The beloved Nintendo DS emulator, DraStic, has vanished from the Google Play Store, marking the end of its long reign as one of the best ways to play DS games on Android. While the exact reason for its removal remains unclear, it appears to be a voluntary decision by its developer, Exophase, rather than a takedown by Nintendo.
DraStic’s removal isn’t entirely unexpected. Last year, Exophase announced plans to make the app free, remove it from Google Play, and eventually open-source its code. However, as of now, there’s no sign of an open-source release. The timing of its disappearance coincides with Nintendo’s aggressive crackdown on emulators, which previously led to the demise of Switch emulator Yuzu and 3DS emulator Citra after a legal settlement. Exophase had previously denied that Nintendo’s actions were the reason behind DraStic’s planned removal, but they admitted it sped up their decision.
For years, DraStic stood out as one of the best DS emulators on Android, thanks to its smooth performance, extensive customization options, and support for external controllers. While there are alternative DS emulators available, none have matched DraStic’s level of polish and reliability. Its absence leaves a significant gap in the Android emulation scene, especially as legal pressure from Nintendo continues to reshape the landscape.
Interestingly, while Nintendo has been cracking down on emulation, Apple has taken the opposite approach. A major shift in Apple’s App Store policies last year opened the floodgates for emulators on iOS, a move that has since resulted in a booming marketplace for retro game emulation.
With DraStic’s removal, fans are left wondering what’s next—will Exophase follow through on its promise to open-source the project, or is this truly the end of the road for the iconic emulator?
