NDS was a successful handheld device succeeding the classic GameBoy Advance. It took the portable gaming experience to another level and believe it or not, despite its age (it was released more than two decades ago), it’s still a worldwide respected console.
People still enjoy games from their childhood, bringing back good memories. Others would just love to experience the gaming industry back then. Either way, you don’t necessarily need to find an antique collectible for a fortune. Today, you can play NDS games on your computer. Let’s find out how!
First, You’ll Need an Emulator
An emulator is a program that replicates the operating system of the NDS. There are more emulators for different consoles out there. There are quite a few options for NDS too:
- DeSmuME
- No$GBA
- Citra
- OpenEmu
- RetroArch
- NeonDS
And a few others. Most of them are free, yet some of them also have premium versions. DeSmuME is by far the most popular one, mainly because it can take the vast majority of NDS games without any bugs.
Download the emulator and find the version that is suitable for your computer. If you have a 32 bit unit, pick the x86 version. Otherwise, 64 bit computers can do with the x64 version. You’ll also find some different builds, mainly known as Nightly builds. They offer some extra features, but they have a few bugs too.
All in all, once downloaded, it’s time to install it. Just a matter of clicking “next” a few times mainly.
Adjust the Settings
Once the emulator is installed, run it. You’ll see a simple screen, without too many options. If you’re not 100% sure what you’re doing, you’re better off leaving it as it is. However, you should still configure some controls. Go to the config menu at the top and find Control Config in it.
While in the settings, you can also install controllers. Depending on the game and controller, you may have to try out a few different settings. Given the age of the NDS, most players simply assign traditional keys to controls. It’s easier and more convenient.
Next, adjust the screen size. Again, it’s not mandatory, but it helps. If you have a big screen, you’ll find the original screen size too small. Go to the view menu, then find Window Size and select the size.
If you’ve ever used the original NDS, you probably remember that it has a split screen. You can play one game on one side and keep another one on the other side. With DeSmuME, screens are on top of each other, rather than side by side.
What you choose depends on the resolution of your screen, so feel free to experiment.
Get Some Games
Once your emulator is up and ready to use, it’s time to get a few games.
If you have old original games, you can create image copies on your computer. Not recommended for beginners, but for tech savvy geeks. It’s a complicated process that puts most people off.
Instead, find some NDS games download websites and you’re good to go. Websites like Romspedia host original games for countless consoles, so chances are you’ll find lots of solid options for NDS as well.
Download the games and if they’re archived, make sure you unzip them. DeSmuME works with image files only.
Also, while not mandatory, it might be a good idea to have all your games in one folder. It’s just easier to navigate through the emulator when browsing around.
If you’re not sure what games you want, but you just want to try out the NDS experience, here are a few popular titles from those times:
- Mario Kart DS
- Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow
- New Super Mario Bros.
- Animal Crossing: Wild World
- Advance Wars: Dual Strike
- Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story
- The World Ends with You
- Elite Beat Agents
- Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney
How to Play Your NDS Games on PC
Now that you have everything you need (the emulator and your favorite games), it’s time to start emulating.
To understand the process, running DeSmuME means replicating the NDS operating system. When you load a game through the emulator, you run it through this operating system replica. This means it works just like on the original console.
The main difference is you’re playing it on a more modern machine. Besides, the NDS was a portable console, while your computer is not. Even if you do it on a laptop, it’s still much bigger than a handheld device.
To load a game, you’ll need to run DeSmuME. Go to the top menu in file, find the option to open ROM or simply press CTRL+O. You’ll have to browse to the folder where you saved your games and find the image file for the game you want to try.
Double click it or press open and your game should start running.
If you’re not happy with the controls, go back to the previous menu in Config, Control Config and change them.
Keep in mind that each game is different. While all these games used to run on the same screen, the controls were different, as well as the graphics and the overall gameplay. Therefore, what works for some games may not necessarily work for every game, so you may need to experiment with the controls all the time.
Other Options
While this guide is for Windows users, the truth is DeSmuME also has versions for Linux and macOS users.
The concept is the same. Go to the official download page, find the suitable version for your machine, get some games and load them up.
Other emulators offer a similar experience, despite small differences between them. There are also emulators specifically made for other operating systems and not just Windows.
In conclusion, by going through this guide, you can play NDS games such as Mario Kart DS or Castlevania on your PC and relive retro gaming experience without needing the original console.