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[Statue of Limitation]

Recommendations?

First and foremost I'm interested in narrative games and RPG's. I always liked Pokemon games back in the day so I'm sure to check them out, and...well since I never owned a N64 I'm going to check out Zelda OOT and Majoras mask.

I know there is a huge library I've missed out on for DS and 3DS but I need some direction.

 

[jooey]

this is kind of like asking to plan your college education because it's going to take just as long to play them

 

[Barrylocke]

Fire Emblem Fates and Shin Megami Tensei 4 make for a good start with RPGs.
Also Rune Factory 4if you like action rpgs and/or Harvest Moon.

 

[TDLink]

Kid Icarus Uprising is the best game on the system. Get it.

Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask are both masterpieces. If you've never played them then definitely do that.

If you like visual novels try the Ace Attorney franchise. You can get the trilogy of the first 3 games as one download as well as the 5th game separately.

 

[Heero5]

The World Ends With You

 

[NinjaCoachZ]

You'll break your screen but it will be 100% worth it.

 

[BiggNife]

I mean, you need to be a little more specific here. Do you enjoy other genres besides narrative stuff and RPGs? Are there some genres you just don't enjoy period?

There are a shit-ton of good 3DS games and a giant list of two to three dozen games probably won't help you much.

To get you started, I would say Pokemon XY, Bravely Default, and any of the Fire Emblems would be good choices. Also the Phoenix Wright Trilogy on the eshop.

 

[Ayumi]

Super Mario 3D Land is pretty awesome! A must play regardless of what genre you prefer.

 

[obijkenobi]

Damn dude, you are in for a treat. In terms of hours I have sunk into just 3DS games I recommend:

A Link Between Worlds
Fire Emblem: Awakening

 

[Llyranor]

Since you seem to like Zelda games, I highly recommend Link Between Worlds.

If you enjoy narrative games, I would recommend you get all the Ace Attorney games as well. Charming characters all-around.

For RPGs, World Ends With You and Radiant Historia were my 2 favorites on DS.

 

[kamineko]

Those DS Dragon Quest titles. Hot stuff

& all the Megaten

 

[Barrylocke]

Those DS Dragon Quest titles. Hot stuff

& all the Megaten

Especially Dragon Quest V. Decades after the original on the SNES and its still very heartwarming.

Honestly the DS was killing it with RPGs, and the 3DS only adds to it. It may help to list some that you really liked for further direction.

 

[ASilentProtagonist]

Welcome to handheld gaming greatness.

Must Plays

Fire Emblem Awakening

Link Between Worlds

TWEWY

999

Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate

SMT: Devil Survivor Overclocked

 

[WhereAreMahDragonz]

All of the Ace Attorney games. Would recommend getting the actual physical copies if you can find them, but they are available for download on the e-shop. Also AA5 is digital only.

They're some of the best logic / puzzle games I've ever played and the characters are funny and interesting. The series has a great overarching narrative and is well worth playing through all five games.

 

[kagamin]

Do you like drawing maps and exploration? Do you like fairly difficult RPG gameplay where the normal enemies can kill you just as easily if not more easily than bosses if you're not careful and don't use all of your abilities? Do you enjoy open ended party creation systems where you make a cast of characters choosing from a variety of different portraits and classes (and subclasses later)? If so I can very easily recommend ETRIAN ODYSSEY IV!

 

[ZAMtendo]

Fire Emblem: Awakening. Animal Crossing: New Leaf. Zelda: Ocarina of Time.

 

[Oni Link 666]

Zelda LBW
Mario Kart 7
All the Phoenix Wright games
Animal Crossing

If you get Animal Crossing along with another game, like Zelda LBW, you'll be set for a while.

 

[Boney]

Ace Combat Horizon Legacy is one of the most underrated 3ds game out there. Get it it's amazing. You fly and shoot shit and do cool shit and you don't have horrible levels like the HD ones, just planes (it's a remake of ace combat 2)

My favourite mission is one in which you're fighting at high altititude against much better plans and you have to take care not to stall due to the altitude cause they'll shoot you to pieces if you do.

 

[NolbertoS]

I still have GBA and mostly ised it to play playformers. The DS was my RPG machine. If your looking for games to play RPG wise stsrt with the following:

• Dragon Quest series
• Golden Sun 3DS
• Chrono Trigger
• Castlevania DS games
• Etrian Odyssey series (This is more old school in that you have to draw a map while exploring. Its pretty fun, now that its on thr 3DS.
• SNES VC games . Its only a matter of time when more RPGs are released.

 

[blame space]

Elite beat agents owns

 

[jblank83]

RPGs, huh?

Etrian Odyssey series (DS, 3DS)
Dragon Quest series (DS)
Final Fantasy series (DS)
The World Ends with You (DS)
Chrono Trigger DS
Castlevania series (DS)
Radiant Historia (DS)
Pogermans, if you like those things
Legend of Legacy (3DS)
Bravely Default (3DS)
Dark Spire (DS)
Shin Megami Tensei IV (3DS)
Soul Hackers (3DS)
Crimson Shroud (3DS)
Stella Glow (3DS)
Contact (DS)
Infinite Space (DS)
Fire Emblem series (DS, 3DS)
Mario & Luigi series (DS, 3DS)
Xenoblade (new 3DS only)
Denpa Men (3DS)
Persona Q (3DS)

Come back in a couple of years after you finish if you want more suggestions.

 

[Statue of Limitation]

I mean, you need to be a little more specific here. Do you enjoy other genres besides narrative stuff and RPGs? Are there some genres you just don't enjoy period?.

In terms of stuff to avoid; Racing games, 2D side scrollers and Puzzles (with the exception of Phoenix Wright which I have played on IOS) aren't going to do a lot for me.

In terms of a base - anything out there like Persona 4 where there is a dark, intriguing story that unfolds over a long period of time - the sense of scale helps the story and seems fitting for hand helds

 

[Applebite]

The GOAT combo.

Zero Escape: 9 Hours 9 Persons 9 Doors and Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward. Both puzzle / visual novel games with some of the best stories in all of games (imo).

 

[The Artisan]

i have to admit project x zone 2 makes me want a 3ds.

 

[Regiruler]

Kid Icarus Uprising

 

[Fumpster]

Elite Beat Agents (as well as Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan!) are the best games for DS. Hands down.

With that in mind, here's some other great games:

Ace Attorney Trilogy
Pokemon Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire
Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon
Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective
A Link Between Worlds
Fire Emblem Fates
Mario & Luigi series (Bowser's Inside Story is the best)
Smash Bros. 3DS if you don't own a Wii U

The library for the DS/3DS is insane. Good luck getting through all of it, and enjoy.

 

[Sapiens]

Rusty's Real Deal Baseball.

 

[ItWillGetBetter]

These threads are always weird. Just search neogaf or use google.
"Best DS RPGs"
"Best 3DS RPGs"
"Most underrated DS/3DS games"

Its easy.

That being said. The only games I recommend, are :
Rune Factory 1-4
Castlevania DS games
Alll the zelda games.
Mario Kart 7.

Theres prob more. But again, just google/search neogaf.

 

[NOLA_Gaffer]

My current addiction is Tri-Force Heroes, but it's best played locally unfortunately.

 

[alvis.exe]

Do you have a New 3DS?

Get Xenoblade Chronicles if you haven't played it already.

Otherwise here are some 3DS RPGs/SRPGs off the top of my head.

SMT IV
Fire Emblem Awakening/Fates
Stella Glow
The Legend of Legacy
Bravely Default/Second
Pokemon XY/ORAS
ProjectXZone (1&2)
Fantasy Life
Kingdom Hearts 3D
Mario and Luigi games
Yo-kai Watch
Rune Factory 4
Lord of Magna: Maiden Heaven
Fossil Fighters Frontier
LBX

Plus ports of Tales of the Abyss, various SMT games and various Dragon Quest games.

Other stuff I can think would be the Ace Attorney games, Zero Escape games, and Professor Layton games for more heavily narrative based games.

Also get Hotel Dusk on the DS.

 

[Jeb]

Pheonix Wright trilogy and Ghost Trick are what reignited my handheld love almost a decade of no handhelds, might do the same thing for you.

 

[Dee Dee]

999 fits your description, unless you really hate puzzles with a passion.
If you are looking for something along the lines of Persona, maybe check out SMTIV, Devil Survivor and Soul Hackers? Story wise, they are nowhere close to Persona, but it's the same game series, and very similar atmosphere.
I suggest starting with Devil Survivor Overclocked - Atlus puts it in sale on the eshop every now and then.
From there, jump to Fire Emblem - or why not jump directly to Fire Emblem?

If you are able to digest Fire Emblem, you can cleanse your palette further with Bravely Default, Rune Factory 4 and eventually the lesser titles: Legend of Legacy, Stella Glow and Lord of Magna: Maiden Heaven.

Important: Do you have a NEW 3DS? Because Xenoblade Chronicles is just what you want in that case.

 

[relewis2011]

While it is an original DS game, it's certainly worth mentioning. I'm not a huge fan of the newer GTA games, but Grand Theft Auto: China Town Wars is an absolute BLAST. Second favorite GTA game behind Vice City. Not the most narrative driven game, but after playing it I doubt you'll have any regrets!

 

[Mephala]

There are a lot of demos you could try on the 3ds eshop. Off the top of my head:
Fire Emblem Awakening
Ace Attorney
Etrian Odyssey Untold
Legend of Legacy
Project X Zone 1+2
Bravely Default 1+2
Denpamen

On the DS my personal favourites:
Castlevania Order of Eclessia
Radiant Historia
The World Ends With You
Valkyrie Profile Covenant of the Plume
Prof. Layton

I'll also recommend
Rune Factory 4
Crimson Shroud

 

[Dame]

Anything past this first page probably won't deviate from what everyone else is saying, so you'll probably listen to the echo chamber here when we tell you some of our favourites:

my fire emblem machine has logged in hours of awakening, and is currently playing the waifu/senpai sim fire emblem conquest/birthright.

Monster hunter ultimate is so damn good. I recommend you just join the reddit clan and go on teamspeak to make the thing that much better. Trust me on this one. get gud (completely unqualified to say that) and get your body ready for X.

While i bought smash and got some other titles for free, if you're anywhere near as weird as some of us, you'll keep no more than two games in your cartridge for months, ignoring all of the rest.

 

[AcademicSaucer]

Ghost Trick, do it.

 

[DecoReturns]

Fire Emblem Awakening is a Great start before FE:Fates.
Try to find the DS Pokemon games like HeartGold or SoulSilver or Black/White. I find them better then The 3DS ones
SMT 4 is also great

 

[Majestad]

Get any of the Shin Megami Tensei games for 3DS or DS. They are all utterly fantastic.

 

[Vault Dweller 111]

Damn. I have a 3DS and own exactly 4 games.

Soul Silver
Black 1&2
X

I didn't even enjoy Black version. I never really considered it as a console I would play a bunch of games on. And had no idea so many games were loved here on Gaf. I still don't think most of these games are really my style. But maybe I'll keep my eye out a little but more. Maybe I can play something before Sun & Moon

 

[Theognosis]

You're in for a huge treat.

Kid Icarus Uprising
Zelda: A Link Between Worlds
The World Ends With You (DS)
Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate
Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon
Animal Crossing: New Leaf
Xenoblade Chronicles
Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask
Fire Emblem (any)
Project X Zone 1+2
Rusty's Real Deal Baseball

 

[Whiteblade999]

Fire Emblem Fates: Conquest is the best game on the system, start with that one. Revelation is a step down, but well worth playing. A few other must haves would be:

-A Link Between Worlds
-Majora's Mask 3D
-Radiant Historia
-Rune Factory 4
-Devil Survivor Overclocked
-Smash if you don't have it on Wii U

 

[Funyarinpa]

The World Ends With You

Agreed, great story and gameplay.

The GOAT combo.

Zero Escape: 9 Hours 9 Persons 9 Doors and Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward. Both puzzle / visual novel games with some of the best stories in all of games (imo).

But this right here, OP, is what you gotta gwt IMMEDIATELY if you want narrative-focused games. VLR is GOAT.

Also, Ace Attorney Trilogy.

 

[OrbitalBeard]

Get Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate and fully justify the purchase of your new handheld immediately.

 

[Lord of Ostia]

Both Fire Emblem titles are fantastic, I recommend starting with Awakening. In addition, if you like story based games the Ace Attorney Trilogy on the eShop is a great way to play some of the best visual novels ever. I would also recommend Fantasy Life (half rpg, half 'life sim' aka animal crossing or harvest moon) and Kirby: Triple Deluxe. Both games are utterly charming and severely underrated in these sorts of threads.

 

[Van]

this thread is gonna make me broke cause i just a new 3ds xl yesterday but bought pokemon x and monster hunter ultimate 4

 

[PinballRJ]

New Super Mario Bros
All the Kirby games
Dragon Quest IX

 

[mozfan12]

Phoenix Trilogy, 30 or so bucks for 60-70+ hours of one of the best series to grace the DS.