There are several contenders for the best DS emulator for Android, most of which are completely free.

To play Nintendo DS games on Android, you must download ROMs.

verify to install antivirus software before downloading files from the web.

Pink Nintendo DS on the corner of a table

Pink Nintendo DS on the corner of a table.Denise Jans / Unsplash

Best Paid DS Emulator: DraStic DS Emulator

Adjust the size and placement of screens.

Access your save data on multiple devices.

Only one save slot per ROM.

DraStic DS Emulator for Android

For $4.99, the DraStic DS Emulator is a steal.

There’s even an option to enhance the graphics.

While DraStic DS works on most Android devices, it performs best on higher-end phones and tablets.

The RetroArch video game emulator for Android

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Best Multipurpose Emulator: RetroArch

Emulates multiple handheld and console video game systems.

Open source and ad-free.

Requires a little time and technical knowledge to set up.

Super Mario 64 running on My NDS Emulator For Android 6

The interface could be more user friendly.

RetroArch is a multipurpose video game emulator for every platform, from Android to Linux.

That said, you must download the core for each emulator.

Zelda: Phantom Hour Glass running on the EmuBox DS emulator for Android

you’re free to even play and create your homebrew games for DS with the Libretro API.

Best Performing DS Emulator: Fast DS Emulator

Resizeable screens.

Annoying ads that can’t be removed.

Requires an internet connection to start up.

Best Looking DS Emulator: EmuBox

Exceptional graphics.

Play in portrait or landscape mode.

Performance issues arise when too many cheats are active.

No option to remove ads.

Like Retroarch, EmuBox emulates many systems, including the NES and thePlayStation.

Because it was coded using Google’s Material Design language, EmuBox can reproduce the DS’s visuals flawlessly.

Fortunately, there’s an option to capture screenshots.

On top of that, EmuBox gives you 20 save slots per ROM.