Skip to Content
Tier
Tier Your gaming journal
Get
Best games

Best Action games on Nintendo DS

The 13 best Action games on Nintendo DS, ranked from 1,027 critic and player ratings.

The best Action game on Nintendo DS right now is Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow, with a critic score of 90/100 — updated November 2026.

How this ranking is built
  • Games are ranked on the aggregated critic score out of 100 imported from IGDB and Metacritic, never on Tier's own grades.
  • A game only enters the ranking with at least 30 external ratings, so a single enthusiastic review never outranks a proven classic.
  • Each game is ranked in one genre only, the one that defines it best, so the same title never tops two different genre charts.
  • Community grades from F to S are shown next to every game, and only stated as a fact above 5 Tier ratings.
  • Release window covered: 1970 to 2026.
  • 13 games are listed on this page, carrying 1,027 ratings between them.
  • Rankings are recomputed hourly; this one was last rebuilt on 13 November 2026.

Top 13

Played them? Give your tier with the + next to each game. No account needed to try — create one to keep your tiers.

01 Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow 2005 · 116 ratings Draw the correct magic seal quickly, or your enemies will never die! Fight and explore through one of the largest castles ever seen in the series! Race another player through custom-made castle rooms in versus mode! A year has passed since Soma Cruz discovered the evil of Dracula hidden inside his body. Now, a mysterious cult wants to release the power of the Lord of Darkness. As Soma, you must do everything in your power to stop them before it's too late. 90 /100
02 Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars 2009 · 181 ratings Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars is an entirely original entry into the critically acclaimed Grand Theft Auto series, and brings a new level of interactivity to its sprawling open environments. With the use of the DS touch screen, players navigate their way through the streets as they uncover the truth behind an epic tale of crime and corruption within the Triad crime syndicate, delivering the unprecedented amount of depth that has become a true trademark of the franchise. 89 /100
03 Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen 2009 · 38 ratings Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen is set a few years after the defeat of Megatron in the first game. The game is a linear third-person shooter that puts the player in control of many of the main characters from the movie, shifting between both Autobot and Decepticon factions. 93 /100
04 Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia 2008 · 95 ratings In the absence of the Holy Whip, those who live in fear of Dracula seek a replacement, which takes the form of the Order of Ecclesia, an organization that holds the secret to manipulating Glyphs. Shanoa, a young woman possessed with a unique ability to channel Glyphs, is chosen as our protector. This is her destiny and the story of the sacred Order of Ecclesia. Use the brand new Glyph system with over 100 different attack combinations to battle Dracula and his minions throughout 20 explorable areas! Take part in side quests and collect items to power up! Experience a gripping storyline featuring new characters! 85 /100
05 WarioWare: Touched! WarioWare: Touched! 2004 · 105 ratings Wario makes his debut on the Nintendo DS with hundreds of all-new minigames. Now you must complete your goals by using the touch screen and a stylus. Tap, scratch, and rub your stylus on the touch screen to play minigames that have you do everything from milking a cow and drawing a mustache to hurling stars at evil ninjas. You can even play some minigames by blowing into the DS's built-in microphone. The more minigames you clear, the more characters and items you unlock. The 3DS version was exclusively available for a few months in 2016 to My Nintendo members. 81 /100
06 Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin 2006 · 93 ratings Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin is a side-scrolling action RPG where you switch between two hunters, Jonathan Morris and Charlotte Aulin, to explore Dracula's castle and defeat the vampire Brauner. Set in 1944, Jonathan wields the Vampire Killer whip while Charlotte casts magic. You'll navigate eight painted worlds hidden within the castle, solve puzzles using each character's unique abilities, and acquire new skills and weapons. Your decisions determine which of multiple endings you receive. 80 /100
07 Mini Ninjas Mini Ninjas 2009 · 57 ratings · finished by 7% Mini Ninjas is a game that combines furious action with stealth and exploration for an experience that appeals to a wide audience across age groups and preferences. It’s an action-adventure with a strong focus on allowing the player freedom to explore the world and has the depth to allow for very varied gameplay and approaches to getting through the game. 77 /100
08 Pokémon Ranger: Guardian Signs Pokémon Ranger: Guardian Signs 2010 · 48 ratings The third installment in the action-packed Pokemon Ranger series lets players take on the role of a Pokemon Ranger tasked with protecting Pokemon, people and nature. With Ranger Signs to call powerful Pokemon, including Legendary Pokemon, and the addition of multiplayer missions, players investigate the nefarious actions of the Pokemon Pinchers, who have been disrupting the peace by chasing and catching Pokemon. 69 /100
09 G-Force: The Video Game G-Force: The Video Game 2009 · 57 ratings 61 /100
10 The Lord of the Rings: Conquest The Lord of the Rings: Conquest 2009 · 102 ratings Play as Evil characters in a brand new, 'Evil' campaign. Battle through scenarios after Frodo failed to destroy the One Ring; it's good to be bad! Battle online, in a co-op campaign or offline in split-screen. 60 /100
11 The Incredible Hulk A The Incredible Hulk 2008 · 42 ratings · 1 Tier vote 59 /100
12 Assassin's Creed Altaïr's Chronicles Assassin's Creed Altaïr's Chronicles 2008 · 38 ratings 58 /100
13 Pokémon Ranger: Shadows of Almia Pokémon Ranger: Shadows of Almia 2008 · 55 ratings 50 /100
Browse all the best Nintendo DS games

Other platforms

Best Action games on PCBest Action games on PlayStation 4Best Action games on PlayStation 3Best Action games on Xbox OneBest Action games on Xbox 360Best Action games on MacBest Action games on PlayStation 5Best Action games on PlayStation 2Best Action games on Nintendo SwitchBest Action games on Xbox Series X|SBest Action games on iOSBest Action games on Xbox

Same platform, other genres

Best Adventure games on Nintendo DSBest Arcade games on Nintendo DSBest Platformer games on Nintendo DSBest Puzzle games on Nintendo DSBest RPG games on Nintendo DSBest Strategy games on Nintendo DS

Nearby rankings

Best Action games of 2026Best Action games of 2025Best Action games of 2024Best Action games of 2023

Catalog statistics

Most abandoned gamesMost completed games

Frequently asked questions

What is the best Action game on Nintendo DS?

Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow currently tops the ranking with a score of 90/100 across 116 ratings. Ranking updated November 2026.

How is this ranking built?

Games are ranked on their aggregated critic score out of 100, with a minimum vote threshold so a single glowing review never outranks a proven classic; the Tier community's own F-to-S grades are shown alongside each game.