10 Nintendo DS JRPGs You Should Definitely Avoid

I’m a big fan of the Nintendo DS and have enjoyed many of its RPG adventures. However, some games are consistently harder to get excited about. While everyone has different preferences, certain titles just fall short due to issues with the story, how they play, or how well everything works together.

The DS had some great Japanese role-playing games, but these specific titles aren’t for everyone. While they can be visually appealing, none of them received consistently high review scores – each had an average below 80. Also, my personal preferences definitely influenced how I ranked them.

This list highlights some truly memorable JRPGs, including games based on beloved classic movies. However, it also points out one particularly disappointing title from a usually reliable series. Prepare to save your money – here are the JRPGs you should probably skip!

10. Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker

Joker in the Deck

I have fond memories of getting Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker for my DS. It seemed like a cool combination of Pokémon and the Dragon Quest universe, and I expected to really enjoy it. However, while the game looked good and the story was decent, it was unfortunately held back by an excessive amount of repetitive gameplay.

Many monster-collecting games require a lot of repetitive effort, but Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker felt especially tedious. After playing for about twelve hours, I became completely frustrated and never tried any of the later games in the series.

Some people actually enjoy this game, and that’s perfectly okay – it’s why it’s at the top of the list. However, as we move further down, the games become increasingly problematic and difficult to suggest.

9. Valkyrie Profile: Covenant of the Plume

Tactical Error

Valkyrie Profile: Covenant of the Plume is a really enjoyable tactical RPG with a surprisingly rich storyline and multiple different endings. Fans of the Valkyrie Profile series found a lot to love in this portable game.

This game didn’t take enough risks. It was Tri-Ace’s first handheld title, and that inexperience is noticeable. While the graphics are okay, they feel dated and aren’t particularly impressive, even for the DS.

However, the biggest drawback is definitely the game’s music. Similar to many games on portable consoles, the sound quality in Valkyrie Profile: Covenant of the Plume wasn’t great, which made it hard to appreciate the soundtrack. When you invest so much time in a strategy game, you expect it to have both appealing visuals and a fantastic score.

8. Avalon Code

Not a Code For Success

I’ve been a Nintendo fan for years, so I usually give new and inventive games the benefit of the doubt. However, it’s important to admit that being creative can be risky. While fresh ideas can lead to amazing results, they can also lead to disaster. That’s certainly the case with Avalon Code.

This game lets you explore a world facing the apocalypse and features a magical book you use to rebuild it. What made it stand out was using a stylus to interact with the book of prophecies. However, while the core ideas were interesting, the game didn’t quite live up to its potential in how it was made.

Searching for spells within the book is cumbersome, and the story itself wasn’t very engaging. While Avalon Code tries some interesting new things, it doesn’t quite come together perfectly – it’s an innovative but ultimately flawed idea.

7. Glory of Heracles

Unheroic Journey

Developer	Paon Corporation
Publisher	Nintendo
Release Date	May 22, 2008

I’ve always loved Greek mythology – it feels like it’s shaped so much of our culture. We’ve seen it done really well in action games like God of War, and even cool rogue-likes like Hades and Hades II. But honestly, it hasn’t really clicked in the JRPG world. Glory of Heracles tries, it really does, but it just doesn’t quite manage to break that mold.

Despite having surprisingly good translation and vibrant visuals, the game struggles with its core combat mechanic, the Ether system. It’s not easy to understand, and the ‘Ether Reflux’ feature – which drains your health based on your Ether level – is particularly frustrating for players.

Interestingly, Glory of Heracles might have been a more fun JRPG if it hadn’t tried so hard to be different. It’s a case where simplicity could have actually improved the game.

6. The Wizard of Oz: Beyond the Yellow Brick Road

Less Fun Than a Winged Monkey

I love seeing classic movies reimagined in unexpected ways, even though it often doesn’t quite work out. With a well-known series like The Wizard of Oz, there’s plenty of material to inspire new creations. However, The Wizard of Oz: Beyond the Yellow Brick Road, which attempts to tell the story as a Japanese role-playing game, is one of those ideas that might have been better left untouched.

The game looks good and has a compelling story about battling dragons and collecting spirits, but actually playing it isn’t much fun. You control everything with a stylus and a virtual trackball, which quickly becomes frustrating. The combat, which had the potential to be great, is also clunky and difficult.

In battle, each character can only perform a limited number of actions, and characters who don’t act can’t be hurt. Similarly, the game The Wizard of Oz: Beyond the Yellow Brick Road seems to be aiming for both longtime fans and newcomers, but doesn’t quite succeed with either group.

5. Heroes of Mana

Not Magically Delicious

The Mana series is well-loved and has a long history, but it’s known for being inconsistent – for every great game, there are often a few disappointing ones. Sadly, Heroes of Mana falls into that latter category.

Visually, the game is appealing, much like its predecessors. However, that’s where the positives largely end. The story isn’t very engaging, and the attempt to introduce real-time gameplay feels unsuccessful. To make matters worse, the artificial intelligence often hinders rather than helps the experience.

While this handheld game has some annoying parts, it might still be fun for certain players. However, most people should probably skip Heroes of Mana – it’s one of the weaker entries in the Mana series.

4. Sands of Destruction

Grit in the Cracks

Like several games on this list, Sands of Destruction initially makes a good impression. It’s visually appealing with a fantastic soundtrack and a unique concept – you play as the villain in a world dominated by creatures called Ferals. However, the game struggles with a lack of originality, aside from its memorable, tough-looking Teddy Bear character.

The game is technically sound, but that’s actually its biggest weakness. Players hoping for impressive graphics were disappointed, finding Sands of Destruction to be visually unremarkable. This is made worse by the game being a short and straightforward experience – a fairly linear JRPG adventure.

The game did lead to a cool anime and manga series, which is a definite highlight. However, for those hoping for a memorable gaming experience, it didn’t really stand out.

3. Blue Dragon: Awakened Shadow

Black and Blue All Over

Mistwalker is known for taking big risks with JRPGs, and Blue Dragon was a prime example of their attempt to innovate. Sadly, it didn’t quite work out, as evidenced by Blue Dragon: Awakened Shadow on the DS.

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This game focuses on action-packed combat with a role-playing system, and it has some nice pixel art. However, like Sands of Destruction, the story isn’t very memorable, especially since you create your own character. The game’s 3D environments also look quite rough, which unfortunately detracts from the overall experience.

Updating Blue Dragon: Awakened Shadow for today’s consoles could really unlock its potential and make it the great game it always had the chance to be. As it stands now, though, it’s simply a disappointing experience.

2. Black Sigil: Blade of the Exiled

Exiled from the GBA

I remember hearing that Black Sigil: Blade of the Exiled was originally planned for the Game Boy Advance! It’s crazy to think about that now, because by the time they were getting ready to launch, the GBA was already losing steam. So they switched to the DS… and honestly, it just didn’t work out. It was a really unfortunate move, in my opinion.

Basically, the flawed initial PC port, created by a small team that no longer exists, doomed Black Sigil: Blade of the Exiled. While the game’s graphics were decent, the overall experience felt unrefined. It had a frustrating combat system and was riddled with bugs, making it difficult and annoying to play.

Look, if you’re the kind of player who can really stick with a game even when it’s frustrating, you might get something out of this older JRPG. But honestly? The last game on this list is just…avoid it at all costs. Seriously, don’t even bother.

1. Lunar: Dragon Song

Song of Despair

I grew up loving classic JRPGs like Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete and Lunar 2: Eternal Blue Complete, so it’s really disappointing to say that Lunar: Dragon Song is one of the worst games I’ve ever played. I played it on the DS and unfortunately, that experience confirmed how bad it is.

Simply put, Lunar: Dragon Song is a deeply flawed game. It constantly drains your health, your gear frequently breaks, and after each battle, you’re forced to choose between getting better items or gaining experience. It’s a frustratingly repetitive JRPG, and it was so disappointing that it nearly made me stop playing games of this type altogether.

It’s unclear why the developers didn’t build on the success of the original games, or even take inspiration from the fantastic PSP remake. Unfortunately, Lunar: Dragon Song isn’t likely to attract new fans to JRPGs, which is disappointing for such a beloved series.

2026-05-13 15:41