The DS introduced a lot of new entries into the Final Fantasy series. Some games were remakes, some were sequels, and others were completely new spinoffs. Square Enix, overall, had a great revival on the platform, and it is easy to see why.

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Most of the company's bread-and-butter games are RPGs or at least that’s what Square Enix is known for. That genre is also perfect for portable hardware as players can just stay grinding levels while doing something else like watching TV. There are quite a few Final Fantasy games on the DS, all of which have something positive to offer. However, which is the best Final Fantasy Nintendo DS game?

Updated May 11, 2024 by Mark Sammut: A table covering each Final Fantasy game on the Nintendo DS has been added to make browsing the article more convenient.

Every Final Fantasy Game On The Nintendo DS

Although not synonymous with Nintendo's handheld system, Final Fantasy had quite a fruitful life on the DS. Including Japanese exclusives and the very loosely connected SaGa franchise, Square Enix released 12 projects for the system, including some all-time great titles. The table below contains every Final Fantasy DS game, along with the Japan and North America release dates.

12 Chocobo And The Magic Picture Book: The Witch, The Girl, And The Five Heroes

Japan-Exclusive Chocobo Game With 3D Visuals

Chocobo to Mahou no Ehon: Majo to Shoujo to Go-nin no Yuusha is a sequel to Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo Tales. This one was more ambitious in terms of trying to tell a more serious or at least focused, story. However, it ultimately still boils down to another mini-game collection. Chocobo to Mahou no Ehon: Majo to Shoujo to Go-nin no Yuusha has been released only in Japan on the DS and there is no complete fan translation yet. While there are ways to play it, this is one of the hardest Final Fantasy DS games to track down.

11 Cid And Chocobo's Mysterious Dungeon: The Labyrinth Of Forgotten Time DS+

Japan-Only Exclusive Of Wii Game

• The image is of Final Fantasy Fables Chocobo's Dungeon, not the DS version

Cid to Chocobo no Fushigi na Dungeon: Toki Wasure no Meikyū DS+ is an enhanced port of Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo's Dungeon made for the DS. In 2007, Chocobo's Dungeon came out on the Wii in Japan only, with the game coming out in the West a year later.

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As the DS title came out the same year in Japan as the Wii version came out in the West, the enhanced port was not released internationally. The ports don’t stop there either because there was a remaster of it in 2019. It is the third and so far final entry in the Chocobo’s Dungeon series, and it sticks very close to that formula. Mystery Dungeon games are slow-moving and simple, but they are enjoyable in a turn-off-your-brain type of way. The DS release is not worth seeking out since there are alternatives on the Wii, Switch, and PS4.

10 SaGa 2: Hihou Densetsu: Goddess of Destiny

Japan-Exclusive Remake With Dense Mechanics

Known to Western Game Boy owners as Final Fantasy Legend 2, SaGa 2: Hihou Densetsu was a solid JRPG when it came out in the '90s, and the DS remake retains and enhances what made the original so much fun to play. While the story is nothing to write home about, the gameplay is a lot of fun and quite deep.

Players put together a party of four from a range of races – Humans, Espers, Robots, and Monsters – and there is quite a bit of variety here. Each race develops differently; for example, a Human's physical stats will increase following battles, while an Esper's growth will predominantly come in the form of magical spells. The game's systems are complex, but players should be able to come to grips with them after a few hours. Compared to the Game Boy release, the DS remake is considerably more inviting. It also adds plenty of new content or gameplay mechanics like Combo Threads, resulting in a more complete experience.

9 SaGa 3: Jikuu no Hasha: Shadow or Light

Japan-Exclusive Remake That Deserved A Western Release

Outside of Japan, the Game Boy's SaGa 3: Jikuu no Hasha was published as Final Fantasy Legend 3, a connection that did little to help establish the series' identity in North America. Despite this change in name and the fact they are still JRPGs, the SaGa games differ quite a bit from Square Enix's mainline Final Fantasy titles, and the DS remake highlights the series' unique elements.

SaGa 3: Jikuu no Hasha: Shadow or Light swaps out the original game's traditional leveling-up system for one focused on stat improvement through actions taken in battle. This change brings this entry's progression system in line with other releases in the franchise. In SaGa 3, players constantly have to keep in mind how they use their resources, and the game is quite a grind even for the JRPG genre. The remake also expands the personalities of the characters, along with streamlining the world map. It is also a decent-looking DS game.

Sadly, SaGa 3: Jikuu no Hasha: Shadow or Light was not released outside of Japan. As an alternative, Game Boy's Final Fantasy Legend trilogy is available on the Nintendo Switch, PC, and Mobile devices.

8 Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo Tales

Metascore: 75

Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo Tales was released in 2007 on the DS in North America. There is somewhat of a story in the game represented by a storybook, however, there isn’t much to it. The title is mostly a series of mini-games starring the iconic Chocobo. It’s not bad but there have been better mini-games in the Final Fantasy universe.

Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo Tales is a charming game that offers a different type of experience for this franchise. Die-hard Final Fantasy fans are the only ones who should consider giving this game a look.

7 Final Fantasy 12: Revenant Wings

Metascore: 81

Final Fantasy 12: Revenant Wings is a Nintendo DS sequel to Final Fantasy 12 which was released in 2006 on the PS2. It stars Vaan and Penelo who are finally able to accomplish their dreams of grabbing a ship and becoming sky pirates.

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The sequel's gameplay is very different not only from Final Fantasy 12 but from the franchise as a whole. Revenant Wings is an RTS game that is fun to play but the DS’s screen size makes it a bit too cramped to play on.

6 Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Ring Of Fates

Metascore: 77

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Ring of Fates was the first sequel to Crystal Chronicles, a 2004 North American game that was released on the GameCube.

The gameplay in Ring of Fates is similar to its predecessor as both are hack and slash RPGs wherein players get to choose a race/class. The crystal bucket mechanic is not as complicated in the sequel as it was in the original game, which is a change for the better. While this is still very much a multiplayer-focused game, there is a single-player campaign as well.

5 Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Echoes Of Time

Metascore: 75

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Echoes of Time is the last core-focused multiplayer game in this sub-series, and players have the option to select from four tribes: Yukes, Selkies, Lilties, and Clavats.

What made this one unique was that there was a simultaneous Wii release so that both systems could play together. That was good on paper, but the graphics were barely changed for the console version, making it a weird port by comparison.

4 Final Fantasy 3

Metascore: 77

Final Fantasy 3 was released in 1990 on the NES in Japan only. The game received fan patches in English in the absence of an official release, but it wasn't quite the same thing. Western fans had to wait until 2006 to finally play the real Final Fantasy 3.

The remake improved a lot of features that would have made the NES game seem archaic by 2006; that said, the DS version still sticks close to the original project and plays like a throwback to old-school JRPGs from the early '90s. Final Fantasy 3 is not one of the absolute best entries in the franchise since it is largely overshadowed by most of its sequels, but it is nevertheless a solid turn-based RPG. Notably, this was the first entry in the Final Fantasy series to allow players to change Jobs.

3 Final Fantasy: The 4 Heroes Of Light

Metascore: 71

Final Fantasy: The 4 Heroes Of Light was almost like a reboot of the franchise, going back to more traditional gameplay values compared to what its home console contemporaries were doing at the time. This means a turn-based battle system, four "hero" characters, and random battles. It is also a pretty difficult game.

The features implemented in this game would later go on to influence Bravely Default, an RPG that was also seen as a throwback or spiritual reboot to the Final Fantasy series.

2 Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire Of The Rift

Metascore: 80

Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift is the final core tactical RPG in the series, much to the disappointment of fans. While the style, world, and jobs resemble Final Fantasy Tactics Advance’s more whimsical nature, as opposed to the original’s dark demeanor, Grimoire of the Rift is seen as a better game than its predecessor.

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That’s because the Judge system is critically lowered, which is something that frustrated players before due to strict limitations. If this will indeed be the final entry, Grimoire of the Rift at least gave the series a worthy send-off.

1 Final Fantasy 4

Metascore: 85

Final Fantasy 4 was originally a 1991 SNES game. Before this DS remake, Final Fantasy 4 received various ports and updates. The GBA port, for example, added in more content as well as tweaked some mechanical issues.

This remake tried to emulate the PS1 and PS2 generation of entries with voice work, a stronger overall story, as well as a more epic presentation. It did so to great success, making this remake a fantastic way to experience Final Fantasy 4. Compared to Final Fantasy 3, its successor is a superior overall experience, delivering an engaging story, a superior combat system, and more memorable characters.

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