Here are some of my favorites by category. These are the ones I feel have appeal for adults, and are really good and fun to play.
I don't like a lot of the just plain ports from the PC, as the graphics suffer so much and the hidden objects become muddled. Cate West gives me a headache on the DS. More and more of the BFG featured games are being ported as well: Escape the Museum, Samantha Swift, Dream Chronicles, etc., so we'll have to see how they fare.
I'd love to hear from anyone else, and I'll be glad to add details about any game if anyone has any questions.
PuzzleProfessor Layton and the Curious Village
Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box
Touch Detective
Touch Detective 2 1/2
Shaun the Sheep
Neves
(Disney is also starting a lovely little whole family series with the already released Disney's A Christmas Carol, which has a built-in advent calendar, and the upcoming Alice in Wonderland in March, 2010. These are not the "for small children" platform/action games of their movies like Princess and the Frog, but actual puzzle games for everyone.)
Hidden Object (Specifically made or tailored for DS-not just ports)
Chronicles of Mystery: Curse of the Ancient Temple
Mystery Case Files: MillionHeir
Where's Waldo?
Match 3, Strategy, Card, etc.Jewel Master: Egypt
The Quest Trio
Slingo Quest (A port that works!)
Foto Frenzy
And what I feel is the heart of the adult appeal games for the DS:
Adventure LiteTime Hollow
Trace Memory
Jake Hunter: Detective Story
Hotel Dusk: Room 215
Hardy Boys: Treasure on the Tracks
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Series (There are 3)
Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney
Women's Murder Club Games of Passion
A number of these last ones used to be really hard to find, but they've been rereleased and most are on Amazon now, as more adults are playing (or admitting that they do.
)
I'm also looking forward to the upcoming
Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth
and
Art of Murder
That's it for me! Grab your stylus and tell me what you love!