What's your favorite game ever made for a handheld system?

[TheBored23]

Not a port or a remake, but something that was designed for and released on a handheld. I don't really have the Switch in mind when asking this question, but I suppose there's not really a good reason for excluding it.

For my part, I would go with Advance Wars: Dual Strike. It's been years now since I've played it, but I remember it as the peak of the addictive Advance Wars formula, a game which made good use of the touch screen and unique layout of the DS. The tag-team component, beyond justifying the DS acronym, allowed for some really cool combinations of leader abilities and powers.

 

[Syril]

The World Ends With You

 

[Indelible]

Radiant Historia, one of the few original handheld RPGs that I would put on par with the classics on SNES and PS1.

 

[dred]

Fire Emblem: Awakening. To me FE:A was the perfect return to form for the series I treasure most, a combination of modern design choices and additions with the classic gameplay formula I've loved since I was a kid. At the time in 2013 it truly felt mind-blowing to me to be playing through the game.

 

[Cess007]

Tearaway

Gravity Rush is a very close second. I also was gonna say P4G, but that would count as a port, no?

Link's Awakening, no doubt.

Click to shrink...

Shit, can I change my answer?

 

[Naveed]

My nostalgic answer would probably be Pokemon yellow/red/blue. I'd have a different answer every day for my actual favorite but I'll go ahead and say Kid Icarus Uprising.

 

[Deleted member 54320]

For my part, I would go with Advance Wars: Dual Strike

Click to shrink...

This.

 

[Exist 2 Inspire]

Link's Awakening, no doubt.

 

[ghibli99]

I put around 200-250 hours into Dragon Quest IX on the DS, so that's probably up there as an all-time favorite. Just had a great time with that one's postgame, especially when I found out about the Hoimi table, grotto timer, getting the MKS/PKJ maps, etc. Felt like pure black magic. LOL

 

[CloseTalker]

the first Wario Ware

 

[QuinchoOsito]

Tearaway

Gravity Rush is a very close second. I also was gonna say P4G, but that would count as a Port, no?

Click to shrink...

ooh Tearaway is a great answer.

I might have to say Kirby Tilt n' Tumble myself though.

 

[Deleted member 10273]

The one I played most is Animal Crossing New Leaf. By a mile.

 

[Bitanator]

I put around 200-250 hours into Dragon Quest IX on the DS, so that's probably up there as an all-time favorite. Just had a great time with that one's postgame, especially when I found out about the Hoimi table and grotto timer. Felt like pure black magic. LOL

Click to shrink...

You described me, are you my twin?

 

[DealWithIt]

Link's awakening is just so, so good. Amazing for a title that old.

Etrian Odyssey IV is also great.

Finally, Baba is you

 

[Aaron D.]

Either Jeanne d'Arc or Metal Gear Ac!d 2.

 

[Big G]

Link's Awakening or A Link Between Worlds, it's a tough call.

 

[Rosebud]

Pokemon Fire Red

 

[NeverWas]

probably Metroid Fusion and Zero Mission. I played through those at least a dozen times each, easily.

 

[Spamlynguist]

Tie between Animal Crossing: New Leaf and Hotel Dusk: Room 215

 

[SantosStrife]

Dissidia 012 Duodecim Final Fantasy, the first game in PSP was great, but Duodecim added so much content, it's really a celebration for FF series.

It's my favorite handheld game of all time.

 

[Deleted member 17207]

Link's Awakening, Pokemon Red/Blue or Silver/Gold, or Animal Crossing Wild World or New Leaf.

 

[BennyWhatever]

Link's Awakening, no doubt.

Click to shrink...

Yep, it's this.

 

[jon bones]

Link's Awakening holds a magical place in my heart.

Metroid Fusion is probably a close second, though. Never thought a handheld game could instill fear in me.

 

[panda-zebra]

Never been much of a handheld gamer, but it's between Gun Pey on the WS and Tearaway for me.

 

[Jyrii]

Danganronpa, though it didn't really benefit being on a portable system that much.

 

['3y Kingdom]

999 or Mother 3, probably.

 

[Council Pop]

I really really love Metal Gear Solid on Gameboy Color. That's one of the first handheld games I played that didn't feel like a pick up and play 'handheld' experience- it just felt like an awesome game. I was pretty young when I played it too, and actually completed it, which was unusual for me at the time.

 

[Deleted member 10737]

the world ends with you
the quintessential handheld game, takes advantage of all features of the best handheld ever, while having the same feel of a console RPG.

 

[Ayirek]

Super Mario Land 3: Wario Land. It's genuinely one of the best 2D platformer around.

 

[Elven_Star]

Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together
Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VIII is a not so close second

 

[DevilMayGuy]

Pokemon Blue, baby.

 

[Soapbox Killer]

Does Breath of the Wild count? (Hee Hee)


Kid Icarus Uprising is was magical. (And so was that thread)

 

[pswii60]

the first Wario Ware

Click to shrink...

This.

 

[Virtua King]

Pokemon Blue

 

[PenultimateFantasy]

Don't we have this thread almost weekly?

No matter, lumines.

 

[Prophyblakcis]

final fantasy tactics advance

 

[Savantcore]

The Vita was and still is the best place to play Hotline Miami

 

[Doskoi Panda]

WarioWare Twisted is the most fun I ever had with a handheld game.

Tactics Ogre: Let us Cling Together is definately my runner up tho, that game is solid.

 

[Raijinto]

Pokemon and Ghost Trick Phantom Detective.

Ace Attorney, Danganronpa 2, Mother 3 and Fire Emblem Fates honourable mentions.

 

[Hippopuncher12]

I have never been and never will be someone that plays a lot of games on a handheld or in handheld mode, but Link's Awakening is still by far my favorite game ever from a handheld. I can't wait for the Switch remake.....to play on my TV.... ;P

 

[Deadpool_X]

Link's Awakening. Not even the DX version. Just the original. So many good memories with that game.

 

[Thatguy]

Breath of the Wild

Switch is 100% a handheld system. It has a screen and a battery and limited internals.

 

[djplaeskool]

Toss-up:
Persona 3 Portable
Shining Force: The Sword of Hajya

Honorable Mention:
Golden Sun
Phantasy Star Portable 2 Infinity

 

[Clive]

Not a fan of JRPGs or "handheld game design" with short missions and such so my top picks are among Metroids, Castlevanias, Gravity Rush, Tearaway and A Link Between Worlds. Maybe my vote would go to Gravity Rush since it was so mind blowing to see a creative and original console quality game on a handheld before the Switch.

 

[FantasyFreak07]

It's Ace Attorney. Elite Beat Agents is up there as well.

 

[spman2099]

Kid Dracula. That game is perfect. The Famicom game is trash in comparison.

 

[QisTopTier]

 

[borntoulouselautrec]

TxK. Still the best version of Tempest ever made.

 

[Phendrift]

Kid Icarus Uprising probably

Zero Mission and LA not far behind

 

[Quinton]

Either Pokemon Emerald or Persona 4 Golden. Leaning the former.

If the Switch is taken into account then it's BOTW.