Want to use your Chromebook to play some enjoyable retro games? Check out these dependable Nintendo DS emulators if you want to play Nintendo DS games. By installing browser add-ons from the Chrome Web Store, Android emulators from the Play Store, and even a few DS emulators running on Linux, I have tested out several emulators. These Nintendo DS emulators are the finest that I can suggest after extensive testing.
The Nintendo DS Game ROMs must first be downloaded before we can begin using the emulators. These downloadable game ROMs will function in every emulator on the list, irrespective of which one you choose. The ROM must be downloaded and loaded using an emulator before the game can be played. Here’s how to use a Chromebook to play Nintendo DS emulator games.
In This Article
How to Download Game ROMs for the Nintendo DS
You can get ROMs from a wide variety of websites. Many hosting websites can be found by doing a fast Google search for Nintendo DS Game ROMs. However, I like ROMS Games since it has a simple design and a wide selection of DS games available for download.
1. Open the ROMS Games website and choose Nintendo DS from the sidebar to begin the download.
2. All of the downloadable Nintendo DS games can be found here. To play, just click on a game or use the search bar to choose your favourite.
3. To begin downloading a game after choosing it, click the Save Game icon on the right.
4. This launches the Files application. For the game to be saved as a Zip file, click the Save button.
Once the game has been downloaded, you’ll need an emulator to play it.
Best Chromebook Nintendo DS emulators
Let’s begin with the cost-free and simple fixes:
SuperNDS Emulator
Both the free and premium versions of this Android app are available. The sole difference is that the premium edition is $2.99 more expensive and contains no advertisements. Check out the following emulator, which is also paid but has a greater FPS in comparison, if you decide to purchase the premium version.
The two primary benefits of SuperNDS Emulator are its support for desktop layout, which allows the two Nintendo DS screens to be shown side by side, and its support for a keyboard and mouse.
1. Launch the Play Store first, then download the SuperNDS Emulator application.
2. Click the Play button on the Play Store to launch the app after installation. Now give access to storage and the microphone.
3. Click Rescan on the main screen, and SuperDNS will locate every DS ROM on your system. If it takes longer to load, choose the zip file to open the game and start playing by choosing the File Browser option and clicking on it.
4. You can now play the game on your computer’s desktop. However, as this is an Android app, it is already set up to operate with touch. If you have a flip Chromebook, you can use the touch controls.
5. Click on the menu option in the top centre and choose the Settings option from the popup menu in the top left corner if you want to experiment with the keypad.
6. Scroll down and click Edit Keymapping to customize your keyboard’s key mapping. For example, W stands for forwarding, the spacebar for A, etc.
7. Return to the game page now, and click the TOUCH button at the bottom to hide the on-screen controls and play the full game using a keyboard and mouse instead.
The DS games can now be played just like any other desktop game.
Pros
- Free and simple to assemble.
- Support for keyboards and desktop design.
- many setup possibilities.
Cons
DS emulator with a low FPS in comparison to other programs on the list.
Drastic DS Emulator
The Drastic DS Emulator, which is similar to SuperNDS Emulator but offers a higher FPS, is another Nintendo DS emulator for Chromebooks. Additionally, you can change the settings and increase the resolution while playing games. It costs $4.99 for a one-time purchase and has no advertisements.
1. First, visit the Play Store and purchase and install the Drastic DS Emulator software.
2. Click the Play button on the Play Store to launch the app after installation. Now provide the storage and microphone permissions.
3. Now choose the button for loading a new game.
4. This will provide a list of every DS ROM that is currently in your storage. To get started, choose the game you wish to play.
5. To begin a brand-new game, click Start Game on the next screen.
6. At this point, you should be able to play the game on your desktop. However, as this is Android software, it is already set up to function with touch displays. If you have a flip Chromebook, you can use the touch controls.
7. To play with the keyboard, choose Menu by clicking the arrow symbol at the bottom.
8. Remap your keyboard controls by choosing Options > External Controller > Map Control.
9. Return to the game again, and this time pick the gamepad icon in the pop-up menu to turn off the on-screen controls.
With the aid of the Drastic DS Emulator, you should be able to play any Nintendo DS game on your Chromebook without any advertising and at a significantly higher FPS.
Pros
- improved FPS compared to many other emulators.
- Support for keyboards and desktop design.
- many setup possibilities.
Cons
- No chance of a free trial.
- Keyboard controls need a little more configuration than other emulators.
melonDS
MelonDS is a fantastic Nintendo DS emulator for Chromebooks if you want to obtain a better FPS without paying for a Drastic DS Emulator. Since melonDS is a Linux application, installing it is a rather time-consuming operation. But this one-time setup is worthwhile if you want a fantastic gaming experience for nothing.
If you haven’t already, you must activate Linux on your Chromebook before you can begin installing melonDS. This is how:
1. Press Shift+Alt+S or select the time symbol in the lower right corner of your Chromebook to activate Linux. To access Chrome OS Settings, click the Cog symbol right now.
2. Select Turn on next to Linux development environment under Advanced > Developers. Simply carry out the instructions to activate Linux on your Chromebook.
3. Your app drawer will have a Linux folder after it has been activated. Click on the Terminal once it is open.
4. MelonDS is being installed via Flatpak, which isn’t turned on by default. Therefore, to install Flatpak, execute this command first on your terminal.
sudo apt install flatpak
5. The best site to get Flatpak applications is Flathub. Run the next command to activate the Flathub repository.
flatpak –user remote-add –if-not-exists flathub https://flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo
6. Now get the melonDS Linux application. You can do that with the Flathub Store. To download the app, go to the melonDS website and select Install, followed by Save.
7. To install it, enter the following command into your terminal. This might take a few minutes.
flatpak install flathub net.kuribo64.melonDS
8. The melonDS software can now be found in the Linux Apps folder. But don’t open it right now.
9. You also need to install the NDS firmware to play DS games. Open this link to get the NDS firmware if you want to do it.
10. Since Linux can only access those files, transfer the firmware and game ROM files to the Linux folder in the Files app.
11. A 7z zip file with compression is used to obtain firmware. Use the following instructions sequentially to extract. Suggested command:
sudo apt install p7zip-full
7z x NDS\ Firmware\ \&\ BIOs.7z
12. This will extract the five files and the firmware folder.
13. Go to the app drawer and launch the melonDS app. Choose congif > Emu Settings here.
14. Select the firmware.bin file from the extracted firmware folder by clicking the Browse button next to the DS firmware under the DS Mode tab.
15. Select the appropriate files from the firmware folder by clicking on the Browse button next to the other two selections.
16. Select the game you transferred to the Linux folder by clicking File > Open ROM.
17. It will start the game so that you can play. To modify the keyboard controls, access the settings> Input and hotkeys menu once again, however, unlike other emulators, Keyboard Controls ought to be turned on by default.
Pros
- improved game performance and experience.
Cons
- identical to the DS’s vertical arrangement.
- Installation is a tedious procedure.
- No touch controls; just keyboard and controller support.
Choosing the Best DS emulators for Chromebooks
The melonDS is unquestionably the finest choice, but Drastic NDS, which costs $4.99 and is just as excellent as melonDS, is a fantastic alternative if your Chromebook doesn’t have strong hardware or if you find the installation procedure laborious. If you want a free option that performs better than other free emulators on the Play Store and Chrome Web Store, you can also choose SuperNDS.