I really thrive when playing Geometry Wars, using the d-pad to move and the touch screen to aim/shoot. I've never felt like it was anything less than my fault when I died (on the Phat at least; the diagonal movement issue on the Lite is a problem. Anyone know if this is getting fixed on the DSi?).

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I think Lock's Quest nails the controls quite right. Lock is directed using the touchscreen, but while dragging to move is supported, only clicking on the destination works even better for me. Then, assigning him tasks is only a matter of contextual clicking, which works really right in the middle of the action. Using the buttons to pan the overhead camera strains the hand a bit (which may be alleviated by resting the other side of the DS on a surface or one's lap), but I feel it's a good compromise if it would have otherwise made a full-stylus control scheme more complicated.

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I personally loved the controls for Final Fantasy III. None of that scrolling through spells and attacks with the cursor, you just picked the one you wanted on the touch screen and picked who or what to attack the same way.

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My favorite control scheme is the one for Mario Kart DS. Nothing really innovative, but works very well.

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probably the only good touch screen controls are in Phantom Hourglass.

It's true!

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My best DS exeprience is Zelda: Phantom Hourglass, a fully touch-playable game. It seems like Dragon Ball DS has the same type of control, can't wait to get it in english!

My worst DS experience is on right handed-only controls. There are a few, like those f***ing M3 firmwares or SnemulDS (scroll bar).
Make me want to kill a random right-handed coder.

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I have two favorites. The first is The World Ends With You. Each pin has its own way of activating with the stylus though sometimes I want to move the character and I use a pin instead. Also, I haven't quite mastered the use of the partner and the D-pad yet.

The other game is and old forgotten one titled Lost Magic. You play a young wizard who has to save everybody and you have to use use magic spells by drawing a symbol on the touch screen. There are 18 different symbols that you learn through the game and you can one, two or three of them in any combination. There is a total of 360 pells in the game. The only flaw is that every battle in the game is limited to 5 minutes which you see counting down. That is why I havn't beaten the final boss yet because she is tough an 5 min has not been long enough.

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I would say any of the games where they've gone with whatever control scheme best suited the game. Normal button controls are perfect for New Super Mario Bros and Mario Kart DS, etc. touch-screen controls are perfect for Nintendogs, Wario Ware Touched, etc.

Conversely, the game I'm playing at moment is Zelda: Phantom Hourglass and though I'm prepared to get used to it, so far I hate it. It's clearly a great game, but unfortunately trapped in a horrible control scheme that's awkward, uncomfortable and gimmicky. For one thing it's pretty hard to enjoy a game when a large part of the screen is obscured by your hand. It may be novel for non-gamers, but there's no way anyone can tell me that it's better than traditional button controls and whilste playing it I long for the accurate, comfortable, tactile, sensory pleasures of normal button controls. Controlling Zelda with a pen just doesn't do it for me. It's such a shame that Nintendo would sacrifice perfect control and compromise such a beloved gaming franchise for the sake of non-gamers. Very sad indeed.

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I haven't played any games that had really, really bad control schemes. Most games have decent control schemes.

My only complaint is with games that force you to use the stylus. Magical Starsign is one such game. It had brilliant touch controls, but why, oh why, were you forced to use the stylus and not the buttons? It made no sense.

I really like the stylus in Summon Night Twin Age, as well. It feels a lot like playing a PC game with a mouse. It's nice.

But nothing has really been outstanding, which isn't bad, I'm more worried about the AWFUL controls. The worst I've experienced so far is Rune Factory, which isn't bad, just hideously complex (EVERY. SINGLE. BUTTON. Has 4 different uses. Good lord.).

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Geometry Wars and metroid prime. Also I want to just say, why are the not any good first person shooters like metroid prime? We know its possible because of the release of metroid prime,.. so what is the hold up? Are you really just letting all of you FPS fans move over to PSP? I really dont like RPG's (turn based especially) and than seems to be every other title that comes out for the NDS. I'm just saying they need to produce more games along the lines of metroid prime, I would buy them. I really feel like nintendo think a majority of its users are like 5 yrs old. 3d not 2d, use those 2 processors for something other than just a fancy spec sheet.

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both of the existing castlevania ds titles pleased me. soul bubbles and n+ are controlled nicely.

the legend of kage 2 fails, although im early in the game and im hoping some upgrades will help.

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Most controls have been good; there has not been a game where I hated the controls, if there were such a game, it would probably have been long since traded in. The closest I've gotten to playing with awful controls was in Harvest Moon: Island of Happiness. The controls are awesome, but it takes an hour or two to get accustomed to them. And in that hour or two, you are hopeless cursing Natsume for using stylus based gameplay.

I will praise both Animal Crossing and Phoenix Wright for the use of optional touch-screen controls. Switching between the two control schemes is so simple and easy that it adds to the experience of both games. Especially if I am in a mood to play AC using only the stylus one day, while the next I feel like using the buttons. Having more then one control scheme is good, it lets you use the one your most comfortable with.

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Wow, I'm surprised no one has mentioned Ninja Gaiden yet. Definitely toe to toe with Phantom Hourglass as the best "touch screen only" game on the DS.

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