What is the best Nintendo DS emulator?

As the Nintendo DS ages, its games become more expensive and harder to find. Emulation solves this problem with the added benefit of allowing nostalgic games to be played comfortably on PC, tablet or smartphone.

Here's what to know about the best Nintendo DS emulators.

What is the best Nintendo DS emulator?

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The best Nintendo DS emulator is MelonDS. This free emulator is actively updated and officially supported on Windows, Linux, and MacOS (as well as unofficial support on Android, Nintendo Switch, and even PlayStation Vita).

Emulator enthusiasts debate whether MelonDS or DeSmuME is better, and while both have their own benefits and limitations, there are some unique features of MelonDS that make it a better choice for users. Normal:

MelonDS is actively updated, while the developers last updated DeSmuME in 2022.
MelonDS supports Wi-Fi (Nintendo WFC), while this feature is broken in DeSmuME.
MelonDS includes DSi emulation, which means an additional 659 DSiWare titles are supported (as long as you have the emulator file).
MelonDS is faster so it is more suitable for devices with weaker configurations.

The MelonDS project is under development and the emulator does not support all features. In certain aspects, MelonDS is not as good as DeSmuME. For example, DeSmuME is essentially plug-and-play while MelonDS requires more effort to set up.

Even so, as developers added features like custom display profiles and 3D upscaling, MelonDS established itself as the best overall emulator for playing Nintendo DS and DSi games.

Warning : Be sure to read the configuration instructions for MelonDS. You may need to download additional files to use DS/DSi emulation. Many users cannot start the game through the loading screen until they download the system files and set custom paths to ARM9 BIOS, ARM7 BIOS and Firmware in Config > Emu settings > DS mode .

The best alternatives to MelonDS

If you don't like MelonDS, there are some alternatives that may work for you. DeSmuME is better overall but lacks the active support that MelonDS still has. DraStic is ideal for Android users, while the upcoming Delta will be great on devices like iPhone and iPad.

Best Nintendo DS emulator for PC: DeSmuME

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There is no better alternative to MelonDS than DeSmuME, a Nintendo DS emulator that first started development in 2006. It lacks some of the features that MelonDS offers, but is commendable for its good performance. than on multiple systems and best rendering accuracy.

DeSmuME has several other features that make it a good choice for users looking for an alternative to MelonDS:

DeSmuME has outstanding slot-2 device support.
DeSmuME can HLE BIOS (emulate it), potentially delivering improved performance.
DeSmuME has better graphics configuration and display capabilities.
DeSmuME works great on Linux distributions.

For most users, MelonDS is still the better choice. But if you find that MelonDS lacks the features you think are necessary, try DeSmuME. The emulator offers an impressive collection of features that will continue to amaze you as you use it.

Best Nintendo DS emulator for Android: DraStic

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You may also need an alternative to MelonDS if you plan to play Nintendo DS games on your Android device. Although MelonDS has unofficial support on Android, it is not officially developed to run on Android devices - and that's why DraStic is a superior alternative.

DraStic is a powerful Nintendo DS emulator that displays Nintendo DS windows side by side and provides on-screen touch buttons to make gaming simple. You don't need to jump through any steps to install it because DraStic is available on Google Play Store and it supports many standard DS file types.

Most users like DraStic. Even on weaker hardware, DraStic delivers impressive performance and rendering. It's great to turn your old Android into a powerful gaming device.

Best Nintendo DS emulator for iOS: Delta

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Last but not least is Delta, a powerful Nintendo DS emulator that you can install on your iPhone or iPad. Not only do you have the option to play Nintendo DS games, Delta also supports NES, SNES, N64, GameBoy Color and GBA games.

Most popular controllers are supported, but you also have the option of using your device's touchscreen. Delta regularly backs up games, so you don't have to worry about losing your progress if your phone crashes.

The best part is that, unlike the limited options iOS users have faced for years, Delta requires no sideloading and can be downloaded through the official App Store.

Note : You will need to download certain system files from archives (like the NDS Internet Archive) to play Nintendo DS games on Delta. To use those files, you will also need an application capable of decompressing .7z files.

There are many other Nintendo DS emulators you can consider, depending on the device. All of them are capable of delivering an incredible gaming experience, but the best Nintendo DS emulator will ultimately depend on system and personal preference.

Nintendo DS