DS emulator for iPhone and iPad

Prepare a .nds game

DS and GBA are different systems. Retropa supports .nds files for DS on iPhone and iPad with iOS 18 or later. Use files you have the right to use and retain a separate backup. The app does not provide ROM or BIOS downloads, and a .gba file cannot become a DS game by renaming it.

Import and check both screens

Download the game file locally in Files, then select it from the library import entry in Retropa. Open the imported game with the default layout. Check both display areas and test touch input in a part of the game that uses it. A title screen alone is not enough to verify that every required input is reachable.

• Start with the system detected or selected for the .nds file.
• Follow any BIOS or firmware requirement reported by the installed core.
• Keep a copy of the original file while diagnosing errors.

Give the touch screen enough room

Two displays need a different layout from a single-screen handheld. Choose a DS skin that exposes both screens and the required controls. Portrait can give the screens a natural vertical arrangement; landscape support depends on the selected skin. Check small touch targets at the size you actually play, especially on a smaller iPhone.

Controllers do not replace every touch action

Retropa supports compatible external controllers and button mapping. Pair the controller with iOS and confirm its assignments in the app. A physical D-pad and action buttons do not automatically replace a game's touch-screen interactions. Verify those interactions before settling on a controller-only setup.

Keep the first session simple

Confirm game and input compatibility before applying a complex shader chain. If the picture or frame pacing changes after selecting a filter, return to a simple preset and compare. Device, core and output size all affect performance; support for DS is not a promise of identical results for every game and phone.

• Premium skins and advanced filters require Retropa Plus.
• Keep original saves and save states backed up; they are not interchangeable file formats.
• For support, include app version, selected core and the exact error, not the game or BIOS files.