The Overlooked Gems of Nintendo DS: Why They Deserve a PC Revival

The recent arrival of \"Dementium: The Ward\" on Steam, coinciding with Scream Fest, has ignited discussions among long-time fans who originally experienced this horror title nearly two decades ago on the Nintendo DS. Described by one Steam reviewer as a blend of \"Silent Hill and Doom 3,\" or more specifically \"Afraid of Monsters meets Doom 3\" for aficionados of Half-Life horror modifications, Dementium, while perhaps not a timeless masterpiece, demonstrated a certain ingenuity and distinctiveness. Its re-emergence prompts reflection on the wealth of innovative games released for the Nintendo DS and the surprisingly few that have made the leap to platforms beyond the original handheld, particularly now, over 15 years since Nintendo ceased its production.

While Steam has seen a handful of high-definition remasters from the DS era, including critically acclaimed titles like \"Zero Escape,\" \"Etrian Odyssey 1, 2, and 3,\" the \"Ace Attorney Trilogy,\" the \"Castlevania Dominus Collection,\" and \"Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective,\" this list remains notably brief given the console's extensive catalog of exceptional games. Many beloved classics, even those not developed by Nintendo itself, are conspicuously absent from modern platforms. Where are titles such as \"Meteos\" from Tetsuya Mizuguchi, the acclaimed creator of \"Rez\" and \"Lumines\"? What about the charming \"Professor Layton\" puzzle series, or Square Enix's unique early 2000s Tokyo fashion narrative, \"The World Ends With You\"? The question also arises for \"Bangai-O Spirits,\" a late action masterpiece from \"Ikaruga\" developer Treasure, and \"Hotel Dusk,\" a detective mystery still referenced as a genre benchmark. Even influential RPGs like \"Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword,\" \"Okamiden,\" and \"Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey\" from Atlus, a company that has successfully brought many of its other RPGs to Steam, are still waiting for their turn. This isn't even delving into obscure or niche titles; the DS boasts a deep well of genuinely great, or at least uniquely interesting, games. The 3DS has seen slightly more representation on Steam, perhaps due to its more advanced 3D graphics being easier to adapt for HD re-releases. Nevertheless, as Steam increasingly serves as a digital archive for games spanning decades, the underrepresentation of both DS and 3DS libraries is particularly disheartening, especially amidst the recent explosion in handheld PC gaming.

With a growing number of players embracing handheld PC devices, the gaming audience is more receptive than ever to a diverse range of experiences. This includes both games with blockbuster production values and those that, despite their less polished aesthetics, offer brilliant and engaging gameplay. No system embodied the latter quality quite like the DS, a console that consistently delivered unique and memorable experiences. Even a game like \"Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood,\" a Sonic the Hedgehog RPG developed by Bioware, notorious for its questionable soundtrack, deserves a PC port for its historical significance alone. Expanding the availability of these DS classics on PC would not only preserve gaming history but also introduce a new generation of players to the innovative design and creative spirit that defined the handheld console, fostering a greater appreciation for the breadth and depth of interactive entertainment.