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For most players asking “what’s the best Pokémon game on DS?”, HeartGold and SoulSilver are the strongest starting point, with Platinum close behind. Nintendo Life’s displayed review scores put those releases at the top of its DS Pokémon list, but the best choice depends on whether you want a traditional RPG, a sequel, a dungeon crawler, or a touch-screen spin-off.
This ranking covers Pokémon games released for Nintendo DS hardware, grouping paired versions together. It includes substantial spin-offs and smaller genre experiments, not just the main-series RPGs. The order is an editorial judgment informed by Nintendo Life review scores and the games’ distinct strengths—not a canonical verdict or a measure of sales or player preference.
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How the ranking works
Nintendo Life’s displayed review scores offer one useful comparison point: HeartGold/SoulSilver score 9.2, Platinum 8.8, Black 2/White 2 8.6, Black/White 8.5, and Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky 8.3. Those are Nintendo Life review scores, not an objective rating of how much every player will enjoy each game. The rankings below also account for story, replay value, how each release relates to its predecessors, and whether its genre makes it a good fit for a particular player.
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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsThe DS catalogue extends well beyond the core gym-and-League RPGs: Nintendo’s manual catalogue includes Pokémon Conquest, Pokémon Ranger, and Mystery Dungeon releases, among others. Nintendo Support’s DS manual catalogue and Serebii’s DS game list document a broad range of releases. Paired regional editions are treated as one entry; the two Rescue Team games are discussed separately because Blue Rescue Team is the DS release in that pair.
#1 Best Overall
- This renewed game will not come with the original case or manual; cartridge only. It has been cleaned, tested, and is in nice condition.
Every Pokémon game on DS, ranked
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Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver
Nintendo Life’s 9.2 score makes this remake pair the top-rated DS Pokémon release in the displayed list. Its appeal is a return to Johto in a full-scale Pokémon RPG, making it a strong pick if you want a substantial adventure rather than a genre spin-off. Nintendo’s DS manual catalogue lists both versions.
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Pokémon Platinum
Platinum is the clearest single-version recommendation for Sinnoh. The official Pokémon page describes it as an enhanced Nintendo DS RPG based on Diamond and Pearl, with expanded elements and a new adventure. It gives September 13, 2008 as the Japanese release date; that is Japan’s date, not a worldwide launch date. The official Pokémon page for Platinum also notes that Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection service has ended, so its original online functions should not be expected to work as they once did.
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Pokémon Black 2 and White 2
These are direct sequels, not alternate editions of Black and White. GamesRadar describes the games as taking place in a more evolved Unova two years later, and highlights the World Tournament and medal system. Their story builds on the preceding pair, so they are a better choice after playing Black or White than as a first stop in Unova. GamesRadar’s review discusses the sequel setting and features.
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Pokémon Black and White
The original Unova pair is the story-first entry point for the numbered sequels. If you plan to play both generations of Unova games, begin here so the later games’ return to the region has context. Nintendo’s DS manual catalogue confirms the releases.
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Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky
At 8.3 in Nintendo Life’s displayed scores, Explorers of Sky is the strongest-ranked DS Mystery Dungeon entry in that list. It trades the usual trainer journey for rescue-team play and dungeon crawling, so its appeal is exploration and a different kind of adventure—not gyms, badges, and a League. It is a good alternative if you want a Pokémon story built around a distinct role-playing structure.
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Pokémon Platinum’s predecessors: Diamond and Pearl
The original Sinnoh pair established the setting that Platinum later expanded. Nintendo Life displays a 7.9 score for the pair. GamesRadar notes that the games used Wi-Fi connectivity for trading and battling, and that battle animations could make pacing feel slow before Platinum. Nintendo UK lists July 27, 2007 as Diamond’s UK release date and says it can use Pokémon caught in certain Game Boy Advance Pokémon games. Nintendo UK’s Diamond page gives those details.
Rank #3
Pokemon White Version (Renewed)- This renewed game will not come with the original case or manual; cartridge only. It has been cleaned, tested, and is in nice condition.
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Pokémon Conquest
This strategy spin-off belongs in an all-games ranking even though it is not a standard Pokémon RPG. Nintendo Life displays a 7.9 score, and Nintendo’s manual catalogue confirms its DS release. It is the pick for players who want a strategy game rather than a familiar journey through towns and gyms.
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Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Blue Rescue Team
Nintendo Life displays a 7.9 score for the DS release. Blue Rescue Team is paired with Red Rescue Team on Game Boy Advance; this ranking includes the DS version because the scope is games released for DS hardware. Its rescue-team and dungeon-crawling format makes it a different kind of recommendation from the main-series entries.
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Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time and Explorers of Darkness
Nintendo Life displays an 8.0 score for this pair. They are the earlier Explorers editions, while Explorers of Sky is the higher-scoring choice in the same line in Nintendo Life’s displayed list. Choose this pair if you want the original versions; consider Sky if you are deciding between the releases and prioritize the review-score evidence available here.
Rank #4
Pokemon Pearl Version Nintendo DS (Renewed)- This renewed game will not come with the original case or manual; cartridge only. It has been cleaned, tested, and is in nice condition.
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Pokémon Ranger: Shadows of Almia
Nintendo Life displays a 7.8 score. Like the other Ranger games, it is a touch-screen action spin-off rather than a traditional RPG. Nintendo’s manual catalogue confirms the release; the score places it above the original Ranger in Nintendo Life’s list.
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Pokémon Ranger: Guardian Signs
Nintendo Life also displays a 7.8 score for Guardian Signs. It continues the touch-screen Ranger format, but the available score evidence does not establish a meaningful ranking difference between it and Shadows of Almia. Either is a reasonable pick if you specifically want the series’ action-oriented play style.
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Pokémon Ranger
The first Ranger game receives a 7.3 from Nintendo Life. Its appeal is the series’ touch-screen action, which stands apart from collecting Pokémon in a conventional turn-based RPG. Nintendo’s manual catalogue lists the game.
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Pokémon Trozei!
Nintendo Life displays a 6.6 score for this puzzle spin-off, which is a better fit for someone seeking a short-form puzzle experience than a story-led adventure. Serebii’s DS catalogue includes it among the platform’s Pokémon releases.
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Learn with Pokémon: Typing Adventure
Nintendo Life displays a 5.6 score. It is an educational typing game, so it is included because this list covers smaller genre entries as well as conventional RPGs—not because it offers the same kind of experience. Its place depends heavily on whether typing practice is what you want from a Pokémon game.
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Pokémon Dash
Nintendo Life displays a 4.7 score for this racing/action experiment. It is the most niche recommendation here: consider it if you are curious about Pokémon’s less conventional DS outings, rather than looking for a deep RPG. Serebii’s DS list also identifies it as a DS release.
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Which DS Pokémon game should you play?
- For the strongest all-around RPG recommendation: choose HeartGold or SoulSilver.
- For one Sinnoh game: choose Platinum; if you want to follow the original releases, start with Diamond or Pearl.
- For Unova’s story: play Black or White before Black 2 or White 2.
- For dungeon crawling: pick an Explorers game, with Sky the highest-scoring DS entry in Nintendo Life’s displayed list.
- For a genre break: try Conquest for strategy, a Ranger game for touch-screen action, or Trozei! for puzzles.
What to know about playing online
Do not count on original Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection features. The official Pokémon Platinum page states that Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection service has ended. The historical mention of Wi-Fi trading and battling in Diamond and Pearl describes how those games originally worked, not a promise that those online services remain available.
Quick Recap
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