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Best 2D Graphics and Games on Nintendo DS

Glimlocker

Glimlocker

Member
Mar 7, 2019
3,598
Empire of the Inland Realm, USA
Immediate note: This is NOT about the Nintendo 3DS or 2DS.

On a whim today, I decided to play Contra 4 on the DS, when I had an epiphany.
This is probably the last great system for traditional sprite-based 2D graphics.

Which made MORE sense, considering the DS graphical capabilities roughly align somewhere above the 32-bit generation, including the 2D powerhouse of Sega Saturn, and around the N64.
Considering the 5th gen has some stunning-looking games, I felt it was only right to finally celebrate the original Nintendo DS as the last great 2D console.

What other stunning 2D games are out on the DS that people may have missed out on? It can be full 2D or a combo of 2D-3D.
JUST GIMME THAT 2D POWER!

Here are some Contra 4 screenshots that I grabbed from across the image search - if anyone has GIFs of these, feel free to post!

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Edit: Found some Contra 4 GIFs

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Lant_War

Lant_War

Classic Anus Game
The Fallen
Jul 14, 2018
23,594
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Monster Tale is one of the best looking 2D games on the system. Absolutely gorgeous pixel art.
 
ScoobsJoestar

ScoobsJoestar

Member
May 30, 2019
4,071
I'm ready to see a bunch of emulator high res shots that fuck with my childhood recollection and make me think that the games I played as a kid are a lot prettier than I remember buy them used online and get really disappointed when I boot them up
 
anaa

anaa

Unshakable Resolve
Member
Jun 30, 2019
1,555
Khanimus said:
Henry Hatsworth is charming as shit too

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Final Fantasy 4 Heroes of Light has a really charming art style that smartly doesn't overtax the DS, while most 3D games kinda looked pretty rough

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I am always shocked how good four heroes of light looks; I almost prefer the style to where they went with bravely default
 
Awakened

Awakened

Member
Oct 27, 2017
506
I really appreciate the graphical overhaul Kirby Super Star Ultra got. The animation is super nice:

 
Dremorak

Dremorak

Member
Oct 25, 2017
8,720
New Zealand
I've got a pretty decent DS collection for this reason!
And also because devs on DS were not afraid to try some weird shit.

I think playing different kinds of games and getting experience with different ideas makes me a better game developer.
 
Hayama Akito

Hayama Akito

Member
Oct 25, 2017
1,326
Doraemon: Nobita to Midori no Kyojinden. It's super easy and short but damn I love that sprite work.

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Also Coropata is basically the otaku version of The Incredible Machine. The sprite work was made by some guys from Vanillaware. The game is now one of the most expensive DS games but the creator is working on a new version for Switch.

 

Deleted member 5621

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
12,192
There's not enough pixel art on the DS, unfortunately. And a lot of them seem to be JP only too, with a lot of 2D anime licensed games looking decent. As Monster Tale was already mentioned, I'll say both the Ace Attorney games and (kinda cheating) Solatorobo are up there too.
 
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Glimlocker

Glimlocker

Member
Mar 7, 2019
3,598
Empire of the Inland Realm, USA
This all makes me wonder what some of the games will look like with scanlines when the DS to TV consolizer comes out.
Our would it be better with the individual lattice scanlines that the DSi XL has?

Lant_War said:
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Monster Tale is one of the best looking 2D games on the system. Absolutely gorgeous pixel art.
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I've been looking to get this game for a while - any thoughts on how it plays?

Hayama Akito said:
Doraemon: Nobita to Midori no Kyojinden. It's super easy and short but damn I love that sprite work.

D42PddMXkAA8uDy

D42PddMXsAANQXu

D42PddRWkAIGaI2


D42PddMWkAAmWYc


Also Coropata is basically the otaku version of The Incredible Machine. The sprite work was made by some guys from Vanillaware. The game is now one of the most expensive DS games but the creator is working on a new version for Switch.

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Yes, please to both of these. The sprite work on the Doraemon is insane - is that a mix of 2D-3D assets?
And the bottom one's artwork reminds me of a PS1 2D game - Milano no Arubaito.

Dremorak said:
I've got a pretty decent DS collection for this reason!
And also because devs on DS were not afraid to try some weird shit.

I think playing different kinds of games and getting experience with different ideas makes me a better game developer.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

Yes - the DS is also one of the last times it seemed like devs just decided to go really far out with some of their game ideas.
It still exists, of course, in the indie scene, but I don't know if we'll be seeing anything like Ghost Trick for a while from Capcom, for example.
 
DoctorDave

DoctorDave

Member
Nov 6, 2019
439
It's funny that you brought up Contra 4 TC, it's the first that came to my mind reading your thread title. It's a shame that sprite based games now only come from smaller, often indie projects (not that there's anything wrong with indie games, mind you).
 
ss_lemonade

ss_lemonade

Member
Oct 27, 2017
6,665
Hayama Akito said:
Doraemon: Nobita to Midori no Kyojinden. It's super easy and short but damn I love that sprite work.

D42PddMXkAA8uDy

D42PddMXsAANQXu

D42PddRWkAIGaI2


D42PddMWkAAmWYc


Also Coropata is basically the otaku version of The Incredible Machine. The sprite work was made by some guys from Vanillaware. The game is now one of the most expensive DS games but the creator is working on a new version for Switch.

Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

Wow, that Doraemon game looks really good!
 
qaopjlll

qaopjlll

Member
Oct 27, 2017
2,788
Shantae Risky's revenge is another fine example, thanks to the legendary pixel artist Henk Nieborg (who also worked on Contra 4).
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Karakato

Karakato

Member
Oct 29, 2017
131
The castlevania games are all eye candy but Order of Ecclesia stands above the other 2 imo. For one it has the best art direction, ditching the anime aesthetic for something more gothic. Also the way Shanoa's hair animates ingame is silky smooth. Probably my fave CV run frame in the series.
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Glimlocker

Glimlocker

Member
Mar 7, 2019
3,598
Empire of the Inland Realm, USA
DoctorDave said:
It's funny that you brought up Contra 4 TC, it's the first that came to my mind reading your thread title. It's a shame that sprite based games now only come from smaller, often indie projects (not that there's anything wrong with indie games, mind you).
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Indeed. And when I was playing Contra 4, I thought - wait, how many other games are out there on the DS like this that I've missed out on?
Now that I'm doing some research...a lot.

To think that there was so much 2D goodness going on during this time, and I didn't realize it (or care).
To my amateur eye, it really seems like some of these games were pushing the DS hardware pretty well, but I'm certainly not an expert on that matter.

While I enjoy 2D games today, I realize most of them aren't coming close to straining the hardware.
There's something about the "natively" designed sprite work within the confines of the console limitations that's special.

zoodoo said:
The Legendary Starfy:
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Aaaaaaand I just bought Legendary Starfy. That squid, tho.

qaopjlll said:
Shantae Risky's revenge is another fine example, thanks to the legendary pixel artist Henk Nieborg (who also worked on Contra 4).
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Click to shrink...

Ok - that explains a lot. Contra 4 is absolutely ridiculous for the sprite work. Is Henk still over at WayForward? I am now a big fan.
 
RoninChaos

RoninChaos

Member
Oct 26, 2017
8,338
I miss games like the ones mentioned here.

Surprisingly, Thor on DS has good sprite work. It's fun too. I believe way forward did that one too.
 
Karakato

Karakato

Member
Oct 29, 2017
131
qaopjlll said:
Shantae Risky's revenge is another fine example, thanks to the legendary pixel artist Henk Nieborg (who also worked on Contra 4).
1ZjKLXJ.png
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Speaking off which, the previous 2 wayforward DSiWare games, Mighty Flip Champs and Mighty Milky Way, aren't too shabby either. I'm hoping Wayforward decides to continue with the "Mighty" series after Mighty Switch force, I do love me some quirky puzzle platforming.
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Also shoutout to another wayforward developed game, Aliens Infestation. Really cool game, kinda like the metroid game we never got for the DS.
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MLH

Member
Oct 26, 2017
717
Gen 5 Pokemon. Black/ White & Black 2/White 2. Yeah it used quite a bit of 3D for the environments, but had beautiful animated 2D sprites for every Pokemon.
The amount of work that went into doing all those animations, it's really sad that they were only used for a couple games...
 

Deleted member 34949

Account closed at user request
Banned
Nov 30, 2017
19,101
On top of being the only version of the game worth a damn, the Thor movie tie-in on DS has some pretty nice Contra 4-esque sprite art, courtesy of WayForward

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riq

riq

Member
Feb 21, 2019
1,688
I've tried emulating DS games on multiple devices, but they never look as crisp and colorful as in my DS Lite. Do ZX and ZX Advent look blurry on the Switch collection?
 
NMFried

NMFried

Member
Oct 25, 2017
571
TX
Man... I LOVE the DS. I gotta give shoutouts to Magical Starsign, Might & Magic: Clash of Heroes and Children of Mana

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