A solid Nintendo DS emulator for Windows PCs

Enlarged image for DeSmuME
DeSmuME 0/3

DeSmuME is a leading games emulator for playing Nintendo DS titles on your Windows PC. With this tool, you can use the downloaded DS ROMs from the internet. Since the release of the first GameBoy title, the program has come a long way. Nintendo DS, with support from games emulators, has become more powerful, and is the perfect choice to indulge in some nostalgia-inducing creations from the early 90s.

Compared to Tencent Gaming Buddy, MEmu, GameLoop, and other Android emulators, DeSmuME download is a decent choice. The simple and clean interface is beginner-friendly, and has been designed for gamers around the world. This program was originally developed for programmers to test and develop their creations. While the software can be a bit tricky for first-time users, you will easily become familiar with the interface. It supports a huge collection of ROMs.

An open-source emulator to play your favorite games

With this Nintendo DS emulator, you can relive your childhood days. This open-source gaming platform supports numerous tools to test a number of DS features. You can check everything from managing ‘Action Replaycheats to viewing ROM properties. The program can be run from the command line or through a graphic design interface. The versatile functionalities make DeSmuME the perfect choice for your Windows PC.

How to set up DeSmuME?

Setting up the emulator for the first time can be overwhelming. While the program has a simple interface, the setup process can be tricky. Fortunately, DeSmuME comes in a lightweight installation package, which requires you to follow instructions on the screen. The settings can be easily customized as per your preference. 

It’s worth mentioning that your PC will need a compression tool for a successful installation. You can use 7-Zip, WinZip, WinRAR, or another similar program. Once the platform’s vertical main window appears, you can open the ROMs from the ‘File’ menu. In the beginning, it’s recommended to use basic settings, which can later be customized to suit your gameplay.

What are the features?

DeSmuME download features all the tools required to enhance your gaming experience. Most importantly, the program takes you down memory lane by letting you enjoy a range of titles from the early 90s. You can use this tool to play your favorite games in a 2.5 x 2 aspect ratio.

In the last few years, games like Call of Duty, GTA, and Counter-Strike have turned 4K resolution into a basic feature. Compared to this, opening DS ROMs with this games emulator can be a weird experience. In the first look, you won’t be able to ignore rough outlines, pixelated graphics, and delayed movements. The popular Nintendo DS emulator fixes such issues by offering multiple sets of scales and tools to ensure a good display. For instance, you can use Screen Separation, Pixel Upscale, and Display Resize features to improve the visuals.

It’s worth mentioning that resizing the display can make the output appear pixelated. For this reason, it needs to be used in tandem with the Display Resize feature. On the other hand, Screen Separation can be used with games like Mario Kart DS, which supports dual screens.

What about the gameplay?

Customizable settings lay the foundation for most Nintendo DS games. With DeSmuME, the gameplay is fun and runs smoothly. It gives the impression of a remastered version of the title. For 3D ROMs like Kirby or Animal Crossing, you’ll have to adjust the 3D settings of the platform.

Just choose ‘Open GL 3.2 and HD Prescaling’. This gives your games a high-quality HD appearance. In addition to this, it will be better to enable some other features, including Fog, Edge Making, GL Tex Smoothing, GL Tex Deposterize, and more.

These settings in DeSmuME download can sharpen visual details and polish jagged edges. Unfortunately, this slows down the performance of your PC, and will need to adjust the options on the basis of your hardware configuration and ROMs.

Our take

The latest version of the games emulator DeSmuMe introduces various improvements, new features like autodetection, and bug fixes. There’s also a revamped ‘save file’ format and recording support. Overall, this program is a great choice for Windows PCs.

Should you download it?

DeSmuME is one of the most popular programs among Nintendo DS and Android emulators. It comes with a range of tools to enhance your gaming experience. It’s the perfect choice to go on a nostalgia trip. Unfortunately, the customer support isn’t as good as we like to see, but that isn't a major deterrent to the overall gameplay.

  • Pros

    • Comes in a lightweight installation package
    • Features easy to set up ROMs
    • Offers smooth gameplay
    • Features customizable resolution
  • Cons

    • Doesn’t offer good customer support

Specifications

Platform
  • Windows
  • Mac
Language
  • Danish
  • German
  • English
  • Spanish
  • French
  • Italian
  • Chinese
License

Free

Latest update
Downloads in last month
10
Developer
Guillaume Duhamel

Also available in other platforms

Program available in other languages



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