Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Darkness is one of those DS games that just sticks with you. You wake up as a Pokémon—no trainer, no explanation—just you and some weird amnesia. The personality quiz at the start is kinda goofy (I got stuck as a Totodile my first run), but it sets the tone for a story that’s way deeper than you’d expect from a dungeon crawler.

Dungeons are turn-based, so every step counts, especially when you’re low on apples and some wild Pokémon decides to corner you. Teaming up with others is the real charm—your partner Pokémon actually feels like a friend, not just some AI sidekick. And yeah, the story gets surprisingly emotional for a game about little monsters crawling through caves.

If you like dungeon RPGs with actual heart, this one’s a solid pick. Just don’t blame me when you get attached to your team.