DraStic DS Emulator, one of the longest-running Nintendo DS emulation solutions for mobile, has just gone free-to-download. This change comes following, according to The Verge, a major $2.4 million lawsuit, against Switch emulator Yuzu by Nintendo, resulting in the closure of the emulator’s development.
DraStic DS Emulator Is Now Free To Download
DraStic DS, developed by Exophase, has been a reliable tool for Nintendo DS emulation for years. In addition to its core functionality, the emulator also offers some unique quality-of-life features.
These include the option to increase the resolution of the 3D graphics in DS games, and the ability to tweak the size and placement of each emulated DS screen to your liking. Originally priced at $4.99 (Roughly £3.99), you can now grab DraStic DS Emulator via the Google Play Store completely free.
Opening The Source
According to a message from Exophase in the emulator’s official Discord server, this move is only temporary. They note that DraStic DS will soon leave Google Play entirely. This won’t spell the end of DraStic DS, however. The developer pledged to release the source code for the emulator around the same time.
Exophase notes that they were “Already planning on this a while ago, so it’s not simply due to the Nintendo stuff, that just made the whole process more urgent,” referring to the aforementioned Yuzu lawsuit.
Exophase doubts that “Nintendo starts cracking down hard on emulators of much older platforms like DS” going forward. The statement points out Yuzu’s “active promotion” of leaked early games as the likely reason for their being targeted.
Window Of Opportunity
A full open-source release could help DraStic DS’s tech live on in some form, even if Nintendo does crack down. If you plan to pursue DS emulation via mobile in the future, this free-to-download window is your chance.
You can download DraStic DS Emulator for free via Google Play. In other news, check out our coverage of the recent Rocket League x ATLA collaboration leaks.
