Play Viewtiful Joe - Double Trouble! (G) Online

Viewtiful Joe: Double Trouble! came out for the Nintendo DS in 2005, developed by Clover Studio. It was part of that early wave of DS titles that really tried to make use of both screens and the touch input, standing out among a lot of experimental and sometimes awkward attempts to harness the hardware. It felt like a genuine effort to bring the series' particular style to a portable, even if it wasn't quite the same as the home console games.

You control Joe, navigating side-scrolling levels to rescue his girlfriend Silvia from the clutches of another movie villain. The core of the game remains his VFX powers: slowing down time to dodge attacks and land precise hits, or speeding up to unleash furious combos. The DS's touch screen is used for new special moves, drawing symbols to activate screen-clearing attacks or solve environmental puzzles. The pacing is fast and demanding, with a difficulty that expects you to master both the traditional buttons and the stylus inputs. It feels like a slightly janky but earnest translation of the series' chaotic energy into a new form.