Play Blue Dragon - Awakened Shadow (EU) Online

Game Overview

Blue Dragon - Awakened Shadow is one of those DS RPGs that somehow flew under the radar, which is a shame because it's got this weird charm to it. You start off with your shadow creature (basically a living tattoo that fights for you) and immediately get thrown into a world that feels like a Saturday morning anime—bright colors, dramatic villains, the whole deal.

The combat's surprisingly tactical for a handheld game. You're constantly switching between your character and their shadow mid-battle, timing attacks to break enemy defenses. I remember getting wrecked by the first boss until I realized you can't just button-mash here. The skill tree's a bit overwhelming at first, but once you figure out how to mix physical and magic builds, your shadow starts pulling off ridiculous combos.

What really stuck with me was the co-op mode—you can actually team up with friends' characters via local play, which was rare for DS RPGs. Just don't expect deep storytelling; it's more about the flashy fights and experimenting with different shadow forms. If you ever wanted a portable RPG that plays like a faster-paced Final Fantasy with monster-collecting elements, this is it.