Summary
- I suspect Nintendo made the DS hard to emulate by using dual screens, touch, mic, and clamshell mechanics.
- That challenge inspired clever DIY fixes, like adding a second screen to emulate DS/3DS games properly.
- A Steam Deck DS hack pairs a 7-inch touchscreen with a magnetic stand for a clean, reversible dual-screen setup.
I have zero proof for this theory, but I have a sneaking suspicion that the reason Nintendo designed the DS the way that it did was to curb emulators. In the company’s mind, having to emulate both screens, the touchscreen, the microphone, and even some unique in-game mechanics that happen when you close the clamshell case (like that one puzzle in Zelda) would make it really difficult. And I can imagine that emulator developers did struggle trying to get everything locked down.
However, the DS’s unique design has also led to people making really cool devices to emulate DS and 3DS games. For instance, someone was tired that they couldn’t properly emulate their dual-screen titles on their Steam Deck, so they got some components together and made their own “Steam Deck DS”.
Someone built their own dual-screen handheld with a Raspberry Pi 5 CM, and so can you
Recreating a classic handheld with a Raspberry Pi.
The Steam Deck DS is an unofficial and uninvasive way to emulate dual-screen games
Plus, it doesn’t require much hardware to pull off
As spotted by our delightful sister site TheGamer, Reddit user rediiboy took to the Steam Deck subreddit to show off their newest trick. It turns out, emulating DS and 3DS games on a Steam Deck isn’t ideal, given how you’ve only got the one portable-sized screen. So, what’s the solution? Simple: add a second one.
I wanted a Dual screen to emulate 3DS games so I got a portable monitor and had a magnetic phone holder laying around. The holder folds in neatly behind when I don’t want to use the screen. Turned out better than expected.
Achieving this dual-screen effect was deceptively elegant. It seems that rediiboy combined both a 7-inch touchscreen with a magnetic phone stand designed for laptops to get the Steam Deck DS up and running. If this is correct, it’s pretty awesome to see someone making a dual-screen Steam Deck without needing to pop open the shell or permanently alter the console in any way. Very clean and reversible.
If you’d like some more creative ways to use your portable console, check out how one of our writers turned their Steam Deck into a Steam Machine.