Has there been a better looking full 3d game on the DS than Super Mario 64 DS?

[Rotanibor]

Now I'm not just talking about any game that uses a fixed camera angle with 3d models (2.5d platformers come to mind as well as topdown RPGs). I'm talking a full on 3d platformer or action game where you can move in all 3 dimensions and have camera control and that shit. When I first got the DS, I got a free copy of Super Mario 64 with it and thought 'well this isn't so bad. If this is the standard for 3d games on the DS, I'm good to go'. But as you know, everything that came out on the DS in 3d just looked like complete shit, and and not many things matched this launch title.

So I gave up on 3d action games on the DS. Was anything better looking actually released, or did we top out right at the start?

For reference:
http://img268.imageshack.us/img268/1165/mario64ds1.jpg http://img12.imageshack.us/img12/4459/mario64ds3.jpg http://img10.imageshack.us/img10/3074/mario64ds4.jpg
http://img10.imageshack.us/img10/4515/mario64ds5.jpg http://img528.imageshack.us/img528/4476/mario64ds7.jpg http://img10.imageshack.us/img10/8131/mario64ds8.jpg
http://img268.imageshack.us/img268/1456/mario64ds2.jpg http://img268.imageshack.us/img268/9500/mario64ds6.jpg

[Hive]

Now I'm not just talking about any game that uses a fixed camera angle with 3d models (2.5d platformers come to mind as well as topdown RPGs). I'm talking a full on 3d platformer or action game where you can move in all 3 dimensions and have camera control and that shit.

then you may want to change the thread title to "Is there a better looking 3D platformer for the DS than SM64 DS?"

You couldn't have found nastier screens to demonstrate your point, btw.

[Rotanibor]

Actually I checked though a lot of pictures and those were the best of the bunch. It still looks bad 3d if you want to compare it to other things, but I would have found it suitable for a handheld.

And I don't specifically mean platformer. There are a number of FPS on the DS of a quality I am unaware.

[Jiggy]

My first thought was that Mario Kart DS looked great in motion, but I watched a video to remind myself and out went that conception. Then I thought of Metroid Prime Hunters, which I never played (except its demo) but heard people praising; I watched a video of that too and I don't think it stacks up.

For such a seemingly small-scale question to start a topic off with, it's really made me think. And believe me, I'm no fan of any 32-bit-era 3D--not just for DS, but also N64 and PSX. Maybe what makes Super Mario 64 and SM64DS work and hold up where others don't is their simplicity.

For example, in your shots we've got checkerboard floor tiles and fairly plain grass and those work out great, while the shot with the wooden floor and the goomba king aimed for more complexity and look kind of messy as a consequence.

[Iam Canadian]

Well, Mario Kart has never really looked good, whatever the iteration. And honestly, that's fine by me as long as they can achieve good framerates.

As for Metroid Prime: Hunters, I suppose it looks good from a technical standpoint, but DS 3D does not serve the Metroid art style well at all.

In the end, it might just come down to effort; Nintendo needed to impress with Super Mario 64 DS, so they put a lot of work into the graphics. Other companies don't seem to feel that need. Besides, even though it's not an action game, Dragon Quest IX looks about as good as DS 3D can ever be expected to look.

The simpler and more stylized the graphics, the better the DS can handle them in 3D. Of course, developers should just be making 2D games, but the industry doesn't listen to me, sadly.

[Rotanibor]

My first thought was that Mario Kart DS looked great in motion, but I watched a video to remind myself and out went that conception. Then I thought of Metroid Prime Hunters, which I never played (except its demo) but heard people praising; I watched a video of that too and I don't think it stacks up.

For such a seemingly small-scale question to start a topic off with, it's really made me think. And believe me, I'm no fan of any 32-bit-era 3D--not just for DS, but also N64 and PSX. Maybe what makes Super Mario 64 and SM64DS work and hold up where others don't is their simplicity.

For example, in your shots we've got checkerboard floor tiles and fairly plain grass and those work out great, while the shot with the wooden floor and the goomba king aimed for more complexity and look kind of messy as a consequence.

I thought of Mario Kart as well. It does actually look better and clearer in some places than Mario 64, but racing games tend to have extra power they can put towards stuff like that, because they don't have to worry about whats being displayed over the hill or wall just off the track. I have the demo as well which I think I may pop into my DS in a moment to see what thats like.

Believe me, I know what you mean about the 32/64 bit era being a bust for 3d. Mario 64 and a VERY FEW select other full 3d games hold up today. That generation was very odd, in that it immediately topped out with Mario 64 there as well. In controls and graphics.

You're right that the simplicity does make a big difference. Though I think part of the problem with those wooden planks is just the viewing angle makes it even more jaggie. Though the main reason I posted that screen was for the Goomboss, which I thought looks pretty good. But part of the reason I like Mario 64 DS, is that the character models themselves look pretty damn good in motion, besides some texture issues. They improved those a LOT over the original Mario 64.

Well, Mario Kart has never really looked good, whatever the iteration. And honestly, that's fine by me as long as they can achieve good framerates.

As for Metroid Prime: Hunters, I suppose it looks good from a technical standpoint, but DS 3D does not serve the Metroid art style well at all.

In the end, it might just come down to effort; Nintendo needed to impress with Super Mario 64 DS, so they put a lot of work into the graphics. Other companies don't seem to feel that need. Besides, even though it's not an action game, Dragon Quest IX looks about as good as DS 3D can ever be expected to look.

The simpler and more stylized the graphics, the better the DS can handle them in 3D. Of course, developers should just be making 2D games, but the industry doesn't listen to me, sadly.

Yeah, pushing did seem pretty big at the start of the DS life. The problem was that nobody else besides Nintendo seemed to have any idea how to do that. Now a days they seemed to have settled nicely back into mostly 2d stuff.

I really wouldn't mind though some more 3d games like this, if they were all just as good as Mario 64 DS. The d-pad, especially the DSlite one which isn't as clickie as the original DS d-pad, works way better than I ever imagined it would. I can barely tell I'm not using an analog stick sometimes.

Dragon Quest IX probably will be the forefront of DS 3d. If that doesn't push it to new heights, nothing will.

[Hive]

Mario Kart DS is probably the most attractive-looking version.

Mario Kart DS > Mario Kart 64 > Mario Kart SNES > Mario Kart GC > Mario Kart Wii > Mario Kart GBA

[AzureJericho]

Hmm, this is actually a very interesting thought. I think IamCanadian picked the best response to the question when he mentioned that Dragon Quest IX having some great DS 3D. It's mostly about the art aesthetics to jive with the limited hardware in that case, but it really does pay off, especially looking at the newest bunch of screen shots for it.

I also thought that The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass (and to a lesser extent, segments of Spirit Tracks released to the media) also had a great use of DS 3D.

...and I fail magnificently for not remembering the part about no fixed camera/top down RPG 3D DS games. (Sorry, the sleepiness got to me! XD)

[Hive]

Does Picross 3D count? lol

It looks fantastic compared to Super Mario 64 DS, which had too much pixelation in its 3D models..

[Keiosquad2]

For me Mario 64 was a given, as one of the launch titles it should be at least able to match a 64 in 3D. But the first time I was impressed by the 3d of the ds, was with mariokart. Even though there is nothing really complex about the models, its the lack of glitches that even the n64 had problems with that impress the most.

For one thing, There is no pop in what so ever in the game.....Psx, saturn, N64, hell even dreamcast couldn't do that. The game runs at a no slowdown 60fps.....as most games do on the ds, and that made me say hole crap!! People may think ds 3d is ugly, but I think its charming, and it does so much with so little that it truly impresses me when I see games like The FF remakes, dragon quest monsters joker and IX, nostalgia, and Blood of Bahamut. I love my ds.....

[AzureJericho]

Oh, I also just remembered another game that could potentially be the best of DS 3D, Ninokuni: The Another World by Level-5 & Studio Ghibli.

[Rotanibor]

Oh, I also just remembered another game that could potentially be the best of DS 3D, Ninokuni: The Another World by Level-5 & Studio Ghibli.

Isn't that a 2d game?

[AzureJericho]

Nah, it's pre-rendered 3D environments with polygonal models. I need to look up the specifics honestly so take this as a half confirmation.

[Hive]

Nah, it's pre-rendered 3D environments with polygonal models. I need to look up the specifics honestly so take this as a half confirmation.

ah?? wow, i totally thought Ninokuni was 2D as well..

[Rotanibor]

Well first off, we need pics. And second off, if its a typical birds eye view RPG, it doesn't exactly fit the criteria I had previously set. I'll hold off judgement until I sees it though!

[rpmurphy]

Cop: The Recruit looks to be a pretty good looking 3D DS game. Character models not as good though, since they're doing a GTA-type game with realistic looks & whatnot.

[Hive]

http://i45.tinypic.com/2wgchno.jpg