Okamiden Nds Best »
The DS hardware struggles. The frame rate chugs when too many enemies appear. The camera is fixed (no free rotation), leading to occasional frustration. And if you haven’t played the original Ōkami , the story references will feel confusing.
However, this adaptation came with technical trade-offs. The Nintendo DS lacked the processing power of the PlayStation 2, resulting in reduced draw distances and lower-polygon character models. Despite these constraints, the art direction compensated effectively. The developers utilized a cel-shaded aesthetic that mimicked the thick, ink-outlined look of the original. While the world was smaller in scale, the visual fidelity of the brush strokes remained intact, proving that the artistic identity of the series was rooted in style rather than raw graphical fidelity.
Upon release, Okamiden received generally positive reviews. Critics praised the touchscreen implementation, noting that it made the Celestial Brush mechanics feel "right" for the first time. The game was nominated for "Best DS Game" at the 2010 Spike Video Game Awards and won "Best Adventure Game" on the DS from IGN.
The DS was the perfect home for this franchise. The Celestial Brush— Ōkami ’s mechanic where you pause the game and draw symbols on screen to create wind, bombs, or restore nature—translates flawlessly to the DS’s stylus. okamiden nds
Players use the stylus to draw lines for the "Power Slash," circles to make trees bloom, or loops to create wind.
For DS owners, it remains one of the most creative uses of the dual screens and stylus. It proves that even a “lesser” Ōkami game is still a work of art.
Let’s be honest: Ōkami was a massive, 40+ hour epic on home consoles. Ōkamiden is a handheld game from 2010. Adjust your expectations. The DS hardware struggles
The core appeal of Okamiden lies in how it utilizes the Nintendo DS hardware. The series' signature mechanic, which allows players to pause time and draw symbols to affect the world, is perfectly suited for the DS touchscreen.
| Feature | Ōkami (PS2/HD) | Ōkamiden (NDS) | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | | 30–40 hours | 12–15 hours | | World | Fully 3D, open fields | Top-down, corridor-like zones | | Graphics | Cel-shaded watercolor 4:3 | Chibi, pixel-art 3D on dual screens | | Difficulty | Moderate | Easier (aimed at younger players) | | Music | Orchestral, sweeping | Catchy MIDI-style tracks |
Ōkamiden is a direct story sequel to the original Ōkami . You no longer play as the sun goddess Amaterasu (the white wolf). Instead, you control —a small, adorable puppy sun god born after Amaterasu saved the world. And if you haven’t played the original Ōkami
Enjoyed this post? Check out our reviews of other hidden gems on the Nintendo DS, like The World Ends With You and Solatorobo.
The level design encourages verticality and compact puzzle-solving. While the world map mimics the layout of the first game, it acts more as a dungeon crawler than an open-world exploration. This structural change makes the game more accessible to a younger demographic, aligning with the younger protagonist and the target audience of the Nintendo DS.