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|type = [[:Category:ConsolesHandheld consoles|Handheld game console]]

|successor = [[Nintendo 3DS DSi emulators|Nintendo 3DSDSi]]

 The '''[[gametechwikipedia:Nintendo DS|Nintendo DS]]''' (NDS) is a handheld console produced by Nintendo on November 21, 2004 , and had 2 ARM CPUs (ARM9 and ARM7) with 4MB of RAM. The main selling point was the use of dual screens for gameplay, with one being a touchscreen. It is the only console to have come close to the [[PlayStation 2 emulators|PlayStation 2]] in lifetime sales (154.02 million units), as a result of attracting a large amount number of casual players, and even non-gamers, into the gaming community.

! scope="col"|[[Game Boy Advance emulators|GBA]]! scope="col"|NDS! scope="col"[[Nintendo DSi emulators|DSi]]

|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}|[https://cidesmume.appveyor.comorg/projectdownload/zeromus/desmume {{DeSmuMEVer}}]|{{✗}} ||{{✓✗}} ||{{✗✓}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✓}}

|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}|[http://melonds.kuribo64.net/downloads.php {{MelonDSVer}}] [https://github.com/Arisotura/melonDS/actions <br/>Dev Builds]|{{✗}} ||{{✓~}} ||{{~✓}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✓}} <small>(WIP)</small>

|[[DeSmuME#Graphical_EnhancementDeSmuME X432R|DeSmuME X432R]]

|[http://web.archive.org/web/20150920170430im_/http://shikaver01.webcrow.jp/desmume_x432r/index.html 2015-04-19]|{{✗}} ||{{✓✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{~✗}}

|{{✓}} ||{{✓✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗✓}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✗}} <small>(WIP)</small>

|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}

|{{✓}} ||{{✓✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗✓}} || {{✗}}<ref name="medusa suspended"/>||{{✗}} <small>(WIP)</small>

|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}|[https://github.com/PSI-Rockin/CorgiDS/releases 0.1git]<br />[http://www.emucr.com/search/label/CorgiDS SVN]|{{✗}} ||{{✓✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗✓}} ||{{✗}}<ref>https://corgids.wordpress.com/2018/02/12/extended-break/</ref> ||{{✗}}

|[https://github.com/rasky/ndsemu Gitgit]|{{✗}} ||{{✓✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗✓}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}}

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|[https://github.com/Cydrak/dasShiny Gitgit]|{{✗}} ||{{✓✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗✓}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}}

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|[https://github.com/Hydr8gon/NooDS [NooDS]]

|[https://github.com/Hydr8gon/NooDS Git/releases git]|{{✗✓}} ||{{✓✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗✓}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✗}}

|align=left|{{Icon|Android|LinuxPandora|Pyra}}|[https://forum.mobilism.org/viewtopic.php?f=422&t=3629008 {{DraSticVer}}]<br>[https://pyra-handheld.com/repo/apps/32 0.1 Pyra]|{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✓}}|-|[[melonDS]] <small>(unofficial)</small>|align=left|{{Icon|Android}}|[https://github.com/rafaelvcaetano/melonDS-android git][https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=comme.magnum.melonds 1.dsemu7.drastic {{DraSticVer}}0]|{{✗~}} ||{{✓~}} ||{{✗✓}} ||{{✗✓}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✓~}}

|[https://github.com/iNDS-Team/iNDS/releases Gitgit]|{{✗}} ||{{✓✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✓✗}} ||{{✓}}

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|Dsoid[http://jeffq.com/blog/nds4droid/ nds4droid]<br/><small>(DeSmuME based)</small>

|[httphttps://www.emucrgithub.com/searchjquesnelle/label/Dsoid?&max-results=12 SVNnds4droid git]|{{✗}} ||{{✓✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗✓}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}}

|[http://jeffq.com/blog/nds4droid/ nds4droid[NooDS]]<br/><small>(DeSmuME based)</small>

|[https://github.com/jquesnelleHydr8gon/nds4droid GitNooDS git]|{{✗✓}} ||{{✓✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗✓}} ||{{✗✓}} ||{{✗}}

|{{✓}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✓}} |-|[[DeSmuME PSP]]|align=left|{{Icon|PSP}}|[https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/590011753849421846/870274164748079104/desmume_psp_4.zip V4][https://github.com/Xiro28/DeSmuME-PSP git][https://github.com/Xiro28/desmume_psp_experimental Exp.]|{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✗}}|-|DesmumeX|align=left|{{Icon|Xbox}}|[https://www.1emulation.com/forums/topic/35774-desmumex-v087-new-update 0.87]|{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{~}}

|[https://gbatempgithub.netcom/downloadrsduck/melonds-for-switch.35201melonDS/ 0.8.3releases git]|{{✗}} ||{{✓✗}} ||{{✗✓}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✗~}}

|[[NooDS]]|align=left|{{Icon|Switch|Vita}}|[https://github.com/Hydr8gon/NooDS git]<small> (Switch/Vita)</small><br/>[https://github.com/Xiro28/NooDS-PSP git] <small>(PSP port)</small>|{{✓}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✓}} ||{{~}}|-|[[DeSmuME PSP|DSonPSP]]|align=left|{{Icon|SwitchPSP}}|[https://githubwololo.net/downloads/index.comphp/Hydr8gondownload/NooDS Git1235 0.7]|{{✗}} ||{{✓✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ? ||{{✓✗}} <small>(POC)</small> ||{{✗}}

;[[DeSmuMEmelonDS]]: One Unlike DeSmuME, melonDS can use wifi, and has some DSi support. In terms of being user-friendly, options in melonDS are more simplified. Has similar DS game compatibility as DeSmuME. Both can run games at a higher internal resolution (sharper 3D objects) and can open roms inside an archive (zip, rar, 7z). Both can display the most developed emulators for regular DS two screens in a variety of ways, but melonDS has a hybrid mode. [https://i.imgur.com/S73Eb4m.jpg (Example)] While the developers of No$GBA had documented the Wi-Fi capabilities first, melonDS is the first and only emulator that's gotten as far as it has and it has been found to work reasonably well with a handful of games. melonDS does not have custom file paths yet (all saves will be created where the rom is). Switching to OpenGL in core options may give a performance boost.;[[DeSmuME]]: DeSmuME has had significant improvements since 2018, though new features are still in development and are only available through either nightly/dev builds. It now uses less CPU/GPU resources, and Wi-Fi is also underway. If youThe latest "Stable" build is no longer recommended as it're worried about stability, then stick to s over 5 years old and lacks any new features. [[OpenEmu]] uses a shallow fork of the latest stable releasebuild and should be avoided as well. Otherwise, If you do run into issues on the latest dev builds will have more , then try switching back to offer. the last stable build (See see [[Common Problems and Solutions]] for tips).)

;[[melonDS]]: Arisotura's goal is to make an emulator that's better optimized and includes features that others lack, either intentionally or not. While the developers of No$GBA had documented the Wi-Fi capabilities first, melonDS is the first and only emulator that's gotten as far as it has and it has been found to work reasonably well with a handful of games. There's also been progress made in emulating the DSi<ref name="melonDSi">http://melonds.kuribo64.net/comments.php?id=94</ref><ref name="progress on DSi">http://melonds.kuribo64.net/comments.php?id=99&p</ref>, so far it's been able to boot into the firmware and is being developed in a separate branch of the main project. It could surpass DeSmuME when it covers more features.;[[No$|No$GBA]]: Focuses on speed, and has major compatibility issues and glitches as a result. But because Because it was originally a GBA emulator, the DS's 3D features are still very poorly handled. However, it might be an 's a good option for a very low-end machine machines but don't expect a lot of games to run perfectly, or at all. A fan program, No$Zoomer, was released for version 2.6 which increases compatibility and options, as well as the titular zooming and resizing abilities. The biggest addition is noise cancellation which clears up static that No$GBA makes with its 3D rendering. It doesn't change accuracy though. No$Zoomer hasn't never rebased yet but does add options for window resizing. There haven't been any noticeable changes with regards to accuracynewer no$gba versions, howeverand looks like it's abandoned so likely never will. As of In v2.8, No$GBA became the first emulator to supports DSi games and is currently the first and only emulator that does, which has been their most notable feature. Only use No$GBA in the cases of for DSi gamesthat don't work on other emulators, debugging (if you've taken up romhacking for DS gamesor homebrew development), if you value speed above everything, if you're using a potato PC, or just as a last resort.

===High Resolutionresolution===;melonDS: Has added support for an OpenGL renderer and with upscaling as of version 0.8.<ref name="melondsopengl">http://melonds.kuribo64.net/comments.php?id=90</ref> The renderer is much faster than DeSmuME's and supports increasing the internal resolution up to 8x 16x native resolution. More features such as texture filtering are planned.;DeSmuME X432R:A fork of DeSmuME, that has many more graphical enhancement such as an option to increase internal resolution and use MSAA. The devs of DeSmuME have now included an option for increased internal resolution (see below), making X432R outdated. See the [[DeSmuME]] page for more details.

* '''Local Wireless Communicationswireless communications''' - ''(Multiple Cartridgescartridges)''* '''DS Download Play''' - ''(Single Cartridgecartridge)''* '''Wi-Fi Connection''' - ''(Online Multiplayermultiplayer)''* '''DS/Wii Connectivityconnectivity'''* '''GBA/DS Connectivityconnectivity'''

|[http://melonds.kuribo64.net/downloads.php {{MelonDSVer}}] <br> [https://github.com/Arisotura/melonDS/actions Dev Bulids]|{{~}} ||{{~}} ||{{~✓}} ||{{✓}}<small>(Git)</small>

|[https://desmume.org/download/ {{DeSmuMEVer}}]

===Local Wireless Communicationwireless communication===

melonDS supports wireless communication with several games, including ''New Super Mario Bros.'' and ''Pokemon'', but you need to have either multiple instances opened, which can slow down overall performance, or connect multiple computers via LAN. No$GBA is able to can connect, but fails before the actual connection is finished.

Players who both have This feature allows players with a DS but device, and only one copy of a game can use "Download Play" , to play together without . This way, everyone needing doesn't need to have a copy of the game. The player with the physical cartridge will host the game while the other players connects using a "downloaded" version received from the host. Normally they are either simple mini-games or , stripped -down versions demos of the main game, so in or a limited version of multiplayer. In most cases it is 's better to use connect using multiple cartridges multi-cart instead. However, however, there are some games, like ''Mario Party DS'', that requires require Download Play in order to use its multiplayer.

Download Play isn't is supported by any emulator so farmelonDS. Like with local multiplayer, though [[Emulators on 3DS#Nintendo DS|NDS-bootstrap]] homebrew on it is very hit and miss but unlocking the Nintendo 3DS can boot some of themframerate helps. melonDS fails will often fail during the download process though , but some games actually go as far as booting, but never to the actual "and sometimes in-game"as well.

Nintendo's online service that was available for the Wii and DS and was free to use. It was shutdown shut down on May 20, 2014 , due to the company GameSpy, the ones who were managing these servers, shutting down its multiplayer services after being bought out. A popular game that used this feature was ''Mario Kart DS''.

There was a third-party DeSmuME forks fork that successfully emulated WFC but has quite a bit of requirement (Ethernet cable, though this can be circumvented with external software). After the service shutdown, there was a version compatible with the fan servers (restoring all DLC data but sadly most multiplayer games had their content lost forever). melonDS is one of the only emulators to offer Wi-Fi capabilities. It's still a work-in-progress, but it works relatively well.

===DS/Wii Connectivityconnectivity===Uses the wireless communication on the DS to connect to the Wii. The idea is parallel to the GBA Link Cable for the GameCube, and just like the Link Cable, only a handful of games actually have this feature. Some notable examples are ''Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Echoes of Time'' which is essentially the same as the DS port but can connect with other DS' with the game, ''Pokemon Battle Revolution'' in which players could transfer their Pokemon to the game and use the DS as a controller, ''Animal Crossing: City Folk'' in which data could be transferred between the DS version ''Animal Crossing: Wild World'', and the ''Nintendo Channel'' on the Wii where players could download demos of DS games to their console using Download Play (basically the same idea as the Download Station kiosk).

So far, no emulator has been able to emulate this feature, nor have attempted to, and considering that the GBA/GCN connectivity on Dolphin has yet to fully functions and lack of interesting titles that uses it, hints that this feature won't be emulated for a while. If this was ever going to be emulated, it would require work on both ends.

===GBA/DS Connectivityconnectivity===

It's unknown if No$GBA supports this, but it can be done in DeSmuME by going to Config > Slot 2 (GBA Slot) and selecting GBA Cartridge. Select the GBA ROM file, make sure its it's <code>.sav</code> file is in the same folder. You may need to reset the game for it to take effect. The latest git As of version 0.9, melonDS added support for supports GBA connectivity and even added support for the solar sensor on GBA Boktai cartridges used in Boktai DS (Lunar Knight), something DeSmuME has yet to support. Either drag-and-drop the GBA ROM onto the program before starting or open the file before loading the NDS file.

==Special Hardwarehardware==;Guitar Hero Padpad: Used in the "Guitar Hero: On Tour" series (required) and Band Hero DS. Supported by DeSmuME (Slot 2).

;Taito Paddle Controllerpaddle controller: Compatible with Arkanoid, Space Invaders Extreme, Space Invaders Extreme 2 , and Space Bust-a-Move. Supported by DeSmuME (Slot 2).;Tilt Sensorsensor: Used in "Tony Hawk's Motion/Hue's Pixel Painter." No emulators support this add-on yet. (Slot 2);Rumble Packpack: Supported by DeSmuME (Slot 2). Requires compatible Joystick.;Slide Controllercontroller: Required by "Slide Adventure Mag Kid". Yasu made a shoddy [http://home.usay.jp/pc/etc/nds/iDeaS_slide.zip plug-in] for iDeaS (the recommended version was 1.0.2.9.) to try to emulate it. No emulators support this add-on at the moment.;Pokémon Keyboardkeyboard: Bundled with the Pokémon Typing game (JP/UK/FR). The game refuses to boot without a keyboard, but it can be run on emulators with an anti-piracy fix and another DeSmuME-specific save bug fix. There is also [http://pokemonlog.com/pokemon-fuligin-download-rom/ a pre-patched ROM.] While it's playable using the on-screen keyboard on the lower screen, the keyboard isn't actually emulated. There is [https://github.com/AnimeCommander/Learn.With.Pokemon-Typing-Adventure.lua/blob/master/Pok%C3%A9mon%20Typing%20DS%20Keyboard%20Script.lua a Lua script] that permits using the actual keyboard by mapping presses of the actual keyboard to taps of the virtual Touch Screen. However, you are going to need to blank out all the control/hotkey bindings of DeSmuME if you are going to play this game because some of the keyboard keys also activate some controls; otherwise, pressing the Q key would also pause the game, given one example. A recommendation would be to have a separate copy of 32-bit DeSMuMe which purpose is playing *only* the Pokémon typing games. In that copy, place the patched ROM, the Lua script, and a 32-bit version of [https://sourceforge.net/projects/luabinaries/files/5.1.5/Windows%20Libraries/Dynamic/ lua51.dll.] (The platform used in building the <code>.dll</code> should not matter.) Even then, not only is the emulated workaround a little slow, but saving is still broken. Use savestates, instead.;DS Cameracamera: Accessory bundled with the Japan-only Face Training (a European localization for Christmas 2007 was canceled, and it was released as a retail DSi game in 2010 using the internal camera rather than the original accessory). Not to be confused with the built-in DSi camera. No emulators exist for it at all.

===iQue DS Region Lockregion lock===

Emulators differ in their behavior to this region lock. No$GBA crashes. DeSmuME & MelonDS is accurate to non-can load them. However, for melonDS, you need a [[Emulator Files|Firmware Dump]] from an iQue hardware and DS, otherwise, it will replicate the failureregion lock.