I’m going to level with you all: some of the Top 10 Lists that the Operation Rainfall Staff have compiled in the past were…admittedly skewed. There’s simply no denying our affinity towards RPGs, and we know some our lists yielded less-than-desirable results from the majority of you.
With that said, we spent a decent amount of time discussing how to improve our voting process. Without going into too much detail—we’ve come up with an absolutely iron clad method that assures the best game wins. I’ve nicknamed it “Beast”, because it was a lot to wrap my head around (and let’s be honest; saying I’ve slain a beast at the end of creating a Top 10 List makes me sound more accomplished).
No Top 10 List is without controversy. But… as long-time readers may know, there is hardly a more suited person amongst the staff to be tasked with compiling the best handheld games. Out of a list that began with easily thirty to forty of the best games you could think of across all conceivable handheld platforms, our list…completely alienates the PSP, and consists mostly of the best JRPGs to be played “on the go”.
I watched the voting process like a hawk. I cringed at some of the choices as certain games began to climb their way up to the top. I was there—and I definitely stand by this one. So without any further ado, allow me to introduce the Operation Rainfall Staff’s picks for the Top 10 Handheld Games (on Nintendo platforms).
These games didn’t quite make the list, but came close:
– Final Fantasy IV DS: We argued for a long while, whether or not games like this should be included on the list since they ultimately started out on another platform. We decided FF4DS could make it because it was remade from the ground up for Nintendo DS.
– Pushmo: You’d be surprised how close this one nearly came to fighting it out with the rest of them for a spot in the Top 10.
– The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky: This was the one PSP title that persevered against the masses, but it wasn’t quite enough to beat out the games that made the list.
Now then. LET’S ROLL.
10. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney
The one I’m not familiar with. No, your eyes do not deceive you. Here I am, high atop my pedestal of “I am mighty Handheld Gamer”, but I’ve somehow managed to let the Phoenix Wright franchise slip me by. Was I too busy playing Mario and Pokemon Pearl back when this franchise first came around? Maybe. Or perhaps I saw quite enough lawyer drama through witty shows like Boston Legal or Ally McBeal. (Yeah…I definitely went there. No going back now.)
One part investigation, one part trial—there’s a gameplay formula you don’t hear of too often. A majority of our staff seem to think this game has enough staying power to be readily etched alongside the juggernauts of this list. And please do spare me “YOU HAVEN’T PLAYED PHOENIX WRIGHT?!? OBJECTION”—I’ve heard it all before.
9. Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies
The one where the main character can actually say s/he’s “heaven-sent”. Ahh, now here’s familiar territory for me. At this point, I can safely say I’ve played six of the nine Dragon Quest games offered in the United States (including some of the old ‘Dragon Warrior’ Gameboy games) to completion, and none shines more brightly than this one, in my humble opinion.
Dragon Quest IX allows you to customize your character and his or her allies in every way imaginable, then sends you on a quest involving angels, demons, fruits, deception, a dragon or two, and a goofy pixie sidekick of sorts. The battles are just like they always have been, but quite a few cumbersome aspects of the franchise have been shed in favor of more ingenuity and ease. The game received critical acclaim for packing so much content (and puns) into a tiny little DS card, and may very well be considered “the last great Dragon Quest game” depending on how well Dragon Quest X is received when it finally arrives stateside. (And it will make its way here. Keep the faith!)
Also: Swinedimples Academy—meant to parody Hogwarts. Need I say more?
8. Golden Sun & Golden Sun: The Lost Age
The one(s) that will make you say OMG JONATHAN. WHY DO TWO GAMES TAKE UP A SINGLE SPOT ON THIS TOP TEN LIST?! THAT’S NOT FAIR! YOU’RE NOT BEING FAIR! Back around the mid nineties, Sega released Sonic the Hedgehog 3. It had six zones and felt like an unfinished product. A little later on however, came Sonic & Knuckles—the next chapter to help make a complete game that many longtime fans hail as the greatest entry in Sonic’s long, shaky history: Sonic 3 & Knuckles.
I view Camelot’s masterpiece in a similar fashion. Alone, both Golden Sun and The Lost Age feel like unfinished products. But when played together and viewed as a cohesive gameplay experience, the two create a solid handheld entry that dares to shout, “I AM NOT FINAL FANTASY, BUT I AM STILL UNIQUE.” Over time, I’ve had quite a bit to say about Golden Sun. But really, with music, a battle system, a story, and a sense of artistry like that—how could the two GBA titles not place somewhere in this list?
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