Are Any Nintendo DS Systems Still Being Produced in 2024?

As a life-long Nintendo fan and gaming industry analyst, I get this question a lot – and the short answer is no. Nintendo ceased worldwide production of the entire Nintendo DS family, including the DS, DS Lite, DSi and DSi XL, back in 2014.

The discontinuation came a few years after the 2011 launch of the DS‘s successor – the Nintendo 3DS. By 2014, Nintendo was focused squarely on driving the future of its handheld gaming business through the Nintendo 3DS line.

But while DS hardware manufacturing has ended, the legacy and impact of the Nintendo DS product line persists to this day. Let‘s take a nostalgic trip down memory lane to explore why the Nintendo DS was such a breakout success in its heyday, the many great games still worth revisiting, and what the future may hold for one of gaming‘s most innovative platforms.

The Staggering Success of the Nintendo DS Family

The Nintendo DS family makes up the highest-selling handheld gaming consoles of all time, with over 154 million systems sold during its historic 9-year run. To put that into perspective, the runaway success of Sony‘s PlayStation 2, which is the top-selling home console ever, sits at 155 million units. So the popularity of DS truly was remarkable.

Nintendo massively expanded the handheld gaming market with the original DS in 2004. It attracted new casual players with intuitive touchscreen controls and games that appealed to all ages like Brain Age and Nintendogs. The 2006 DS Lite slimmed down the form factor while the later DSi models added cameras and better online connectivity.

But even with each hardware revision, third-party developer and fan support of the platform continued growing. The system‘s game library swelled to nearly 1,800 titles covering established Nintendo series like Pokemon and new breakout IP like Cooking Mama. By blending console-like game experiences with on-the-go portability and mainstream appeal, the Nintendo DS product line cemented itself as a landmark achievement in gaming history.

Has Nintendo Moved Beyond DS for Good?

With such stunning success, why didn‘t Nintendo simply keep the DS line going? The reality is that by 2010, technology had advanced rapidly since the original DS launched back in 2004. Smartphones were also rising fast, presenting fresh competition in mobile gaming.

Nintendo knew it needed to shake things up to capture people‘s interest and maintain its leadership in handheld gaming hardware and content. This strategic thinking gave birth to the Nintendo 3DS in 2011 as the next generation successor.

However, that transition did not play out smoothly. The 3DS stumbled out the gate with lackluster sales – its 3D visual gimmick struggled to attract an audience already accustomed to regular 2D screens and rising smartphone gaming. To turn things around, Nintendo had to slash 3DS prices in 2011 and redouble software efforts.

Fast forward to today in 2024, and the 3DS looks modestly successful with around 75 million lifetime sales before its discontinuation in 2020. But comparisons to the blockbuster DS generation made its run seem underwhelming. With the subsequent success of the Switch bridging Nintendo‘s portable and home console gaming businesses, further investing in another dedicated handheld line no longer made strategic sense.

So while individual DS games live on through occasional remakes or re-releases on Switch and elsewhere, the DS/3DS handheld hardware era has likely come to a close for Nintendo.

The Enduring Legacy of Nintendo DS Games

The Nintendo DS game library showcased an incredible breadth of innovative and unforgettable gaming experiences across a myriad of genres:

• Whimsical adventures like New Super Mario Bros

• Compelling touchscreen gameplay in Cooking Mama

• Fitness inspiration from Brain Age

• The social joy of Animal Crossing: Wild World

• Retro RPG goodness via Chrono Trigger DS

• Tactical mayhem with Advance Wars: Dual Strike

And so many more all-time classics!

The unique dual screen and touch input of DS hardware enabled developers to craft games impossible on other platforms. And many of these titles remain every bit as entertaining over a decade later.

As long as used DS game copies continue circulating, their magic can live on. But hardware degradation issues will inevitably rear their head given another 10-20 years. So for the true archival preservation of DS games, the onus is on Nintendo to consider re-releases, compilations, or remasters for modern platforms.

Thankfully, we’ve seen someSelection of classic DS games find renewed life recently on Nintendo Switch, iOS, and PC platforms:

• Chrono Trigger
• Advance Wars
• Ninja Gaiden Dragon Sword
• The World Ends with You

And with the stunning success of last year’s Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl remakes on Switch, hopes remain high for more DS era classics to receive modern revivals down the road.

Only time will tell when or whether we’ll ever see a proper succession plan from Nintendo to preserve its valuable DS gaming history for decades to come. But one thing remains clear – the Nintendo DS product line made an immeasurable impact by capturing our imaginations, hearts, and daily gaming time for nearly an entire decade.

Even as we move further beyond the DS hardware lifespan, I’ll continue proudly sporting my DS Lite consoles and recommending generation-spanning masterpieces to fellow gamers interested in exploring one of gaming’s finest eras. The magic of DS won’t be disappearing anytime soon!

Let me know which Nintendo DS games still shine brightest for you even today, and what hopes you have for the future of DS content preservation. I always love swapping opinions with fellow gamers who recognize the very special place Nintendo DS games hold in our gaming memories.