DSVita is a free Nintendo DS emulator for PlayStation Vita, with experimental Android support and a documented build route for ARM Linux. Its maker says most games run, though compatibility and rendering are not complete. Two-dimensional rendering is mostly complete; three-dimensional rendering is mostly implemented, but some effects such as fog are missing. Games that use 3D on both screens can suffer slowdowns and stutters. The emulator uses automatic frame skipping and does not support scanline rendering, so games that update VRAM mid-frame may display incorrectly. Release 0.9.4 lists savestates, Action Replay and libretro cheats, touchscreen controls, and customizable control profiles. The rear touchpad can be assigned to the DS touchscreen, and the right stick can control it. ROMs need the .nds extension and must go in ux0:data/dsvita. Vita setup requires libshacccg.suprx and kubridge.skprx version 0.3.1 or later; the maker strongly recommends running the Vita at 500MHz. If a game fails with ARM7 HLE, SoundHle or AccurateLle may improve compatibility, at the cost of slower performance. DSVita is licensed under GPL-3.0, and users can report problems through GitHub issues.
Who it is for
DSVita suits PlayStation Vita owners who want to play Nintendo DS games and can install the required Vita components and ROM files. It may also interest Android users willing to try an experimental port, or ARM Linux users building from the documented instructions.
What is good
- Free to use and licensed under GPL-3.0.
- Includes savestates and Action Replay and libretro cheats.
- Customizable control profiles and touchscreen controls are listed.
- The rear touchpad and right stick can control the DS touchscreen.
- Supports most games, according to its maker.
What to know first
- The Android port is experimental and has no releases yet.
- Some 3D effects are missing, and dual-screen 3D games can stutter.
- Automatic frame skipping can render mid-frame VRAM updates incorrectly.
- Vita setup requires libshacccg.suprx and kubridge.skprx version 0.3.1 or later.
Verdict
Choose DSVita if you want a free Nintendo DS emulator for PlayStation Vita with cheats, savestates, and touchscreen controls. Look elsewhere if you need complete 3D rendering or reliable performance in games that use 3D on both screens; Android users should also account for the port's experimental status and lack of releases.
Get started with DSVita
- Open the DSVita GitHub page.
- Download the latest VPK release for PlayStation Vita.
- Install libshacccg.suprx and kubridge.skprx version 0.3.1 or later.
- Put ROM files with the .nds extension in ux0:data/dsvita.
- Consider setting the Vita to 500MHz, as the maker strongly recommends.
- For ARM Linux, follow the documented build route using the ARMHF toolchain and SDL2 development packages.
Limits to know first
DSVita is free. Some 3D effects are unimplemented, dual-screen 3D games can slow down or stutter, and automatic frame skipping may affect games that update VRAM mid-frame. The Android port is experimental and has no releases yet.
Questions about DSVita
How much does DSVita cost?
DSVita is free, and its free plan is listed as available.
Which platforms does it support?
PlayStation Vita is the supported platform. The repository also describes an experimental Android port with no releases yet and documents building for ARM Linux.
Is DSVita open source?
The repository identifies its license as GPL-3.0.
What features does it include?
Release 0.9.4 lists savestates, Action Replay and libretro cheats, touchscreen controls, and customizable control profiles.
How do I add games?
ROM files need the .nds extension and belong in ux0:data/dsvita.
What is required for Vita setup?
Vita setup requires libshacccg.suprx and kubridge.skprx version 0.3.1 or later.
Compared on Nintendo DS emulators
- Free plan
- Yes
- Supported platforms
- PlayStation Vita
- Save states
- Yes
- Cheat support
- Yes
- Screen layout options
- custom screen layouts; widescreen; tap corner to swap screen; top-screen streaming
