Play DJ Star (EXiMiUS) Online

DJ Star on the DS is one of those weird little gems that makes you wonder how they pulled it off on a handheld. You’ve got this tiny touchscreen acting like turntables—scratching, crossfading, and dropping beats with your stylus. At first, it feels a little awkward, like trying to eat soup with chopsticks, but after a few tracks, you start getting into the groove.

The song selection’s a mix of electronic and hip-hop, nothing too deep, but enough to mess around with. What’s cool is how the game layers effects and samples as you play, so even if you’re just randomly tapping, it somehow turns into something that sounds intentional. My left shoulder still tenses up when I think about nailing those combo scratches.

It’s not exactly a professional DJ simulator, but for something on the DS, it’s way more fun than it has any right to be. You’ll probably catch yourself bobbing your head while the person next to you on the bus stares.