Last Edit: 2017.06.26
I've made this topic because I've been into the NDS emulation scene since around 2007/2009 towards 2013.
Back then the scene was something amazing, I can recall spending at-leased around 7 hours a day being online communicating, helping people, making application manuals all together with other people in order to perfect the system.
Sadly, like many other systems, they turn old and start to be forgotten or left not to be picked up again.
Since i recently made a topic for the Nintendo Wii, and its best homebrew applications, i thought i'd put my knowledge and experiences of the NDS in this thread, as a remembrance and for people who still wish to utilize their NDS system to its fullest.
YSMenu
This firmware is considered your perfect alternative no matter what base firmware you are running on your flashcard, it is open source community updated and supports almost all types of flashcards and clones, and runs allot of games.
Main Page
Download
Wood R4
A firmware based on the Wood RPG firmware, mainly modified for support on multiple R4 cards and DSTT cards.
This firmware supports pretty much 99.9% of all games and has a wide support for multiple clone cards.
Main Page
Download
DScovered
A firmware designed to look slick and pretty,
This firmware uses support from other firmware (YSMenu, Wood R4 ect.) to run games on.
Main Page
Download
Alternative homebrew firmware:
nesDS
An Nintendo emulator that runs allot of NES games without issue.
Download
SnemulDS 0.6 [Revival]
An Super Nintendo emulator that runs allot of SNES games without issue.
This modification is based on the original SnemulDS 0.6 and is updated to support allot more SNES games.
Download
GameYob
An Game Boy Color emulator that pretty much runs every GB/GBC game you load in it.
Download
GBARunner2
An Game Boy Advance loader to play GBA games from your slot 1 flashcard.
This allows the usage of loading Game Boy Advance files from your flashcard.
Download
More emulators can be found on: https://gbatemp.net/threads/list-of-all-emulators-for-ds.255764/
jEnesisDS
An emulator for the Sega Genesis/Megadrive.
Download
S8DS
An Sega (Game Gear, CBS Colecovision, Sega Master System, Sega SG-1000/SC-3000) emulator.
Download
ScummVM DS
ScummVM is a program which allows you to run certain classic graphical point-and-click adventure and role-playing games.
Download
DSx86
DSx86 is a PC emulator for Nintendo DS allowing you to run old DOS games on your Nintendo DS game console.
Download
More emulators can be found on: https://gbatemp.net/threads/list-of-all-emulators-for-ds.255764/
MoonShell
MoonShell is a all-in-one multimedia player that allows to play and show audio, video, images and text.
It is generally seen as a must have application for any flashcard, it also has a very proper file explorer.
Download
Back To The Firmware
A application that makes it able to return back to your original DS firmware after loading your flashcard firmware.
Download
Diagnose
DiagnoSe is a DS function tester, designed to test the features of the DS.
Download
DSOrganize
A multi-tool program combining allot of features such as storing daily and hourly memos, addresses, todo lists and simple scribbles
Other then that it also includes an online homebrew database, includes streaming audio support, and a rudimentary web browser.
Download
ComBoX
ComBoX (Lilou box) is a complete communication box for your DS. It allows you to transfer files with different protocols : FTP and HTTP.
Download
DS2DS
Allows user to send files without router or via a DS to another without size limit.
Download
SRLoader
Loads retail DS ROMs & homebrew from the Nintendo DSi SD card via it's backend, nds-bootstrap.
Download
Colors!
Colors! is a painting tool that lets you make beautiful images and paintings with your stylus.
Download
NitroTracker
NitroTracker is a FastTracker II style tracker for the Nintendo DS, allowing you to make music and share it across devices.
Download
Youtube DS
Allows playing YouTube videos on your NDS (please note this program is in very early stage and might not work propperly)
Download
Aperture Science DS
Aperture Science DS, previously known as Portal DS, is a 3D Homebrew version of the popular Portal game series.
Download
DSCraft
DScraft is a homebrew adaptation of the popular game Minecraft, At current state of development its about a complete adaption of Minecraft Classic.
Download
Mario Paint Composer DS
Mario Paint Composer DS is an indirect remake of the music composer tool found in the Super Nintendo game "Mario Paint"
Download
Fireworlds
An original puzzle/platform adventure game.
Download
Still Alive DS
Still Alive is a 2d portal homebrew inspired game.
Combining platforming, first person shooting, and physics based puzzle solving.
Download
Lemmings DS
Lemmings DS is an open-source port of the classic Amiga action-puzzle game Lemmings for the Nintendo DS.
Download
Pocket Physics
Pocket Physics is a physical construction kit for your pocket.
You draw objects with the stylus and make them physical by pressing the play button
Download
UniqueGeeks Offline Converter
A offline program to convert NDS Save Games for different flashcards/emulators.
Main Page
WfcPatcher
Patches NDS games to allow them to connect to a custom server, such as AltWfc in order to play online
Main Page
SD Card Formatter
This software formats all SD memory cards, SDHC memory cards and SDXC memory cards.
SD Card Formatter provides quick and easy access to the full capabilities of your SD, SDHC and SDXC memory cards.
Download
NDSTokyoTrim
With this you can cut off unneeded data from your ROMS, making them smaller in size.
Download
I hope that this thread will help those who want definite information on applications and tools that are in current state "Best to Use" or most recommended.
If you wish to seek more homebrew for your Nintendo DS system, you can find more on this website:
http://gamebrew.org/wiki/List_of_all_DS_homebrew
- Please note that this site is not fully updated, thus does not have everything available
If you have any suggestion on recommended applications, please share by posting below so we can improve on this thread.
~The best Nintendo DS homebrew applications 2017~
I've made this topic because I've been into the NDS emulation scene since around 2007/2009 towards 2013.
Back then the scene was something amazing, I can recall spending at-leased around 7 hours a day being online communicating, helping people, making application manuals all together with other people in order to perfect the system.
Sadly, like many other systems, they turn old and start to be forgotten or left not to be picked up again.
Since i recently made a topic for the Nintendo Wii, and its best homebrew applications, i thought i'd put my knowledge and experiences of the NDS in this thread, as a remembrance and for people who still wish to utilize their NDS system to its fullest.
Best Alternative Flashcard Firmware
YSMenu
This firmware is considered your perfect alternative no matter what base firmware you are running on your flashcard, it is open source community updated and supports almost all types of flashcards and clones, and runs allot of games.
• Recommended to be installed besides your main firmware or as main firmware
• Works on pretty much every flashcard you may own
• Very high amount of game support
• Works on pretty much every flashcard you may own
• Very high amount of game support
Wood R4
A firmware based on the Wood RPG firmware, mainly modified for support on multiple R4 cards and DSTT cards.
This firmware supports pretty much 99.9% of all games and has a wide support for multiple clone cards.
• 99.9% game compatibility
• Slick clean menu with useful utilities
• Slick clean menu with useful utilities
DScovered
A firmware designed to look slick and pretty,
This firmware uses support from other firmware (YSMenu, Wood R4 ect.) to run games on.
Alternative homebrew firmware:
Best Nintendo Related Emulators
nesDS
An Nintendo emulator that runs allot of NES games without issue.
SnemulDS 0.6 [Revival]
An Super Nintendo emulator that runs allot of SNES games without issue.
This modification is based on the original SnemulDS 0.6 and is updated to support allot more SNES games.
• There might be some layer issues in some games though.
GameYob
An Game Boy Color emulator that pretty much runs every GB/GBC game you load in it.
GBARunner2
An Game Boy Advance loader to play GBA games from your slot 1 flashcard.
This allows the usage of loading Game Boy Advance files from your flashcard.
• Technically a hypervisor, not an emulator.
More emulators can be found on: https://gbatemp.net/threads/list-of-all-emulators-for-ds.255764/
Best Non-Nintendo Related Emulators
jEnesisDS
An emulator for the Sega Genesis/Megadrive.
S8DS
An Sega (Game Gear, CBS Colecovision, Sega Master System, Sega SG-1000/SC-3000) emulator.
ScummVM DS
ScummVM is a program which allows you to run certain classic graphical point-and-click adventure and role-playing games.
DSx86
DSx86 is a PC emulator for Nintendo DS allowing you to run old DOS games on your Nintendo DS game console.
More emulators can be found on: https://gbatemp.net/threads/list-of-all-emulators-for-ds.255764/
Useful Utilities
MoonShell
MoonShell is a all-in-one multimedia player that allows to play and show audio, video, images and text.
It is generally seen as a must have application for any flashcard, it also has a very proper file explorer.
Back To The Firmware
A application that makes it able to return back to your original DS firmware after loading your flashcard firmware.
Diagnose
DiagnoSe is a DS function tester, designed to test the features of the DS.
DSOrganize
A multi-tool program combining allot of features such as storing daily and hourly memos, addresses, todo lists and simple scribbles
Other then that it also includes an online homebrew database, includes streaming audio support, and a rudimentary web browser.
ComBoX
ComBoX (Lilou box) is a complete communication box for your DS. It allows you to transfer files with different protocols : FTP and HTTP.
DS2DS
Allows user to send files without router or via a DS to another without size limit.
SRLoader
Loads retail DS ROMs & homebrew from the Nintendo DSi SD card via it's backend, nds-bootstrap.
Useful Applications
Colors!
Colors! is a painting tool that lets you make beautiful images and paintings with your stylus.
NitroTracker
NitroTracker is a FastTracker II style tracker for the Nintendo DS, allowing you to make music and share it across devices.
Youtube DS
Allows playing YouTube videos on your NDS (please note this program is in very early stage and might not work propperly)
Homebrew Games
Aperture Science DS
Aperture Science DS, previously known as Portal DS, is a 3D Homebrew version of the popular Portal game series.
DSCraft
DScraft is a homebrew adaptation of the popular game Minecraft, At current state of development its about a complete adaption of Minecraft Classic.
Mario Paint Composer DS
Mario Paint Composer DS is an indirect remake of the music composer tool found in the Super Nintendo game "Mario Paint"
Fireworlds
An original puzzle/platform adventure game.
Still Alive DS
Still Alive is a 2d portal homebrew inspired game.
Combining platforming, first person shooting, and physics based puzzle solving.
Lemmings DS
Lemmings DS is an open-source port of the classic Amiga action-puzzle game Lemmings for the Nintendo DS.
Pocket Physics
Pocket Physics is a physical construction kit for your pocket.
You draw objects with the stylus and make them physical by pressing the play button
PC Utilities
UniqueGeeks Offline Converter
A offline program to convert NDS Save Games for different flashcards/emulators.
WfcPatcher
Patches NDS games to allow them to connect to a custom server, such as AltWfc in order to play online
SD Card Formatter
This software formats all SD memory cards, SDHC memory cards and SDXC memory cards.
SD Card Formatter provides quick and easy access to the full capabilities of your SD, SDHC and SDXC memory cards.
NDSTokyoTrim
With this you can cut off unneeded data from your ROMS, making them smaller in size.
Final Word
I hope that this thread will help those who want definite information on applications and tools that are in current state "Best to Use" or most recommended.
If you wish to seek more homebrew for your Nintendo DS system, you can find more on this website:
http://gamebrew.org/wiki/List_of_all_DS_homebrew
- Please note that this site is not fully updated, thus does not have everything available
If you have any suggestion on recommended applications, please share by posting below so we can improve on this thread.
With this thread, let us keep the Nintendo DS alive with the best features it can possibly have.
Last edited by ShadowtearX,