Play Roms on a Nintendo DS
You're missing that old-school game, but your Game Boy Color bit the dust. Use a ROM file to play the older game on your Nintendo DS.
Steps
- Buy a flash card. These USB adapters will allow you to connect a microSD card to your DS..These cards will allow you to play multiverse games on a single console, such as your Nintendo DS or DSi. You can acquire these from Amazon, eBay, or other trustworthy vendors. Some cards to consider are:
- Be aware that these cards usually need to be mail-ordered and the quality varies widely. Seek a trustworthy source (some are mentioned at the reference link above).
- Purchasing a flash media card from a trustworthy vendor usually ensures that you will also be getting a complimentary memory card and CD. Make sure you receive these side products.
- Insert the complimentary CD into the computer and follow the instructions to download "Moonshell" and "System." These are popular Nintendo DS software apps that will allow you to process the ROM files.
- If you don't have the CD, both programs are downloadable from the Internet.
- Insert your complimentary memory card into the USB. There should be a slot at the top.
- Insert the USB into your computer and open it.
- Drag the System and Moonshell files onto your USB.
- In the system folder on your USB, create a folder and name it "Games." Save your games here for organization.
- Download "Winrar" onto your computer. This is a common data compression program that will squish the many 0s and 1s of your ROM game into a transportable file. Winrar will extract your games so that they will work on your DS or DSi. Google it and download. Make sure you download from a reputable site.
- Download your games.
- Search for websites that allow legal downloading of NDS ROMs. Sometimes you will have to use a code to download a game, but this is typical for many ROMs websites, and is usually not seen as a big deal by experienced ROM hackers.
- Choose and download your chosen game. You will be asked to save your game. Save it in an appropriate place that you will remember, such as your desktop. The game should now be downloading.
- After the game has fully downloaded, find the file and "right click" it. Select the option to extract the game with Winrar.
- Then choose the location you want to play the game. This will be on your USB in your "Games" folder. The file will now begin to extract.
- Once extraction is done, remove your USB and insert it into your DS or DSi.
- Equip your R4, M3, or alternative flash media card with the MicroSD chip. Insert your media card into the game slot in your SD.
- Eject your USB safely.
- Turn on the DS.
- Press "A" on your DSi to select the first square on the left. For your DS os DS Lite, just tap the top box or press "A" when the top box is highlighted. There, you should see the "Games" folder. Select it with "A." Inside the folder, you should see the ROM game file. Select it with "A." Expect a pop up, saying, "This game file does not have a save file, do you want to make one?" Press "A" to make one.
- Start playing!
Tips
- The larger your memory card, the better. The larger the memory, the more games you will be able to hold and play. At least 1 Gigabyte is recommended.
Warnings
- Sometimes, it is legal to download a game ROM to use as a backup file in case your saved game files are lost. However, this implies that you have bought the game prior to making a backup.
- Here is Nintendo's FAQ about ROMs. http://www.nintendo.com/corp/legal.jsp#download_rom
- Downloading games, movies etc. is illegal so do it at your own risk.
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