Discover games · NexWave Games
Playing detective on the Nintendo DS: mysteries that you have to solve yourself
A strange comment, a door that stays closed or an object that doesn't seem to belong anywhere: on the Nintendo DS, something like that can carry a whole adventure. The handheld was given various games in which paying attention is more important than reacting quickly. The touchscreen lets you investigate clues and take notes. Anyone who likes to read a detective story or try to solve a riddle has an interesting corner of the DS library to discover here.
Professor Layton: a village full of thinking
In Professor Layton and the Curious Village, the Professor arrives at St. Mystere with Luke. A mysterious will prompts an investigation, but in the meantime the residents have their own puzzles for you. Logical issues, spatial insight and careful reading alternate. The story gives coherence to these separate challenges.
The attraction lies in the moment when you let go of a stuck thought. Many puzzles require a different look at something simple. You can therefore also look at the screen together: one player operates the stylus, while someone else tries to explain a possible solution.
Hotel Dusk: A conversation could be a clue
Hotel Dusk: Room 215 lets you explore a hotel full of unspoken stories as Kyle Hyde. You hold the DS like a book. The drawn characters and the limited setting suit a crime novel in which everyone seems to be hiding something.
Conversations deserve attention. What someone avoids or says at an odd moment can be more important than a striking object. This gives the search a leisurely pace: you get to know the guests and in the meantime build up a picture of what is going on between them.
Another Code: search a family history
Another Code: Two Memories begins with a letter that takes Ashley to an island. She thought her parents had died; her father's message calls that certainty into question. The research therefore remains personal, even when you are working on a cupboard, document or mechanical puzzle.
The two screens and the possibilities of the DS play a role in the detective work. The original DS game has its own puzzles and controls. Another Code: Recollection on Switch is a later remade version, so expect the original adventure with a DS cartridge.
Phoenix Wright: Evidence must also convince
In Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney you investigate crime scenes and collect statements. You then have to prove in court where testimony conflicts with evidence. The question becomes more and more concrete: what detail makes this statement impossible?
The exaggerated reactions and peculiar characters give light to the criminal cases. Careful reading remains necessary. Presenting evidence too early or with the wrong sentence will not help your client, even if your suspicion itself is justified.
Leave the mystery intact
For a second-hand DS game, check the language of the copy on offer. These games contain a lot of text; a Dutch box does not automatically guarantee Dutch game text. In addition, avoid walkthroughs that immediately show the solution. Your own note with names and loose suspicions preserves the pleasure of discovering for yourself.