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Disgaea DS

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9.1 User Score:

Generally favorable reviews

Based on 32 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

Based on 11 votes
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Game Info

Publisher: NIS America

Developer: NIS

Genre(s): Role-Playing Game

Players: 2

ESRB Rating: T (Teen)

Release Date: September 23, 2008

Summary

Completely remade to take advantage of Nintendo DS, Disgaea DS offers a deep strategy RPG experience with an exceptional story, a fantastic script, and a host of loveable characters and settings. An all-new story focus means a completely different experience for the player, not to mention a brand new ending. Geo Cubes add special effects to the battlefield, completely shifting the balance in the blink of an eye. Using local wireless multiplayer support, take your friends on in grand battles of strategy and wit – or try different modes like Defeat the Leader and Capture the Flag. With support for touch screen control and excellent of use of the two Nintendo DS screens, Disgaea has never played better. [NIS America]

Cheat Codes & Hints: Cheat Code Central

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

Worth Playing

This really, truly is Disgaea, stripped of its stationary roots and shoved onto a tiny cartridge without missing a step. Everything about this title will appeal to the gamer who's been intrigued by the strategy genre, but been too put off by how dire and dramatic it can be.

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Game Chronicles

Simply amazing.

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Nintendojo

Regardless of Disgaea DS’s unbridled insanity, Nippon Ichi deserves a lot of credit for squeezing such a sizeable game into such a small package.

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IGN

If I were stranded on an island with my DS and just one game, this would be it.

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Pocket Gamer UK

Disgaea DS is one of the finest strategy titles in existence - strategy role-playing fans should snap it up immediately.

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Vandal Online

Disgaea finally arrives to Nintendo DS, in a game promising hours and hours of fun for tactic RPG fans, with an adventure that without doubt is within the best of its genre.

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Official Nintendo Magazine UK

It would be a crime if only hardcore gamers enjoyed this. The deepest game on DS, full stop.

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RPG Fan

If you've never played it before, you've been missing out on a game that combines addictive, deep gameplay with a good plot and a great sense of humor.

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GameZone

Solid tactical experience that will provide hours upon hours of a play time.

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Extreme Gamer

Disgaea is one of the most original and fun tactical role-playing games ever released; and now Nintendo DS owners get a chance to experience the joy of Disgaea that made it a cult hit.

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Meristation

Laharl, the Prince of the Netherworld, has been asleep for two years. when he wake up, his vassall Etna tells him that his father is dead... after choking with a cookie. And this is just on of the most hilarious moments that will give you Disgaea DS. It also has an amazing gameplay that takes the SRPG premise and make it a whole new thing, more complex, deep and unique. Disgaea was one of the best PS2 games -- It later became a PSP must have, and now, it's happening the same on the DS version: if you like the genre, don't doubt it.

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ZTGameDomain

Disgaea DS is probably the most feature-rich experience currently on the system.

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Gamer 2.0

If you still haven’t gotten into the Disgaea series, now is the time especially with the $30 price tag because you get a lot more than what you’re paying for.

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NGamer UK

A unique game that will either stay in your cartridge slot forever or be thrown out with tomorrow's trash depending on your taste. There's just nothing else quite like it. [Dec 2008, p.77]

Games Master UK

There are no instant thrills here, but there's a deep and pure numbers game for aficionados. [May 2009, p.68]

SpazioGames

Quotation forthcoming.

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Cheat Code Central

Disgaea DS is an SPRG-fan's dream; it's got incredible customization options, the potential for hundreds of hours of gameplay, and a unique and varied job system.

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GamePro

If you haven't picked up a copy of Disgaea previously, be sure to give the DS version a try. [Oct 2008, p.93]

Game Informer

This is a slightly inferior version of an awesome game, which makes it a pretty good offering on Nintendo's handheld. [Oct 2008, p.115]

Games Radar (in-house)

Don’t make this the third time you passed on Disgaea. NIS is running out of systems to port to.

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GameSpot

Disgaea DS is a delightfully evil strategy RPG with enough depth (and prinnies) to entertain you for ages.

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Kombo

With the core gameplay intact and every key element that makes the game a pleasure still there, this is a solid DS pickup.

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Teletext GameCentral

It may be the third time round, but the best ever strategy role-player works very well on dual screens.

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AceGamez

If you're looking for the baddest handheld grind-fest this side of Handheld Meat Grinder 4, then this is the game for you. If you're looking for a game with a great story, awesome characters and battles that you can fit in the space of a bus journey then this is the game for you too.

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Total Video Games

A joy for the hardcore to behold.

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Cubed3

The amount of content included in Disgaea DS is staggering. Not only are the game's core mechanics solid, innovative, and insanely addictive, but there's enough post-game content to consume hundreds of hours of your life if you so desire.

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D+PAD Magazine

It’s arguable that the PSP version is still the definitive PAL release, but the DS version doesn’t lag far behind. Such a niche title is a rare treasure on Nintendo’s handheld, serving as a meticulously hardcore game on a device where such games are becoming increasingly scarce.

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Nintendo Power

If you haven't played it and strategy RPGs are your thing, though, it's hard to get much better than this. [Oct 2008, p.88]

GameShark

Disgaea DS throws the title onto a new platform, but it loses none of what made it so excellent in the first place. The gameplay is still deep and addicting, the story and subsequent writing are still fantastic, and the characters are some of the most memorable in recent RPGs.

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Hardcore Gamer Magazine

If you've already played through another version, there’s enough extras to make the purchase entertaining; if you've never played Disgaea before, this is a great place to start.

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Gaming Nexus

Disgaea on DS is still a solid adventure and it works great in a portable medium, but again the limited DS cart size has caused the game to lose some of its audio and graphical fidelity in exchange for touch sensitive controls which are for the most part serviceable.

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1UP

Unfortunately, such a light-hearted plot doesn't seem like a suitable reward for the grueling strategic depth of the combat.

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What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this game is 9.1 (out of 10) based on 11 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Jesus H gave it a10:
I love this games is really funny, but the real reason I writte this is because theres a mistake in one of your scores, Meristation give it a grade of 8.5 not 5, even in the link in the page the 8.5 score appears. Please try to amend this, because I love this game and is really sad when the meta score is afected by this kind of mistake

[Anonymous] gave it a7:
Disgaea feels out of place on the DS. The core game is there, and its still fun, however the limitations of the DS show. Having played both the PSP and the DS versions I have to recommend Disgaea PSP. The visuals and sound are much higher quality, and to be honest, the touch controls (while functional) don't really work well enough for my tastes. PSP also offers faster load times (somehow) and the actual suspend mode which can keep your charge for weeks if you're not playing (very nice for when you're away from home and don't have your charger, your battery goes to playing the game rather than the halfway suspend.) That said, the bonus features of the DS version have me a little envious. I'd love to see it show up as DLC for the PSP. I'd also kill for cross-platform multiplayer. Bottom line: Get Disgaea DS if you don't have a PSP or if you plan on playing with friends that only have a DS. Getting both will only make you lament the missing parts of the other.

Bartosz B. gave it a9:
Just to be short: addictive game-play, great plot, awesome sense of humor (a scene where Etna made Prinnies work, made my heart cry), feel of being EVIL and the only quirk is the video/sound lower quality, but still it doesn't ruin the game. Buy it, if you don't own it (yet)!

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Disgaea DS

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Summary

What The Critics Said

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