The DS has been played out.

The DS, announced back in ‘04, seemed like a goldmine for new ideas with its unusual form factor and set of peripherals for use. This was very true for a good time after its release, the console seeing even a few classic titles reappearing on the new platform in a way that was well out of reach for the DS’ predecessor, the GBA, while it was still in power. For a while the console was riding high on a wave of good ideas and strong sales figures, but eventually its accessibility to developers and unabashedly childlike appeal would eventually weigh its image down considerably.

While the GBA had its own merits, the DS brought in a huge amount of new potential for the zany developers who had stuck by Nintendo’s dinky little handheld through thick and thin up until the time came to move on to the next generation. Other than its new interface, the console boasted improved graphics as well as the option for expansion with the dual slots at the top and bottom of the device. The latter feature was unfortunately only taken advantage of by a select few titles in the DS’ repertoire and served to aid homebrew developers more so than it did official, licensed game makers; but that’s a story for another day.

For a good long while the David to Sony’s Goliath held its ground, boasting staggering sales numbers even to this day; unfortunately the hit titles that brought new and innovative ways to use the new found power and touch sensitivity of the console slowly petered out. More and more puzzle games made it onto the scene with tired and stale concepts that we’d all seen before, while others felt it absolutely imperative to find convoluted ways to shoehorn the poor, seemingly malformed console’s touchscreen into every game’s mechanics.

Could the DS' own percieved image be its hindrance? Photograph: Evan Baden

This soon spiraled out of control; before long budget game developers got their very own devkits and the console’s library of games quickly became flooded by droves of shovelware. These poorly implemented, chintzy and overall downright flimsy games seemed to overshadow any decent titles that happened to make its way into the DS’ repertoire of titles, and it seemed there was no end in sight. Even Nintendo themselves were resorting to milking several of their top franchises and although this kept the kiddie demographic sated and the console sales numbers on the up and up, the console quickly became somewhat of a mere toy rather than a revolutionary gaming platform in its own right, as it had been at the very beginning.

It is understandable that a console would hit a lull after half a decade of existence, even despite having been revitalized time and time again with Nintendo’s tried and tested bait and switch tactics. Despite all its best efforts however, this would likely have been better invested in creating some new concepts in the titles being released, as it had been so eager to do back when it was still new on the market.

Thankfully, though, there is still that steady trickle of notable titles; the DS’ current lifeline for people looking for gaming experiences that will not just offer a few hours’ worth of distraction, but also a brief adventure into something imaginative; which will leave you with a feeling that you’ve partaken in something worthwhile.

Despite all of this, for all intents and purposes; the DS, as a dual-screen, touch sensitive handheld gaming device, has been played out.