I’m a PC gamer, it’s always been something I prefer over the Xbox or the PlayStation because of its versatility. For me, the standard console experience is something that I can have through playing on a computer. I only have one game console that I regularly pick up to play, and that’s the Nintendo DS. I truly believe it’s the best console to own for a PC gamer and that’s because the experience of playing on a DS cannot be replicated. Why is that?
The Design
DS stands for ‘dual screen’, and most of the games available on the console use this unique design to give you a different gaming experience. The Pokémon games, for example, feel elevated by having some of the controls on a second screen. I have a lot more fun playing these games on the DS than on the Nintendo Switch. Then there are games like ‘Etrian Odyssey’ where the game simply cannot be played without two screens.
The portability of the DS is another huge factor. I can fold the console up and put it in my back pocket. What’s the point of a hand-held device if it’s a hassle to take the console anywhere? That’s always been the issue I have with the Switch or the Steam Deck. I, like most dudes, try to fit everything I could possibly need in my pockets, so I don’t have to bring a bag out with me. That is what truly differentiates the DS from most other handhelds.
Then there are the gimmicks. The later DS models like the New 3DS or the 3DS XL have features like a 3D screen that requires no glasses, and Augmented Reality. There’s a camera and even a step counter. At the end of the day, these are silly gimmicks for the most part, but they add a certain charm to the console when most devices nowadays feel like soulless copies of each other.
The Catalogue
For better or worse, Nintendo titles are only available on Nintendo consoles (barring emulators of course). So, if you want a true Nintendo gaming experience with all the nostalgia, you have to buy one of their consoles. There are thousands of games available on the console. Granted, the eShop has since shut down but you can always mod your device to gain access to all of them (I’m not saying you should, I’m saying you can. Spare me Nintendo). There aren’t many other consoles that offer quick access to such a large catalogue of games.
For me, a handheld console should offer a different gaming experience with different games. I could take a Steam Deck out with me, but I’d be doing exactly what I’d be doing on a PC at home while having a worse time.
There are other things I can talk about like the durability of the console, and how it’s a family machine, but I think I’ve made my case.
p.s. If you’ve never played Pocket Card Jockey, give it a go, it’ll change your life