The Nintendo DS is one of the most popular handheld Nintendo gaming consoles launched globally in 2004 and 2005. However, they can get a little expensive, even though on paper they are inexpensive, they don’t fit the budget of users, also, some users are unable to justify spending money on a device just to play games. That is why, in this post, we are going to see some of the best Nintendo DS Emulators for Windows.
Best Nintendo DS Emulators for Windows PC
Following are some of the best Nintendo DS Emulators for Windows PC:
- NO$GBA
- DesMume
- iDeas
- MelonDS
- RetroArch
Let’s get into the depth of these DS Emulators.
1] NO$GBA
The Nintendo DS is known as one of the best gaming consoles, and to get the maximum experience out of it, the first recommendation is NO$GBA. Not only can players enjoy Nintendo DS games, but they can also have the experience of playing Game Boy Advance games.
Well, programmers can use the debugged version of this emulator, whereas gamers can access the conventional version for old classics like Mario, Pokemon, and so on. And the best part about this deal is the free access to all of this- not a single penny is required.
NO$GBA is a must to consider when looking for a flexible emulator, it supports various forms, including save states, flash memory saves, in-game saves, high-resolution rendering, upscale graphics, and a multiplayer online support system. The list of features does not end here, we can also record our gameplay, customize shortcut keys and controls, and so on. So all-in-all, NO$GBA is a full-power packaged emulator that demands you to check it out. Go to nogba.com to download the tool.
2] DeSmuMe
Moving on to another one of the free emulators, DeSmuMe is one of those emulators that it would be a sin to skip on this deal. It’s already a known-name known among gamers for its compatibility and support for almost all Operating Systems including macOS and Linux. Accessing a lot of DS games is given, however, we can also customize control from a variety of input methods such as keyboard, mouse, gamepad, touch screen, and so on.
If you are a fan of some old classics like Pokemon Diamond and Pearl, Mario Kart DS, and New Super Mario Bros, consider going for DeSmuMe. Just like the first emulator, DeSmuMe has multiplayer, and external gamepad support, comes with a plethora of DS games, and with the help of X432R, provides a high-quality video resolution, and audio emulation. Sharing a secret with you, DeSmuMe also allows you to use cheat codes to excel in the games. This emulator can be downloaded from desmume.com.
3] iDeas
One of the reasons why iDeas is a big deal in gaming society is because it supports NDS functionalities and multiple ROMs on the computer. Using this emulator is pretty simple with its user-friendly interface and lightweight design. A good gaming experience of Mario 64 and Pokemon with no hassle at all is promised by this emulator. A few glitches here and there are not that big of a concern and are the only minor drawbacks.
There’s a loaded list of features, such as playing Nintendo DS games with 3D support, touchscreen, and microphone input, along with a save state feature, saving the progress so that you can quit the game anytime you want. iDeas emulator’s list of features does not end here as it also provides map buttons and modifying controller settings. To download iDeas, go to ideas.en.download.it.
4] MelonDS
Again, a free emulator, MelonDS is the next on the list for the best Nintendo DS emulator for Windows. This emulator is made to run on not only Windows but Linus and macOS operating system users can also have the pleasure to use this. Promising accuracy and performance are what this emulator offers. For quick emulation, JIT recompiler, 3D graphics, touchscreen input, microphone input, video scaling, and filtering are just some of the features.
MelonDS comes with an easy-to-use interface, support for 3D visuals, multiplayer connection, touchscreen, and microphone input, compatibility with almost all the Nintendo DS games, recording gameplay footage, saving games whenever you want to and the list goes on. Navigate to melonds.kuribo64.net to download the emulator.
Read: Best GBA emulators for PC
5] RetroArch
In terms of versatility and compatibility, RetroArch comes first on the list. Again, free open-source software that enables playing games from various sources. It has a very non-complicated interface that allows gamers to access the DS games via either keyboard or controller inputs. These inputs stimulate the original console’s button and touch screen. For a better experience, it has netplay, 4K upscaling, and not to forget, machine translation.
RetroArch supports multiplayer along with 2DS, 3DS, U, Switch, PSP, PS2, PS3, Wii, and others. Apart from these, gamepads, arcades, sticks, and keyboards are also supported by this emulator. We cannot forget that it also allows us to use cheat codes, record the screen, and automatically sync the progress we have made so far in the game. You can visit retroarch.com to install the RetroArch emulator.
Hopefully, now you know which Nintendo DS Emulator you need to download.
Read: Best free Nintendo Switch Emulators for Windows PC
Is Citra a DS or 3DS?
Citra is one of the free, open-source emulators made for Nintendo 3DS that Windows, as well as Linux, Android, and macOS users, can access. Launched in 2014, Citra can run various games including Mario and Luigi Dream Team, Paper Mario sticker star, and so on.
Read: Best Sega Dreamcast Emulators for Windows PC
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