All Pokemon DS Games in Order: Nintendo Games List

Ivan Frigato Published July 27, 2024

Between 2004 and 2018, Nintendo added 34 Pokémon DS games to its ever-expanding IP, and some are much more obscure than others.

Pokémon has been a major gaming franchise since Red, Green, and Blue debuted in Japan in 1996 for the Nintendo Game Boy. The most recent mainline game was 2022’s Scarlet and Violet, and a new Legends game is just around the corner. In its almost 30 years of history, the Pokémon Company and Nintendo have sold 448 million copies, with a significant amount of those being for the DS and 3DS. Recently, with the launch of games like Pokémon Champions and Pokopia, the game has seen a surge of new fans and old fans returning to the franchise.

Unfortunately, some games that were only available in the 3DS eShop are now inaccessible. Nintendo shut down the eShop in 2023, and online play was closed in April 2024. ,So for those who didn’t get the relevant Pokémon games before that, they’re out of luck.

From main games to Mystery Dungeons, here’s a complete guide to every Pokémon game made for the DS in release date order.

1. Pokémon Dash

• Japanese release: December 2, 2004
• American release: March 14, 2005
• Developer: Ambrella
• Console: Nintendo DS

Pokémon Dash takes the honor of being the first Pokémon DS game. Players can use the DS stylus to race Pikachu against other Pokémon on the ground or in hot air balloons. Notably, the game wasn’t received very well and doesn’t seem to have improved with age.

2. Pokémon Trozei!

• Japanese release: October 20, 2005
• American release: March 6, 2006
• Developer: Genius Sonority
• Console: Nintendo DS

Pokémon Trozei! is a matching puzzle game where players make combos with Pokémon blocks like Psyduck, Smoochum, and Ditto. Only by beating the Phobos generals in a game of Trozei can the player save the world from a Poke-powered secret weapon.

3. Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Blue Rescue Team

• Japanese release: November 17, 2005
• American release: September 18, 2006
• Developer: Chunsoft
• Console: Nintendo DS

Mystery Dungeon: Blue Rescue Team was released as a Pokémon DS game alongside Red Rescue Team, its Game Boy counterpart. Unlike other games, Mystery Dungeon allows the player to actually inhabit a Pokémon decided by either a personality quiz or choice. The player and a partner Pokémon then go through maps to rescue Pokémon and, eventually, work with Rayquaza to stop a meteor. All Pokémon in this first Mystery Dungeon game come from Generations I-III.

4. Pokémon Ranger

• Japanese release: March 23, 2006
• American release: October 30, 2006
• Developer: HAL Laboratory; Creatures, Inc.
• Console: Nintendo DS

Pokémon Ranger takes place in the previously unknown region of Fiore and involves the player using a stylus to manually control the PC, a park ranger of sorts seeking to protect both nature and Pokémon. Rather than catching Pokémon, the ranger befriends them and enlists them in the quest to stop the Go-Rock Squad. The two partner Pokémon are Minun or Plusle, depending on the PC’s gender.

Pokémon Ranger also allows players to transfer eggs to Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum. It must be stated that one of those eggs is the special Manaphy egg that players receive after completing the game.

5. Pokémon Diamond and Pearl

• Japanese release: September 28, 2006
• American release: April 22, 2007
• Developer: Game Freak
• Console: Nintendo DS

Generation IV marks the beginning of the run of mainline Pokémon DS games, introducing players to Piplup, Chimchar, and Turtwig. The PC must defeat all eight gym leaders and the Elite Four while also saving the world from the notorious Team Galactic. The main difference between the games is the main legendary Pokémon. Diamond features the temporal Pokémon Dialga, while Pearl has the spatial Palkia.

6. Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time and Explorers of Darkness

• Japanese release: September 13, 2007
• American release: April 20, 2008
• Developer: Chunsoft
• Console: Nintendo DS

Explorers of Time and Explorers of Darkness were released at the same time and are similar, with each having a few version-exclusive Pokémon. The player in the DS game is once again transported into a Pokémon body and now has to join the new Expedition Guild to figure out why time is stopping. Those who feel strongly about getting Celebi would fare better in Explorers of Time, while Mewtwo fans will want to spring for Explorers of Darkness.

7. Pokémon Ranger: Shadows of Almia

• Japanese release: March 20, 2008
• American release: November 10, 2008
• Developer: Creatures, Inc.
• Console: Nintendo DS

In the second DS game in the Pokémon Ranger installments, players have graduated from Ranger school in Almia and are able to set off with their own partner Pokémon from a greatly expanded list. The mechanics once again revolve around stylus use and a lack of catching, to mixed success among fans. As a team, the player and partner Pokémon must protect Almia and prevent Altru Inc. from launching their mega computer, the Gigaremo.

8. Pokémon Platinum

• Japanese release: September 13, 2008
• American release: March 22, 2009
• Developer: Game Freak
• Console: Nintendo DS

Pokémon Platinum is similar to Diamond and Pearl with a few additional areas and scenes, new Pokémon, and general quality-of-life fixes. The legendary Pokémon of this game is Giratina, the antimatter Pokémon. Other noteworthy changes include Shaymin’s sky form, new Rotom forms, the addition of the Distortion World at the story’s climax, and more post-game locations.

9. Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky

• Japanese release: April 18, 2009
• American release: October 12, 2009
• Developer: Chunsoft
• Console: Nintendo DS

Explorers of Sky is the Pokémon Platinum to Explorers of Time and Darkness. The Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky DS game adds several exclusive maps through Spinda’s Juice Bar, more Pokémon to play as, five special episodes, and much more. Across Pokémon forums, Explorers of Sky is almost universally agreed to be the best Mystery Dungeon game.

10. Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver

• Japanese release: September 12, 2009
• American release: March 14, 2010
• Developer: Game Freak
• Console: Nintendo DS

HeartGold and SoulSilver are Pokémon DS remakes of the Generation II games, Gold and Silver, with extra Gen IV Pokémon. Overall, they seem to be relatively faithful remakes while adding exclusive features from Pokémon Crystal. Players can catch either Ho-Oh or Lug,ia depending on the version, and even other legendary Pokémon from other games through special events such as Moltress, Groudon, Kyogre, and Rayquaza.

11. Pokémon Ranger: Guardian Signs

• Japanese release: March 6, 2010
• American release: October 4, 2010
• Developer: Creatures, Inc.
• Console: Nintendo DS

In the third game in the Ranger trilogy, Rangers are responsible for stopping the Pokémon Pinchers, who seek to capture and control Pokémon. Most interestingly, Guardian Signs introduces a new multiplayer mode where up to four players can tackle missions together in Oblivia. Other major changes to the system include DLC content, a new Pokémon agitation meter, and the ability to resummon legendary birds and beasts.

12. Pokémon Black and White

• Japanese release: September 18, 2010
• American release: March 6, 2011
• Developer: Game Freak
• Console: Nintendo DS

Pokémon Black and White bring in Generation V and new starters Snivy, Oshawatt, and Tepig. The player must once again make their way through the gym leaders while being responsible for stopping Team Plasma from stealing all Pokémon. Black gives access to the Light Stone and legendary Reshiram, while White has the Dark Stone and Zekrom. Additionally, players won’t be able to access other generations of Pokémon until after completing the main game, at which point the Pokémon will occur in outbreaks. In the eyes of many, Pokémon Black and White are two of the best Pokémon games to date due to the focus of the game being on its storyline being about Ideals and Truths.

13. Pokémon Rumble Blast

• Japanese release: August 11, 2011
• American release: October 24, 2011
• Developer: Ambrella
• Console: Nintendo 3DS

Pokémon Rumble Blast is part of the Rumble series, originally debuting on WiiWare, and is also the first 3DS Pokémon game. Players use wind-up Pokémon toys to compete in real-time battles and save all of the other toys. Boasting over 600 Pokémon to collect, Rumble Blast’s plot revolves around trying to find out where all the rust is coming from.

14. Learn With Pokémon: Typing Adventure

• Japanese release: April 21, 2011
• American release: N/A
• Developer: Genius Sonority
• Console: Nintendo DS

Typing Adventure is the only Pokémon DS game not to get a North American release, though it was playable in Europe and Australia. It came with a Nintendo wireless keyboard and rewarded players for typing Pokémon names quickly and correctly.

15. Pokémon Conquest

• Japanese release: March 17, 2012
• American release: June 18, 2012
• Developer: Tecmo Koei
• Console: Nintendo DS

Pokémon Conquest is a crossover with Nobunaga’s Ambition, a turn-based strategy game set in feudal Japan. The gameplay is more closely related to Nobunaga’s Ambition and keeps the setting, using Pokémon to battle different warriors and warlords.

16Pokémonon Black 2 and White 2

• Japanese release: June 23, 2012
• American release: October 7, 2012
• Developer: Game Freak
• Console: Nintendo DS

Black 2 and White 2 were the last Pokémon DS games proper. A sequel to Black and White, it takes place in Unova two years after the first game. Some previous characters have gone on to become gym leaders, while past members of Team Plasma are lurking around and trying to force the legendary Pokémon Kyurem to destroy the world. After capturing Kyurem, the player can choose to fuse it with Reshiram or Zekrom to get White and Black Kyurem, respectively.

17. Pokémon Dream Radar

• Japanese release: June 23, 2012
• American release: October 7, 2012
• Developer: Creatures, Inc.; Game Freak
• Console: Nintendo 3DS (eShop only)

Dream Radar was a 3DS supplement to Black 2 and White 2. Players were a research assistant studying the Interdream Zone and used augmented reality to battle Pokémon and collect items. Anything gained in Dream Radar could be transferred directly to Black 2 and White 2.

18. Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity

• Japanese release: November 23, 2012
• American release: March 23, 2013
• Developer: Spike Chunsoft
• Console: Nintendo 3DS

In the switch to 3DS, Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity still maintains most of its core mechanics. The game removes the personality sorting test and uses more advanced 3D image generation. Plot-wise, Gates to Infinity brings in Generation V Pokémon and even features Kyurem as the main antagonist.

19. Pokémon X and Y

• Release: October 12, 2013
• Developer: Game Freak
• Console: Nintendo 3DS

Pokémon X and Y mark an important milestone. Nintendo decided to do localization at the same time as game development, so the Japanese and North American release dates converged for the following mainline games. Oddly, Europe still had to wait an extra week until 2017.

In the 3DS game, players battle gyms and Team Flare, who first seem to want to sell Pokémon and then reveal that they want to wipe out humanity for a more beautiful world. The box legendaries are Xerneas and Yveltal, the former of which is of the newly introduced fairy type. X and Y also bring in Mega Evolutions for popular Pokémon.

20. Pokémon Battle Trozei

• Japanese release: March 12, 2014
• American release: March 20, 2014
• Developer: Genius Sonority
• Console: Nintendo 3DS (eShop only)

Similar to Pokémon Trozei!, Pokémon Battle Trozei’s main addition was that wild Pokémon can be made into blocks for later play, a process known as “trozeizing.” Additionally, the game incorporated strengths and weaknesses from the main game and allowed for co-op play.

21. Pokémon Art Academy

• Japanese release: June 19, 2014
• American release: October 24, 2014
• Developer: Headstrong Games
• Console: Nintendo 3DS

The Pokémon DS Game, Pokémon Art Academy, focuses on teaching fans how to draw different species in forty progressive lessons. Players can progress through different skill levels and even export content to the Miiverse. Because the game was designed for younger children, Pokémon Art Academy introduces digital art tools but does not rely on them too heavily.

22. Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire

• Release: November 21, 2014
• Developer: Game Freak
• Console: Nintendo 3DS

Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire are remakes of Ruby and Sapphire, Generation III Pokémon games. Rather than being a straight port, the games include newer developments like Mega Evolutions and fairy Pokémon, along with new evolutions of old Pokémon. Omega Ruby has Team Magma, which wants to expand the land and give humans more room to live using Groudon, whereas Team Aqua in Alpha Sapphire wants to do the opposite for Pokémon with Kyogre.

23. Pokémon Shuffle

• Release: February 18, 2015
• Developer: Genius Sonority
• Console: Nintendo 3DS (eShop only)

Another discontinued Pokémon 3DS game, Pokémon Shuffle, worked similarly to Trozei! and Battle Trozei. Players “caught” wild Pokémon by matching them. Additionally, Pokémon Shuffle included Mega Evolutions and had a certain number of player lives that reset over time.

Fortunately, committed fans can still play Shuffle on mobile.

24. Pokémon Super Mystery Dungeon

• Japanese release: June 19, 2014
• American release: October 24, 2014
• Developer: Spike Chunsoft
• Console: Nintendo 3DS

The final installment in the Mystery Dungeon series, Pokémon Super Mystery Dungeon, focuses on sixth generation Pokemon and almost all Mega Evolutions. The DS game plot involves the player and their partner recruiting several legendary and mythical Pokémon, including Arceus and Xerneas, to save the Tree of Life.

25. Pokémon Rumble World

• Japanese release: September 17, 2015
• American release: November 20, 2015
• Developer: Ambrella
• Console: Nintendo 3DS (eShop only)

Pokémon Rumble World was a “freemium” Nintendo game in the Rumble series. In this game, players could increase their rank by catching species of Pokémon toys, which would then unlock more species. The king was the main place to get challenges to find more Pokémon.

26. Pokémon Picross

• Japanese release: December 2, 2015
• American release: December 3, 2015
• Developer: Jupiter Corporation
• Console: Nintendo 3DS (eShop only)

This Pokémon puzzle game didn’t only rely on matching but also on numbers. With over three hundred puzzles, Pokémon Picross gave numeric hints to complete images in a paint-by-number-type style, at which point the pictured Pokémon could be collected.

27. Detective Pikachu

• Japanese release: February 3, 2016
• American release: March 23, 2018
• Developer: Creatures, Inc.
• Console: Nintendo 3DS

More in the style of the anime, Detective Pikachu is a narrative-based adventure game that features a talking investigative Pikachu. PC Tim meets Pikachu, and the two set off to discover the mystery of what happened to Tim’s father. As Tim, the player can walk around and look for clues for various cases.

The Detective Pikachu game was such a hit that it spawned a full-length movie of the same title, released in 2019. The movie confirmed that Pikachu is, in fact, furry.

28. Pocket Monsters Red and Green

• Release: February 27, 2016
• Developer: Game Freak
• Console: Nintendo 3DS (eShop only)

Red and Green were one of the remasters that Nintendo made in honor of the twentieth anniversary of the original Pokémon game. First released on the Game Boy in 1996, Red and Green introduce players to the world of Pikachu, and with theme colors after Mario and Luigi. Additionally, Green was initially only released in Japan.

On the DS game, Red and Green consist of the original 151 Pokémon and the infamous Team Rocket that were always blasting off again. The antagonists in this game have a more simplistic motive than some of the others, merely seeking to use Pokémon as tools rather than friends. But a less wrong doesn’t make it a right. The big difference between Red/Green is the version exclusive Pokemon, which must be traded to complete the Pokedex.

29. Pocket Monsters Blue

• Release: February 27, 2016
• Developer: Game Freak
• Console: Nintendo 3DS (eShop only)

Pokémon: Blue is the American counterpart to Pokémon: Green and was originally released in the United States along with Red. Many minor issues with Green were fixed in Blue, such as false weights for Nidoqueen and Geodude, and a glitch that makes it impossible for the game to recognize that the player lost to Sabrina. Blue and the American Red also have a lower number of items in the Poke Shop alongside changed Pokémon designs.

30. Pokémon Yellow

• Release: February 27, 2016
• Developer: Game Freak
• Console: Nintendo 3DS (eShop only)

Pokémon Yellow only has one starter Pokémon option in Pikachu. The gym leaders also have different teams than in Red, Blue, and Green, instead more closely reflecting those in the anime. In fact, its closer similarities to the Pokémon anime are why many fans have Pokémon Yellow at the top of their tier lists.

31. Pokémon Sun and Moon

• Release: November 18, 2016
• Developer: Game Freak
• Console: Nintendo 3DS

Pokémon Sun and Moon invite players into the tropical setting of Alola with new Generation VII Pokémon like Rowlet, Litten, and Popplio.  Notably, the PC is given a legendary right off the bat with the adorable space ball Cosmog, who either evolves into Solageo or Lunala depending on the game version. Sun and Moon also bring in Ultra Beasts, which are sort of like alien Pokémon.

This is the only main game series without any gyms. Instead, players complete grand trials with different leaders in the Alolan island chain. Team Skull, the Sun and Moon enemies, are the ones who opened the Ultra Wormhole that let in the Ultra Beasts.

32Pokémonon Gold and Silver

• Release: September 22, 2017
• Developer: Game Freak
• Console: Nintendo 3DS (eShop only)

Gold and Silver were another ported Pokémon 3DS game, allowing new players to choose Chikorita, Totodile, or Cyndaquil. The PC once again must face off against Team Rocket and force them to re-disband. After this, they receive a Rainbow Wing or Silver Wing to encounter Ho-Oh or Lugia, respectively. In the post-credit game, players can travel from Gen II’s Johto back to Gen I’s Kanto, fight all of the gym leaders, and then meet the PC from Red and Blue in Silver Cave.

33. Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon

• Release: November 17, 2017
• Developer: Game Freak
• Console: Nintendo 3DS

Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon are famous for introducing new Pokémon in the middle of a generation. Similar to Sun and Moon, the games add five more Ultra Beasts, new forms for the previously released Necrozma, and new mini-games. Storywise, Ultra Sun and Moon make more changes than other second-line games have typically received. Characters are changed, scenes are added, and important plot points are moved around. Many even consider Ultra Sun and Moon to be the most difficult games in the series.

34. Pokémon Crystal

• Release: January 26, 2018
• Developer: Game Freak
• Console: Nintendo 3DS (eShop only)

The last Pokémon game for the 3DS before Nintendo made the full move to the Nintendo Switch, Crystal was an adaptation of the original Generation II Game Boy game. It was released after Gold and Silver and has minor changes to the original gameplay, but nothing nearly as dramatic as seen in Ultra Sun and Moon. Crystal allows for the option of a girl PC and introduces the Clear Bell and Suicune, along with other small differences.

Still want to play the Pokémon DS games but don’t have the handheld anymore? Players can try getting their hands on a refurbished Nintendo DS, which can cost between $70 and $200 depending on the retailer and condition.

For hardcore fans, the price could be worth it to play their favorite Pokémon DS games.