In a perfect world, all handheld games would be easily affordable. We all know the world isn't perfect, but that doesn't mean there aren't DS games so good that their price tag seems downright paltry.

DS - Best Value

Pokémon: Diamond & Pearl

How long did I play this game? Oh, that’s right. Six months straight. Trying to "catch ‘em all" became a sick addiction, but by the time I had raised three effective battle teams, caught all four hundred-and-something Pokémon, and was able to fight off the Elite Four in my sleep, I was happy to quit. It’s not every day that a game like Pokémon: Diamond & Pearl comes along and sinks its Pika-teeth into you with such zeal. I've got more play time from one cheap DS game that out of all my Wii games combined so far! If you’re looking to maximize playtime for your dollar, it doesn’t get much better than Pokémon Diamond/Pearl.

Runner-up: Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords

Puzzle Quest is similar to playing round after round of Bejeweled, with the added goal of defeating your opponent by draining their lifebar before yours is gone. This can be done by connecting three skull gems or collecting enough of the normal colored mana gems to cast spells to inhibit your enemy. Since it's turn-based, extra turns are awarded for connecting four or more gems. You must make sure that falling gems don't line up in a way that's good for your opponent, so a strategic element comes into play.

Besides the gameplay being addictive in its own right, the main quest has you traveling to map locations, defeating creatures, training, collecting items, and helping others with their quests. Puzzle Quest is astoundingly long, and even after months of play you most likely will not see the end. In addition to all of this, the game offers extra modes such as citadel-building, spell learning, rune creation, creature capture, and city capture. There's plenty to keep you occupied.