One of Square Enix’s Best RPGs Ever Was a Nintendo DS Exclusive

Square Enix is known for some of the best RPGs in gaming, but few players know about a particular Nintendo DS game that stands out even among these. It was released exclusively for the Nintendo DS, taking advantage of the bold experiments Nintendo had made with the portable console. While many developers were creating intricate puzzles or charming platforming games, Square Enix opted to create an innovative and stylish RPG that was bold and unique. But despite the game’s brilliance, it never took off compared to other series in the studio’s portfolio.

First released in 2007 for the Nintendo DS, The World Ends With You isn’t just one of the best RPGs on the console, but one of Square’s finest works yet. It was created by the same team that worked on Kingdom Hearts and deviated from typical designs like Square’s and Disney’s collaborative title. But for all its innovation and success, it saw little love outside a sequel and rerelease years later, which is a shame considering the potential it had.

The World Ends With You’s Bold Art Style & Gameplay

The first time I played The World Ends With You, I knew I was in for a treat. It was so different, primarily because of its graffiti-inspired art style that exploded with bold lines and vivid colors. The stylized RPG ditched the classic swords and sorcery I was used to in favor of a stylized and modern Tokyo that felt so alive. Despite the limitations of the Nintendo DS, Square Enix managed to create a game that just popped. Layered backgrounds, comic-style dialogue, and kinetic animation immediately caught my attention and had me hooked.

But The World Ends With You wasn’t just a visual delight—it redefined what I thought an action RPG should be. The main mechanic was controlling two characters at once using the stylus and D-pad, with one appearing on the top and bottom screens of the Nintendo DS. This resulted in a fast-paced, rhythmically chaotic combat system requiring coordination, creativity, and strategy. Square Enix cleverly used the stylus and the DS’s aspects for combat, like hurling fireballs or slashing with lightning through stylus movements, and combined this with fashion and trend-inspired parameters that influenced combat effectiveness.

Even stranger was the leveling system. TWEWY allowed you to intentionally lower your level, giving you a risk vs. reward system. This would let you earn better drops at the risk of failing due to the increased challenge. This design choice mirrored the theme of self-discovery and humility that was prevalent in the game. It also encouraged experimentation, as I had to learn when I could risk lowering my level alongside already experimenting in combat.

A Story About Life, Death, and the Fear of Connection

Gameplay wasn’t the only reason I loved The World Ends With You. Beneath its stylish appearance was a heartwarming and impactful story typical of Square Enix’s work. At the time, I resonated with the protagonist, Neku Sakuraba, a sullen teenager living in Tokyo. He awakes with no memory, discovering that he is dead and trapped in the mysterious Reapers’ Game. This unfolds across seven days in which Neku must survive a series of deadly challenges alongside other lost souls.

It begins as a mystery and gradually evolves into an exploration of identity and human connection, an experience that had a profound impact on me. Neku begins as an introverted, cynical loner, but eventually opens up, trusting others and learning to live meaningfully. His companions are the catalyst for this transformation: the upbeat Shiki, enigmatic Joshua, and hotheaded Beat are just some of the characters responsible for Neku’s character development. Square Enix told a powerful coming-of-age story at a time when I needed it most, and TWEWY stays with me today because of that.

Even now, the writing still feels sharp and timeless. It doesn’t romanticize youth or urban life. It reflects it, showing the anxiety, rebellion, desire for purpose, and lack of identity. The setting wasn’t just for looks or an aesthetic; it symbolized the chaos and beauty of human relationships. Everything about the game was designed to lead into this central theme—side quests, conversations, and the soundtrack all worked individually and as a part of the whole.

Why Square Enix Never Made It a True Franchise

Given its critical acclaim at the time, it baffles me how Square Enix never turned The World Ends With You into a regular franchise. It could have rivaled the likes of Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy, but it never received the same attention. Sure, it received a rerelease on the Nintendo Switch and a sequel, NEO: The World Ends With You, but these came far too late to capitalize on the first game’s success. Not only this, but the sequel was just missing something: that spark that made The World Ends With You work.

Part of this is timing. The World Ends With You was released at the end of the Nintendo DS’s life, and while the 3DS was similar, it would have meant rebuilding the game from the ground up. Square likely didn’t see it as worth the effort, considering its expectations for its games. Aside from this, TWEWY was lightning in a bottle. It was released at precisely the right time, giving its art, music, narrative, and innovation the perfect audience. By the time the sequel was released, the industry had changed, and while it maintains a small, passionate following, it never quite reached the appeal that Square’s other series did.

Still, for those who played it, TWEWY remains one of the great RPGs in Square Enix’s library and on the Nintendo DS. It was contemporary when many other developers were playing it safe, and it showed deep emotion in a personal narrative. Its individuality appealed to me and so many others instantly. More than fifteen years later, The World Ends With You remains one of Square’s boldest experiments, and nothing would make me happier to see a third game in the series released.

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