on a few, if not all, of them!

Star Fox Command: After a great Zelda-esque adventure and a not-so-good space shooter for the GameCube, Fox and the gang flew right into the DS with some gameplay enhancements. Touch screen controls worked perfectly, a strategic battle system was introduced, and online dogfights kept us playing for weeks. Multiple endings and a great soundtrack made Command even better. A sequel could expand on the strategy elements of the game and provide an even more satisfying experience, perhaps with a longer single-player quest to spice things up. It’s very likely that we’ll see another Star Fox installment on the DS; question is, will it be a sequel to Command, or a port of the SNES original? We’ll have to wait and see.

Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time: Nintendo consoles have enjoyed the Paper Mario series, while handhelds have seen two Mario & Luigi RPG jewels. Partners in Time offers a lengthy, enjoyable quest that puts you in control of Mario, Luigi, and even their BABIES!…well, the baby versions of them, that is. As usual, Peach managed to get herself kidnapped, so it’s your job to get her back from Bowser and other mean little punks. The intricate yet successful button controls could be substituted with touch screen input on a sequel. Tapping, dragging, or drawing shapes on the lower screen with perfect timing would really enhance the addictive battle system of the franchise, and who wouldn’t want another great Mario adventure? Nintendo, make it happen.

Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime: Square-Enix delighted many DS gamers with a superb action adventure title originating from a Japanese GBA game. Rocket Slime puts you in control of Rocket, a slimy blue little guy in search for his captured Slime townsfolk. Not only that, but the title offered a very satisfying Tank Battle mode for multi-card play. A sequel could improve on the game’s somewhat-short quest, and could also add a few gameplay tweaks to shake things up a bit. The biggest possible upgrade, without a doubt, would be a well-balanced online Tank Battle mode, allowing players of any rank and experience to blast it out with worldwide opponents and friends. As awkward as it sounds, we want more blue goo on our DS.

Pokémon Ranger: The DS has seen quite the amount of Pokémon games for its soon-to-be three year lifespan. Dash, Trozei!, Mystery Dungeon and Diamond / Pearl are all there, but the most innovative Pokémon title for the system—and perhaps the franchise overall—is easily Pokémon Ranger. Touch screen controls allow you to ‘capture’ Pokémon, not for fighting, but to solve puzzles and help nature and the environment; not the most ‘hardcore’ plot, but the addictive capture system featuring a wide variety of Pokémon and environments makes it all worth it. Nintendo could release a sequel full of new pocket creatures to capture, a deeper quest, and other gameplay enhancements. Perhaps some sort of online content could be added; some form of a co-op online capturing mode sounds great. Oh, and a bundled screen protector would be ever so useful!

Kirby Canvas Curse: Kirby has seen two DS entries so far, with a third one currently in the works. Our favorite of them, and of many DS gamers as well, is Canvas Curse, a touch-controlled Kirby adventure. As you move and drag paths for Kirby to roll on, you collect items, fight enemies, and avoid harmful obstacles. Spot-on stylus input made the game one of the very first truly fantastic DS titles. Kirby Canvas Curse 2 would add a brand-new world for Kirby to fly through, and perhaps we could see a double-screen adventure in the style of Sonic Rush. We don’t want to sound like online fanboys, but a Canvas Curse sequel could include anything from online mini-games, races, or even a level editor to share your created game worlds.

We love the recent wave of good-quality DS releases, and although some ports are nice, a sequel to great games usually means one thing; more great games. Time will tell if these and other worthy DS titles receive a sequel; for now, let’s enjoy what we have and hope for more.