Nintendo World Report (finally) honors 2007's best games.
The DS is certainly a unique piece of hardware. Many games ignore the features the DS offers and do little to innovate, while other games try to shoehorn in touchscreen or microphone usage. However, there are always a few games that use the DS to its fullest. 2007 had more than a few titles worthy of recognition.
Best Use of DS Features
This game is the poster child for DS development. Link does everything with the stylus. He moves where you’re pointing, attacks what you tap, and throws items where you demand. Link follows the sailing route you draw for him on his sea chart, then fishes for treasure (and fish) by sliding the stylus back and forth on the touch screen. While puzzle-solving players close the DS to stamp their map, blow in the mic to put out fires, and shout about how much they want a salvage arm. Traditional D-pad and A-B-X-Y control is nowhere to be seen, and while some gamers may miss it, Phantom Hourglass' control gamble pays off by successfully meshing all of the DS’ unique features with traditional Zelda gameplay.
Runner-up: Geometry Wars: Galaxies
The Nintendo DS version of Geometry Wars: Galaxies uses the handheld's touch screen by having you tap the touch screen in the direction in which you want your ship to fire. It's the best possible translation of the console version's dual-analog control scheme, and it allows you to get into the same zone of concentration as its big brother. It's also got a clever, non-intrusive use of the DS microphone: certain enemies latch on to your ship, and the only way to shake them off is to blow into it. If you're in deep enough trouble to need to blow into the mic, you're probably on the brink of death anyway...but if you're quick enough, you might be able to save yourself. Pretty neat, eh?
