As the Nintendo DS ages, its games grow more expensive and hard to find. Emulation solves this problem, with the added benefit of allowing you to play nostalgic games from the comfort of your PC, tablet, or smartphone. Here’s what you need to know about the best Nintendo DS emulators.

What Is the Best Nintendo DS Emulator?

The best Nintendo DS emulator, based on my experience, isMelonDS. This free-to-use emulator is actively updated and enjoys official support on Windows, Linux, and MacOS (as well as unofficial support on Android, Nintendo Switch, and even the PlayStation Vita).

Emulation enthusiasts debate whether MelonDS or DeSmuME are better, and while both have their own benefits and drawbacks, there are a few features unique to MelonDS that make it the better choice for the average user:

configuring settings to play pokemon white with melonds

Development is ongoing with the MelonDS project, and the emulator doesn’t support all features. In certain areas, MelonDS isn’t as mature as DeSmuME. For example, DeSmuME is essentially plug-and-play while MelonDS requires more effort to set up.

Despite that, as the developers add features like custom display configuration and 3D upscaling, MelonDS cements itself as the best overall emulator for playing Nintendo DS and DSi games.

opening pokemon white 2 on desmume emulator on windows

ensure to read the configuration guide for MelonDS. You may need to download additional files to use DS/DSi emulation. Many users aren’t able to boot games past the load screen until afterdownloading the system filesand setting custom paths to the ARM9 BIOS, ARM7 BIOS, and Firmware underConfig > Emu settings > DS mode.

The Best Alternatives to MelonDS

If you aren’t sold on MelonDS, there are a few alternatives that might be right for you. DeSmuME is more mature overall, but lacks the active support that MelonDS still has. DraStic is ideal for Android users, while the up-and-coming Delta is great on devices like iPhones and iPads.

Best Nintendo DS Emulator for PC: DeSmuME

There’s no bigger alternative to MelonDS thanDeSmuME, a mature Nintendo DS emulator that first began development in 2006. It lacks some features that MelonDS offers, such as Wi-Fi and DSi title emulation, but it is laudable for having better performance on many systems and the best rendering accuracy.

DeSmuME has a few other features that make it a good option for users seeking an alternative to MelonDS:

using delta emulator to play pokemon on ipad

For most users, MelonDS is still the better option. But if you’ve found that MelonDS lacks features that you consider essential, give DeSmuME a try. The emulator offers an impressive collection of features that will continue to surprise you as you use it.

Best Nintendo DS Emulator for Android: DraStic

You might also need an alternative to MelonDS if you’re planning to play Nintendo DS games on your Android device. While MelonDS has unofficial support on Android, it isn’t officially developed to run on Android devices—and that’s why DraStic is a superior alternative.

DraStic is a powerful Nintendo DS emulator that renders the Nintendo DS windows side-by-side and offers on-screen touch buttons to make gameplay simple. You don’t have to jump through any hoops to install it, since DraStic is available on theGoogle Play Store, and it supports a standard variety of DS files.

Most users enjoy DraStic. Even on weaker hardware, DraStic delivers impressive performance and rendering. It’s excellent for turning your older Androids into powerful gaming devices.

Best Nintendo DS Emulator for iOS: Delta

Last but not least is Delta, a powerful Nintendo DSemulator that you can install on your iPhoneor iPad. It’s not just Nintendo DS games that you’ll have the option of playing, either: Delta also supports NES, SNES, N64, GameBoy Color, and GBA games.

Most popular types of controllers are supported, but you also have the option of using your device’s touchscreen. Delta frequently backs up your game, so you don’t have to worry about losing progress if your phone dies, either.

The best part is that, unlike limited options that iOS users have had to deal with for years, Delta doesn’t require any sideloading and can be downloaded through the officialApp Store. Emulating on iOS and MacOS has never been simpler.

You will need to download certain system files from an archive (like theNDS Internet Archive repository) to play Nintendo DS games on Delta. To use those files, you’ll also need an app capable of extracting .7z files.

​​​​​​​There are many other Nintendo DS emulators to consider too, depending on your device. All of them are capable of offering an incredible gaming experience, but what the best Nintendo DS emulator is will ultimately depend on your system and personal preferences.