Pokémon Ranger: Shadows of Almia is one of those DS games that actually makes great use of the touchscreen—none of that lazy "tap to confirm" stuff. You’re a ranger, so instead of throwing Pokéballs, you’re drawing loops around wild Pokémon with the stylus to calm them down. Sounds simple, but some of them put up a serious fight, dodging and attacking while you scramble to keep the line unbroken.

The story’s got more meat to it than I expected, too. You start off as a rookie ranger taking on small jobs, but pretty soon you’re uncovering shady corporate schemes and dealing with legendary Pokémon going berserk. The pacing’s solid—no endless tutorials, just a quick intro and then you’re out in the field.

Oh, and the partner Pokémon system? Way more fun than I thought. You pick one early on (I went with Pachirisu because, well, look at it), and they actually help in battles instead of just sitting there. Definitely a hidden gem if you’re tired of the usual Pokémon formula.