Emulators on Nintendo DS

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Nintendo DS
Developer Nintendo
Manufacturer Foxconn
Type Handheld game console
Generation Seventh
Release date November 21, 2004
Discontinued Yes; date undisclosed
Predecessor Game Boy Advance
Successor Nintendo 3DS
Emulated ✓
For software that emulates the Nintendo DS, see Nintendo DS emulators.

This page can help you turn your DS into an emulation device. The Nintendo DS is underpowered compared to PlayStation Portable, but here's what you can take out of it. Compatibility information isn't accurate on here as of now.

Arcade

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MAME (ports)

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Name Latest version Accuracy License Active Recommended
DSPack 1.96 Mid Proprietary ✗ ✓
MAME4All 1.0 Mid Proprietary ✗ ✓
MAME4All
Port of MAME 0.37b5 emulator for Supercard DS Two only.

Game-specific ports

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1942 DS: emulates 1942 (all sets).
1943 DS: emulates 1943 (3 sets).
AemioDA: Acronym for "Arcade Emulator Made In One Day", Asteroid.
BombJack DS: BombJack arcade game emulator.
Canyon DS: Canyon Bomber (prototype set also) emulator.
DSInvaders: A Space Invaders Arcade Emulator.
Ghosts'n Run: Arcade emulator for one game: Ghosts 'n Goblins.
GreenBeretDS: Green Beret, Rush'n Attack & Mr. Goemon Arcade Emulator.
K80DS: Konami 80's arcade emulator: Double Dribble, Finalizer, Green Beret / Rush'n Attack, Iron Horse, Jackal, Jail Break, Mr. Goemon, Scooter Shooter, Yie Ar Kung-Fu.
MarcaDS: An arcade emulator. It emulates 75 game machines, including Amidars, Arkanoid, Cosmic Avenger, Dig Dug, Donkey Kong, Frogger, Lady Bug, Phoenix, Pooyan, Scramble, Super Cobra, etc.
MrDo DS: Mr.Do!, Mr.Do's Castle, Do!Run Run & Mr.Do's Wild Ride arcade emulator.
Pang DS: Pang and Super Pang Arcade Emulator.
PuzzleKlax: Arcade emulator for Klax and Tetris.
SnowBrosDS: Snow Bros., Nick & Tom (all sets), Arcade Games.
Solomon's Key DS: Solomon's Key (US and Japan) Arcade Emulator.

Personal computers

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Amstrad CPC

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Name Latest version Accuracy License Active Recommended
AmeDS 4.0 Mid Proprietary ✗ ~
CrocoDS 2.0 Mid GPLv3 (Copyleft) ✗ ~
SugarDS 1.5 Mid TBD ✓ ✓

Apple II

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Name Latest version Accuracy License Active Recommended
A2DS 2008 Mid BSD-3-Clause (Permissive) ✗ ✗
Grape 2014 Mid ? ✗ ✗
PomDS 2.0 Mid Proprietary ✗ ✓

Apple Macintosh

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Name Latest version Accuracy License Active Recommended
Mini vMac DS R3 2008 Mid Proprietary ✗ ~
minivmac-dsi Test Release D Mid GPLv2 (Copyleft) ✓ ✓

Atari 8-bit

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Name Latest version Accuracy License Active Recommended
A8DS 4.2 Mid GPLv2 (Copyleft) ✓ ✓
Atari800 0.2.0 Mid GPLv2 (Copyleft) ✓ ✓
PokeyDS 1.1 Mid Proprietary ✗ ~

Atari ST

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Name Latest version Accuracy License Active Recommended
StyxDS 0.2a Mid Proprietary ✗ ~

Commodore 64

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Name Latest version Accuracy License Active Recommended
C64DS git Mid ? ✓ TBD
GimliDS 1.6 Mid GPLv2 (Copyleft) ✓ ✓
FrodoDS Complete v20230108a Mid GPLv2 (Copyleft) ~ ~

DOS

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Name Latest version Accuracy License Active Recommended
DSx86 0.43beta Mid Proprietary ✗ ✓
DSx86
PC emulator that can run old DOS games. Has a custom configuration variant, DSx86Cfg.

Infocom Z-Machine

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Name Latest version Accuracy License Active Recommended
DS-Frotz 2.0 beta-1 20080815 Mid Non-commercial ✗ ✓
GLK POGO 1.0 Mid Proprietary ✗ ~

MegaZeux

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Name Latest Version Accuracy License Active Recommended
DSMZX 2009 N/A GPLv2 (Copyleft) ✗ ✗
MegaZeux 2.93d N/A GPLv2 (Copyleft) ✓ ~

Microsoft MSX

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Name Latest version MSX 1 MSX 2 MSX 2+ Accuracy License Active Recommended
FmsxDS 0.09 ✗ ✓ ✗ Mid Non-commercial ✗ ~
MSX DS 0.94 ✓ ✓ ✓ Mid Proprietary ✗ ✓
PenkoDS 0.2a ✗ ✓ ✓ Mid Proprietary ✗ ~

In addition, both ColecoDS and S8DS can run msx1 games.

ScummVM

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Name Latest version License Active Recommended
ScummVM 1.2.1 (for ds mode flashcarts) 2026.3.0 (for dsi mode) GPLv2 (Copyleft) ✓ (DSi) ✓

Sinclair

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Name Latest version ZX81 ZX Spectrum Accuracy License Active Recommended
DS81 1.3a ✓ ✗ Mid GPLv2 (Copyleft) ✓ ✓
DSpec Preview ✗ ✓ Mid Proprietary ✗ ✗
SpeccyDS 0.3 ✗ ✓ (48k only) Mid Proprietary ✗ ✗
SpeccySE 2.1a ~ ✓ Mid Non-commercial
MIT 		✓ ✓
SpectrumDS 2009 ✗ ✓ (48k only) Mid Proprietary ✗ ✗
ZXDS 1.4.1 ✗ ✓ Mid Proprietary ✓ ✓
ZXDS
By far the most accurate and feature-packed DS ZX Spectrum emulator. Has WiFi multiplayer support.

Tandy CoCo - Dragon 32/64

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Name Latest version Accuracy License Active Recommended
DracoDS 1.8 Mid TBD ✓ ✓
XRoar 1.11 Mid GPLv3 (Copyleft) ✓ ~

Tandy MC-10

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Name Latest version Accuracy License Active Recommended
MicroDS 1.1 Mid TBD ✓ ✓

Tangerine Oric

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Name Latest version Accuracy License Active Recommended
DSOric 1.0 Mid Proprietary ✗ ✓

Texas Instruments

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Name Latest version Accuracy License Active Recommended
DS994a 2.9 Mid Non-commercial
MIT 		✓ ✓

Thomson MO5

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Name Latest version Accuracy License Active Recommended
ThomDS 3.0 Mid Proprietary ✗ ✓

ZZT Engine

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Name Latest version Accuracy License Active Recommended
DreamZZT 3.1.500 Mid GPLv2 (Copyleft) ✗ ~

Home consoles

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Atari

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Name Latest version 2600 5200 7800 Accuracy License Active Recommended
A5200DS 3.8 ✗ ✓ ✗ Mid Non-commercial ✓ ✓
A7800DS 5.2c ✗ ✗ ✓ Mid GPLv2 (Copyleft) ✓ ✓
StellaDS 8.2 ✓ ✗ ✗ Mid ✓ ✓ ✓

ColecoVision

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Name Latest version Accuracy License Active Recommended
ColecoDS 11.0 Mid Non-commercial ✓ ✓

S8DS can load colecovision games too.

ColecoDS
Includes support for the following 8-bit systems: Colecovision, ADAM, Casio PV-1000 and PV-2000, MSX1, Sord-M5, Memotech MTX, Spectravision SVI, Hanimex Pencil II, Tatung Einstein, SG-1000/SC-3000 and the Creativision.

GCE Vectrex

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Name Latest version Accuracy License Active Recommended
VectxDS 0.1 Mid Proprietary ✗ ✓

Magnavox Odyssey

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Name Latest version Accuracy License Active Recommended
Magnavox Odyssey DS 2010/06/25 Low Proprietary ✗ ~

Mattel Intellivision

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Name Latest version Accuracy License Active Recommended
NINTV-DS 6.2a Mid ? ✓ ✓

NEC PC-Engine/TurboGrafX-16

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Name Latest version Accuracy License Active Recommended
NitroGrafx 0.9.0 Mid ? ✓ ✓

Nintendo NES

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Name Latest version Accuracy License Active Recommended
Midori 1.3a Mid Proprietary ✗ ✗
NesDS 1.3d+ Mid Public domain ~ ✓
NesterDS/+ 0.3.9 Mid ~ ✗ ~
RetroBoxDS 2005 Mid Proprietary ✗ ✗

Nintendo SNES

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Name Latest version Accuracy License Active Recommended
BAG SFC r3 Low Proprietary ✗ ✗
CATSFC git Low Non-commercial
GPLv2 		✗ ✗
lolSnes 1.1 Mid GPLv3 (Copyleft) ✗ ✗
SNEmulDS 0.6a0.6d Low BSD-3-Clause
NCSA Open Source License
GPLv2
FreeType License 		✓ ~
SnesDS 2005 Low Proprietary ✗ ✗
SnezziDS 0.28a Low GPLv2 (Copyleft) ✗ ✗
lolSnes
the precursor to BlargSNES. Very barebones.
SNEmulDS
port of the DOS SNES emulator SNEmul. Has the best compatibility and speed.
SnezziDS
port of the GBA-based SNES emulator Snezziboy (in its GBA incarnation, while functional it's less than ideal).

Sega Dreamcast VMU

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Name Latest version Accuracy License Active Recommended
NDS_VMS 20100214 Mid Proprietary ✗ ✓
VirtuaMUnstaz demo Low Proprietary ✗ ✗

Sega Master System / Game Gear

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Name Latest version Accuracy License Active Recommended
Apprentice MinusDS 0.4.0 Mid Proprietary ✗ ✓
DSMasterplus 1.3a Mid Proprietary ✗ ~
DSMS 0.2 Mid Proprietary ✗ ✗
S8DS 1.1.8 Mid ? ✓ ✓

In addition, there is ColecoDS which can run SG-1000/SC-3000 games.

S8DS
Includes support for the following 8-bit systems: SEGA SG-1000 / SG-1000 II, SEGA SC-3000, SEGA Mark III, SEGA Master System J, 1 & 2, SEGA Game Gear, SEGA System-E, Coleco, MSX 1, Sord M5.

Sega Mega Drive / Genesis

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Name Latest version Accuracy License Active Recommended
jEnesisDS 0.7.4 Mid Proprietary ✗ ✓
PicoDriveDS git Mid Non-commercial ✗ ~

SNK Neo Geo AES/MVS

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Name Latest version Accuracy License Active Recommended
NeoDS 0.2.1c Mid Non-commercial ✗ ✓

Multi-Console

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Name Latest version Accuracy License Active Recommended
TWiLight Menu++ 27.24.1 Mid GPLv3 (Copyleft) ✓ ✓ (CFW) ~ (Flashcart)
TWiLight Menu++
Includes a bunch of popular emulators, and can be found in \_nds\TWiLightMenu\emulators\.

The list includes:

  • A5200DS - (Atari 5200)
  • A7800DS - (Atari 7800 ProSystem)
  • A8DS - (Atari800XL/XEGS)
  • ColecoDS - (ColecoVision)
  • GameYob - (GB/GBC)
  • GBARunner2 - (GBA)
  • jEnesisDS - (Sega Megadrive/Genesis)
  • nesDS - (NES)
  • NGPDS - (Neo Geo Pocket)
  • Nintellivision - (Intellivision)
  • NitroGrafx - (PC-Engine)
  • NitroSwan - (WonderSwan)
  • PicoDriveTWL - (Genesis/Megadrive)
  • PokeMini - (Pokémon Mini)
  • S8DS - (GG/MS/SG-1000)
  • SNEmulDS - (SNES)
  • StellaDS - (Atari 2600)
  • SugarDS - (Amstrad CPC)

Handheld consoles

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Atari Lynx

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Name Latest version Accuracy License Active Recommended
LodjurDS 0.1.5 Mid zlib License (Permissive) ✓ ✓

Bandai Tamagotchi v1

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Name Latest version Accuracy License Active Recommended
Tamaboy DS 2024 Mid BSD-3-Clause
NCSA Open Source License
GPLv2
FreeType License 		✓ ✓

Bandai WonderSwan

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Name Latest version Accuracy License Active Recommended
DualSwan 1.2.1 Mid Proprietary ✗ ~
NitroSwan 0.7.7 Mid ? ✓ ✓
NitroSwan
can emulate Benesse PocketChallenge V2, besides wonderswan. Larger WS games won't load from a standard flashcard without additional RAM. Alternatively, for dsi and 3ds systems, you can use twilightmenu++ to use all available RAM.

Java ME

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Name Latest version Accuracy License Active Recommended
Pstros NDS 0.7.2r6 Low ? ✗ ~

Nintendo Game Boy

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Name Latest version Accuracy License Active Recommended
DS Boy 0.75 Mid Proprietary ✗ ✗
DS_GBC 0.1 Mid Proprietary ✗ ✗
GameYob git Mid-High MIT (Permissive) ~ ✓
Lameboy 0.12 Mid Proprietary ✗ ~

Nintendo Game Boy Advance

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Name Latest version Accuracy License Active Recommended
Gbaemu4ds git Low GPLv2 (Copyleft) ✗ ✗
GBARunner2 git N/A ? ~ ~
GBARunner3 git N/A ? ✓ ~
GBARunner2
Unlike other attempts at running GBA on the DS, GBARunner2 is a hypervisor rather than purely on emulation, meaning it runs partially on present GBA hardware found within the DS itself.
GBARunner3
GBARunner3 is an in-progress rewrite and successor project to GBARunner2.

Nintendo Pokémon Mini

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Name Latest version Accuracy License Active Recommended
PokeMini DS 0.60 Mid GPLv3 (Copyleft) ✗ ✓

SNK Neo Geo Pocket (Color)

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Name Latest version Accuracy License Active Recommended
NGPDS 0.6.0 Mid ? ✓ ✓
RACE! DS FIXED Mid ? ✗ ✗

TimeTop Gameking

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Name Latest version Accuracy License Active Recommended
Gamekengu 0.01 Low Proprietary ✗ ✗

Watara Supervision

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Name Latest version Accuracy License Active Recommended
WasabiDS (山葵DS) 0.2.6 Mid ? ✓ ✓
Watari 0.4 Mid Proprietary ✗ ~

Virtual and fantasy consoles

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CHIP-8

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Name Latest version Accuracy License Active Recommended
chip-8 0.2 Mid Proprietary ✗ ~
chip-84-ds 1.0.0 Mid ? ~ ~
chip8me 1.0 Mid Proprietary ✗ ~

Pico-8

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Name Latest version Accuracy License Active Recommended
fake-08 0.0.0 alpha Mid MIT (Permissive) ✓ ✓

UXN/Varvara

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Name Latest version Accuracy License Active Recommended
uxnds 0.5.3 Mid MIT (Permissive) ✓ ✓

XY-MINI

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Name Latest version Accuracy License Active Recommended
Xyds 0.2 Mid GPLv3 (Copyleft) ✗ ✗
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See also

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Emulators on consoles(edit)

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