Suggestions appear as you type. Use the up and down arrows to choose one and Enter to open it.

This page's audience our own tag's counts — open to see them
–Visits
–Page views
–Clicks to vendors
–Time on page
–Reading now
Clicks to vendors, by tool
  • –
Top countries
  • –
Devices
  • –

– · visits, page views and clicks counted by our own tag, which counts more than our checked analytics; every figure rounded down · how we count

Head-to-head · Nintendo DS Emulators

WatermelonDS vs NO$GBA

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 5 checks side by side
Higher score WatermelonDS #5 in Nintendo DS Emulators 8.5/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 3 of 4 features Visit WatermelonDS
NO$GBA #6 in Nintendo DS Emulators 8.3/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 0 of 4 features Visit NO$GBA

WatermelonDS leads on 0 checks, NO$GBA on 0, and 5 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 5 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreWatermelonDS · 8.5/10
  • Free planboth
  • Most featuresWatermelonDS · 3 of 4

WatermelonDS scores higher on our rubric for nintendo ds emulators: 8.5 against 8.3 out of 10; our editors rank them #5 and #6.

WatermelonDS is the better fit for android users wanting DS and DSi features. NO$GBA is the better fit for windows users needing debugging tools.

  • WatermelonDS fits best

    Android users wanting DS and DSi features

  • NO$GBA fits best

    Windows users needing debugging tools

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.

Side by side

Feature WatermelonDS 8.5/10 Visit ↗ NO$GBA 8.3/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 8.5 8.3
Ranking #5 in Nintendo DS Emulators #6 in Nintendo DS Emulators
Best for Android users wanting DS and DSi features Windows users needing debugging tools
Pricing model Free Free
Starting price Free plan Free plan
Free plan ✓ ✓
Free trial — —
Deployment Mobile Desktop
Platforms Android Windows
Support Community Email, Community
Built for Solo, Small business Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features WatermelonDS 3/4 · NO$GBA 0/4
Save states ✓ (best) Not checked yet
Local multiplayer — Not checked yet
Nintendo DSi support ✓ (best) Not checked yet
Cheat support ✓ (best) Not checked yet
Specs
Supported platforms Android Not checked yet
Screen layout options Per-ROM layouts, screen rotation, external-screen layouts, layout editor Not checked yet
Our review
Pros
  • Supports Nintendo DS and DSi software, including DSiWare integration
  • Offers multiple renderers, resolution scaling, shaders and external-display support
  • Includes save states, cheats and RetroAchievements with offline play
  • Supports Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS and DSi emulation
  • Includes disassembly, profiling, tracing and source-level debugging
  • Offers multiplayer GBA linking and complete hardware snapshots
Cons
  • Local multiplayer is not supported
  • DSi SD-card support is not included
  • Available as an Android port rather than across multiple platforms
  • Windows is the listed platform for the gaming and debugging versions
  • Its strongest capabilities focus on development rather than general emulation
  • The product is freeware rather than a broader paid support offering
Our verdict

WatermelonDS is an open-source Android emulator for Nintendo DS and DSi software. It is aimed at Android users who want DS and DSi features on handheld devices or hardware connected to external displays. The feature set covers core…

Read the review →

NO$GBA is a freeware emulator and debugger for Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS and DSi software. It is aimed at Windows users who want both game emulation and technical tools for inspecting or developing software. Windows and DOS gaming…

Read the review →
  1. WatermelonDSNintendo DS Emulators 8.5Free plan
  2. NO$GBANintendo DS Emulators 8.3Free plan

Strengths and trade-offs

  • WatermelonDS — where it wins

    • Supports Nintendo DS and DSi software, including DSiWare integration
    • Offers multiple renderers, resolution scaling, shaders and external-display support
    • Includes save states, cheats and RetroAchievements with offline play

    Where it doesn't

    • Local multiplayer is not supported
    • DSi SD-card support is not included
    • Available as an Android port rather than across multiple platforms

  • NO$GBA — where it wins

    • Supports Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS and DSi emulation
    • Includes disassembly, profiling, tracing and source-level debugging
    • Offers multiplayer GBA linking and complete hardware snapshots

    Where it doesn't

    • Windows is the listed platform for the gaming and debugging versions
    • Its strongest capabilities focus on development rather than general emulation
    • The product is freeware rather than a broader paid support offering

More comparisons

All nintendo DS emulators comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update