DS Emulation

• Emulators for the Nintendo DS had troubles when they first came out (see Resource 1). Over time, these programs got more effective as the software improved--provided you have a computer that is fast enough. This means that older computers are considerably less likely to be effective at emulating DS games. Even faster computers with the initial stages of DS emulators will usually play the DS roms, as emulation games are called, somewhat slowly.
  
  

Programs

• To try out a DS game on your computer, first you need an emulator program. One of the better-rated ones is called "NO$GBA." This runs GBA roms but has been modified to handle DS roms as well. After you download the installation file on your computer by clicking on the link, you can install it by opening the installation file. This file should be on your desktop or "My Downloads" folder. Once you've installed the program, you'll need to find a DS rom to be able to actually play a game. You can think of the emulator as the virtual game system and the rom as the game you put into it.
  
  

Tomb Raider

• "Tomb Raider Underworld" is a DS game based on the popular series that has been on many other consoles and also the PC. You play the adventurer "Lara Croft" as she tries to make her way through a labyrinth of temples in search of lost relics. She has twin pistols you can use to battle your way past enemies and solve puzzles. Although this game is free to download, you should only do so if you have purchased an actual copy of the game; otherwise, there are legality issues.
  
  

Lego Indiana Jones

• Indiana Jones is a famous series of movies that follow the history teacher turned adventurer. In this particular spin, you play through the movies, only in a completely Lego world. The game brings you through each movie plot as it would happen if everything were made of Legos. The violence is more comical as enemies simply disintegrate into their various Lego counterparts. You go through the levels collecting various items, but also Lego pieces themselves to help your health meter.
  
  

Considerations

• When downloading DS emulator roms, be careful. You need to own a copy of the game to play it on your PC. This can be useful if you've broken a particular DS game or if your DS device itself is not functioning. If you download a game that you don't own, then you are likely violating copyright law and infringing someone's intellectual property unless the DS game is a homebrew--that is, homemade by a user who isn't selling it. It's also a good idea to run anything you download through a virus and spyware scanner to be sure there aren't any dangerous programs secretly attached to it.