DeSmuME

When it comes to Nintendo Dual Screen emulators, the most popular option is DeSmuME. Since it came out a few years ago, there has been no real competition released in the Nintendo DS category. As it’s still the top rated Nintendo DS emulator, it’s important to understand how DeSmuME works. DeSmuME emulates both screens of a Nintendo DS on your monitor and you can use your mouse as a stylus to control your chosen game. DeSmuME features 3D graphics through OpenGL, microphone access, cheat codes and automatic save-types. There is additional support for game replays, and remote debugging. On top of those features, there is adjustable screen size and a portable version available.

Unlike many abandoned emulators that are not updated, DeSmuME has been updated and patched many times, and so is still up to date. What sets DeSmuME apart from other emulators is its cross platform compatibility – it runs not only on Windows and Mac, but with some effort you can compile it for Linux as well! The latest versions of DeSmuME are Windows 64 bit only, however there are online tutorials to adapt even the latest versions to Windows 32 bit. With 4.7/5 stars on Sourceforge, and nearly 35,000 downloads per week, it’s a crowd favorite and extremely well reviewed.