Nintendo DS / DSi
Dual screens and touch input in your pocket.
Overview
The Nintendo DS (2004) introduced dual screens and touch input. Its massive library includes Pokemon, Professor Layton, and countless RPGs. Emulates excellently on Steam Deck.
| Year | 2004 (DS), 2008 (DSi) |
| Media | Cartridge / Digital |
| Steam Deck | Excellent |
| BIOS Required | Optional (recommended) |
Emulators
| Emulator | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| melonDS | Standalone/RetroArch | Most accurate, best for Steam Deck |
| DeSmuME | RetroArch core | Older, still works |
| DraStic | RetroArch core | Fast, good compatibility |
Setup
ROM Folder
roms/nds/
File Formats
.nds, .zip
BIOS
Optional but Recommended
bios7.bin- ARM7 BIOSbios9.bin- ARM9 BIOSfirmware.bin- DS firmware
For DSi: dsi_bios7.bin, dsi_bios9.bin, dsi_firmware.bin, dsi_nand.bin
Screen Layout
DS has two screens. Options on Steam Deck:
- Side by side: Both visible, smaller
- Top only: For games mainly using top screen
- Bottom only: For touch-heavy games
- Rotated: For vertical screen games
Trackpad or touchscreen simulates DS touch input.
Where to Find Games
No-Intro DS sets on Myrient. See the Download Guide.