DS emulation is difficult to pull off on a handheld like Steam Deck, since the DS used two screens to display information. While not authentic, most emulators put these together or have a toggle to swap between them – this is a decent compromise. But if you have the budget, a player has a great solution, and frankly, Nintendo needs to take notes for the Switch 2.
“My take on a Steam Deck DS,” u/rediboy posted on the handheld's subreddit, attaching a photo of their console with a second screen mounted on top. “I wanted dual screens to emulate 3DS games so I got a portable monitor and a magnetic phone holder around it. The holder folds back nicely when the screen isn't in use. Turned out better than expected.”
You can get an equivalent 7-inch portable monitor for about $75 to $125, and a similar mount for about $10 to $30, depending on quality. So, it's a little pricey for an emulator, but if you're playing enough DS games on your Steam deck to warrant a splash out, it's worth the investment for a truly authentic experience.
Nintendo may already be planning something similar for the Switch 2
Nintendo could also opt for picture-in-picture and side-by-side displays, as patents are already looking at it, and emulators are currently doing, but it will be a fantastic little gadget for those who have enough extra change for the Switch 2, made for a more authentic experience, even though the tiny hande has flown into a larger handheld than the monitor's.
And while I thought Nintendo should have taken notes from u/rediboy for the design, leaker Kiftal Nick claimed earlier this month that “they're doing a DS with an extra screen” already, so the Steam Deck DS hybrid console might not be far off what the giant has planned. The big concern with that type of design, however, is whether or not the magnet will affect the fans on the back of the handheld, but u/rediboy claims they've had “no issues with that part yet,” and they're interested to see how it “behaves long term.”
It doesn't look awkward to use either, with the mount being centered enough that it doesn't get in the way of the back buttons or grip, so if Nintendo opted for a similar approach, it would work a treat, although the extra screen on top makes the console less portable, and undoubtedly clunkier to use.
- brand
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steam (valve)
- Original release date
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February 25, 2022
- Original MSRP (USD)
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$399–$649
- operating system
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SteamOS 3 (Arch-based)
- processor
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Zen 2 4c/8t, 2.4-3.5GHz (up to 448 GFlops FP32)
- resolve
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1200 x 800
