Your thoughts and experiences with Nintendo DS RPGs.

[ElkinFencer10]

I've got Final Fantasy IV, but I haven't played it and plan to play on Super Nintendo when I do get around to playing it.

If possible, play the PSP version with the after years expansion.

Oh, I didn't realize the PSP version included that. I had planned to download After Years on WiiWare, but if the PSP version includes it, I'll just try to get that one.

[BoneSnapDeez]

I know that Radiant Historia got compared a lot to Chrono Trigger back in the day. I wouldn't put it in that category, but it's a darn fine game, and perhaps the strongest contender for best original RPG on the system.

That battle system is really easy to exploit, though. Aht's traps are ridiculously overpowered.

Yeah the time travel mechanic in Radiant Historia is so much different. Chrono Trigger is like "hey let's go 1000 years into the future and see how radically different the world is!" Radiant Historia is more like "let's go back a week and do things a little differently this time."

Great game.

[isiolia]

I don't think I've actually beaten an RPG on DS. I own more than I've actually played. Offhand, I have nearly beaten [i}Order of Ecclesia[/i], have played a bit of Chrono Trigger, aaaand the 45 minutes or whatever I've played Pokemon SoulSilver represent the entirety of what I've played of the franchise. I suck. Well, I just don't play handhelds all that much, despite buying a fair number of games for them.

[Sarge]

Yeah, that was the cool thing about Radiant Historia. It's trying to tweak around the margins to change the timeline, which is going to necessarily require some asset reuse, whereas Chrono Trigger mostly uses time travel as an excuse to make changes to different eras and enable a lot of diversity in its environments.

By the way, the soundtrack for the game kicks butt. Yoko Shimomura nails it with this one.

As regarding FFIV, the DS version is well worth experiencing. It follows the same plot, sure, but it feels like a completely different game. I also think it looks more consistent than the PSP port. However, that is the best way to experience The After Years, if you want to do that. I haven't heard great things about it, though.

So, of my beaten list, here's my ratings:

Black Sigil: Blade of the Exiled - 8/10. Very uneven, though. I've linked it before, but you can read my more detailed thoughts here.
Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow** - 9.5/10. Very close to SotN for me.
Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia** - 9.0/10. Ditto, splendid stuff.
Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin** - 8.0/10. Good, but flawed.
Chrono Trigger - 10/10. Just ignore the extra content.
Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime - 8.5/10. Awesome sense of humor.
Dragon Quest IV: Chapters of the Chosen - 9.5/10. I love this game. Too much nostalgia.
Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies - 8.0/10. Pretty good, but too much MMORPG junk.
Dragon Quest V: Hand of the Heavenly Bride - 8.5/10. Really good, but I don't love it as much as some others.
Dragon Quest VI: Realms of RevelationFinal Fantasy III - 9.0/10. Yep, it's more Dragon Quest.
Final Fantasy III - 8.5/10. Excellent port/remake. (Somehow I deleted this from the list!)
Final Fantasy IV - 9.0/10. Really, really good remake. Battles are slower, but there's more challenge than the original US release.
Glory of Heracles - 7.5/10. Solid enough, not amazing but pretty good.
Golden Sun: Dark Dawn - 8.0/10. It's not up to the GBA games' level, but it's still a good time.
Lufia: Curse of the Sinistrals- 8.0/10. Very different from the original, fun but combat engine really bogs down at times.
Lunar Knights - 8.5/10. It's Boktai with a more action-oriented bent and no solar sensor. Good stuff.
Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story - 10/10. Amazing game.
Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time - 7.5/10. The introduction of the babies hurts the game a little bit. Not as humorous, either.
Radiant Historia - 9.0/10. Loved it. I really can't put it any higher because I don't have much rating wiggle room as it is. Still splendid stuff.
Sands of Destruction - 8.0/10. Reminded me of Xenogears in spots. Very unbalanced combat system, gets too easy.
Solatorobo: Red the Hunter - 6.5/10. Great world building, lackluster gameplay.
Suikoden Tierkreis - 8.5/10. Fun stuff, as long as you don't expect a pure Suikoden experience.

[Exhuminator]

The one complaint I've read over and over about Radiant Historia, is that its combat system is slow, highly repetitive, and unchallenging. In addition the enemy variety is low (a lot of palette swapped stuff). Everyone seems to agree it's got a proper plot and great music though.

[MrPopo]

Beaten

Chrono Trigger
The Dark Spire
Dragon Quest IV
Dragon Quest V
Dragon Quest VI
Dragon Quest IX
Dragon Quest Monsters Joker
Dragon Quest Monsters Joker 2
Etrian Odyssey
Etrian Odyssey II
Etrian Odyssey III
Final Fantasy III
Fire Emblem Shadow Dragon
Fire Emblem Shin Monshō no Nazo: Hikari to Kage no Eiyū
Front Mission
Golden Sun Dark Dawn
Infinite Space
Izuna
Izuna 2
Lufia Curse of the Sinistrals
Luminous Arc
Mario & Luigi Partners in Time
Mario & Luigi Bowser's Inside Story
Pokémon Diamond
Pokémon Platinum
Pokémon SoulSilver
Pokémon Black
Radiant Historia
SMT: Devil Survivor
SMT: Devil Survivor 2
SMT: Strange Journey

Played

7th Dragon
Final Fantasy IV
Final Fantasy Four Heroes of Light
Fossil Fighters
Knights in the Nightmare
Mystery Dungeon: Shiren the Wanderer
Nostalgia
Rondo of Swords
Rune Factory
SaGa 2
Tales of Innocence

[MrPopo]

The one complaint I've read over and over about Radiant Historia, is that its combat system is slow, highly repetitive, and unchallenging. In addition the enemy variety is low (a lot of palette swapped stuff). Everyone seems to agree it's got a proper plot and great music though.

I wouldn't say the combat is slow, but it is repetitive and unchallenging once you realize Aht is absurdly high damage. The general strategy of waiting to take turns so you can combo enemies together and stack damage by moving them around is cool, but then you get Aht and realize the best is to just have her lay a trap and knock enemies into it.

[Sarge]

The one complaint I've read over and over about Radiant Historia, is that its combat system is slow, highly repetitive, and unchallenging. In addition the enemy variety is low (a lot of palette swapped stuff). Everyone seems to agree it's got a proper plot and great music though.

I wouldn't say the combat is slow, but it is repetitive and unchallenging once you realize Aht is absurdly high damage. The general strategy of waiting to take turns so you can combo enemies together and stack damage by moving them around is cool, but then you get Aht and realize the best is to just have her lay a trap and knock enemies into it.

Yup. That's it. I abused the heck out of traps.

[laurenhiya21]

Huh, I actually haven't beaten any DS RPGs haha. This is what I've played so far though:

What I've Played

Avalon Code (I remember enjoying it, but got stuck on a boss a long while ago)
The Dark Spire (Only tried it out. Might be a bit too difficult for my tastes though)
Disgaea DS (I enjoyed it, but I think I'd rather finish it on PS2 instead)
Dragon Quest IX (Emulated it a bit but it got stuck. Seemed alright though?)
Etrian Odyssey II (Like the idea but too difficult for me. Probably will play the remake later)
Final Fantasy IV (Heard there was some weird balancing issues so I stopped playing)
Final Fantasy Tactics A2 (Only played a few stages but seems fun)
Final Fantasy: The 4 Heroes of Light (Didn't play very long because I got bored)
My World, My Way (Remember it being interesting but I don't own a copy yet)
Pokemon Black (Too grindy for my tastes)
Rune Factory (Fun but IV is a lot better)

And um... Why are the Harvest Moon games in the SRPG section?

[Kuruwin]

I cant easily check what games i played but didn't complete so i'm going to only list the games i beat (which doesn't include games like Castlevania which i don't consider RPG's)

But before that i just want to point that there is someone who did think that Radiant Historia didn't deliver on any department.

Anyways. Here's the list

Beat

Chrono Trigger
Disgaea
Dragon Quest IV: Chapters of the Chosen
Dragon Quest VI: Realms of Revelation
Etrian Odyssey 2
Final Fantasy 3
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Ring of Fates
Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift
Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon
From The Abyss
Legacy Of Ys: Book 1
Naruto: Path Of The Ninja 2
Orcs And Elves
Pokemon Conquest
Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time & Darkness
Pokemon: Black And White 2
Pokemon: Diamond
Pokemon: SoulSilver
Radiant Historia
Rhapsody: A Musical Adventure
Soma Bringer
The World Ends With You

So yeah. Lot of RPG's. There's plenty stuff that i never finised and plenty of stuff that i haven't even tried. I definitely want to complete more RPG's on the DS but it's hard to find time when there's so many on the 3DS too.