DeSmuME vs Delta

DDeSmuME9.4Visit Delta8.2Visit

Higher score D DeSmuME #1 in Nintendo DS Emulators 9.4/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 0 of 4 features Visit DeSmuME

vs

Delta #7 in Nintendo DS Emulators 8.2/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 0 of 4 features Visit Delta

• DeSmuME fits best

  Free, full-featured desktop DS emulation

• Delta fits best

  iOS users wanting DS plus other consoles

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Side by side

Feature	DDeSmuME 9.4/10 Visit ↗	Delta 8.2/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	9.4	8.2
Ranking	#1 in Nintendo DS Emulators	#7 in Nintendo DS Emulators
Best for	Free, full-featured desktop DS emulation	iOS users wanting DS plus other consoles
Pricing model	Free	Free plan + paid
Starting price	Free plan	—
Free plan	✓	✓
Free trial	—	—
Deployment	Desktop	Mobile, Desktop
Platforms	Windows, macOS, Linux	iOS, macOS
Support	Community, Docs	Email, Docs
Built for	Solo, Small business	Solo, Small business
Features DeSmuME 0/4 · Delta 0/4
Save states	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Local multiplayer	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Nintendo DSi support	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Cheat support	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Specs
Supported platforms	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Screen layout options	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Our review
Pros	Supports Windows, macOS, and Linux desktop systems Offers high-resolution 3D with GPU scaling and multiple renderers Includes touchscreen, microphone, save, and Action Replay support	Supports Nintendo DS alongside NES, SNES, N64, Game Boy and more Save states, cheats, controller mapping and external controller support Syncs games, saves, cheats and settings through Google Drive or Dropbox
Cons	Wi-Fi emulation is not supported Linux users may need to build from source Focused only on Nintendo DS and Nintendo DS Lite	Available on iOS and macOS, with no Android support Nintendo DS multiplayer depends on compatible games and community servers Sega Genesis/Mega Drive support is still in beta
Our verdict	DeSmuME is a free, open-source desktop emulator for Nintendo DS and Nintendo DS Lite software. It is intended for users who want to run Nintendo DS titles on Windows, macOS, or Linux computers. Its feature set covers the core DS hardware… Read the review →	Delta is a free, open-source emulator for iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Apple silicon Mac and Apple Vision devices. It is aimed at Apple users who want Nintendo DS emulation alongside NES, SNES, Nintendo 64, Game Boy, Game Boy Color, Game Boy… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• DeSmuME — where it wins

  • Supports Windows, macOS, and Linux desktop systems
  • Offers high-resolution 3D with GPU scaling and multiple renderers
  • Includes touchscreen, microphone, save, and Action Replay support

  Where it doesn't

  • Wi-Fi emulation is not supported
  • Linux users may need to build from source
  • Focused only on Nintendo DS and Nintendo DS Lite

• Delta — where it wins

  • Supports Nintendo DS alongside NES, SNES, N64, Game Boy and more
  • Save states, cheats, controller mapping and external controller support
  • Syncs games, saves, cheats and settings through Google Drive or Dropbox

  Where it doesn't

  • Available on iOS and macOS, with no Android support
  • Nintendo DS multiplayer depends on compatible games and community servers
  • Sega Genesis/Mega Drive support is still in beta

• DDeSmuME9.4/10 · Free plan

  A free desktop emulator with strong graphics, input, save, and cheat support.

  Visit DeSmuMEFull verdict →
• Delta8.2/10 · Free plan

  A broad Apple-focused emulator with strong DS support and useful synchronization tools.

  Visit DeltaFull verdict →