Have you ever tried to find Nintendo DS ROMs online, only to come up empty-handed? If so, you are not alone. Recently, one of the most popular archives for DS ROMs—a collection of game files that can be run on PC hardware or emulators—was taken down without warning. In this blog post, we will explore what happened and why it is important for fans of retro games.
Nintendo’s History with Emulation and Roms
Nintendo has a long history of being resistant to the idea of emulation and piracy. In the past couple of decades, there have been numerous legal battles between Nintendo and those who were hosting or developing emulators for their consoles. As such, it should come as no surprise that Nintendo took action against one of the largest archives for DS ROMs online.
The Story Behind the Archive’s Shutdown
The story behind the shutdown began in early 2019 when Nintendo filed a lawsuit against LoveROMS.com and LoveRETRO.co, two websites owned by Jacob Mathias that hosted thousands of game files for various classic systems including NES, SNES, Atari 2600, Sega Genesis, GameBoy Advance, and more recently Nintendo DS. After months of legal wrangling between both parties, Mathias agreed to settle out of court in July 2020 by agreeing to shut down all sites associated with his companies and pay $12 million in damages to Nintendo as part of a settlement agreement. This agreement also included any other sites or services associated with Mathias’ companies—including the popular archive for new3DSXL roms which was hosted on romstorage.com until it was taken offline earlier this year without warning or explanation from anyone involved in the case.
What Does This Mean for Retro Gamers?
The shutdown of this archive means thousands upon thousands of games are now no longer available online—at least legally speaking—making them much harder to find than before if not impossible altogether. While some fans may choose to turn to pirated sources in order to get access to these games which may still be accessible via alternative means such as torrenting or peer-to-peer sharing websites; others may opt out entirely due either due lack interest or concern over potential security risks involved with downloading pirated content online; leaving many retro gamers unable access these games unless they own physical copies themselves which could be difficult depending on how rare a certain type cartridge is nowadays which could make them extremely expensive if found at all .
Conclusion
The recent takedown of an archive containing Nintendo DS ROMs has left many fans disappointed and frustrated. While there are still ways to access these game files through alternative sources such as torrenting or peer-to-peer sharing websites; it is important that users exercise caution when doing so as even though they may be free they may also contain malicious content that could potentially harm your computer if downloaded onto your system unintentionally; making it essential that users scan any downloads prior use regardless if they are obtained through official channels or not thus ensuring their device remains safe from unwanted viruses/malware at all times while still enjoying their favorite classic titles once again!