Assassin’s Creed: Altair’s Chronicles on DS is one of those handheld ports that actually holds up. You’re still Altair, climbing rooftops and stabbing templars, but the controls are surprisingly tight for a tiny screen—swipe attacks with the stylus, counter moves with timed button presses. The cities feel cramped compared to the console versions, but sneaking through Damascus’ back alleys still has that classic AC vibe.

Combat’s a mix of quick slashes and dodges, and yeah, you’ll fail a few counters before getting the rhythm down. The puzzles are simple but break up the action nicely—mostly lever-pulling and the occasional “how do I sneak past these guards?” moment. Not as deep as Brotherhood, but for a DS game? Way better than it had any right to be.

If you’ve got a soft spot for early AC or just want something action-heavy for your commute, this one’s worth dusting off the old DS for.