7 Best Nintendo D.S. Emulators For P.C. To Play Pokemon Games

Abdul Shabir February 16, 2022June 24, 2022 63 Comments Best Nintendo D.S. Emulators, Best Nintendo D.S. Emulators For P.C

I will not attempt to explain to you the history of the Nintendo D.S., nor will I attempt to prove your sudden desire to play with the Nintendo D.S. I’ll be straight to the point because I understand why you’re here.
You’re here to enjoy Pokemon D.S.: Nintendo D.S. exclusive Pokemon games that connect you to your previous. Pokemon is one of the reasons I like to own a Nintendo D.S. emulator for P.C. It is possible to play other Nintendo games like Mario, The Legend of Zelda, Metroid Prime Hunters and many more.
However, here are a few Best Nintendo D.S. Emulators For P.C which will let you play Pokemon games on your P.C.

1. DeSmuMe

The name is somewhat odd, but the pronunciation is more confusing. However, DeSmuMe is one of the most effective D.S. emulators available for P.C.s. It’s available for Windows as well as Mac.

Nintendo D.S. games run pretty well on both platforms. However, I encountered frame drops with the case of my MacBook Air (2017 edition) when playing games with high graphics. The performance of your computer will depend on the settings of your computer.

On the plus side, there is a ton of customisation regarding graphics and emulation settings—other useful features, such as cheat code manager and USB controller compatibility. Additionally, the N.D.S. emulator also has the option of saving your game to save it, which lets you continue playing the game right from the point you left.

Although DeSmuMe is popular with Nintendo D.S. fans, there are a few issues in the project’s open-source nature. For instance, developers seldom alter the project, and the most recent stable update was released in 2015. In addition, there are several Pokemon Games that the emulator does not support. However, it is possible to play these games. Additionally, there isn’t a WiFi emulator.

Availability — Windows and Mac

Why use DeSmuMe?

Graphics customisation
High Compatibility

2. MelonDS

If we discuss the top Nintendo D.S. emulators for PC, MelonDS always manages to be the first to come up. It has been frequently in comparison with the leading N.D.S. emulator, DeSmuMe.

In contrast to DeSmuMe’s emulator, this one for P.C. isn’t equipped with several emulation and graphics options. However, it excels in certain areas, such as the extremely precise rendering of D.S. games.

Due to its latest OpenGL render, thanks to its new OpenGL render, the Nintendo D.S. emulator allows you to enjoy extreme resolutions even on low-performance systems. Additionally, with the brand new J.I.T. recompiler, Melon can emulate games at a rapid pace. If you’re interested in playing Pokemon games on your PC, MelonDS is the best choice. It’s the most reliable D.S. Emulator for Windows.

Another feature that is a highlight in MelonDS includes the locally-based WiFi support for multiplayer games. While the feature is still in its early stages and is only compatible with some games, it is an incredible pleasure to experience it functioning in any way. Beyond that, it has to save slot options and a handful of layout options and joystick support common with other N.D.S. emulators on P.C.

Availability — Windows and Linux

Why use MelonDS?

High performance with higher resolutions
High precision

3. NO$GBA

Although the NO$GBA emulator was initially designed to emulate Gameboy advanced games, it’s still among the top Nintendo D.S. emulators for Windows. First of all, an advantage of the D.S. emulator is that it works with GBA, Nintendo D.S., and Nintendo DS Lite (DSi) games.

When it comes to graphics settings in terms of graphic settings, the D.S. emulator has only the basic settings. With a few tweaks to the settings, one can achieve graphics comparable to DeSmuME. There is one bright side — first of all, there is the fact that this Nintendo D.S. emulator works very quick, even on slow P.C.s. Additionally, it requires only a few resources compared to other top N.D.S. emulators listed in this article.

But the issue is that there aren’t any screen layout options. Furthermore, the multiplayer option is a test and did not work in my experience. The emulator is available only on Windows. In addition, it supports joysticks and the option to save states. The company also offers an in-house cheat code system.

Availability — Windows

Why use No$GBA?

Memory usage is low and provides high speeds
Also can play GBA as well as GBA Nintendo DSi games

4. RetroArch

Contrary to the other Nintendo D.S. emulators here, RetroArch is an all-in-one emulator that allows users to play games on most retro consoles. The concept is to combine several emulators (aka cores) into a single application.
In our instance, RetroArch offers DeSmume and MelonDS to emulate N.D.S. games. As it’s an all-in-one emulator, it can play games from all Nintendo consoles (N.E.S., SNES, D.S., DSi, 3DS, 64), Atari, MAME and much more.
The user interface might seem initially intimidating; however, it will become easy after using it for a long time. However, playing games is a bit difficult compared to different Nintendo D.S. emulators here.
In addition, aside from that, it comes with all the necessary features of graphics and emulations. It is possible to increase the native resolution to 4K and use shaders that dramatically alter the appearance of games. Joystick support is available; a save slot option, and a variety of screen layout options.
One issue with RetroArch could be that it consumes more P.C. resources than other programs. However, overall, it’s one of the top emulators available for P.C.

Available on All platforms

Why use RetroArch?

All-in-one emulator
A couple of preloaded games

5. OpenEmu

OpenEmu is another front-end software that works with different console emulators. The emulator on P.C. isn’t too much than RetroArch regarding the consoles supported and emulator options.

But the stunningly slim interface of OpenEmu distinguishes it from other emulators. If you’re a Mac user, its interface reminds the user of iTunes. The emulator shows the games’ box art and then sorts them by the platform. To play Nintendo D.S. games, OpenEmu includes the desmume emulator.

The lack of multiple graphic settings could be a source of frustration for many users. Additionally, I couldn’t find an option to increase the internal resolution when I tested. Everything else is available inside the Nintendo emulator, like options for the layout of screens and save states, cheat code support, etc. A wide array of controllers support it, which includes DualShock, Switch Pro, Wiimote, and many other controllers. Overall, OpenEmu is one of the most effective D.S. emulators available for Mac.

Availability — Mac

Extra apps to D.S. Emulation

Why use OpenEmu?

Streamlined U.I.
All-in-one emulator

6. Citra (Nintendo 3DS Emulator)

Citra is the most reliable Nintendo 3DS emulator to play Pokemon games on your PC. Even on a low-end system, running various 3DS games at full resolution and high resolution is possible.

This Nintendo 3DS emulator enables users to adjust their internal resolutions to 4K. This takes Pokemon games and The Legend of Zelda gaming experience to a completely new realm. For the games on the official website of Citra, there is an area where you can examine games that are compatible with Nintendo 3DS games with the P.C. emulator.

Returning to the program, it has joystick support, screen layout options, and cheat codes support. The Nintendo emulator includes an internal screen recording tool. Citra also emulates 3DS local WiFi. This means that you can play with others playing games with the emulator.

Citra can also be downloaded on Android and is the sole working Nintendo 3DS emulator.

Availability — Windows, Mac, Linux and Android

Why use Citra?

Multiplayer support
Internal resolution 10x

7. DraStic D.S. Emulator

Nintendo D.S. was a handheld gaming console. Therefore, it’s only logical that people would enjoy Nintendo D.S. games on Android. There hasn’t been a better D.S. emulator for Android as DraStic.
The app isn’t any lower than D.S. emulators available on P.C. regarding features. You have controller support saving states, buttons, save state mapping, and more. It also lets you increase your internal resolution. But, be prepared to experience the maximum capabilities only on high-configuration smartphones.
The smartphone’s screen dynamics differ from Nintendo D.S. (dual-screen); the app compensates for this by providing various layout options. Apart from that default layout (both screens are the same size), There is also a stacked view, a single view, and a choice to make one screen smaller than the others.
The only downside to DrasTic is that it’s a due Android application, which costs $4.99. But, it’s not a huge amount, and the cost barely matters when you consider the sheer number of options.

Why use DraStic?

Online Google Drive space to save information
Enhance the speed of emulation

8. Lemuroid

Lemuroid is yet another Nintendo D.S. emulator for Android users. In contrast to DraStic, it is free and completely ad-free.
Apart from other than Nintendo DS, Lemunroid offers support for various other platforms, including Atari 2600 (A26), Atari 7800 (A78), Atari Lynx, Nintendo (N.E.S.), Super Nintendo (SNES), Game Boy (GB), Game Boy Color and many more.
There are all the features you need like quick save or gamepad support. It is possible to connect multiple gamepads and also. The Android application for playing Nintendo games also comes with looking up all your games.

Why use DraStic?

Connect multiple gamepads
Support for zipped R.O.M.s

Are Emulators even legal?

Emulators, yeah. ROMS, but not as much. Emulators of all kinds are simply software that simulates a game console. It’s pretty like torrent clients, which aren’t illegal in their own right; However, using torrents to download is.
Like emulators, for P.C., it isn’t illegal; however, downloading games and playing them on this emulator can be unlawful. There have been various opinions on the issue. But, we’ll follow this official website of Nintendo. They believe that creating digital copies of older N.D.S. games is illegal even though Nintendo doesn’t make D.S. games anymore and earns no profits.
These are the top D.S. emulators that work on P.C.s. If you’re looking to play mobile games on your computer, then you may consider the most effective Android emulators or iOS emulators for P.C.s.